rodriguezequal

No cysts in the past...I had trouble with my pregnancy, but other than that nothing at all...

TriCare uses different measurement scales than most insuarance. Some people got denied by tricare because they were 6'5 pounds under what they're supposed to be to get the lapband...good luck and I'm so sorry.

I guess some people going into this thinking that it's going to be all the band...that it will do all the work. The band is just a tool to help you lose and maintain weight. If they don't go in for fills when they need them then they may not be getting enough restriction or they maybe be breaking the rulse, like drinking while or right after they eat, taking in too many liquid calories, or just not changing their eating habits or not excersising...It's different for everyone...if you want this and you've researched it and find that it will be right for you than go for it...

Alright...tomorrow is my "B-Day". I am nervous. I've been on an 800 calorie diet...2-3 EAS AdvantEdge drinks and 1 400 calorie meal. I don't seem to have lost any weight. I am so worried that my liver will be too fatty for them to do my surgery tomorrow...any tips or advice before I go under the knife...lol. Thank you...:party:

I was just curious...if your BMI is only 28 why are you looking at have a Lapband? Isn't 28 a pretty good place to be...I don't know....just wondering...

Okay. I'm on a pre-op diet and have to drink these EAS AdvantEdge drinks...they're awful...does anyone have any suggestions on how to make them a little easier to stomach? Please any help is greatly appreciated.

You're so lucky. My Surgeon has me on only 800 calories...3-4 110 calorie shakes and a 3-400 calorie lean cuisine for dinner...I am struggling...I hope I can do it...I have 6 days to lose 10 pounds:crying:

My surgeon told me that they both had the same data/outcome during clinical trials and they both do the samething...it's really just a matter of preference. The Realize has online tools...the lapband is working on it. The port in flatter on the Realize, but it's plastic. The Lapband is all silicon. The Lapband port is sutured to the muscle whereas the Realize band has these little "feet" that punch into the muscle. I personally picked the LapBand. I like the fact that it's all silicon except for a little titanium on the backside and I like that it was a little less expensive :smile:. The Realize band is straight and the LapBand is precurved. The lapband has little divets in the band to allow it to fit a little better right away whereas the Realize band is just plain and straight...it's up to you...niether is better...just different design...good luck

I don't have any co-morbs. either. I have a 44 BMI and I am 100 pounds or more over weight. I have joint pain and normal weight baring problems...on my way baby!!! lol Good Luck

I'm 22 and my BMI is 44, but most insuarances want ur BMI to be 40 or more some will even do 35 or more w/health probems like diabetes and what not. All you can do is give it ur best. The surgery centers where I live wont take my insuarace (Tricare) because they don't pay them back enough. So I am having to self pay...I went and got a CareCredit card...It's worth it to try....do what you can to get ur surgery approved, good luck

I'm having surgery on the 3rd and I picked to have the LapBand. I liked the fact that the Lapband is all silicon. I didn't like that the port on the Realize was plastic. The back of the LapBand is Titanium. The LapBand port is sutured onto the muscle and the Realize port has these "feet" things that punch into the muscle. I didn't like the way that sounded...lol. Another difference is the LapBand is pre-curved and the Realize Band is straight. My Surgeon told me that they both have shown the same results in studies...the Realize also has online tools, but the LapBand is in the process of getting a website thing going too. It's really just a matter of preference...They both do the same job...one is not better than the other. Good luck in your choice :smile:

I'm kind of worried too...my pre-op appointment was on the 28th and my surgery is on the 3rd...I was told I need to lose 10 pounds in that time period and I have also been told I can have 3-4 EAS AdvantEDGE drinks and a Lean Cuisine everyday and that's it...I feel sick all day and I don't know what to do...:smile:

I was going to try the Atkins shakes but they have too many calories...my Dr. wants me to drink the EAS that has 110 calories and the Atkins have 160...I'm doing it...it's just nasty...lol. My options were MediFast and EAS AdvantEDGE...blah :smile: lol.

I just wanted to say that Protein Drinks might be one of your problems...They're just liquid calories that go right through you...try to stick with Water and low or no calorie fluids...keep trying...you'll get there

Just wanted to say something about and earlier reply...my son had a Fundo done when he was 4 months old...with a fundo you cannot burp, vomit, nothing...they tie your stomach around itself so that stuff can go in, but not come out so I'm not exactly sure if thats how they really fix a Hernia or not...

Yep general...man I would hate to just be sedated...lol that would suck! :smile2:

Most of the people that I've talked to knew that they had a Hernia going into the surgery...and all of them had it fixed while having the lapband put in...good luck. I think everything will be okay....but what do I know...I'm not an md....lol Have a good one!!!

Hey. I'm a 22 year old mommy. I go in for my psych eval on 8/27 and surgeon's consult the next day...I guess I'm going to have to self pay. My hubby's in the army and all of the hospitals here wont take TriCare because they don't payout enough or something...oh well it'll be worth it! I've heard a lot of people talking about how painful it is after the surgery...I'm nervous...excited, but nervous. I just wanted to hear some input from other people in my position....the good and the bad. I can't wait to get this going :smile: I am currently 5'3'', 257 pounds, BMI of 45.5...keeping my chubby fingers crossed :thumbup: lol. Thank you in advance for anything and everything.:biggrin:

Thanks. The only place here that takes TriCare is the Army Hospital...lol...go figure right!!! Oh well...I've gotta do what I gotta do and am so ready!!! Thank you.

When I spoke with the Nurse today she said that the newer LapBand is larger so it takes a little longer to find your "sweet spot". The average weightloss is 1-2 pounds a week...It took you a while to put the pounds on...it's going to take sometime to get them off too!!! It'll come, just give it time and give it your all!!! Good luck!:smile2:

I have TriWest and I live in Washington. The surgery center that I went to said that no hospitals in Washington will take Tricare because they don't pay out enough or something...They said that if I wanted to go through my insuarance I would have to go to the army hospital...has anyone else had this problem or something like it?