mpope

My friends and family, with the excpetion of my husband, are SOOOOo against me having the lapband...no, I'm not horribly obese, but I AM obese according to the numbers. I'm 5'5 and weigh 238 pounds. Everyone says "You're not big enough" (REALLY!!! Just HOW big does a person have to get?) or "you can do it on your own" (REALLY!!! Look at ME!!!) I'm just so disgusted with all the neyseyers...someone even told me this morning that someone died over the weekend from having the lapband...I don't know all the details to this...but jeez..... I need some encouragement.... :thumbup:

Once you're at goal weight, do you get the band removed or is it life long?

I'm sorry for being so confused...I read on here that some people set their surgery date w/o first knowing for sure they're approved...is that just so you can get on the books? I have my first meeting with the WLS doctor on Friday and just wasn't sure what to expect...procedure wise...Of course, I'm sure it's different everywhere.

Wow, that's right around the corner....Good luck....I'm so ready and excited, I could POP!!! Please keep me informed of your progress....I love learning all I can...

WooHoo, you're right around the corner from me. Thank you so much for the welcome...this is an awesome site.... I'm ready for the surgery (not so much all the pre op testing, but I guess it's a good thing it's done)....I just have NO patience and want it right now.

Ok, so as you can see by my signature, I started this process in May of 2008...and between losing two jobs and insurance, I've had to put this on hold twice...so now I'm back on and excited. I have done all of the pre-testing RIGHT before I lost my insurance, but it's been over a year, so I'm going to have to do it alllllll over...Ugh.... I have my consult with the surgeon this Friday and then it's ONNNNNN.. :bored:

Yep, there's nothing like someone who's NEVER had a weight problem tell you how to solve yours....Ugh....

You guys are awesome. I come on here and read everyone's stories and posts and see that it DOES work...sometimes I feel like a quitter for taking this route, but like it was said above...I KNOW that LB is JUST a tool....that I've got to be there for it as well....

Has anyone used him or heard of him? I know Dr. Enochs gets alot of the credit regarding this surgery, but I'm just NOT impressed with his office. They NEVER return my emails OR my calls and it's just getting frustrated. They got my $500 co pay and I can't get anything else from them so I'm considering going to Dr. Moran and seeing if I can get better service. Any opinions?.....

Bariatric Specialists of North Carolina Just wanted to get some opinions...

I started this whole procedure back in Mayof 2008. I had done ALL the pretesting and was basically waiting on the final approval for insurance... then I lost my job...and didn't have insurance for a total of 6 months (out of work 3 months, then had a 90 day waiting period at my new job) So I finally get insurance w/ my new job and call to get the procedure "back on the books" and am told I now have a ONE YEAR pre existing condition waiting period... Even though I started this procedure BEFORE I lost my insurance? ????? So now I"m going to have to go through ALL of the pretesting AGAIN at the end of this year. So sad !!!:laugh:

I was out of insurance for a total of 168 days, but I had BCBS and went back to BCBS both through the companies I worked for.... Who should I contact to see if this is the case? The insurance company or the doctor's office?

Celtic, I guess everyone is different. There are certainly those on here that LOVE Dr. Enochs, but I just didn't get that. When I went to his seminar, Lisa was great and I enjoyed Dr. Enochs, but after that, AFTER I paid my money, it was downhill from there.

I am waiting on approval from insurance so I've been to the seminar and all but noone's talked alot about fills and although I know what they are, I don't know HOW MUCH they are? Does anyone have some ideas? And does insurance cover them or some of them? Again, I know all of this is based on different insurance policies and all, but just curious.....

Since I've been talking to the new surgeon's office, they have been AWESOME ! The receptionists even put a call into my hubby's insurance company to see if his coverage would be better than the Cobra. So far, so good. I think it was a good call. The recep. Said we were looking at August IF the other surgeon's office got my file transferred to them soon.

I have done all of my testing for the lap band and have now decided to go through another doctor. The surgeon I started out with has a HORRIBLE office staff. I can never get my questions answered. I know I'm not their only patient, but after waiting a few days for a return call or email and nothing, I've decided to go to another surgeon. There aren't many to choose from in my area, but thank goodness there's another one. I've paid my $500 office fee and a $50 copay for EACH visit I've had to make so it's cost me ALOT and I'm worried that if they're not answering my questions or helping me NOW, what will they be like AFTER surgery. I know it's going to be a pain....please bare with me as I start to lose my mind. : )

Thank Papa Bear. That is the reality of it. Great advice...

Chris, that's correct. You CANNOT eat or drink anything from midnight until after your tests. Thank goodness mine was first thing in the morning.....

How long did it take to get the pre tests results back to your doctor? I had mine done Friday and was just wondering if it was days or weeks. I'm sure it depends on where you are, but I was just looking on average....

Ok, so I started this process the beginning of May...I've jumped through hoops to get all of my appointments in and all of my paperwork in and all that jazz.. So, I lose my job last Monday....THAT'S not even the bummer part..really no big deal : ) BUT my insurance runs out June 30..so I call the surgeon's office to beg and plead to see if they can get my in by that date. I KNOW it's a long shot and am really not all that shocked when they can't. I did my pre tests at the hospital and my psych eval. this past Friday. Don't know how long it will take. The psychologists said I was so positive and she was going to write "Strongly Recommends" on my paperwork... So anyway, I guess I'm going to have to purchase my Cobra insurance for the month of July and pray I can get in that month...This WHOLE process has just been a mess...

I talked to the surgeon's office today and asked if I could possibly get a date for July, but they want allmy test results back and all and I understand that. Don't like it, but I understand it.

My nutri said I needed to cut out ALL forms of caffeine starting now before the surgery. What exactly are the effects from it? good or bad.

Does anyone use the PH factor to determine what they eat? My best friend is bigtime into this acidic way of eating. www.phmiracleliving.com She swears by it to keep her heart healthy and keep her weight down. Of course, she's a toothpick but she attributes this to eating this way.

I am using Dr. Enoch's and am NOT at all impressed with the main psychologists his office gave me to use. They only gave me three to pick from and two I can't get to call me back and the other has a HORRID office staff. Anyway, does anyone know of a psych. doctor around the Raleigh, Garner, Johnston Co. area that works with lapband patients?