bjperkins54

Hey SickNTired -- noticed your Go Vols! I'm a huge Vols fan myself. My surgeon is Dr. Champion in Marietta -- he does surgery at Northside. My insurance approval was sent in last week -- haven't heard anything yet. I'm guessing around October for my surgery as well. They haven't said a thing about an upper gi or ultrasound or anything for me...they said when the insurance approval was received, they'd schedule my surgery within a month! I just had emergency surgery on July 1 for a colon re-section due to diverticulitis -- so he wants at least 12 weeks between surgeries. Good luck to you! GO VOLS -- BEAT UCLA!!

I'm no expert, but after discussing this with my doctor just last week -- he said the lapband will stop working at some point, but there is not really long term data to know what that average life span is yet... ....at the time it does wear out, you have to either leave it in not working, replace it or remove it entirely.

Good luck to you! It will be a few more weeks for me --waiting on approval from Aetna right now.

by Aetna -- have furnished 3 years of weight history -- saw my doc on Thursday and he's sending in the request for approval for my lap-band surgery. My husband is still against it, but will support me if I'm adamant about having this. Doc says not to be surprised if they refuse it initially -- then he says he'll have to get on the phone and "remind" them that I've done everything they require. But I can't do anything for at least 5-6 weeks anyway -- I had emergency surgery to remove a portion of my colon on July 1, so he wants to wait at least 12 weeks until he does this surgery. Hopefully the two won't conflict with each other! BTW, Would someone tell me how to get a ticker set upon my profile? I can't seem to find/figure it out -- thanks!

Well, I think I figured out the sig question....just had to dig a little on the board!

http://www.drchampion.com/ Don -- here is the link to Dr. Champions web site in Marietta GA....He will be the one to do my surgery, when the time comes

on surgery after my 6 mo. monitored plan required by Aetna! Glad to see a Fifties group -- looks like successes and some problems with our group. The surgery is scary to me -- but even scarier to my husband who isn't really happy about me doing this. I live in Georgia -- my doctor is Dr. Champion in Marietta GA.......I need to lose 80 lbs.....and the doc says I'm borderline qualifying for surgery - not sure exactly why.....but they told me if I lose move than 13 lbs during this 6 months, I'll no longer qualify.....so tell me what's a girl to do????? I've been doing a lot of reading on this forum and am very glad I've found it -- I think I'll send my hubby here to do some reading as well. He is really very concerned -- but since he's a mere 155 lbs soaking wet and couldn't gain weight if he tried....he really cannot relate to what I go through -- so thanks for being here!

THanks! My husband is wonderful and will support me, but he has never had a surgery in his life,so any type of surgical procedure scares him. I definitely want him involved in this wiht me, so he can gain a better understanding of what it's all about. It will be good to have a good support group for sure. Good luck on continued success!

I'm in Jaspe GA -- not banded yet. In fact I just started a required 6 month monitored plan for Aetna. I'm using Dr Champion in Marietta -- my family doctor referred me to him because she's had several patients use him and they have been happy. I haven't met the doctor yet, so we'll see how I feel after talking with him. I just found this forum last night and have been doing a lot of reading - I'm glad to know it's here for support! Please let me know how you are doing!

I also have Aetna -- I am having to go through a 6 month physician monitored diet plan which I just started a week ago....they say at month 5 they'll start the process to get final approval for the surgery. I am borderline, so if I lose over 13 lbs, I will no longer qualify for the surgery. We'll have to see how it goes I guess.

I was referred to Dr Champion in Marietta by my family doctor....she says he's done several surgeries for her patients and they have all been pleased. Since I've just started on a 6 mo monitored program for insurance, I have not yet met the doctor....but I have heard good things about him.

I am currently going through the 6 mo. monitored diet plan. Actually I just started a week ago and I have a question... A little history -- I am borderline for qualifying for the surgery -- if I lose over 13 lbs in this 6 months, I will no longer qualify...BUT my question concerns a statement my nutritionist made last week in our first meeting. She stated that if I did not lose in this 6 months, the doctor would want to do gastric bypass rather than lapband because many people do not lose more than 30 lbs with the lapband. Is there a good place to go to find stats on this? I have no interest in gastric bypass -- the only reason I'm considering lapband is because it is less invasive and I feel I need help in getting the weight off. But I also have no desire to go through any surgery for 30 lbs....if I can't lose 50+, then I'm not interested. Any information of input from you folks that have been through the surgery would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks -- I've been looking around and I'll definitely spend some time on here. In my short time on here, I see several who have lost large amount of weight......I need to lose about 80lbs....and feel the lapband is my best option. Thanks for the support and good luck to you! Becky