djmath

hi... I had my surgery done in Sioux Falls, Aug 2006 and have lost 110pd, I have 20-25 pds to go....it has gone well most of the time.....I have been satisfied most of time, I do still get hungry sometimes....but work through it...I excercise every day....walking is my main sore of exercise, ...so said you go to another south dakota forum..I wonder where is that..I am from MN..right across the boarder from South Dakoka...I wish you luck.....

I have a question for anyone that has had a weight loss and has had high bloodpressure that required medication to control it.....has your pressure went down? enough to get off your medicine?..if so how much did you lose till that happened?..did you have any signs that it was getting too low on the medication?..I did have mine check at 50pds with no difference by now with 100 pds off have not had things checked out..was hoping to get off the medication...and wonder if anyone has been able to get off their Medication.. thanks for your replies... Jenny

hi Brandy and welcome!!! I wish you the best of luck...and sense you are here you do sound ready...let me tell me, it is something you will never regret!!.... I am a year out now..as of August 15..and down alittle over 100pd...did I think that was possible, ayear ago..no..but I am SO GLAD I did it....I tryed every diet possible and when I heard about lap band...thought this is it....had never thought of Gastric by pass...to dangerous for me...but this....it was the answer...itis making me a healthier me..... again best of luck to you and welcome! Jenny

I wish you luck with your insurance company, I think it really depends state to state with BlueCross...where I live..in MN it was a covered procedure,however I did have to have documentation that I had had a weight problem..and I had great support from my primary doctor,she told me what can I do to help you get this done when I approached her, there was no problem with my BlueCross when I supplied the documentation of fighting my weight for year...my advice to you...submitted it to insurance, I would think that the drs nurse would be able to help you with this....my surgeons nurse did all this, got the documentation from me and got the approval that was needed..if you get a denial I say..appeal it with as much documenation as you can get...from your doctor about your health..and the benefit to you health that it would be......I work in an hospital billing office and do appeals on different procedures...as much documenation that you can send the better..... I wish you luck with this...don;t give up...you are on your way to a healthier you!!! Jenny:)

Hi..I have to agree with what they are saying here...follow the eating plan....the band is a tool for you to use...you have to folllow the guide lines to get it to work....it is possible to eat around it....if you have come as far to get banded you are determined to lose weight, so follow what the dr says and it will work.. best of luck!!!

Am I glad I did it?YES...Would I pay for it out of pocket..YES.....how do I feel physically....great..at times I have been tired..but when my body caught up with the weight I was losing...I had so much engery...I am able to move around and have so much more energy than I did last year at this time..I had my surgery August 15th 2006..and as of today I am down 105pds.....I would like to lose 25 more pds..... advice...don;t get discouraged when you start losing .....you will lose and than sit at one spot for awhile..give it time, and let your body adjust..the scale will all the sudden move again...give it time soem times it take 3 or 4 weeks for your body to adjust...follow your eating plan..and more advice...get in a excercise routine..and follow it...push your self to do it..it will become part of your life style..it helps the weight lost... one more advice...my doctor told me...you can eat around your band....it is to be used as a tool to help you lose, you have to follow the plan and it will work... it is all I expected yes...it reminds me when i am over eating or eating something I should not, and reminds me how hard I am working to get healthy.... I wish you the best of luck!!...if you have desided to do this...you can do it!!!! best wishes to you!!!!

hi.. I have a quesiton about Blood pressure...and losing weight, I am wondering if anyone that has had the band, and been on Blood pressure medication, has your medication decreased, or have you been able to get off competely?..if so, when did you know it was time to get it decreased or talk to your dr about it?... I have been having headaches for the last few weeks..and feel tired...and before when I was losing I had so much more engery...something just does not feel right...my yearly physical is not due till Feb..but wondering if I should go see my family dr and see if maybe I need to adjust my medication.... I would like to hear what other people have experienced...which there blood pressure medication... thanks for any info you can give me.. Jenny

thanks...for your reply..I am going to call my dr tomarrow....I am on a very high dosage and maybe I need to decrease it somewhat.... Jenny

hello... I would like to hear about how people are doing with the band... I attended a gastic support group that is held locally and was kinda scared about what I heard...one was a gastric by pass patient that was a year and half out and was very discouraged she had gained 30 pds and could not get control...the other gal was a lap band patient and was a year out and had lost control she would eat what ever and did not excercise, she stated her dr said he would not see her because she was not eatting slow enough or like she was suppose to...I just got the feeling from her she had also given up......so I would like to hear some postives about the lap band...I had the procedure on August 15..(lap band) and I want to have successes....the negative talk did scare me..so I would like to hear some stories how your process has been ..that are possitive...I had this procedure to get healthy and stay that way....guess I want to hear some postive things.....I feel it can andwill work.....it seems to be so far.....I am down 55 pds..... thanks for what ever you can share... Jenny

Stephanee... I too began having migranes..which was really scarey..that was when they decovered my high bloodpressure.... why your dr has never approuched the issue with you?..I think maybe doctors don;t want to offend their patients now days..I am not sure..mine never brought it up to me either..but when I asked she was so supportive....pls keep us posted what yours says..I am so glad you are going to set a appointment up tomarrow...GOOD for you!!! Jenny...

hello Larae.. I was so excited to find your tread..I am from Mn....but right over the boarder from SD,I have shopped in Brookings once in awhile.....I had Dr. Strand...my procedure was done on August 15th...also a friend of mine had a band done by Dr. Strand in April...we both are doing well...it was just so amazing to read someone else that had Dr.Strand..we just love him..and his nurse Corey is just such a super person... sounds like you and your husband are doing very well....GOOD JOB!!... now do you know of may support groups in your area?...in our packet when we had the procedure they listed a support group throught McKennan Hospital..and we have attended it the last two months..it is once a month in Sioux Falls..and Dr. Strand is the speaker next months, so that will be really interesting I think...the group is not very big..which I was surprised at... well again it was so nice to hear of someone else that had had Dr. Strand.. Jenny

Stephanee... I read your message and the last line really promted me to return a message to you....I am a 46 year old woman that has fought with my weight all my life...and try so many things...but it was always everyone else needs first...the mother of 3 and wife for 27 years the family always comes first, which is the way it should be....to a point...you are young yet..and it is really so encouraging to me that you are taking hold of health matters ( your weight) now..while you are still young....at 40 I was dignosised with high blood pressure..and now 6 years later with kids getting married and grandchildren right around the corner..I finally realize it is time..my me ..to take hold and take care of me now....so I thought about some type of procedure for a few years now..and when the lap band came into question I did alittle research..and thought it was the safest ...I never did consider a total bypass...it is just too intense... I wish you the best of luck....I wonder do you have any other health factors that will help it get through insurance...that may help with insurance....I had the high bloodpressure..plus I had a doctor that was so supportive...I did ask my dr two years ago about gastic bypass and my doctor at that time said you are not heavy enough...so when I did my research about the band..and finally got the courage to ask my doctor I have now..she was so supportive she told me....telll me what I can do to get this done for you ....tell me how I can help....I suggest you find another dr and support...as you said in your message...now is time to give to your self!!!...you deserve to do this..and to be healthy in the years to come for your kids..and family...... good luck and keep us posted please.. Jenny

thank you for your reply...and I agree it is a tool, that I hope I can continue to use and sucessed with....I want to be a success story...this has been a challenge all my life I want to make it work.. when you said it was your best friend..that is so true...... thank you for your reply..

hi ... I had my lap band on Aug 15th and have lost 50 pd since I started my journey...10 pds before my band and 40 since...just found the site tonight and it looks like a very supportive and informative source of information..I have a question about when a person know if you need to go in for a adjustment? till next time...take care Jenny:)

hi I live in the way southwest part of MN so I have my surgery done in Sioux Falls SD...how about you?.... Jenny

hi..Iam from MN..had my surgery done in SD..I am very close to the boarder and the closest place was in Souix Falls....was just looking for other people that are from MN and had surgery in SD..... Jenny

FordGuy... I wish you the best of luck with your insurance too...and as said above if it does not cover, this is a good site to find other ways to finance it... you sound like you are ready to do this..I think that is where a person has to get in life to have this done, I have been heavy all my life and struggled all my life trying all different things..and it was a yo yo....and people do treat you different when you are thin...I hate that....but for now in my life it is more about health..I want to be able to see my grandchilden grown and enjoy the last half of my life thinner and healthier...than my first half.... I wish you the best of luck in your new journey!!! keep us posted... Jenny.....

hi...wanted to wish you the best of luck...I had my surgery in August...and as you...I needed to do it for me..my health..after trying all my life..it was time to get help with it.... best of luck!!!...

carlene.... so sorry to hear about your lost..when we had to have our beloved "friends" put to sleep 3 years ago..both with in a year, it was one of the hardest things I had to do in many years....I held them, petted them and told them what good doggies they were..I knew it was the best for them, but it did not feel the best for us at that time..... but it was.....I told myself that was it..no more pets...I was so heart broken and missed them so much......well my husband has gotton me two new companions..they do not replace Squirt and Lady ...but they are now part of our lives...and we enjoy them so...... I hope your pain is less as the days go on.....you did the right thing.... God Bless you..and yours... Jenny

Puglet...I would think you could increase your diet...I had my surgery on Aug 15 and 6 weeks later had my first till...during that time I increased to ground moist meat...ground turkey works well, and mash potatoes, and soft veggies....than after my first fill (only fill so far) I was on clear liquid that day and after that to soft foods and now ...pretty much what I like with in reason,,,no noodles or bread...I think you have to go by trial and error..just take it slow... Jenny

Laurand..I too hope your insurance covers it with your health problems so far I would think that would be a plus for coverage....you are young and for you to get hold of the weight now would be so good for you and your health...it took me 46 year till I finally realized I could not do it alone or with just support groups.....I need medical help.......I finally did in August and it is working so well........ again I wish you the best of luck!!! and let us know... Jenny...

thanks so much for the info I found the site last night....it is good info...