terrriho

Before banding, I was looking for info from real experience, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thanks to all of you for providing that Terri

DrewsLou, Maybe all you people in Colorado could wave that storm our way. I live in Montana and we haven't had squat for snow. It is 52F today and I am dyin'. I think Mother Nature is having a hot flash

Bullwinkle, best RANT I have ever read Clone it and send it to psych guy (doctor) I am sure he will understand:biggrin1:

Good one, Carlene, I am still laughing........

Faybie, I love coming home, changing my clothes and kicking back in the recliner for awhile (until I decide it is time to fix dinner). I solved my workout dilemma by getting up at 5:00 AM and going to the gym before work. Now I REALLY feel like coming home, changing my clothes and kicking back in the recliner LOL. Terri

laurend, What is your discipline? I probably missed the answer somewhere, I am just a little curious. Terri

Carlene, congratulations on your anniversary. Thank you for sharing your trials as well as your triumphs. Just like most soon to be wedded, er, banded, I can still see pretty much just the stars and it is good to be reminded to keep my feet firmly on the ground.

He just saved you a lot of time and trouble, with values like that you wouldn't want him anyway.

Yep, I have to do a six month doctor supervised diet designed to see if I won't go away or change insurance companies in the mean time. I wonder if you wanted your tubes tied if they would say spend six months using the rhythm method to see if you can keep from getting pregnant :angry I have my first appointment with my PCP Dec. 8 and we will jump through their ridiculous hoops. Yeah, I am mad........but I have company. By the way, Horizon BCBS of New Jersey. janiee- tell me about your "telephone coaching program" I hate the idea that I will have to take time off work (even though a short visit, it will still take and hour) and pay $80 out of pocket (the insurance company sure has h3!! isn't going to pay) for my monthly appointments. I do have a nutritionist I can do phone consults with, is that what you will be doing? Oh, and by the way, I have it on good authority that you must make every appointment or you will have to start over.:nervous Best of luck on your journey, Terri

Hi All, I am looking for information. What is the point of a medically supervised six-month diet? I know some insurance companies require this and I am just wondering, what is the point? I have lost gobs of weight on diets over the years and I have rebounded significantly and painfully from each of them. I can't believe it is to determine if you can lose weight or not, I would not choose a serious medical procedure if I could keep the weight off. Is it a delaying tactic used to weed out those who are serious? If so, they are just making those who can't afford to self-pay wait. Or maybe they are hoping you will switch insurance companies before the six months is over. Besides the delaying the procedure it also adds to the expense having to visit your doctor once a month (time off work + cost of office visit). Actually, the reason I am just wondering why a medically supervised six month diet is required is that my insurance company has just informed me I will need to do this or show evidence of such:faint: And being economically conservative I just never thought of paying a doctor to babysit my weightloss attempts:mad: . As if a doctor can guarantee weight loss. If that were true then I wouldn't need a lap band! DUH! So, somebody, please enlighten me. I hope to counter their requirement and need some ammo. Thanks a million, Terri PS I have significant life experience and at my age time is of the essence.

Thank you, Kat, your story reminds me that things really are not so bad and perhaps I just need to be patient. I know many have gone before me. Terri

DrC, I am looking for clarification. I am to be banded Dec. 4. An edoscopy revealed I have a "large" hiatal hernia. I sent my records to my surgeon and then called the office to see if the hernia would prevent me from having a band placed. The office told me that as long as I haven't had it repaired I would still be eligible for the band, otherwise not. I asked if the surgeon would repair it and I was told no. That seems to be contrary to what I have read about hiatal hernias and banding. I would much appreciate your input on this. Thanks and thanks again. Terri

Thank you, DrHekier, for your information. I will try to talk to my surgeon about this. Terri

Interesting reading about the very different experiences with BCBS of New Jersey. I don't know if BCBS of New Jersey is the same as mine which is Horizon BCBS of New Jersey. However, I am scheduled to be banded Dec. 4 but still do not have approval from Horizon BCBSNJ. My surgeon's office said they had had one patient with this company and it took 9 months to get approval - the worst they had ever worked with they said. They would fax the info and the company would say they never got it so the office went to a return receipt mail option which apparently was the only way. So here I come, they send their first inquiry the end of Sept. I wait 3 weeks and call the company, nope, they don't have it but the office can fax it so the office faxes both the letter and the delivery confirmation. Wait a week, call again, well yea! they have it but it hadn't moved on from the initial receipt but I was assured they were "putting it on the network." I wait a week, call again, well it is on the network but no one seems to have taken any action (which apparently is a little strange) so I was told it was to be put on the "priority" network (surely it will move now:rolleyes: ). I call this week and guess what? Some how the "network" is down:faint: at the time of my call and I can't get any information but I was assured that something on the priority network should see action within 48 hours. OK so that was Wednesday and I will call again tomorrow to see if their "network" can give me any information.:rolleyes From my experience it seems like maybe I should have just gone to NJ (I live in Montana) and walked that letter through their system because that is really what I am doing. Initially when I called to see if the surgery was covered they said it was evaluated on a case by case basis. I have a BMI of 43 with high BP. I have yet to find out if I will be covered. Again, interesting stories Terri

lisah25, once again you have given a thoughtful answer. Of course we don't have all the information and of course we don't have all the answers but you did answer some of my questions, thankyou. Don't stop there, I just used the Iraq war as a starting point. Terri

Whew, I finally just finished reading this thread. Do I detect a note of hostility toward our President? Now that it seems you all have let off a little steam and hopefully voted I would like to know what you expect from our politicians in the next 2 years? It is easy to criticize but I think it is much harder to come up with solutions. The issues are multifaceted and clearly we are not a one-size-fits-all nation. For example, if you believe the Iraq war is a stupid Bush mistake, would you pull the troops out now?, all at once or phased?, how would you handle the promises made to the Iraqi people?, would you change the program in Iraq, become more agressive inorder to dispatch the opposition more quickly? What should our government do to solve this problem? Please look at any issue - SS, immigration, energy, health care, elder care, fiscal policies, international relations, North Korea just to name a few. I look forward to your thoughts. Terri

Hey BJean, do I detect a note of sarcasm in your last post? Pleas tell me it isn't so. Terri

Smother them in kindness, ask him over for dinner, find out what he likes and treat him (basketball/football games). Find ways to spend time with him, establish a relationship and really act like you care about him. Perhaps, she may become confused and wonder why she liked him in the first place. Terri

FullofGRACE, my condolences to you and your parish. (and how hard it must be to know he died because his seatbelt didn't fit:think ) Terri

OK everyone, my goal is more modest but no less important. I hope to be banded by then (Dec. 4 band date but currently waiting for insurance approval:rolleyes , any weight loss is just gravy. Best of luck to all of us, Terri

Aw Carlene:girl_hug: , I know your pain and emptiness. Try to be comforted by your wonderful memories and that you provided a most loving home for your faithful companion. And TOM has it right, they don't live long enough. Terri

sdevries31 Clearly I am no expert here but babsintx3 wrote something that caught my eye. She wrote "the pouch and esophagus were not responding to the unfill" that brings up the point that the stomach is not the only thing we have going here and maybe there is something going on with the stomach and the esophagus not working together or maybe you have motility problems. In the meantime, I hope you find someone who can answer your questions. Best of luck, Terri

tianealperry - thanks for the encouragement. It looks like I am going to need it. I called my insurance company yesterday to see if they had received the info from my surgeon (sent certified mail around Oct 1 and the office had signed confirmation it had been received). I was told they didn't have it but that didn't mean it wasn't there:confused: . The lady was actually pretty nice, she gave me her name and a fax number and told me to have the surgeon fax it to her. I will call Friday to see if they have it. I fear we are following the same path as the previous patient (which took nine months) but I am trying to remain optimistic. Bands, Terri

Well put Lisa, "smaller in my own mind..." seems to be what I am too. I am always shocked at who I see when passing a mirror or seeing my reflection in a window. For me though, I think it is denial. When I know I've gained weight and I am not feeling good about myself I think I wall off thinking about what I really look like. If I had to face what I really looked like I know it would depress me big time. By not acknowledging it I can blithely go about my life without facing up to reality of my body image. This only works until I have some social function to attend and then I am thrown into a kind of self-loathing because I can never find anything to wear and have to cobble something together to get by. :cool: Psychoanalysis anyone? Terri

Hey Ladies, I thought it was the fashion these days to go bare-legged. At least that is what I see the fashionistas doing. I can't, I have old legs with spots - too much sun in my past. Is that too much information?:girl_hug: With my ankles swelling off and on, my doctor said I should get support hose. I thought regular hose was difficult to find, support is impossible. After two unsucccessful attempts ( and you can't take them back) I just gave up. Terri