Jenn

I am almost a year out and have only lost 33 pounds. I feel your frustration Gina. However, explaining your problem to your doctor will help. They do this for a living and will know what to do. My doc doesn't care that I have a slow loss just that I have a loss. Hang in there you will find a happy medium.

i would imagine it was due to the tube they stick down your throat during surgery. Your thoat has probably been irritated and this is the way your body is dealing.

I second the recomendation for Port Huron. I live 1 hour 40 minutes away and it is worth the drive. The hospital staff was wonderful right down to the man in the coffee shop. You can tell that they take great pride in what type of environment their patients enter. It was very easy yet informative and there is always someone available for questions if you have one. I have heard great things about both Doctors. I have Dr. Boutt. He is great, wonderful bedside manner. I would look into going here. We too go camping in Port Huron. We stay at the KOA.

what does it cover?

I know that I was just banded two weeks ago however, I find that I don't have to eat or drink at a slow pace. I do tend to feel very full if I don't eat my wonderful creamy soup on the slow side. But i can drink just like I have pre-op. Will this change once I get a fill I wonder. I would hate to have to sip water as I tend to be a thirsty girl at times and want more than just a drink at a time.

laura, so sorry to hear that. Were you not charged a flat rate for all that was involved in the surgery? You would have thought that your doc would have told you that your surgery took longer than normal. At least you could have expected the bill. The thing that freaks me out in these situations is that even when I am steamed I feel like I have to be nice because if i pizz them off then they might steel my identity. They do have access to my SS# after all. As a lot of people do when you look at the grand scheme of things. FREAKY! Good luck Jenn

susie, Um yup just got my band so no help there but I was wondering? How much weight have you lost since you had surgery?

i stayed overnight but because it was 23 hours it was considered outpatient surgery and was billed to the insurance company as such. I would say that it is half and half on the boards.

Try going on the inamed website to find a fill doctor. my doc says that he won't do a fill if I am loosing 1-2 pounds a week. So I could go back each time and have just lost 4 pounds and he said yes. Part of me was not okay with this but then again i do not want to have to have plastic surgery for the droopy spots. So if that is what he says so be it. I hope this helps? Jenn

your ticker: did you cut it from the bb code section? Ans when you cut it cut from img to img (including the img in the beginning and at the end).

okay excuse me if this is TMI but...... I've had my first poops yesterday and today and they are almost like diarhea(spelling), did anyone else experience this?

Well, i think that I officially have hunger pains. I am trying to fill up on my yogurt. I think that I will try jello next. My first meal will be meatloaf and mashed potatoes one month post op. I am so looking forward to it. Teachlady, I tried your suggestion of ff cool whip with the jello, YUMMM. I keep telling myself that i am healing and that this too will pass. so.... Off to a thinner me:)

<p>I believe that you doc's office should know. They have more than likely delt with your insurance company before and know what is covered. My surgeons office knew the requirements for every insurance.

I too would like to be added. 4/27/07

I was banded on April 27. I was happy that I was in the hospital overnight as the gas pains were nasty that first day and night. Brenners, The bum up in the air trick works but i found you have to rock from side to side. Really gets things moving in there. Also gas-x has the same active ingredient that the gas drops for babies has in it, Simethicone. Kat, My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. And yes my dear family is grand:) Your Dear MIL is I'm sure forgetting that her son is able to make his own decisions, she is angry and upset and unfortunatly you are the one that it has to be taken out on. DON'T FEEL BAD. She is after all 10 miles away. ((((hugs)))) Jenn

laura, You are still in the recovery stage and will not get a true weight for some time. I was banded on the 27th and I told myself that I would only go with my 1 month post op appointment as my weight. I've tortured myself enough over the years in regard to my weight. I am not going to let this be one of those times. I'm not saying I won't weigh myself but I certainly won't take that as the word of total loss. ' Jenn

I was banded yesterday. I have found that the gas-x strips work well. I had a lot of gas pain in the hospital and their meds were wonderful but I found that the gas-x does relieve it almost as well. I'm waiting for my worst day which will be tommorrow but I am so going to be taking my pain meds. I am having a hard time eating my yogurt and jello but the water seems to be okay. Good luck to all other April banders. Jenn

HAd my surgery yesterday.YAYAYAYAYAY. came home today. Definatley swollen. I am puffed up all over. the hand that my IV was in is puffy, my feet and my belly. haven't been able to eat or drink much but I am trying. Off to a thinner me:) Jenn

WOWEEEE! Good for you. My doc puts his patients on 2 week liquids then two week thickened liquids with soft food (mashed potatoes, pudding ETC) and then on week five we can introduce normal foods with caution eventually building up to a normal diet. Do you feel hungry ever?

cajungirl, have you weighed yourself?

James, I too scheduled my surgery before insurance approval. They were willing to schedule 3 weeks later but opted for 4 weeks. Messa approval takes 3 weeks max. As posted before it took 2 weeks to get a verbal approval and 3 weeks for it in writing. Messa is very easy. JEnn

James, The previous is for you. Sorry about the name mix up. Jenn

Jack I have Messa. And the following was required. A letter from my PCP indicating what diets I had tried, That the surgery is something I would be a good candidate for, that I am cleared for surgery and any co-morbidities that I have. Mine was addressed to my surgeon and then I delivered it to them on the day I met with the surgeon. Then the surgeon also writes a letter of pre authorization. And the surgeon has a template they use all the time for such things. And that is it, 2 letters nothing more was required for insurance approval. Your surgeon may require more (I did have bloodwork and an EKG but this is required for most surgeries) for their records I was approved in 2 weeks although it took 3 to get it in writing. I called Messa and they were helpful. They said that they document every step of the way so they can tell you if they have recieved the information, when it is being reviewed and then when it is approved. You approval is good one year from the date of issue. Any questions feel free to ask away

I already wrote part of that information in the previous post. Again, two young children :girl_hug: ha ha

i meant early afternoon:) oops. Two young kids at my heels makes for mixed up sentences.