Mr. Green

Just checking to see you got approved or not?

4/29 for me!!!!

Sounds like a well informed session. Just make sure you check YOUR insurance requirments since a lot of them require a 3-6 month program to lose weight and get some education on changing your lifestyle. Best of luck to you on your new journey.

IMO, a doctor should learn how to do these surgeries by being a resident and working with an experienced surgeon. I would not be a training ground for some doctor that has years of experience doing RNY and then decided to do Bands. You know what they say about an old dog and new tricks. I would be looking for someone who is experienced not only with the surgery, but the after care and treating Band problems if they occur.

I'm waiting for a call from the office to schedule my surgery at Magee. I got a call last Friday that I was approved and they said they would call this week to schedule a date. After my 6 months classes were up, I waited for approval about 2 weeks.

I can say that my experience with Magee has been great so far. I have been approved for the Band and I'm waiting for a surgery date after finishing my 6 months with them.

I have UPMC and I'm also in PA. UPMC states that you cannot have any gain during the 6 months. Now, I did have a slight gain but it was very early on. I did show 3 months of progressive loss and ended around 10-12 lbs. less than I started. I got approval and I am waiting to be scheduled. Ask your doctors office what they think and I am sure they can tell you go or no go. I have heard of people getting approval as long as they are lower than when they started, but I take all of that with a grain of salt. Each case is different so again I default to the docs office who would know the best. If you are the same weight when you started I think they will deny you. You need to have a shown a loss and everyone keeps telling me that UPMC is the toughest of them all. Just curious, which hospital are you working with?

I believe that your employer can have a rider on the insurance policy excluding the coverage of certain things such as WLS, Plastics, Fertility treatments, etc. I have read on here certain people having WLS excluded from there policy.

My insurance required the 6 month diet and I guess you could call it Behavior Mod Program. It included monthly weigh-ins along with life style change and education (how to eat right, make good choices, avoid stress eating, etc.). The 3 month program to me sounds like the same thing where they instruct you on all of the above, basically to change those nasty habits we all have to help lose weight. Just make sure you have everything spelled out for you and you follow it exactly leaving no room for the insurance to deny you.

Like it was said above, depends on the Doc. and Insurance. My doctor requires an overnight stay.

I just had mine a few days ago and I can not stress to drink, drink, and drink some more after this test. I felt like I had a belly full of barium for most of Friday. When I finally went to the bathroom on Saturday I felt like I lost 5lbs right there:w00t:

I think you will find that every doctor is different when it comes to Caffeine. Mine allows about the equivalent of about 1 small coffee a day after you heal and are on regular foods. Any pop or carbonation is out due to the effects it can have on your band. As far as pills, ask you doctor and do not crush anything unless you are told you are allowed. A lot of meds are time release and dissolve slowly.

My doc says no drinking before during of after meals for the same reasons stated above. Also stressed no soda or carbonation what so ever. You can read a lot on this forum about the stress it can cause on your pouch. I read several people letting it go flat, but I cannot stand flat pop.

Your decision, but here is was a lot of companies are doing with the craze. Not a dig on the product itself, but the people selling it. From the local news channel. Better Business Bureau: Do Your Homework On Companies Selling Acai Berries - kdka.com

Does your insurance require a weight loss? As you will read, most insurance companies require some loss during the 6 months diet and excercise program. If not, I would go back to what your surgeon says.

I have read where people are released that day and some stay 1 or 2 days. I know my surgeon requires at least a one night stay after surgery. Best to call and find out, but remember that every case and person is different.

About 2 months for me. I took a look at my daughter playing on the floor one day and decided that enough is enough. I attended a seminar at the hospital and I was all set. I am now in month 5 of my 6 month pre-op diet and exercise program and have seen the sugeon already and was told I was a good case to have the band. Need 2 more weigh in's, NUT. and PSY. consult and everything will be submitted to the insurance.

Follow Phase 1 and your doctors orders. You will drop some weight. Good luck on your new journey. I think Phase 1 on SB is the eaisest and much more healthy than Atkins. Stick to it and do not cheat and you will do fine.

With any surgery, you have risks and this is one of them. Now, I know that probably does not make it OK in your mind, but I think a lot of this type of stuff can be linked to having the right doctor and proper follow up care. IMO, with things like this you might hear half the story with what happened or how this progressed.

I feel your pain!!! I waited about an hour past my appointment to talk with the doctor for a total of 10 min. She said I was a good case for the band and I my insurance would approve it, I was good to go. I spent some time with a resident or PA giving my history, but just a little time with the doctor. It's amazing from all the research you do that you really don't have a lot of questions. The rest of the staff is pretty good and thank God I bring a newspaper and my I-Pod.

I am no doctor, but I would find a way you could monitor this on a regular basis. Either go to a store that has that automatic blood pressure machine, or buy one yourself. It is not that bad from what I have seen in the past, but your weight loss may be helping this dip. Like I said, I would find a way to monitor this daily and keep a record so when and if you see a doctor, he has a history.

I don't think the 6 months has to be any certain weight loss program such as Weight Watchers, etc. My insurance just says you have to have 6 months of instruction on diet, excercise, weight loss, healthy eating and so on. I get weighed each month (need to show a loss each month) and have to log every food that I eat every day. At my weigh-ins they do an short module on life style changes, etc. Also need a Nut. and Psyc. consult after I meet with the surgeon.

My insurance does not take family history into consideration. All my research I am doing for the band seems to have the same story, everything applies to you. Even with that, it seems like a history of obesity (say from childhood on) does not matter much. What appears to matter is either the last 5 year history (with some insurance companies) or what your weight was when you started with a doc. The main things that they seem to take into consideration is if you have a history of sleep apnea, high blood pressure, problems with blood sugar, and a few more that I can't remember.

I have not been banded yet, but I am on month 5 of my 6 month Diet and Exercise program. Magee so far has been great. No issues that I know of and my Doctors appointment is next week for the first time. I will let you know my overall impressions from that later. They do both Bypass and Band so if you know going into this what you want and have done the research, it should not be an issue. I do recommend paying for there 6 month lifestyle classes and weigh-ins as it seems it will be worth it in the end. They seem to know their stuff and what it takes to get approved by insurance. Oh well, more later next week.

Like a lot of people said, it varies from a few days, two weeks, to none at all on a pre-op diet. Now this is seperate than the 6 month diet and exercise that some insurance companies make you do to prove you can eat right and lose some weight. The 6 month diet IMO is a great tool to prep you for the band. No time better than to start eating right like a banded person and kick some old habits. I look at it this way, you may have a hard time with the reduction in food pre and post band, but think of the overall benefits in the long run.