ok as we slip into March

[Lap Happy 0]

Hi Everyone !

I had my surgery done on June 14 2005 @ BIDMC with Dr Jones. That whole department is THE best! I just had my second fill last week and feel great. I had been losing weight very steadily and then WHAM! it stopped. I was working out 5/6 days a week but found I was eating ALOT more food and more often too!

So I asked about another fill and they agreed. Since then I have lost 5 pounds and feel much better. Not as hungry, more satisfied for longer periods of time. YEAH!!!

My husband also had surgery with Dr Jones in August 2005. He had the Gastric Bypass Reun Y (sp???). He's lost 167 pounds. I think my weight loss is awesome until I look at his numbers....its amazing.

Anyway just wanted to say "hi" to you all. I am so happy that there is a support group like this. It been really helpful reading everyones experiences. Even though my husband has had surgery its totally different from the Lap surgery.

Kathy

253/196/170

[hazel116 0]

hello mel,

I went to see Dr. Fiallo in Nov. and am still waiting for them just to precertify me. They are very slow with getting things done, yes i know they are busy.... and that swith me calling them weekly, just giving you the heads up to keep them on their toes. I have great west insurance.

hazel

[mel61670 0]

Thanks for the heads up. I have seen Dr. Fiallo once and have been through the meetings and phys, and dietician and now I have a 2nd look appointment with him on April 4th I have united health care and I hope it will go quickly. I guess my question to you is what is involved with being precertified? I did not know you had to get precertified I thought your insurance either said yes or no or had certain things you needed to do in order to get a yes from them. I am very excited about all of you who have had Dr. Fiallo. I would love to meet all of you someday and keep this circle of support close . Keep in touch

[hazel116 0]

My first appt. was in Nov. I have not had a second one with the dr yet. I was finished with the dietician in Dec. and the physh. in Dec. also. I have gone to all the support meetings. So I do not know what is involved with being precertified I thought the same as you "wait for a decision" yes or no. But when I spoke with a nurse at my insurance today she said I have not even been precertified yet. I did not go into it with her because she was only helping out the person who usually does it , so i told her i would speak with missy , but of course when I called she was unavailable (story of my life with those people) I left her a detailed voice mail about what I needed to have done and she has yet to call me back at all. i have left numerous messages for her and have spoken to Cheryl to no avail....sigh...

[lynng35 0]

Hi Hazel,

I was banded on 3/10/06 by Dr. Fiallo. I think that must be the busiest office in the world! I think it just might be the insurance company that is holding everything up now. Some insurances just take forever. Fortunately my ins co didn't take long, just two weeks, but there was alot of hold up before that just making sure everything went right. Plus I developed other health issues in the mean time (joy!). But now it's done and I feel great.:biggrin1:

[TwinkleLiL_star 0]

I am so excited got the approval for my surgery with :attention: :whoo: Dr.Haag..called and Missy she said I was APPROVED:nervous

So all I must wait is for the surgery date..

I guess everyone experience is different my experience has been positive with Dr.Haag and his staff.

As soon as I get my surgery date will let the group know...

Thank you Rosa

[hazel116 0]

Congratulations, I hope you can say the same to me soon. : ) . But, you know how after you go see the dr. the first time and then get all your dietician stuff done and physch. Cheryl says "call me and let me know when you are all done and I will get you precertified " Well I called and she never had me precertified, I do not know how long that step will take but it is just one more thing to set me back. I spoke with someone at the last meeting who started after me with the same ins., and she is has her date for the end of the month. I am jstt very frustrated with this all right now. I understand they are busy, but come on....... again congrats to you both and i hope it all works out..

hazel

[Tess L 0]

well it only took 4 months from start in Aug to banding in DEC for me I have a friend who was told by the office that they could get her in and done before end of June and that was when she could get her first apt with the other group in Springfield. so I guess it depends on the office at the time, I had blue cross and they took less then 3 weeks.. good luck and I know each day feels like forever. been there, done that...

[TwinkleLiL_star 0]

:) Hello Ladies thank you for you congrats..I am really getting excited and thinking how cute I am going to look with less :kiss2: weight..hahahaha.. Hazel sorry you still are waiting I pray soon u will be called.

Lynn you are doing so good keep up the good work:clap2:

Tess how much have you lost??

Maybe we could start a group like every wednesday:Banane03: tell each other if we lost some weight or not just to be supporting each other and get this Massaschusetts group going

I live in Holyoke so u know it's the parade here today..

Wish u all a wonderful week of more wonderful things to come..

This is to the ladies we had the surgery how long did it take for a surgery date???

'Almost forgot Happy First Day of SPRING'

[SherryW 4]

Took me 2.5 months from Dec to Feb 13th but, I got alot of appointments out of the way the first week. They just happened to have the openings so I took them all right away. The ultrasound was booked a month out but, someone happened to cancel that day I was in so I took theirs

I'm now a month and a few days out and have lost 22 pounds total so far (that includes a little I lost before surgery). I've been at a standstill for 2 weeks. I go on the scale on Monday mornings so hopefully the dang thing moved this week. I don't get a fill until 4/12.

TwinkleLiL - congrats on your approval and definately let us know when the surgery date is!

Hazel - Have you called the office again to find out what's going on with your approval? I'd be on the phone every day until I got it and remind her what she told you and how you haven't heard a thing. Don't let it pass to long without hearing from her. I swear sometimes the files get shuffled wrong!

I hope everyone else is doing well and having a great weekend!

[lynng35 0]

It took me about a week from when they told me the insurance approved it to get the date.

[NewDay 0]

Hazel, I understand what you mean with Dr Haag's office. My sister and I started together. She has Dr Fiallo. Her surgery is in 2 weeks. I keep calling for an udate to no avail. Nobody calls me back and I have no idea what's happened with my paperwork.

[TwinkleLiL_star 0]

Goodmorning Hazel...

Don't give up call Carolyn she is the one booking the surgery.

She called me yesterday booked my surgery for April 28th:( my supervisor is off on vacation so must have it done for May..

But it doesn't mean I will stop calling her:faint:

I am just a little scared I will gain some weight and have Dr.Haag be mad at me..I am really thinking positive :clap2:

have you left her messages??

[bandayed 0]

Hi All -- I am so excited -- getting a fill tomorrow (my second). I haven't lost anything in almost 2 months and I can definately eat more and I am hungry more than I was. Hoping this will give me the jump start I need! Spring?

[mel61670 0]

Congrats to all who have been banded and who are waiting to be banded. Me I am waiting to be banded I saw Dr. Fiallo today 4/4 and he told me I was just waiting to hear from my insurance company. I am so excited and so nervous all at the same time I just want it to be over and done with. I am so glad I found this support group and I am glad to have all of your support. For those of you who already have been banded one question comes to mind does it hurt when you get your fills? What can be expected? I stepped on his scale today and it read 253 OMG my heavest I have ever been I then went shopping for a outfit for a wedding this weekend and was so disappointed that nothing looked good on me and I just said to myself "Self someday you will be able to walk into a regular store and buy something off the rack rather than going to the plus size department. I dream about that day. As I know all of us do. Well I will keep you all posted on my surgery date. I hope to have one sooner than later.

We should all try to get together someday for a meeting or a luncheon. Let me know who is interested and I will be the one who puts everything together. I would love to meet all of you.