oldoneyoungagain

Doesn't it feel great, that now waiting on if you will get approved or not, is over? Really think for me that was the issue, wondering what else will they need, have I done everything or did they forget, case manager, to submit something. The worry, the wondering until they notify you You're approved. What a relief it is. Now on to a newer you in 48 days. Congrats. Keep posting, it is always great to read other's stories and what they had to go through to get where you have gotten.

Sorry to hear they had to move your surgery date postponing it for another week. That really sucks. We have to get a mind set preparing ourselves for the surgery, then poof we have to reinforce it for another week. My heart goes out to you. But they just moved it. Mine is scheduled at 10:00 AM on the 11th. Three days before I start the liquid diet. Good luck and onward to a newer you.

terry1118 tell your husband he did the right thing which I'm sure he knows but a high five anyway. We all know smoking can lead to lung cancer, stomach cancer, but in men, who are long time smokers, they have a better chance of developing bladder cancer. My hubby quit after about 48 years but way too late. Developed bladder cancer and died within two years from the diagnosis and he was about three months shy of a five year cancer survivor from prostrate cancer when diagnosed with bladder cancer. Long term survival for bladder cancer is five years. So good job for the long term success being smoke free.

SD2013 welcome, welcome, welcome you have found a great sight for support, information, ranting, and questions. I am basically a Kansas girl only moving to Missouri 13 years ago. So I am quite familiar of the general area you are now living vs Zona Rosa. If your surgeon is not completely booked until the end of the year I would say if you met everything he/she requires and what the insurance requires you possibly would be looking at surgery before the first of the year. Sorry though that would stress you, but understand because of the holiday time frame. It can be difficult this time of the year because you are learning a whole new way of eating. Since I was a bander I have been through the process so eating habits are not my issue but I was stressing because I thought I would have to wait until October and trying to keep off from what I had already lost having the band was beginning to freak me out. But basically as promised the doctor said I would only have to wait two months from band removal and it will only be 2 1/2 months so not too bad. With all this being said if you need any help, support, questions please don't hesitate to ask. You have come to a great site loaded with a lot of supportive people. Once again welcome aboard and keep us posted.

My approval came in today, just submitted last Thursday and doctor's office called at 1:00 PM and said surgery is scheduled for 9/11/13 at 10:00 AM. Start liquid diet 9/2/13. Since I did the liquid diet with the band, won't mind it as remember how great I felt eliminating the carbs, didn't realize how sluggish I felt until I had to do that diet, don't know if was because I'm a diabetic also or if it is just natural. Anyway when I brought it up to the doctor he said it was because I wasn't eating any sugar or carbs. Don't know if I should actually believe that as he is the same doctor who told me he hasn't had a patient who had to have their band removed. I must have been his first in all the years he was doing bands. (I actually switched doctors because of the clinic staff). So surgery 9/11/13 an on to a healthier life.

This is what I get for cheating by checking my insurance. Doctor's office called today at 1:00 PM CST, informed me my insurance had approved me (two business days.....faint, faint, faint) and my surgery is 9/11/13 at 10:00 AM. Went from fainting at the fast approval to a small heart attack. So no longer on the October forum. Switching to September.

Welcome to "sorry we had the band group". Been on this site since May (researching RNY vs sleeve as had to have my band out) an everyone (almost) who had the band wish they would have gone for the bypass instead and I am one of those also. Never had a problem with my band for the three years I had it, just had problems with the clinic staff that placed my band, so switched. New doctor found it had slipped, had he not I probably would have been in the same boat as you. He thought at first it had erroded, but it had just slipped. I'm scheduled 9/11/13 for the RNY. So glad to hear you are feeling great as it sounds even with the complication with the band you have a very positive attitude with the RNY. It so good to hear the positive side for those who still have to have surgery versus the bad side of those who have so many complications after having it. Thank you very much.

Doctor's office just called about one hour ago. Insurance approval came through and surgery is scheduled for 10:00 AM 9/11/13. Have a 10 day liquid diet, see the surgeon and lab work of course and then onto a healthier me.

Really can't answer for straight Medicare A&B as I elected to have Humana Gold Plus for my coverage through Medicare. My insurance was submitted 8/22/13 and just got the call approval came through and surgery is scheduled for 9/11/13 for 10:00 AM.

Date change from the above message. The approval came through after just two business days and KC Bariatric called me @ 1 PM today and surgery is scheduled for 10:00 AM Sept 11. On to a healthier me. What a great day. Just have to give a BIG THANK YOU to my Case Manager for taking such good care of me and all her patients. A little over 10 weeks from removal of the lapband to RNY.

Just got the call mine is 9/11/13. Took the insurance company two business days to approve. In total shock.

"C. diff", is a species of Gram-positive bacteria of the genus Clostridium that causes diarrhea and other intestinal disease when competing bacteria are wiped out by antibiotics."

My first question would be, are you still taking pain medication? Second question are you taking any type of laxative or fiber supplement to help with constipation from the pain meds? If yes to the first question and no to the second question you need to be calling your doctor as C-diff is a very good possibility and it needs to be checked so you do not dehydrate which can happen extrememly fast with this.

Welcome Tammy. Glad to see another Kansas Citian on board. Just had my insurance papers submitted last Thursday right after I finished my very last ("in's and out's, do's and don'ts class) it is the final class where the dietiatian, surgical nurse and physical therapist tells us what we can eat and when, nurse tells us what to expect, and physical therapist has more to do with excerise. Anyway decided to check on my insurance website to see if they had received it, which they have. It is still pending but the surgeon has to give them a date for surgery. It looks like they have scheduled me for 10/23/13 once approved. Wishing you the best of luck in becoming a new you. Keep posting.

Well no turning back. Insurance papers submitted last Thursday for RNY. Checked my insurance website to make sure they did submit for authorization and sure enough it is listed, of course pending. But the doctor's office submits the surgery date with it. They submitted 10/23/13. Just have to continue to control what I eat so as not to gain until then. I've lost it too many times before to do it again.

I actually asked the dietiatian if a straw was okay and got a definite yes. I use straws to drink everything but my coffee.

Okay, I sorta cheated. Finished all the hoops last Thursday and talked with the case manager who stated she was just getting ready to submit the papers to the insurance company. She said that they should know something in about two weeks. So today I log into my insurance company's website and checked to see if an authorization for surgery had been submitted. Sure enough it had been, still pending of course, but the surgery date the doctor's office submitted it for is 10/23/13. Hopefully, they can move it up a little. With no lapband anymore, having to work really hard to maintain the weight I lost. I'm doing it but so totally insecure without the tool on board.

Psy clearance, three months weight management with PCP, three visits with the dietitian, thilium stress test and EKG & clearance with cardiologist, clearance with pulmonlogist (who thought I should maybe have another sleep study, but nixed it because I've only had mild apnea when I was 48 lbs heavier and couldn't use the CPAP anyway so he agreed, 2 1/2 hour class of what I call the ( "In's and Out's, Do's and Don'ts class) EGD (had that to find out if the band had to be removed, it did + the H-Pylori test at the same time) and all this was submitted yesterday to my insurance for approval for RNY. Prior to surgery will have final visit with surgeon then will have to have complete blood panel and then into surgery about a week later (Date to be announced). I do have to say that the requirements this time was faster, and more informative then when I had the band. That clinic just wanted what the insurance required, 6 months of weight management, psy clearance, cardiologist clearance, pulmonologist clearance. That was it and other than fills after that that, it was all they did. Never even checked the band the three years that I had it. Maybe because I never had an ounce of trouble with it, even up to the time my new doctor did check it and found it had slipped. But I am more definitely satisfied this time, as this clinic shows they want to make this work for you and make it safe.

Hi to both of you.....Went to my "do's & don'ts," class yesterday. One of the main things discussed was smoking, if you are a smoker you need to stop at least six weeks before surgery and that will be your last time you should ever smoke. Smoking is the #1 problem that causes problems with the by-pass. My doctor(s) will help with whatever you need to help you stop, but before surgery you have to been clean at least the six weeks. I look at it as there are enough issues with bypass that can go wrong without me helping it along.

I've been drinking all of the Unjury flavors for over 3 years, haven't had any problems. When I first started though one of my medications I was on didn't agree with the Unjury and caused IBS and severe cramping until I called the nurse. She thought it might be to the whey and the fact the psychologist said to drink 6 daily, but I discontinued the medication and haven't had a problem also when I went on my pre-op they only wanted 3 shakes and one Smart One until surgery. I would contact your doctor's office or call Unjury and talk with the dietatian you just might be able to tolerate it, or possibly the sweetner that is in it.

Hello reshiapooh96. Had my band in 2010 got down to 206 at one point as I did alot of walking while in France and England last year. Came back to the states and went back to 214 as of Monday but I yoyo between 210 & 216. Band was removed in May 2013 because of slippage so dr also recommended RNY because of diabetes so all paper work sent to insurance today for the RNY should know something in about two weeks. Doctors (3 of them) only want me to lose about 60 more lbs. I would like to lose about 75 more lbs. They are definitely frowning on that. We'll see though. I've been beating myself up for not doing a lot more research on the lapband as more surgery wasn't on my bucket list either but living is. So going to do what I have to do to become healthier. Good luck.

Hello Kansas City........Update went to my "ins & outs, do's and don'ts" class today which now completed. Then talked with the case manager to see if there was anything else insurance will need. Nothing is needed and she stated she is submitting the information to insurance and should have an answer within the next two weeks. I asked if she thought I would have any issues with approval and she stated she didn't think so. I have had lapband, lost weight, been seeing the PCP and dietatian for the last three months and have actually lost weight during this time. So she sees no problems. So now just waiting. Then on to a surgery date, last scheduled visit with the doctor, lab work. Sorta anxious but will survive the wait. Hope all of you are doing well. Stay in touch KC.

I too had the band and lost about 48 lbs but it slipped and now it has been removed. It has been three months and I haven't gained any weight. But this time I am determined not to regain just to have to take it off again for the hundredth time or so it seems. So at the age of 71 I'm jumping through my last hoop 8/22 and all will be submitted to the insurance company for RNY approval. Am I scared of having this surgery, you bet. There is a lot to weigh out, all the pros and all the cons but I am siding with the pros with a positive attitude rather than the cons. You see if I keep the weight, not do anything, I sentenced myself to death in about five years. For young ones this probably isn't reality check just yet, but believe you me, if they continue as is, it will. Being morbidly obese is a death sentence, you just don't know when the sentence will come. It truely is a eye opener when you are told though. So my advice would be........ you will have to decide whether you need a tool to help you or can you do it on your own. But the one decision is, that however you do it, the weight has to come off or you have sentenced yourself to numerous health problems which will probably lead to an early death. So from someone who has experienced being told without weight loss you about five years give or take a year the decision wasn't hard to make. So now I am in a battle to just prolong my life but damage has been done and cannot be undone. But losing weight will give the heart and lungs more room to function. So that is my thoughts, opinions, and my decision I have had to make for myself. I have to do this for myself because I did it to myself if I want just a few more years on this earth.

Hello Kansas City Just returned home from seeing the psychologist, last visit with the dietatian, and actually spent time with the case manager. Scheduled for my pre-op class on the 22nd. Everything then will be submitted for insurance approval and then the surgery date. Glad this is coming to a close, as I'm so worried I will put on weight since my band has been removed. Been working my rear-end off not to do that, so far it has worked, but still scared that I will and I really don't want to go through having to take it back off. Hope everyone is doing well and not having any problems. I've noticed the weight loss that you have all posted. Congrats doesn't it feel good watching those pounds slipping away? Okay guys keeping posting it is always good to see what you all have accomplished.

I didn't even know mine had slipped. Just got PO'd at the WLcenter that I was going to so went to a new doctor and he found it. Had it out 5/23/13 and thank goodness still maintaining the weight I had lost. Having bypass, hopefully, in Sept or Oct.