Cocoabean

It seems the answer to this question is as varied as pre-op diets and the surgeons who prescribe them. Ask YOUR doc what the rules are for soda to be certain. That said , I sip soda and beer from time to time. Often times, it just gives me hiccups and makes me more uncomfortable than it is worth (to me). So, that has led to some wasted $$ on soda. The beer, not so much, DH is always willing to finish them off for me, such a sweetie he is! I do still like the taste of soda, but if I have it, I just sip it. My surgeon said that the chemicals in diet soda actually trigger hunger in the body. Thinking of that helped me to take a pass on them. Plus, I'd usually have sodas only with meals, so that made it easier for me to let them go. This is just one of those behavior modifications we need to face with the band. YOU CAN DO IT!! :thumbup: It is sooooo worth it, to be a healthier happier you.

Did I state that you did not understand what he is? The OP said it was a group support, and the psych said his job was to convince the band people to go with GB. Does that mean that EVERY surgical candidate is best served by GB? Or does it mean that in this instance the doctor scheduled GB patients and potential band patients that he felt would be better served by GB in the same group, and then put band folk he is willing to band in another? I don't know. That was not stated here. I'd certainly hope if that were the case that it was stated at the group. In my case, I'd prefer to discuss which procedure suited MY case in private with the team. Group support should be for support or information gathering. But that's my opinion. Of course there could be more to the story than we know here, there always could be. We have to take posts at face value, generally, or ask for further clarification if we don't understand where a person is coming from. Yes, GB has a fantastic rate of success for more years than banding. But band folk have good success, too. As you said, the best surgeons will embrace ALL procedures. As should patients be open to what their surgeons have to say about which procedure is best and why--then make an informed decision.

Mine was a 20 minute chat about my understanding and expectations of the procedure. We also discussed my medical, mental, and weight/food history.

He is a psychologist, not a medical doctor. Your choice of procedure is between you and your medical doctors. They may have good reasons why they'd suggest one procedure over another. There also does appear to be some preference for GB over the band by some surgeons. I don't know why. But, I'd question anyone who made a statement such as that. Then again, he was honest about it. I'd suspect he was told to guide people toward GB by the surgeon, but wonder if he was told to admit it.

Hi all, I am gonna write a book, "The C. Diff. Diet: How to Lose Weight and Lower Your Blood Pressure Without Trying" Anyone want a copy? tee hee! My pressure is coming up a bit, yay! 99/64 at last check. I am down 3.5 lbs this week as of this morning. That was a surprise, I didn't think I was losing anything. I am so done with being sick, this just totally sucks. I wrote off the week at work. Boss let me do some stuff from home today. On Fridays I spend the day doing a lot of shipping and receiving, I usually walk over 1.5 miles in the building. There's no way I could do that. So, I said forget it. I'll start fresh Monday. Anway, I make a very good couch weight. My dog normally does it, and he does not like being usurped! Too bad for Butters, but he and DH just got back from a 3 mile walk at the lake.

Hi Melissa, Glad to hear it is going better for you, and to see those foods were on your list! All surgeons are different in their post-op instructions. But when you said mushies and grilled fish in the same sentence, I got worried for you. :thumbup: Betsy always has good advice! She's tops! Just go easy and do your best to stick to your plan. Chewing well is very important. It is what gets me into trouble the most at this point, over two years out. So keep chewing! Also, take little bites! Keep up the good work!

You are so right, ardelia! Also, I think to a large (ha ha) degree we all have food issues/compulsions/addictions. Else we would not be here. Some are bigger issues than others and need different kinds of treatments. For me, I ate compulsively, if it was there, I wanted it. I was seldom NOT hungry. Getting the band has given me control I did not think possible. Gaining control of the physical hunger has allowed me to work on the head hunger issues. It is not easy. I still work on it. But not having my stomach screaming for food all the time has very much helped me. Your mileage may vary, of course. I think you are wise to try the meds first. They may work very well for you. :thumbup: Thanks for the clarification. I was, indeed, misunderstanding. Thought I might have been. :crying:

Glad to be of help. I hope you all win the appeals! For some reason, this topic just really ticks me off. I can't think of any other medically necessary treatment that people have to fight for to receive--but there are probably some out there. When my father needed triple bypass surgery, he did not need to beg and plead for it. He was in surgery the day after it was identified that he had blockages. This is elective, yes, but when our insurance says it is covered and we elect to go for it, they should work WITH us, not against us. Yes, I won my appeal. My situation was like Sweetsagi's. I was denied even seeing my surgeon due to the 6 month requirement. I submitted Weight Watchers records among other things and won. Time being what it is, over 6 months passed before I got my band, but I did not have to wait 6 months before getting through the starting gate to see my surgeon. Cunner, I would point out in a very professional way that the tests will likely no longer be valid in a year's time and need to be repeated at great expense to them and you. Some of them are invasive and painful. I also had the thought go through my head that you can point out how when you hit the 1 lb below 35 BMI you were dieting at the time, and that is a time when you dress in your ABSOLUTE lightest clothing to see your doctor to weight in. Why do they make you go through those tests before even looking at your history? Why would they not do a 'pre-approval' of some sort to look and see if you even sort-of qualify before paying for those tests? Do contact obesity-law. I don't know anything about them, but it is another resource. Remember, too, the Americans With Disabilities Act. Look into that and see if you can throw that into the letter. Being a Fire Fighter, you might not want to go there, but something well worded might help. Give them all you got! Ok, rant done! Oh, and DON'T say you are't dieting or that you plan to gain weight...think you prolly know that :thumbup: Everything you say may be used against you. Best wishes to you all!!!!

WHY did the surgeon say GB was better? There may be some medical reason behind the guidance, or it may be personal preference of the surgeon. My surgeon will not do a band on a type 2 diabetic. He said GB has a much better rate of remission. GB for a surgeon is sort of a set it and forget it procedure. After a few follow-ups, they are done with you. Not so with a band. Unless they don't perform the fills. With either procedure, YOU have to put in work to be successful. As Spartan advised, get a few opinions and make an informed decision.

Yay! Any idea of a date?? Wonderful!

Hi Melissa, Welcome to Lap-Band Talk!! You are two weeks post-op and you are eating grilled fish and steamed veggies? Is that on your food plan or have you been returned to solids now? That isn't really mushies/soft foods. Fish is a food that gets stuck easily for many of us. Mushies is mashed potatoes, refried fat-free Beans, cottage cheese, yogurt, creamed Soups, things like that. If you aren't really clear what your food plan is, call your surgeon's office and ask. I understand that starving feeling post-op, but you really do need to let your stomach heal and not let it grind like crazy to get those foods to go down. You want the stitches of the stomach around the band to truly heal so you don't get a slip later on. I was told by my surgeon not to chew gum, it causes a person to swallow a lot of air, and if you swallow the piece of gum, it will get stuck and be a nasty retrieval. So he said. Your surgeon might have said different. :thumbup: Best wishes to you in your recovery!

My computer is making me mad! I had a great response going and IE crashed on me. So, let's try this again! You post breaks my heart! These insurance companies will do anything to get you to go away, so DON'T go away! This makes me sooo mad! Prepare yourself for a loooooong post! I've been looking for a copy of my appeals letter, but I can't seem to find it. I wrote it nearly 3 years ago. The computer I wrote it on is gone. While working on your appeal, don't give up on you. Also..if it were me, I'd not try to lose any weight. Time marches on, and 2011 will be here before you know it. Anyway, the book Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies has some very good appeals letters examples. Also, search "weight loss surgery appeal letter" on the internet and you'll find some other samples. I quoted this in my appeal and included a copy. You can find a PDF version online. In 1991 the National Institutes of Health wrote a Consensus on Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity Here's the link: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Program: Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity No where does it mention how long you have to be obese to have surgical treatment. The next section (in blue) is a quote from the NIH subsection of NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) WIN - Publication - Bariatric Surgery for Severe Obesity The first bullet is the one to hit on strongest. Yes, you dipped below a BMI of 35 by ONE pound for ONE visit. Point out that is the difference between seeing the doctor in the morning vs. the afteroon or wearing shorts vs. jeans. Or a new/different scale. Are their scales certified by weights and measures? There was a law suit against Weight Watchers about their scales, and that they could not charge lifetime members who were over goal because a member got on one scale and was over, walked over to the scale right next to it and was not. So now, at least in San Diego, all their scales are calibrated and certified. Do you have a history of being above 35 before that and after that? If so, then state that you cannot keep weight off, you NEED surgical intervention. Just because you lost some weight for a short period does not mean you were cured, obviously. Bariatric surgery may be the next step for people who remain severely obese after trying nonsurgical approaches, especially if they have an obesity-related disease. Surgery to produce weight loss is a serious undertaking. Anyone thinking about undergoing this type of operation should understand what it involves. Answers to the following questions may help you decide whether weight-loss surgery is right for you. Are you: Unlikely to lose weight or keep it off over the long term with nonsurgical measures? Well informed about the surgical procedure and the effects of treatment? Determined to lose weight and improve your health? Aware of how your life may change after the operation (adjustment to the side effects of the operation, including the need to chew food well and inability to eat large meals)? Aware of the potential risk for serious complications, dietary restrictions, and occasional failures? Committed to lifelong healthy eating and physical activity habits, medical follow-up, and vitamin/mineral supplementation? Speak of how your obesity affects your life. How your co-morbidities drag down your quality-of-life. Explain that you know you will have work to do when you are approved, but you know that this surgery is going to help you avoid expensive treatments for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. What you want is to live a normal, healthy life with your family! Best wishes!

Here is a link to the ticker tutorial: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/ Hopefully that will help ya.

Mine was a 20 minute chat about my understanding of the procedure and my expectations. We also discussed my psychiatric history. For me, it was no big deal. Just a note, if there are some psychiatric issues in your history, this does not automatically disqualify you. Others here have had different experiences. Maybe they will chime in, also. Best wishes!

Hi Everyone! Bobbie, Sounds like you are keeping a good attitude. Try to keep that up! What you are going through totally sucks! I am glad you are getting SOME financial help. It's better than no help. As for me. I am doing better. My white blood cell count is down, that means the infection is responding to the treatment, yay! My blood pressure is up. Still low, but not in the, "hey, you look terrible, are you OK?" Category. I still get woozy when I stand up, but I expect it and wait for it. I did a workout today, I got into the shower! Did y'all know that is an aerobic event? sheesh! If the hind end cooperates after dinner, I am going to try to return to work tomorrow. My boss has been super about me being gone. Well, on Sunday when I talked to him he told me, "don't be in a hurry to come back." Hmmppff! Not sure how to take that! :thumbup: I dearly love him, though. He treats me great, could not ask for a better boss. My doctor said that I will lose weight as I recover from this. He also said this was a stupid way to go about it! I totally agree. But I cannot report any losses so far. Which is most likely because I am hardly taking in any calories. I must be in starvation mode or something. I'm getting a bowl of cereal for breakfast, some crackers for lunch, and half a sandwich for dinner with some gatorade off and on throughout the day. So, as my mother would have said, "other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" How's everyone else doing?

Hooooraaay! Well done! You'll make goal, you are so close. Enjoy the rest of the journey.

Yay!!! I just thought of something else. If they balk at the OB/GYN, you can have your records transfered to PCP and have PCP write the letted based on those records. Then the letter comes from PCP! Best wishes, keep us posted!

I have thyroid issues, too. Getting the thyroid under control is certainly very important. But, once treated the amount of weight loss is not huge. www.thyroid.org states that a loss of 10% of body weight is all that is expected. This can make a significant improvement in health, yes. It's most likely less than the amount of weight you want to lose. As to angermom's post, I might be misunderstanding it. Not all mental disorders will disqualify you. I don't know about OCD. Blue Cross approved me with well treated depression. It may be that they want you to be in treatment and have your symptoms under control. The best you can do for yourself is be honest in the psyche eval. I hope the new meds work for you, and that you can avoid surgery entirely! Best wishes!

I don't know for sure, but a doc is a doc in my opinion. Your OB/GYN has the history of your weight in a medical setting. Those are official medical records. Many women see their GYN more than their PCP. That should count. But, that is my humble opinion, which I am sure means nothing to Cigna. Best wishes to you!

Hi SwissMiss, Welcome to the board! Looks like this is your first post. I don't have anything to offer you advice wise, just wanted to say OUCH! Hopefully it will get better as you lose weight and the port become easier to access. Best wishes to you!

What was your lunch? The definition of sensible could be different. Anyway, assuming it was 3-4 oz. of lean meat and a salad with low-cal dressing. Consider yourself lucky, and go with the flow. Not everyone feels they are starving while on the pre-op diet. I had more hungry days and less hungry days. You may do the same, but here's hoping it stays easy for you!! Best wishes!

Hi Dani, If I were having issues with my band, I'd not hesitate to revise to a different procedure. I'd work with my PCP and surgeon (both of whom I love) to decide which was best. Best wishes! I hope you are feeling better soon!

Hi Everyone! Over the past seven months I have had 3 episodes where my blood pressure has dropped to very low levels, and I have nearly passed out. Each time I had been standing for about 20-25 minutes in a relaxed manner. Then all of a sudden I get hot, nauseated, sweaty, and everything goes gray. So, after the last episode, I saw my PCP. He said he's seen it many times with his patients who have lost significant amounts of weight. He said it appears that we have a hard time maintaining blood pressure sometimes. I was actually seeing him today for something else, but have a follow up with him in a week and a half. I'll speak with him further about it then. I am curious if anyone else has experienced this? Thanks!!!

Hi Melinco! I had bloodwork done in Feb. and my potassium was A-OK! Good point about passing out in front of someone rather than alone. Hadn't really thought of that. So far, I've had warning to get seated before I keeled over, but ya never know. I was at urgent care Saturday with low BP and intestinal upset. They suspect a c. diff. infection. My potassium was low, and my white cell count was high. Still waiting on cultures to be sure. But being treated for that, and am responding to the treatment. So, I think they were on the money. It's been a joyous month thus far! :thumbup:

I LOVE salt! Can I shake with wild abandon?? Tee hee!! They checked my soium levels just recently, they were right in the middle. I was at urgent care on Saturday for an unrelated problem and they did some blood work.