Big AL

It's funny to me how it's so different from one doc to the next on how long patients stay on liquids. I have to do 2 weeks on clear liquids, 2 weeks on full liquids, then 2 weeks mushy food. I'm 8 days post op so I know what you mean Clare about being tired of Jello. Those Bill Cosby Jello comercial aren't so dang cute these days..... I'll tell you what I have been eating and maybe it will give you some ideas. I am able to have milk and yogurt so that helps. I mix my milk with On's whey Protein powder I also add a little Hershey's syrup once in a while. I'm sure the Hershey's is bad but I add very little, just enough to change the flavor. I am also drinking Dannon lite and fit smoothie's made with yogurt. I am tired of plain broth so once in a while I get egg drop Soup from the local Chinese place and just eat the broth. I am also eating soups that have a clear broth and leaving ALL the chunks behind. Some of the soups I am straining out the veggies first and freezing them for homade soup, or to add to caserole's later. Dole 100% juice popsicles are good. And as far a juice goes I bore easily with apple so I have been getting stuff like pomagranite juice, and cherry juice. I try and not eat the same thing twice in one day so it mixs it up a little. Hope this helps!! AL

Hey all, I was banded by Dr.Boutt on Friday 3-26. Everything went well! Way, way better than I expected. I am sore but other than that I have had zero compications. Just wanted to brag to my Michigan friends. Take care everyone!!

I have to say I can't believe how smoothly things are going. I was banded yesterday (3-26) and I feel great. I am a little sore but nothing at all compared to what I was expecting. I am able to drink without a problem, although I am taking it slow. If it hadn't been for this board I don't know if I would have went through with this. I don't know of anyone else who has the band so I didn't have anyone to talk to about it. This board has been a wealth of information! Knock on wood, I haven't had any problems. No gas, no terrible pain, nothing. I hope it stays that way! Again thanks to everyone for your support!! It's nice to be on the other side!!!

I'm leaving this evening to go to the hospital for my surgery. Actually we are heading to the hotel, I have to be at the hospital at 7am and we have a 4 hour drive so we are going a night early... I'm nervous, mainly about being put under but I'm sure that will go fine. Kinda wondering about the pain afterwards but I'm confindent it will be ok too. Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement thus far. I'll let you know how it goes!!!

If your father makes 6 figures a year and has little debt would he loan you the money himself? You can set up a payment plan on paper so it would be legal? Just an idea....

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. I am rescheduled for this Friday. I'm REALLY scared about being put under. I'm trying to stay calm but with two very young boys it's a lot to worry about. I'm just glad this will be over soon so I can get to the loosing weight part. Good luck Becky!!!

UHC came through and approved my band... I feel like a ton has been lifted off my shoulders. They scheduled me for this Friday but I changed it to April 6th. Now I get to call back and see if I can change it back to Friday because of baby sitter issues and stuff. Anyway, I'm in and on my way!! I'll keep ya posted. AL

I'm still waiting.... and waiting..... and waiting. I have called a few times and they said that the person who is reviewing my records has the accessed the files so they think I should know something this coming week. I have a feeling I won't know any more then than I do know. I hate to sound negative but what's the friggin hold up? I'm sure there is more to it on their end than I know but I am NOT a patient person so this is really hard. Hope we both hear something SOON!!!

I go to my seminar tomorrow and I have my consultation with the surgeon on Tuesday. I really hope to have a surgery date by the end of the month. The insurance company (UHC) is the only thing that can stop me now....

Becky, Sorry to hear you are having the same problem as I am. It is good to know I'm not the only one though. Please let me know when you hear from UHC.... I really hope we hear a "yes your approved" from them..... and soon!!!

AAARRGGGHHH!!!! My ins company hasn't decided either way if I will be covered or not so I had to postpone my surgery date. I was scheduled for next Friday but I needed to postpone it because of work issues. Oh well, at least they didn't deny my surgery. I'll post when I know more.... Thanks a million to everyone for your help and support. This site has be an awesome tool in learning about the band and everything that happens afterward.

Thanks to everyone for your help and support thus far!!! Well, everything finally made it ti the surgeons office and my info was sent to the ins company late Thursday. But, I have another question. My surgeons office said I shouldn't call the ins company because they had a person do this and it resulted in someone at the ins company to open another claim or something. Anyway I guess this resulted in this person being denied. I have heard of the paperwork being sent to the wrong fax number or the ins company not receiving the fax of info. So should I call and at least make sure they have the stuff? Patients is not something that comes easy to me....:phanvan I'm probably going to call. I'll tred lightly but I at least need to know they have the info.... Man, I hope I get approved after all of this... Thanks again to everyone for everything!!

My blood work that my PCP wanted done before she would give me a medical release came back. It turns out I have an elevated liver enzyme count. Soooooo, because of this I had to go to the hospital for an ultrasound on my liver last Thursday and am currently waiting for my PCP to get the results and write the letter. Hopefully nothing is wrong and this won't delay things further. I still have to send the letter to my surgeons office so they can submit it to the ins company to try and get approval.... I know I've said it before but I don't see this coming together for my scheduled surgery date of 2-27 but I am trying to stay optimistic. I guess I need to hurry up and wait......

I went back to my PCP and jumped through all the hoops including blood work so that is finally done. She is going to have the new letter ready for me to fax on Tuesday. I should have gotten a call from the psych saying my letter from them was ready Thursday or Friday but I didn't hear anything so I am going to call Monday. So it looks like I should have everything sent to Port Huron by Tuesday. I still don't see how this whole thing is going to get sent to the insurance company and them make a decision on approving me or not by my surgery date of Feb.27. If they deny me I'm really in trouble. This whole Last Supper thing I've heard about is kicking my butt. If it's not tied down, I'm eating it. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best!! :confused: AL

AARRGGHHHH!!! I had my appointment with my PCP for my referral letter, everything went well and I have had a copy of the letter for over a week now. Well, I got a call yesterday from my surgeons office and they said the letter was great except...... My PCP has to specifically say in the letter that she gives me a medical clearance. She did say that I would be a good candidate for the Lap Band but I guess that's not enough. So I call my PCP's office and explain this and they call back and say that I have to come in for another office visit so they can listen to my heart, lungs, etc and I also have to have blood work done...... I really, really, really don't need this kind of delay. My surgery is scheduled for less than a month away and I don't see how it will be possible to get insurance approval in time but my surgeon's office said to keep my fingers crossed. If I don't get it in time I will just reschedule but I was really set on next month. My Psych exam was last week and I still haven't got the letter from them yet either. BTW, did any one else's Psych exam take 2 hours? They guy had me take a test that took over an hour to complete. It was like 345 questions.... I'll stop venting now, just had to get this off my chest... AL

This story is sad and unfortunate but I think it's important to say that this man's death had nothing to do with the Lap-Band. From what I read it was the Doc's fault for not monitoring his patient and making sure he was asleep. This could have just as easily happened to someone getting any other surgery. I hope this doesn't shine a negative lite on the Lap Band.... I'll get off my soap box now..... AL

I have the EPO plan under UHC and was wondering if anyone else out there has been banded having this option. The only bad thing about this option is that your Dr's have to be in network or they are not covered. I am currently in the process of trying to get UHC approval but am wondering if they do approve the surgery, should I assume that will include the anesthesiologist, radioloigist, and whatever else? I know my surgeon is in network but I'm not sure if anyone else is. Just wondering if anyone else has had the Lap Band done with the EPO option..... AL

I am having Dr.Boutt do my surgery. He seems really nice and down to earth. I am ready to get this done!!!

Thanks for not making me feel stupid about something as trivial as beer. I guess if I can have a sip now and then that is way better than not drinking beer at all. I really don't know what I, or everybody else for that matter, would do without this site. I live 3 hours from the closest Lap Band support group so I look here for support and information and I have to say I am truly impressed with the way everyone supports and helps one another. You guys are too cool... Thanks again!! AL

This may sound really trivial but I gotta ask anyway. I am scheduled to be banded late next month and I am really excited about everything except for one thing. I won't get to have a beer again... I know this sounds like I am a drinker, but I'm not. I only drink beer once a month, if that. But when I do I really enjoy it. I am really not looking forward to not being able to have a beer or two now and then. Stupid, I know considering all the band will help me gain. But it's something I am dreading none the less..... Just wondering what others drink when they want to losen up and have fun. I'm not a big wine fan, and stuff like whiskey and Water turns my stomach as does tequila. So what do you guys suggest? AL

Everything went GREAT at Port Huron. I went to the seminar and met with the Dr the next day. Everything seems to be on track. They gave me a surgery date for 2-27-04. This is provided my insurance company approves it. I think with a BMI of 46 that this shouldn't be a problem. I went to my PCP yesterday for her referal and she was glad to do it. Hopefully Port Huron will be able to send my stuff to the insurance company by early next week. Thanks for all your help, I'll keep ya posted!!! AL

I am assuming that since your here you are considering the Lap Band. I am on the west side of the state, around the Kalamazoo area and I am traveling to the east side for the surgery. Port Huron Hospital has a Lap Band center. You may want to check out the web site http://12.42.224.190/frontpage/lap_band_surgery.htm Good luck and keep us posted!

Welcome Dizzy.... What part of the mitten are you from?

Thanks for your advise and words of encouragement!! I really appreciate it!!! I'm more relaxed now than I was when I started this thread. I'm sure once I have my consultation and I can talk to the surgeon I will be a lot more at ease. I'm not good at waiting though and I think that's the hard part. When I want something, I want it yesterday. I will keep you posted as things take shape. Thanks again for your support!! AL

Well, I am attending a seminar about the Lap Band that is required by my surgeon prior to surgery. It is put on by either himself or the other surgeon in his practice. I guess they explain everything about the process and answer questions. The following day I have my consultation with the surgeon. I am traveling about 3.5 hours one way... yuck. But I think it will be worth it. Now I am going to call my insurance company (UHC) and explain everything and see where I get. The hospital I am going through has already sent me an information packet that has codes in it that the ins. company may want. It looks like everything is a go unless the insurance company throws me a curve ball. I know some people have ahad great luck with UHC and others haven't. I have a BMI of 45 so I hope that helps. I am more scared about the surgery than I thought I would be. I'm more scared of being put under than anything. I'm sure all will be fine, just got the jitters. Keeping my fingers crossed! AL