Lin12/20/07

I traveled 3 hours for my surgery which wasn't as long as your travel will be. But, I read in "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies" that if you have a distance to travel you should make sure that you walk every hour. So, we drove & pulled over every hour to take a few laps around the car- whatever I felt I could do. Supposed to get the clots out of the legs I believe. Also, see if you can get your pain meds filled before you leave the hospital & take some before the trip- there's usually some bouncing around & it helps take the edge off. Good luck!

One thing my doctor had mentioned to me when I was going through the "6 months supervised diet & exercise for insurance" was that I tend to do the same things (exercise in the same way, same time, etc, eat the same foods) & the body very easily gets aclimated to that & adapts. So, his theory was to trick your body- keep it guessing- it doesn't know how much exercise it's going to get today. I've been trying this & it's been working for me. I, too, wanted to start the healthy lifestyle without waiting for the band. I had my band done on 12/20/07- lost 10 pounds just before the surgery and have lost 25 since- first fill will be 1/31. I try to exercise 6 days/week with treadmill or walking outside; I do anywhere from 40 minutes to 60 minutes at a time, varying by days. I also try to vary the foods I am eating getting a good variety- it's very easy for me to get into a rut. But, everyone's different, you just have to try what you can do & see what works for you! Good luck!

Hi, I didn't have problems either but wanted to respond. I had the glue & my dr told me not to touch them for 2 weeks or bathe (showers ok) for 3 weeks (ex. no soaking). When I did pick a little glue off that was falling off it was right at 2 weeks, just before my follow up. He said they looked good & more would be falling off. But, I noticed on one that I felt it was "opening" a bit- I did a butterfly style bandaid over it to hold it together since the glue was gone on that one. My instructions also said NO neosporin or other ointments on the scars. Glad you're checking with dr- that's best or get another opinion! Good luck!

I read in a book on weight loss surgeries that they have studied the issue of when it's most effective to give the antibiotics to prevent infection & the results were that within 1 hour of the surgery occuring was the most effective time. The study showed that days prior to & days after was not as signficant results as those given antibiotics in the hospital right before the surgery. Good luck!

I only told my husband, my sister, and our 2 closest friends. After doing 4 months of the supervised diet/exercise for insurance I told my teenage girls. That's it. When I discussed it with my parents several years ago they were very negative & discouraging. Preparing for surgery takes a lot of positive mental energy- I didn't feel I could do it with all that negativity. When people at work comment that I'm losing weight & want to know what I'm doing, I respond I'm exercising more and eating less (the truth!) Everyone has to make that decision! good luck

I was banded 12/20/07 & just started salads yesterday. They were fine. With Protein of course. On one form from the doctor's office it says at about 3 weeks out you can add salad stuff; but, another sheet from the bariatric clinic at the hospital where I had it done, said not until 8 weeks out. Never thought I'd be craving a salad of all things ! Good luck!

Neither of you should get too discouraged! Don't be down- just do something about it! Lala- great job calling your doctor! That's exactly what you should do & keep following up. And, remember, the first few weeks are about healing your pouch, not losing weight & that's what I'd tell anyone who asks why you're not losing weight (shame on them~!). A friend of mine had a hysterectomy & she was pretty thin- she had swelling for about 6-8 weeks in the stomach area after the surgery. So, after a surgery, it's common to have the tummy a little swollen. If you get a chance, if you haven't already, watch a video on line of what the doctors do during the surgery- all that stretching & poking- no wonder it swells! I didn't lose as much as I wanted either for several weeks (banded 12/20/07) but after about 3 weeks it started going down! Yeah! I was so relieved! And, Tracy, you hang in there- just call your doctor; or, find another doctor if that's what you'd rather do. But, go see a doctor. Someone will help you- you have options. While you are waiting, as someone else said, clear out the junk food & refocus yourself. If you had the courage to do lapband, you've got what it takes to fight this battle again! Good luck! Hang in there !

Since you asked I'll share my experience too, but like many others said, you have to do what's right for you because only YOU know what's best based on your individual circumstances. Several years ago I looked into weight loss surgery and I had about 125 pounds to lose. the doctor advised me that he would only do the gastric bypass on me because he only did lapband on people with less than 100 to lose. He said this was the gold standard in weight loss. Well, it didn't get approved by insurance and we were changing to spouses insurance anyway so I didn't appeal. Several years later I looked into it again & was able to get approval with insurance. This doctor told me in his opinion the time for gastric bypass had passed and the gold standard in weight loss surgery was the lapband- because of it's strong advantages- less recovery time, less complications & side effects, no malabsorbtion, and it's reversible if there was a problem. By this time I had 150 to lose. He said the lapband works for heavier patients than me. When I then shared with him what the previous doctor had said, he said "you know the doctors make more money off of the gastric bypass". It was interesting to hear from a doctor. Even today I still read plenty about people who have lost more weight than me with the lapband. I've also read about a few who have went on to have gb if the lapband wasn't successful for them. So at least, there was another option; as opposed to gb where there's not a lot of places to go afterwards. Again, not aagainst the bypass- I think anything that helps people lose weight & lead a healthier life should be validly examined. Like others said, look at your options, get all your information & then decide what will work best for you! Good luck!

My favorite was Nutrition for Dummy's. I've not been a fan of the "dummy" books because I'd never bought one before, but this was the most useful book to me, especially to prepare & then the after care. The other book recommended is good too!

Yeah!! Merry Losers! Banded December 20th, 2007 Lin

Were you able to get anywhere with the nutrition visits? I'm not sure if my plan covered nutrition visits, but the 6 months supervised diet & exercise was done by my PCP- with careful documentation of the diagnosis, comorbidities, food journals & exercise journals and review of those monthly. It was a $25 co pay monthly & that documentation was sufficient. You could also get the insurance definition of "supervised" diet- Hope you're well on your way now!

What about your annual ob/gyn visits? Any hospital visits? Even sick visits usually get weight because they have to know weight for prescriptions. Use ANY medical visits you made during those 5 years. I needed a "weight history for 5 years prior" for my insurance. I didn't do it myself, the insurance clerk went through the records but she did mention that it was difficult to comb through all the records and get an annual weight history for the 5 years. She got my ob/gyn records as well as my pcp records and found and circled all the annual weights for 5 years and forwarded to insurance company. Just get any and all medical records for anyone that you saw in the last 5 years. My thought would be if they say they require a 5 year history, they will use that to deny it if you don't have it. You could call the insurance company, too, and ask, hypothetically, if you did not seek any medical treatment in the 3 years prior to the 2 years you have documentation, how would they handle that in meeting the 5 year requirement. They may have a flow chart that tells them how they can deal with those situations- maybe it's acceptable if documentation is submitted in a statement by you that you did not seek medical treatment for those 3 years. Better to find out now what you're dealing with. In the end, that 100% coverage is great- you might have to go through a bit more but you save a great deal. Best of luck!

Hi- I don't have a letter but I talked extensively with insurance and the insurance person at my doctor's office, who really seemed to know the ins & outs. She made the doctor document every time for the monthly visit, the diagnosis (ex. super morbid obesity) and all co-morbidities (ex. hypertension, sleep apnea, etc) whether or not HE was actually treating me for that- if I had it in my history it went in the chart. also, dr documented discussion on diet & exercise & had me keep a food log & exercise log (similar to fitday.com's or just a table of what you eat & how often you exercise); then, documented that we reviewed those logs. The insurance person told me they don't send those logs but have them in case they ask for them & usually the insurance company will ask to see a few dates. Also- get the name of every person you talk to at the insurance company and ask for follow up in writing. They are usually reluctant to do this but it doesn't hurt to ask. Also, have the doctor's office call for the requirements for the surgery- when they do they should be able to list all the things they need to the doctor- ex. psy eval, nutrition eval, 6 months supervised diet & exercise, etc. Also, check, I saw on someone elses posts that their insurance company didn't count 6 months supervised as 6 visits (ex. June-November= 6 visits). Mine did. Some plans mean 6 periods of 30 days each (ex. June-Dec would be 7 visits but 6 month periods). Whatever you do, don't miss a month, is what they told me so schedule your visits at the beginning of the month so you have time to reschedule it if you have to cancel. Also, if you submit after 6 visits, & don't hear back from them before the 7th visit, make sure you make that 7th visit- from what I understand, the visits must be consecutive or you have to start all over. I posted recently, I didn't lose any weight during my 6 months supervised period but did end up losing 10 pounds before surgery. But, I submitted to the insurance clerk to submit to insurance along with my claim some additional information. I submitted a picture of myself thin & chubby. I wanted them to see that I am a person, not just some claim to deny. I also submitted a list of what I did accomplish during my 6 months supervised diet/exercise. I wrote that I didn't accomplish any weight loss but I did make lifestyle changes in preparation for my band. For example, I stopped soda's, started an exercise regime, started drinking more Water daily, Vitamin regime, read about 6 books on weight loss surgery, (listed by title), etc. I figured it couldn't hurt! Good luck to you guys!

You could also maybe find another doctor who is good with after care for lap bands. Some surgeons are just best at surgery, not the follow up care needed afterwards. Good luck!

I had pre-op instructions but had difficulty following them. I got anxious & just couldn't "stick with it". But, the 5 days before the surgery I buckled down & dieted appropriately according to dr instructions & lost 10 pounds. He said my liver was "a little plump" but he could get around it & did it laproscopically. From what I've read, the advantage to dieting beforehand (lo fat diet, Protein shakes) is that the liver shrinks & they are able to lift it out of the way easier for laproscopic surgery. If it's too chunky then they have to do an open procedure. I was worried too, but it was fine. I would say, do what you can! Good luck!

I, too, had to have 6 months supervised diet/exercise before the approval of weight loss surgery for my insurance. The most important thing, it seemed to me, was to have a doctor & insurance clerk who know what they're doing as these aren't easy to get approved. It shouldn't matter if you started in December or not, but basically the insurance company will need 6 documented months of a visit with the doctor regarding supervising your diet & exercise- it's all in the documentation. The dr documents that he/she provided you with information on diet, discussed exercise, made suggestions, etc. Your doctor should also document monthly any obesity related complications- ex. sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes, etc. I actually gained like 3 pounds during this period (did really well the first month & after that was off & on....sound familiar?). But at the end, I wrote a letter to be sent with the doctor's information on the supervision that included what I DID DO in that 6 months- i included things like all the books I read on the band, stopping carbonated beverages, beginning a regular exercise program, learning to chew food more thoroughly, started Protein shakes & a Vitamin regimine, etc. Anything you did do in those 6 months to make progress toward diet & exercise or lifestyle changes or toward the band success, you could put in there. My insurance approved my surgery the first time within 20 days. The doctor I saw for this supervision was an internist- not a wls surgeon. You should be able to see any doctor who is willing to do it & document/file for you but it would probably be best if it's the same doctor as with your new plan in 08. My insurance company said that they wanted it to be with the same doctor unless there was some unusual circumstance- to me the switching of insurances would be an unusual circumstance but I'm probably nicer than insurance companies! I had the same fear- what if I lose enough weight where they say you can lose weight without the band. The dr told me, you have a BMI over 50, you're not going to lose enough weight in 6 months to put you out of the morbid obesity category. Wouldn't think the lower BMI's would either- because likely with your diet history they will see- losing the weight is not the bigger issue, it's keeping it off. That 6 months will go by fast & it's good preparation time even if you don't do much dieting. You can emotionally, mentally, physically, and intellectually prepare yourself for the surgery. For me, the 4-5th months were the hardest to get through because the first few months I had other things to distract me (like getting cardio clearance, psy eval, etc for insurance). But after my 6th visit, everything flew by! You'll get there- hang in there! banded 12/20/07 lost: 21 pounds (10 pre op)

Just hang in there! It will pass. I was banded on 12/20 also & had a new years eve party at my house. And, only my immediate family knows I'm banded. It almost got to me too- I really wanted some of that really really "good" food! But, I look at this almost as my "last chance" to get it right. I've got to do it this time & I've got to do it right! Someone else said the season of gluttony will pass- so true! And, just think, as hard as it was to be banded in December, January should be much easier to take because everyone elses annual diets start today! So when they've given up by the end of January, we'll still be going and losing! This too shall pass..............

Ice packs seem to help my itching. Maybe the cold distracts from the itching. Don't know if that will help you but it did help me.

Hi, Just really wanted to encourage you! I was banded 12/20/07 and it was the best thing for me. My ONLY regret is that I started the process 5 years ago & didn't follow through because I didn't have my family's support. I have always had my husband & children's support but my parents were the same way- when you bring up wls, they freak! It was the same type of situation where they didn't understand the struggles of losing so much weight, of struggling with health problems because of your weight, etc. They understand losing 15-20 pounds at a time, not over a hundred. Try weight watchers (for the 22nd time!), see a dr about your throid (for the 12th time, there's nothing wrong with my throid!), etc. What I regret is that I decided not to do it 5 years ago because they were so against it & only delayed my surgery 5 years. I would have been younger & healthier then- in that 5 years I developed high blood pressure & heart problems in addition to sleep apnea- all of which put the surgery on a riskier level. From my experience with a situation like that ( I know our situations aren't exactly the same, but...) I would not let anyone discourage you or stop you from doing what you think is right for you. Where there's a will there's a way- don't be down- do whatever you have to do to make it happen for you! What I ended up doing was when I decided to look into wls again, I didn't tell them. I didn't feel I could get their support & I didn't want anyone discouraging me. Preparing your mind & body for surgery like this is stressful enough- you don't need the added stress! I looked into on my own, got the facts on my own, and did months of pre-op preparation and still didn't tell them. Everything worked out fine and I'm not planning to tell anyone else. I'm a pretty private person anyway, so it's just something I choose not to share. I look at it this way... I don't walk around everyday telling people how much I weigh (they don't know how much I weigh anyway), so why would I share this with them. When they ask (and they will) what am I doing different to lose the weight, I will tell them I'm eating less, exercising more, and making healthier choices- all true. Would it be easier with their support & help? Absolutely! Do you have to have it to be successful? Absolutely Not! All great suggestions given. Talk to your dr or bariatric coordinator too- see if he has any suggestions. Did anyone say college students? Or, if you have any "comfort keepers" in your area- they usually help older people around the house, keep them company (basically babysitting at a higher fee but I think they're bonded, etc). If you do it over a break (spring break, summer break, etc) maybe a teacher would like to pick up some extra work. Or, find that new church & connect. Just reach out there- someone will help. You can do this!!!!! Hang in there!!! Good Luck!

Just deciding to do it takes a lot of courage! I agree with what everyone else says & as you know everyone is different. It seems the glue stitches are easier to recover from than stitches that have to be removed ( had previous surgery with the sewing stitches). My surgeon said nothing over 25 pounds lifting for 2 weeks. I had my surgery on 12/20/07 & went home on 12/21. I rested in bed pretty much with walking in between on 12/22-12/23 & then I was out & about for the holidays. I've done this twice with 2 surgerys & I find for myself I heal better if I don't nap during the day- yes, I take it easy & lay around, but I don't sleep. It seems I'm ready to go back to work quicker that way than when I nap & don't do a lot. BUT, you don't want to overdo! I decided to keep this private & didn't give the impression to anyone that I had been in the hospital. so by day 4 post op I was fully functional, a little tight/stiff in places, but did great! I did have immediate family to help me out & that was a tremendous help- I wouldn't advise doing this on your own if you don't have to. For the person who works with children, maybe you could see if the other person in your room could lift the babies for the changing for you for a few weeks after your back. The 4 day weekend could be doable but you would be stiff/tight if you go back after 4 days (or maybe plan to take 1 or 2 days off on either end of that 4 day weekend). Of course, that's if there are no complications. Spring break would probably be a good time for you because you'd have some extra healing time. Maybe you could do the surgery the Friday before Spring break & that would give you 3 extra days for healing. Good luck to you!

I took it years ago as well and lost some weight on it but it came back on when I stopped. At 35 I also developed high blood pressure and heart problems, I believe from that. Be careful. I would think the band would work on its own & not need the added incentive of P. Good luck~!