amberd910

You just had major surgery! I am on day 8 post op, and it was my first day back at work today. It was not easy, and it's still not easy. Every day I still think if I made the right decision for myself but I know in the long run I will have. Just focus on healing, thats the main thing. The gas pain for me was unbearable but walking helps to get the gas moving. Best of luck. It does get easier, it does.

Hi everyone! New here. Banded on 12/23 by Dr. Benbreheim in Meriden. I read thru all the other posts and it really is Dr. B's way or no way. I wish all the upcoming bandsters the best of luck! I am in the mushies phase right now and it's hard. I just wish I could sleep on my stupid stomach but Dr B said probably another week (pain where the port is placed). I get my first fill on 1/14 so I am excited about that to finally start loosing some weight!

When your home and thinking about eating or if your are hungry, etc what I did was go run errands. I would walk around WalMart for 45 mins. I would run to Walgreens and browse around. I cleaned out my closet. I steam cleaned the carpets. I did stuff that kept me busy to keep my mind off the hunger. You can do it!!

I go back to work Wednesday. Glad you overall had a good day back. I anot looking forward to the mess that is going to be on my desk, especially month & year end reports that I need to get done in 8 hours, not to mention we might close early (new years eve).

I am 6 days post op and have been able to drink diet coke, carbinated or not, just fine. I usualy will leave a glass of diet coke out for the day, pop 2 ice cubes in it, so by evening it's flat so I can enjoy a nice glass. I def dont drink as much as I used to but it's still nice to have one enjoyment, lol. Either that or you can sit stirring it for 5 mins with a fork to make it go flat. And there is water in diet cola.......

At one point I actully looked into private insurance (not going thru my work) and seeing if any policys had coverage. I knew I would pay more, right now, for coverage for insurance, but the procedure would be covered. I think United Healthcare has a ryder you can purchase to their policies. Also, if you are eligable for Medicaid (state insurance) many plans in many states also have the surgery an option (that is how mine was covered, via secondary state insurance). Best of luck to you. I know what you are going thru becuase I was approved in June when I started the program but in November insurance denied EVERYTHING and denied the appeal. I ended up switching my medicaid and was approved in 48 hours. It's amazing how some of these dr's at insurance companies decide to play "God" with people's lives.

Exactly! I havent seen any bills for my procedure (and I shouldnt) but when I had my c-section with my son, everything was over $23,000 and payments were made totaling only around $14,000. Those are considered "reasonable & common" by the inusurance company. I, of course, didnt have to come up with anything since the dr office, hospital, etc, has to write off the rest.....

You need to call your insurance company directly and ask them if it's a covered benefit but if your husbands HR dept says it's not then most likely they did not purchase the ryder to the policy. If it's not there is not much you can usualy do. I know with my primary insurance company my work would actully have to purchase the policy ryder to include gastric bypass & gastric banding (lapband) but they chose not to (small company). I have heard of some attorneys being able to get approvals but those can take months and dont forget the cost involved. Best of luck to you!

I was banded on 12/23. I have not had a BM since however I am passing gas. All the paperwork my dr gave me has nothing on constipation. I know it's normal since I am not taking in any "real" food but for 4 days? Again, I'm not in any pain. Also, I feel very nauseated during the day. Before surgery when I wouldn't eat I would feel the same way and I feel the same way now so I am wondering if there are any tips/tricks anyone can give to me to ease the nausea. It's hard to take care of a 3 year old and trying to recover. I also still have pain where the port is, about 3 inches above, to the right, of my belly button. Does anyone else have their port placed here? I am not getting much sleep at night sincce I am stomach sleeper and I am still in too much pain to sleep on my stomach. Any advice anyone can give me is greatly appreciated! Thanks! Amber :hurray:

I havent taken the pain meds in about 48 hrs. I have been taking regular Tylenol as needed but havent needed that in 2 days either. Anesthesia really does a number on me. I know my refluxes are still really slow and takes me a few extra seconds to "think" properly, so maybe thats it then.....TY

I was looking into financing options as well. My credit is good except I have too much credit out so I am a risk. If your hospital accepts it, CareCredit is LapBands "choice" for financing. My boyfriend cosigned for me and we were approved for $16,000 (thats what I applied for) even with the tough economy. If you try a personal loan or credit card it will be hard because of the economy and the limits probably wont be very high.

I have primary insurance (which denied everything since it's not a covered benefit) and I have Medicaid for my secondary insurance. Each state is DIFFERENT, dont forget that! My medicaid insurance company was actully "closing doors to state insurance" when I was obtaining approval for surgery in November and they denied it, and denied the appeal. So on Dec 1st the new Medicaid insurance went into effect and on 12/3 I had my approval and a letter was sent to me. My primary insurnace doesnt cover a thing so the medicaid will cover as secondary. The first thing you can do is CALL your insurance company and ask them if it's a covered benefit and what the conditions to the benefit are. If it's a covered benefit, write down who you spoke with and the time becuase if you need to appeal when it's time for approval, that makes it easier.

Don't forget that the insurance company will pay a "negoiated rate" to the hospital. Say the hospital charged $20,000 for everything. Insurance might say well the going rate is $16,000 (example) for that procedure and thats what they will pay. There is no way for you to actully know what won't be covered is until after surgery and the final bills are submitted to insurance. You would then be billed by the hospital for anything over the $15,000 if that is all insurance said they would pay (but who knows, the negoiated rate might be less then that)! And don't forget the dr office visits are not included in the surgery bill. Insurance might end up paying those (depending on how they are coded) or you will just have to pay the dr's office afterwards if the bill is denied. If you do finance the procedure, CALL your hospital first to see if they take CareCredit (LapBands financing company). My insurance compnay denied by and I was approved for CareCredit except my hospital doesnt accept that! Also Capital One does financing or you can always take out a credit card and shoot for 0% interest but with the economy in the pits creditors are locking down on limits. G/L to you! I hope my info helps!