chubbola

hi sweet_thang--- did you hear anything about the bmi requirements for anthem? i heard you had to have a bmi of 40-49...no bands for bmi's over 50...have you heard that? thanks!

hi renebean~ i am also BCBS waiting for my first response from my insurance co...i did see somewhere that you had to have a BMI between 40-49, but when i called the insurance company-they couldn't find that documentation anywhere...so basically i'm holding my breath-i have a BMI of 50.4 or so (depending where i ate lunch at) lol...so i'll keep you in mind if i get a denial! thanks for the info! courtney

i second that emotion, shesha lol! here's to successful banding of the wisconsin women's moose-butted association!

hi mae! i had to laugh when you said that about ho chunk!!! me and my nursing classmates went there after our semester final and they made a load from us! i'm still smoke free as of 1/6/07! i still can't believe it! i haven't really had a craving for one, except a couple of times after i've eaten-habitually thinking 'better go outside and smoke'...but i didn't give in to the tobacco monster! talk to you soon~ courtney

hooray for you, tammy! i am also a bandster wannabe-so we'll go through our journey together! i'm just waiting back from my insurance company...keep us posted! nice to meet ya!

hi deb! i'm also from wisconsin-about 45 mn west of the dells area. i am probably going to uw madison to get my band---but i wanted to welcome you to LBT! there's also a wisconsin thread on here-a few of us chat on there, too! good luck on your journey-keep in touch!

:clap2:Well, I did it! I quit smoking! I was horrified when I went to my seminar and they told me that I would need to be a non-smoker for three months before they would do the lapband! I didn't think I could do it-not smoke AND not eat? Well, I just woke up on Dec. 24th and decided that if I really wanted this to happen that I would have to give it up. So I just threw my cigarettes away and gave away all my lighters that I had stashed (or maybe misplaced) to my stinky smoking friends! I ended up going to the doctor and was put on Wellbutrin which is helping me I guess! I guess all I wanted to say is: "holy crap-I really quit smoking!". It was actually easier than i thought it would be, considering I'm 32 and have smoked regularly for about 16 years:eek:-so if I can do it, anyone can! Talk to you soon!

hi again, jason! i am more than likely going into the mental health field-i am so fascinated with the brain and how mysterious it is! we'll see-who knows-i'd love to be some sort of bariatric nurse also-it would be neat to share my (hopefully positive) story someday! i know it's no excuse, but i've found myself gaining weight with the larger homework load i have...it seems like if i'm not in class or clinicals, i'm sitting on my duff in front of the computer-sometimes i have to suck it up and get a B or C on my exam in exchange for going outside and playing with my kids! you're almost done-hang in there! you can be an awesome nurse AND a hottie mountain climber, ya know! don't trade in one for another (sorry-i'm a bit of a mother hen)!!! hope to hear from you soon!

~get banded before april 2007 ~continue to be a nonsmoker ~not be ashamed of myself/my weight ~ride a bike ~keep passing nursing school! lol good luck to all with your resolutions! happy holidays!

i come from a long line of fatties--not to mention i LOVE food! i've actually hoped to have hypothyroidism or something to give me a reason for my insanity! i eat my kids' leftovers cuz i don't want to waste, i'll eat the same food three times a day cuz i don't want the leftovers to be thrown away, i'm basically nuts! i wake up every morning on a diet, and by noon i'm dreaming about what i can shove in my mouth! phentermine is just tic tacs to me anymore! i have a love/hate relationship going on with my ww leader! this can't be used against me when i get my psych eval, right?! lol good luck to all!

mary- we can do this! isn't it amazing how your mind can want to stop when it wants something bad enough?! my doc is demanding 3 months of not smoking-but i'm hoping to talk him down to 2 1/2!!! lol! glad chantix is working-so far the wellbutrin is going well for me-my husband doesn't think i'm too psycho yet!!

welcome to LBT, Lisa P! on page one of this thread, Shesha is talking about fills with wisconsin docs...i believe that Dean in Madison is the cheaper option in madison (uw madison is high)...not sure where waukesha county is-i live about 1 hr west of the dells! congrats on your lapband journey-i can't wait to get mine! p.s. how's it going for you? is the weight loss good? any complications?

i actually posted this question on insurance board, but am hoping to get more responses on this one! i spoke with my bariatric clinic when i faxed them my insurance card which takes effect 1/1/07, and she said that she'll send in a request for payment. until then i just have to sit and wait for a response. this doesn't sound right to me! isn't this when i should be giving my insurance company all my ww weight books and all my other methods of weight loss that i've tried with no success? i just feel that this is precious time that's being wasted! she said they have to get the initial approval before i can go see the psychologist...which costs $800!!! i bout fell over!!! i guess what i'm wondering if i really do have to wait for a denial before i get a chance to show my insurance company what i've tried? seems like a run-around to me! hope to hear some insight on this! :help: :help: :help: :help: :help:

welcome to LBT superfly! i'm also getting LB coverage as of 1/1/07-good luck with your journey and keep us posted!

well, yesterday i finally faxed my bariatric clinic my new insurance card that will be effective 1/1/07....so i asked her what else i can do, and she said i just have to wait. isn't this my first shot at an approval? isn't this when i should be sending copies of my ww books, and all my other attempts at weight loss? i'm just worried that i'm not doing enough. i'm not the type to just sit back and wait...any suggestions?

hi jason! i, too, am a nursing student and wanting to be healthier! thank you for your story-i laughed when i saw 'homeostasis'---my body loves that word! i also lost about 70lbs with weight watchers, and my weight came back with a vengence! i just want to be healthy for me, my kids, and my patients! how serious can a person take me when i'm telling them to lose weight when i'm a moose myself? i'm from the stillwater minnesota area, and am very familiar with st. josephs hospital (my daughter was born there)! i now live in wisconsin (dells area).good luck to you and your journey----keep in touch! hopefully we both get our bands during spring break-that's my goal too!

AWESOME GIRL! we can do this together!

becky-you will get there-something will trigger in your head that you don't want to smoke anymore! it's ok-smoking has been my crutch for 16 years-you'll get through it! i shouldn't say this, but at least you're smoking instead of gaining weight! i'll never admit i said that, even though most of us probably feel that way!

oh wow-i just spoke with deann today from uw madison bariatric clinic, and i gave her my new insurance (bcbs anthem) card that's starting jan 1st. i asked her what i do next,and she told me i just have to wait...UGH! not in my vocabulary! she said they have to send an initial form to my insurance company before they will even schedule an appt with me because the psychologist appt is $800!!! no wonder insurance companies get grumpy with us! geez-i'm fat-not a psycho! i know that it's all routine for our safety, but come on! wowzer! i guess i'll just sit here and wait for the good news (hopefully)!!!!!

oh-what a great question! let's see....i can't wait to: ~be a healthy mom and wife ~be a hottie mom and wife lol ~cross my legs without them going numb ~wear cute undies and bras ~coach my sons soccer team ~be able to wear those cute victorias secret sweat pants! ~be able to walk by lane bryant cuz their stuff is too big for me ~be happy with my weight instead of ashamed of it! is that too much to ask?!

Hooray for you, Denise822! Your dream is about to become a reality! Good luck to you, and be sure to keep us posted! Hope to hear from you when you feel up to it!

congrats to you! good luck-keep us posted to your surgery date! hopfully i won't be far behind ya!

hi lydia! you picked the right place for veteran bandster suggestions! i, too am just starting my band journey, and everyone here is wonderful! ask away-they'll answer!!! hopefully we'll be able to give advice soon enough! good luck with your journey!

you look AWESOME! keep up the good work, becky! you're such an inspiration to so many of us! thanks for your kind words and HOTTIE pictures!

wow-that price can't be beat! i can't believe uw is more expensive than neenah! i would have thought the opposite! good luck with your journey in denver-maybe you'll actually see some snow-none here yet! keep in touch!