wanda-sc

I had my surgery last June, was told in March I had already met my deductible by Medicare and that if I was outpaitient I didnt have to pay a thing, if inpatient $1200. Yesterday, I got my medicare statement and they show me owing $31,000!!! It says procedure is not approved. OMG, has anyone else had this happen? No way I can pay this amt. And, to top all of this off I had to have the band taken out in December, it was making me sick. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smile:

:eek:Well here I sit in the hospital for emmm now let me see, the 4th time since June 5 when I had my band. The first was actual banding, second was blood clot in my leg, 3rd and 4th times now are for not being able to swallow-even liquids!! So my legs are now so big they feel like they are about to pop open. I generally feel lousy. I have been npo since midnight and it's 5 am now, I guess they will tell me soon when I am going back into surgery for my doc to "look around". My family wants me to tell him just to take the band out, and if I get to see him again before surgery that's what I am going to do. This is rating up there with one of the worst things I have ever done for myself. I definetly would not do this again. Ladies think long and hard before you do this and like I said if you are like me and things always go wrong for you, dont do it!!! I would appreciate your prayers this morning, I am really worried about making it out of this surgery alive and I am not kidding, I am scared to death this time. Wanda:blushing:

Givens@Riverside is my doc.

:eek:For some reason my ticker isn't working, I weigh way more now than before surgery, too. Isn't this just grand?:thumbdown:

:sad:I sure dont think blah, blah, blah! Good grief Oprah could have paid for lap band, and then had the plastic surgery to go with it. But instead, when she falls off the wagon she starts exercising and dieting. I know she has her own chef and exercise trainer. But crap, if I had a trainer in my room every morning I doubt he could get my fat butt up. Sure, she has help that most of us can't afford. But, she also isnt taking the easy way out.

Hi, I had my Realize Band put in June 5, at surgery time I was around 184. 2 weeks later I was 172. Then the unthinkable happened, I woke in the night with my leg throbbing, went to the hospital had a DVT. I am now on Coumadin for life, I have done nothing but gain weight. November my stomach was hurting so bad, I could not swallow even my own saliva. I had my 4cc removed-was in the hospital again for 3 days. Now I weigh 188. I just don't understand. I got the band because it was supposed to make me have a "full feeling", I have never had that. This was a total waste of money, and my body. I think I was just meant to be overweight-everything I do sure does not help. The only reason I lost weight in the first days of my band was because I was so gung ho with the idea, I really lost it on my own, the band has done nothing but jeopardize my health. Moral of the story: Never ever have surgery if it not a life and death emergency. I would like to hear from any of you with similar "gone wrong" stories.:thumbup:

Yes, I did have the complication of a blood clot. And yes, my doctor will refill my band soon I expect. My point was that the only reason I lost weight in the first place was pure willpower, the excitment of getting the band. But just like every diet I have tried and failed, this seems to be the same. The band so far has not made be feel satisfied, of course I may have to get to the half way point that my band holds before I feel that-I just hope I do. This still is not a magic cure-you have to do the work, just like a diet. I do think if I had the chance to go back and know what I know now I would have either not had the band at all or had the gastric sleeve. Best wishes to all of you.

Wow, please forgive me for posting in the wrong place. However, maybe this may make some people who are thinking of having this think again. There is no quick fix.:thumbup:

I researched this band so much before I went in for surgery. Everything I heard was that it was going to make me feel satisfied. That is something I have never felt. So I went for it. Guess what, I still don't feel satisfied. I am ok for a week maybe after a fill. I have had 2 now and am at 4cc, I have the Realize Band. I did good at first, then I had a setback of a blood clot in my leg and even though I was on the bariatric diet in the hospital, I weighed more when I came out than when I went in by about 15 pounds. I got really discouraged and started eating. Then I got my first fill, I tried really hard but after about a week of starving, I gave up. Then the same thing happened with the second fill. I do try over and over to get restarted, but for some reason the starvation kicks in and I give up. I have a glimmer of hope that the next fill will be my sweet spot. I weigh more now than before surgery-really bad huh? I would like to hear from anyone else like me, if you are out there.:thumbup:

Hi: I had my surgery June 5. Was doing pretty good, motivated and losing. Then June 23 I had a blood clot in my leg. Even though I was on the bariatric diet in the hospital, I weighed as much as I did when I came out as I did at surgery. And I was told not to exercise. I had 1 fill on July 30 and I felt no different, I have a hard spot where he did the fill, so I wonder if it even went in my band. I have been really depressed, just can't seem to get started again, my hair is falling out. If anyone had this happen or if you have suggestions for me, please write back. Thanks, Wanda

Hi, I got the Realize band June 5, lost some weight was doing good and then on June 23 I got a blood clot in my leg, when I came out of the hospital, even though I got very little to eat, did the bariatric diet, I weighed as much as I did in the beginning. I can not get back on track, I am about to pass my pre surgery weight. And to top this off, I am losing my hair, even though I am eating a regular diet. Any suggestions?

They told me to take zinc for hair loss-I am away from my home right now, so I don't have the bottle with me-but I believe 60mg is what they told me to take. Good luck.,

Yes I think now I regret having it. I was banded June 5, had a blood clot June 23. Was told after blood clot no exercise-which you really need to start. Plus the fact I started out with 3 meals a day 1/4 cup, now I can 1/2 cup. And drink protein drinks in between. who couldnt lose weight if you could eat like that. I have not felt enough restriction to my band not to feel hungry. But I am in this knee deep now and I hope eventually it will begin to work.

I had a blood clot 3 weeks after surgery and was told no exercise. I am not losing any weight. I wish I had never had this surgery.

Men can be so thoughtless. What a jerk to leave you just after surgery. Try and look to the future, you will look so good you won't have to worry about guys like him.

I was also banded June 5. I have a Realize Band, I am pretty sure all of this brand holds 9cc. I had a 2cc fill on July 23, and for a day or so I didn't feel hungry, but now I can eat as much as I want, I hate to admit. When I had my fill I had to lay on the table and lift my legs about 6 inches off the table while he felt for my port, it didn't really hurt at all. Then I had to sit up and drink a small cup of Water, which went down easily. I even wondered afterwards if he even hit my port because of my appetite, but so many people on here say you have to have 3 or 4 fills to hit your sweet spot. My next fill is September 10. Let me know how you are doing. Wanda

I had my first 2cc fill end of July. I wonder if he even hit my port. I don't feel any differene. I cannot stick to 1/2 cup of food 3 times a day. Any of you have suggestions? I can't exercise because I have a blood clot in my leg, this isn't helping matters. I feel like I did this for nothing, I thought it would be a tool that controlled my hunger, but it doesn't. Help!:mad2:

I was told no carbonation for a least a year-this includes beer. And it may be that I may never be able to tolerate these things. I live in the south too. I make decaf tea and sweeten with Splenda. If I am out there is usually somewhere that you can get an unsweet tea, I carry Splenda with me all the time. I don't think alot of caffinated drinks are good for you, but occasionally if you are out and that's all you can get and don't want Water, I was told ok. I never really had to sip small amounts, except immediately after surgery. I just had my first fill and I still don't have restriction to liquids, they go down fast. Don't think I will ever eat rice again in my life though-lol. Good luck:biggrin2:

:frown:I hate to read that all this is all about exercise. I went through this surgery on June 5. June 23 I had a DVT (blood clot) in my left leg. Was told no strenIuous exercise. I had my first fill July 30 2cc. It really hasn't helped much. I am relying totally on self control, which does not happen all the time. I am really having a hard time of this. I thought this surgery was going to be a magic tool, but it is overrated. I suppose if I really have to exercise that much, I am screwed. I know things get harder to achieve weight wise when you are 50+, any suggestions out there? Did I do this for nothing?

While you are shopping around, the whey protein isolate is supposed to be better than just whey protein. Costs a bit more.

I had mine done June 5. The doctor I use stitches part of your stomach over the band so there is no slippage. I haven't heard of too many others on here that had it done that way. My doctor says this keeps the band from erroding into your stomach too. Ask you doctor how he does his procedure, it's your right to know. I hope everything goes well for you.

Well I had the unjury in the hospital and bought some afterwards, but it has aspartame in it and I don't like using anything with that in it, also it was a little hard to mix. Had to order over internet. The Designer Protein mixed well, tasted pretty good, I got the chocolate and it wasn't quite chocolate enough for me so I added the fat free sugar free Chocolate syrup to it. Bought it at healthfood/herb shop. Body Fortress from Walmart mixes well and tastes pretty good. My favorite so far is Dymatize Iso 100-it is pure whey protein. This one costs a little more, I got it at a health food/herb shop where I live. I tried the Isopure Fruit drinks from GNC-yuk, yuk, yuk. Well that's my review. I hope you like chocolate, because that is all I ever get, can't really say anything about the other flavors. Good luck!

Hi: I had my lap band surgery June 5, on June 23 I had a DVT (blood clot) in my left leg. I had lost 12 pounds but quickly gained it back. I had my first fill July 30, but I am still not losing weight. Any of you had problems with coumadin? Please write back.:cry_smile:

glad to know you guys have had a similar experience. I don't really feel any restriction. I wondered if they missed the port.

Just had my first fill Wednesday. 2cc, which is more than most of the users I have been reading get. They said 2 cc for first then 1/2cc after that. My stomach has been hurting since I had this done. I am having mushy foods right now and they seem to be going down fine, but my stomach just hurts. Is this normal? Please share your fill experiences with me. Thanks, Wanda:confused2: