ncsoutherngirl

Hello. I'm from NC also. Call your insurance company and ask them to fax or send you the policy information on Bariatric surgery. I have BCBS and they sent me the information and I followed it to a t. I read it over and over and made sure that everything they required, I had done. Some insurance company require things that other insurance companies don't. I know your doctor will find out what your insurance company requires but I wanted to know for myself. I work in the medical field billing Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance. I know how busy I get and I just wanted to make sure my Doctors office didn't overlook anything that was required. It also gave me piece of mind that when everything was turned in for approval I knew it was there. I wish you the best of luck on your journey.

My exam did not go good at all. I also have bipolar disorder and did not agree with alot of things he said about me. I left angry and just knew I would not be able to have the surgery. We all have issues with food. If we didn't then why would we need the band. I think what the insurance company and the doctor wants to know is that you can handle those issues after surgery. I was denied because of something he wrote in my note but my doctor had him to reword it and I got approved after that. What he didn't write in the note was that I was willing to seek help after the surgery if I started having issues with food. As long as they know you are willing to seek help if you need it then you will be ok. Its been 9 months since I was banded and I LOVE MY BAND. Good luck.

I was having the same problem as you. I lost most of my weight the first 3 months and then it stopped. I was banded August 15, 2008 and by the end of October the weight loss completely stopped. I had 3 fills and nothing. Like you I felt like I was eating as much as before. I lost all hope. I talked with the Bariatric Nurse at the hospital and she told me to go to my doctor for a consult. I made the appt and he talked to me for a few minutes. He asked me about my eating and was I hungry soon after meals. I told him yes. Well then he says, lets give you another cc fill. I already had 5 cc's with no restriction what so ever and was thinking what will one cc do? Boy was I supprised. That was 12 days ago and I have already lost 9 pounds. I eat a small amount of food and I'm full. Please don't give up. The restriction will come. I took me 5 months with no weight loss and 1 little cc worked wonders. Good luck to you and I hope I helped answer you question.

Yahoo!!!!!I'm so happy for you. Good luck and let us know how everything goes.

I haven't posted in a while. I've been through alot of ups and downs. I was losing weight great the first two months. Every time I would get on the scales I would see the weight coming off. Then in October it stopped!!! I was hungry all the time. I wasn't gaining weight but wasn't losing either. I finally scheduled my first fill and was so excited. I thought this is the answer, I will get restriction and the weight will start to come off again. Boy was I wrong. I left the office as hungry as before with no restriction what so ever. I thought why did I do this. I feel no different than before. The lap band wasn't doing anything I thought it would do and I had to wait 6 weeks weeks before another fill. I struggled the whole 6 weeks. I was fighting hunger and was eating more than ever. Finally it was time for the second fill. I went with no great expectations. He did the fill and gave me water to drink. With the first fill I drank the cup down with no problem. So this time I took one gulp. No problem. Then another gulp and "ouch". It was sitting in my throat. Of course he told me to do liquids for the day. So I did. It is amazing now. I'm getting full after a few bites of food. I'm eating only a quarter of the food that it took me before to get full. The weight is coming off again. Now I finally know what the band is supposed to do and that it is working. I am down 6 pounds since I had the fill on Wednesday. I am so happy I got the band. 2 months ago I had my doubts and was angry with my band, with my doctor, I was mad at the world. So to anyone who is struggling like I was, don't give up. It may take a while and a few fills but the band does work. Don't give up.

I haven't posted in a while. I've been through alot of ups and downs. I was losing weight great the first two months. Every time I would get on the scales I would see the weight coming off. Then in October it stopped!!! I was hungry all the time. I wasn't gaining weight but wasn't losing either. I finally scheduled my first fill and was so excited. I thought this is the answer, I will get restriction and the weight will start to come off again. Boy was I wrong. I left the office as hungry as before with no restriction what so ever. I thought why did I do this. I feel no different than before. The lap band wasn't doing anything I thought it would do and I had to wait 6 weeks weeks before another fill. I struggled the whole 6 weeks. I was fighting hunger and was eating more than ever. Finally it was time for the second fill. I went with no great expectations. He did the fill and gave me water to drink. With the first fill I drank the cup down with no problem. So this time I took one gulp. No problem. Then another gulp and "ouch". It was sitting in my throat. Of course he told me to do liquids for the day. So I did. It is amazing now. I'm getting full after a few bites of food. I'm eating only a quarter of the food that it took me before to get full. The weight is coming off again. Now I finally know what the band is supposed to do and that it is working. I am down 6 pounds since I had the fill on Wednesday. I am so happy I got the band. 2 months ago I had my doubts and was angry with my band, with my doctor, I was mad at the world. So to anyone who is struggling like I was, don't give up. It may take a while and a few fills but the band does work. Don't give up.

I am so glad I read your post. I was just fussing with my friends today about how slow my weight loss was. They all told me that I needed to calm down because slow is good and it will give my body time to adjust to the weight loss. This site is go great because it shows other people go through the same things you do.

I also had sleep apnea and did not know I had it. I was tired all the time and wanted to sleep all the time. My husband also said I snored but he never said I gasped for a breath. Luckly this was one of the test my doctor required that I have with all the other test for lap band and I'm so glad I had the sleep study done. I received my cpap machine and within a couple of days I had more energy than I have had in a long time. Since I have had the surgery and have lost 30 pounds I haven't worn the machine in a while. My husband says he no longer hears me snore (Thank God) and I'm not tired anymore. Get the test done because it is a proven fact that people who don't sleep good tend to be overweight. Good luck and keep us informed on how things go.

I have Blue Cross and Blue Sheild of NC. I was denied my first try and I also wanted to give up. I was denied on a Friday and got my letter in the mail. I had to wait until Monday to call the drs office. Really I had given up. Finally the drs office said I was denied because they needed a 2003 weight and the Psych Eval had to be rewritten because he didn't address if I could mentally handle the surgery. This was done and sent in. The way my luck is I just knew I would be denied again but I was approved. Don't give up. It may be just a few small things they need. Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

The weight has been falling off so slow lately but I finally have reached 30 pounds lost. I'm now 203 and I was at 233. I'm feeling great. Hope this continues because I have had such highs and lows. I want this to be a success because this is my last chance at reaching my goals. I keep telling myself "you can do it" and I'm starting to finally have enough faith in myself to believe I can. :cry_smile:

The weight has been falling off so slow lately but I finally have reached 30 pounds lost. I'm now 203 and I was at 233. I'm feeling great. Hope this continues because I have had such highs and lows. I want this to be a success because this is my last chance at reaching my goals. I keep telling myself "you can do it" and I'm starting to finally have enough faith in myself to believe I can.

It seems like every time I bring up getting a fill to the Registered Nurse she goes on and on about what I'm eating. I am making good choices with my food but I'm hungry. I can't make her understand I'm HUNGRY. I had no fill during surgery and I feel like I need one now. I got a comment from her that a fill is not the answer. If a fill is not the answer why get the band to begin with. This is a tool and how can the tool work if they won't listen to what I'm going through. I'm fighting hunger most of the day. I have lost 27 pounds but its because I'm going hungry alot. What more I can do to make them listen. I've had a very trying day...Hope tomorrow is better.

It seems like every time I bring up getting a fill to the Registered Nurse she goes on and on about what I'm eating. I am making good choices with my food but I'm hungry. I can't make her understand I'm HUNGRY. I had no fill during surgery and I feel like I need one now. I got a comment from her that a fill is not the answer. If a fill is not the answer why get the band to begin with. This is a tool and how can the tool work if they won't listen to what I'm going through. I'm fighting hunger most of the day. I have lost 27 pounds but its because I'm going hungry alot. What more I can do to make them listen. I've had a very trying day...Hope tomorrow is better.

I have a machine and the nurse at the hospital asked me did I have one and I told her yes. She said bring it. Well I forgot mine and left it at home. Once I arrived at the hospital I was never asked about it. You can borrow one just to be safe but I wouldn't bring it up unless they asked. Good luck.

Don't let other people get to you. Maybe other people can do it on their own, I could not. I was banded on August 15 and I have lost 25 pounds including the 8 pounds I lost with the 2 week diet prior to surgery. I'm 40 and I figured if I haven't lost it by now I would never lose it. Being banded was my last option and I'm glad I did it. You are going to get different reactions from everyone some will be good and some will be bad. Just hold your head up high. Do this for you and no one else. By the way...I had a "skinny friend" who told me just to back away from the table. She had a baby and gained weight, not alot but enough that she needed to diet to get in her clothes. The other day she told me, "This isn't easy. I'm sorry I thought it was as easy as backing away from the table but it's not." Get your band girl and be proud of it. Oh and as you said, this is not an easy way out. I still watch what I eat but I just can't eat as much. Remember, do this for you to make yourself healther. Good luck.