TQUAD64

That is a good question that only your insurance company will know the answer too. Everyone on this forum has different insurances or no insurance. Of those different insurance there are unique variations based on your employers benefit plan selections. The best thing to do, is call your insurance.

Sounds like you need a new fill doctor. Someone who works more closely with you. My LapBand AP is 10cc. My doctor left 3cc in the band at surgery. She gave me 1.5cc on December 10, and I go back on January 14 for another fill and check up. I am to new to rate success. However, I am pleased with my weight loss so far. 30 pounds down and three pant sizes gone.

Hi mrwall. Don't give up hang on and make some more inquiries. I too travel 85 miles one way from my house to get to my appointments/fills and of course to have the surgery. It really is not bad. Sometimes if I am really lucky, I can get a lunch time appointment and go from work. My job is 40 miles away from the clinic/hospital. As far as an emergency, I would have to go somewhere close to home. Thank goodness, I have not had any emergencies. But it is an important consideration.

Your pictures are beautiful and you can see the difference. Great job!

Well I cannot fight nor do I want to fight the system. I want my surgery! So when Blue Shield of California told me I needed 6-months of supervised diets, I said okay. I started January 2007 and thought I was done June 2007, but was told I actually needed to go to July 2007. Really, what does one extra month really matter? So I did 7 months and I actually kept on going and continue to go to this very day. It cannot hurt you. You will learn from it. And it gets you one step closer to your surgery. So just do what you insurance company asks you to do. You will not regret it! Best of luck to you and your journey.

I would get a slight unfill, so you can consume nutrient rich calories.

Me too Bill. When I donate blood at the blood bank, I close my eyes. When I have to do blood lab work, I look the other way. I don't like seeing needles going inside me.:cursing:

Hi Beza: Your title says it all, "Take a Deep Breath." And hang on tight. The process is a roller coaster ride of mixed emotions. I was happy, scared, and filled with anxiety. But I made it and you will to. Welcome to LBT! Good luck.

Totally worth it! Your post makes sense to me. I questioned myself over and over before having this procedure. I researched and thought about it for about 2-years. The day I was in the pre-op room being prepped for the surgery, I thought what would happen if I just sneaked out of here? I can just run away and skip this surgery. But I stuck with it and I am glad I did. During the 6-month supervised diet, I did not lose weight.. I think if anything I lost maybe 4 pounds. When I started I was 5'6" at 251 pounds. I was around a 41/42 BMI. I thought the same thing you did. My insurance company is never going to approve me, because I cannot lose weight. But they did approve and I did have the surgery. My other fear was what if I just cannot stop eating. I had HUGE portion control issues. I was always hungry. What if I fail??? Well, I can only eat so much with the Band. Seriously, I get full and very little. I was eating 3,000 to 3,500 calories a day. Now I am at ,1,200 with a good fill. I am not hungry looking for food all the time. I am not failing. You can do this, because there have been so many other people on this forum who have done this and who are in the process of doing this. You have support here! You will not regret your decision. You deserve a healthy life, so give yourself a healthy life!

Awesome! Congrats!

Hi Jennidog. It is important to remember that we are individuals, thus each person's experience is remarkably different from each others. Don't compare yourself to others, it just leads to heartache and constant questioning. You are doing an amazing job. Kudos to you for losing 20 pounds during the holidays. And you are not gaining. Once you get your fill, you can expect more weight loss. I am not sure if you rae tracking calories, but I find this helpful too. Plus, increasing your exercise will help nudge the scale lower. I bet your losing lots of inches as well, so don't always look at the number on the scale. Hang in there. Your fill is around the corner and congrats on your weight loss.

Hello: My PC could not recommend a bariatric doctor to me, because I had to use the centers that my insurance company would pay for. My insurance company gave me two bariatric centers to choose from. Each center has several doctors that either performed the lapband or the bypass. From there, I asked my RN case manager what she heard via the grapevine regarding these to centers. And from there I selected the center and then the doctor. The center I selected is 85 miles one way from my home, but is well worth the drive. I am doing very well.

I was banded in November and I swear the stomach noises were so loud that I expected my next door apartment neighbor to start banging on the wall. By the time I went to work, two weeks after surgery, the stomach noises were not as loud. By that time, I was on mushies.

My doctor states we can eat all the foods (including rice) we did prior to banding except a lot less of them. To the original poster. Eat slowly so your mind can really sense when you are full. Chew your food completely and don't watch t.v., read, drive, listen to the radio, or play on the computer when eating. These activties tend to distract you from knowing when to stop eating or knowing when you are full.

You poor thing. Go to your primary care doctor if you have one, but don't pull or tug at it. Let someone in the medical field look at it. Keep the area clean and dry and whatever you do don't play around with the thread.

Wow 2-hours after a meal is extreme. My doctor allows us to drink right before a meal, and I have to wait at least 1-hour after a meal. Call your doctor for clarification.

There is a great nutrition/cooking thread on this forum. You should check it out. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f82/ Good luck!

Yes, it is worth it, because it get you one step closer to having your surgery. My insurance required that I complete this and I suspect they do this to see how badly you want the procedure. I had many steps I had to complete prior to having the surgery. Good luck!

Infection is a big risk, along with doing damage to the port. Plus, what if you do a self-fill and something goes terribly wrong? One would think that the insurance company would not pay the expenses associated to damage caused by self-fills.

Megan: I have not found my sweet spot either. I was banded on 11/10/08. 11/10/08 3cc fill 12/10/08 1.5 cc fill 1/14/09 fill ???? I am hoping to get another 1.5cc fill. Right now, I am eating every three hours, but when I have a fill, I eat every 6 to 7 hours. My fills keep me going for about two weeks at 6 to 7 hours feeding, but after that I get hungry sooner after a meal.

I had the same issue with the same insurance company. I started seeing the nutritionist January 2008. I had to go visit her or my doctor once a month. And I did go every month, so in my mind I thought I would be done by June 2008. However, they wanted me to go until July 2008, which to me is 7-months. Anyway, I still go to the nutritionist and I did have the surgery. Good luck!

Wow that is beyond frustrating. I have heard via this forum that the insurance company looks at the BMI from the initial consult. I would submit the paper work and wait for their response. If you are denied you can seek an appeal or gain enough weight to put you over a 40 BMI, so you can resubmit. I no gaining weight sounds crazy, but having this surgery is worth it. Good luck!

As far as appointments required, that depends on your insurance plus your surgeon. Both will have different requirements. I have Blue Shield of California and I completed at least 1 Primary Care Doctor appointment, I completed 6 nutrition appointments and 1 psych appointment before they would approve me to see the surgeon (not to have surgery, but only to meet the surgeon. The surgeon would not meet me until I completed all their requirements: 1 orientation class, 1 pre-op class, 1 nutrition/exercise class. Then I had my surgeon appointment and from there I had several medical test appointments. All in all, I probably completed 20 task/appointments so that I could have the surgery. By the way these appointments don't stop once you have the surgery. Aftercare is extremely important to your success with banding. I have an appointment with the surgeon monthly, whereupon I receive a fill if needed. Plus, I do monthly blood work and attend support group appointments. And on top of all that, I still go see my nutritionist. You know the saying it "Takes a Village"? I am counting on the village to help me help myself become successful with this Band. As far as recovery time. Everyone is different. I had complications and stayed in the hospital for 2.5 days. I did not feel human until day 7 post op. I went back to my desk job after two-weeks off work. Good luck!