NewDay

Hi all. Just like Maggie, I got denied twice and went ahead and self-paid. I hired Gary Viscio to appeal for the third time and just found out recently that the insurance company was overturned. YEAH!!! They have to reimburse my costs. I started the process in March, had the LapBand in August. It was worth it every step of the way. I didn't care if I had to pay or not, I wanted and needed the LapBand. I'm just so happy the insurance denial was overturned. They shouldn't make it so miserable! My advice to all, hang in there and keep the appeal process going to the end.

The people who make Effexor said it could be opened and put in a spoonful of applesauce. Call them if you need to check. They all publish customer service phone numbers.

Hello Caroline, We must have seen each other on the 4th cause I was banded by Dr Haag first thing that morning. I feel the same as you with regard to the shakes. I actually think like vomiting if i even smell one of those things again. My sister thinks I'm nuts, but I can smell them in my head and could literally gag! I haven't tried anything radical yet but did have some tuna fish yesterday. Didn't sit well in my intestines! I went golfing with hubby and had a couple of sips of his beer. I have a noticeable increase in how much i can eat and don't like it one bit. I can't give you any advice. I just feel that I know what's good and bad and I really do try to watch out. I walked the treadmill for 20 minutes and will do so again today. I love my port and try to get hubby to love it too. I make him feel it all the time like when i was pregnant. It must be my new baby. Good luck to you and hope to meet you someday.

I was banded on the 4th at Baystate in Massachusetts by Dr Haag. I'm still sore today but definitely feeling much better. My abs feel like a muscle tear and are still hurting but very manageable. No more pain meds for me. I hate the liquid pain stuff anyhow. As a matter of fact, there isn't much at this liquid stage i can take much longer. I hate the taste and smell of the protein drinks. I long for something that isn't sweet or chocolate,vanilla, or strawberry flavored. I had some V-8 juice last night and felt good. Maybe it's the mind thing realizing I was actually consuming some veg. It's hard now to watch the hubby and son eating real food and snacking! Either they only eat at the kitchen table, or I have to leave the room. It's head hunger cuz I'm definitely not feeling stomach hunger yet.' Hope everyone's feeling good and good luck to all who are right around the corner.

You bandsters rock! I am 3 days postop and wouldn't go back to work. My port area and abs are extremely sore. I still need help getting out of bed and off the couch. I'm only taking percocet at bedtime now. I get up to walk around frequently and went out for a drive with my hubby. I'm on liquids only for a week. Unjury for me. all the rest are gross. I hope this pain goes away soon. I could use some good hot creamy soup.

Everyone at Baystate was fantastic. Dr Haag did a wonderful job. I'm so happy to be in Bandland finally. I'm still waiting to find out if my final appeal was accepted. I self paid because I just kept getting more and more distraught waiting. It was worth it just to say the hell with the Insurance. If it comes through now, they are supposed to reimburse me. If not, at least I won't be bummed out again. Good luck to all.

Hello all. I'm banded finally and feel good. Went into surgery yesterday at 7:30 and was home around 6:30. Hubby went and got my prescription for percocet filled and I really do need that today. I'm getting around well, but still have pain. Nothing unbearable though. Dr Haag was great and everyone at Baystate was wonderful.

I'm banded. I went in for surgery yesterday at 7:30 am and got back home aroung 6:30 last night. Everything was extremely easy. Today I'm sore and needed a percocet. I've been walking around a lot and drinking plenty of fluids. My husband is amazed with me!

Friday August 4th bright and early for me. YIIIIPPPPPEEEEE!!!!

For anyone interested in self pay cost, just want to let you know that Baystate is $11000, the surgeon is around $4500 and the anesthesiologist(sp?) is around $1500. I'm still hoping the appeal will be overturned and the insurance will reimburse me but I'm scheduled for Aug 4th and looking forward to the day. Not waiting anymore to hear on the appeal (3rd one) was the best thing I did. I didn't realize what an effect all the paperwork and waiting had on my mood. When I had enough and booked the surgery, all the anger, anxiety and depression that built up from all the delays and "denied" ended. They have no idea how they affected me once I finally made the decision to be banded. They(Insurance) caused me a great deal of stress and my health, both physical and mental, went straight to hell. I came right back when I booked the sugery as a self pay and my mood is upbeat and happy again. My headaches and heartaches are gone and I am looking forward to a healthy future.

Why can't any of this go smoothly? The OPM is not responding to any calls for an update on the insurance appeal. They took forever to log it into the system and were supposed to give me a control number within 5 days. Have I even gotten that yet? Noooo! I had to come up with $17000 because I am scheduled for surgery onAugust 4th. I guess I could have waited to hear from the OPM and their decision on the appeal, but I have been slogging through the insurance procedure since March and made the decision to not wait any longer. I am at the edge of my patience and extremely nervous about everything.

Hi everyone. I am scheduled for surgery on August 4th and have 2 weeks out of work for vacation scheduled. I am wondering about going back to work. I have intermittent heavy lifting to do. I work on a loading dock and have to open and close tractor trailer doors intermittently throughout the shift. I don't want to go back on restricted limitations because a) i really don't want anyone to know b)they can send me home without any pay So, for those of you who are experienced, do you think i could do my job?

My band date is August 4th and I'm so happy. I'm still awaiting insurance answer to my 3rd request but I'm self paying unless i hear from them. I just couldn't wait any longer. I have time off of work in August and just want to get on with it. I am so looking forward to the other side of surgery and a new start.