Columbus Area

[brokenangel 0]

Jenny,

I had asked lastnight at the seminar if they had any program fees, they said no. do the pre-op appointments come out of your pockets or do they send them to insurance? one thing I forgot to ask.

the cincinnati drive doesnt bother me too much if I can get appointments combined on the same day or saturday appointments, I dont want to miss too much work BEFORE the surgery.

[jenpen2 0]

Hi Broken Angel,

I just finished my last of my six month nutrition classes last night and that is funny you bring up costs because a few of us were just talking about that. So far, from talking to others, the covered costs varies depending on insurance. For instance, I have BCBS, so so far, they have covered all appointments, labs, and nutritional and psych consultations. Of course there were co-pays and deductibles involved, but the appointments were at least covered under my plan. So far, the only thing that insurance won't pay for is the six months of monthly nutritional and pre-op classes that they require before surgery (funny they require it, but won't pay for it :smile2: That was a little costly running around I think $300 for six months. Now the nutrition/pre-op class requirements vary from insurance to insurance. Some are 3 months, some a whole year. Your insurance company or Darren the insurance guy at OSU should be able to tell you what is required. OSU was pretty good about combining appts for me when possible for them and were aware folks had to travel like I did (I live about an hour and 1/2 away). I hope this helps!

[SpecialK 22]

I did just post a note on the Saturday Columbus gathering forum link that if the snow is bad, please check and see that thread for a note on who is coming and who can't come based on weather. Be conservative and keep safe. Hopefully if the worst is today and Friday, we'll be stir crazy by Saturday and noon and just busting out with boredom to still do the get together.

[SpecialK 22]

Cross post here to some thoughts and plans for a future lapband friends fun day. See the link.

JenPen-- so glad you joined us at the Polaris mall gathering. I hope it helped and we answered questions you needed. I loved your comment about us being "normal" people -- yes, we're trying to lose weight in a healthy way and it shows!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f56/central-ohio-get-together-january-9-2010-a-107116/#post1393375

[brokenangel 0]

Jen,

I'm a liitle more comfortable now with the insurance part, I also have BCBS and United Health Care. MY husband and I went down to Cincinnati to Dr Curry on saturday, we are now leaning towards me having it done down there. They made me feel so comfortable about the whole thing and didnt pressure gastric bypass at all. We still have 2 more seminars to go to, my husband like to weigh all options and I am ok with that. It is so nice to have him so involved.

How was the nutrician classes? easy to follow?

good luck with the insurance part.

[FunnyFlamingo2010 0]

I also went to Dr. Curry's seminar and to my first visit.

He is the "band" Dr. so he doesn't push RNY.

I opted to stay here in columbus with Mid Ohio Surgical Associates.

Personally I was more comfortable with staying overnight in the hospital where I could be monitored rather than in one of the hotels Dr. C's office recommends.

His office and staff has alot of bells and whistles and is cheaper since there is no overnight stay, but my experience with Dr. Miller, Dr. Price and Dr. Choban has been WONDERFUL.

Good luck on your decision.

Funny

[SpecialK 22]

candy, we have 2 people who attend our Saturday Polaris mall gathering of lapbanders who went to Dr. Curry and they were both there yesterday. Both still doing great and both were very happy with Dr. Curry and how they are doing.

[brokenangel 0]

I'm so glad that seminars are free, I'm attending a few so I have something to choose from. I'm not sure what "bells and whistles" you are speaking of, I'm just going with my feelings right now.... my feelings can all change next week.

Thank you, K, I will have to double try and make the next get together because you all sound so helpful.

[Meliwriter 9]

Hey JenPen! I went to OSU, had Dr. Needleman and he was great. I had my surgery almost a year ago. I have been a very slow loser, but partly because I haven't hit my sweet spot with my fills and partly because I had a lot of issues to deal with in terms of head hunger when I first started. I am in a much better place now than I was a year ago and excited to keep losing the weight! Even though I haven't lost as quickly as others, I don't regret my decision at all!

When I went to OSU I was the only one in my class getting the lap-band. That was the only thing I didn't like and part of the reason I turn to these boards. I felt like not everyone could address my specific concerns. I know some centers have different protocol pre and post op for lapband patients (like liquid diets) and I do wonder if my weight loss would have been more steady if I had chosen a center that does more lapband surgeries. But there aren't too many around here. I did consider Dr. Curry but wasn't willing to make the drive. Just a note: I was so sore after the surgery I don't know how anyone travels after the surgery. It was very uncomfortable the first few days to even be in the car with all that jarring.

Anyway, rambling. Good luck! My cousin is a nurse in the OSU recovery wing for WLS patients and I must admit the nurses were fantastic! :thumbup: Looking forward to meeting you at Polaris if you can make it. I am definitely going to try and come!

Meli

[jenpen2 0]

Hi Broken Angel,

That is awesome your husband is so supportive. My husband has been great as well and I think that is so important to have the spouse and family support. The nutritional classes were easy and informative. Meeting other lap band patients was good. Definitely go to a program that you are most comfortable and I hope to see you next month!

[jenpen2 0]

Hi Meliwriter,

It is great to see you had a good experience with Dr. Needleman. He did my mom's gastric bypass and she really liked him as well. That is a bummer that you were the only bander in your meetings. I can see how that would be hard because although both are weight loss surgeries, the band definitely is unique. Luckily, my nutrition class was about half banders, so I met people going through the same thing. My experience was that they are moving in more of a direction of focusing more equally on band patients as well as bypass which is a good thing. Heck, when my mom went through the program a few years back, she had no nutritional or bypass education classes offered to her and really struggled in the beginning. She said back then you just had the surgery and that was it, but wished she had more education in order to better prepare for after surgery. She is now doing great though. Hope to see you as well at the next meeting!

[SpecialK 22]

JenPen -- yes I believe Gastric Bypass or RNY would have a better reputation if doctors had done more advance nutritional and psychological counseling on patients and had follow ups for nutritional and psychological and not just for the physical healing of post WLS. I think they learned that from the kinds of complications they saw - people who were not compliant to the diet because they couldn't get their head in the right place, and then they had medical complications. I am with you that those I have met through my hospital's support group at Mt. Carmel, are happy they made their RNY decision as I am happy I made my Lapband decision. The RNY folks seem to be more accepting as time goes of the Lapband patients too, they don't think its a way of taking the easy road because they know we have to also have our head and diet compliance and emotional struggles just as they do. It is a good thing we all have respect and support for each other.

So, if you find that there isn't enough Lapband support at your sessions at OSU, stay in touch with the Columbus informal support group via our monthly Mall meetings and I think it will help, it has for me.

[SpecialK 22]

Here is a crosslink over to the next mall get together. Hope to see lots of Columbus folks there.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f56/central-ohio-get-together-february-13-2010-a-108380/

[SpecialK 22]

Thought I'd give this one for Columbus a bump and see what's new with any bandsters out there in Columbus. Still fighting to get my last 40-50 lbs off before I can consider my abdominoplasty *tummy tuck* surgery.

Also, since I lost my job here recently, I am out job hunting and am not sure what could happen if I get on at a new place and then need an extended sick leave to have that PS surgery. Will just see how those cards fall when I get there.

[SpecialK 22]

Cedar Point NSV this past weekend but still room to improve! -- I was able to fit on 8 of the 10 roller coasters at Cedar Point and 2 the seatbelt was about 2" too short and I couldn't ride. I am carrying the weight I have left in my stomach area especially so I am planning to take waist and hip measurements monthly until I know I have those last 2 inches gone that would make me roller coaster eligible for any of them! Even so, I am so, so proud of the ones I could proudly fit into after losing what I have. And, a huge NSV for me is that I walked and walked hours around the park and my knees, legs, and ankles, feet were not holding me back! I was tired but I kept up with the rest of the family niece/nephews youngsters (20 somethings) I was with.

I bought a size Medium Tshirt with all the names of the roller coasters on it to remember the day!