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I guess it depends on the doctor and insurance company. My insurance approved me right away, only had to show 5yrs of obesity in my medical history. But I had to be smoke free for 90 days before my doctor would see me!!! Because of that I went to my seminar in September, first doctor appt was March 3rd and surgery was July 28th...almost 10 months..but it was worth it. I learned a lot about myself and how I got this way so it can all be fixed and not just the weight be fixed. Good luck and take your time, it all happens for a reason!

Hey there!! I have BCBS of North Carolina and I didn't have to do anything but prove 5 years of obesity in my medical history. It was considered as any other medical surgery. I do not know how Kansas is, but I would almost guarantee that it's covered. I am 28 and my BMI was over 40 as well. Hope it works out, you won't regret it!! Good luck

I think I have all of ya beat!!! I was banded on the 28th of July and I made sure to drink a cup of coffee the day before to make sure I pooped before the big day!! Well my friends, I didn't go for ELEVEN DAYS!!!!! I didn't have pressure to go to the bathroom but I did have a lot of gas pains from the waist up so I didn't coralate the two! I finally drank 4oz of coffee and a hour a later I went, it was great haha!!! The gas moved its' way out shortly after that. I also noticed that I will only go about every three days now (on pureed foods) but during those three days I won't lose weight then after I poop I lose 2-3 lbs so I look forward to it now! Good Luck!!

I agree with most of the posts about the negativity. I came on here to get answers. I have never had surgery before so my first week post op I listened to my body more than I ever have because I was scared I could do something to ruin it. I was calling my doctors office way too much so that is when I decided to come on here and talk to people that are exactly where I am at. I also (two days after surgery) read some of these posts and thought to myself that this was a mistake! Between people losing 15 lbs in 6 months to slippage, to pain, to vomiting, to having bypass AFTER the band. I was traumatized for a couple days and with the pain I was going through I was scared I would not be strong enough to really change my life. With that, I just started worrying about myself. I think I realized that there are some doctors out there that make you go through the extensive appointments/research/classes that I had to. I was lucky that my insurance company didn't make me diet before hand, I was approved right away. BUT my doctor was the tough one. I went through this for 10 months before I had surgery and I was reassured the whole way. I was educated, I was tested, and I was told to get into counseling to deal with the food issues and why I chose to be so destructive to my body. My doctor would not do the surgery unless my mental health was being healed as well and I am grateful that he did because that is what really saved me. Once my surgery was done I decided to stay in counseling because she is my sanctuary. I get to say what I want and not be judged which is where the food came in, along with learning how to love myself a little bit more everyday. With that, I think I am lucky to have such a wonderful support system and even though I get scared here and there I come on here to find answers and it make me feel better. You have the power to choose which ones you read so I suggest that you stick to the positive and realize that EVERYONE is different. Live with your band in your way and listen to your body, you know it best! God Bless....

Hey there!! I can understand where you are coming from. I actually was really excited for months until I had to wait for the insurance company to approve it all. Those two months were horrible, I was depressed, drinking, started smoking again, and wasn't working out. After my date was set I kicked it into high gear! I did great on my liquid diet for two weeks and lost 14 lbs. I had surgery on July 28th and have lost a total of 25 lbs. For the first week I was in shock. I would just look up and think, did I really just do this?? What do I do now?? It doesn't fall off that is for sure but it comes off healthy and that is what matters. I am two and a half weeks post op and feel amazing. I am hungry, all the time which scares me but I feel the best I have in years. Take it all in, be proud of yourself for getting through it all and start living the life you want to live...it's all possible!!

Anemia is definitely a possibility if the bruises are that bad. I would also say it could be from a lack of water. If your skin is not hydrated then you won't have the color or elasticity you should so I would probably call your doc and maybe get some labs done.

I am 15 days post op and I had similar questions. I called my doc office three times in two days because I was worried!! The chest/ribs/lungs/back/shoulder pains are all normal. The back/shoulders on me was from the gas, and I still have stiffness through out the day but it's not painful. My chest and ribs felt like I got hit by a bus for about a week. Even after I went back to work it was strong enough to make me cry. Do not skip your pain meds they will help tremendously, and make sure you use the lung machine they should have sent home with you...I did it 3x and hour for about a week, in the care, at work, on the toilet! haha....it forces you to stretch them which makes the pain go away faster. It will pass, but if you are tired and need to rest DO IT!!! As for the hunger pains, I agree with the last comment. I didnt' feel hunger until I was able to drink about 6 oz an hour and when it came I was so hungry I wanted to vomit. It comes out of nowhere and it's a definite tummy growl like you haven't ate in months! Good luck with everything.

If you can't get the protein down your doc shouldn't be too upset! I couldn't drink them either. In my two weeks of liquids after surgery, I finished a 16oz shake ONE time and it took 8 hours!! I gave up eventually. But I also found out that drinking all liquids was giving me bad bad heartburn so I went to soft foods (mashed potatoes) four days early and it was a life saver. My doctor told me the most important thing for the first two weeks is water and walking. Water heals you faster and walking prevents the blood clots. I haven't had any hair loss or weakness and I am two weeks post op. I feel 150% better now than I did the first 5 days. It'll get better and you'll feel like a new person!! Stay strong and good luck...

This is off topic a bit and quite stupid, but I am new to the site. How in the heck do I track my weight loss/BMI on the bottom of my replies to all the conversations?? I have no idea how to work this site lol..thanks for the help!!

I tried that....that website didn't have anything on it about a weight tracker. It was about business cards?? lol..just making sure it was the right website! Thanks for the info though..

I think it's awesome that the two of you will have each other to get through such a life changing surgery! About 10 years ago my best friend had gastric bypass at the age of 18. She weighed 350+ pounds and got down to 175 in about a year and a half. It changed her life. Her mom had it down two years before she did and allowed her to have less health problems. I know that she healed quickly and did well with the surgery, but she did gain about half of the weigh back due to her stomach stretching back out. Which doesn't happen with LapBand unless you follow NOTHING the doctors say. Insurance wise, I don't know who you have, but it should be covered if her health is at risk. Some make you diet for 6 months to try and lose the weight and others, like mine just need 5 years of medical history proving the obesity. Good luck with all and I hope the two of you can do it together!! Amy

Hey there, I was banded on July 28th and I was actually sleeping on port side two nights after surgery. Now I slept on my side and not leaning onto my stomach like I used to. Now I can pretty much sleep either way and on my tummy but when I position myself I have to do it slowly. Sometimes I'll get a sharp pain in that area but I assume it's still tender from surgery. It should pass with time. Good luck!

Good luck to you!! I am two weeks post op and I will give you some advice as to what could help you through the first week (which I thought was the hardest). My actual surgery was GREAT! I had the best Doctor in North Carolina!! Day One: your voice is gone, your tongue is probably white and you feel like you have swallowed a bag of cotton balls. Drink your little 2oz an hour and to be honest, freeze the 2oz when you get home because it lasts longer. I also did gatorade to help with flavor. Take the highest dose of your pain med every time you can for the first three days just to stay as comfortable as possible, don't be a superman! Once you are past that it's pretty easy. Have people help you up off the couch, chair, etc because using your belly muscles can be painful. I hope you have strong thighs! Walk as much as you possibly can. My mom and I went shopping and walked the dogs everyday just to make sure I wasn't laying around too much. Once you are tired though, make sure you sleep. Rest is very important to healing. Worst case scenario for the first two week is WATER AND WALKING. If you can't do protein it's okay, but water/clear liquids are important. One last thing, if you feel like you have gas bubble traveling up and down your chest then watch your temperatures. Too hot or too cold can cause stomach spasms and THEY HURT, that is the only thing I cried tears over through the entire process (besides surgery being my first anesthesia experience). I hope this helps a bit and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! I am sure someone on here has a cure. Good luck tomorrow and I will be praying for you. It's the beginning of your new life and you'll feel great! Amy

I have not experienced anything like this. It's actually weird because I sleep much better now that I have had the surgery. I guess it's because I don't have all the bad stuff in my system anymore. Maybe the tingling is just some nerves that are slightly pinched from the surgery. I would give it a couple weeks until swelling is gone to see if it goes away. Good luck!!

I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and just had my surgery 10 days ago. I put all of my medical issues on the table when I went to my first DR appt and he actually said this was the perfect surgery to have because I had the chance of being infertile because of the PCOS....sounds like your DR is a quack! Good luck

I am 10 days post op and still have some side effects from the extra air. I have a ritual now that I do which is stretching every morning. If the pain settles in my back/shoulders I usually grab then end of the counter and lean back to stretch it all out. I also had a lot of soreness in my calves which I would do lounges to loosen up. Sleeping on my side was the most comfortable and having someone rub your neck helps relieve some of the tension. Hope this helps!! Good luck ;o)

Mine was similar after surgery. I woke up and had cotton mouth so bad that I didn't really have my voice for about three days. I still have white spots on my tongue (10days post op) but I think mine was just from the dryness during surgery and lack of hydration that happened during the first week. It'll go away over time. I usually have a film over it every morning as well that doesn't go away until I brush my teeth. Guess it's from NO food for a month now lol...good luck!

Congrats!! I was absolutely petrified of this whole process because I have NEVER had surgery. It was SO much easier than I had ever expected! I went into surgery at 7:45am and was in recovery by 8:30am and home by 10:30!! Listen to your discharge papers to a "T". WALK as much as you can the gas pains are worse than the actual incisions or tenderness from the laproscopic process. Make sure you sip tiny, tiny sips so the heartburn and chest tightness isn't so bad. I am sure you'll do great and good luck!! Let us know how you are afterwards!!

Hey all, I had surgery July 28th and seem to be doing pretty well. Over the last three days I have been getting sharp, painful "stabs" in the area of my band. It's in my lower chest and goes to the bottom of my diaphragm. I am find for a couple hours or so then it'll be so strong it takes my breath away. It usually lessens if I stretch or walk around, but sitting down is not an option. I feel like I have to burp and it comes up as so, then goes right back down. I have been told this could be from band slippage or an air pocket that is stuck. What can I do to get this to go away??!?!?!?!

Congrats on your big day!! I converted on July 28th and it wasn't as bad as I thought. Afterwards on the other hand, is a different story! lol...Day one and two were pretty woozy and lots of pain meds to get through the chest pains/gas pains. I am on day six and I am still having a tough time with gas/bubbles in my belly. I started back to work yesterday and decided to go without my medicine and I was in pain for 6 hours. Came home crying and called in a refill on the liquid loratab! Best advice, if they give you the meds, take them...don't be a hero. I go back to the doctor on Tuesday and boy do I have some questions for him! Good luck and talk to you soon!