yellowroseaz

I was told they will pay all but $150.00 but they say it's all up to my PCP to prove I need it. They can't tell me what they require as proof. Does anyone know? I have an appt. with my PCP next week. I hope he sees it my way.:mad:

Wow! How exciting for you. I know you aree having many emotions right now. But soon you will have a new life and a new you. Isn't that great? I can't wait for my date. I am hoping for this fall. I just did get what I believe is my last surgery clearance before they submit to the ins. for approval. I can't wait. Congrats to you and God bless you.:blushing:

Yeah I know ask the cardiologist. I went to a cardiologist for my surgery clearance and he tells me I have a heart murmur and that I need a stress test. And since I can't run I have to have chemically induced stress. I am scared to death. Has anyone else been told anything regarding a heart murmur and will it affect my surgery or not? Also has anyone else had a stress test that was chemically induced instead of exercise induced? Help!

I went to the cardiologist today for my test results. He is giving me surgery clearance. He says the tests were normal. He also said that my heart beats a little fast so he's putting me on a medication for that but that I am ok for surgery. One more pill:frown:. But the surgeon should be able to submit to my insurance now. I can't wait to be a lap bander. Wish me luck.:blushing:

Just an update. I don't get my official results until June 26th. When I know if I got the clearance I will post it here. Thanks for your well wishes.

I went for my consult with the nutritionist and found it to be quite interesting. She says fake sugar is ok if you use just 2 items a day and she says lapband is all about counting calories. Do you find this to be true? She suggested a website for counting calories at fitday.com but I like thedailyplate.com better so I am using it. She wants me to be on a 1600 calorie diet to prepare for surgery. I can do it but I am concerned about losing too much weight to qualify for surgery. What would you do? I also went for my cardiac clearance. No results on that for 2 weeks:frown:. But the technician said it looks good for me to get a clearance. :cool2: So my worries about the heart murmur and all that are much less than they were. I think this is about all the hoops I need to jump through. I think the surgeon can submit it to my ins. for approval now. Yay! I want to have the surgery in September or October. Wish my luck on the approval!

Good for you! Now you can begin your new life. I hope it is a happy healthy journey and lots of weight lost quickly for you. I hope you can get close to your goal in the time frame you have set for yourself. Also see a few fellow Arizonans here. Good luck to all of you. I hope to be banded in the fall of this year.:biggrin:

I went in to the cardiologist and had an echocardiogram and a chemical stress test. I won't get the official results for 2 weeks. The technician said that it looks like I'll get the surgery clearance. Everything looks like it should the best he can tell. He isn't the Doc of course but I feel much better about things. The stress test made me feel really uncomfortable but lasted for such a short time so it wasn't too bad. I can't believe I stressed out so much over it. Thanks to all of you here who helped me through it though. You're all so great!:biggrin:

Thanks to both of you. I know exercise needs to be a part of the diet. I don't think that is what she meant. I think that as far as eating goes it is about the calories but I also intend to watch my fat intake and certainly a lot less sweets if any at all. Also someone on here said not to drink your calories. I think that is true. Good luck to both of you in your journeys.

I love that San Diego Susan. Docs can be very frustrating. I feel that way about my PCP right now.

I went to a class called the ABCs of lap band. The nurse said not only to avoid sugared items but also sugar free items. She said that your body still releases insulin from eating sugar free items because they are sweet and this will cause you to feel hungrier. Have any of you post bandsters ever heard of that? How can you eat and avoid all sugar free stuff? I posted this under food and nutrition and only got 2 responses so I am trying it here. Thanks to all who can help me.

Well said. I think LateBloomer is very courageous for putting her feelings and experiences out there like that at risk of being told off. But I also see the point of sticking to what the Doc says and when it is my surgery time I hope that I can do it.

Wow! Some very interesting information. I will check into the Stevia. I have heard of it but know nothing about it. I am having a hard time thinking I have to give up the Crystal Light. I did give up carbonated drinks. I don't think I eat that much artificial sweetener but I do drink a lot of Crystal Light. Do you all just drink lots of water or what do you drink? I can't do coffee or tea without sweetner but I hardly drink coffee anyway. I do drink some diet tea. If anyone has any suggestions for what to drink I'd like to hear them. Thank you to all of you for this great information. I know I can always count on you for the answers to my questions. As I've said before, I love this forum. :smile2:

Congrats on your surgery Leigh. Hope it all went well and your recovery is quick. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Good luck with your new life.

Hi Jodi! Just wanted to tell you congrats on your surgery and I hope you are feeling much better very soon. Think of how great you will feel as the weight starts to come off. I am still waiting for insurance approval but hope to be banded in the fall. Good luck to you in your journey.

Me too. Ever since I made the decision to get a band I have been eating and eating especially sweets. I know they are high calorie and after the band I can't have them. My husband said he'd take me to dinner anywhere I want to go right before I get the band. I can't make up my mind where I want to go but Chinese food sounds good. Probably can't have all that fried and breaded stuff after the band. Not too good for you. I know I have to cut back on many things and nearly give up sweets. I'm going to the nutritionist consult on June 4th. I think I'll make that the day that I decide to start eating heathier. No time like the present. :biggrin2:

You're an official bandster! How cool is that!? When you are feeling up to it let us know how you are doing. I wish I were you. I am still in the prelims. Next up consult with a nutritionist and a stress test with the cardiologist for a surgery clearance. Good luck in your new life and God Bless you.:thumbup:

Thanks everybody! I feel much better now. I should have known others have been through this. I love this forum. I have only been on it since January but I read it everyday. I am glad my cardiologist is checking this out now instead of when I get on the table. I will let you know how it went. It is scheduled for June 10th. :scared2:

Sorry to hear your surgery was cancelled. What a let down. It's better that they check it out before hand though. Don't be sad. You'll be back on the table in no time. I am sure. Good luck and God Bless you.

I am still in the process of trying to get insurance to pay. you have to have some patience. I have been to 2 seminars and a lap band class all worth the time. I have had my psych consult and now I am going to a nutritionist consult and to get a cardiac clearance. For the cardiac clearance I have to have a stress test and that scares me. My mom had heart surgery at 57 and I am 51. Anyway back to you. Go to the seminar and read this forum a lot and you will learn much. Good luck to you in your journey.

I've been thinking about starting this thread for those who have lost 100 pounds or more. So here goes. I hope to get many responses. I like the 100 or more pounds lost thread. It is motivating and inspirational. I hope to be banded soon. I am still getting through the insurance approval process. It is great that you have lost so much weight. But I want to know specifically how you did it. Ok you got the lap band. Tell me what types of foods you ate and what foods you avoided and tell me what types of exercise you did and how much and how often. Did you use the protein shakes much after the liquid diet was over or did you still use them as months went by. I want as many details as you are willing to provide. I am sure that this thread can help others in their lap band journeys as well. Also how long did it take you from the surgery to your 100 pound plus goal. How much did you lose in the month follwing surgery and then how much per month in general? This insurance process is kind of slow but I have hope to be banded in the fall. Maybe September or October. I am excited to get my new life started but a bit nervous about actually suceeding at it. So motivate me inspire me. Tell me how you did it.

Yeah, I was wishing the surgeon was nearer to my home. He is about 90 miles away one way. But you say yours is 300? Wow! That's an all day trip for you then. And you have fibromyalgia? My brother has that. He is in pain most of the time . So if you are able to get your exercise in then that is something. I can understand with that much pain why exercise would be hard for you. Bless your heart. I sure wish you the best. Good luck with your fills.

I went to a class required by my surgeon and they showed us an actual lap band and a Realize band and the port is smaller and the band is wider to help prevent slippage of the Realize band. My Doc gives you a choice of either but he says that the Realize Band has a great support website. I decided that I will get the Realize band. Of course I have to finish jumping through hoops for my ins. to approve the surgery first. Good luck to you. Keep us posted on how it went.

I am not from TN I am from Arizona but I wanted to wish you well on your journey. I have been on these boards since I started my journey in Jan. I am still jumping through ins. hoops. I hope to be banded in the fall. We'll see how it goes. Wish me a speedy approval. Good luck to you.:wink2:

And thank you Kathy for leading me to the ticker tutorial. Very helpful. :wink2: