lmerritt

Hi RagdollX19, I noticed Marsden in Fort Worth was your doctor. He is one of two I am considering. Do you like him? How is after-care and support?

I have never been a user of a talk forum before. When I signed up I used a simple ID. I will be banded soon and will be a lot more active on the forum for the awesome support it offers, but would like to be a little more anonymous. Is there a moderator or administrator who can change my ID from this point forward? I tried to start a new ID, but it denied me since the email address is already associated with my existing registered user ID. :help: Thanks!

Judybellyband, Thanks for the links! The telemetrically controlled band is very interesting. I wonder how long it has been around and what its track record is. I know it is new in the U.S., but has it already been in use anywhere else, like in Europe? I'm not sure I would want to be among the first to try new technology. If it is just entering U.S. clinical trials won't it be quite some time before it could get approved here? You said your band has to be replaced because of a leak. Marsden said that the band can be considered a lifetime implant. I keep reading about slippage and leaks. Is this more common than the docs want to say? Thanks again!

Where can I get more info on the sizes and types of bands you mentioned? Are there advantages to one over another? Do most bandsters have a preference?`1! Dr Marsden uses the Inamed silicone band and the size depends on the size of the patient.

I know people who have used Dr. Marsden and Dr. Smith. Those are the two I am considering. I went to Dr. M's seminar at the Worthington, but my friend who used Dr. S claims that support after the surgery is one of the most important factors. Dr. S. offers a support group in his office, hosted by a licensed psychiatrist. She claims that people who have had surgery through other docs. want to go to Dr. S's support group, but it is only for his patients. She said that other docs do not offer the after-surgery support that Smith does. I would love to hear back from others who have used either doctor. What do you think of your doc so far?

Thanks for your responses Wombat712 and all other self-pays who said you would do it again. I was excited that I could get scheduled in within 2 weeks as self-pay, but now I'm waiting to see if ins. will pay after the request goes thru a review process. The ins exclusion I had read was 5 years old. Apparently now they look at banding on a case-by-case basis. I would much prefer for ins. to pay, but wish I didn't have the unavoidable delay waiting for approval. I am 5'7", 233 lbs, 48 years old, and haven't seen under 200 in about 7 or 8 years, despite diets and regular exercise. My metabolism is as slow as it can be for me to still be alive! lol I'm afraid of the pre-diet, the all-liquids phase, and how restricted I will be for the rest of my life. Do you get to a point where you don't crave things that you have eaten all of your life? Thanks for your support and advice! I want to get back the 'me' that I have lost.

What do the terms PB, slime and golf ball mean? Those who are self-pay, are you among the "would absolutely do it again" responders? Is $15K about average for the procedure? My insurance has exclusions. Thanks