dratdee

ok guys, just got my bill from my surgery. I have BCBS. My main question is how much did the actual band itself cost??? THe bill for JUST THE BAND itself is over 7000. anyone else have a different rate. I just want to be sure that I am not getting screwed here. Its not very fun at the moment! thanks

Hello all, I was banded on sept 18. I had 2 weeks of liquid before and 2 weeks after. I started mushies about a week ago. I lost 20 pounds on the liquid diet, but am stuck on 20. I know I shouldnt be in a rush, but I was really hoping to keep losing. I dont know what the deal is. I do have to admit that I havent been on complete mushies and have cheated a little. I get hungrier than I expected to get. My MD doesnt put any fill in for 2 months after the surgery so I wont have my first fill until Nov 30. I am hoping that will help. anyone have experience with this?? any advice??? I also know that I need to start exercising more. I plan on joining the gym this week. I was planning on joining earlier, but ended up getting the crud and havent felt like it. thanks for any help!!

Hello all! I was officially banded on Friday Sept 18th so I guess I can move to this message board now!! YAY!! Everything went well with the surgery. Surgery was at 8:30 and I was headed home by 3:30. Probably could have left sooner, but I was having trouble drinking the required 8 ounces of water that I had to and was having some wierd heart palpatations. They finally sent me home after an EKG and thought that the heart stuff was a reaction to either anesthesia or the gas that they pumped me full of. Im healing well. Still pretty sore and still am not hungry. Ive been sipping on gatorade and water so that I dont get dehydrated, but havent had much else. I have lost about 4 pounds since surgery which makes me very happy! So Far, So Good. My MD didnt put any fill in yet. He doesnt put fill in until 2 months so that all of the swelling can go down first. I still fill full though so there must be quite a bit of swelling. Im on a liquid diet for 2 weeks after surgery, but at this moment, I could imagine eating anything (which is a good thing, I guess). Hope everyone else came through well!! cant wait to hear everyone else's stories!! Im just happy to say that it is over and my nwe life has begun!!!

hello all, Well, I was officially banded on Fri, Sept 18 (whoch I am considering my new birthday!!). I went to the hospital at 6:30 and my surgery was at 8:30 in the am. it only took about 35 min and then I went to recovery. Things were ok. I was a bit nauseaous from the gas, but was thankfully able to burp alot, which helped. I stayed until around 330 because I had trouble drinking the required 8 ounces of water. finally did and got to go home. Ive been felling ok. Been pretty sore, but am managing well. Havnet been hungy AT ALL. I have to make myself sip on gatorade and water. My MD doesnt put in any fill until 2 months to let the swelling go down so things must be pretty swollen in there because I feel full. I have lost about 4 pounds since friday (this is now sun night), which makes me very happy. I will be glad when the gas reabsorbes from my chest. it seems to get worse after I drink something. I have another 2 weeks of liquid diet to do now, which suits me fine because I could not imagine eating any solid food. Hoping that things get better day by day. My hubby goes back to work tomorrow and I will have to take care of my 19-month old all alone, which makes me a little nervous. she likes to crawl all over me. thankfully, my mom will have her until late afternoon so we will see how it goes! Hope everyone else is doing great! Im so glad that this is the beginning of my new life!!! d:thumbup:

I cant believe that it is finally here!! I have to be at the hospital at 6:30 so we are getting ready to leave in a few minutes!! Im nervous but also very excited. Hopefully I will look drastically different in several months!!! Good luck to everyone else whose day is today and also to those waiting. :biggrin:

Hello all, My surgery is in the morning and I am excited. HOwever tonight, all I can think about is all of the good food that I am gonna be missing out on. I have been on liquid diet for 2 weeks and on clears all day today and yesterday so maybe that is where it is coming from. All of those "good foods" are what got me in this position anyway. Im just so ready to eat normal food! I know this will be the best thing for me and I am really excited and ready to make the change. I guess its just the night before jitters!! Hope everyone else is doing great! NOw Im off to get a pedicure so my feet feel pretty!

mickey, I am right there with you! I had to stop watching to (same shows, I might add). the commercials were killing me! BUt YAY for us! we made it! Today is the big day!! I have to be there at 6:30 this morning so Im getting ready to leave soon! Im excited for both of us! soon and very soon we will be very different looking people!! GOod Luck! cant wait to hear how it goes

thanks restless monkey. Im feeling better about it now. I think it was just the night before jitters and the 2 weeks liquids talking. thanks for the encouragement!

YAY! Im so happy for you! My surgery is friday to and I am sooooo excited!! I have had 2 weeks of liquid but have only lost 8 pounds. Im a little jealous of your 19!! Good job though!! Cant wait to see what we drop after friday!!

Hey!!! I am a September 18th bandster to!! I cant believe that its only a week away! My MD has his pts do a 2-week liquid diet before surgery and a 2-week liquid diet after surgery. Its really not been as bad as i thought it would be. Ive been doinf it for a week now and Ive lost 8 pounds which makes me very happy!! Protein shakes and fruit smoothies have been my life saver. I also really like egg drop soup and chicken broth. those actually make me feel like I am eating some actual food. adding protein helps me stay full longer. chewing gum has also greatly helped me. Im excited that we are going through this together!! cant wait to see how we all change

Hello all, Im pretty excited that my surgery is right around the corner. ONly 1 week from today until I start my new life on 9-18-09!! My MD has his pts do a pure liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. this past week has been tough, but Ive made it through week 1 so far! Happy news is that Ive lost 8 pounds in a week!!! that makes me VERY happy!! hope it keeps up!!

I so agree with you!!! It is so frustrating! I went to check out a gym near my house yesterday that I am planning on joining after the surgery. I was talking to the owner (who is also the personal trainer) and was telling him about getting the lap band. He stps back, looks at me and says "you dont need that, just give me the money that you are paying and Ill make you look better than you ever thought you could. I could have kicked him. My response was "well, lucky for me, insurance covers the procedure, but they dont cover you. c-ya

THat is awesome! I am on the first day of the 2 weeks of liquid. not so fun so far. I was doing well this morning, but now Im hungry!! Hopefully I will have similar results!! :sneaky:

Im APPROVED!!!!!! My surgeons office just called and told me that they recieved my APPROVAL from bcbsnc!!!!! I am soooooo excited!! My surgery is set for Sept 18th at 830 in the AM!! I cant wait!! Im a little nervous to! It was such a relief when they called. I had almost convinced myself that I had been denied so i about jumped out of my skin when they called! I start the 2-week liquid diet on Sept 4. Im nervous about that because we leave for a camping trip with about 20 friends on the 5th so my first few days will be challenging!! :w00t::w00t::w00t::thumbup:

Hey all, I got a call yesterday that everything was submitted to BCBS of NC yesterday for my approval. I called BCBS this morning, and they said they dont know if they recieved it or not, it may take up to 48 hrs to show that its been recieved. I know that I need to be patient, but I am so not good at that and am ready to just KNOW!! Im so nervous! Anyone else have BCBS of NC? How long did it take you to be approved?? thanks

Im right there with you! My surgery date is also the 18th!!! I'm like you and also have to start my 2 weeks of liquid on sept 4. Im trying to cut back on what I eat and to eat less so that it will hopefully be alittle easier. good for you though for doing the liquid thing 2 weeks early. thats impressive!! WE will both get through this!!!

Hey Dana36, funny thing, my name is dana to!! Have you heard anything?? I just found out that I was APPROVED!!! Im so excited. My surgery is set for Sept 18. I cant wait. I hope you have recieved similar news! I know the waiting game sucks!!

YAYAYAYAYAY! Im right there with you! found out today that my surgery date is Sept 18th to at 830am. I am soooo pumped, but nervous to!!!!

Hey Boocakes!! Welcome!!! I am also tentatively scheduled for Sept 16. Im playing the insurance waiting game now to. I cant wait to hear!!! Im glad we all have each other for support!! I cant wait to hear how everyone does

Im so glad you posted this!! Im afraid to say it, but my surgery date is TENTATIVELY scheduled for september 16th too!!!! (pending insurance approval!) I am praying that there will be no problems with insurance. THis waiting game sucks!! I hope that I will officially be joining the sept bandsters very soon!!! fingers crossed!! I want to be a september skinny!!!

I LOVE this!!! Thanks so much for posting this! I have just finished all of the pre-stuff for the surgery and am "patiently"waiting for the psych report to be sent to my surgeon so that it can all be sent to the insurance (BCBSNC) for approval. Hopefully that wont take long!! Im anxious to get this rolling. The surgeon has set a tentative surgery date for Sept 16 pending approval. I am so ready to not be fat anymore!!! I will NEVER again have to stop at the top of the stairs after carrying my 18-moth old up them in order to catch my breath. I will NEVER again cry because i feel too ugly and fat to be a good wife and mother. I will NEVER again cry in a dressing room because I cant fir into anything in the store I will NEVER again worry that I will have a heart attack before Im 30. I will NEVER again have to miss out on fun things with my daughter because I have no energy. I WILL have a better and happier life and I WILL be able to love myself again!!! I PRAY daily that they will approve my surgery. I will be devestated if they dont!!! Hopefully we will know soon!

hello! wow you live in huntersville? I work there! So im in the process of getting a lap band (I hope). I had my initial consult, had my labs, got the 5-year weight history, and have my psych consult and nutritionist consult on Monday. From my undertanding it will take 10 days to get the psych report back and then it will all be submitted to BCBSNC for approval. two questions:: ON my 5 year history, it shows that I have had weight problems (40+) for 3 years, but not 5. Will that hurt me? Also, how long after the info was submitted did it take you be approved?? Thanks for any info!!

Hello, Im in NC and am a fellow lap band seeker. Im not sure which part of the state you are in, but I see Dr Carl Lowe in Charlotte. I havent been banded yet, but so far, Im impressed. I went to him because I had a friend who recommended him after he banded her and Ive been very pleased. He is at the Carolina Surgical Center and is a provider of excellence with the lap band through BCBS. Hope this helps!

Hello all, I am serously considering getting the lap band. I am 5'7 and weigh 258 which puts my BMI right at 40. I am 26 and have a little girl that I want to be healthy enough to play with and have fun with. I have tried just about everything else with no luck. I am new to all of this and have several questions. First things first, I am wondering about the cost. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield in NC. Is anyone familiar with what they will cover? What total cost am I looking at, including co-pays and other things I have to have done? Im not sure what all this entails. I am praying that BCBS will cover it. If not, I wont be able to go through with it.I have plans to call an MD that was referred to me first thing tomorrow to schedule a consult. any advice? what questions do I need to ask? Im a little clueless about what all needs to be done. THanks for the help