Starting The Process

[ashiashley 42]

Hi everyone! My name is Marci and I am 41 years old. I have been overweight for about 15 years now. I need to take off about 90 pounds. Tried to get insurance approved for Lap Band surgery back in 2006/2007 and was denied. I have continued to gain weight since then and have also been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Our insurance has since changed to Cigna and after speaking with them it looks like I will be able to easily get approved.

The surgeons office called today and told me I have to go through 3 months of weight management. They thought that since I have checked in with my regular MD every month since my diabetes diagnosis and weighed in, that Cigna might approve that as the 3 months of weight management. (crossing my fingers on that one!)

There is so much info online that I waiver back and forth with my decision to have this surgery. I want it. I want it really bad. I should have done it 10 years ago. I have wasted a good 10 years of life being fat!! Statistically it seems this surgery is very safe. I always seem to go back to the things I read online about the people who haven't been successful and have had this problem or that problem. I know this is just a tool.

Everyone here is so positive. I think I just need to stay in this forum and stop reading all over the Internet. My surgeon is actually the surgeon who trains all the other surgeons in the state of Florida so I am sure I am in good hands.

[jen_1381 446]

Just remember, people are so ready to talk about the bad, but when things are going good they keep quiet. Take everything with a grain of salt.

The Lap Band is not my surgeons first choice for bariatric surgery because it does leave patients in control. Granted, with the sleeve and bypass, you can still eat badly and not be successful, but the band grants you the most leeway.

I took that as a challenge. I want to prove to him at every appointment that I am being successful. Besides proving it to him, I'm proving it to myself. I gave him my word that I would follow the rules and do my part. He was probably thinking - okay lady, I just met you, your word means nothing to me - but it meant something to me. Whenever I feel like I want to skip a workout, I think of my next appointment with him and remember I promised to do my part.

Find something that works for you as motivation to keep on track. I know, it probably sounds silly that I use my surgeon as motivation, but his lack of enthuasim towards the band was very inspirational to me!

[ashiashley 42]

I'm a lot like you. If someone says I can't, then I will. Haha! I really do want this. I am excited to see if Cigna will allow for my regular MD's weigh ins. That would be fantastic. I am hoping it all happens quick for me! I tend to see the glass as always half full instead of half empty so I can only see good things from here. :-)

[honk 780]

I agree that people who are having problems want to vent to someone; and that those who have no problems don't feel the need to tell everyone.

Yes, some people have complicatons. Yes, some people have gas pains after surgery. Knock on wood I've head none. No surgery gas pain. No PB episodes, and very few stuck incidents.

Some people loose at a faster rate than others. I lost 100 pounds preop and was eating a pretty healthy lifesyle before surgery. That said day of surgery I was 282 lbs. I've since lost another 70. But I am also a slow loser. At restriction I eat 1200 cals a day and do up to 2.5 hrs of cardio 7 days a wek. You would think I should be loosing much faster.

My biggest piece of advice is don't measure yourself against others. The band is usually said to help you lose 1-2 pounds per week. That means if someone posts on here that they lost 5 pounds in one week don't be depressed that you only lost 1.

[fericito 138]

I am so excited about my band and the life changes it is helping me make. I hope you have the same success and happiness - sounds like you have the right attitude for it. Don't worry about the downers, just look at the good side. There can always be something go wrong but there an always be something go right too - just take it as it comes. My one big fear was that I'd die during surgery and when I told my doc he laughed and said don't worry - and now I'm a few weeks out and here I still am. I like glass half full attitude - it's a great way to live!