Luu2008

My take on this, if you are a BMI of 30 who has been fighting it, like I did my entire life, I feel for you. There are people at BMI's of 30 who are "morbidly obese" just wait a few years. I have been a size 8 longer then I have been morbidly obese in my life. But I knew, even at a size 8, healthy BMI the second I let my guard down I would become like my mother, my father and many other relatives. And ya it was a battle I eventually lost BIG TIME ( no pun intended). I was not morbidly obese until the last 5 years and I put on the weight in the snap of a finger. I couldn't fight it any longer. Perhaps I don't get this...but my take on some of the comments in this thread took me back. I mean I get it to a point, I just feel there is a bit of prejudice against op because her BMI is low. I was taken back, if she were a BMI of 40 I think the answers would be very different. I mean as far as those who said she should seek therapy, that binge eating is not solved with the band, etc. I totally think ya'll were sweet in your response I just think maybe it would have been different if her BMI was higher. Should she wait until she has a 40 BMI with comorbids and has been that way for 5 years? Sounds to me like she yo-yo's but has been much higher then she is now. To the original poster. I honestly feel you deserve a quality of life NOW. If there are credible Doctors who will perform this procedure for you why wait? I was in your shoes not so long ago and if this could have saved all the medical problems I am having now I would have jumped at the chance to have it done at a lower BMI. We all know dieting doesn't work for 96% of those who try it, and eventually it just makes you gain more....drrr. Not to knock therapy because I do feel it is invaluable but if it were enough why would anyone here need the band, we could all simply find great therapists, right? The OP talked about emotional binge eating, that is a hard one that I feel if we are honest we have all done at one time in our life. But this sounds like a big problem for you. Is this more because you are dieting and just get famished? I don't generally feel full-so ya I can diet and then I can binge because I'm going to die if I don't inhale some food really fast, not really emotional binge eating but if we want to be technical there is no physical explanation why my 5'2" frame can eat more then my 6'7" husband and still not feel full. Some would call that emotional binging even though I swear I am physically hungry. I would be willing to bet most on this board have had a binge episode, even the ones who are successful with their bands. I feel most people in general do a little emotional eating. I, however, unilke my friend who can have one cookie during an emotional eating binge, won't feel satiety until after the entire box of Cookies is gone. Big difference.

I have heard that when your body undergoes any kind of trauma (surgery is traumatic) it can compromise your immunity for a short time.

Losin, I'm mostly a lurker and have been following your plastic journey. You are such an inspiration! I think you are amazing. Your transformation is unbelievable. I used to be a runner, so I'm following up on your mini marathon, marathon training. I love your new pictures, you look fabulous-no matter what you think. Lori

Nip-Wow 95 pounds in 6 months!? How did you do that? I didn't even think that was possible w/o gastric bypass. Do you feel okay? That is amazing. From your ticker you don't have much more to loose, good for you!

NavyWifeJean, How exciting for you! I've had a jazillion appointments and hopefully by May I will be getting my band. That's assuming I get approved through my insurance in a timely manner. So maybe we'll be band babies together. My big worry is that people in the ward will notice if I'm gone or not moving like I normally do. I'm in primary and we have some demanding kiddoes that require more physical holding and stuff. My in-laws will know I'm going to the hospital, what do I tell her? I mean they live down the street and are very involved in our day to day life. My mom is coming to take care of the kids and house for a few days so I can recover. Mom knows and is 100% supportive and agrees that in this situation it is better off private. I wanted to keep my very minor heart catheterization/ablation private, everyone ended up finding out and before I knew it I was having open heart surgery and didn't even know it :redface:. Any ideas are more then welcome. I plan on telling people I am exercising and watching my portions with the weight loss. I agree with you, its the truth! Also I'm told this over and over again at support group, with the nutritionist, and appointments, the band is just a tool, so its the truth, if we don't move and watch what we eat we won't loose. Other people won't view it that way and who needs to deal with that? Not me! Lori

Mrsflipflops, Its okay :tongue: I can see you have a big heart. No harm done. I'm opinionated but I also appreciate other's opinions even if they differ from mine. I know you didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry if I implied that. I just want to ensure that nobody outside of our faith compares our temple with their temple or our views with FLDS...that would be a shame. I'm sure you would agree (or maybe you wouldn't) that when a group of people completely alienate themselves from society, live in a highly secured gaited community, brainwash their children from birth, and marry off child brides to men old enough to be their Grandpa's there are certain investigations that should be done, and if they need to look at what sickness is being done in their "temple" I'm all for it, if they need to remove kids from the homes to get a straight answer, then thats what should be done. This group keeps breaking the law, somebody needs to stop them. You are right it is sad. Being a foster parent I know that they more then likely all will be going home within the next few weeks, all 400 plus kids with their moms, some of the moms being 15 and 16 years old. First an emergency removal and then CPS and other investigators will do an investigation if there is no finding the kids go home. I don't think any of them dare to talk, specifically with their brainwashed adult mothers standing over them as I understand it many of the moms are with them. I do think IF they can actually help some kids see there is a bigger world out there it may do some good. If it just scares them from ever saying anything it is going to do more harm...it is sad totally agree with you on that. K I'm done really... :redface:

Laurie, Thanks for the support about keeping it to myself. I wouldn't mind sharing but I just know already how it will turn out. I'm very excited about this tool to help me gain control of my health! BTW my name is also Laurie spelled (Lori). Nip and Laurie, Nip-Couldn't agree more with your disgust. Clearly being raised in that kind of a family dynamic and community is going to push you to do things that you wouldn't normally have considered. I'm going to vent here because it just boils my blood. Abuse is abuse, no excuse for it. Having known Polygamists and being friends with a girl who escaped from it, it is a sick twisted world where women and children are made to feel as if they don't go along with the all powerful men they will not attain the Celestial Kingdom. If they really disagree they are excommunicated. As a foster/adopt parent who has been in the trenches with abused/brainwashed children it is hard for me to have any good feelings towards adults involved even knowing they are victims themselves at some point its gotta stop. Every one of my foster babies' parents were also abused as children, without exception, despite them being victims I fully agree with their removal and the parents getting the help they needed to stop the abuse cycle. Where I come from even those not in our our church know enough of us to know there are LDS who are for the most part "normal" people with higher then average standards compared to the world then there are "jack Mormons." Out there somewhere are the "strange people" who dress like half pioneers and live in the desert sheltered in a self made prison. Most people who know LDS people do not associate the FLDS type with us at all. They also give off an entirely different Aura then the Amish or Hitites, we lived in the midwest and there is a big difference. I may be wrong about this but my take on it is claiming to have messages from God telling them what to do but being so off base, I mean really who do you think is driving their decisions if there is any inspiration being given? I'm sure there are kind men, still I would be among the camp that feels, again, for the most part, the men are given too much power and the entire situation is a breeding ground for child and spousal abuse. Now we leave on the East Coast and wow was it a shock to see how people view the "Mormons" or LDS. If they have heard of us usually is it not the LDS church they have heard of, its the fundamentalists. On a sort of funny note we also lived in the Caribbean and the missionaries told us every once in awhile there is a man who would want to join the church but when they would find out there was no polygamy they didn't want to anymore. In the Caribbean because one time we scheduled a Halloween activity the rumor was we sacrificed a child on Halloween. I even heard the men had horns...it was kind of funny there as many of the people were supersticious but its not so funny in the US to be thought that I as a woman would ever allow myself or my children to be involved in a situation like the FLDS church....okay really stepping off of my soap box. Clearly this bothers me. :redface:

I'm a future bandster and also LDS! excited to discover this thread. For personal/financial reasons we have decided not to disclose to certain family members who own the small business dh gets insurance through that I am having this done. They tend to be controlling. We know from experience they would go as far as to cancel insurance for us if they felt I shouldn't get this done and that WLS is something they are extremely opposed to (also it does not affect the price of health insurance they pay as we are part of a large co-op). Keeping this to ourselves is something we plan on doing for long term, both for fills or any other complications that may or (hopefully) may not occur. This means I will be keeping it from people in our ward as family members are also part of our ward. Has anyone here kept the surgery private? If so how do you do that without lying? I don't know if its possible. I had a heart procedure this year and I am worried if I say I'm having a "medical procedure" people will assume that is what it is. Any advice welcome. Warren Jeffs is an evil evil man. I grew up around Polygamists in rural area out West. They are a strange group of brainwashed people. It is awful that they have any affiliation with the name of our church. I feel sorry for the children and those who are brainwashed to participate in a community full of abuse and secrecy. I feel as human beings we are given the light of Christ to discern. Something on some level has to feel "off" for them and this must mess them up for life but being so isolated I'll give them that. There is something to being "brainwashed" but I feel any 50 year old man should know better then to "marry" and rape a child. On a good note look at all the families this may change for the better. At least I hope it does. As far as being sad about their temple I have to say I have no feeling that way. There is absolutely nothing sacred about a "temple bed" double ick.

I'm also worried about my 5 year history...both my PCP and Bariatric program people don't seem worried. I am a huge yo-yo and am lower BMI-just barely morbidly obese currently. Anyway sometimes my weight was low, as in as low as 160, other times I was as high as I am now, however Dr records usually show somewhere in the middle, but not technically morbidly obese. I'm anxious to find for myself how that 5 year history will play in with my insurance company. My PCP said she would write a letter of support along with my comorbids and felt I qualify under my insurance. She has several WLS patients and I trust her judgment. will admit I've put a lot of time and effort into this and if I'm denied its going to stink. From the sounds of your post you haven't been to a PCP or had weight done in the past 5 years? I'm thinking you may not have comorbids or be unaware if you do have any. I think that if you have a high BMI w/ comorbids they aren't gong to care so much about the 5 year but I could be wrong about that. All the test you will soon go through may show some things that can be used to enable insurance coverage of the surgery. Good luck!

Add me to the list of people who tried Nutri-System and hated the food. I'm not a picky eater but I was gagging it down by the 3rd week. Dh decided to take over since we had spent so much money on it and he couldn't hack it either, he lasted 3 days. My SIL tried it after I did and the same thing happened with her. She lasted a few weeks. I love lean cuisine, a much better alternative. The upside is that I did loose weight on nutri system, I do feel it is balanced if you can eat the food. They add fish oil and much of the meat is texturized soy (and you can taste and tell both.) The downside is that within a matter of weeks I put on all the weight plus 10 pounds but perhaps with the band that won't happen to you. After that didn't work I began researching the band. Congrats on taking of 85 pounds!

Go to Blue Cross Blue Shield Association - Better knowledge for healthier lives then enter your zip code under "how can we help you?" (right top of screen in blue). Click "OK" on pop up window directing you from main website. Next click on "Providers". Then on the right there is a list, click on "view our MEDICAL POLICIES". Now you need to click on "I Accept" terms of agreement (very bottom of screen, you will need to scroll down.) Somewhere in the many lists of procedures there should be something like "Surgery Treatment for Management of Obesity." Its all listed alphabetically Click on that and you should have your answer. I'm in central NY and also have BCBS and according to the requirements you listed you would qualify, of course first you must jump through some hoops. I haven't been approved but have been told by PCP and Bariatric program it shouldn't be a problem. Hope that helps.

After having some sobering health problems and a family history of diabetes and hypertention I decided that I needed to do something sooner then later to alter the course I was going down. I have done my research/homework and felt strongly the band was going to be the “tool” I needed to achieve permanent weight loss. A few months later and I’ve finished almost all of my labwork/appointments, next month I have a few more and I am half way to loosing the pre-surgery weight loss required for the surgery. <o:p> </o:p> I attended orientation and a support group and look forward to attending more support groups with my bariatric program. So I’m a little sad that I am having second thoughts. I don’t know if this is normal??? I am terrified that I will not succeed or be able to maintain loss. <o:p> </o:p> I met with the Nutritionist, she was personable and I enjoyed our meeting. But of course she got me thinking. I understood that this wouldn’t be easy but that it would be different then other weight loss attempts in that I would have something to help me build healthy eating habits. I’ve done easy fixes and none of them worked long term. I want to be around for my kids, I have a wonderful understanding husband who I plan on sharing a long life with. It is no longer about being thin and pretty (motivation for past weight loss attempts), albeit a nice side effect, I am worried about my long term health. So I called my mom, who is my number one supporter, we talked for awhile. She lost over 100 pounds after having 5 children and has kept it off for over 20 years. This has not been easy for her and I have always admired her stamina, she works at maintaining her weight loss every single day. She told me she wished she would have had the option of the Lapband. Anyway we talked about my concerns and fear that this will just be another thing I fail at. She mostly listened, I could sense she is afraid for me too. She knows how hard this is. <o:p> </o:p> I can loose weight, I’ve lost 60-70 pounds several times in my life not once have I maintained the loss for more then a few years, and recently not for more then a few months. I am terrified I will go through a surgery, loose the weight, and not be able to maintain. Or even worse not be able to loose weight. My confidence in my ability to lead a healthy lifestyle has I guess I need some reassurance that this will help me find it easier to maintain, that I won’t repeat my cycle of loss and gain. <o:p> </o:p> For those of you who have been yo-yo dieters, do you find the band significantly helps you maintain? I am ready to make permanent lifestyle changes. I don’t mind doing the work for the rest of my life…I just want to know this will allow me to have the willpower that has become more and more nonexistent.

I love this thread. I too laughed and then cried! My Cardiologist and PCP both lectured me on diet and exercise when I explained my desire to have the LapBand procedure. My PCP knows I have tried everything under the sun, that I can loose weight I just can't maintain, we've gone over this several times. I honestly think that part of their job is the diet and exercise lecture...as in they have training for it because it all sounds so similar to me. What I found with both my PCP and Cardiologist that they felt RNY was very similar in risk to the LapBand and are not as educated as I would hope they would be on the differences and it is a "last resort" this patient is going to die or they are going to have the surgery, for me at a young age, its just not enough of a risk in their eyes and staying fat for a little longer is the lesser of the risk. Both of them have had patients with RNY who have died, that has to affect their feelings a little. So what else to they have to offer but diet and exercise? Still it stinks for us...I just give it back about the 5% success with diet/exercise and 80% with WLS.

I am officially obese enough for my insurance to cover me!!! I'm psyched. I have a million appointments in the next 2 months before everything is submitted to insurance. Its not over yet. I'll keep this updated with my approval and insurance process.

For anyone with this insurance I would love to hear your experience with approval. Time line, any problems, successes, etc. My BMI is currently 39. I went to orientation with a local bariatric surgeon and my first appointment is scheduled for next week. I have some potential comorbitities that I am worried are "weak" and so I'm trying to gain 5 pounds to push me into the morbidly obese category by next week. I was (shhhhh) told that this would help me by someone at the surgery orientation, won't ever tell who. My real concern at this point is that my weight fluctuates considerably and sometimes I have seen Dr.s with low weights, as low as 160, however that lasts for 5 minutes and I'm back up in the obese category. We'll see what happens. I plan on updating this thread with my insurance journey for those with same insurance carrier.

My first question is Fibromialgia even a comorbidity? Drrr... sort of frustrated because I've put on a lot of weight this past few years and now I'm older my joints are hurting. Doesn't seem hard for me to put two and two together. Fat=achy joints. Okay, so I told my primary (this is the 3rd time I've seen her within a year and told her this) joints were hurting. They are, ankles, knees, and some pain in my lower back specifically when I try to exercise or am overly active. I got a call about my bloodwork and while I do have some indicators that I have inflammation BUT she feels I may have Fibromialgia. I researched it and from what I read I don't feel I have even close to the symptoms most suffer from with Fibromalgia. I will let the specialist make the decision ultimately. Weird...random thing I have to worry about now.

Well bummer. My appointment for today, the first with the Bariatric program, was canceled and rescheduled for next Friday. I was hoping to start eating healthy today and begin my 5% weight loss that both my insurance and the Bariatric program require pre-surgery. At least it is only a week delay.

I'm sort of in your same boat. I have to gain weight to qualify for insurance. I do have comorbidities, they are "weak". So....I'm gaining the weight and it sounds fun but I physically feel disgusting, and am having a hard time looking in the mirror....and have outgrown all of my "fat clothes" I weigh in on Friday and if I "qualify" it will all be worth it but I am still one pound below my target, fully clothed. Oh ya, after watching Supersized I decided that would be the best way to gain the weight. After a week of fast food I was physically sick. I am not overweight cause I eat this way all the time, I do overeat, but not with fast food. It was fun at first to eat all the stuff that helped me gain weight. I literally made myself sick. My blood work came back with major Vitamin defecits, I now have high cholesterol, my blood sugar has a pre-diabetic curve, and so on...all made soooooo much worse by me purposely gaining weight. If I felt it was honest to wear ankle weights I so would have done that rather then gain the weight (about 10 pounds.) just my 2 cents.

Hmmmmmm I don't want to outright with rolls of coins even though it seems totally ridiculous that 5 pounds will keep me from insurance paying. But that got me to thinking...I'll wear my heavy coat, jeans, a few layers won't hurt, heavy wool sweater, and if a few coins (lets say our families entire coin jar) are left in my pockets....to ummm pay for my lunch. I can just see myself now rolling in, not able to bend my elbows and legs, jingling with change, looking like an overdressed for winter marshmellow. Do you think they might notice? :thumbup: Maybe I'll go with the rolls of coins.

I believe I meet all the qualifications for Lapband and insurance, just starting my journey and wanted to document it for myself and for others who are in a similar situation. I saw my PCP and she felt I was a good candidate for the LapBand and told me she would recommend it for me. This was after having to go through a lecture for I believe the 3rd time on dieting/exercise, she also struggles with food, but she is thin, still I know she battles it and can relate somewhat. Finally I went through my entire history of dieting/exercise from the early age of 13 to present. I am experiencing early onset of joint pain that may/may not be arthritis, had bloodwork done for that. I also had hypertension for the first time. I'm being tested for diabetes. Pretty scary road to look down at 32. I also saw my cardiologist as I have a heart condition he has been treating me for and recently had a successful ablation (the 2nd time we've tried). Unlike my PCP he was less then enthusiastic about me having the LapBand and lectured me for 30 minutes about dieting. I honestly felt he thought he LapBand was exactly the same as the RNY. Don't get me wrong I love the guy, he performed a procedure for me that has altered my quality of life, but I finally told him that somebody like him can't understand what it is like to struggle with weight/food and if he were to give me a test on nutrition I would pass with flying colors, that is not my problem. He was sweet about it after that and told me that, yes, my heart can handle a surgery with general anesthesia and that if I didn't get my weight under control he would be treating me soon for obesity heart related problems so I better figure out what I need to do fast. Interesting for me to note that neither my PCP or Cardiologist really seemed to grasp/understand the difference between Lapband and the RNY. PCP seemed to have a better understanding then the Cardiologist. A shame since you would think a specialist who deals with many people who are obese would be able to offer something like this as an alternative to the extremely invasive RNY. I see him again in 9 months and I'm going to bring him some literature along with (hopefully) my recently lapbanded, on my way to healthy self as educational proof. I am 5'2" and on my way to 40 BMI at 39. Successful yo-yo dieter with the weight piling on quicker and higher every time the yo comes back up.

Alfie, Congrats on your recent surgery, you have lost so much weight already, wow! Thanks for the info. on NY insurance experience. If you don't mind sharing what program are you in? I don't want to admit this but, yes, it has been fun to try and gain weight. I'm planning on drinking a gallon of Water just prior to being weighed. I'm pathetic....but enthusiastic about getting the Lapband.

Wow! That is absurd!!! I would at least submit what you have and then appeal based on their obviously ridiculous requirements, at least you tried.

Penney, I'm sorry that your Dr was insensitive. I'm newly researching the band so other then that I don't have any advise to offer just that it seems you should know how much saline you have in you incase you should need it removed for emergency purposes or something. I don't understand why he couldn't tell you. Seems strange to me. Good luck with the band both physically and emotionally. If you feel he is not treating you well perhaps you could find another Dr. to do your fills...just an idea.

Since nobody replied I am deleting, no hard feelings. Must have not been in the right place.

I don't think my post applied to this forum after I read it so I deleted it-it was also sort of personal after I thought about it. It was a letter stating my health issues along with weight history. Really not a big deal to me that nobody responded but thanks for letting me know to give it time-for the next time I post. :confused: