Still Investigating

[rollomosher 0]

I have just started thinking about LapBand, its still pretty new to me.

I am 5'8" and 232 lbs, which puts my BMI at 35 - severely obese. I should be about 150 or so; this concerns me because all the success stories I see are about people losing over 100 lbs. Does this mean my insurance may not pay this? Which I haven't investigated my insurance at all yet but i have about 82 lbs to loose not 100......do I have to be 100 lbs over weight?

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Not necessarily. Most insurance companies will take co-morbities into consideration (i.e., HBP, Diebetes, etc.). Your first step should be going to your PCP with the suggestion, and they should get the ball rolling for you if they feel you could benefit from it.

Good luck!

[DaisyCllns 0]

Where do I start? There seems to be enormous amount of information here.

[TracyinKS 7]

Get a big glass of Water and start reading...........

But first:

1. Know the difference between the big two WLS.. LapBand and RNY

2. Find a local surgeron or TWO and call their office to find out when the next seminar is. (Most ALL require that you attend their informational seminar before even doing a consult) I took my DH, because he was COMPLETELY clueless and the seminar really helped him understand.

3. If you are going the insurance route... CALL the number on your card and ask them if your employer allows BARIATRIC benefits for Morbid Obesity...... the procedure code for the BAND is #43770........ the formal name... "Adjustable Gastric Banding". IF YES, find out EXACTLY WHAT IS REQUIRED.... this is what MY INSURANCE required...

a) BMI of 35 + 2 comorbitities OR BMI of 40+

Letter from a shrink stating that I was mentally sound enough to make my own medical decisions.

c) Letter from a nutritionist stating that I was a good candidate for WLS

MINE WAS EASY! Other things that I did, just in case........ I got a letter my my OBGYN stating my OBESE nature during the years I had been treated by their office...... and that I have Thyroid and PCOS, infertility issues........

Also.... I made a weight chart including pictures... (note: I've been up and down the scale so many times I have YEARS of proof that I have lost and regained.. (my current XCEL spreadsheet goes back to 2003) I didn't need all this, but it completely bowled over the nutritionist and the shrink.

4. If going self pay........ YOUR LIFE WILL BE MADE MUCH EASIER!!!!!! :mad: Call around find out what the SELF PAY prices are and what aftercare that includes....... for instance my surgeons SELF PAY price is 16.5K, including 1 year of monthy aftercare including fills.

Hints for self pay: Some have used Medical Credit Companies such as CARE CREDIT, or taken a 401K loan, HELOC on the equity of their homes, Low Interest Credit cards, Loans from family.........

Do your research! Realize that your life will change......... for ME.....

It was quite a decision to break up with my best friend food... No longer can I eat a pizza when I'm sad, mad, happy, or stressed.......... I had to find another outlet. Dealing with the mental issue of going to a buffet with your family and eating LESS THAN ONE PLATE OF FOOD! and if you've just had a fill... you might only be hitting the Soup.. so for me ... getting over (I'm not getting my moneys worth out of this place) was hard, and one that I am still dealing with.

Everyone reacts differently, and every person has a different sweet spot of restriction...... for instance a person who can still eat bread, steak.... just less.. might consider that THEIR sweet spot......... but for me... I do best with ground meat.

I felt that I was well prepared for surgery........ I had fought with myself for two years before deciding to do it, and then I had a long time of waiting before surgery so I pretty much spent all my free time on this site reading and absorbing EVERYTHING. I went to a couple support meetings even before I was banded to talk to some vetrans......... I had surgery on Thursday morning and was back to work the following Monday....... I walked my butt off to get rid of the gas.. I suprised the nurses because I said.. take those leg things OFF I NEED TO WALK! and I'm going to work on Monday I NEED TO WALK!

Yes, I've eaten to fast, not chewed enough, tried the wrong things....... and I've PB'd and SLIMED..... I'm constantly learning my band and I'm also getting ready to hit the -60 lb mark! I started in 22/24's and today my blouse is a 16 and my fitted slacks are a baggy 18.......

I LOVE MY BAND!

[rollomosher 0]

what is PB'd and SLIMED?

[TracyinKS 7]

:mad: LOL Slang Terms for LapBand

PB: Productive Burp or Projectile Burp...

This is what happens when you eat either too fast or too big of bite or something that gets stuck and it gets STUCK in what feels like your throat... and it either has to sit there and dissolves enough to go through the band or it comes back up.

Some call this puking, but it is far different because the stomach juices that come up when you puke regularly don't happen... its just the actual stuck food....... AFTER A PB episode most say to go on liquids for 24-48 hours to soothe your irritated esophogus...

SLIME: Well.... OK... when the body detects something is stuck it naturally tries to help by creating a CLEAR, THICK, ODORLESS, SALIVA to help the stuck food pass through..... of course since the stuck food is blocking the opening it must come up and come out... IT IS GROSS but painless....

This is why you will hear bandsters say they always carry a baggie in the car or scope out the nearest bathroom while at a restraunt because .......... when it happens all you want to do is SPIT IT OUT........

NOTE: You can avoid PB'ng and SLIMING by chewing your food till its mush, SLOWING DOWN, and not eating stuff you KNOW is NOT BAND FRIENDLY.....

For instance........ at my current level of restriction.. I KNOW that pizza IS NOT MY FRIEND!

Slime:

[TracyinKS 7]

nor chicken, nor steak, nor oooohey goooey, nor bread, nor Pasta...............

HINT: Crunchy Crumbly goes right through...............

DH favorite food is Mexican........

PreBand I would eat well over an entire basket of chips and salsa and then eat an entire order of fajita's.......

NOW: 3 chips w/ salsa and 1 crunchy taco.. and sometimes not even the entire taco............. PRICELESS!

[Keyairah 0]

tracyinks, Hi I have soo many questions for you but i will start with a few. Im considering getting band and am very excited but nervous at the same time it is approve by insurance. My next step is the visit with the doctor. I weigh 306lbs at the age of 26 WOW! I want you to keep me inform of your journey and let me know how things are going for you. first question any words of advice. My concern is the healing process of my wounds. I keep thinking I'm gonna have trouble healing. for one or two odd reasons.So how was the healing process for you. Please be my buddy online as i take tis journey i would really appreciate it. I could you a friend who knows what i'm dealing with right now. Thanks in advance.

[rollomosher 0]

Thats quite a lot you cannot eat. I guess I need that too!!!!! :mad: But if I could control myself I would not be in this situation, would I?

Somewhere in the past few years I realized my problem with food is a least partially due to the fact that as a child....I had NO FOOD! I was living with my father and we NEVER EVER had food. A friend saw a picture of me from then and said I should have my own commerical for "Save This Child". Sad but true. My eyes were buldging out of my face, my hands look like man hands on a skeleton.

So when I was out of that situation and I was being fed like normal people, I started hiding food in my room, eating after the lights were out, keeping it from the people around me. And still to this day I hide that I eat......even from my own daughter. She's 9. What am I thinking????

And I eat fast like lightning fast most times....like someone might try to take it from me.

I wish I could have dealt with this as a child when it was happening but........eh what can I do now? It is what it is.

[Alfie 58]

Hi Rollo,

You went through so much as a child... and in the formative years when things really stick with you. I wasn't in your situation but we did not have much money. We were not allowed to eat anything in between meals and at meals we had to eat so that there was some for everyone. I, too, found that when I was able to eat what I wanted, I was overeating. I do believe that in some way this comes from my childhood and am now learning to eat in the right way (I am not yet banded).

[TracyinKS 7]

I will say this just like it is...........

They BAND your stomach NOT YOUR HEAD!

Emotional eating goes so much deeper than not being hungry, which is WHY most insurance companies and surgeons will make you have a psyc eval BEFORE surgery.

I like most of us here are emotional eaters......... but also, I am a SPEED eater...... I've also lost a lot of weight many many times, maintaining that loss is my BIGGEST problem and one of the main reasons I chose the band........

It is also important to note that I am currently what some would consider VERY tight........ I consider it my sweet spot because I can only eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food at a time.....

BECAUSE I can not eat more than that.......... my food MUST BE QUALITY not CRAP...... it is so easy to read but until you are actually banded and experience the feelings it is almost impossible to describe how the band makes you feel.

I am no angel........... I have to FORCE myself to do ANY exercise (like I did this morning) and I have to stay AWAY from the IceCream........

Icecream and liquid calories go right through the band and unless I exert CONTROL over eating those items I will not lose.

Your HEAD and Heart has to be ready before the band will work...............

That said........ I LOVE LOVE LOVE MY BAND.

[TracyinKS 7]

tracyinks, Hi I have soo many questions for you but i will start with a few. Im considering getting band and am very excited but nervous at the same time it is approve by insurance. My next step is the visit with the doctor. I weigh 306lbs at the age of 26 WOW! I want you to keep me inform of your journey and let me know how things are going for you. first question any words of advice. My concern is the healing process of my wounds. I keep thinking I'm gonna have trouble healing. for one or two odd reasons.So how was the healing process for you. Please be my buddy online as i take tis journey i would really appreciate it. I could you a friend who knows what i'm dealing with right now. Thanks in advance.:mad:

Everyone needs friends and that is exactly why I love it here... NO ONE in my Real Life had even HEARD of the LapBand so I came online to find support and answers. There are many many kind people who frequent this site that will gladly answer questions... To answer your question about healing time........ as goes with a lot of band answers....

YOUR MILEAGE WILL VARY........ depends on how you heal from normal wounds, what meds you take, what your personal conditions are....

For me........ I was back at work (desk job) after 4 days. The incision nearest my breast was the most irritated because my bra would rub on it and make it bleed....... at 5 months out.. you can see the red scars but they are all healed and I don't keloid so mine are flat scars...... I can't say what my pain was like because I was just so stinking happy to finally BE BANDED that I don't even remember being IN pain... (that and the prescribed liquid pain medicine I had)

I post over on the Monthly threads and I have a blog......... and I have the same screen name on Low Carb Friends............

GOOD LUCK!

[Keyairah 0]

Thanks for the advice i really appreciate the quick response. Have your band slip on you before. And have long have you had it.

[TracyinKS 7]

I've only been banded since April 26, 2007.

I haven't had ANY problems whatsoever.

[rollomosher 0]

What I said was: Somewhere in the past few years I realized my problem with food is a least partially due to the fact that as a child....I had NO FOOD!

I know they band your stomach. I too have tried many many MANY other times to lose on my own, with diet and exercise. I have been successful up to 20lbs but I haven't been able to break that mark. Then comes the discouragement and eventually gaining the weight back and PLUS some. Its like taking a step forward and two steps back. More like a step forward and FIVE STEPS BACK.

I am strong in mind and most things I set my mind to I can accomplish.....except this. I am looking to use the band as a tool and follow the rules. I do not think its automatic.

I did go to a seminar today. And was actually discouraged, see I met a girl there with the same insurance as me and she knew a little more about it than I did....CIGNA....seems there are quite a few loops to jump through first. I know they all have them but from what she was saying.....its worse than some of the others. Like no less than 6 months till you can get banded. Thats discouraging to me.

Any other CIGNA people out there who can share what they had to do?