ragdollx19

I have BCBS FEP Basic and had no problem getting written authorization and they paid all but $100 of my surgery costs. Paperwork submitted on a Thursday and approved by Monday. BCBS is fabulous!

I have experienced the same thing. My doctor told me to feel free to do any excercises I want and if it hurts to stop for a day or two. I have been banded since May 23, 2007 and can now do almost any ab work outs for an hour at a time with no pain in the port. Pain everywhere else just not my port Its still tender a few months out but it does get better. Now I have lost so much weight laying on a work out bench the wrong way shoves my port into my ribs which is irritating but not painful.

Can you call your doctor and ask her why the 400 vs 420? I am sure they have a very good reason for telling you this. They have your best interest in mind and want you to have a safe and successful surgery and recovery. Its hard work to lose weight but put your mind to it and do it. You can! I agree with the comments about high protien low carb. If you have already lost 15-20 lbs you are 1/4 of the way there. Get up and get some excercise and make a meal plan so you can get your surgery done safely. You will be glad you did!

No advice to add... just a hug and a prayer. It will be okay, just watch what your eating and how much and DRINK MORE WATER!!!

Not yet. I REALLY want to make it by Thanksgiving. My scale stays the same for several days and then 3 or 4 days in a row will go down. I so badly want to be able to tell my family I went from 261 to 199. Dont get me wrong 202 is still VERY good there is just something about being able to see a 1 on the first of those numbers that I have not seen in MANY years that will make me feel amazing. I am still trying to think of a way to reward myself when that happens. Pre-band food would have been a reward, now that just doesnt sound appealing at all. Maybe I will get another tattoo :eek:

I do not regret my band at all. I have amazed myself with all the things I can do and acomplish. My weight loss has been more than just getting a band and not eating. I work really hard in the gym so that I dont come out of this looking like I starved myself. I want to look toned for the 1st time in a long time. I eat well 90% of the time and my band alone doesnt do that for me. My band has inspired me to realize if I do what I am told it can and does work. I am hoping to reach my goal by my 1 year date but would not be upset if that were to take longer. I just take it one day at a time and realize I WILL get there. I am amazed at my weight loss so far and never believed it would be this good! Way to go everyone we all should be proud of ourselves.

From my initial phone call to my surgeon it was almost exactly a month to surgery date. My paper work was submitted on a Thursday and I had been approved by Monday or Tuesday. BCBS Federal paid all of my bills as promised. Our insurance rocks!!!

Dozy, I am so sorry to hear of everything you have gone through. I admire you staying strong with your faith in God during such an emotional and physical trauma. A lot of people only place God in situations that affect them when its a good one or when they want him to change something. I hope you get back to 100% soon and can come to a decision on your future health. You can do it!

203 this morning!!!! 4 more lbs to Onderland!! I cant wait!

Tann- You have come a long way! What an accomplishment! I am with you at 203 this morning! We are almost to 199!!

I have been looking forward to onderland for a while now. My scale will move a whole bunch at once, and then nothing for a week or two. Well the last couple days it has moved me closer to 199! I really wanted to be there by Thanksgiving but I dont think that is going to happen now. We will see though, I am stepping up my work outs and really being careful with my food. 6 lbs to go!!! I think I want to treat myself to something when I get there but cant decide what. Maybe I will highlight my hair or something. What did you all do?

Have a fabulous wedding day Melissa! Youre going to look perfect!

First of all I am so sorry this has happened, that sucks! I see you have used the same Dr I did, I would put a call into his nurse and have her answer some of your questions before your appointment next week. This may help you be more relaxed. I do not have any experience with a flipped port so I cant give you any advice there. Stay the course, dont eat because you are upset, you can do this! I have seen messages here about it being corrected under a local. Good luck, let us know what happens. Did you go to the Hurst location for your fill?

Sue - Congratts that is ONDERFUL!!! I am slowwwly edging my way to 199 myself. I really wanted to be there by Thanksgiving but I know thats not going to happen now. I have been a little bummed about the scale but my clothes are really fitting a lot better. I actually have to buy size Large work out clothes now which is a reallllly good feeling. You all are doing fabulous. Weight loss will probably slow down the more we have lost but keep your eye on the prize!!! My girlfriend was over lastnight and I was showing her some new work out stuff I bought. She grabbed them from me and couldnt believe the size was L 12/14 (I thought I would never wear cute clothes again)!!! Sometimes I look in the mirror and am totally in awe of how I look now, at other times I look in the mirror and see the same person I did May 23rd. All this weight loss is really changing who I am as a person and sometimes that is scary. I am more willing to do things without much thought, such as wacking my hair off. I am on track to get some major dental problems I have taken care of, before my surgery I felt ugly

I have been banded since May '07 and am 100% happy with my decision. I can eat almost anything anyone else can, just smaller quantities. The only exception to this is donuts and french fries and I dont need those anyway! I can eat small amounts of bread and do better with wheat. I cant go to Subway and get a sandwich for lunch but the lunchmeat is good and fills me up. I do not feel like I am deprived of anything. I work out hard and try to make healthy food decisions most of the time. My band is more than restriction to me it is a huge motivator and I feel blessed to have one. I am down 54 lbs and feel like a new person. You can also go to a seminar and or support group meeting and get a lot of information from people first hand if that would help in your decision. Good luck!

I did 3 sets of 20 on the leg press at 425 lbs today! I am having so much fun in the gym now that my strength is increasing and I am lugging a lot less fat! NSV for me! WOO HOO!

I have been doing heavier work outs lately and my trainer told me to get rid of the Nike Shox and find something with a more even base instead of tilting me forward on my toes. He said this while we were doing squats but I just dont know what to get. Anyone have any ideas?

Heavy leg weights. Generally squats and other weight related exercises. I have been increasing the amount of weight I am doing.

I have been lurking just not much to say! Sandra I am glad you are feeling better, letting your body get back to normal is way more important than weight loss right now. This is only a small period of time in the scheme of things and you will get back on track. It sure isnt a free ticket to eat everything you want though because that you will regret later! Youre doing fabulous though, keep it up! My daughters doctor wants to wait 3 more weeks to see if her ears will correct themselves before we do surgery again. I am a little irritated by this because she has a history of her ears not doing it on their own, but he went to Med school not me! I am doing good. Candy has been a huge battle for me this week, I think I need to drink more during the day so it wont be sooo tempting. I am still hitting the gym hard and am pretty proud of how far I have come in there. I have been doing heavy legs on Saturday's and really look forward to it. I hope you all have a great weekend!

No magic pill here just wanted to tell you I am right there with you on the hair loss. It seems to have slowed down some but still losing a lot. Luckily God blessed me with a full thick head of hair to start with so no one but me notices... how long can this go on though? I take regular vitamin and calcium supplements and get plenty of protien.

I went to one of these meetings a few months ago and learned some new information. I also learned if I go again and they dont control some of the participants I probably wouldnt go again. I went for a fill yesterday and they are having a psychologist as a guest speaker on head hunger and tv ad hunger. It is at the Ft. Worth Surgery center Monday at 6:30 if anyone is interested. I may try it again at least to hear this woman speak. Oh and if anyone is coming and has some size 16's they no longer fit in please bring them! Goodwill is slim pickings!!!

I couldnt physically eat half a donut if I put my mind to it. Last weekend my kids were having donuts and so I thought I would take the tiniest baby bite of a donut hole and chew it up and enjoy that one tiny bite... I slimed for 20 minutes because of that. Even when I had NO restriction donuts and my band did not get along. I guess its good for me but sometimes it makes me sad! HA!!

I wouldn't mess around with that. I would go to the doctor and have it checked out. I think it wouldn't interfere with your IVF unless you are going to require surgery to repair something. Good luck, hope you feel better!

For me it was almost a month exactly from my first phone call to surgery. Insurance paid all but $100. Be sure to check out the Insurance forum here too!

Congratts! lets see a pic of it! Thanks for the compliments everyone.