A place for bandsters in their 60's

[mduvall123 0]

Thanks for your good thoughts and wishes on my surgery tomorrow. I was telling my daughter about artificial knees, hips, etc., and she said she agreed and that people are also getting boob jobs, butt implants, etc., so what's the big deal about a band around the stomach....we are doing this to get and stay healthy!! Marilyn

[IndioGirl55 32]

Thanks for your good thoughts and wishes on my surgery tomorrow. I was telling my daughter about artificial knees, hips, etc., and she said she agreed and that people are also getting boob jobs, butt implants, etc., so what's the big deal about a band around the stomach....we are doing this to get and stay healthy!! Marilyn

Marilyn

I had a girl i use to work with say i was cheating - I said what about your boob job - that's cheating for vanity at least mine for my health

(I don't think that the band is cheating by the way as it's not the band that make you lose weight it's you - by making healthly choices when it comes to food - the band it's not magic cure to our food issues it's only a tool) Good luck on your surgery....

[phyllser 3]

Cheating! That's ridiculous. Taking desparate measures, maybe! Or just taking advantage of the best in medical/surgical technology available to improve our quality of life, our health, our life span, etc.! How can you call that cheating??! So, let's see..... does that mean maybe something like using a CPAP machine is cheating?? Cuz you're using artificial means to keep breathing while you're sleeping? ?? And then maybe using crutches when your leg is broken would be cheating, too! Get my drift?? Ridiculous to say we're cheating!

[makemelean 0]

Dear Foxygramma I am 62 and had my surgery 11 21 06 in Balt Md. I have had 3 fills from Feb 07 until June 07 and I do not even feel like I had surgery I have only lost12 lbs. and I also have hypothyroidism and feel like I dont burn any calories at all, I am very disappointed with this and see and hear of so many sucesses that I feel like a total failure. I hope it is very different for you and you are sucessful. sincerely makemelean

[phyllser 3]

Hello all or anyone that might pop in....I seem to be alone here...

My dr. made an appt. with the local hospital to start the Lap Band journey ......informational meeting Oct 17.

I have been waiting very anxiously for my Oct 17th meeting at the local hospital for the last 6 weeks to begin my lap band journey.

My neighbor and I arrived at 8am only to find out these dr. only do the Roux en Y procedure!!!! I was soooo disappointed!!!! They gave me the names and address of Lap Band drs. 40 miles from here. When I got home I called and made an appt. The first opening they had is NOV.12!!!

I now have to wait another MONTH!!!

I looked up the website for this new dr. and found an eight page patient histery to fill out so that's what I've been doing for the last two days.

I am soooo wanting this to be over so I can feel better.

Carol :angry

Sorry to hear about this latest frustration, Carol! Be patient... and persistent. It will happen!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hello all or anyone that might pop in....I seem to be alone here...

My dr. made an appt. with the local hospital to start the Lap Band journey ......informational meeting Oct 17.

I have been waiting very anxiously for my Oct 17th meeting at the local hospital for the last 6 weeks to begin my lap band journey.

My neighbor and I arrived at 8am only to find out these dr. only do the Roux en Y procedure!!!! I was soooo disappointed!!!! They gave me the names and address of Lap Band drs. 40 miles from here. When I got home I called and made an appt. The first opening they had is NOV.12!!!

I now have to wait another MONTH!!!

I looked up the website for this new dr. and found an eight page patient histery to fill out so that's what I've been doing for the last two days.

I am soooo wanting this to be over so I can feel better.

Carol :angry

Carol - I am sorry about the delay can't you just make an appointment with the doctors - must you go to a meeting first - I called an made my appointement saw the doc and never went to introduction meeting - why - I have been researching this for 2 yrs - I already knw what they were going to say - infact my doc was impressed about my knowlegde of the band - and that was due tothis site and others... Call and see if you can get an appointment - Call Monday...

Good Luck....

[phyllser 3]

Hang in there, Carol. You'll get through it. Sorry for all the trouble they're giving you, but it'll be worth it in the long run if you can get approved for surgery. You'll be feeling so much better as the weight comes off.

[FoxyGramma 0]

I have been doing my Water aerobics classes faithfully and trying to do more walking outside. Weight loss is still very slow. I would rather have it come off slow and steady though than not come off at all.

I think I am only down 2 lbs from last month. Weekends are hard when I am around more tempting foods. I try really hard to stick with the plan, cause the smallest amount of junk food will make me gain a few lbs that it has taken a month to take off.

Onward I go!

[Ilene62 0]

Carol: Be patient. It will happen. You've already done the hard part--you did the research and made the decision. My journey took almost two years. First my insurance company turned me down. Then while I was preparing to appeal, I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer (I'm fine now). So the journey was interrupted again while I was treated for that. But all along, all my doctors said to keep going. It will happen. And it did. And my insurance company paid! Banded June 20. I'm still getting adjusted and getting use to a new way of life. But it did happen. And it will happen for you. Good luck.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Carol will keep you in my prayers...

[spunkywoman 1]

LOsing weight WILL help with a lot of your pain.......from a fellow bainster that has been grinning and bearing it.......It took me a year to get approved. Insurance makes you sit up and beg. It also gave me time to get my head into the whole process. Insurance is banking on 2 things.......some will go self pay and others will skip it.

Hang in there you will be happy in the end..

[CAROL99 0]

A girlfriend in Nev. emailed that a friend of her's said lap bands fail 40% of the time!!!

What do you think?

[IndioGirl55 32]

I thank you all soo very much for your support!!!

This has been a very hard year for me...with the apnea thing and fighting to get someone to give my ins. the perscription and then having to write to my senator and rep. to congress....that I might add was what got medicare to take action...the letters to govt.!!! Just a hint to anyone in my shoes, apparently medicare does not like the govt finding out about their stall tactics. By the way, this new element of having my g.p. ask for the cpap is way out in left field....no info anywhere on that course of action.

I can see this lap band is going to be a pain in the patoot for a while too. I am not supposed to have stress...it kicks up the fibro but that's what living is...stress! I guess I will have to be patient and see what the nov. meeting brings.

question: it seems these dr. all do the roex en y but only the one offers lap band ....why do you suppose that is?

At the hospital on wed ..they said the dr. feels it takes too long to lose weight with the lap band so she doesn't do it.

Any responses?

Carol :whoo:

To me it's about the $$$ and fill issue - the bypass it's a more extensive surgery so there for more $$$ and they don't have to have you come back for fills. I can be very cynical at time - but bypass is an option for certain eating behavoirs - eat sugar you dump - with the band you don't.

When I met w/my surgeon - I had to fill out a questionnaire on what i ate - Was I a sweets person - fried foods - large quanities etc. Based on that is what he recommends you have done - He does both.. He didn't push bypass with me - with bypass you do lose quick due tothe malaborsptions (sp) .

I think you have more work with a lapband than you do with bypass - as the band only does 25% of the work and 75% is up to you. Where with bypass - you don't absorbe the calories - but in the end they both seem to work out the same weight loss - i'ts just quicker with bypass. but we do have quick losers with the band - wasabubblebutt has lost like 100 lbs in 9-10 months..

It's all about the head work that you do...

[IndioGirl55 32]

A girlfriend in Nev. emailed that a friend of her's said lap bands fail 40% of the time!!!

What do you think?

What do u mean by fails - The band does it's job once you are filled to your sweet spot and even when you aren't at that spot - you still have some restriction and you can't eat as much as before. Also you can eat around the band sweets - high calorie drinks - etc. it's up to the person who was banded to do their share of the work...

[CAROL99 0]

Hi Indio,

Very very good information!!

The 40% failure on the band I assumed was a malfunction, purferation (sp) but I think you are right....it all boils down to what a person is putting in their mouth whether they loss fast, slow or not at all.

I would choose the band because I do not want to stay in the hospital. I spent 15 days in when they did the back surgery...what scared me was the bozo dr wanted to ship me off to a nursing home because in his words, 'I've done all that I can!' and he sure did, he would not own up to botching the surgery...he botched 4 in a 6 week period that I could find....he was supposed to move the muscle away from the spine while he put the screws in....he did not. I did not sue, I just asked a professor/dr. at the University in our state to contact him and tell him what he was doing wrong so this wouldn't happen to anyone else.