Bjornsyouruncle

Save your EOB's and see if you can schedule a time to sit down with the insurance coordinator and have them walk you through it. Conceivably your insurance policy should have an Out of Pocket Maximum, and any amount over that should be written off by the doctor's office. Just because you are billed a certain amount does not mean that you will be responsible for it. Good luck with getting everything sorted out.

I was given this recipe ages ago when I was seriously low carbing and the resulting roll is like a slightly eggy substantial meringue. It is great for sandwiches and I love it with chicken salad. It is an updated version of a recipe in the first Atkins diet revolution book. Anyway, I googled it and found the same recipe online: Ingredients: 3 large eggs, separated 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 3 Tablespoons cottage cheese (or 3 1/2 tbsp ricotta) 2 packets Splenda Preheat oven to 300°F. Separate eggs very carefully (make sure NONE of the yolk gets into the white.) Spray PAM on a Teflon cookie sheet. Use an electric beater to beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff (but not dry). Mix egg yolks, cottage cheese and Splenda in separate bowl. Fold yolk-mixture carefully into egg whites being sure not to break down fragile whites — mix no longer than 1 minute. Place the mixture carefully on the cookie sheet, gently putting one tablespoon on top of another until it is two (2) inches in height. Repeat until you have 6 little "pillows." Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 35-55 minutes (depending on your firmness preference.) Makes 6 rolls. 1 net gram of carbohydrate per serving.

I know there are a lot of them out there in the world but this one bothered me because the start of the series was questioning why there was a divide between the WLS youtubers and the non-WLS youtubers who are trying to lose weight. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOEaGv3TTdk]This is the video[/ame] I am discussing. Without ranting I wanted to start a list of things that are "unnatural" but super awesome. 1. Weight loss surgery 2. Antibiotics 3. Basically every medical innovation since people figured out diseases aren't caused by small demons. 4. Air conditioning 5. The internet 6. Microwaves 7. The automobile 8. Movies (I love movies!) 9. Plastic (it really makes life easier) 10. Roller coasters I could go on, but it would get silly. Lots of things that don't occur in nature are fantastic and the idea that surgery is unnatural and so we shouldn't do it is willfully ignorant.

That sounds like a long time, doesn't it? It was supposed to be 6 weeks, but I went in yesterday for my final preop appointment and the doctor said that they'd like to wait until 3 months to do a first fill. We're going to have to see about that. He thinks I'll have good restriction with just having the band placed and won't need it, but I have no idea what he's basing that decision on. I guess I'll have to see what I feel like post surgery and if I don't have restriction like he thinks I will, I may have to have a serious discussion with him. I can stand the 1 month preop diet, and I've been mentally preparing myself for 6 weeks of bandster hell, but 3 months of it just seems like too much.

I just got my date yesterday, which means just 3 more weeks!!!! Who else is out there?

I wish I had done it 4 years ago when I was 24. Seriously, there's no benefit in staying overweight for another year much less another 20 or 25. I can't say how your friends or your family will react. But I can say that you've got people in your life, like your wife and your new baby, who want you to be around and healthy enough to live a full life with them. Also, keep in mind that a lot of people don't tell anyone outside of their immediate family. They just eat smaller portions and chew really well. Look around, learn as much as you can about the band and see if you think you're comfortable with the commitment and lifestyle changes. It isn't magic. You won't have surgery and suddenly be indifferent to food. It will take a while to get to where your tool is working at its best for you. Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide to do and congratulations on your new baby :mad2:

Wow, that's quick from approval to surgery! Good luck! :blushing:

I have to do 1 week of Clear Liquids (broth, Gelatin, crystal light type drinks), 2 weeks of full liquids (Protein shakes, cream Soups, very thin grits, cream of wheat, mashed potatoes), and then 3 weeks of mushies. I have one day left of clear liquids, I am so looking forward to Protein Shakes.

Glad you were able to get another doctor in the practice to help you out. That seems ridiculous that the FNP didn't want you to get it, the NP isn't the one who has to stay overweight if you don't have surgery.

I was banded last Thursday, in the morning, and I went back to work this afternoon (Tuesday). I stand for most of my work day, but I felt fine. I'm on half days for the rest of the week so the doctors I work for don't yell at me. I do get tired faster, but I don't have a problem sitting down when I need to.

I like the unjury chicken broth flavor, but the strawberry Sorbet (and I love strawberry!) was gross. :tongue2: The rest of the products I had to get through my doctor from Bariatrix - Home you can't order them directly (although ebay seems to have a few products), only if you're a bariatric doctor. If your doctor can get them for you, can I seriously recommend the hot chocolate? I add a little bit of splenda to it and it is fantastic. The only thing this week that I've actually looked forward to consuming.

Good luck on your surgery tomorrow! It really isn't that bad, I promise. I was sooooo worried last week, but after I woke up in recovery I thought they hadn't done it because I felt fine. You had one stumble in 2 weeks, that's not bad, just keep going and make good choices every day.

I am starving, sooooo hungry. I had surgery Thursday, so I have to make it through today and two more days before I can anything other than Clear Liquids. I get to have Protein Gelatin, which I try to have at least once a day because I think it sticks around a little longer than the drinks. I can't wait for Thursday when I can have Protein shakes and pudding again.

A lot of the patients who go to Mexico or even other parts of the US end up flying within a week of banding. A lady I know was banded on the 6th and flew from California to Canada less than a week after surgery, I think a total of something like 12 hours of travel and she was tired but fine.

Wow, according to that list I was woefully unprepared! I bought gas-x strips and chapstick. I also went out and bought clear liquid approved Protein supplements. Protein Jello, protein hot chocolate, protein chicken broth, etc. That was it for me. But everyone is different and I guess it is better to have things you might need than find you need them and don't have them.

I liked the Atkins shakes.

What is your post-op diet like? A lot of people lost a lot the first month because of the clear/full liquid stage, but if you're already doing mushies that might be factoring into it.

Thanks Beth!

I am just a few days post-op and last night I dreamed that I was eating all kinds of foods. I woke up feeling guilty that I'd screwed up on my post-op diet. Thank goodness it was all a dream! I'm so glad :-) Anyway, welcome! You're lucky to have someone close to you who has gone through it all and can help you on your journey.

My biggest suggestion would be for you to stock up on protein products that you like for the post-op period. I'm half way through my week of clear liquids and it would have completely sucked if I didn't have tasty protein options.

I'm still on clear liquids so I had some protein orange juice, crystal light, and broth.

My husband's father had a lapband put in sometime in the 90's, so 13 years or more. Of course, they're Swedish so they've had access to the band a lot longer than we have.

I just had surgery Feb. 12th and I feel fine. I never had gas pain and the worst I've felt is sore. I kept expecting something to hurt, but it has been great. Right after surgery it felt like I'd been doing tons of sit ups, but on the 1-10 pain scale the nurses wanted me to rate pain on I was a 0-1.

Congratulations! The time will fly by!

It is weight that's gone forever, even if it is coming off slowly it is coming off and that's what matters.