SpecialK

I wanted to share with you if you're considering getting a nutritionist, that I found the Rite-Bite group off Green Meadows Dr. S. (just off Powell Rd near High St) was just very terrific. The dietician I worked with was Laura Poland and I'd highly recommend her. After today's initial appointment it made me wish I'd gone to her instead of investing months of time at WW meetings where nobody really can take the time to look at food diaries, knows the medical aspects of nutrition issues, etc. I'm not saying I didn't like and respect my WW leaders, they just were not dietary professionals like an RD/LD. So, wish me luck! The dietician said I'm doing lots of right things and she advised me to try to reduce my calorie target by 100 calories a day, add exercise as consistently as I can, choose complex Proteins for Snacks, eat throughout the day to keep my metabolism humming along, and then I have another appointment with her Feb 8 to see how that went.

I have a pretty flexible schedule for the next meeting or time as I'm single and don't have kids or spouse conflicts to work around so whatever you pick will probably work for me.

Heather - please go ahead and arrange the next get together for the Central Ohio Bandsters! It was fun and its great to look forward to the next one to meet more of you bandsters and wanna-be bandsters.

I've been really busy the last couple days but I did really enjoy meeting Heather and Debbie at the mall. Turns out we all live within 10-15 minutes at most from each other in the Westerville area! I promised to help get another group meeting together a month after I get banded. We said we'd try for a Gahanna or Easton location and a weekend maybe a Friday night or Saturday the next time. Charlene from my surgeon's office called today and let me know as soon as I get my psych clearance in, she will try to submit to Insurance and see how it goes. She thinks I have enough. That would be a huge surprise if it goes through without the additional 2 months of nutritionist appt I thought I have to do. One nutritionist appt is tomorrow at 9am so I'll still keep that one. The psychologist was super nice and it turned out to be 400 questions but they were really easy. It was obvious they are looking for people with major issues and I don't have major issues. I think she will give me my psych clearance on Tues Jan 15 when I see her. +

The seminar I attended in Columbus, Ohio was about an hour and a half and it was in a big auditorium full of people so I didn't feel intimidated at all attending. They had someone who had been successfully banded for a long time who is now a bariatric program coordinator speak for about 20-30 minutes, then a Dr. (surgeon) got up and discussed all the different medical issues and surgery options, then the hospital's business office got up and gave alot of information about the insurance aspects of things. Go, you won't be sorry!

Tomorrow afternoon Jan 8th is my psych test (like 200 questions or so) and I hope I pass! Ha Ha! I'm just going to have the Dr. submit it to Aetna for payment and see what happens. If its not covered, then I'll do out of pocket on that and turn the expense in on my health care flexible spending account. This should finish off my psych clearance for lap band surgery this month. Still have to finish out January and February dietician appts from everything I've heard others with Aetna have to do.

Got my cardiac clearnace for surgery today. Another hoop jumped through! I was actually really relieved to have the results and hear everything was normal and great after waiting since December 14th and 20th. Yea!

Please don't let clothing be any reason to hold back -- I just suggested the pink for fun. P.S. All of you who are doing fabulous losing weight - this is your chance to justify buying yourself something new pink or any other color to wear!

KTBugg - I assume you are talking about Dr. Marcus Miller who is in with Dr. Price and Dr. Choban at Mid-Ohio Surgical Associates. Several of us are chatting on the N E 1 Been Banded at Mt. Carmel thread under Ohio. So far I'm the only one with Dr. Price to be my surgeon. The others have Dr. Choban. Its all personal preference. They all were very qualilfied.

Debbie --Looks like you are having lots of fun with trying new clothes (even if they are 'new to you' from the thrift shop) -- Congratulations. I can't wait to do the same. Loved your new Ticker with the shoes and things - shows you're having a good time!

Looking forward to meeting you ladies in person! I'm waiting on a call from the cardiologist for the results of the chemical stress test and echocardiogram from Dec 14 and Dec 20th. I'm hoping that they were normal and they just haven't notified me of the results due to the holidays. If they weren't normal and they haven't tried to contact me if its anything serious that wouldn't be good. So I'm staying positive that nothing is wrong and they are just behind on paperwork and calling with results. Say a prayer that all is fine if you will please.

Search the Aetna Navigator web site and look for Clinical Policy Bulletin #0157 on Obesity Surgery and share that with your weight loss surgeon's office to be sure you jump through the right sequence of hoops or clearances and nutrition stuff they require. I'm working through this myself now.

If you haven't read it over yet. go to the Aetna Navigator web site where you can look up Clinical Policy Bulletin's and search for Bulletin #0157 Obesity Surgery and it details all the requirements for weight loss surgery. You need to give that to your surgeon or bariatric program coordinator you are working with and they'll let you know what medical and psych clearances and things you have to do. Good luck.

I would like to suggest you consider contacting a large church in your area that has alot of different support groups, particularly ones with single Mom's support or Youth Minister and see if someone could help you out. Swap a day of babysitting with one of them in exchange for helping them sometime later. Just an idea. I'd be working to get to know them in advance so you felt comfortable with them watching your children of course.

Here it is coming up on the New Year already - 3 months since I started my lapband journey - and I'm still jumping through hoops. I thought I'd recap here for my own record as well as share with others who may be considering lap band surgery how long things do take even if you are working at it and staying on top of it. They don't make it easy to do. BUT I AM DETERMINED !!!!!!!!!!!!! 2007 Oct 3 - Attended the Hospital's Bariatric Program Information session held on the first week of the month. See the various hsopital websites for info. 2007 Oct 10 - Confirmed my insurance (Aetna PPO) does have bariatric surgery as an option they will cover if you meet the required conditions. 2007 - Oct 22 Mailed the application packet I received on Oct 3 into hospital bariatric program doctors and this is quite a bit of info to complete on health history so you can be considered as a candidate for their bariatric program. 2007 Nov 10 - Received acceptance for Bariatric program from surgeons with all the info I need to gather and medical clearances I have to complete before it can be submitted to my insurance. Paid a $300 program administrative fee out of pocket - not covered by insurance. 2007 Nov 15 - Dr. at Sleep Medicine Center gives me clearance letter required for sleep apnea based on prior sleep study info. Don't have to repeat this to get clearance! No Cost $$ Yea! 2007 Nov 28 - Cardiologist appointment to begin cardiology clearance - basic exam and EKG and fortunately he's on my In Network doctors list so all I have is a $25 co-pay out of pocket. Requires me to have a chemical stress test and echocardiogram before he can write cardiac clearance letter for lap band surgery. 2007 Nov 29 - Psychologist (Phd not just LISW,MA) appointment to begin psychology clearance required. Basic 1st appointment but identifies that she cannot write clearance letter for surgery without a written 200 question psychological test given, graded or evaluated by her then her recomendatioons from that test shared with me. $20 co-pay only out of pocket. 2007 Nov 30 - my bariatric surgeon - initial appointment to discuss weight loss surgery options - agrees to perform lap band surgery and write letter to insurance for approval as soon as I can complete the clearances I am required to do. $25 co-pay only out of pocket. 2007 Dec 3 - Attend required minimum 1 Hospital's Bariatric Support Program Monthly meeting. Free! 2007 Dec 5 - Primary Care Physician (PCP) requires $50 out of pocket administrative fee to pull 5 years of medical records from a remote storage and copy it to provide a required history of 5 years of morbid obesity BMI info for Aetna insurance clearance. 2007 Dec 14 - Chemical Stress Test done on my heart as one of two special tests for cardiology clearance. 2007 Dec 19 - Echocardiogram test done on my heart as 2nd of special tests required for cardiology clearance. Now need to find out results of tests and see if Dr will write cardiology clearance letter first week of January or what is next. $$ out of pocket for 2 tests unknown. Will be submitted to insurance and we'll see. 2007 Dec 18 - Initial Hospital Bariatric Nutritionist appointment with RD for nutriotion counseling diet history, etc. $200 cost out of pocket. Will try to submit to insurance but don't know if nutrition counseling covered. 2007 Dec 21 - Psychological test cancelled 2nd time because of insurance pre-cert delays. Will now have to try for January and likely pay for the psychological test out of pocket. 2008 - Jan 11 - 2nd Nutritionist appointment - believe I have either 3 total or 6 total still not sure how many minimum! $100 out of pocket per appt. but will try to submit for insurance to see if they will cover any of it. 2008 - Jan 16 - 2nd PCP doctor appointment to document weight loss efforts and document BMI. $20 co-pay only out of pocket. 2008 - Jan 18 - Psychological test (200 question written test) - Likely to have to pay out of pocket on this. $$ unknown To Do: 2008 - Feb - 3rd Nutritionist appt To Do: 2008 - Feb - 3rd PCP appt Goal: 2008 - March 1 - Submit for Insurance approval!

Here it is coming up on the New Year already - 3 months since I started my lapband journey - and I'm still jumping through hoops. I thought I'd recap here for my own record as well as share with others who may be considering lap band surgery how long things do take even if you are working at it and staying on top of it. They don't make it easy to do. 2007 Oct 3 - Attended the Mt. Carmel Bariatric Program Information session held at Mt. Carmel East Hospital on the first week of the month. See their website for info. 2007 Oct 10 - Confirmed my insurance (Aetna PPO) does have bariatric surgery as an option they will cover if you meet the required conditions. 2007 - Oct 22 Mailed the application packet I received on Oct 3 into Mt. Carmel and this is quite a bit of info to complete on health history so you can be considered as a candidate for their bariatric program. 2007 Nov 10 - Received acceptance for Mt. Carmel Bariatric program from Mid Ohio Surgical Associates with all the info I need to gather and medical clearances I have to complete before it can be submitted to my insurance. Paid a $300 program administrative fee out of pocket - not covered by insurance. 2007 Nov 15 - Dr. Cunningham at Mid Ohio Sleep Medicine gives me clearance letter required for sleep apnea based on prior sleep study info. Don't have to repeat this to get clearance! No Cost $$ Yea! 2007 Nov 28 - Dr. Chawla appointment to begin cardiology clearance - basic exam and EKG and fortunately he's on my In Network doctors list so all I have is a $25 co-pay out of pocket. Requires me to have a chemical stress test and echocardiogram before he can write cardiac clearance letter for lap band surgery. 2007 Nov 29 - Dr. Brenner appointment to begin psychology clearance required. Basic 1st appointment but identifies that she cannot write clearance letter for surgery without a written 200 question psychological test given, graded or evaluated by her then her recomendatioons from that test shared with me. $20 co-pay only out of pocket. 2007 Nov 30 - Dr. Phil Price - my Mid Ohio Surgical Assoc/Mt. Carmel bariatric surgeon - initial appointment to discuss weight loss surgery options - agrees to perform lap band surgery and write letter to insurance for approval as soon as I can complete the clearances I am required to do. $25 co-pay only out of pocket. 2007 Dec 3 - Attend required minimum 1 Mt. Carmel Bariatric Support Program Monthly meeting at Mt. Carmel West. Free! 2007 Dec 5 - Primary Care Physician (PCP) requires $50 out of pocket administrative fee to pull 5 years of medical records from a remote storage and copy it to provide a required history of 5 years of morbid obesity BMI info for Aetna insurance clearance. 2007 Dec 14 - Chemical Stress Test done on my heart as one of two special tests for cardiology clearance. 2007 Dec 19 - Echocardiogram test done on my heart as 2nd of special tests required for cardiology clearance. Now need to find out results of tests and see if Dr. Chawla will write clearance letter first week of January or what is next. $$ out of pocket for 2 tests unknown. Will be submitted to insurance and we'll see. 2007 Dec 18 - Initial Mt. Carmel Bariatric Nutritionist appointment with Michelle Strakowski, RD for nutriotion counseling diet history, etc. $200 cost out of pocket. Will try to submit to insurance but don't know if nutrition counseling covered. 2007 Dec 21 - Psychological test cancelled 2nd time because of insurance pre-cert delays. Will now have to try for January and likely pay for the psychological test out of pocket. 2008 - Jan 11 - 2nd Nutritionist appointment - believe I have either 3 total or 6 total still not sure how many minimum! $100 out of pocket per appt. but will try to submit for insurance to see if they will cover any of it. 2008 - Jan 16 - 2nd PCP doctor appointment to document weight loss efforts and document BMI. $20 co-pay only out of pocket. 2008 - Jan 18 - Psychological test (200 question written test) - Likely to have to pay out of pocket on this. $$ unknown To Do: 2008 - Feb - 3rd Nutritionist appt To Do: 2008 - Feb - 3rd PCP appt Goal: 2008 - March 1 - Submit for Insurance approval!

Hard to believe a couple of months has already flown by and before we know it, this meeting date we set will be here. I thought I'd bump this to the end a couple times to be sure everyone sees it who wants to after the new year is here. I have had some suggestions to also have an East side of Columbus get together some time on a Saturday or Sunday so that those who work nights on the weekdays or who live further east can join in the fun. Let's keep this meeting here still and we'll see if Debbie from Heath and I can work out a 2nd east side meeting too. Happy New Year! :clap2:

I have received some responses that people are interested in this meeting and also that we should try to schedule one on the East side of Columbus on a Saturday for those who can't make a weekday. Let's still do this one for those who can make it and I'll chat with Debbie from Heath and see what we can work out for the east side group to get together.

I wasn't real good at this but what I was told and finally figured out was to go to Trying To Conceive Ticker and create a ticker then I highlighted it and pasted it into a Word document temporarily (the image of it) then on our www.lapbandtalk.com web site, there is a UserCP option for editing your Signature, Profile, etc. (its in a light blue band of options, 2nd from the left) and within that is an Edit Signature option on the left hand panel, then you copy the image of your ticker and paste it into your Signature box as an image and save. There might be other ways to do this but I think this is how I got mine to work.

My sister and I used to always some up with a New Year's slogan and she shared hers yesterday with me: 2008 - Its going to be Great! I was thinking Lose Weight in 2008! and Get Healthy in 2008 will be my theme. I can remember one year we had a slogan of "Lose Weight, Get a Date, Find a Mate in 1988!" Too bad it didn't work for me. Looking forward to getting my lap band in 2008! Any others want to chime in with their New Year slogan or resolution? Happy New Year! :clap2::clap2:

Angelsma - I'm working through my clearances that insurance approval requires and I'm hoping to be able to submit for approval by mid-February so I am also praying for banding in early 2008. I'm working with doctors and the Mt. Carmel program. Some of us are planning to meet at Polaris mall on Jan 8 in person so if you are interested, let us know.

Here is the name of the thread under the Ohio subforum that has us Mt. Carmel folks chatting on it. N E 1 been Banded at Mt. Carmel col, oh

Hello. I'm working to get my approval to also have Dr. Price from Mid Ohio Surgical Associates do my procedure when I get my approval. I'm going through all the insurance clearances now. We have a thread that is for the Mt. Carmel group of bandsters so join us on that one. A group of us are meeting in person at Polaris Mall on Jan 8th if you are interested. We'd love to meet you too. Kathy

I don't want to worry about requesting a Table in a restaurant when only Booths are available and making my family wait or feel embarrassed for us. I don't want to weigh more than the front line players on the Pro Football teams -- so embarrassing when they announce what those guys weigh and I know I'm close or over that amount.

What is a bodybugg?