GE Mom

Of course, my greatest fear (or at least a very high ranking fear) is being under paralytic drugs, with inadequate analgesia. I guess the only thing I fear more is the surgery not working and remaining fat. I think the OP's lack of details is troubling. I hope she returns with more information. I do know someone who awakened in the middle of hip replacement surgery -- and she's a very calm, organized person who would never make something up. It happens.

I'm interested at the apparent skepticism that many of us are expressing. Is it that we think this couldn't happen? Or the lack of detail in the original post? Or that we think, if this happened, the person wouldn't be posting one day later? I find myself (on the eve of my own surgery!) wondering, too.

I just started CPAP for severe sleep apnea, and now I have a very sore throat and stuffy nose. I can't figure out whether this is a CPAP side effect or a cold. My banding procedure is MONDAY morning (it's Friday evening). Will they still do the procedure? Also -- I lost 6 pounds on the pre-op diet and got into a pair of shorts that didn't fit 2 weeks ago. YES!

I'm puzzled by this whole thread. I just checked, and the bottom of my bra is well up onto my ribs. I can get four fingers between the lowest rib and the bottom of my boob. Won't the port go under my diaphragm and below my lowest rib, e.g. in the upper right part of my abdomen? If that's the case, it shouldn't interfere with my bra. What am I missing?

I'm also getting banded on August 7, but fortunately my insurance approved it. I'm anxious, particularly about the hospital stay, but figure it'll be over fast. Good luck in Mexico!

I'm puzzled about why some folks seem to go home the same day they're banded and others get kept overnight in the hospital. I've even been told that intensive care afterward is a possibility. I have sleep apnea, and they're very cautious. (Of course, I likely had sleep apnea with my other surgeries and did fine...) So what factors argue toward overnight in hospital? Is there anything I can do to get home same day?

Yeah, I wouldn't leave against medical advice, but this variability among surgeons is puzzling. I wish there were standard criteria and when you meet them, you can go.

I'm going to get banded on August 7, and we have a Lake Michigan vacation scheduled (and prepaid) for September 10-16. Will there be any problem with going in the (clean but not chlorinated) Lake Water? Also, I'll be in week 5 after the banding then. What can I realistically plan to be eating? My written instructions say to eat only pureed foods from weeks 3 to 6, and I plan to comply -- but I see that a fair number of folks go faster than that. Last: After the surgery, how fast do people get back to work? I left the hospital 48 hours after each c-section and started back to work part time in the second week... I was younger then...but this surgery I won't have a baby to deal with...

Hey, Beth, I think you mean "Fills me up", not 'feels me up'! Was that a freudian slip?

Well, I'm scheduled to be banded on August 7 at Central DuPage Hospital near Chicago. I guess this is actually going to happen -- I've thought about it for so long it seems more a dream than a reality. The insurance has approved it, and I've had all the tests, and the labs etc. All systems are go! Now, I'm just hoping the darned thing does what it's supposed to, and I actually lose the weight!

I just learned today that Unicare HMO has approved me! Last week, they sent a letter asking for documentation of 5 years of morbid obesity (no problem...) plus 18 months of supervised diet. This last is a problem, as they'd told me that I needed 12. I sent them a list of my bmi's taken from my doctor's records showing a 40 pound gain in 8 years (boo!) with the particular weight loss strategy in use at the time, and my sleep study report showing severe sleep apnea. And today they called to say I'm approved! :clap2: :omg: :biggrin1: My surgery was originally scheduled for yesterday, so I'm not sure when they'll do it. The sleep apnea poses a new complication...But at least I'm on my way.

I'm in Illinois, and we have the national standard option BC/BS FEP plan, PPO. The policy has a specific statement that it covers "gastric bypass and gastric stapling procedures", and they tell me that it doesn't cover lap band. However, I learned today that my other insurance, Unicare, has approved me for lap band. HURRAH! Otherwise, I was all set to get my husband to change at the next open season. :confused: :clap2:

I'm learning more about this than I wanted to learn. Apparently, the local HMO plans that are associated with FEHB use the medical policies of their local BC/BS affiliates. All of those that I've looked at in fact do cover lap band. However, the national BCBS PPO FEP plan uses national policies. The national policy, however, states that there is not enough US research to support approval of the band. This is in direct contradiction to the policies of the affiliates. So now I'm in the uncomfortable position of BCBS having stated that I meet the medical criteria, but they simply won't cover the band. They will, however, cover the gastric bypass. Advice?

Is your plan BCBS for federal employees? They seem to have different criteria than other Blue plans.

I'm going through the process now. BCBS FEP is my secondary coverage, with Unicare through my job the primary. BCBS tells me they do not cover lap bands. Has anyone had success with appealing?

So if you're taking enough to be close to hyper, do you lose weight?

I am hypothyroid and have been taking .75 mcg of Synthroid for over 6 months now and haven't lost? How can that be? I thought I would lose once I started taking thyroid...

Kathy, thanks. That makes sense. I very much appreciate the technical details, (though I might be better off not knowing all of them!)

Sheesh! Usually when I offend somebody, I know I'm being insensitive! In this case, I'm suggesting that the very folks you've described (those survivors of childhood sexual abuse who gained weight as a response) may be anxious about being unconsious and exposed, and that we shouldn't dismiss their concerns! Just to clarify, I don't know whether it's "a lot" or "a few" or "some" but if it's "any" obese folks who were sexual abuse survivors, we should be nice to them. (That category does not include me but I've had friends who had this issue.)

I'm scheduled for July 24th and I'm having the willies, too. I spent several hours this weekend reading academic literature (medical journals) about the efficiacy of the Lap Band, and it was all consistent with what my surgeon told me -- that the band works in nearly everyone who tries it. Only a small minority have trouble, and, of course, that's the beauty of the band, that it is reversible. I'm apprehensive about the 2 week liquid diet before and after, but somehow I'll get through it. I feel like I did on the way to the hospital to have my first child -- that life will never be the same again. Thank heaven!

The prohibition on nail polish is because they look at the color of your fingernails to see if you're getting enough oxygen to your fingers. (I'm not sure whether they care about toenails.) I, too, am squeamish about being exposed and unconsious -- if I had a choice, I'd choose no, thank you. I think a lot of obese folks may have issues that involved childhood sexual abuse and being this vulnerable is scary. It certainly was for me when I had GYN surgery, but I kind of sucked it up and moved on. I suppose you might be able to negotiate with the anesthesiologist about having spinal or epidural anesthesia, though I've never heard of them using it for this.

I'm scheduled for LBS on July 24 and would like to travel (a 3.5 hour plane ride) on August 2. Is that reasonable? When am I likely to need to see the doctor? Thanks.

I take extended release Toprol for migrain prevention and blood pressure, and it is extended release and does not come in liquid form. So what can I do? Pharmacist says ask the doctor and the doctor says ask the pharmacist.

In most states, eligibility for Medicaid typically requires that you be in an eligible category AND that you have very, very low income. In Illinois, where I live, you have to be disabled according to social security's standards, or blind or over 65, or have children under age 19 in your care. Then your income, depending on what category you're in, must be very low. Check with your state's Medical assistance agency. If you get into Medicaid, the bariatric surgery will probably be covered.

I just learned that I'm tentatively scheduled for banding on July 24. Now, of course, it suddenly seems very real. For those who've already been through it, what do you wish you'd known earlier? Do you exercise as much as you're supposed to? Can you ever eat some semblance of a normal meal? Are you glad you did it?