faithmd

First, are you self-pay or are you using insurance? If you are using insurance, then the very first call should be to your insurance company to see who THEY will pay for. Then of those doctors, CALL THEIR OFFICE. Only a very very few surgeons have true updated data about how many bands they've placed anywhere online. the number should be constantly changing. In one month, a doc may have placed another 20 bands. I looked up my docs on OH and read as many patient reviews as possble about them, then I called the office and asked how many bands each had placed. Then I went to information sessions that each held to help me make my final decision. I took the list of questions with me that you can find here in the FAQ and reference forum. I also asked what the hidden costs are. Are there "support group" fees? Are there any post-op care fees? How about required diet fees? That's the one that got me. I didn't ask about required diet and they of course never mentioned it in my info session, nor did they mention it in my pre-op consultation. I complanied about that and hopefully they'll start mentioning it. It wasn't that expensive, but it was the principle of the thing. Good Luck!

I agree that many are misinformed and that is part of why they say the things they do. This is EXACTLY why I've told only four people, my parents (and so far my mom's keeping her mouth shut), my DH and a friend who was also thinking of the band. I have had to have my date changed, and I may not tell her about the updated date. Though she checks in here from time to time, so she may see it (if so, hello!). I plan on not ever telling people. If I am successful and lose weight with the band as I plan to be, then I will merely say it's been a combination of exercise and portion control that has helped me to lost weight. I've been fortunate that I've jumpstarted my weight loss and have lost a little over 40# already before being banded, so if I continue to lose, no one will say anything.

Hello Brandychick, there are tons of threads around here about this subject, try doing a search for any one of these: Carbonated Soda Pop Carbonation Some docs say it's okay after the band is well-seated about 6 months to a year, but most docs it seems say either nope, never again, or drink the soda flat. I'm not yet banded, but I gave up the carbonation in January because I didn't want to be faced with it at the same time as surgery, too stressful for me. But if you are putting your mixed drink over ice and letting it sit for a while, I would think you'd be okay, as long as you aren't very recently banded. It might be painful going down.

Hello LilMonkey, if you are in Canada or Australia, you likely could have had the AP placed. If you are in the US and your surgeon was one of the 50 or so across the nation chosen to place early releases of the AP band (out of the 1,000 or so LapBand surgeons in the US), you may have gotten the AP. If you were banded in Mexico, your guess is as good as mine. Here's some more info: AP Band information: Here's the link to a thread in Dr. Curry's Forum about his experiences with the AP band, it explains more about the band and it's differences: Trace W. Curry, M.D. :: View topic - New AP band And here's a link to a thread on here about it, I spoke with "the band guy" at Allergan about the AP band a couple of times. Though he of course cannot make any reccommendations one way or the other about whether one should ask for the AP, he did provide me with a lot of useful info. Allergan is NOT discontinuing their other bands at this time. All will still be available, they all work well. As a side note, the AP has been being placed for quite some time now in Australia and Canada, it is just being released in the US next month. There is a learning curve (small) for surgeons and from what I've heard they will need to upsize some of their instruments in order to pass the new AP band through them: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f75/new-lap-band-ap-advanced-platform-30747/ Hope this helps! <!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Farmer's Branch? Basically Dallas? Wow, kewl! I LOOOOOVE Dallas. Hmmmm....

And today, I'm a little bit closer: I'm approved! It was my second try, but it's done, I'm approved! I'm waiting for the surgeon's office to call and schedule me now.

Oh yes, and I've been at the same weight for about three weeks now! Grrrrrrr!!!

Well my winding road continues to grow a few curves (as I continue to lose them). I am no longer being banded May 31st... I have been rescheduled for June 20th. I want the AP band and my doctor's office is reluctant to get the go ahead for an early release band (even though I did the legwork). Which I suppose I understand to a degree, but who wouldn't appreciate the learning opportunity to place it on a patient who is very willing to be the first to get the AP band in that practice? While it isn't completely different, there is a learning curve to placing it that's a bit different from the standard Allergan bands. In any case, the manager doesn't feel comfortable without getting the Allergan rep, the surgeon and herself all in the same room to pow wow about it. And that won't be until after they go to the ASBS conference in San Diego June 11-17th. They should learn lots more about the AP and perhaps some about how to place it at that conference, at the close of the conference is when the AP will be released to the US market. So here I sit and wait again...........

Nope, I'm not confusing them at all. I refered to a 10cc band (which is a Vanguard Band or VG) just as an example. Here's the list of bands (currently released in the US-not including the AP band that will be released next month) made by Allergan: 9.75 cm (4 cc capacity) 10 cm (4cc capacity) 11 cm (9cc capacity) Vanguard (10cc)

That's WONDERFUL! Schedule that July 4th BBQ a bit early this year How very exciting!!!

Lisa H, I have a cheap one at home that collects major dustbunnies. I use some at cardiac rehab and I LOVE those. I think my favorites are the Precor and the Quinton. But I've grown to totally hate the treadmill altogether, it feels like I'm a rabbit chasing a dangling carrot. I suppose it would be better if there were TV's on front of them or a book rack on it like you could have at home. I guess I'd have to say that I think the more expensive ones are completely worth the cost, if you are going to use them. I have fallen in love with the NuStep (it's a recumbent stair stepper).

I cannot even begin to hazard a guess. There are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many things that can make an EKG come up as "abnormal" and require no interventions at all. There are very few things that I can think of that could make your EKG abnormal that would require some treatment right away that would have been a condition you didn't know was going on. Did that make sense? I mean that if you were having some severe cardiac issues, you'd probably know it. You'd feel palpitations, weakness, dizziness, fluttering, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath that is abnormal, any number of things. If you've been doing good cardio without many problems and haven't had issues like those I listed, it is probably something fairly small. That having been said, there could be something to it, but I really honestly would not freak (if you can stop yourself, that's the hard part) until you know more, or have another EKG. A slightly elevated WBC count can come from any number of things. And elevated in my lab might be considered normal numbers in your lab. For example one lab might say 11,000 is the high end of normal, my lab might say 12,000 is the high end of normal, someone else's lab might say 10,500 is high normal. Keep us posted!

RTL, Did you get that card before or after surgery? I ask because my doc's office mailed me the booklet that comes with the band along with that wallet card and it also said 4cc's. I received that in the mail THREE WEEKS BEFORE the surgery date. So I took it with me to my nurse education appointment and asked how do they know I'll get a 4cc band if it's true to doctor doesn't know what size he'll place until he's in there? I even got to ask my surgeon the question when she couldn't answer it. He wasn't sure, either. He said they shouldn't really be sending out that information pre-operatively for just the reason I mentioned. I might get a 10cc band, not a 4cc one and then what if I never got a card for a 10cc and carried my card for 4cc and something happened when I was away from home? Or if I move later down the line? Point of my story: Please double check just to make sure the practice isn't just giving out card thinking to be nice so you'll have one and come to find out you've received the wrong card.

Hello Cyndi! I guess you haven't been around here very long or you'd know that you are TOTALLY normal! (Please don't that that the wrong way, you are most welcome to post about this, we are all here to support one another.) Yep, I've read many, many, many posts like yours, I've not had surgery yet, but came within 8 days of it before having it rescheduled and I'll admit that I was starting to question a few things. It's completely normal to flip out a bit, after all not only are you having a surgical procedure done, you are essentially changing how you eat for the rest of your life. But it's a GOOD thing. It'll be VERY good. And it really will be okay. Good Luck!! (Are you paying $20K out of pocket? WOW!)

AP Band information: Here's the link to a thread in Dr. Curry's Forum about his experiences with the AP band, it explains more about the band and it's differences. Trace W. Curry, M.D. :: View topic - New AP band And here's a link to a thread on here about it, I spoke with "the band guy" at Allergan about the AP band a couple of times. Though he of course cannot make any reccommendations one way or the other about whether one should ask for the AP, he did provide me with a lot of useful info. Allergan is NOT discontinuing their other bands at this time. All will still be available, they all work well. As a side note, the AP has been being placed for quite some time now in Australia and Canada, it is just being released in the US next month. There is a learning curve (small) for surgeons and from what I've heard they will need to upsize some of their instruments in order to pass the new AP band through them. the new LAP-BAND AP (Advanced Platform) Hope this helps! <!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Hello all, can someone please remove me from the calendar? I was to be banded the 31st and due to my wanting the AP band, I will not be banded until after it's US wide release following the ASBS conference June 11-17th. I'm now (hopefully) going to be banded June 20th. MY long fricking wait just got even longer!!!! I'm starting to wonder if this is really for me... Seems at every turn something gets tossed in my way. The exercise rehab physiologists I see ask me why do I even need to get banded, since I've lost so much on my own. I have always said that it will be only temporary, I'll gain it back without the help of the band as a tool to control my portions. But now I'm second guessing myself. Guess I'm just frustrated.

Can someone add me to the calendar? I was May 31st but I want to be banded with the AP band and that isn't available in wide release (in the US) until after the ASBS conference June 11-17th. At this point I am scheduled to be banded June 20th. Thanks! I cannot believe how long of a road this has been, and dammit, it got even longer!!!!

I have been known to mow my lawn with the yard lights on and head lights on on the mower at 2 and 3am. I work nights, and people mowing and weed whacking in the middle of the day KILLS me. My neighbors know what days I've worked and when I'm off. So I return the favor. I don't do it often, only occasionally, but I do get my point across.

Pffffft, "I told you so" is soooo cathartic! Laurend, vent on baby! I hear ya loud and clear. If I were you I'd be asking the same questions and venting everywhere I felt comfortable. I understand that you are not coming here and posting about this to get advice about what to do or not to do, you just wanted to tell your story and have people hear you. Do I agree (given my limited knowledge of the situation) that this is probably a HUGE mistake? Yep, youbetcha! And if I were in your position, I don't know that I'd physically say, "I told you so" when it all falls into the crapper, but I know I'd be gloating like a son-of-a-gun on the inside. May I ask how old your brother is? I have a personal theory (and I KNOW I'll get totally lambasted on this one, but it's MY theory) that folks have NO business getting married before a bare minimum of 25, preferably 30-35 and kids shouldn't even be considered until married a minimum of three years. That's just my thought. You have to take time to get to know one another. And you have to be old enough and responsible enough to take care of yourself and your own bills and needs before you take on a partner, and certainly before you bring another life into this trashed out Godforsaken world. Okay, that's my rant...

Yes, heparin in an IV is perfectly safe.

That's AWESOME Alexandra! Will you still be getting the AP band? It isn't in wide-release in the US until after the ASBS conference June 11th and 12th. I'm guessing your surgeon is one of the 50 or so who is putting in AP's in the early release group. How VERY exciting!!!

I'm sorry but I think you have to call them and ask them if it is covered for your policy.

I am not yet banded, but have been researching supplements and have purchased OneSource Active Kids from Walmart, they are almost the exact same as Centrum Chewable (even though they are technically a kids' vitamin!) which is what my surgeon's nutritionist suggests. They actually have a little bit more of a few minerals in them, and they have choline which Centrum does not. They do not have Vitamin K which Centrum does, but in Centrum it is a small amount. They are in a big bright pink bottle and were $5.27 for 120. This is a price that cannot be beat. They taste GREAT!

thedailyplate.com has more restaurant calorie values than fitday.com does. I use fitday becuase that's what I started using when I began my last lap of the journey to the Band and it doesn't make me break up my day into Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I work nights so I prefer just a running total per day. Some days I do it sun up to sun down, others I do it sun down to sun up and I can do that easily with fitday. I've been using fitday since late January and I've lost 42lbs, I am NOT banded yet. I haven't really been watching what I eat other than cutting out anything made with enriched flours (I've backslid this week a bit, but not too bad), sugars, simple starches. I am logging EVERY BITE. It is a bit tedious with fitday to put in so many custom foods, but most every restaurant has their nutrition information on their websites, I just go there and copy it over to fitday. Usually the websites offer the ability to customize the foods and I prefer to move the info over because I frequently customize my foods. sparkpeople.com is one a lot of folks use, I didn't like the format and though they have more foods than fitday, thedailyplate beats out sparkpeople for lists of foods, hands down. For looking up restaurant foods calorieking.com has I think the most of anyplace I've seen. Good Luck!

Hiya Ginger, sorry you're having problems with constipation. This seems to be a purveyant problem with Bandsters. Do a Search for threads with constipation in the title, you'll find lots more about this subject, hope this helps!