Sooverit!

Hi Big Fred Congratulations on getting a surgery date!!! We are all thrilled for you! Thanks also for helping us out with the informative list of things we need for Cigna approval. I wanted to ask you though as I have heard otherwise about the 40 BMI ...there are folks who have been approved when Cigna was in a good mood I guess, who have a lower BMI. A woman when I first started this journal almost a year ago said she was approved with a 36 BMI and no comorbidities. I am only a 36 leaning toward 37 and praying. I only have high cholesterol and rising blood pressure and family history of sleep apnea, diabetes and morbit obesity. I guess only time will tell. HON....why did you have to start your supervised diet all over again!? Sorry to hear it!

This quesiton is for everyone. I wish I could start a poll regarding this quesiton but I don't know how? Anyway, my biggest fear about getting banded is the following: This question is for those of you who are like me and are obese because you use food to calm, comfort, stimulate, congratulation, entertain, and all done out of a lifetime habit. I am not a sit down and eat a big meal kind of person. More a grazing snacking recreactional eater who's mostly always hungry. Yes I may use food like someone who uses alcohol or drugs. I was wondering if the band is even for me if this is how I am. Of course portions are a problem and I rarely get a "full" signal until I'm almost feeling ill. On a scale of 1 - 10 how hard was it to break your food addiction?

Dear Jac: Thank you for the great reminder ...that it's more about what you do most of the time. So good to hear you run...good for you! My knees would give out if I ran now that's one of the reasons I need to loose alot of weight. Yes regarding hunger....I don't really feel it until I start eating and then it's like I opened up a damn. I love what you said something was broken (the eating thing) and you got something to fix it and it takes work to make it work! Thanks for keeping it simple for me it's the only way to go about it....I think. thanks agian:)

Wow Bubble what a realization. I had the same experience. It's like your brain did not have a chance to register what it saw and (this got cut off in last post) the critical mind could not search for what was wrong with your body!

Wow Bubble what a realization. I had the same experience. It's like your brain did not have a chance to register what it saw and that I lost about 65 lbs. after my first child was born. I lived at the gym and didn't realize I was normal weight either. Until I walked out of the bathroom and saw a reflection of a normal thinnish attractive woman in the mirror and I wondered who she was because I never seen her at the gym....YUP it was me. WOW...my mind was blown away and of course I was very happy. After that moment I stopped obsessing about my weight and just felt like everything was normal again. I no longer looked at myself with those critical eyes looking for the fat. I just didn't look anylonger . I'd check my face hair but no longer needed to look at the body too much. I was normal again.

I know when I am in an exercise routine and excited about getting up in the morning to go to the gym or take a long beautiful walk/run in nature, my hardwired old eating for pleasure habits go into "remission" and I find it easy to eat healthy when my body is in a healthy state. It's usually winter that rolls along and kicks me back into bad habits and I end up eating stew and roasting marshmellows by the fire. Wonder if the band will prevent that a bit?

Hi Terry: Your response to Pattrny was so interested and gave me a lot to think about. I have studied A&P and I think I will get out my old books and look into this. I am curious as to how long it takes at my age (48) to change or add a new pathway. Thanks for the brainjuice! I have terrible eating habits that I've tried to break many times but always went back to the hardwired and I'm hoping the lapband will decrease my appetite enough to make it easier. I do know some people who get banded on that "nerve" that Dr. Oz calls produces "gremlin" -? and get instant restriction even without a fill. I'm learning here tho that that is very rare I suppose?

Dear Fred: How are things going?...you must be banded by now. Hope all is well. We are all with you.

Thank you Ronnie for this most helpful information~! I thought MSG was also hidden under another name. Off to Wikapedia....

It's probably too late to ask but I'd love to know if the folks who experience reflux after lapband had it prior to getting the lap band or a too tight fill or in other words where you symtom free before the lap band ?

Rencently I was so frustrated with my weight that I stopped going to the gym and ate whatever I wanted guess what happened I lost 4 lbs in a month:cry.!! For the first time in a year...it's too funny!

Also Dr. ATkins warns NOT TO BE ON THIS FAT FAST DIET FOR MORE THAN A WEEK.

Just thought I'd throw my unbanded two cents in. For those of you not so lucky and feel hungry before you can get a fill. I am starting a Atkins eccelerated diet today that makes me think of how banderster portions might be. It is designed so you won't feeel hungry because of the fat content and it works. Eat 5 servings a day of anything on the list every 4 hours...I think evry 3 hours work if you go to bed early . It equals to 1000 cal a day. I started it today and really feel a decrease in my ravenous PMS hunger 1 OZ of Macadamia Nuts .- are they permitted? 2 OZ of Cream cheese Brie 1 OZ of Tuna or chicken salad two tsp of mayo served on quarter of an avacado 2 Deviled eggs w/ 2 tsp mayo 2 OZ of Pata 2 eggs yoks hard boiled with 1 tbsp of mayo 2 OZ of sour cream and two tbsp of black or red cavier 2.5 oz whipped heavy cream topped w/sucralose zero calorie syrup Drink as much Water as you can w/lemon

Thanks you for bringing sense into light here for me regarding being banded at NYU. I actually like going into the city and have relatives I can stay with and visit etc. You are right, my only concern though was that if there was an emmergency and I needed un unfill I wouldn't want to go into the city if I felt sick but you're giving me hope that that won't happen too much! Good to hear~ I will try to find the groups thanks! Hi Candle: How are you doing? Your weight progress is an inspiration! BTW, Cigna pays 100% at NYU....big IF ...I'm approved ...and covers 80% IF I'm approved anywhere on Long Island. Perfect scenario ...I'm approved at NYU and have no problems! Only 3 more months left of PCP supervised diet!

Thank you so much In Tears I will call them! I hope you are still not in tears:think...well if you are here's a big lap band :girl_hug:HUG thanks again~! MJ in NY

Hi Candle how are you? I wonder if things have changed since your banding...actually forgot when you got banded, but I forget everything lately. :cry When I call Dr. Geiss' office it seems every time I call they are so discouraging to me. They first told me a few months ago I wouldn't qualify with a 36 BMI period then they said maybe but it would cost $20,000 out of pocket then now they say $20,000 to $30,000 wow...that would set me back for decades. This makes me want to check out anywhere outside of Long Island ..where I know i would be cheaper...out of pocket that is. I'm so uncomfortable with this weight ...it's all in my stomach and breasts...feel like I'm being choked by them at night! Too bad they only judge BMI not fair!

Dear Fred: Best of luck to you...think positive! Sounds like everything is moving along smoothly. Please keep us posted! I have 4 months under my belt and you are right the months fly by actually. Do you mind if I ask you your BMI...if not that's okay too! :nervous MJ in NY

Hi Phy: I think I would rather go in slow and be able to eat and not feel too much restriction in the beginning and then gradually work up to the right "sweet spot" as they call it. it's great you can eat everything but less of it. That's the idea and eventually you will have permanent weight loss. You are lucky you are doing it now because by the time you get to my age 48 you will have gotten to a healthy weight. I am going through perimenopause and I can not keep up with this constant weight gain due to hormones and low blood sugar which makes me crave sweets. It sort of feels like pregnancy again ...just great but with the band already in place you can breeze right through it or get more restriciton during this time. Congratualtions on getting banded!

Dear MA women/men ...Has anyone here had to pay out of pocket and if they did how much did the operation cost for you in MA? I live in NY and an out of pocket procedure is $$$24,000. I was thinking if I had the procedure in Ma I could save and my son in college might come see me while I recoop. THanks

I'm right here with you I have a 36 BMI and my co morbs are hi cholesterol and recently back troubles. The weight came on with the last pregnancy 10 years ago and hasn't budged no matter what I do. Live at the gym eat only healthy but alot. At my age tho 48 I can see where this is going and with menopause on the horizon more weight gain is coming. I almost feel like I did when I was pregnant lately with these hormonal changes. I feel that hunger I get when I PMS but all the time. If Cigna denies me for not having a serious heart condition (that's what they said when I called) I will have to pay $24,000 out of pocket here in NY...OUCH. I hate to go back into debt. Then I worry that the band won't work as well on a women going through perimenopause. My blood sugar is all off. Thinking of HRT but scared. Thanks for letting me post my silly thoughts that rattle through my silly mind.

Sorry I didn't mean tubing I meant the cuff I think it's called .....the round part that goes around the stomach and is filled.

What I understand about the AP Advanced Platform band is that the tubing part is 360 degrees around as apposed to the other band that had no restriction where the buckle was. Also it's thicker and there is supposedly less errosion and slippage problems. I thought it was installed with fill already in it? but I'm not sure. I would splice and cut for you but the moderator would snip it. How are you after the fill?

I originally was going to have the lap band done by Dr. Ren/Feilding at NYU Med center because Cigna will pay 100 % if done there, but found that Dr. Geiss' office said they don't do fills for other surgeons! I'm nervous that if I have a problem and feel really sick I would have to truck into the city. The surgeon at NYU said it shouldn't be a problem to get fills from LI docs. I am surprised when they all say no!?

Hi Audree: You don't know me and I'm not even banded yet and I'm just here driving people crazy asking too many questions but I am a "lower" BMI (36).. and I thought I'd put my few cents in so you don't feel loney I was obessesing there for a while over getting the band...but no worries, I think I'm going to take it slower now. I couldn't help but feel like I should congratulation you firstly on your weight loss but most importantly and most difficult for us non banded keeping it off!. Is this your first PB and had you recently had a fill? I was thinking that could it be that because of your lower BMI you weren't a gigantic eater to being with so the reduction in calories you are comsuming now are lower but not drastic. Also heard that platues are very normal and only temporary. You're doing great..ride out the platue...are you exercising? I know I can't drop a lb unless I go to the gym at least 4 x a week. take good care! Mj in NY

Hi Terry: I think I'm obsessing about this lap band, anywho I wanted to ask you about your Doctor and if you would recommend him and if you could share with me what he charged for this percedure. I live in NY and probably won't be covered by CIGNA because of BMI of 36 and only high cholesterol, arthritus in back and family history as co-morbidity. The cost out of pocket at NYU med center is $24,000! which includes one year of follow up - still need to make sure it covers cost of fills? Had this thought that I could save almost 10,000 having this done in TX.