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Medicare is my primary insurance and my BMI must be 35 to be approved for them to pay. But I've got some money saved up and plan to pay myself if Medicare won't approve me. I've tried every diet under the sun and am way too sedentary, but I'm so big it is really hard for me to exercise to the extent that I can significantly lose and keep the weight off. I'm hoping that the Lap Band will let me lose enough so I can start exercising regularly again and not get so out of breath like I do now. My consultation is July 6th; I was here once before but had to reschedule my previous consultation due to life and bipolar complications. I told the receptionist that I plan to keep this appt. and will not be there only in the event of my death...I've gone up a size this summer too. From 18W to 20W...so I've got to do something. Anyone in my shoes? Blessings, Michelle

I have yet to be banded. I was wondering if acidic fruit after being banded is okay? I love grapefruit and grapefruit juice and mandarin oranges and orange juice. I was wondering about the acid in those...would it hurt the band in some way? Blessings, Michelle

Update: My current BMI is 35 on the dot; Medicare is paying! Yay! Now to make it through all the pre-op testing, consults, and evals. I was also just diagnosed with sleep apnea and placed on a CPAP machine. I'm sooooo ready for my band and to change my lifestyle! Blessings, Michelle

I will have to look at labels closely then...I buy Juicy juice for my toddler and they claim to have 100% juice but not sure about the sugar content. I do buy the light cranberry juice and I drink a ton of sugar free Kool-Aid. I'm trying hard to wean myself off of soda, even though I drink only diet...I know carbonation is contraindicated with the band. I also like those flavored sugar free zero calorie waters at Wal-Mart. Thanks everyone...blessings, Michelle

My SIL had the bypass many many years ago, when it was first popular and before the band...she lost 150 lbs. but has put it all back on because she believed that she could eat whatever she wanted and so she ate and ate very unhealthy and gained it all back plus some. She currently weighs 496 lbs. and now wants the band, but is having trouble finding someone to do it since the bypass wasn't successful for her. Personally, I wouldn't do the bypass unless other options had been tried... Blessings, Michelle

I had my initial consult last week and not only do I have to see their psychiatrist, I have to have letters from my personal psychiatrist and also from my therapist. And they are requiring my attendance to a monthly support group leading up to my band and afterwards too. Has anyone had to have that many psych evals? Blessings, Michelle

Your body is stronger than you think. For me, starting any moderate impact exercise is the worst...the first 5 or so minutes I have myself believing I'm dying...then I sort of go over the hump, my body's endorphins kick in and I'm good to go! And the high I always feel afterwards is totally worth it. I'm looking forward to increasing my exercising too and at least, jogging around my mom's neighborhood (we live in the country so I can't jog around our house). Blessings, Michelle

Once banded, I plan to sign up for Zumba. It is a type of aerobic exercise that incoporates dance steps with aerobic activity to music and I've heard rave reviews about it. People who are doing it say they are so focused on the dance moves they are learning, that they don't really think of it so much as exercise. I've also heard as far as impact goes, that it is the equivalent of cardio kickboxing. I already do Water aerobics twice a week, but need something a bit more active/more impact. Blessings, Michelle

Would cranberry juice be considered a clear liquid? I love V8 juice for the regular liquid phase. I'm a big juice drinker so I'm glad I'll be able to have at least some juices at first. Once into the all liquid (not necessarily clear), pineapple juice and apricot nectar okay too? Thanks so much and blessings, Michelle

All the papers my primary doc had to fill out stated I'd had a long history of anorexia prior to becoming obese. The band doc really honed in on this...he said they'd had a couple patients who starved themselves after the band and that any sort of psych history needed to be explored fully before they would do the surgery. I guess I just wasn't prepared for that. My lowest weight during my child bearing years was 96 lbs. I was sick looking at that weight and know my ideal body weight is 125-130 and I would never try to go below that...but he said they needed to be assured of that so more psych evals. Ugh...I have Medicare and then also a secondary insurance through hubby's work...if they will pay for all this, I guess I'll just have to buck up and do it huh? Blessings, Michelle

Just wanted to add something about anti-depressants, there are a few out there that actually curb appetite and most lose weight while taking them. Talk to your doc about it. Good luck! Blessings, Michelle

I haven't been banded yet but I read about this in one of my Lap Band books and also my surgeon mentioned this too. I think it may have something to do with taking your pills. My surgeon told me I won't be able to ever take whole pills again; I will either have to open the capsules, crush, or substitute liquid meds after getting banded. What I read in my only band book was that when taking things not chewed well, like pills, your stomach tells the body to make more lubricant to try to push the stuff down, hence the increased saliva. I really think your pills might be getting stuck, if you can crush them (consult your pharmacist prior to this) and put them in either applesauce or pudding and see if that helps. Good luck! Blessings, Michelle

Before my consult, my surgeon requested an EKG...I had it last week and my primary doc called today and told me I needed to see a cardiologist ASAP and that to be prepared that I may not get to have my Lap Band surgery. I'm prematurely terrified...what kind of EKG abnormality would stand in the way of this surgery? Blessings, Michelle

Hey everyone. I'm 5'2 and weigh 184. My BMI is 34. I'm on Medicare; you have to have a BMI of 35 for Medicare to pay. Any suggestions for me? Paying out of pocket is not an option. I loaded up on cookie dough last week...I've almost polished off one package but it is killing me and I have to gag it down. I stepped on the scales today hoping for 190 or close, and I've lost 4 lbs!!!!!! This is driving me nuts! Anyone know of something heavy I can stick in my bra when I meet my surgeon????? j/k....MAYBE! ARGH! Blessings, Michelle

Hey everyone. I'm on several meds for my bipolar disorder and on a big thick capsule for migraines. My pharmacist insists that most of them cannot be crushed or the capsules broke open. Only a couple of them can be changed to liquid. How do you do this after being banded? Will they stay down/go through the band at all? Blessings, Michelle

I suffer from bipolar disorder so I already see a psychiatrist and a therapist. I wonder if a note from them saying I'm stable enough for the surgery would be good enough or if I have to see one trained mainly in psycho analying potential bandsters? Hmmm. Another question for the surgeon! Blessings, Michelle

Yes, the hospital I'm trying to get the Band at requires a referral and sent me a form for my PCP to fill out. I see a group of docs where I live and a couple of NP's. If I can get my favorite NP there to refer me (which I'm sure she will) then I should be good to go. My docs are always telling me if I lose weight then my blood pressure should go down. I don't get why your doc is mad though; primary care docs are always giving referrals to other docs??? Blessings, Michelle

I know there is a forum on here for this but no one has posted since early December in there. My current BMI is 34. If my insurance doesn't approve me, I plan on continuing on as self pay, although I may switch surgeons just to have my doc closer to me than the one I'm going to right now because they take my insurance whereas the first one I thought I wanted didn't. I live in a very rural area and can only choose city doctors, 2 hours away one way. Anyone else here with a lower BMI trying to get the Band? If so, would love to hear from you, either here or in PM! Blessings, Michelle

Thank you for your (I'm sure) well intentioned advice, but you know nothing of my health condition other than what I've said here...my SIL has had several suicide attempts prior to her gastric bypass and she was approved for that. I also know of others in the same boat that were approved. Can you actually provide me with a link saying that people with mental illness were denied the band? Please provide me with the link so I can continue my own research. Also, as far as qualifying, didn't I just say I would pay for it out of pocket? Please read before responding so rudely. Blessings, Michelle

Thank you to all who have been helpful and supportive. And for the final record, I don't plan on scamming anyone. I've decided to give it my best shot; if I happen to gain weight between my first appt. and now, then so be it. I'm going as-is and if insurance won't approve me, I will research ways to pay for it on my own. I firmly believe in "where there's a will, there's a way" and I will find it somewhere! :-) Blessings, Michelle

Would it help me at all if I could prove my ability to follow rules and instructions? Based on: I've had the same psychiatrist for about 8 years now; I haven't been hospitalized since 2004, I've followed my medication regimen to the T, and I have my own psychologist as well...although I only see her if I feel I really need to. I have also been successful in the past with cognitive behavioral therapy in my therapy sessions. However, I am bipolar type 1 and back when I was skinny, I was very manic prone, although now I'm more depressive prone partially due to my weight, insecurity, and low self esteem that comes with any disease mentality/functioning/coping skills. Back when I was hospitalized in 2004, they added a diagnosis to me: schizoaffective disorder. Basically, I hear voices every day of my life, which is why I will forever be on an antipsychotic every day...and I take it without fail...if I miss even a single dose, I hear voices telling me to kill myself and go to hell. So I have to be on those meds no matter what. My life depends upon it. I really want this band...I want to be a good role model for my preteen obese son, I want to be around to see my grandkids and play with them, I want to be able to stop my blood pressure meds, and I don't want to wind up with diabetes like both of my parents, who are also both obese. For those of you reading this, you're probably thinking I'll be denied for sure...I'm not giving up though; I'm going to see this through. I don't depend upon the band to be a cure all or a quick fix...my mental illness has taught me there is no such thing. I want to use it as a tool to help me make better choices about what I put into my mouth and help me lose enough weight so I actually feel like exercising more. Right now I'm at 2 hours a week of Water aerobics. I was doing my treadmill, but have to force myself to even get on it twice a week. Ahhh...sorry to ramble, yes I've had a tough go, but it's not over yet. I'm determined and ambitious and I'm ready to fight! Blessings, Michelle

Never mind everyone. I've decided if denied insurance coverage for it, I will pay out of pocket. I will be on psychotropic drugs until the day I die, if they refuse me on that basis alone, then I guess it wasn't meant to be. Blessings, Michelle

I'm an RN who was also an infertility patient who did IVF for years and gave myself shots in the stomach. My hubby who is a nursing student, has given me most of my IM fertility shots and if he could do that, he could give me an unfill if reaching my port was too difficult for me to do. If I had the right equipment and couldn't keep anything down, I would definitely unfill myself...however, I would let my doctor know what I did and would never do my own fills. Now that I know this could be a dilemma, I plan to ask the surgeon if I can have the proper equipment for an unfill in an emergency. Blessings, Michelle

Hey there. I'm an RN and I've yet to hear or read of anyone dying from the lap band. I have heard of complications and death with gastric bypass though, but even so, they were extreme cases. There is a small chance of death with any surgery...say you had an attack of your appendix. You could literally die without it being removed and once removed, you continue to lead a full normal life. Think of it kind of like that, puts things into a better perspective. Blessings, Michelle

Hi...I'm new here too and haven't been banded yet. My SIL was in a similar position to yours except she had her hysterectomy first, then had gastric bypass. She never followed her diet though and has gained all her weight back and wants the lap band but has been told she has to lose 100 lbs. to get it. I'm also an RN so if you have any questions about your upcoming hyster, just let me know; I've cared for many post op. Blessings, Michelle