faithmd

Hang in there, Deanna! I have a twelve month diet requirement and then things are submitted, so I could be looking at fourteen or fifteen months, total. I haven't had my consult yet, but my twelve months is done, though I did not lose the 5% required by my insurance (I was sick in the year and was stuck on the couch and gained 17lbs). But I've now lost that, so I'm hopeful I'll get approved. If not, I wil lose my mind I have also changed my eating habits to more healthy choices and have been trying out various Protein Shakes and baby foods and practising how to eat like I've been banded (though I am eating more than that). I'm using small plates and cups and bowls and children's utensils so I can eat the right size bites. I'm taking this waiting period to practice how to chew, chew, chew, and how NOT to drink with my meal. I hope this makes it easier on me when the Band is in place. Good luck, we're here for you!

Hi Stacey and welcome to LBT. Congrats on having a surgery date! We are all here for each other, so join in!

I wouldn't say it is odd. Some surgeons will not do a LapBand on someone whose BMI is over a certain number, or whose weight is over a given amount. It is a provider's choice. I'm sure they have their reasons which could range from concern about being able to do a safe laparascopic surgery on someone who has such a large amount of adipose tissue in the operative area and probably a huge liver, to perhaps having been taught, or having a belief that someone over a certain size is a bad choice for a LapBand because of the likely eating habits that caused them to reach that size. Also, if someone is older, some surgeons feel that if the weight needs to come off quickly either for comorbidities or age, they will do the RNY because of the speed of the loss. My surgeon told us in our information session that there are certain patients he simply will not Band because he feels they won't be successful either because of past habits or the reason they are overweight (he doesn't like to band "grazers" because they have a tendency to be able to eat through the Band), or those who are very large. He mentioned 400 lbs as where he really starts thinking about whether or not to Band. I went to the info session at 371 so I kind of worried a bit. I immediately started on a big change in how I eat (NOT a diet, but a lifestyle change) and at this point have lost 20lbs or so. I don't want him to tell me no. But if he does, I will simply go find someone who will band a high BMI patient. I might have to borrow against every little thing I own, but I won't have RNY as I do not have any comorbidities. If I did and HAD to lose the weight fast, I guess I'd seriously consider the RNY.

Thank you for sharing these with us, DrC! You rock!!!

I agree, fair warning was given, if'n ya don't want to see a hoohoodilly and a pair of jambas, then don't look. I, for one, am sooooo grateful that you are a woman who has some cahones and will post those pics. You are helping lots of us more that we can describe! We love you, Spyder!

Yeah, what Sherrilynn said... Hotpink, try a heating pad on that shoulder and do your very best to stand up and walk, walk, walk. When you cough use a pillow and hug it over your abdomen. That's what we teach folks who have had big open abdominal surgeries, it should help us as well. Hotpink, CONGRATS on making it to bandland!!!! I'm hoping to be right behind ya. And I do remember his posts, I was one who said thanks for telling both sides. But, now you have to weigh in your mind what he said he'd do versus what he really did. You are 20!!! Live, enjoy life, meet more men, date, have a good time, don't worry about having to be settled into a committed relationship for a lonnnnng time yet. Now is the time to focus on you and your healing and your success with the band. Now is NOT the time to have to worry about how he feels or what he wants or what he needs or did he call, or why didn't he call. Flying solo, while scary at first, is probably the very best thing for you right now. One of my favorite phrases, "So many men, so little time..." Enjoy life!!!

You might want to check out the Canada forum, I wish I knew more to help.

Hi Eclipse, I can't remember actually seeing liquid Gas-X. Most banded folks have recommended the Gas-X thin strips. I bought a couple of boxes of those (within about 3 cents in price between Target and Walmart) to have in the cabinet for post-op. Addendum: Nope, just went to look and all I could find online are: Soft gels Fasttabs Tablets Thin strips

Woohoo!!! Surgery is almost here! Good luck and we can't wait to hear how it all went!

There's no doubt you will have at least some extra skin, but at your age your skin should have more elasticity than it will even in ten years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell you what you are going to look like after your extra weight is gone. Exercise is the key in keeping the underlying muscle as tight as possible, toning, toning, toning, mixed with good cardio (at least that's what I've read). Though there is really no magic thing that tightens skin itself back up. Good luck!

Hiya Stacy, congrats on getting banded! Goodonya! If you use the Search function (it's the word "Search" in white between "New Posts" and "LBT Journals") you can find tons of great stuff! Here's the links titled Vitamins I found when I did this search, happy clicking! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/liquid-vitamins-t29920.html?t=29920&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/vitamins-after-surgery-t30848.html?t=30848&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/recommendation-vitamins-t30317.html?t=30317&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/pre-op-vitamins-t30774.html?t=30774&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/help-vitamins-question-t28912.html?t=28912&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/vitamins-t28249.html?t=28249&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/vitamins-t26633.html?t=26633&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/vitamins-after-surgery-t27150.html?t=27150&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/surgery-12-20-t26728.html?t=26728&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/which-vitamins-taste-t26401.html?t=26401&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/vitamins-t25682.html?t=25682&highlight=vitamins http://www.lapbandtalk.com/much-biotin-t25376.html?t=25376&highlight=vitamins

I agree about FlyLady. I like most of her ideas, but some things I just don't agree with. She's got a few really good books out, too.

No, I don't think that's a horrible way to feel at all. If we're paying for insurance, they should be paying for something, too! And please do keep us posted. Ah, the magical, elusive question...No one knows... REALLY, no one knows. It all depends on what your insurance requires (call tomorrow-if they require a six month diet, then you will be waiting at least seven months), if there is no insurance requirements, then it depends on what your surgeon will require: do they want a psych consult, cardiac consult, sleep study, etc? Those things all take time to schedule and have done. If none of those things are required, then it is all up to your surgeon's office and how quickly they gather the necessary paperwork and submit it, then how quickly the insurance approves it. I've read of some people who waited three months for the insurance approval, and others who knew in a week. See why it's so subjective? So get cracking and keep us updated! :welldoneclap:

Sasha, right here in the forum you posted this question in is a thread called Scar Stages, you can go there and see what things look like after the band, here's a link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/scar-stages-share-t6117.html

Totally depends, 30-90 minutes or so. Though your family won't see you in recovery until you've woken up, so that will be a longer wait for them. At least a couple of hours.

If you are self pay I would not worry.

You MUST start with your insurance company and sadly you really are going to have to jump through their hoops. If you are able to go the self-pay route then you may be able to skip over many of the requirements that the insurance company puts on you (like BMI, etc). My insurance company will pay at a BMI of 35 with TWO comorbidities. A good doc or surgeon can help ferret out comorbidities and get them documented (like a strong family history of diabetes or heart disease, there's two right there). But to do that you must see those doctors. My insurance also is very strict in a 12 month MD supervised weight loss program, and only office notes will suffice. NO LETTERS allowed from the MD, it must be progress notes. Of course not all insurance is as strict as mine, but very few would approve you with what you have at this point. Your first call needs t be to your insurance company and ask if they cover the band, and what the requirements are, then get them to send it to you so you'll have it in writing. In the meantime, ask around and get a name of a good PCP, or get names from your insurance company of who is on their list, then call thos offices and ask the staff if the doctor is pro or anti-WLS. Then make an appointment with one and start going every month. Start tomorrow, the sooner you start, the sooner you can get banded. Here's a link to the Lower BMI bandster thread, there's lots of good info here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/lower-bmi-bandsters-t26697.html Good luck and welcome!

Congrats on getting your surgery behind you! We live in squalor here, too. I was never a neat freak, but my house never was a horrid mess until I got married. Here's the funny thing, my husband and I didn't live together until about 2 1/2 years into the marriage, so I can't blame it on us moving in together. I guess it started getting bad about 10 months or so before the wedding. It started innocently enough with things piling up in preparation for the Big Day. We had two weddings (did a "normal/typical" wedding on Halloween night and then had a barn bash/costume/karaokeparty/handfasting on the Saturday following) and as such, there was tons of stuff. Then it just kind of snowballed. I suppose one could possibly read into it that perhaps I have issues with the marriage, but I don't feel like I do. I'm sorry that I can't help you with any ideas about his depression/anxiety, I've never had problems with depression, not on any meds, don't see a therapist and the one I just saw last week for the OK for surgery really put me though the paces and I didn't feel any issues surface that needed to be resolved. I really wish I did have an idea for you, but I *am* like your hubby in that I just can't seem to get motivated to get the place cleaned up. The problem did get compounded when he moved in with me, but in my case it certainly is not my husband's stuff. I never cleaned out my extra crap, and he moved out of a 1200 sq foot 2bed/2bath placed that had a living room, dining room and family room as well as a full basement and a two-car garage into my little 720 sq foot one bedroom/one bath place with no garage, and no basement. In that move he really dumped most of his posessions, so it's not his junk that's cluttering the place. I am tired of living like this, but if I ask for help, he only wants to throw everything out. Of course most all of it is my stuff and I got the packrat mentality from my parents (it seems). I am having a hard time thinking of parting with a lot of stuff, I know I have to get past it and I purchased a couple of books that I think are helping me. They may help you, too. Though I am certain it can't be this simple, I hope it will help some. One is: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Clutter-Busting-Handbook-Clean-Clear-Clutter-free/dp/0802777171/ref=sr_1_10/104-8243594-2905514?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174260352&sr=1-10]The Clutter-Busting Handbook: Clean It Up, Clear It Out, And Keep Your Life Clutter-free[/ame] by Rita Emmett The other (and my personal favorite as it is funny and insightful and practical) is: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Clutters-Last-Stand-Time-junk/dp/1593373295/ref=sr_1_7/104-8243594-2905514?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174260352&sr=1-7]Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time To De-junk Your Life![/ame] by Don Aslett I wish I had more ideas for you, and if anyone else has some, I'd be grateful to hear them, too. I also thought about hiring a service to just come in and clean it, and I've had friends who know (cause I've confided in them about it) offer to come and help me, but I just can't do it. I would be mortified to have anyone see my house in this state. And I can't imagine how a cleaning service would make decisions as to what to keep, what to junk and what to donate to charity? I have decided to get a large tent structure (like a big screen house thing you eat in in the summer) and set it up and empty the house one room at a time as soon as it warms up. I think that's the only way I'll be able to do it. I've been working on it one box a week, but the progress just isn't there. So I think if I empty EVERYTHING out of a room and then have to put stuff back, like I were moving, I may be able to stop myself from putting all the crap back in. It's a thought.

Hi Susan! My DH really wants to move back to Florida (he lived there for a number of years (Destin area), but I just LOVE Michigan, I think I'd melt in the heat. :flame: jssmitty: from what I've now heard from several others around here, you need to keep on them. Apparently the office is really disorganized. I've decided to keep copies of everything and if need be, I'll submit it to the insurance company myself.

I have also given up refined carbs, enriched flours, etc... But I completely believe in getting good, filling, complex carbs that are full of fiber. I think the bread you have mentioned sounds like a great addition to your diet, and I really like the idea of using it as croutons. Jack: It's called Swedish Hardtack. I think it's my dad's favorite snack. He loves a piece of it with Peanut Butter on it.

Prayers for a very quick and full recovery!

Toasted with lots of butter. Maybe some natural peanut butter?

Zannie, those are good suggestions for wipes, I'd like to add one: the Equate wipes in the blue package at Walmart. They're about $1.74 a pack (a lot cheaper than many others). You find them in the baby aisle.

Have you had your consultation yet?

The meth ads are pretty good. The make-up looks great, but the people still have good teeth. One of the most shocking things to me is how meth rots the teeth out of your head.