dotofoz

I have FEB BLUE HMO Ohio and had no problem getting approval. My friend has the PPO and had no problem w/approval. My suggestion is to give them everything they want, and more. Your DR office will help you w/what is required of specific plans.....Good Luck!

As far as Howard K. Stern goes, I heard on Fox News last nite during the Anna special, that Stern was REAL controlling, like she wasn't allowed to talk to her mom w/o him around.....That itself is sad that someone has such low self esteem that that put up w/that crap! He sounds like a real piece of work himself....

I thought of that too!

OMG, I agree w/you totally! Personally, she was a discrace to women, period.

Hi. I went to my class and picked up the OPTIFAST. My dietician said we could add a tsp of sugar/fat free jello or pudding. I added butterscotch to the chocolate and it's WONDERFUL!!!!!!

Hi. I will be embarking on my ever wonderful 'mandatory 2 week pre-surgical' liquid diet at the end of this week to the tune of approx. $350...Has anyone been able to get their Flexible Spending Account to pay for this, and if so, how? ANY and ALL help w/b GREATLY appreciated!:hungry:

I think they're looking for GERD (acid reflux maybe?). I thought that would be a positive, to add to the fact that you need the surgery....? Good luck. I had it and if it's the same test, you have to drink some N A S T Y drink and they watch it go down via xray. Personally, I almost projectile vomited on the Dr., but all was OK.

Thankfully mine is 100% covered by insurance, the 'membership fee' was covered under my flexible spending acct and am working on getting it to cover the liquid diet....Also, check out IRS publication 502, page 14....It is very helpful.

Well, I have a call into a FSA supervisor that helped me get my 'membership fee' approved, so wish me luck. Believe me, this will take a LARGE financial burden off my back if I can get this pushed thru...

I could swear this is repeat, that it was on maybe a month ago....I turned it off because it seem way too negative. I forgot she also had cancer, which that alone sends your body/mind and everything else into a tailspin, but she's also married to the Prince of Darkness! Between Ozzie, Jack, Kelly, and the critters I think she has more problems than just the lap band itself.

Funny you should ask....I'm scheduled for 2/22 surgery. The other day I had a dream that I was on the gurney to go into surgery but in the waiting room w/DH and he was eating a bowl of chili. I then proceeded to to eat half the bowl (note: I H A T E chili). It was 1:40 (I checked my watch) and the dr. said i had to wait 'til 5:30 since they were doing surgeries in order of who was the biggest! Needless to say, I then wondered why mine was not done early in the AM (lol). Weird, I know.......but you asked.

I start my 3 week 'pre op diet' a week from tomorrow....glad i will have lots of company! but honestly, it sounds gross. i'll have to try some of the additives though. good suggestions. is the benefiber to make you feel full?

Well, I fought tooth and nail to get this surgery and on 2/22 it will happen! The problem is that I'm having 2nd thoughts. I'm afraid that I won't feel satisfied with what I'll be allowed to eat afterwards...My friend had RNY around Thanksgiving, lost 40 pounds so far, looks a lot better, and has to FORCE herself to eat. I'm wondering if I should've gone for that. I hope the band will make me feel the same about food as her, but that's not what I'm getting the impression of on some of the posts here. I know we're all different, but I'm really scared :hungry: . Will I have to wait a long time after insertion to get a fill? How do they know how much to put in? Was anyone starving before first fill? H E L P !!!!!

Well, I guess I should be thankful that not only does my insurance pay for 99% of the procedure/testing, but I already have a wonderful healthy 3 year old son. Jill, I hope things work out for you not only w/the weight issue, but the infertility also. For me, the prenatal risks are just too much for me to go through because of my weight (242, 4'11") to have another. God willing, we'll both get down to a safe weight and have children when we plan and all will go well. I think this surgery is the last resort for me. I am determined to be healthy for my son. My mom died of breast cancer when I was 12 (after being gravely ill on and off for 7 years), my dad was wonderful and did the best he could, but growing up w/o a mom, really sucked and I think about it every day, even 24 years later. I am determined to be there for my son as he grows up, gets an education, and experiences all the milestones that I missed out on with my mom. I know a relationship between a mom and daughter is not the same as w/a son, but I still need to be healthy so he has me. Good luck, I'll be thinking about you on 2/22!

As far as I'm concerned, I'm terrified about having the thing down my throat during the surgery and being able to feel the surgery w/o them knowing it. Yes, I watch too much Discovery Health Channel. I'm scheduled for 2/22, wish me luck.

I'm NOT sure, but I thought the guy who used the bucket was the one that had his family cooking for him during the day. How would they intervene? I certainly don't think they should be on call 24/7 for his food needs...

Thanks for reading my post and responding! I guess I'm just antsy, period. As stupid as it sounds, I'm afraid I'll either wake up during the surgery and they won't know it or I'll gag on the tube down my throat. Yes, too much DiscoveryHealth Channel, I know. Last nite I had a dream that my husband was with me waiting to go in the operating room at a hospital in Silver Spring, MD and I ate half a bowl of his chili 30 minutes before the operation. Problem....I H A T E CHILI, and I haven't lived in MD for over 10 years!!!! It was so real, I even remember what time is was, 1:40 pm because I "looked" at my watch (in the dream)! Guess you know where my mind's at. Honestly, I picked the band because of the fact(s) that recovery time is less (main reason), it can be adjusted IF I decide to have a second (and last) child, and the weigh loss is slower so I might have less chance of saggy skin. I kinda answered my own question I know, it's just my mind's running 100 miles/hour! Thanks for the peptalk!

I saw the beginning, had to turn it off, it made me physically sick! $300/day on takeout? What the hell does he do for a living to afford that? It seemed to me like his family was enabling him by cooking all that food...

I personally would vote for a woman, but don't think america's ready for a woman president. There is too much closed mindedness in the country still & I personally think that if the dems want the whitehouse back, (and I hope they get it back soon) Hillary's not the way to do it. Too many people don't like her. As for myself, I really don't know....

Need some opinions....I'm scheduled for surgery 2/22, but am now worried that I won't feel full. Is there and initial waiting period after surgery 'til first fill? Pls. advise!

Thanks for your encouragement! I guess I fought hard and finally got approved, but now it's like, I hope I'm doing the right thing! Should I have gone w/the whole RNY? Needless to say, I'm a worry wart.....

My favorite question "do you like to see small animals suffer". How stupid!

Tell them that according to the HIPAA law, they have 30 days (check specifics on Google though) to respond to your request for your records. That's what I had to do and it worked! Ask the bariatric center shrink to refer you to someone....

I guess it's a toss up between when a co-worker asked if I was pregnant and being at Annapolis Mall in 1992 (and I was 140 lbs then) and a teenage boy walked by me and said "pig". My come back to the co worker was "no, I'm just fat".

No. In her case it seems she doesn't need it. Because her parents are 'strict' is pretty lame if you ask me. Being eligble and actually needing help are two different things. If she was declining their offers for another reason, like she was being responsible and hell's bent on making it on her own, then that's a different story. She should be thankful her family's that supportive. What kind of life is she giving the baby? I'm assuming the apt she's living in is not the best if she's on some kind of assistance. Also, is she a being a responsible mom where the child's overall welfare is concerned or she she too busy partying in her spare time? Alot of unknowns her.....Well, you asked.....