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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:

Also, your bowel habits will be quite different post op compared to pre-op, especially while only on liquids. My bariatric center's general guideline was if you go more than 3 days without a BM, then use milk of magnesia.

If you have your own Dr.'s phone # he should be able to refer you to a Denver Dr. for emergency adjustment while you are there. If not, any local ER should be able to locate a bariatric surgeon for you to consult with. Your list of foods you were able to eat is so diverse, many of the things go right through---ice cream for instance, as well as the liquids...but the nuts and popcorn, they require the stomach to work---it sure sounds like you need to consult with your Dr. and maybe think about an endoscopy, to look at the band and then go from there. You may be on to something with the alititude change--it has been mentioned before, but is not something I have ever had affect me. You also mentioned soda did not hurt--that is something most Dr.s put on the NO MORE list---does it hurt to drink it? Good Luck---if it gets worse, and you cannot locate a Dr. head to an ER! Kat

Thank you guys so much for your words. I did browse around the board some before I decided to join. There's a wealth of information here. Well, I made a bold step yesterday afternoon. I called my insurance company. Good news! Bariatric surgery is covered. I have certain criteria to meet, as with any health insurance, but the important thing is it's covered. I've only shared this with one of my friends and she's very supportive of it. I hope to go to a seminar one day soon and get more info on the surgery and go from there. Of course there's this wavering anxiety, but I think that's normal, right?

Actually, anyone that is obese and needs surgery to lose weight has an eating disorder. If we weren't addicted to food, and could make healthy food choices and eat appropriate portions we wouldn't have gotten fat in the first place. You need to seriously ask yourself why you do the things you do that led to your obesity. Do you eat when you're bored? Stressed? Depressed? Happy? Do you crave sugar? Can't stop at just one small plateful? Drink too much? All these things will still be there after surgery. They may go into "remission" while you are honeymooning, but they will reappear after awhile if you haven't addressed them and replaced them with new behaviors and coping mechanisms. If you haven't already, read this...... http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/357439-bariatric-surgery-only-makes-your-stomach-smaller-otherwise-youre-exactly-the-same/

I am just over 3 months out. I see the foods that I love and am completely satisfied after taking just 1 bite! I never believed this would happen for me. Last night a friend (who was sleeved on Oct 30) and I went to the support group meeting. It is about 1 1/2 hrs away so we went out to dinner afterwards. We ordered the shrimp appetizer. It had 8 medium sized shrimp. We each ate only 4 and were stuffed. As we saw plates going by with mountains of food we both commented on what an incredilble amount of food it was and it was hard to believe we ever ate that much! My problem has always been portion control and the sleeve has absoultely solved that problem for me. This is the best decision I have ever made! Keep a positive attitude and just follow the directions of the bariatric team. I have never thrown up or felt sick. It has been so good for me. I am so happy and wish I would have done it long ago! Good luck to you.

So the time is coming around again for the Canadian Bandster bash out in Mississauga. I am a member of the planning committee and we have rounded up some great people to come and speak. The organizers are all bandsters, but we wanted to open up the bash to all bariatric patients so we are changing the focus to wellness this year. I got involved after going to the first bash and learning so much, and having so much fun. We have some great people confirmed to speak to us including Monica Ganz of Obesity Help, Julie Janeway of Little Victories, Dr Barry Simon and a ton of others. We are focusing not just on the newly banded/WLS patients but on people in all stages of banding weight loss, maintenance, thinking about WLS etc. How do you take off the last little bit of weight, how do you maintain. How do you get over body issues all sorts of stuff to help out all sorts of people. If you are interested the website and registration is located at the following site. I can't say how much it helps people to meet others who are going through the same stuff they are and who understand. Besides we always have a blast hanging out together. www.canadianbandsterbash.com If you have any questions let me know. Hope to see you there. Heather:clap2:

I had a room with a view of Dairy Queen LOL Everytime I drive by there now I remember waking up from surger glancing over and seeing the big DQ sign. Who puts the bariatric ward facing an ice cream shop haha

I have blue cross of CA (now known as Anthem of CA). I had no problem getting the prior-auth. And as soon as I was done with all the pre-op tests and evals, it just took a couple days for my auth to go through and get approved. You just really need to do your research and find a Dr. who is in-network, and uses a facility that is one of Blue Cross' "Center Of Excellence" (COE). The Blue Cross COE standard is probably the most important if you want to go through insurance. I went through several surgeons before I found one that was up front and honest about their facility. Eventually I just started calling bariatric surgery centers and hospitals in the area to find out if they were a BXCOE and then asked which Dr. did their bariatric surgerys. Thats how I found Dr. Billy. He was also recomended on the lap-band web site. Otherwise Blue Cross will not pay anything. And Blue Cross of CA is terrible about paying for the after care. My Dr. just charged me a "fee" and that covers all the follow-up care for my procedure.

Globe and Mail - Tues March 13th, 2007 There's a downside to obesity surgery SHERYL UBELACKER Canadian Press TORONTO — When people with obesity have surgery to help them lose weight, they can also lose something else — the ability to properly absorb certain nutrients, in particular Vitamin B1. And that deficiency can potentially lead to permanent brain damage if left untreated, researchers say. In a review of the medical literature, researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine found 32 cases of bariatric surgery patients who developed symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy, a condition marked by memory loss and confusion, an inability to co-ordinate movements and rapid eye movement. Wernicke's is caused by a deficiency in vitamin B1, also called thiamine, and these classic symptoms are usually seen in alcoholics, said lead author Dr. Sonal Singh, an internal medicine specialist at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. “But interesting to our study, we found that these people also had other symptoms, like hearing loss, convulsions and tingling and numbness of the arms and legs — symptoms that have not been previously described with Wernicke's,” Dr. Singh said in an interview. That made the researchers wonder if these bariatric surgery patients were suffering from more than just a B1 deficiency and may have been experiencing a deficit of other critical nutrients or had developed immunological problems. Strangely, almost half of the patients with the neurological symptoms showed no brain lesions when given an MRI scan, said Dr. Singh, whose study is published Tuesday in the journal Neurology. Of the 32 patients — who had one of four weight-loss surgeries, including gastric bypass and gastric banding — 13 made a full recovery. Eighteen others were left with various levels of dysfunction and one patient, a 33-year-old woman, died. Most had experienced vomiting prior to onset of the neurological symptoms, said Dr. Singh, noting that patients ranged in age from 23 to 55, and 27 of the 32 were women. (In the United States, 75 per cent of bariatric surgery patients are women, he said.) The vomiting could have been caused by any of several factors, including the anatomical changes created by the surgery; blockages caused by swelling around the surgical area; and ulcerations or other erosions of the stomach developed following the operation. “When people who have had weight-loss surgery start experiencing any of these symptoms, they need to see a doctor right away,” stressed Dr. Singh. “Doctors should consider vitamin B1 deficiency and Wernicke encephalopathy when they see patients with these types of neurological complications after weight-loss surgery. If treated promptly, the outlook is usually good.” The average point at which patients began exhibiting Wernicke's symptoms was four to 12 weeks after surgery, although one patient developed problems two weeks after the operation and another 18 months later. Dr. Singh said his study could not determine how common Wernicke's encephalopathy is among people who have surgery to help them lose weight, and he said studies that follow patients are needed to establish how often it occurs. While some doctors prescribe thiamine supplementation after bariatric surgery as a matter of course, Dr. Singh believes national standards should be set for physicians to follow. “This is an emerging risk which is going to become more important in the future as more people get surgery,” he said.

UGH! we both are having such good luck with our preop stuff-NOT! i've been telling my bariatric center since last november that i would love my surgery during spring break (april 2nd) and here it is march 6th with no date yet! hopefully we can both laugh about this later!!! hang in there-i see a light at the end of this long darned tunnel!!!!! ~courtney

Just a bit of a slant on this: You sound as if your FAMILY has been your life, not neccesarily your marriage. When the romance of marriage starts to fade, it is so normal to spend all your energy on being the perfect picture of family to those watching. Your husband has probably gotten VERY used to he and the kids being the first priority with you, and now that you have had to focus on yourself for a change, he could be feeling almost jealous of your focus being shifted. I have always thought that men become your additional child at times(my observation, not a slice at men in general)and they can even become jealous of their own children if they feel left out, and neglected. My own has been through that phase as our kids grew up, but we managed to get it talked out before it grew too big to handle. Plan a night alone for the two of you, let him know that he will always be your love, and tell him you need his help with this. It has been my experience that men WANT to be the hunter gatherer for their families, and they thrive on feeling needed, not just tolerated. I hope all works out for you, and that you both come out of this situation with a renewed love for each other, because this will definitely change the way you feel about yourself, and hopefully how he feels about you too!!! Shame on him for the food things, but he may be testing you to see just how dedicated you are to this thing you have done, after all I bet he has seen you diet and fail before, so again this may be a test, only a test. Show him you mean business, beat him at his challenge!!!!!! MIZBOO

I got a call from the bariatric nurse today. “We can schedule your surgery for October 2nd.” That’s two weeks away! And granted, that’s pending insurance approval, but holy cow! I’ve been in the program since March and everything has taken so long due to COVID. I just had my EGD last week, I guess I was just expecting a lot more waiting before getting a surgery date. I’m excited, but at the same time, I kind of wanted to have one last food (and drink) hurrah with friends before surgery. But not going to complain... the wait is almost over!

Hey! I lived in Indianapolis for 8 years :-) I am there every weekend... Bariatric Weight Loss Center of Excellence St.Vincent Carmel Hospital 13430 North Meridian, Suite 168 Carmel, IN 46032 Phone numbers: (317) 582-7088 Toll-free 1-877-831-1582 This might be a good place to start. If they won't do fills for patients that had the surgery else-where... then they certainly would know who to send you to. :-) Good luck to ya up in my Indy home!

I am having my surgery in Sarasota on October 29th. That is only 45 minutes/1 hour from Tampa. The Sarasota Memorial Comprehensive Bariatric Program is amazing. My surgeon is Dr. Nora. The entire group at the program has been so supportive.

I have Dr. Ache (and Dr. Jessee) w/ Suncoast bariatrics. Yes they are in St. Pete but just right off 275 & ulmerton. Pretty close to Tampa .

Greetings everyone. I have been lurking here for a week or so. I've struggled with my weight since I was a child (joined weight watchers for the 1st time @ 12). I can't count the number of times I have joined that program since then. I always seem to loose 20 or 30 lbs and then stall out completely. I did once go from 210 to 150 in a 6 month period of time after a very bad end to a long term relationship. LOL, that was the first time in my life I just could not eat! It was not the healthy way to do it, though! I have known several co-workers who had lap band procedure done and had great success. I was never sure if I would qualify or not, though. When I went for my yearly physical in Jan. my PCP noted that I had gained some significant weight over the last year. She asked if I had ever consisdered bariatric surgery (she had gastric bypass done herself about 6 years ago). I told her I did not know if I would qualify or not as I do not have any major health issues. She suggested doing a referral to the surgeon in my area who does this type of procedure and to discuss with him whether I meet the qualifications or not and whether gastric bypass or the lap band would be best for me. I am leaning toward the lap band. I am 5' 2.75" and am between 220 & 230 # at the moment (I don't weigh myself). At any rate, my pcp made the referral to Dr. Jamie Loggins. I have my first appointment on March 13. I received a big packet of paperwork that I have already filled out. The person who called to set up the appointment advised I should expect to be there for 2 hours. Any idea what I can expect during those two hours? I am assuming since I have seen a number of co-workers go through this process, that my health insurance is fairly good about approving it. I have Anthem as insurance. Anyone have experience w/ this company? Look forward to learning lots here and getting to know you all! TSB

Just remember that the band itself never (that I know of!) caused a divorce. Weightloss can be a catalyst for problems that already exist. Women who have stayed with men because they felt they were too unattractive to find someone else, or because they had grown use to the security of their spouse, may or may not continue to settle for a less than ideal relationship... but a woman who loses the weight and finds renewed confidence rarely will. A relationship grows, and the people in it grow. Right? You can either grow like this: || or you can grow like this /. And "you've changed" rarely means "you've changed", it usually means "we've both changed and I have not changed in the same direction as you". Have you specifically asked him not to do the things he's doing around the food? If so, what was his response? If not, then you can't expect him to not do it. Guys - by and large - are just "like that". They don't put 2 and 2 together the same way we do. Give him direct and clear feedback on what he's doing, and see how he responds. You may find that he's completely surprised that some of his actions and hehaviors have impacted you in the way they have.

I'm glad to see this article. In my opinion, not enough attention is paid to the consequences of Vitamin deficiency. Only rarely are the potential problems described in any detail, but the fact is that Vitamins are really crucial for all our bodily systems. Bariatric surgery--hell, even a general low-calorie diet--can lead to vitamin deficiencies if we're not careful. So take your vitamins!

I have not been around as much lately and several LBT friends have asked why…… I was banded in February of 2012, lost 80 pounds in 10 months and have maintained that weight until I had a tummy tuck on Halloween… After the surgery I had 2 drains, they were removed after 2 weeks. Within 5 days, my tummy filled up with fluid and my doctor drained it (this is like drilling for oil with a really BIG needle….. not fun!). Within about 5 days my tummy was full again so my doctor put a drain back in. The next week the area above my belly button filled up with fluid and I had another drain put in just below my bra line. About a week later I had the upper drain removed & that issue was resolved, BUT…. I was still accumulating over 50cc of fluid a day from my lower drain. Doc said the magic number was less than 20cc a day for 2 days in a row, well that wasn’t happening. So on Monday doc flushed Ethanol thru the tubing of my drain into the pocket in my tummy (100cc total). This is supposed to irritate the area between my skin & abdomen wall and cause it to stick together. Today (Thursday) I am still getting 30cc of fluid a day from my drain…… I go back to the doctor Monday. My options are, do the flush again and if that doesn’t work…..another surgery. Ugh Complications happen, I know that. But, how has this affected me mentally? Well, I can’t exercise (every time I do the amount of fluid goes up), I can’t go in my hot tub with my husband (open incision), Have this glamorous drain to carry around in my pocket….. IT SUCKS! And I have gotten very depressed over it. I have disconnected from my life lines (Local support group, LBT wait I mean Bariatric Pal, and my family) Yes I looked to food for comfort. (We won’t even add the holidays on top of all this….) So you wonder….how is my weight? I am about 10 pound over my original goal weight (I weigh between 177-180, depends on the day). But even more important is how I am mentally? I will be honest, I am struggling. I am pissed, why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this? WHY? Oh WHY? OH WHY????? Full on pitty me party here!!!! This is my confession, I am not the perfect role model. I struggle, I have pitty me parties, I ask why me…… and so I stayed away from my support. Too many people saw me as inspiration. How can I be inspiration when I am like this???? I am taking my complications day by day. I am not giving up (& yes the tummy tuck was worth it). I just don’t think I can motivate anyone right now.

There is a group in London for all WLS patients http://www.london-bariatric.com/ or London Bariatric Support Group on Facebook.

Hello all, I was told that some places (maybe Stratx) will do the tummy tuck for all the bariatric patients compliments of our insuance. I couldnt believe what i was hearing from her but apparently she has done her homework. I had my surgery on Oct. 1st, so i have ways to think about that. I just wanted to let everybody know so that they can inquire if interested.:tongue2:

Help! I need some renewed motivation. I had my LapBand surgery on 7-7-06. To date I have lost over 80 pounds. I am very proud of the progress I have made so far, but lately I have been slacking and the scale has has been yo-yoing for the past month or two. I am fully aware my yo-yoing is the result of my own actions. I have been eating beyond the full point, and making some bad choices from time to time (April is a bad month for me - 5 birthdays in the family... and where there is cake....) and because my daughter is going through a "no gym Mommy!, no gym Mommy!" phase, (she's 2) I feel guily taking her there and leving her in the gym daycare while I work out. So needless to say, my gym time has also been less than optimal. Anyway... I know what I have to do, I just need some kind and harsh words to kick me in the a#@ and get me back on track! My goal was 100 by my bandiversary on 7-7-07 and I'd like to think I can still do it.

I've had a similar series of events happen to me...initially I was hospitalized, and later diagnosed with pancreatitis...the very scary part was that my bariatric surgeon tried to pass off the symptoms I was having as a pulled muscle. When my PCP got the hospital to fax him my lab results, he immediately asked me if my surgeon had mentioned my elevated lipase levels, which he had not. My mild pancreatitis was caused by my gall bladder, and additional testing did not show any traces of gallstones, but that my gall bladder was not working at all. My PCP said that the gall bladder issue is likely related to my recent weight loss. Who knew?? I'm trying to delay surgery to remove it; 3 abdominal surgeries within a year is just too much to cope with. I continue to experience intermittent waves of nausea, and sporadic series of sharp pain in my upper right side. The general surgeon was ok with me waiting, as we have no idea when my gallbladder quit working, and my hope is that the symptoms will subside over time. A concern I have is that not everyone who has their gall bladder removed has their symptoms resolve post op.

There is a support group at the Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Woodlands that meets once a month. It is for anyone who has had any type of WLS (Weight Loss Surgery) so there is a combination of folks with the lap-band and folks who have had RNY. It's a very nice group of folks that share experiences, successes, ideas and information. Here are the details: Weight Loss (Bariatric) Surgery Support Group Memorial Hermann Hospital - The Woodlands DATE: 3rd Wednesday of each month TIME: 6:30pm - 7:30pm ADDRESS: Memorial Hermann Hospital 9250 Pinecroft Drive The Woodlands, TX ROOM: Conference Room, 1st floor CONTACT: Linda Nelson, 281-364-2458