the best me

Hey Cassie! Welcome to LBT! No need to post on every forum. Most folks just click on the "New Posts" bar up top and all the new posts from each forum pop up in the order they were posted since the last time you logged on. This is a VERY handy tool and one post should get you a consolidated response, that way you aren't all over the board trying to keep up with replies. I just read what Princess replied in your other post about Sanchez, and it was a very thorough reply with lots of great resources for you to dig into. I couldn't add to it! Try out those things and let us know what you come up with! Again, welcome to LBT!

It's very dissappointing. I get so frustrated with insurance I knew I didn't have the patience, perseverence, or even hope that I could fight it. Maybe I could have if it were covered but they didn't find it medically necessary for me, but with it being so clearly excluded, I didn't even go there or try. I'm really sorry. You don't have to go to Mexico to pay cash. Do a search for self-pay, or cash pay and see what you find. There is a thread about the Wish Center in Chicago doing band surgeries for $10,500 I think. I paid $8950 plus airfare and expenses. There is another doc in Texas that does them for 11 or 12K? I know you don't even want to go there...pay cash when you have perfectly good insurance (well, maybe not! ) . Your other option would be to somehow get on with another plan if possible, or find out when you insurance is reviewing the policy for exclusions and wait and see if they will eventually cover it. That could take years? Just be sure if you bother to change plans, the new one covers Banding. Do some searching around in here, you are sure to find some things to help. Or. just ask!

My BCBS is the same, bypass fine if medically necessary. Lap Band is excluded. I paid cash and went to Mexico!

So glad you are back! Hoping for a great new surgery day for you. Get yourself on that May list if you haven't already! WOOOHOOOO! Grammi's getting a Band!!!

Aw Bandit! u know i luv u 2, girl! and i wouldn't let you go if it were that God-awful! I had a really rough first week and a half but it is really getting better. I had my Prilosec with a few ounces of Boost this am, and some coffee, and I had a can of Lentil Soup for lunch, well chewed, but it all went down fine. And I'm a trooper because I have to be! And you will be too if needed! You can do this. It IS a risk, but you are forgetting all the others from April who have gone and come back and are eating like horses and doing just fine! There are, what? maybe 50 people who got banded in April alone and 3 of us had a bit of trouble; me, guitarman, katterz, and jonathan was banded in Feb I think. So, statistically, your chances of being a May problem child are low! Be scared, it's surgery! but I know you can do this and you have lots of support here, so don't fret for long. I was a chicken and gave someone here my home phone number, in case something happened and she could call my hubby, just in case I didn't post when I "got back". How nervous is THAT? My bet, you'll sail through just fine and be a great bandster!!! Chin up! PLUS! You are getting banded on my 40th Birthday! It's a GOOD sign!

Well done, Penni. (I'm not understanding, what ever happened to manners? Are other message boards void of them? Can you just step in and blurt out any ole thing to any ole body? Guess you can't here! On LBT, we are polite and have good manners and are respectful! And I'm glad to see it. So there.)

Welcome nygirl! You came to the right place for support! First piece of advice you have already recieved... "Step away from the vacuum cleaner!" and the washer/dryer, and the sink with dirty dishes, and the duster, and the toilet brush. If it bugs you that much, call Minute Maids and have them come in this week. If that's not worth it, let it go. The house will wait. I have a two year old at home (and a 5 year old in Kindergarten). Had my surgery on Friday, stayed home with "little bit" on Monday while DH worked and liked to have died from exhaustion! Lucky me, I got fatigued rather than energized after surgery. My sister stayed the days with me on tues and wed, then my dad on thurs and fri. I just needed to be off the hook. I needed help lifting him. I needed to be able to lay down and rest often. Now it doesn't seem as though you are suffering like I was, but SLOW DOWN! And all your pains sound totally normal. Gas in your bowels, everything tender, feeling every little turn on your insides. Do what Bubbame said and get in your Water and Protein. You will recover nicely, I'm sure. Again, welcome to LBT and congratulations on being banded!!

Hey Cowgirl Megan, been to the stables yet? Looking for an update!!!

Aw, Trish, here you go! It's happening! I'll be praying for you and the other bandsters this week. Here's to you, girl! thinking of you...

Start with the Band. If it doesn't work and you hate it, go with the RNY. I'm not saying you would want to plan on two surgeries, but the point it, the Band is reversible. RNY is not. I would definately start with the less invasive, and then MAKE it work to avoid the RNY, know what I mean? If gastric bypass were my only option, I'd stay fat and get over it. My opinion.

Aw Nora, I'm sorry you are dissappointed. I know I would be too. I don't know what to say except to encourage you to trust that there is a reason why you are having to wait longer than anticipated. Some "cosmic" reason...you know, things happen, or don't happen, because of a purpose we don't undertand or know about yet. You spout off and whine all you want to here, just be sure to keep us posted on what the hematologist says. You definately don't want to do any surgery until you are cleared, but I know it's still frustrating. Let us know all about it, okay?

Oh YAY! Happy Birthday, Michelle!!! Hope your day is the BEST!

Way to go Drama Queen!!! Welcome to bandland. You are in for quite a journey, now. Glad you walked through that door with the Open sign on it. Take good care of yourself, do the hard work, and it will be worth it! Congratulations!!

Yeah, Dr Billy!!!!!! (SIGH) He's smart, nice, kind, helpful, very cute, and a knight in shining armour! I need to wrestle me up a Dr Billy here in NC. I'll let ya'll know if I find one!

Hey, Eliza, what do you substitute for the bread or cracker? Do you just eat this stuff by the spoonful during mushies?

Man, I hate it but I am scared of US docs when it comes to the Lap Band!!! I know, I know, the good ones are out there, and I haven't even seen my local guy yet, so how would I know? But there is SO much to know about this little device and I am much more apt to trust my MX doc!!! I sure did with the surgery. I can't imagine those yoohooos operating on me?!!!! Just think! SURELY the Wish Center in Chicago has it together better than that. But for me, flying to Chicago from North Carolina is just as expensive and time-consuming as flying to Mexico, so I'm going with experience if I'm getting on a plane. Maybe fill days in TJ are cattle calls but in my book, the longest line just may be the best one to be in.

Wow Jamie! You are so awesome! The gurgling down means tight. Watch it close to be sure you don't PB on something, cause swelling and the whole merry-go-round. Keep that band healthy! Good job!!!

Hey girls! No regrets yet! It keeps getting better and better. I know I can live with this band and do a great job of it! Once I got past all the swelling and not being able to swallow my own spit there for a minute, I have been doing great! Trying new mushies (egg salad, bean soup, small bites of cottage cheese, all well-chewed) so I'm slowly moving along. I'm learning just how to do this, and all the preparation in the world can't get you ready for the reality of it! It's very odd, but good. So I'm down about 15lbs so far, all of which I lost in the first 12 days but I have kept it off. I'm almost halfway through the 6 weeks healing stage, but I'm not in a hurry. I am, however, anxoius to get below 200! How are you Eliza? Okay, Angie, what are you waiting on next? Just insurance to process? Waiting on approval? I hear sometimes they schedule your surgery, then apply for approval? I'm sure it will go through just fine. If not, there's always self-pay. Less of a pain but more of a financial burden. I haven't gotten my money's worth out of the band yet, but I'll be working on it! Take Care you two! I'll check back in.

Wow, I don't even consider shopping at Old Navy. My neighbor gave me some comfy PJ pants in a 1X and they were too tight. So I just avoid Old Navy! It's too soon yet, but I'll give it another shot when I get under 200 and see what Old Navy has to offer. Isn't it funny how we all fit differently? I weigh around 208 and 1X is still too tight, you weigh 296.5 and have no trouble with the next size up! You must have skinny legs!!! My butt and thighs are rotundous! This definately contributes to my difficulty with Old Navy. Good for you!!! I'm so jealous!

Wow, Road Queen, what a neat job you have, and such a great opportunity! This board is full of such interesting and diverse people!! I am LUVIN it!

Thanks Greg. I'm wearing RED this Friday in honor of you and my nephew, Doug, who just returned from Iraq to his young wife and two small children. Every other Friday thereafter I'm wearing RED in honor of our troops. Thank you for the sacrifice you made many years ago. A heart of gratitude for our troops is in order always, but from now on, Fridays are special days. What a great show of support! Thank you.

Well, girl, I guess you are gone by now. Praying for a safe journey, a fine surgery, and an uneventful recovery! God Bless you!! Post ASAP when you get back!!!

Welcome Karen! Glad to have you here...you'll find lots of locals popping in, just wanted to say Hi and enjoy reading!!! Lots of great info here...

Slow and steady, you are doing it!!!! Good call on the Isopure and Gatorade. Your'e doing fine, and you can do this for another day or two or more, even, and next thing you know, you are on to mushies!!! Stick with what works for a while before trying something new. Just get the fluids in. It's working!!!! :D

Yep, pay it forward Becky! Some newbie will be leaning on you before you know it!! Ain't LBT Grand?