Overwhelmed, yet excited!

[April 0]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this site. I have been considering Lap-Band surgery for over 2 years now. I finally decided to go through with it in January, but have had problems getting all the paperwork correct and to my surgeon. I have BC/BS of MI, they require all this paperwork in order to pay for the surgery but will not decide whether they will pay until after the procedure is performed. I'm a little scared they will reject my claim and I'll be stuck with astronomical medical bills, but I'll deal with that when the time comes. I hope to have my surgery in late August or early September. My surgeon requires 5 different medical evaluations by different doctors, a sleep study, exercise 30 min per day 5 days a week, and Opti-Fast diet for 4 weeks prior to surgery. Right now I'm working on all these requirements. I'm curious if you all had such strict requirements form your surgeons? I have not started the Opti-Fast diet yet but it seems like it will be Hell on Earth for 4 weeks. So I guess I should just say Hi and please send me good luck and any words of encouragement, 'cause I'm really gonna need it in the weeks to come.

[sallyjo 0]

Welcome to the LBT site April and I wish you the best of luck.Everything will be fine.No I personally did'nt have a long pre-op diet. Only liquids day before surgery and two weeks after surgery.But as you will find out on the board it is to shrink your liver for surgery.I also only had to have a cardio clearance. My insurance was easy to deal with,but anyway anything you go through will be well worth it. I would'nt take for my band.

[EndoCollector 0]

Hi April,

I am having surgery Aug. 10. I also had to have a cardio clearance, which I am very glad I did, because I failed the nuclear stress test (bad knees) and had to have a heart cath and they found I was 90% blocked and had to have a stent. I did get clearance and the pre-op diet is 1 week of liquids, this is to shrink your liver. After surgery I will have 2 weeks of liquids, then 2 weeks of soft foods and then on to "real" food.

I wish you luck with the insurance thing. I have United Healthcare and fortunately they didn't ask for any records, pre-diets or anything like that.