Kinley7390

Hi Karie, In the search box above, type in "does medicaid pay for lap band". There are a bunch of forum discussions that have taken place on this topic. Although I do not have any information that I can share on that topic, I think you will find lots of other people who have experienced getting banded through medicaid. If nothing else, you'll learn a lot about the ways people were granted approval and some of the hoops they had to go through to get there. Hopefully, you'll get approved based on your personal medical situation meeting their requirements. Good luck! Wish I had more direct info to share.

Missy makes a great point. I wasn't aware that you could have a stretched pouch and be asymptomatic, but given that, I agree it is even more important that you request the barium swallow. Good luck, and please keep us posted!

A stretched pouch can happen if your band is too tight. The symptoms you would experience are vomiting, reflux and difficulty keeping food down. If this should happen, and you are essentially following the lapband rules and the symptoms cannot be attributed to eating too fast or eating the wrong foods, you should ask your surgeon for an x-ray. A barium swallow test will show exactly what is happening and the surgeon can see if the issue is a stretched pouch. If this is the case, the surgeon will usually remove all fill from the pouch and you will essentially begin the process all over again. At a meeting last night, I spoke to a woman who experienced a stretched pouch, and she was in the process of waiting for her first fill all over again. She said it was frustrating, but she encouraged anyone with any concern that this might be happening to them to ask for a barium swallow.

Sorry to hear about your hair loss. I know that must feel scary. Most hair loss related to nutritional deficiencies are caused by inadequate iron, zinc or protein. You stated that you are careful to get plenty of protein. Are you somewhere around 60g of protein/day? You should discuss this concern with your surgeon and/or PCP if you haven't already. However, from what I've read, some hair loss that is not related to nutritional deficiency can be related to psychological stress and/or the stress of surgery. Sometimes it can last up to six months post surgical procedure, but usually as you are losing hair, you are growing hair and it isn't as noticeable as you might think. It is certainly scary to find hair on your pillow or in the shower, or what have you, so I understand your concern wholeheartedly. Definitely seek advice from a medical professional. I'm sure they will put your fears at ease and assist you in determining the exact cause of your hair loss and the best course of treatment and prevention of further loss. Good luck, and please keep us posted!

Hey there! To respond directly to someone, hit the Quote button under their blurb, and then respond in the box that pops up. Welcome to LBT and good luck with recovery process! Sounds like you're off to a great start.

Welcome! I think you will find a lot of support here. I am fairly new too, but have the impression that we are like family here at LBT, which is really nice. Banded on 9/6, and so happy with the decision! No matter what question or concern you might have throughout the process, chances are someone here has had a similar experience or asked a similar question, so it this site can be really invaluable in terms of experiences shared and information gained. Best of luck, and like Jim (above), I too look forward to hearing your experiences!

My surgeon recommends yoplait light or dannon light as long as there are no fruit chunks and the yogurt is smooth.

You are stronger than you think. Just having posted those very real, very honest feelings takes strength and courage. You will do this! You will start to feel more confident with every small success. It may be difficult to believe that in the beginning, because we are often still so conditioned to feel insecure and incapable of succeeding, but that will change. I made lists and goals too. I think that is a very healthy thing to do. My impression of you, just from reading your post, is that you are a smart, courageous and determined person who is just a little scared. Nothing wrong with or abnormal about that! Your dreams will come true. Everything you didn't think was possible, is possible. Remember, you are not alone when you have self doubt. We all have self doubt sometimes. We can all relate to how you are feeling, but there are many of us (check out the success stories) who can inspire you to believe! I can't wait to hear from you a year from now. I want to hear about all the things on your list you have either checked off, or plan to check off. Good luck!

Good for you! I have heard others refer to the six month diet, but wasn't aware of what they meant by that. Apparently different insurance companies require different pre-op diets or lengths of time dieting. Interesting. Well, thanks for the info, and it sounds like you are ready and know you want to do this now, so good luck! I hope everything goes smoothly and please keep us posted!

What a transformation! You look like a new woman! Congratulations on your amazing, well earned achievement. You must feel so proud. Must be nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel! Almost there! Enjoy every glorious moment!

Hello there! I was banded eleven days ago, and I had a similar pain on my right side wrapping around my ribcage. I also had some back pain as well right across my mid back. My port is on my right side, so I assumed the pain was due to whatever muscle manipulation the surgeon had to do to implant the port as I had some bruising on the right side as well. The pain is finally starting to subside, but there is certainly still some discomfort. I found that ice packs helped initially, although I haven't used them in a while. Best of luck. Hope you find some relief soon! Are you taking any pain meds?

Hello, and welcome! You mentioned completing 5 months of a 6 month pre-op diet, and also that tomorrow is your first appointment with the surgeon. Curiously, who started you on the pre-op diet, and what kind of diet was it? To answer your questions, based on my experience, after the initial consultation with the surgeon, you will need to schedule appt's. with the psychologist, the nutritionist, and possibly to have a sleep study done (if required). There will also be some pre-op bloodwork that your PCP will do (and the surgeon's office will have a list of what must be included), and then there is the final appointment with your surgeon, the filing of the insurance paperwork by the surgeon, and then when you have your surgical date, there is pre-op testing done at the hospital a week or two prior to surgery. If you are able to get all of this coordinated and completed in order to acquire a surgical date over Thanksgiving break, I don't see any reason why you could not return to work after one week. It seems as though many people have returned after that length of time. Some a bit sooner, some a bit later, but a week seems reasonable barring any complications or unexpected issues. Good luck. Hope this helps!

Don't worry, you are not alone! I lost 17 pre-op, and have not lost a pound post-op yet, and I am 10 days post op! Trying not to focus on weight, and instead to focus on healing, but I have to be honest, it's nice to know I'm not alone! Although I hope we both see some weight come off soon! It certainly is good motivation.

Wow! Now that is inspirational! Congratulations to you, for working so hard to achieve your goal. Amazing! You look great!!!

Hahahah...you are too funny!

Yes, definitely check your binder because some pre-op diet instructions vary slightly from surgeon to surgeon. My doctor allowed up to 3 protein shakes per day and a 1200 calorie diet. Good luck!

The first three days are the hardest, but you will get through it. I found that the protein shakes were my saving grace. Seriously, I would have been lost without them. They tasted good and kept me full. You might have headaches the first few days. That is very common as your body adapts to being without caffeine, toxins, etc., but by day 4, most people note feeling much better. You can definitely do this! The pre-op part is the hardest for most people. Even though you are on a liquid diet post-op for a couple of weeks, you are already used to it, your cravings have subsided by then (for carbs and sweets), and you are banded, so even without a fill, your stomach is swollen from surgery and you feel fuller faster than before surgery. My best advice is just to take one meal at a time and you will get through it. Distraction and keeping busy helps too. I really enjoyed my "no added sugar" fudgsicles too. I looked forward to them so much! Good luck! It's only temporary, and well worth the sacrifice in the end. You'll be amazed at how strong you can be and you'll be proud of yourself for sticking it out even though it is a challenge. Mind over matter!

Welcome! Congratulations on your decision to have the lap band. I just had mine on Sept. 6th, and I am so excited about it. To answer your question, it can take anywhere from 6 weeks to several months from first consultation to date of surgery. Attending a group seminar is encouraged, often before you even have the initial consultation with your surgeon, just to give an overview of the lapband lifestyle. Many hospitals offer these seminars, and often the surgeon's office itself will hold them. Once you meet with your surgeon, scheduling begins on the other required appointments such as meeting with a psychologist and a nutritionist, possibly having a sleep study done (if you are at risk for sleep apnea), bloodwork from your primary care physician (the surgeon's office will tell you what they require), pre-op consultation and blood work at the hospital, and also, it is recommended that you touch base with your insurance company to see if you qualify to have it paid for and/or if there are any exclusions. You will meet with the surgeon for a follow up appointment prior to your surgery date. The process can be expedited if you are proactive in getting these appointments scheduled, and completing the necessary paperwork in a timely manner. For example, there are several pages of questions that you must complete and submit to the psychologist prior to having your meeting with him or her. The faster you get these things done and in place, the more expeditious the process. Then of course, it depends on how quickly your insurance company receives the necessary documentation and how quickly they make a decision whether or not to approve or deny the procedure. Personally, my process took a total of six weeks. Not too bad! Good luck with everything! Keep us posted!

Congratulations!! I actually cried when I got off the phone with my surgeon's office and learned I had a date. I kept thinking, "It's official! This is really happening!" Good for you -- enjoy this moment, and good luck!

Well congratulations! God bless ya for making a four hour flight the day after surgery! You sound so excited though. It's great to hear! Good luck and keep us posted!

I went into the hospital the morning of surgery feeling great about the 17 pounds I had lost during the pre-op phase, and I left the hospital the next day almost 9 pounds heavier having only eaten ice chips! As everyone else has said, this is normal and to be expected as a result of swelling, meds, IV fluids and gas. It took a week before I was back to my pre-operative weight. I have stayed that same weight for the past few days, but I am not stressing over it anymore. I know it will start coming off again when my body is ready, stronger and fully healed. So, don't worry! It will take care of itself!