adagray

I have more like 90 to lose right now, but just want to say congrats to you for losing so much on your own AND realizing you need some help to take off the last 50. I took off 50 on Weight Watchers, then it got soooooo hard (hungry all the time) that I quit, gained it all back, got depressed about it, gained more. You are so smart to realize you need this tool now. And, I would put money on it that you will meet your goal! :thumbup:

I really think this surgery allows you to make it what you want it to be. As many people have said before, it is a 'tool' and you decide how much you want to use it. If you follow the 'rules', then the tool works really really well and you can lose weight without being hungry which is awesome!!! If you refuse to follow the rules or are looking every which way as to how to bend them, then the band doesn't work that well because there are many ways to eat/drink around the band. My surgeon recommends band only to those that are highly motivated and rule followers. Otherwise, she says to do RNY or Sleeve. I think it makes sense... it is possible to sabotage yourself on the band (drink high calorie smoothies, ice cream, and eat stuff that slips right through the band), but if you are someone who has honestly given traditional dieting your full effort and still feel hungry, this I think is the tool you need. :thumbup:

Do you have your anxiety and depression reasonably controlled w/medication? I take Lexapro for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression. I don't feel any depression at all anymore. Occasionally, my GAD is still triggered, but never to the extent that it was before I was on Lexapro. When I took the psych test, there were a lot of questions I would've answered differently prior to treating my GAD and depression, but I answered them the way I CURRENTLY feel (medicated). Anyway, long story short, all of my doctors and surgeon know I am on Lexapro for these things and it has never been brought up as an issue. Like one of the other posters said, I think a lot of PCPs are just not very well educated when it comes to WLS.

Hey all, I went to my first support group meeting arranged through my surgeon's office, the psychologist who did my psych eval facilitates the support group meetings. They have these two times a month and require that you go to at least one meeting pre-op. Anyway, I just want to share how inspiring it was. There was a lady who had lost 220 pounds and everyone else who had the band for over a year had lost 100+. There was one lady who had it since April who lost 58. I'm just so amazed at how successful they all are and how they radiate self-confidence and happiness. Of course, these are the people still going to support group so probably more success in that group. I definitely want to hang w/that group! LOL Anyway, it was just so incredibly inspiring. There are so many people who don't know anything about WLS, but feel inclined to tell you about so-and-so who it didn't work for. It was exhilerating to be in a group of people who know all about it and are living proof that it works. :confused:

I don't have to do a pre op diet either. And, my surgeon has a very short post op diet as well. She wants you on solids within one week after surgery. Her paperwork actually emphasizes that you MUST start eating solid foods for the band to work. After reading on here about all the restrictions everyone else has, it seems like my doctor is way out there on this. But, she is supposedly the best bariatric surgeon in my area and a 'center of excellence' so I'm gonna trust her. This reminds me that I better really start practicing chewing, though. LOL

Let's see if my new ticker works...

I'm not quite in the exact same situation (my surgery date is not until 12/17, but I do have my parents arriving one week after (on 12/23) and I don't see them often and they do love food and wine. I've just decided this is more important! I am the type of person who can do ANYTHING for 2-4 weeks, though. I would just recommend focusing on family (not food) over this holiday and keeping yourself busy as much as possible. Drink a lot of Water, play cards, take pictures, show photo albums, etc... anything but handle food. I think its a good idea to order the meal from a grocery store like you mentioned. As for my Christmas meal (just one week after surgery), I'm planning on cooking (or directing the cooking). I am in such a good place right now as far as knowing this surgery is the most important thing to me that I know I don't care about the food this holiday season. I'm gonna stock up on post-surgery friendly stuff (protein shakes, Protein shots, liquids, and mushies) and I really don't care what anyone else eats. Its MY time to do what I NEED!!! :w00t:

I didn't have to wait 3 years, only 1 year, but I have to say that I do not regret the time I spent in this process. I have really struggled this year trying to get my head around all of this. I mean I KNOW it is what I need, but it has taken me some time to really embrace it and feel ready and even excited for it. In hindsite, I am grateful for the wait even though I didn't feel that way while in the process. :w00t:

I'm happy to officially say that I belong here! I got my surgery date today and it will be December 17. Funny thing is that this is the exact date that my mom got lapband surgery 2 years ago. I'm thinking that must be good luck! :biggrin: I haven't done a whole lot to prepare for surgery yet. I did start exercising again a couple months ago (doing Jazzercise) and have been good about doing that at least twice a week. Its not much, but its a start! Today, when I went to Costco, I bought 'Protein Shots' in fruit punch and orange flavors. They are 3 oz each and have 25 grams of Protein and only 100 calories. I tried the fruit punch one and thought it was pretty good... like liquid jello. I looked at the protein shakes, but was paralyzed trying to decide which one to try.

Hi Everyone! I just got my approval today (after two appeals w/Aetna) and am hoping my surgeon can get me in before the end of the year. I should hear back from them tomorrow. So excited!!!

I started off by telling my husband, parents, and inlaws. Really, these are the only people who I feel like I really NEED their support on this. And, they have all been fantastic about it. Of course, they all have seen first hand how much I struggle w/my weight as well. I'm a yoyo dieter so they see how much willpower I have, but how it always all comes back, plus some. After that, I started telling a lot of close friends and some not as close friends. This is where it got a little tricky for me. I'm the type of person who likes to be an open book and talk candidly about anything. But, I started getting a lot of stories and negative advice that I didn't want. I am not normally a sensitive person, but this negativity really started messing w/my mind because if this doesn't work, I'm really headed for some serious health issues. I don't doubt that it will work for me, though. My mom got lapband surgery and it has helped her overcome all of her obesity related health issues (the ones that I'm now starting to get). Anyway, I just can't deal w/all the negativity so I've stopped announcing it to the world. Enough people know already that it is not a 'secret', but I'm not gonna tell more people until its done and they start noticing weightloss. I would have trouble NOT telling the truth if someone wanted to know how I was losing weight so well. I don't want to perpetuate the myth that it was just diet, exercise, willpower that you need. Once you are morbidly obese, the reality is that you have only a 2% chance of taking off the weight without surgery and keeping it off. I think people need to start understanding that it is just not a matter of diet, exercise, and willpower.

Long long overdue update. I was denied in July because my BMI in 2007 was too low. I thought I'd wait until January to re-apply because then my 2007 weight wouldn't matter anymore. But, after my last doctor visit, I found out I have prediabetes and had to go on medication for high cholesterol too. That prompted me to write an appeal. I was denied again. I did a second level appeal. This one did the trick! Just found out today... I am approved!!! So for those of you out there struggling w/the insurance part, hang in there. Its a frustrating process, but persistence pays off. :biggrin:

Tomorrow is the big day for me... last nutritional visit and they submit to insurance. I wrote this letter back when I first started w/the process. Not sure if I should change anything. A letter like this is not required by insurance, but I am including it to put my low BMI in 2007 in perspective. Thanks in advance to anyone who can give me feedback on this. I am so nervous about the stuff being submitted to insurance tomorrow. Yikes! ***************************************** To Whom it May Concern: I am writing today to give you some background w/regards to my personal struggle w/obesity and what I hope to accomplish by having adjustable gastric band surgery. As with most people who struggle w/obesity, I have been on many diets and exercise program. I have been on so many that I'm sure I'm not even remembering all of them, but here is a sampling of diets I have tried: Weight Watchers (at least 5 times – including the exchange program, flex points, and core programs) Jenny Craig The Zone Dr. Phil's Weight Loss Solution Atkins McDougal Slimfast In addition, I have also tried many different exercise routines including walking, aerobics, weight training, treadmill, jazzercise, and DVDs. I have also tried the diet drug Xenical, but have not tried others since most are contraindicated for anyone who has high blood pressure (which has been a problem of mine for many years). With all of these efforts, I have only had moderate success w/getting my weight down and ultimately have regained all the weight and more each time. My last big attempt at weight loss started in October of 2005 when I joined Weight Watchers for the 'final' time and made the commitment to myself that I would lose this weight once and for all. I stuck to the program, exercised, regularly attended meetings and weighed in for over two years. Over the course of this time, I lost up to 45 pounds, but found that I could not lose weight beyond this point, and ultimately found it impossible to maintain the weight I had lost. I was hungry a great majority of the time and finally lost my will to continue the program last year. Over the course of 2008, I proceeded to gain all the weight back. As you can imagine, this was devastating. It took a lot of time, commitment, and persistence on my part to lose that weight in the first place and it all came back in less than half the time. Of course, this is just ONE example of my dieting/exercise efforts. I have spent the vast majority of my adult life trying to get my weight down to a healthy level or at least trying to stop gaining weight. Here is my weight history for the last 7 years: Year Weight Height BMI Notes 2002 210 65 35 Documented w/Dr. Wilson – includes notes about trying to lose weight before pregnancy 2003 208/230 65 35/38 Pregnancy #1: begin/end weights for pregnancy 2004 213 65 35 Documented w/Dr. Harpenau 2005 207/223 65 34/37 Pregnancy #2: begin/end weights for pregnancy 2006 195 65 32 Documented w/Bierman – on WW & mentioned in doctor's notes 2007 178 65 30 Documented w/Dr. Barlow – on WW & mentioned in doctor's notes 2008 210 65 35 Documented w/Dr. Pozun 2009 226 65 38 Documented w/Dr. Pozun Prior to each of my pregnancies, I dieted and exercised to try to bring my weight down as I understand that obesity makes pregnancy more risky. Unfortunately, I had very little success w/either attempt and my weight remained severely obese (in the range of 35) prior to each pregnancy. As I mentioned earlier, my last big attempt to lose weight was during 2006-2007 and although I had some success (getting my BMI as low as 30), I remained obese and was not able to maintain the weight loss despite great effort and persistence on my part. Now, I realize that in the world of weight loss surgery, I may be seen as a 'lightweight' since I am not morbidly obese at this point in my life. I am very seriously concerned about the impact that this obesity is having on my health, though. As early as 1999, I was told that I had high blood pressure so I went off birth control pills to try to bring it down. In 2002, I was put on my first blood pressure medication (Aldomet/Methyldopa). This is one of the few blood pressure medicines that is safe for pregnancy so I remained on this through the birth of my second child although it did not consistently keep my blood pressure under control. In 2006, I changed blood pressure medicine to Atenolol. I had a terrible time on that medication as it made it even more difficult to lose weight and made me very tired all the time. So, I went back on Aldomet. In 2008, I changed to Lisinopril which I remain on today. I am now up to double the dose that my current doctor originally put me on, but my blood pressure is still not well controlled. My last reading (January 2009) was 155/99. I also found out in November 2008 that I now have high cholesterol. This news may not seem like a big deal to most people, but it really hit me hard as I feel like I am going down the same path as my mother did w/all of the health problems she has had her entire life due to obesity. I am very afraid that I will end up developing Type 2 Diabetes just as she did along w/all of the other obesity related problems she has endured. As I have tried so hard to lose weight myself, I have seen her try just as hard, but ultimately fail each and every time. It has been heartbreaking to see what she has gone through and even more heartbreaking to know that my husband and children may have to go through the same heartbreak w/me. The one thing that has given me hope recently, though, is seeing what my mother has been able to accomplish (in regards to turning her health around) in the last year since she had lapband surgery. She has lost 95 pounds and is off almost all of her medications (for high bp, cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes). At one point, she couldn't even walk one block and now she walks several blocks to and from work every day. I know from her that even w/this surgery, it still takes a lot of work to lose weight and keep it off. But, I know that this is the tool that can finally help me to help myself actually get to a healthy weight and, most importantly, keep it off. Sincerely,

I've had to try to explain it to some naturally skinny people as well and its hard. They equate their struggle w/the last 5-10 pounds and what they have to do to get/keep that off to our obesity problem which is entirely different. The way I've explained it to these people is that I know I'm capable of losing a lot of weight on my own (w/diet and exercise). I've lost up to 50 pounds twice. But, I lose very slow (like a half pound a week) and I have to endure a lot of hunger to even achieve that. They say you have to change your lifestyle, but its not human nature (or humanly possible) to maintain a 'lifestyle' that requires you to be uncomfortably hungry a lot of the time. So, I always gain the weight back. Statistically, if you are obese (genetically, your body is capable of becoming obese), then the chances of you losing that weight and keeping it off is 2%. Those odds SUCK! Statistically, if you have WLS, the average person keeps off anywhere from 40-60% of their excess weight depending on what study you read (and I believe good aftercare support boosts that number even higher). That might still sounds like it sucks (ha!), but it sure is a hell of a lot better than the alternative. And, most importantly, it gives the obese person a chance to become healthy if they really want to. Still takes work, but it at least gives us a chance. Don't we at least deserve that chance?

If you do cheat, make sure it is something that at least has protein. My surgeon allows cottage cheese after just a few days post-op. I don't know exactly how long cause I don't have my band yet, but that seems like it might be a safe choice. I am sensitive to high carb foods (messes w/my blood sugar) so I would never grab a waffle if I was starving. That is likely to drive your hunger up even more. Maybe call your surgeon's office and see what they recommend. I'm sure its not the first time they will have had someone call and say they just can't do only liquids any longer.

One thing I wanted to add is even if you could lose this fast on WW, the weight is very very likely to come back later and more. I think one of the greatest benefits of WLS is not so much how fast you lose, but that it is very unlikely to come back. Yes, some have a rebound effect and gain back maybe 20% of what they lost. But, w/regular dieting, most gain back 100% plus more. It took me 2 years to lose 45 pounds on WW so don't assume you could lose 25 pounds on WW in 6 weeks. Its pretty rare for people to lose even 1-2 pounds CONSISTENTLY on WW. Yes, maybe you lose 5 pounds the first week, but after that it levels out. Of course, everyone loses at a different pace, but personally, I think 25 pounds in 6 weeks is AWESOME!!! In the long run, though, really the only thing that matters is that the weight keeps coming off (no matter how slow) and that it STAYS off. I know I could lose weight again on WW, but I just can't bear to be that hungry all the time just to have it all come back again.

I feel bad that your doctors didn't set your expectations right. On one of my first visits to my surgeon's office, I met w/a nutritionist who asked me which surgery I was interested in and when I said lapband, she made a point of explaining that I need to understand that the weight will not just fall off (like w/RNY) immediately after lapband surgery. She told me I might not lose any weight in the first two months while my body is healing from surgery. And, that it takes most people 6 months to get to the proper fill level. She also explained that there are some foods I may no longer be able to eat (some foods that a lot of people can't tolerate after lapband - like bread) and that once I get to the proper fill level, I should be aiming for losing 1-2 pounds per week. I haven't had my surgery yet and I have to admit that others experiences of losing faster makes me hope that I might enjoy similar results. But, I will be happy either way. Even though you can supposedly lose 1-2 pounds per week on WW (I've done it before when I was younger), as I get older, it gets harder and I can really only lose .5 per week on WW now even if I do it perfectly (and am hungry all the time). So, the lady who complained about only losing 26 pounds in 10 weeks, I'm really thinking that rate of loss is pretty good... 2.6 pounds per week. I would LOVE that! Of course, the hunger part immediately after surgery and being told only to drink shakes for an extended period of time would get to me, but my surgeon's office does not ask you to do that. They want you on real food ASAP because long-term its solid foods that will keep you full on lapband (not liquids and squishy stuff that goes right through). Of course, maybe this is why they set expectations that you might lose nothing the first 2 months... because they get you on solid food ASAP and you have no restriction at that point.

This is an interesting discussion. I'm glad to know about the 'continuity of care' option. I also think its a good idea w/any surgery like this (where ongoing coverage is not guaranteed) to start putting away money now for any future needs. Pretty much with anything implanted into your body, you may need revision surgery later or want it just because technology keeps moving and there may be better options in the future. Most women who get breast implants eventually need to get them replaced at least once (some twice) in a lifetime so it makes sense that w/the band (or any implanted device), you should plan that it might need to be replaced/modified at some point (especially if you are getting it young).

Oh man, how annoying! Well, maybe if they don't have time to talk to your surgeon, they should just approve it already!!! Sorry you have to deal w/this. Hugs.

The 6 months really does fly by. I just finished my six months supervised diet for Aetna. I thought it was stupid, but the nutritionist I worked with was actually very helpful. It wasn't just another diet, but she was teaching me specifically how I will eat and drink once I get the band. The habits I've been working on will help me a lot once I get the band (protein first, sipping water all day, no soda, no calorie beverages, limiting carbs, chewing well, etc.). I've also needed the time I think to get my head around it all (if that makes sense). This is really it.

I have my last nutritional visit in one week and they will send my stuff off to insurance right after. For this whole time, I've just been cruisin along, doing what I need to do, not really worried. But, now that its coming down to the wire w/insurance, I am getting really nervous. I got all my bases covered (two cormids - longstanding high bp not well controlled w/meds and sleep apnea requiring CPAP) and my BMI is around 38 now and was 35 in 2008. I have a long long history of failed diet attempts. The only problem is that I was successful on WW in 2007 so my BMI was below 35 for that whole year. I have weights past 2 years that show I was 35+ previous though. I just anticipate that I will be denied automatically because of that and have to go through the appeal process. So annoying because its like you are damned if you do (diet and lose) and damned if you don't (cause they also require that you tried to diet). (BTW, I have Aetna) I feel like its a long shot, but I hope they will just approve me the first time. What are the chances of that??? :thumbup: Anyway, I am rambling, but any words of support you can give me are very much appreciated. Thanks!

Its too long... I have put you all to sleep. LOL OK, this thing is getting submitted to insurance today along w/all the rest of my stuff (my file must be an inch thick by now). Wish me luck!!!

Today is the day! I am still so nervous. Not sure why since this is just the BEGINNING of the wait to hear back from insurance. Looks like this was the wrong week to quit drinking (odd 'airplane' movie reference LOL).

If you go on the Aetna website and go into your account, you can look up what your 'max coinsurance' is. I believe this is the same as 'max out of pocket'. I have Aetna and have to pay 20%, but my max coinsurance is $2000 so I know it won't be more than $2000. And, the coinsurance is cumulative so if you've already paid for sleep studies, etc. (like I have already paid $600). The most I will pay for the surgery if I have it this year is $1400. Could be less if the 20% doesn't add up to $2000, but its probably best to just budget for the max coinsurance amount since you could have complications, extra day in hospital or whatever that might end up adding up to that anyway.

I'm not sure, but just want to let you know it is really no big deal if you do have to have a catheter. I had 2 planned c-sections, catheters w/both, never felt it going in, and there is nothing painful about it being in there or taken out. I don't know HOW that works because you would THINK it would be painful or at least uncomfortable in some way, but it really wasn't. Honestly, I think I'd rather have one than pee myself.