chandatay

Tina, How often did you eat salad? Did you have dressing??? I am like you and afraid to do anything that would compromise my band, but I can see that the broth will get real old really fast. And since it has so much sodium I may want to call Denise to see if I can do anything different.

Tina, Your right. I am not supposed to have the naproxen but I was in so much pain yesterday. I have have to go buy some tylenol today. But I can take the Fluid pill up to the day before surgery. So hopefully that will help. Did you not have the Protein bars??? Did that help with the chewing craving??? She said that I didn't have to buy the Optifast. So I am on the Slimfast Optima, broths, Protein Bars, Jello, Water, crystal light, and that's about it.

Goodmorning Tina, This is just a side note to your thread.... I have only been on liquids for 2 of the 14 days pre-op and I wanted to know how you did with your liquid diet? Surprisingly, I am not having a problem with hunger or cheating. It's the headaches and the swelling. I was going stop taking my Fluid pills and the naproxen during this period. But I am aching so much from the excessive sodium levels from the shakes, bars, and Soups that I have to take the meds for any relief. Telll me how you made it. Have a great day, Chanda

Good Job Tina! That's for the 40 pounds and the infamous fill today! GW is so great that I have a sticky note on my desk right now to write a nice letter to the staff and the management! First class all the way. BTW, second day of liquids and I am still on track! There is a GOD. See ya, Chanda

Hey Tina! How Are You Coming Along????????? Good To See You Online. Good Luck Tomorrow And Remember That If You Can Go Thru The Surgery You Are Alot Stronger Than You Think! I Started My Liquids Today..........2 Weeks Before The Big Day. So Pray For Me. I Really Want To Do This Right So That I Can Jump Start My Weight Loss. I Met With Denise On Last Thursday And She Told Me To Start The Protein Shakes/bars Early And That Was A Great Idea. They Give You Gas Something Terrible.....so My Body Is Handling Them Much Better On My First Official Day. Take Care And Let Us Know How Tomorrow Goes.... Chanda

Wow Tanya, 28 pounds after one fill? You can still eat with that type of restriction? Keep it going, Chanda

Wow Tanya, Thanks for your help on this one............. I keep getting mixed info. And my next door neighbor just had gastric so I really can't compare her outcome to ours. I guess I better SLOWWWWWWWWWW down now. Thanks again, Chanda P.S. Big Silly please ask some of your other questions so that we both can gain clarification. P.S.S. Tanya, I see that you are STILL losing. That is a blessing!

Hey Neighbor, I don't think that the sipping and baby bites are FOREVER. Alot of the precautions are for post-op when your mind and body both have to get adjusted to the band. But let's let some of the veterans help us with this one????????????????? Chanda

Tina, Trust me you won't gross me out. I have had a baby, a breast reduction, and my appendix out all within the past 5 years. So this one I am ready for. I definitely agree with you on the fills........If BCBS wasn't gonna cover it, you know I was headed on the first plane to Mexico!

I am about 5'8" and what your mama calls "Big Boned". So my goal is to get under 200. Anything beyond that, you will find me kissing a mirror somewhere. And kissing the scale too for that matter...... Ok. I will check on the EKG, but I understand now. Are you joking about the sandwich deal? That's unbelievable for us who don't know what it feels like to have band! No wonder you may be in a bikini before the summer is out (smiles)... I am loving the fact that you are already getting what I call "Out of the box" results from your band. Maybe Dr. Brody will say you don't even need an adjustment??? BTW, are your fills covered by your insurance???

How tall are you Tina? 275 to 241! I would give up a leg for that progress (just kiddin). I was about 305 in Dec/Jan. and I have somehow managed to start working out a lunch and eating right (on and off again)...and I was down to 285 at my first appt. with Dr. Brody. So I am hoping by July 9th I can work a miracle and drop another 10 pounds. The more the better. I will have to call on Monday. I will get that bloodwork completed ASAP. I just was thinking also somewhere I read that we need an EKG. But I don't think anyone has requested that??? Should I also double check with the nurse??? Yes. Mariam is the nurse who call yesterday to confirm my pre-admission appt. She sounds really nice......... Unfortunately, I am not downtown anymore. I work in Rockville at FDA. So I either drive or take the metro from Branch Ave. (depends on which Chanda wakes up on which side of the bed in the morning).....smiles No really with gas prices going thru the roof, I am going to try to take the train down to the hospital for my appts. Since my first visit I came out to a nice ticket, you think I should have learned something from that. Have you read Khadilah Ali's book (she Muhammed Ali's daughter). It was excellent. She was over 300 and now somewhere around 150. She had the Lapband surgery back in 2004 and is also doing quite well with it. See ya, Chanda

Hey Hey Hey Tina, I Was Wondering How You Have Been! I See The Nutritionist On June 21st To Pickup Up The Optifast. I Will Begin On Monday June 25th. So I Have 2 Weeks Until The Fast. I Just Received My Confirmation Paperwork In The Mail And I See I Also Have To Have More Bloodwork. Do I Need To Make An Appt. For That? I Left The Paperwork On The Counter This Morning.... I Was Gonna Try To Kill 2 Birds With One Stone And Have That Done Next Wednesday When I Go For My Pre-op Class @ 2:00. I Know You Have Not Dropped 34 Pounds In 6 Weeks?????????? That's Excellent To Say The Least. What Were You Stats (ie: Starting Weight/bmi/height, Etc.)??? Keep Up The Good Work. You Are Our Inspiration! Take Care And Have A "keep Cool" Weekend, Chanda

I was just thinking about the shakes this morning Chimboree. I was thinking back to my Slimfast dayz and wondering if we freeze them just a little they may taste like a fake milkshake? Just a thought. Probably will go over to BJ's this weekend to stock up on a few different flavors........

Big Congratulations on your date Chimboree! We will only a few days apart. WooHoo! BTW, I had made an appt. with your doctor as a backup just in GW didn't work out!

Goodmorning to the Southern Maryland Crew! Good news. I have a DATE! My new birthday will be July 12th! I am so excited and can't wait at the same time. Believe it or not GW submitted my paperwork to BCBS/Carefirst on Monday and they called on Tuesday with approval and a date! I tell you everything that my "Lapband Angel" Tina has told me has been right on the money. I took a proactive approach and in less than I month I got all the paperwork done and approved. And as Tina told me GW Hospital's staff is on point and if you do what they tell you to do the rest is on them to make it happen. Thanks to you all for the support and I will keep you posted. Now I just have to get my grocery list together and prepare for the surgery. All suggestions are welcome. Take care gang & and see you on 301 (hopefully a few pounds lighter), Chanda

Mandi, I ordered the book on Wednesday! Should be at the house this evening. Can't wait to read it. But it now makes me wonder how many other "celebrities" who have had the LapBand and are not public with it yet. Good luck, Chanda

Ms. Sunshinesonya! You need to see another doctor. And stop playing with scam artist. Take care, Chanda

Ok Tina, We really have way to much in common! I noticed that we both were the same age but this is way to scary. If you tell me you live off of Middletown I will fall out of my chair. I Dr. Jeworski a tall, sort of large man? I think I meet with him last month when I went for a visit. I am not sure who I will see on Thursday, but now that you told me that I will make sure to ask for him to write the report. Chanda

Tina, I am happy to hear that you are recovering well! Keep up the good work! After reading on this website (yet some more) and speaking directly to BCBS (yet again) this morning I decided to called Dr. Brody's office again (for a 3rd time). Jorgina was out, but I did speak with her supervisor Carlita. And it's a good thing that I did, it pays to jump thru all these hoops! She said that BCBS does not require the 6 month caveat and their office just recently stopped requiring their BCBS patients to meet it. She said that there is a difference between the BCBS HMO and PPO requirements, thus there was some confusion. Needless to say she told me to obtain my paperwork from my PCP and after Dr. Brody gives the ok, they will submit it. So I will be going to see my PCP on Thursday (Dr. Stacie Gump - Old Line Centre Drive - Waldorf) and I should be set with the paperwork after she provides me with the physical and history documentation. Thanks again for everything and I will keep you posted. Chanda

<p>Thanks Tina for the explanation.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have also read the BCBS Policy their website. I understand now.</p> <p> </p> <p>So I may have to go to my new PCP in Waldorf for say another 4 consecutive months (already went in April & scheduled to go this Thursday) and I should be ready to submit the paperwork to GW.</p> <p> </p> <p>Unfortunately Jorgina was out last Tuesday when I went for my initial consult. But I did speak with her on the phone Wednesday.</p> <p> </p> <p>How are you feeling? How are doing with your new meal requirements.</p> <p> </p> <p>Dr. Brody is really nice and I would like to have the surgery performed there.</p> <p> </p> <p>Keep in touch,</p> <p>Chanda</p>

Thanks for the warm welcome and information Chimboree! I had my initial consult on Tuesday and my psych eval yesterday. Now I am just waiting to meet with my Primary Care physician next Thursday. Once I receive that report I should be ready to forward my paperwork to GW for submission to BCBS. I am a little worried about that portion of this maze because the requirements from GW are a little misleading as far as the medical history. They want 6 months history/physical from your PCP and another report of your "physician monitored" weight loss program within the past 2 years. I have been desperately trying to loose weight on my own. I have just recently started consulting with my PCP regarding getting some help. Thus I only have record with my new PCP for the past 10 months and I have not gone each month for a weight in. Of course at the time I wasn't considering the LapBand. What type of paperwork did you submitted for this requirement and how detailed was it. From what I understand from reading various sites, BCBS doesn't require alot of paperwork on the front end but will request additional info. on the back-end after approval. Thanks again, Chanda P.S. If any of my fellow Waldorfians/Marylandnites can shed any light please do so. And to all have a great weekend.

Thank you so much for replying Tina. My initial consultation is tomorrow at 1:30. I will be leaving work around noon so I will just miss you by only a few hours. I definitely keep you all posted on my progress. BTW, I meant to tell you all that I love reading your posts and I am so sleepy today at work because I was on this website until 1 in the morning last night, knowing that my alarm was gonna go off at 4:45! I appreciate your honesty and thoroughness for us newbies. And more importantly to know that you all are close by here in Waldorf makes it even more special. How is you second/third week going at work and at home with the kids? Chanda

HELLO TO MY FELLOW WALDORFIANS, I AM A HOPEFUL BANDER NEW TO THE SITE. MY NEIGHBOR TOLD ME 2 SUNDAY'S AGO ABOUT HER UPCOMING GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY AT GW. SHE GAVE HER PACKAGE OF INFORMATION. NEEDLESS TO SAY AFTER A LONG WALK I WAS CALLING GW THE VERY NEXT DAY ON 5/7/07. I HAVE MY FIRST CONSULTATION TOMORROW 5/15/07 WITH DR. BRODY. I AM SO EXCITED AND NERVOUS AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE EVEN GONE AHEAD A SCHEDULED MY PHYSICAL AND MY PYCH EXAM AN HAVEN'T EVEN MET THE SURGEON. THIS IS HOW EAGER I AM TO PUT MYSELF UP FOR THE LAPBAND CHALLENGE. I HAVE CAREFIRST BLUECROSS FEDERAL AND I AM PRAYING THAT THEY APPROVE THIS PROCEDURE. I HAVE HAD A FEW SURGERIES IN THE PAST (IE: BREAST REDUCTION, LASIK, AND APPENDECTOMY), SO I AM PREPARED FOR THE PAIN, BUT NOT SO SURE ABOUT THE RECOVERY PERIOD. SO FOR THE LENGHTHY COMMENT, BUT ANY HELP OR ENCOURAGEMENT ANY OF MY FELLOW WALDORFIANS CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE GREAT. THANKS IN ADVANCE, CHANDA :help: