Sarah8807

I'm on day 3 of my pre-op diet. So far so good. The first two days were very hard but day three has gotten easier. You really learn a lot about yourself when all you can eat is protein shakes, tomatoe soup, chicken broth, and sugar free jello... I never realized how much mindless eating I did. Last night was really hard because I cooked dinner for my fiance and then ate some chicken broth. After dinner we were sitting watching TV and I just had the urge to get up and eat something. I thought about it for a minute and realized that I wasnt hungry...just bored. I guess that's how I've got to be this weight. Bordem, stress, and loving food a little too much I did all my measurments when I started my pre-op diet and will be posting those on my page soon. I think that measurments are more accurate than pounds lost and Im going to try not to become completely obsessed with the scale. I absolutely love my surgeon (Dr. Hitchcock in Overland Park KS). He's really made me feel comfortable going into this surgery. The first thing he said to me was, "You have to stop beating yourself up about being obese and realize that obesity is a desease. Just like any other desease, sometimes you need help. And there is nothing wrong with that". All of our lives we've been looked at different because we're overweight. People treat you different, clothes don't fit right, and sometimes you just feel uncomfortable in your own skin. I am so blessed and grateful that I am getting this surgery. I know its going to be hard and anyone that says this is the "easy way out" has lost their minds! I hope the best to everyone one here!! Whether your pre-op or post or just thinking about lapband. This is trruely a great place to start your journey and there are so many supportive people!! I am also thinking about making some youtube video blogs...if and when I do this I will put a link on here if anyone is interested in watching... Have a great day!!!!

I am beyond words! Very excited and grateful that I am being approved for lapband and will be able to get my life back! I start my pre-op diet tomorrow which consists of... water protein shakes one healthy choice meal a day Then the day before surgery all clear liquids...I went and bought my protein shakes (which is acutally this morning stuff that the doctor suggested) healthy choice meals, (chicken broth and some sugar free jello if I really am needing something different). My surgeon said that most people try to do just the protein shakes for the pre-op but I can do one healthy choice meal a day too if I want...So I think I will for the first few days and then try to stick with just liquids the last days leading up to surgery. I'm super anxious and getting my EKG and bloodwork today was sureal...I just cant believe this is acutally going to happen after waiting for it for SO long. I hope everyone on here the best of luck whether pre-op or post op!

Hey does anyone know if you are approved for lapband (which my insurance with aetna has the same requirments for lapband, RNY, and sleeve) and you change your mind before surgery and decide that you do want RNY, can you get RNY? In my insurance bulletin requiremtents it has all the same requirements for surgery for all three surgeries...so does this mean you can decide RNY with your surgeon if thats a better choice for you? I havent been banded yet but I am approved for lapband...meeting with surgeon tomorrow... I am still pretty sure (about 90%) that I want lapband...the only thing(s) that scare me are the erosion and slippage rate of lapband...I mean in this economy what happens if you lose your job and have no insurance and then god forbid something happens with your band and you need surgery?.....Sorry I dont mean to be Debbie downer...but I am realistic... Would apprieciate any and all feedback

Thank you very much! I still think lapband is the best of the bariatric surgeries...It just scares me that 1/3 of all people that get lapband are going to have a problem. And I know that it's not been out long enough to have real concrete evidence. All I can do is hope and pray that I am not one of those people.

I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD RIGHT NOW!!! I got a call from the lady at the weight loss surgical center saying that I am officially approved for surgery through my insurance!!!! SOOOOOOOOOOO happy!!!! I've waited 9 LONG months for this!!! I'm meeting with my surgeon Monday to start doing lab work for surgery!!! Possibly surgery date Oct 5th!

Thank you everyone!! I AM VERY EXCITED. roeroe-- I agree with you that they SHOULD do the testing before just like they make you do all the other stuff for insurance approval, but the way it's been explained to me is that the EKG and blood work is the last step before surgery. And if something doesnt work out with either of those (such as irregular heart beat or something like that) you might have to go to a cardiologist to be cleared for surgery. I'm a pretty healthy person (other than being obese!). So HOPEFULLY all my tests come back good!! I am so ready for this and I feel like I have been waiting forever!!

I'm going on (business) day number 4 tomorrow! Waiting for insurance approval/denial/something....I know I really don't have the right to complain because 4 days really isnt much...but when you have worked so hard for something and you want it so bad the last thing you want to do it wait!!! Anyone else have Aetna? What's your story?

I know its hard, but try to be patient. Do whatever they ask you. Are you self pay or insurance? Do you know if you have to do any programs to get approved? I had to do a 90 day diet/exercise/nutrtion program then a pysch eval for Aetna. And now im in the waiting process....waiting while the insurance company will or will not approve the decision that could change my life!! I completely understand how you feel. I occupy my time in here a lot with questions I may have or just looking at others who have met their goal weights (some of their pictures are really inspiring!). Dont feel alone though, we ALL have had to go through some hoops for this.

Thank you Arnetta and Reikorenee! I apprieciate that! It is REALLY hard to wait. And the doctors office told me that it is somewhat of a GAME with the insurance companies...That made me sick to my stomach...Like what do they really do?? Flip a coin to see who gets it?? I would think if I am meeting all of THEIR requirments (42 BMI, prediebetes, 3 month nutrtion/exercise/diet program and then i even added a letter of recommedation from my doctor and I also wrote a personal letter to Aetna telling them how much this will mean to me and my family). Surely with all that information they will approve me!! I really hope so. If not I will APPEAL APPEAL APPEAL!!!!

My paperwork was submitted yesterday to the insurance company. I called Aetna today and they said they had no record of my paperwork. So I called the lapband center Im going to and the girl thats working on my case said that she sends it through a different way and that most of the staff is not able to see it....I asked her if I should continue to check on the progress of the case and she said not to....that I should just let her handle it from here because we dont want to "rock the boat" too much...It seems like the insurance makes decisions however they want to on these surgeries...Like even if your meeting ALL the requirments that THEY set for you it seems like they can still find a way to deny it...I am trying not to think about it too much. I really hope I get approved and Im trying to stay positive...I just feel like insurance companies only think about the short term costs of surgery and not how beneficial and money saving it will be in the long run..

I have a 6 month old baby and I am working towards getting Lapband. I was just wonderning what other parents experiences have been like with recovery, living with lapband, etc with children?

Thanks Amanda! I think we're on the same page. I've had some people try to discoruage me from getting the band and a lot of them bring up the fact that I have a baby and it will be harder with a baby, but I also think that if you want it bad enough you will make it work. Sorry to hear about your daughter throwing food on the floor! lol. My son isn't quite to that point but im sure he will be soon enough!!

Need some advice. I have been working on getting lapband with my surgical center and insurance for about 8 months now. I FINALLY have all the things done that I needed to do for insurance and am ready to send my paperwork off to the insurance company. The company that I am working with has been pretty good up until recently. When I call to check on my progress I feel like Im aggravating them... Yes, I may call everyday sometimes...but is that a bad thing to want to know how my progress is going? I really want lapband. Now that Im getting close enough to get an answer I feel like its taking FOREVER. The girl I spoke with yesterday told me she would call me today and we would go over all my informaiton that she is going to send to the insurance company before she sends it. Its almost 2:30 where Im at and still no phone call...I try to email sometimes and now I get absolutely no responce.... I feel like I would do their job better than they do it. Im frustrated and tired of calling her because everytime I do I feel like im being a hassle to her! I dont think I should have to feel like this...What do you think?

Thank you! You are so right and that's exactly what I did today and I was able to get everything straightened out. So tomorrow my paperwork is supposed to be turned in to the insurance company and maybe soon I will have an answer!! And hopefully it's an approval!!!!

Hello Everyone! My name is Sarah and I am not yet banded. I decided about 6 months ago that I definetly want to get banded. The week I made my decision on finding a doctor and getting this thing rolling I also found out I was pregnant! So, of course now I have to wait to get the band, which is fine. But now that I know I have to wait to get it I am getting more and more excited. I know I will not be able to get banded right away after birth. I am thinking about 12 weeks after my little boy is here. That is if everything goes well. I have an appointment set for January 2011 to meet a surgeon to start looking at my insurance and possibly start running some tests. I have been overweight off and on most of my life just like a lot of other people. I lost 100lbs in high school and got down to my goal weight with very intense (and probably not the healthiest methods) of exercise and extreme diets, only to gain it back. I am 22 years old and I want to be able to get a handle on my health before it is too late. I have parents that have struggled with their weight for many years and I hope that I will not. I am posting this to anyone that wants to chat about where they are in the process or to those who have already got the lap band. I would love someone else to talk to about this whole process! Good Luck Everyone!! Sarah

here is the link to one girl that has done amazing.

Thank you and congrats on getting the band! I am really looking forward to doing it. I have been researching A LOT for the past few months and I've found some really great people on Youtube that are banded and make weekly blogs about their progress. One girl I've been watching has lost more than 100lbs and looks amazing! You should check it out. They give tons of great advice and it's really neat to watch someone go from before surgery to a year later! Its going to be a lot of hard work, but it will be worth every minute I think! Good luck!!

Thanks Camille! I have been thinking about the lap band for a couple years now too. It can be a tough decision to make, but I know it is going to be worth it. I am almost 6 months pregnant now. Due in early April or late March. I'm thinking that I would like to get it sometime in August. I talked to my OB today and she said that I should give myself atleast a couple months to heal and that I may be at a higher risk for infection if I do not. So Im thinking about 12 weeks. I hope your journey goes well! I also have a doctors appt in January to meet a surgeon. Let me know how yours goes! :-)