Peacedove

Would anyone be interested in forming a support group in North Atlanta...the Marietta/Kennesaw area? I am ready to form this group immediately. If interested, post up and let's plan our first meeting, regardless of how small it may start out. I await your posts!

I am so angry with myself right now I don't know what to do. And I'm scarred.... Like you all, right after surgery I felt bloated, full all the time and never hungry. For two weeks, anything I put in my mouth made me feel overly full...I wasn't eating much of anything, but did manage to get the protein shakes down. I was on full liquids for one week and then toward the end of the second week I had to go to Vegas on business. I was still a good girl and ate very very little, and tried to stay on soft foods. By week three, I was beginning to eat normally, and was slipping a few bad things in, here and there, due to the extensive traveling. It was that week that I started to slowly gain back the weight. I had lost 26 lbs in the two weeks of pre-op dieting and the two post op weeks of feeling bloated and full all the time. Week three I gained back 2 or 3 lbs. Week four brought back another 2 or 3, and now, I'm afraid to step back on the scales. I didn't eat any red meat until this week and I had a small steak....really small... not even the whole thing. Then yesterday I had a hamburger from wendys. I did it again today, and I'm not having ANY kind of restriction, fullness, overfullness, bloating, puking, NOTHING. It's like I never had the band put on. I have not had time to get back to the doctor, because he is 2 hours away and I have been traveling constantly for the past 3 weeks. I am traveling again all next week and I will have 4 days at home the following week. I am going to go see him then and tell him how hungry I've been and how I can eat ANYthing!! I went through all this to succeed!!! Not to fail!!!! Someone PLEASE tell me that they went through this and that after the first fill I will start feeling full and loosing again!!!!!

You're not too late.... I've been out of town, but would love to have a group get together. You make the third that has shown interest in getting together. I'm out of town again until July 3rd. Then I leave again on the 8th. But I seriously want to find a night that we can hook up!!

I am out of town from June 12-17, then June 19-23, and again a few days after that. Let's try and meet up sometime around the 24th of June...even if it's just a couple of us to start! I live in Kennesaw and we can meet here or anywhere else you choose. My personal email address is kimpeace@att.net. Does the 24th work??

Hi all... Well, I went through the surgery 4 days ago and am feeling so much better already. I actually posted up the night before the surgery from the hospital inn where we were staying and then again just 15 minutes that next morning before I left and went to check in for surgery. The doc found a "really big" hiatial hernia and had to fix that first, but the lapband went off good. I'm still in pain, with a little gas remaining, but the shoulders are finally just about normal again and the sore throat is getting better. I ran fevers and had a lot of pain, and ended up staying in the hospital an extra night. But I'm doing better now. I am glad, too, because I have to fly to Vegas from Atlanta on Thursday...less than a week after the surgery. I can't imagine being there and not eating everything I see. But I don't even want it anymore. I hope that loss of interest in food remains long term. I have to keep forcing myself to eat.

HI ALL!!!! I'm in the hospital hotel awaiting my banding tomorrow morning!!! My boyfreind is here with me and we both have upset stomachs....I think it's nerves. I was on high protein diet last week and this week liquids. Today was supposed to be clear liquids and I thought I was doing great until I realized that a latte isn't really a clear liquid...so I screwed up....TWICE today. I hope that isn't why my stomach is upset. And I hope this goes away by 5am. I have to check in at 5am and surgery is scheduled for 7am. SO nervous!!!!!!! Wish me luck!!!!!

I am SO mad!!!! You would not believe what someone at my insurance company emailed me with!!!! I spent ALL day yesterday driving 6 hours to and from my surgeons office and the hospital to do pre op testing and when I got home last night, BS of CA sent me an email that stated I had not been approved for this procedure!!!! I was so mad that I called and got some young gal who didn't know anything and couldn't find my approval. She told me to call again today. Today I called and got hold of a woman that took 10 minutes to find it, but DID find it. She then told me that she was going to find the person that sent me the email and call them to straighten them out. I was asking them about travel reimbursements and instead they sent me into this emotional whirlwind. I'm so mad.:wink2:

Wow! It certainly doesn't show in your face, that's for sure. You are gorgeous! Well, if your doctor says to do it, who am I to argue? Please let me know if I can ever offer support! That's what we're all here for! Good luck!!

Sweetie, you look way too beautiful to be overweight! You're certainly too young to be considering this surgery, in my opinion. I think your body is still growing and changing and to do something like this would not be wise for a few more years, assuming your BMI and other issues are high enough to consider even then. I don't know any doctors in Texas, but if you are seriously looking at this, check into the bariatric center of excellence website to find a good one. Good luck.

Wow. This makes me nervous. My banding is on June 6 and I want to really start loosing ASAP!!!

I have BS of CA because the company I work for is based in southern CA. Otherwise, I'd probably be in the same boat. Several gals at the home office have had breast reduction surgery...basically, they wanted a lift after loosing a little weight, and the insurance also paid for that! I am going to do that next, if I don't loose all my boobs with the weight loss. I still need to find out if they will cover the fills, and follow ups. I don't see why they wouldn't. Good luck to you all and I hope your insurance is a good to you as mine was!

I am north of ATL too and am having my banding done in Birmingham on June 6th!

CC.... Blue Shield varies DRASTICALLY from state to state. I'm told that Alabama requires 6 months of doc supervised dieting, as does GA. But I have BS of CA and although I live in GA, they give me all the same benefits as a policy holder in CA. So, they approved me in 4 days without the 6 month dieting! It was crazy unbelievable. I got evaluations from the shrink, the dietician, and the surgeon gave the medical and surgical evaluation....after I'd only seen him once. I also happened to have a letter from my orthopedic surgeon in favor. They approved me with no questions asked. As for getting your Primary Care's approval. NOT necessary with a PPO. Just make sure you pick a bariatric surgeon that is in your PPO network. I have to drive 3 hours to get to mine. But BS is also saying they will reimburse travel expenses because of this.

I was approved yesterday for the lapband proceedure!! Now I'm scheduled to have it done on June 6th!!!!!:smile2:

HI!!! I JUST got word from my insurance that I APPROVED!!!! ...after only 4 days!!!! So, next is the scheduling! I would love to find a support group in the Marietta area. Does anyone know where I can find people meeting together for this purpose? Kim

Hi ya'll! Just joined this thingy and am keeping my fingers crossed that Blue Shield of CA will make me a happy girl in a couple of weeks. I know that I had to get a phsycological, medical, surgical and dietary evaluation, but no word yet on if I'll have to get the 6 month diet thing. Gosh I hope not!! I've been going to weight watchers for years, but never was able to stick to it. I tossed all the books I had, and simply don't have records of all the other diets I've tried. I did a weight loss thing with a doc in Vegas when I lived there, but I don't think he's even around anymore. Does anyone have any experience with BS of CA PPO? Please tell me that it was okay and didn't require 6mo of diet records. My BMI is 41 and I have arthritis, bursitus, along with ruptured discs in the back, sleep apnea, depression, and more. No high blood pressure or heart disease, although it's in my family. Someone tell me that BS of CA will be easy!!! I'm worried!