stephmccurley

I have a few protein mixes that I have stocked up on and this weekend I am going to stock up on liquid needs. Thanks for your reply! I just wish the nerves weren't so bad hahaha.

I am going in for my consultation on Feb 4th and from there I should be scheduling my surgery and starting pre-op diet. I am paying out of pocket everything is going really fast. I have been trying to get this surgery done for 4 years now and have never been this close. So the anxiety is setting in hard core. What did you do to deal with the anxiety/jitters? Part of me is still in shock that I am actually this close but the other part of me seems to be going haywire lol. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I am still pre-op but I would talk to your surgeon and see what he says.

I have posted before a few years ago when I was trying for insurance approval and I was denied. But now my husband and I have decided to pay out of pocket for the surgery. I have been set on the lap band for 4 years now and have worked VERY hard just to get this far and I am looking at having surgery end of Feb or early March. But I talked to the receptionist at the surgeons office, which is in Dallas, and she said that the only advice she could give me is that the surgeon will try to talk me into having the sleeve instead of lap band. And when I asked her why she said "because he is taking out more bands than he is putting in now." So of course that got my nerves going. I have researched the good, the bad, and the ugly for this surgery and I feel like I can still be a success story. And seeing as how the sleeve is 3000 more that is not an option anyway. But I am nervous now that he won't want to do the surgery for me. I am now more nervous than ever! What do I do?!

Thank you for your response. True results did tell me that they were doing 1 year of after care but that would cost me about 100 dollars in gas round trip from where I am (closest true results is in Dallas) And after speaking with someone at weight wise they said my after care can be billed to my insurance even though the surgery cannot. And even if for some reason that doesn't work the post op visits are only around 150 so my husband and I decided that we would rather pay a little more to have a surgeon that is only 45 minutes away. But I do appreciate all the replies

Everything that I have read is that you should do liquids for 24-48 hrs then mushies again for a little bit then solids so you can ease your way back in. I am still pre-op, but this is what the packet my surgeon gave me says.

Omg I am the same way! I, too, tell people all the time "I'm sorry if you are sick of hearing about it" but I am very lucky to have a support system that is very nice about listening to me ramble on about it. And I am also changing the foods we buy that will be lap-band and family friendly. I wish you luck finding a distraction and on your upcoming surgery! I am only a month or so away and I am nervous and so excited

Well after doing some research I found that there is a place called Weight Wise in Edmond that is having a special for cash pay for the lap band. So I contacted them and did the online seminar and will be meeting with the surgeon soon for a consultation. I think this may be a better option but we are going to weigh our options

I don't know what your dr's policies are on caffeine but I drink the 5-hour energy shots. I am still pre-op but I haven't heard anything that my surgeon is against caffeine. Just a suggestion Congrats on your success!

I would like to look up the magazine article too! Kudos to you on all your accomplishments. Hope to be there myself someday

Parisshel the receptionist I just talked to a true results said they would not offer the sleeve as a cash pay option because of the complications that can occur. THAT made up my mind right there! She said bleeding and popped stitches and that they wanted their patients to have insurance standing behind them because you never know how much that can cost. Well I didn't need to hear anymore! I am thinking that true results will be a better fit for my situation because I will be out of town and they include a year of post op visits and that is anytime I need to come in. Unlike BSC Dallas that has 1 year post op but its only their scheduled visits. I am definitely glad I decided to post about this!

Nanu - I called them and spoke to a wonderful lady that was very helpful. I am waiting to hear back from the billing department for more information. Thank you so much for the heads up. Congrats on the weight loss.

I love this idea!!!!! Thank you for sharing! :-)

I a in the same boat. Sleeve or band. I wish you the best of luck!

I have been battling with the insurance company for 3 years now and finally decided that I was D-O-N-E with all that and my husband and I have figured out a way to get it done as a cash pay. I'm sure there are a lot of you out there that paid for the surgery yourselves and I want to hear from you! What did your doctor want you to do pre-op? Anything that you did on your own to prepare? I am still about 6 months out before we have all we need for payment. Just curious

Luckily my surgeon has a 8 chapter packet (book lol) detailing everything he expects and what the diets will be like in all the phases. Pre-op/Post-op liquids, soft/mushies phase and regular diet phase. And it also has exercises, food, and even suggestions for multi-vitamins and protein shakes. I was so very impressed when I went through it the first time. I have been reading through it for days now. The reason I posted my question is because it does not have any information about pre-op testing that would be required. I know with my last insurance company they wanted 6 months of diet and exercise meetings with dietitians, therapy, sleep studies, and a whole laundry list of other things that I would have to pay out of pocket and so I didn't know if any surgeons out there would want that too? But now that I have this packet I know what he expects and I am very hopeful!!!! But thank you for all who replied.

So excited for you! Congrats on your surgery date. I wish you the best of luck!

I hope it does! Congrats on the approval. I look forward to your updates

Where are you from/who did your surgery? My surgeon is 3 hours south of me in Dallas and he also includes first year of fills in cash price

Congrats to all you August bandsters! I am still about 6 months out (FINALLY) haha. Wish you all the best of luck

I am having trouble finding insurance coverage. I do not want to have to go out of the country for the surgery. So for all your people in Oklahoma who have had the surgery what insurance company are you with and what was the approval process like? What doctor did you use? I have called so many insurance providers and everyone says its not covered at all. Any information at all would be so helpful. Im so frustrated now.