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OK I have jumped through all the hoops that the insurance wanted including 3 months of medically supervised weight loss. Now I'm waiting for United Healthcare to deny me so that they can bump it to my husband's Blue Cross Blue Shield for approval. United Healthcare doesn't cover it at all. Wish they would hurry up and deny me already. Just to throw a wrench in the process my company will be changing from United to Aetna as of Feb. 1st. Spoke to my patient advocate and she said they have to get a denial from Aetna too. Aetna doesn't cover it either. This waiting is agonizing.

Thank you for your response. I hope I am not on it very long. The Dr. says to plan on 3 mths minimum. I am going to seriously freak out if I see weight gain because of this drug!

I wouldn't worry about a little gain right now. It's time to focus on getting rid of that pesky blood clot! You will continue to on your journey, but your health is #1 right now. So happy you found the blood clot!

I am a little more than 8 mths out from my surgery and so I want to first say that the blood clot is not being associated with my surgery, but I have come here hoping others with some experience with a blood clot can chime in. I thought I had just sprained a calf muscle over the weekend, but learned yesterday I actually have a blood clot. I am now on 2 injections a day of Levonox and taking 5mg of Cumadin a day. The label doesn't list weight gain as a side effect, but I was googling that this morning and found TONS of people who report just the opposite. THis scares me to death! I have already gained 10# back practically overnight from the swelling in my leg and that is bad enough. I am so close to my goal and then to have this happen just sickens me. Can anyone who has taken Cumadin tell me about their experience? I lead a VERY active lifestyle and with the exception of right now where they are not letting me do hardly anything, I will return to this shortly I hope. Anyone????

Hi Everyone, First of all thank you for all who send me msg on the pre-op forum before my surgery. I wanted to share with you my experience, fears and 1 day post-op experience. I was 228 pounds (128 kg) with a BMI of 42.3 pre-op. I am 33 years old male living in the Middle East. I tried everything, all types of diets, health eating, etc. yet when you have around 100 pounds to loose, nothing much helps. You lose 20 pounds but you still look fat. After much of a dilemma i decided to have gastric balloon which was good for 6 months yet when it was removed, all the lost weight came back. So I decided to try the lapband yet I was scared. After reading and orienting a lot on internet and on this forum, I was ready for it. Yet I wanted SILS, which is a bellybutton surgery. Because I am a self-pay patients and no need to go through the insurance struggle, I was free to choose my doctor and procedure. I have chosen Healthier Weight LLC in UK who worked with the best lap-band doctor in the work, Prof. Favretti. (indeed he is the best I believe). I cheated few times during my pre-op liquid and low calorie diet. First advice to all, take it serious and never ever ever cheat on that. My liver was bigger than expected so I had to have 2 smaller incisions. Yet my large scar is invisible in my belly button. Anyways, yesterday was my surgery. I was scared. I was more scared from anesthesia. I came to the hospital, and they gave me some relaxation medicine which didn't help much. Out of entire experience Healthier Weight staff and Prof are top notch. Yet I was not and I am not happy with the anesthesia staff. I had Anesthesia before and I had a pleasant experience. This time, they gave me few injections before hand which made me unstable yet not sleepy, than they put me on sleep. When I woke up, i got to see that I had 3 incision which made me almost cry, I came 7 hours flight to UK for single incision and I had 3. Yet later got to know that my liver was way too big, however contrary to normal surgery, my biggest scar is invisible. Which made me ok. Coming out of anesthesia was not very nice. Again in my previous surgeries I never had that. However I was scared that I will die:)) I know how it sounds or anesthesia awareness, nothing happened:) By the time I slept a bit, and anesthetics left my body, I was ok. I don't have much left shoulder pain, I have left lower belly pain. I have sore throat as expected. I am not feeling hungry, I sip Water and I am now today on liquid diet. As of today I have lost 11 lbs.:confused:) so a good start. I have no feeling of hunger, after few sips of water I feel fool, a bit discomfort on my left belly. Thats it. Those who are scared, try not to. Believe me its very easy. Make sure you find a right doctor. love you all and will update you.

I ended up paying for it myself. My husband and I sat down and talked about what the excess weight was costing. How much life we are missing out on etc. It was painful to pay for it, but what is more important in life than our health? One little thing that might make you feel better about being self pay, You can schedule your surgery ASAP... AND, my doctor said that a study shows that self pay people actually end up losing more .

I would have done ANYTHING to have my insurance pay for any of my surgery! Why do the 6 months have to be a waste of time? Most of us have been able to lose weight, it's the keeping it off for long periods of time that we struggle with! Why can't you tell yourself your going to start with eating right, learning why you over eat, and learning about nutrition, and starting to exercise!?? These are things your going to have to know and do with the band! It's just giving you a head start! Being in better shape will definitely help with your recovery process after surgery! I had to work 2 and 3 jobs for over a year to save up for my band. I started out at 297 and had got to 267 by the day of my surgery! I didn't continue my bad habits until I got the band! The day I said "I've had enough" is the day I started doing something about it, not the day I got the band! Start NOW, absorb all the information about the band, about nutrition and about exercise! Even if you think you already know it all, learn more! Your long term success depends on it! I wish you all the best, be patient it will come faster than you think!

njmomma, i feel for you. SO I was nice now get yourself together you can do it. Let me tell you a little about me may be it would help. I was in green. Doing ok. Then bam out of no where throwing up, reflux night cough. They took 2.75 out. .They said I would have to wait 10 weeks for a fill. It was so hard but i told myself not will not allow myself to gain it back. I had already put on 4 lbs. So this is what i did- I measured my food and logged my food i mean eveything even an m & M. I exercised and made sure i drank my water. I went to my fitness pal. I also went to the chat here and boards . Gained 2 lbs in 10 weeks, You can do it. Our minds are very strong but so are we.!!!! Good luck you can do it. Wendy

Yes. This is true. I have a deeply troubled stepdaughter that has used her vegetarianism (and for a while, veganism) as a socially acceptable excuse for her anorexia. By claiming a restrictive diet she avoided eating and when she shed weight she blamed it on her diet. I'm not saying this is what the OP is doing. But always consider every angle. My stepdaughter was convinced that her behaviors were based in a disgust of meat and the animal industries in our country...but those arguments lacked a little something when she was wearing leather shoes and a fur-trimmed jacket as she spoke them. She's still vegetarian now but it took her several months with a therapist to accept that she started this particular food journey because of her disorder. ~Cheri

It is driving me crazy...I had hubby hide the scale this morning before he left for work. After I saw the gain I was about to toss it in the garbage. I know its just a stall but with me being a higher bmi I figured I would lose a little bit faster than I know. 13lbs lost is gone forever!!

I still wonder if there is any difference between maintaining 5 years post op versus maintaining after losing weight without WLS. My hope is that there is still some significant restriction 5 years post op.

I went to my primary care doctor yesterday because I have recently noticed that my resting heart rate is really low. I wasn't concerned until my blood pressure was running higher then normal on Monday. Well first the physician assistant came into the room and said it's the incredible shrinking woman, let's get you weighed. The my doc said that before surgery my heart rate was 70 and that it was lower now because of the exercise, particularly the running. I countered but that's the resting heart rate of an athlete, at which point she gently reminded me that I am running 9 miles at a clip and am an athlete!!! I have noticed that my weight is dropping quicker than my brain is able to comprehend and catch up. I still see myself as the big girl who needs to shop in Lane Bryant and def not as an athlete.

I am supporting my husband's choice to have the surgery for all the right reasons, but part of me wonders if having the surgery will reduce his snoring when he loses the weight. We havnt slept in the same bed since Sept '07 because he snores like a freight train!! thanks for your help.:smile2:

Susie you can do it my motto is learn from the mistake and move on. Your doing great by recognizing this and getting on track tomorrow, plus only one bad moment in 8 months holy amazing!!!! Tes I made it think I am gonna eat it and I dont care if I get sick the I bit into it and started thinking about tomorrows weight so I spit it out. Currently I am on and amazing losing phase an I do not want to stop now, I was stalled 2 months ago post op and the last month I have lost almost 20 pounds alone. I didnt want to give in knowing my luck that toast would sent me on a carb spiral. I dont eat any carbs anymore I get maybe 17 g of carbs from my protien bar but thats it. I had just finished t the gym with my run and really wanted bread to give me a boost. Ate a babybel cheese instead.

I buy the liquid at Whole Foods. Works for me. pre-surgery weight 325; surgery date 2/28/2013; surgery weight 307; 8 weeks past-op weight 281.4

Mine said to wait 6 months too. After that I started the Body for Life workout by Bill Phillips. It really got me motivated and now I am into alking, weights and Trikking daily, except for my Sundays off to recouperate. Check out Bodyforlife.com

Sorry I don't know about that. When I've lost weight in the past (same starting point as this time and I got 40lbs down) it wasn't much of a problem for me (I'm hoping to get down lower this time tho).

Congrats on becoming a vet! It is easy to get discouraged, not just by the scale, but LIFE. I think it is important to keep the perspective of focusing on how much you have acheived - both health benefits, mobility, looks etc rather than comparing yourself to what you envision as "ideal". You would be shocked at how many women at a "normal" weight despise their own looks. It really is a waste of energy. I was told by my NUT and found it to be try that as long as you keep "working it" the sleeve will keep working for you. You CAN continue to lose weight as a vet, just keep on keeping on. I know what you mean about sometimes thinking how long the journey is - for me, when i weighed over 300# it seemed impossible to get to a normal size/weight, but i did it. I too thought about the ladies who were "only" 75-100# overweight... but in the end that doesn't really matter. It only matters how I live my life, not how I compare to anyone else. I can be bad about Vitamins sometimes... and then get back on track, but I implore you to get your Protein in. As you are losing weight, adequate protein can help maintain your muscle mass. It can also prevent hair loss and other unpleasant things like that. Anyway, keep posting on the vet forum! Welcome!

my doctor didn't give a length of how long I'll be on it instead how much weight I'll need to lose on it

Still sucks, extremely tired, head still hurts but not nearly as bad as day 1. STARVING!!! However the irritability and urge to strangle stupid people is much better today than it was yesterday . If I recall correctly from last time, day 4 was where I started feeling semi-human again....looks like I'm right on track for that again. Only 12 1/2 more days of this!!!! HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 251, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 251

For some reason, I was thinking Sept 29 is my 1 month, but it was actually Sept 26. Started going to the gym about two weeks ago...no lifting yet, just cardio. No problems so far with food intake and no pain anywhere. My pre- surgery weight Sept 24 was 237. As of today I am 197! So far it's been a smooth ride... Especially the weight loss! I think at week 3, I thought I was hitting the dreaded "stall", but was wrong! Knock on wood...please no stall soon! My wife and sons are now noticing that I'm getting smaller and smaller. Good luck everyone!

I posted this on another forum and felt it might be useful for other people to have a read of, if like me, you like your scientific facts. Maybe the below will provide a bit of clarity as to the 'nuts and bolts' of some of the bariatric procedures and their long-term (within the limitations of the data) efficacy. This first academic journal quoted was published in May 2013. So, it doesn't get more 'up to date' with regards to evaluating the comparative effectiveness in the three biggest weight loss procedures. I have only reproduced the abstract and have quoted the source below as the abstract covers the salient information we'd be interested in. The second section is all about the metrics, with a snapshot of all the procedures being evaluated in a tabulated form (the table was removed from the cutting and pasting process, so read left to right) and the risks associated with the operations. The primary and secondary sources are also cited. Better to make decisions based on rigorous scientific research, than hearsay and charasmatic sales pitches, I feel... Hope it helps. Article 1: Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of sleeve gastrectomy (SG), laparoscopic gastric bypass (RYGB), and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedures. Background: Citing limitations of published studies, payers have been reluctant to provide routine coverage for SG for the treatment of morbid obesity. Methods: Using data from an externally audited, statewide clinical registry, we matched 2949 SG patients with equal numbers of RYGB and LAGB patients on 23 baseline characteristics. Outcomes assessed included complications occurring within 30 days, and weight loss, quality of life, and comorbidity remission at 1, 2, and 3 years after bariatric surgery. Results: Matching resulted in cohorts of SG, RYGB, and LAGB patients that were well balanced on baseline characteristics. Overall complication rates among patients undergoing SG (6.3%) were significantly lower than for RYGB (10.0%, P < 0.0001) but higher than for LAGB (2.4%, P < 0.0001). Serious complication rates were similar for SG (2.4%) and RYGB (2.5%, P = 0.736) but higher than for LAGB (1.0%, P < 0.0001). Excess body weight loss at 1 year was 13% lower for SG (60%) than for RYGB (69%, P < 0.0001), but was 77% higher for SG than for LAGB (34%, P < 0.0001). SG was similarly closer to RYGB than LAGB with regard to remission of obesity-related comorbidities. Conclusions: With better weight loss than LAGB and lower complication rates than RYGB, SG is a reasonable choice for the treatment of morbid obesity and should be covered by both public and private payers. SOURCE: Carlin A, Zeni T, Birkmeyer N, et al. The comparative effectiveness of sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric banding procedures for the treatment of morbid obesity. Annals Of Surgery [serial online]. May 2013;257(5):791-797. Available from: MEDLINE with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Article 2: September 2012: Morbidity and mortality associated with LRYGB, LSG, and LAGB from the ACS-BSCN dataset LRYGB LSG LAGB 30-d mortality (%) 0.14 0.11 0.05 1-y mortality (%) 0.34 0.21 0.08 30-d morbidity (%) 5.91 5.61 1.44 30-d readmission (%) 6.47 5.40 1.71 30-d reoperation/intervention(%) 5.02 2.97 0.92 SOURCE: Data from Hutter MM, Schirmer BD, Jones DB, et al. First report from the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network: laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has morbidity and effectiveness positioned between the band and the bypass. Ann Surg 2011;254(3):410–20 [discussion: 420–2], in: Timothy D. J, Matthew M. H. Morbidity and Effectiveness of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, Adjustable Gastric Band, and Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity. Advances In Surgery [serial online]. n.d.;46(Advances in Surgery):255-268. Available from: ScienceDirect, Ipswich, MA

Annoyied. I've finished all my Options classes through Kaiser but I lagged on doing my Psych evaluation. If it were done prior to finishing my pre-op classes I probably would already have my final meeting with the Surgeon and a step away from getting my surgery date. This is just going to push everything further out. I'm scared because I've only lost 5 pounds during my pre-op weight loss classes and I don't want to gain those back since now I'm basically on my own without support from my classmates. It sucks. It's so damn easy to put on the weight but so hard to loose. =(

after the swelling and irritation goes down from the surgery you will feel hunger before your first fill. I only lost weight the first 6 weeks by pure willpower (don't know where that came from. after my first fill lost a few more but the third fill it was game on. I just had my fourth fill yesterday. i might not have made leaps and bounds in my loss but it's been steady