Angel_P

Hi, I just called this morning and I was approved with HIP Prime HMO without a 6 month diet. However I was curious, for those with HIP that were already approved, was there any type of co-pay for the surgery?

Okay, I am soooooooooo excited :tt1:. I called this morning to find out my authorization status for my surgery that is scheduled for July 30th, and I am approved. I called last week and was told that no request had been put in and I was starting to get worried....Ive had a horrible time with my insurance in the past 3 months trying to do all of the pre-req's for the surgery and thought for sure they were going to deny me. I also quit smoking yesterday in preperation for my surgery. I am feeling optimistic and ok about quitting, especially now!!!!! OK....whew.....:tt1:

Night time eating is defititley a problem for me. Mostly its out of boredom/habit. I hope that once I get my band that things will change too! Bonnie, I also used to eat sleep years ago. It was the strangest thing. Most of the time I was also in a trance-like state, but sometimes I would wake up having no clue that I had eaten except the evidence like empty wrappers or the such. Congrats on your nights of full sleep and eat free nights! I know the feeling. Angel

Thats why I thought hormonal....the hypothalamus and the pituitary are two places where hormones are released. Thanks for the info!

Thanks for sharing that. I had never heard of diabetes insipidus until this past year in school ( I am a nursing student) but from what I remember it is a hormonal issue. I hope that you are able to find a medication that keeps it in control and that it doesnt affect your band surgery. Good luck!

Restriction refers to how much restriction the band is placing between the pouch and the rest of your stomach. So if you don't have good restriction, you are able to eat more and will be hungry quicker and more frequently than if you have good restriction. Hope that made it clearer for you!

I have heard of people using their weight watchers logs as the six month recorded diet. My friend who is also having the lapband started a diet with his GP after the consultation with our surgeon, which will be his 6 month supervised diet. It all depends on your insurance and what the surgeon wants to do.

I was told by my nutritionist to not puree any foods, to only chew them to a liquid consistency. She told me this was the time to start learning to work with the band. But you should definitely puree your food if that is what you were told to do.

Have you tried an oatmeal bath? It usually helps at least temporarily. You can make a home made oatmeal bath by just processing oatmeal and powdered milk, or just the oatmeal alone. I couldn't imagine a band causing hives. Have you ate anything different? My sister gets hives from tuna, and as far as we know she was never allergic to tuna as a child. But you never know, you should call your Dr just to be on the safe side. Good luck, I hope you feel better! Angel

Did they do this at your Drs office? That is neat and is great to have for comparisons later on!

Hi everyone, I was away on a overly-long vacation visiting family these past two weeks in Florida. One of the best things that happened while I was down there was my Dr's office called and scheduled a surgery date for July 30th! I am so excited that I got in in July. At the point I was at I was sure that I wasn't getting in until at least August. And since I am starting nursing school in September, I was worried about healing in time and being in tip top shape (recovery-wise) for clinicals. Also, while I was down there I lost 5 pounds- without even trying! This process has already started me in a mindset of recognizing fullness and attempting to eat only when hungry. A big part of the weight loss had to do with the unbearable humidity and heat and the fact that I was sharing a hotel room with my freezing anemic sister. Regardless I am going to take whatever weight loss is handed my way. I have NEVER come home from a vacation and not have put on weight. My finance even noticed the slight weight loss. Anyway, enough of my ramblings.....just wanted to share my excitement! Angel:thumbup:

I have HIP as well and was told by my Dr (the Surgeon) that they approve right away, don't decline, and approve really quickly as well. I have my final pre requisite on Monday and then I am going to send my info in for approval. Good luck!

I was on and off of depo for maybe 4 years. I always had bad cramps and very heavy periods so I loved it. Because I was on and off it my Dr did not want to put me back on it. It took maybe 3-6 months before I got a period again. I do miss the no periods and no crazy mood swings and nausea that I got from bc pills.

I recently bought a Weight Watchers digital scale from wal-mart. It was like 30-36 dollars and has a BMI calculator, tells bone mass, water percent and body fat percent. It also holds information for up to 10 people (not sure how many people have 10 in their family lol). I use it in my kitchen on linoleum. I think it should be on a flat surface but if its only on a small shift because of the house tilting, as long as it doesn't move when you stand on it, it should be fine.

I just got my medifast shakes in the mail yesterday, and I just had to try one....considering I ordered 100. They are what my Dr wants me to take, so I decided to go with them. It was not bad. It kinda tasted like a sugar free version of slim fast. I'm sure post op, when I am drinking 4 a day, I wont feel the same way though!

Congratulations!!! I have a pair of size 18 kahkis(?) that I really look forward to getting into.....its been quite a while....I also have some old 14s in my dresser somewhere I think. It will be a while since I am now a tight 22, but I know I will get there hopefully within the next year. A NSV is a non-scale victory and personally I think that they are even more motivating and rewarding than the number on the scale!

So I had my appointment this morning for an Upper GI and I had to cancel......for the third time. I am having a tough time getting the referral for it. I have HIP Prime and my referrals go through Health Care Partners. They require that the referring doctor put in the referral, not the PCP. Well this then means that I have to convince that doctor that this is how my insurance works. I have been told that "I don't have to do this for anyone else" Well if this is the only way that my insurance will cover the visit, this is the way it has to be done. I have been waiting for this referral for over a month. It is currently pending approval and I had to push my appointment back to June 2. Its not that bad, only 2 weeks. Its only that I've had to push it back three times now, and it is the final requirement I have to meet in order to get a surgery date! So the longer it takes to get in, the longer it is going to be until I can have the surgery. Well, I am just reminding myself that this is all in God's time.....not mine, and when he wants this all to go through, it will. Anyway.....thanks for letting me vent! :wink2:

Linda...I wondered the same exact thing, and even though I don't have to do the 6 month diet, I have heard from others that if you fall under the BMI range after it, you will still be approved because it is more about not being able to keep the weight off rather than not being able to lose the weight. I find it ironic that we are the best dieters out there and that we know exactly how and what to do, we just struggle with keeping it off!

Congrats on getting your approval!!!

So I had my psychological evaluation today and a bunch of stuff I wasn't thinking was going to come up, come up. It was strongly suggested to me to start going to therapy. Granted I understand that unresolved issues can play a part in emotional eating, I just wasn't thinking that some of this stuff was going to come up. I am completely open to going to therapy ( I have gone off and on since I was in high school) but has anyone been denied surgery because of the psych appt? Or is it really more to just see if you are really going to work with the band and not against it? I guess I'm just a little nervous and I kinda feel like a nut now that I was strongly urged to see a therapist.....no matter what there is still a stigma against help, as ridiculous as that is.....Thanks:blushing:

Too bad they dont suck out all that fat while they are in there.......:wink2:

OUCH......I hope that I find a sweet spot before I need a 4th!

Do you know how much the fills are after the ones that your insurance cover?

I went for my nutritionist/psych evaluation last wednesday and I told both that I was addicted to food.....the process of eating and the aftermath....only I think that I enjoy the "full" (for me stuffed) feeling only when I get there, I actually hate the feeling. They both looked at me and told me there is no such thing as food addiction. I felt really horrible at the time, like a little kid being belittled and scolded. But I know that I am mentally addicted to food. I just have an addictive personality. But now that I have realized (and vocalized) that I don't enjoy being stuffed, it has gotten a little better. One idea and possible solution was to start a journal connected to emotional eating......every time I realize that I am grabbing for food out of emotion, what ever that emotion is, I am going to write about it and find another outlet for that emotion. I hope and pray that it will be a life changing step!

I would be interested in entering as well. Where do we enter?