SElaine

Maureen, Good luck with your gall bladder surgery. Yikes! You are going to have a rough couple of weeks! I'll be thinking about you Monday. Keep me posted. It's great to know we will be in this together!

Hello everyone! I have a date! I will be banded on May 21. My doctor is Dr. DeBarros at WLIA. I have my pre-op appointment and start pre-op diet this Wednesday, May 9. Thanks for all of the support; I'm nervous and going to need it. JulieSlu, how are you doing? Do you feel you have adjusted? Has it been difficult making changes?

Hello Everyone! I got my date today..... May 21. (May I please be added to your calendar?) I guess this means I am an official May bandster with all of you! It's such a support and a relief to know I am not going through this alone. I go through periods of excitement, periods of worry, and periods of absolute dread. Anyone else? Congratulations to all of you have already been banded! Your success this far is inspirational. :fish:

Does anyone know of any employers who's insurance will cover the lap band? I live in the Phoenix east valley. My current health insurance through hubby's employer won't cover anything. The fee's for the banding keep going up as I go through the process and I don't know that I am going to be able to afford it. I am thinking it might be worth getting a job with some good insurance and working for a year to earn some time off and then having the band done. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Deanna, Thank you for your post. In so many ways you have summed up what I am going through, as well. I have read several stories of people eating around the band instead of with it. How can I be positive that I'm not going to be one of them? Of course I'm on the right track now, and have been for a while, but how long can I make it last? After all, everything else has failed at one point or another. Is there really such a feeling as being "full"? And even If I reach that feeling, will I be able to stop? I know my need to eat is just as much emotional as it is physical. To top it off, my insurance doesn't cover any of it, so I'm self-pay. I am going into debt for this. I can't be fat and broke. It's bad enough just being fat. Please tell me there is someone out there that has been through this and conquered it.

Christina, Best of luck to you. This is a difficult decision for anyone, but especially you with your heart condition. It's better not to take such a risk when your risk would be as elevated as I'm assuming yours would be. Good luck with your weight loss. Band or no band, we are all in the same boat. Keep coming to this sight for support; I know I need it. Thinking of you and wishing you well, S. Elaine

Hello Everyone! I live in the east valley and was wondering if there is anybody out there that might be interested in getting together 1-2 times a week for walking/moral support. I'm also a member of Lifetime Fitness. I don't have a date for surgery yet, but I hoping everything will be completed so that I can schedule a date in May. Good luck and continued success to you all!

Hi NimbleBean, Wow, this is astonishing that someone would work that hard to find away to work around the band instead of with it. It scares me tremendously to think my addiction to food would be so strong I could lower myself to that. Thanks for sharing the story. I had appointments with two different surgeons at two different places (and checked out others) before I decided where to go for my band. One of the surgeons said he does not require the liquid diet before surgery. The other one said that he requires it for all patients because no matter how good of shape you are in for surgery, this will still make you stronger. He said going on a Protein liquid only diet will shrink the liver and cause less complications during and after surgery. Anyway, that's the theory he explained to me. It appears there is a lot of variance. I was also told by one surgeon to not eat more than three small meals a day; the other said I should be eating six very small meals a day. Congratulations on your weight loss thus far. Keep up the good work and good luck with your banding!

Hi soulfulGrandma! I am so happy for you that you have your date! I still don't have mine, but I'm anticipating a May date. All of my pre-op requirements will be completed April 24 and they said about two weeks after that. Good luck to you!!!!!

Hi LilMonkey, I live in Gilbert near Gilbert and Warner. There is a support-group meeting Monday night. Are you going? I've done pretty good with the food plan, but it's only been two days! I think I may have eaten too much for lunch, but Mike said not to worry about how much I'm eating, just how often, and to be sure I'm eating Protein each time. Did he give you the same advice? I used to drink soda occassionally, but not everyday, so that hasn't been too hard. I have been drinking caffeine free diet green tea instead, which he said was fine. And yes, I agree with having support. I'm hoping I will be able to surround myself with positive, supportive people through this process. And nobody knows better than someone who's going through it with you. Ewa, How are you doing since you got your band? Do you feel you have recovered?

Christina, I'm glad you were able to find a doctor in Tucson. You are right, that drive wouldn't have been much fun. I hope things work out for you. Let us know how things go and what you decide.

Hey LilMonkey! I am also going through WLIA. How far along are you in the process? Me: Seminar: March 24 First appt: April 5 Nutritionist appt: April 10 PCP appt: April 17 Psych eval, EGD, chest x-ray, ultrasound: April 24 Hoping to be banded in May I met with Mike the nutritionist yesterday, so today was my first official day of pre-op diet and exercise log. I am proud to report I did not cheat once! I ate six times like I was supposed to and had Protein each time. And.... I even went to the gym and worked out! Are you in town? If you need anything, let me know. I bet it will be tough the first couple of days you and your husband are home. I'd be happy to help if you need a ride somewhere or something from the store. Good luck!!!

Hi Debi! I'm fairly new here as well. I just found this sight a few days ago. I'm happy for you that your insurance will cover most of it. My insurance won't pay anything. How long is it going to take you to go through the process? Do you have a surgery date yet? I'm hoping mine will be in May. All of my pre-surgery requirements will be met 4-24 and then I can schedule. Good luck!

Hi AZdutchgirl.... I'm new to the site as well. I live in the Phoenix area and not at all familiar with doctors in Tucson. If you do decide it is necessary to come up to Phoenix for a doctor, let me know. I'll be happy to share my experiences with you regarding the doctors I have chosen and the ones I didn't. I am also a self-pay. My do-nothing-for-you-when-you-need-it insurance doesn't cover anything. I am not at all familiar with your heart condition. Have you talked to your cardiologist about WLS? What does he/she think about it? Good luck... keep in touch.

Congratulations on your date and good luck!!!:clap2:

Hi Dave! Sorry, that is one I didn't go to. I did go to: Dr. Simpson in Phoenix and WLIA (Dr. Orris and Dr. DeBarros) in Tempe I also e-mailed and spoke several times to people at Scottsdale Bariatric. Personally, I decided to go with WLIA as that is where I felt most comforatable. But, you are doing the right thing by "shopping around". This is a big decision. I'm going through the process now and hoping to be banded in May. Good luck fellow Arizonan!

Hi Ava! I'm near Warner and Gilbert, so not too far from you. I wonder if there is a park or something in the middle that would be a good place to meet. I'm still new to the area. Let me know what you think! So, how is it going since the surgery? Do you feel you have recovered from the difficult part yet?

Hello Everyone! I'm glad I found this sight! I don't have my date yet, but I'm predicting it will be in May. Seminar: March 24 First appt and testing: April 5 Meeting with nutritionist to start pre-op diet plan: April 10 Appt with PCP: April 17 Psych consult: April 24 Chest X-ray, ultrasound, and EGD: April 24 If everything goes as expected, I should be good to go in May. I'm excited and nervous...... And happy to have found y'all! To healthyny-- yes, I'm also nervous about shedding this protective shell. I'm sure this is going to be a complete life change. Good luck to all!

This is, indeed, very encouraging news! Thanks for the quick responses. I certainly hope the band helps me; nothing else has.

Hi Everyone. I jut found this sight today-- how wonderful! I don't know anyone personally who's gone through this and I'm happy to have found a support network! I went to the seminars for both Dr. Simpson and WLIA and have decided to go with WLIA. They are more expensive (I'm cash pay!) but I certainly felt more comforatable with them. I had my first appointment yesterday. I was positive for the H. Pylori. Now I have to take the antibiotics for four weeks and make sure the stuff is out of my system. I have chest x-ray, ultrasound, and psych consult set for April 24. Hopefully, surgery in May. AZPete, Linday.... it's been a few weeks since your bandings. How are you doing today?