JillN

Jack - I think this is a GREAT suggestion, and one that will really help Mary. Mary, along with Jack, I HIGHLY encourage you to start attending some of the local LapBand Support meetings. They welcome pre-op people. I'm not banded (though I've started the journey towards the band). Immediately after I attended my seminar, I started attending the support groups (I've been to two so far) - I've never been the only person there who is pre-op, there have been 3-5 people each meeting. And while these message boards are GREAT, there is nothing like seeing people in person, being able to ask someone face to face a question, immediately when you think about it. I have also pulled a couple of people aside afterwards to ask them a couple of questions privately. It's just a great thing to see people in the support group - everyone is very supportive, but equally important, they are EXTREMLY HONEST about what they are going through. And everyone is going through similar things, but also different things. I strongly suggest you follow Jack's excellent suggestion, and seek out a local support group. I think it will really help you decide for yourself if you want to pursue this option.

I'm not sure if you were asking me, fatmary, but my insurance company is Harvard Pilgrim HMO. No way to be 100% certain if they will approve until we submit the paperwork and get their approval, but the doctor's say that they are really good about approving, and when I called them to talk to them (the insurance company), my employer does not have an exclusion for weight loss surgery. The best thing to do is call your insurance company, and find out what their requirements are - each insurance company is different, and more than that, each employer is different, even with the same insurance company. Keep nagging the insurance company until you get their full policy - this may require several phone calls, talking to several different people. Don't accept a generic "yes we cover it", but find our their details for YOUR specific company and coverage - do they need a certain BMI, what surgeries do they cover, what do the accept as a comorbidity, do they need a 6 month weightloss attempt supervised by a doctor. Hope this helps!!

For Brigham and Womens, it's not too bad - I went to the seminar in December, saw the surgeon in mid February (the first appt she had available was two months after I called for an appt), will have my tests done and submitted to the insurance company in mid March, and hope to have surgery in mid May. My insurance company doesn't require a 6 month supervised diet, so i'm hopeful that mid May will be my surgery time - it's possible I could have it done sooner (in April), but I have several things scheduled that I don't want to be recovering from surgery for. At UMass in Worcester, it seems to take about a year from start to finish - While I think their program is good, that was too much time for me, so I went with Brigham and Womens. The two main variables for how long it takes until your surgery are what your insurance company requires (many/most require 6 months of a doctor supervised weight loss program) and how long it takes to get the appointments you need (surgeon, psych, any other tests you need, and getting on the surgeon's surgery schedule). Hope this helps!!

I'm not banded yet, hoping to schedule surgery in Mid May, but i'm going to Brigham and Women's hospital, seeing Dr. Ashley Vernon. She's been really great, spent more than an hour with me at my consult, and that was after I spent an hour each with her Physician Assistant and the nutritionist. I got a lot of great info after those appointments! I highly recommend Dr. Vernon, and suggest you come to the Lap Band Support group meetings, the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Brigham and Womens - i've been going for a couple of months now, and it's ok just to show up, listen, and ask a few questions - there are more post banders than prebanders, but there are a few of us pre banders each meeting. It does seem like most of the Brigham and Womens people hang out more on the obesityhelp.org site than here. Welcome!!

I'm also pre-banding - went to a seminar in December (after reading all about things for several months). Saw the surgeon on Feb. 10th, and also met with nutritionist at same time. Now I need psych and EEG, psych is scheduled for March 10th, hopefully the EEG will be scheduled for then as well; i'll also get blood work drawn at the same time. 2 weeks after the psych appt, they can submit my paperwork to my insurance company and wait for an approval - but the insurance I have typically will approve in a day or two, so i'm trying not to worry about that. Then we can schedule a surgery date (after the paperwork gets submitted to insurance company, they don't wait for an approval, but schedule surgery right away, at least with the insurance I have). I need a recommendation from my primary care doctor, along with the results of a full physical - that is scheduled for April 4th. I'm hoping to schedule surgery for mid-May - already laying the ground work at work (I'm not telling anyone at work what i'm having done). I'm telling everyone at work that i have a hiatal heria (which is true) that i'm having surgery to fix (which is also true, they'll fix it before placing the band). I'm also using that as a reason that i'll be eating very differently after surgery, and already bemoaning the fact to people at work. I've told my husband and one close friend the truth, but everyone else, including all my family, is getting the hiatal hernia story. I originally told my sister I was looking into lap band (she's a doctor) - she wasn't very supportive and tried to sway me towards gastric bypass, because she knows several people that have had it done and been very successful. So I recently told her that after meeting with the surgeon, they want to fix my hiatal hernia first, and then i'll talk to them about the lap band surgery. As far as she knows, i'll never get the lap band surgery, unless I decide later to tell my family what i've done. Family lives more than 1000 miles away, so keeping things a secret isn't a problem - hopefully the next time I see any of them, i'll be much slimmer!! I'll tell family and/or friends after i'm more comfortable with a lower weight, or when the time feels right. I just don't want everyone watching me constantly about what i'm eating, and how much weight i'm losing. Nice to see this thread - keep the replies coming!!

Everyone Does anyone have Tribest Personal Blender? Does it do a good job on blending up the Protein drinks? Protein Drinks to see what I like. The CIB is fine, but when I mix it with my tupperware mixing container, there is so much foam (that is undrinkable), I wonder how much I'm missing by not being able to drink the foam. I looked at the Bullet thing that's on infomercials, but I like the Tribest blender better - I think it's the sipping lids that you can put on the cups. Anyone have one of these, and if so, how do you like it? Anhone have something else they want to recommend? Thanks for your help!! Jll

I'm just checking in from Auburn MA - not banded yet, but am going through the Brigham and Women's program (the UMass program just takes TOO LONG!). Have already met with my surgeon, Dr. Ashley Vernon, and got to meet with the nutritionist at the same appt, so now am waiting for my psych appt on March 6th (am feeling really nervous about that, as i've never seen a psychologist before for anything). Hopefully that will go fine, then the surgeon said they could submit my request to insurance about 10-14 days after I see the psychologist, and then can schedule surgery. So I'm hoping for surgery sometime in April or May this year (with UMass, I think it would have been sometime next year, at least, that was the impression I got when I was researching). I'm luck in that I have Harvard Pilgrim for insurance, which I understand is REALLY good about approving surgery - I'd have to think they will save money as I currently pay over $100 in copays alone for my monthly medications, and I hope to get off most of them after surgery. Just wanted to say Hi - I like this forum/board, but I know a lot of Massachusetts people are over on obesityhelp (http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/LapBand/posts.html)- I find their board format much more difficult to read, and really like this one better. Everyone wish me luck with my psych appointment! Thanks!!

I don't have much of a problem with Sandra Lee except the fact that all of the recipes i've tried from her show taste TERRIBLE! So maybe i'm predjudiced against bad food?

What about ham salad, tuna salad, egg salad, refried Beans with a little low fat cheese, beef stew (processed to a mushy, of course). Maybe some of those can give you some variety - also maybe seafood salad?

I really like the elliptical machines at my gym. I have knee problems too (and will need them replaced at some point in my life, it's a heredity thing for me). The treadmill was OK as long as I didn't walk too fast or have too sharp an incline. But my favorite is the elliptical - it's kind of like standing up to pedal a bicycle - a bit awkard at first, but I hang onto the stationary bars (not the moving bars) and that makes it easier. As a bonus, I burn about 50% more calories in teh same time as when I worked out on the treadmill. I think it would work great for your knee issues - give it a try!

Are you still on liquids, or are you eating/drinking alot of canned Soup? There was a post earlier today that I saw where the poster went back to liquids due to a fill, and was surprised at both her weight gain and how her face looked. Turns out, she was eating a lot of canned soup, which she realized was really high in sodium. So check out what you are eating/drinking - maybe it's high in sodium, and that, combined with the saline from surgery, are what's causing the high blood pressure. Just a thought!

Hi all - I'm hoping someone can help with this question. I have a small/minor hiatial hernia - I've read that this doesn't mean I can't have the band, but simply they will likely repair the hernia when they place the band. So I have two questions - first, has anyone else had this condition, and what were your experiences with repair. Second, does the hernia repair add to the recovery time needed (will I be out from work longer, for example)? Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

Hi all - I've been lurking on these forums for a while now, and just finally joined. I hope to get banded in the new year - I have my first appt to go to an introduction to Weightloss surgery meeting in mid-December at Brigham's and Women's in Boston. I am fairly certain I am one of the luck ones, in that my insurance (Harvard Pilgrim) should pay for my procedure, with little to no hassle - at least, that's what I'm hoping! I'm tired of seeing my body inflate, which it's been doing over the last few years - things have sped up a lot since my hysterectomy in June 04 - have gained at least 20 pounds since then. Am also a bit discouraged when my PCP tells me I may never lose any weight, due to my age, history, and hormone issues (not on hormone replacement due to severe endometriosis which prompted the hysterectomy). Also discouraged when I exercise for 45-60 mins 4-5 times a week, with absolutely no weight loss (not doing that right now, but did do that for over a year with no weight loss). So I'm hopeful that the band will be the tool I need to actually lose the weight. I have a BMI of approx. 40, with several co-morbidities (diabedes that I'm still struggling to get under control, even with 3 different meds each day, high blood pressure, fatty liver, high cholestrol, hypothyroid treated with medication). Everyone please keep your fingers crossed for me, that the surgery program will accept me as a patient, and that my insurance will cover with no issues. Thanks in advance for your good wishes!! This board looks like a great place, and I'll be reading regularly, and try to post from time to time, instead of just lurking! Jill in Massachusetts 5' 5", 245 lbs

Hi all - i'm a hopeful pre-bander, and am currently doing some research - I hope you all can help! I'm currently taking 3 diabedes medications (actose, metformin and glipizide), in an attempt to get my very high blood sugar under control. My question is how likely is it that i'd be able to go off one or more of these medications after having band surgery? I've seen some people comment that they've been able to eliminate certain medications, but nothing specific about diabedes medications. Any thoughts? Thanks for your help!!

I also posted this on the Doctors/Hospitals board, but wanted to put it here as well - hoping to find some people who can answer my questions! Can anyone tell me about the surgical weightloss program at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston? I'm registered in mid-December for one of their information meetings on weight loss surgery, I know my insurance is accepted at this hospital, and should approve my surgery. But I'm wondering about details about this program - how long do things take (initial meeting through surgery), what other appointments or tests do they require, any comments on the psych meeting, which I think is pretty mandatory with all of the surgical programs? Really want to have Dr. Vernon be my doctor - can I choose? Basically, I'm a fairly anal person, and really like to know what to expect at every step of the way - also would be interested in talking to others who have had their surgery done at this hospital. Thanks!!

Can anyone tell me about the surgical weightloss program at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston? I'm registered in mid-December for one of their information meetings on weight loss surgery, I know my insurance is accepted at this hospital, and should approve my surgery. But I'm wondering about details about this program - how long do things take (initial meeting through surgery), what other appointments or tests do they require, any comments on the psych meeting, which I think is pretty mandatory with all of the surgical programs? Really want to have Dr. Vernon be my doctor - can I choose? Basically, I'm a fairly anal person, and really like to know what to expect at every step of the way - also would be interested in talking to others who have had their surgery done at this hospital. Thanks!!