cindymom

good luck with everything, and I know I made the best decision of my life when I had the surgery. Already reaping the benefits of better health. Just dont' get discouraged.

hello again everyone, I say it has been awhile since I have been on. I had my surgery in June of 2008 and I was 278 now I am 230. My weight seems to be fluctuating right now. I am not real good with a steady excercise program now either. with the ice storms and wind storms we have had, I just can not seem to get motivated to get out there and work it off. I hope everyone feels as good as I do since having the surgery though. I say it is the best thing I have done to get a handle on my weight problem. everyone keep up the good work. I didn't have any copay and I had to pay $100 for something but I got a refund check on that. I have bcbs fep.

oh Yeah! I had my first adjustment on Friday, a week ago, I got 3 cc's. My niece thought that was alot. Does anyone have an opinion on this? I don't feel like it was too much. I am still able to eat, never been nauseus yet, and I am losing weight. She said her dr only gives her 1/2 cc when she gets her adjustments. so What would you all say would be the norm? Just curious. Keep losing KYana!

Shellyin Ky, I went thru bcbs fep. I have the basic and I had no copays or anything, I had to pay 100 up front for something, not sure what, but then it was covered 100%. It took less than two months to have it all done once I was sure that was what I wanted. I took longer because I had to fit vacation in before I had it done. But this should be quick fo ryou too. good luck with all of it though, this has been wonderful for me. down to 241 this morning.

hello again everyone. I am back to work bluh!, but doing great. I have lost a whopping 34 pounds since I started this and feel great. My goodness who would have thought and I havent been adjusted and I am a month and a week into this. I am doing water aerobics and that makes it a bit easier to excercise, I love playing in the water and with the water weights it makes the playing excercise. Can't beat that. I hope everyone is doing as great as I am on this, I actually gained back two pounds one time when I weighed in but the next time I weighed it was gone again. Hey there is a lot of us out there, if you don't mind mentioning that you are having it done or had it done, you will be surprised to find out how many people you run into has had the lap band. This is great, I love this site. 34 pounds in 1 and 1/2 months. wonderful, who could've imagined? :thumbdown:

I am not banded yet. I am still discussing insurance options with husband, He wants to choose blue cross federal basic and I am leaning toward bluecross federal standard. I really wish I knew which way to choose to get quick approval. I am at the weight where people think that I am actually not obese enough to consider the surgery. But these people have never had to deal with the weight issues that I have had to deal with. It is going to happen just dont know when, where or which one. I have been contemplating this for over a year so it is not a quick decision on my part, something I have really thought about. I plan on hanging in here with you guys. Cindy:help:I can use all I can get.

hey everyone! I am banded, was done so on june 24, 2008. I have lost 22 pounds since I started this and I was told that 11 pounds was water and 4 muscle. This is an experience and well worth everything that you have to go thru to get it done. I go for my first appt on friday. they usually want to see you within 2 weeks but there was not appt. So I will go then and will let everyone know how it goes. this has not been a bad experience at all. Keep pushing to be able to get it done. I did and I am happy that I did so.

hello again. This is going on my third week and I couldn't be more pleased with the surgery. I go for my two week (which will actually be three) on this Friday. I am hoping that he says all is well. No reason not too. I went to see Kirk at st marys and he said I lost 22 pounds, 11 of that was water and 4 was muscle and the remainder was fat I guess. I thought that was pretty good. When I started out on this I was really believing this could work, now I am convinced it will. Also I would like to get a tracker that shows my progress. I would appreciate it if someone could talk me thru setting one up and where to get them. I found them once but it was not easy enough for me to figure out. So anyone that could help it would be greatly appreciated. I am looking forward to the weight loss. :redface:

I had my surgery on the 24th as planned, That was Tuesday and today is Saturday. I am doing great, the first day there was some pain (or more pressure than anything) but I made it thru those days and now I feel great. I am on full liquids and am ready to get to the blenderized diet. I was really expecting this to be worse than what it was. So I hope things are going good for everyone. Gotta run, but will check back in soon.

hello again all, made all my appointments and I have surgery on june 24. I will try to get on here and see how everyone is doing. I am already doing the diet before surgery, I haven't found it too awful yet. but I am not sure I am going to feel after the surgery about the diet. Everyone has been wonderful with sharing their experiences. I hope I have a good one to share with all. be Back on here after that. And thanks again.

I can't use dr gellar. he is not in our network. but I know that he is an excellent doctor, my daughter had a bypass done and he was her doctor. He is very good with the people waiting outside for their loved ones to come thru the surgery too. that is one of the reasons why I like him so much.

hello again everyone. I have not been on vacation yet but I have all dates scheduled. I go for pre op on june 13, then my appointment with the surgeon on 06/20 and My Surgery is on 06/24. We will be back from vaction on the 7th of june so I have time to get ready for this. My doctor is Schuster at St Mary's and Elizabeth. I am so ready for this. I love the updates from everyone, you all are my support at this time. the before and hopefully during and after.

thanks, I know, I could have set a date sooner but we will be going to the virgin islands. taking my mom and two aunts and it was already in the works when I got my approval. I am excited. almost wishing trip was here and gone. Making a life change is hard to put on hold. but I am going to wait to have it done so I can still get in the water and snorkel and drink some drinks and have a good time. Time enough to schedule when I am back. I will be letting you all know when it is finally scheduled. good luck with yours Checkersmom. I am having mine done at st marys and elizabeth in louisville.

wow that is good to know that you can at least have a glass or two if the mood strikes. I thought about that.

hey again everyone, I won't get a surgery date until after I go for the pscych analysis. I then am going to the v islands for a week then I will be back and we are going to try to schedule it right after I get back. I am excited. I read how everyone is doing and I am really ready for this. I look forward to all of it except the very beginning of it. thanks for welcoming me here. it has been so much help.

I got approved today, I go for they psch evaluation on may 14 and then I set up the surgery date. It has to be after the first week of June because I will be on vacation. But this is happening very fast for me, I need someone to pinch me so I know I am not dreaming. It has been a wonderful day for me today.

I am so ready for this. I hope they get it approved quickly. I understand that is is only a tool, I believe so many people go in thinking that it is magic and the pounds are going to drop off easily. I think knowing the people that I do I understand how this works. I sure hope I do anyway. I have fought this battle so long though that I wonder sometimes if it is possible to get it off and keep it off. I think with the help of the lapband that that is finally a reality. I look at your meter and I want to say congratulations to you. Maybe I will meet you thru the excericise nazi and I too need a good swift kick of encouragement to excercise. I know I need to I just don't find the time. I know (I hope I know) that I will make the needed time after the lapband. I always enjoyed the excercise and how I felt afterwards before I got so overweight that it is not even possible to do so. Just keep enocuraging us newbies, we need the encouragement fromt he ones that have finally got approved and had the surgery. Thanks to all of you on here. It has made the decision to go forward so much easier for me.:regular_smile:

I have been reading the progress of so many of you, and replied to a couple. I am so glad everyone is doing so well. I am nearing the stages of finding out if I will be approved or not. I sure hope so, dont' feel like a battle with the insurance, but I will if I have to. I have researched and thought about this for about 2 years. Now that I have made up my mind I am so ready to know if it will be a go ahead or not. I went to see Dr Schuster in Louisville, he said they would write their letter to the insurance company, I had to go to the heart specialist and get an okay from them, they gave me the okay on Friday. Said they would send their letter to Dr Schuster. So he said I would continue with all on my end and they would deal with the insurance end of it. I don't know what I am supposed to be doing other than finishing my dr's appt and getting my sleep apnea device fitted. I think that is what he meant. If there is anything else that needs to be done then I don't know what it is. I am getting excited though, I know so many that has had this done and are doing fantastic with their weight loss and didn't do so well without the help of the band. So keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer for me. Thanks for the support. Cindy

from what I hear the surgery date comes pretty soon after the approval. so good luck and I am glad you finally got that approval after three denials. My friend wants to do this with me but she is so concerned that her insurance won't even consider, they are retired military and this is not something they cover. so maybe she has a shot at it too, if she keeps after it. you give me hope for her too

wow! the things Ihave read are totally blowing my mind. It seems like things are going pretty fast for some folks, longer for others. I have my first initial visit with dr shcuster on march 28. I am excited and wish it was sooner. I heard it could take a couple of years to get the go ahead so I am really encouraged by some of these. Again Wow! I love getting here and reading such positive upbeat messages, I am sure it gives more than myself hope to keep moving forward with this.

ChaCa, how is your brother doing? you said he went the same night I did, just wondering where he is at with this whole wait thing or if he is going to go with st mary & liz or if he has decided to go through another hospital. I know I could not afford to pay for this out of pocket, I have to wait until the insurance will pick it up or I can't even consider doing the surgery. I know you are waiting on bcbs also, so I am saying a prayer that you are approved and things go well. good luck and keep letting me know how things are going.

Newbie, I am so excited for you, that you got approved so fast. I am hoping mine goes that smooth, I rec'd email from st mary & elizabeth that they were submitting to insurance, bcbs basic and they were forwarding to the surgeons and I was to call and set up an appt with the surgeon, this all happened today but the lines were busy and couldn't talk to anyone, left my phone # on the message for them to call me. I have to go in for the initial appt. That is where it starts, and then if I qualify for the surgery they are to send the letter of medical nessecity... How long did all this take for you to get to where you were approved? I am wondering how long because I am going on vacation with my mom and aunts and don't want to miss an appt because of that and that is like 2 months. Is that expecting too much too soon? congrats and all the info the better. thanks cindy

ChaCa, I am around 39 -40 bmi. I am just now getting started, that is the first night that I actually did anything as far as the lapband. I have talked to my general practioner and my pulminary doctor. they both agree that the surgery would help me. I also have sleep apnea, I went into rem 6 times and had 6 episodes, whatever that means. Dr Jain didn't like those results. I also have arthritis, high blood pressure and high cholestorol and asthma. I could probably mention others but I cna't think of any right now. We have federal employee program with bcbs. I let my husband choose basic plan, which may have been a mistake. Will find out soon enough I guess. Good luck with all this.

ChaCa I think we will be in this together. I went to the seminar on Feb 11, 2008. the night of the big snow storm. I just turned in my packet today. They stressed listing the diets I have tried and failed at, it was so depressing but I listed them all (those I could remember) and I also wrote another additional letter to go along with it that explained how much this is effecting my quality of life, (my daughter suggested this) I don't know if it will help. I am really curious with how everyone is doing and this is exciting for me. I am looking forward to getting my approval, and getting back on track. I know everyone is in the same frame of mind going into this, there are so many emotions running in these posts. I can really relate to most of them. Lets hope we can have this done before our health gets worse. Keep me posted on how it goes for you too. are you with the fed empl program of bcbs?

I have just made it thru the seminar and am curious as to how long this takes with bcbs fep but I want to know how everyone handled the steps as to what they want from us. I went to the seminar at st mary's also and listened, this is the only hospital that my insurance will pay and I was wondering how many people with the basic plan has ever gotten approved. If there are any out there that would be awsome to hear from you. My daughter used dr david gellar to have the bypass done, she is doing wonderful, but that is not for me. wonderful considerate doctor that explains everything to you. I also have my best friend's daughter had dr allen. She had a lapband done when she was 18. She has her ups and downs and all but she has lost about 80 pounds. It has been three years for her and she is steadily losing some. I have talked with these two doctors and listened at st mary's and I think they are all up to par. Anyone out there that can answer questions about bcbsfep please let me know. And I truly believe we are all in this together.