Banded 6 years, here if you need me

[Regine 0]

just wanted to let everyone know that my insyrance just says no to lapband. I give up. they don't care about me having diabetes, Water in my knee, asthma and so forth. guess they like to see me gone for good.

if anyone has an idea i'll take it.

the problem is that i cannot take off work to go to doctors all the time. i just started this new job.

anyways, thank for all the support and maybe one or the other could e-mail me onvce in a while. keep on loosing and stay healthy. i wish i could say the same

[pj_txlady 0]

Hi,

I saw this and thought it would be great if i could help someone that is going through what i did because i would have loved to have had something like this when i got banded! So a little about me:

Im 22 years old and had the band 1 month after my 16th birthday. I was a size 28 and 115kgs or 253lb. Im an aussie but dont let that stop you lol.

I like most was a HUGE emotional eater and i find that is still something i have to work on daily because im totally addicted to slider foods.

I lost 99lb or 45kgs in around 1.5-2years so i was a slow loser but have kept it off ever since...i have my ups and downs like everyone but i feel i have a hold on the major problems that got me big in the first place. I suffered from deep suicidal depression for 7 years and am now out of the black hole and have been for around 6mths.

Um...im a single female (just going through the guideline questions) i am 75kgs currently but have decided to lose another 10kgs or 22lb even though im at goal, the great thing about the band is you can pick up at any time!!!

So basically i want to help anyone who needs it, im not a judgemental person and i understand falling off the wagon lol I will support you or push you, whatever you need.

I can take on as heaps of buddies cause i work from home now on my website so i will be avaliable daily but remember there is a big time difference between here and the states.

Let me know if you would like to be my buddy and i will pm you and add you to my friends, will also give you my private email so you can get onto me when you need too :thumbup:

I forgot to add i have had 2 port flips, one was surgically corrected and the other time it flipped itself back and currently have a small leak.

Bel

Why can't they replace your band if it's leaking?

[pj_txlady 0]

Your insurance won't approve it if your Dr writes a letter stating your health is in jeopardy? My insurance approved only for the reason that I had high blood pressure, that could if left untreated be life threatening.

[Bel 1]

Hi heather, glad to hear you are progressing well! I wouldnt worry if you put a little weight on before restriction it is perfectly normal and hey, you have lost more weight then i did at your stage so congrats! Things are good with me, having some issues with work but it will be fine and im taking time off on Friday for mum's surgery. Let me know how the fill goes! Are you nervous?

Hi Stacey, welcome! I think that is a fear everyone goes through, i can tell you for me personally i would never go back but you have to remember too that if you do get the band and feel it is too restricting you can have it unfilled and eat normally, i have done this a couple of times due to various reasons and then when i was ready to pick up where i left off i just got another fill. The thing that helped me was knowing i would live to be able to enjoy life rather then dying from food.

Regine i feel your pain and wish i could make it better for you! Try not to lose hope...maybe you could consult someone who deals with legal issues with insurance, who knows the loopholes? they may have a way you can get around the company, i have heard of this being done successfully in the states.

pj, i can have the tubing replaced (which is where the leak is) but its not really nessesary at the moment because i have omnipaque in which is a thicker solution and it seems to hold up well without leaking too much, i will get it fixed eventually but i figure if i can put it off i should.

[Regine 0]

Your insurance won't approve it if your Dr writes a letter stating your health is in jeopardy? My insurance approved only for the reason that I had high blood pressure, that could if left untreated be life threatening.

thanks for your support sweetie. i have an appointment with my dr end of next week because my knees hurt and so forth. i will ask her to please write a letter to my insurance to approve the surgery. think this will do the trick?

[Donna113 2]

In my case, it wasn't the insurance but the coverage my employer opted for. My company has Aetna and opted to exclude WLS. The same for my husband's company, they have BC/BS but had WLS exclusion. With WLS exclusions, there is no appeal. I had to self-pay and it was worth every single penny.

[Lowbmier 0]

I wish there were more long time banders who still posted. Us newbies have so many questions we would like to ask.

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Edited August 21, 2008 by Lowbmier

[Donna113 2]

I know. I wonder why there aren't more? I'm hoping it's because after reaching goal and feeling comfortable with it, they decide to move on and live the rest of their lives without being obsessed with weight issues.

[Regine 0]

well i will talk ot my doctor. maybe she even can make a call or two for me to premera bc. i did not specifically see it excluded but when i called they kept on telling me the same thing over and over again which was sorry, but this type of surgery is not covered. hhmm....i learned from this forum that others were covered by premera blue cross with the same plan. why not me? what am i missing here? i am 5'10" and now weigh 243 and climbing with declining health

[Regine 0]

i wonder why others premera bc covered lapband under the same plan and mine says no. weird. VERY weird

[Donna113 2]

i wonder why others premera bc covered lapband under the same plan and mine says no. weird. VERY weird

In my case, my employer put a WLS exclusion on the plan (I have Aetna) and my husband's employer put a WLS exclusion on their plan (he has BC/BS). So it's not necessary the insurance carrier but the employer who determines what they will/will not cover. I'm sure by having a WLS exclusion, they saved a wopping $1K annually or something stupid like that. Anyway, I had to self pay because if you have a WLS exclusion, appeals are fruitless even if you will die without the surgery. I paid $12,900 which covers all post op care, including unlimited fills for the 1st year post-surgery.

[Bel 1]

Hi all, sorry i havent been on in a while; mum had surgery on her throat so i have been looking after her 24/7 and havent had time to think lol

I know. I wonder why there aren't more? I'm hoping it's because after reaching goal and feeling comfortable with it, they decide to move on and live the rest of their lives without being obsessed with weight issues.

I think they do chose to move on, i did for a few years and then i found this site and thought it would be good to help people with the same stuff i went through, the obsession does fade and for some goes away, i still have a slight obsession but its managable cause i dont think about food all the time now!

Lowbmier i am more then happy to answer any questions, will pm you my email.

I cant understand the insurance system...people pay their fee's it shouldnt be so hard to get your monies worth! I feel for everyone going through so much hell with the companies and i hope it happens for you soon! You could always move to Australia lol it doesnt seem so bad to get approved here.

Anywho how is everyone going? I have put on a couple of kgs cause i havent had time to exercise but it will come off again eventually.

[HeatherDee 0]

Hey Bel, Hope your mum is doing well. It's now been a week since my first fill and I am a little concerned that its not tight enough - I don't get that feeling of feeling full unless I have eaten quite a bit and I feel as though I eat at the same pace as everyone around me. I thought it was supposed to take me twice as long as anyone else. The doctor did say It could take three or four fills to get it right - would I be able to tell after just one week do you think. He did say I can go back earlier if I think I need more fill - I am just not sure.

[Bel 1]

Hi Heather!

First of all congrats on the first fill, its always a little daunting. Ok everyone has a different opinion about how long you should leave it after a fill, i personally believe that after a week and because you dont have much in the band, you should be able to tell if you need a fill. When you get more in it may take a week for the fill to take effect but at this stage i think you would know. I would book for another fill, i myself have had a fill 2 days after getting one cause i knew it wasnt tight enough (wouldnt recommend till you know your band well) but i would book and get another one personally.

It took me a few fills to feel anything, it also depends how agressive the surgeon is who gives the fills, how much did you get in? I would not want more then .5mls at a time in a 3ml band :-) (if thats what you have) Once you hit 2mls in the band taper it to .3 per fill, it helps avoid overfilling.

If your not sure you can always go in and talk to him, im sure he could tell you if you need another one. The doc's see this all the time dont forget.

I find the best thing to do is listen to your body, if you have had no effect from the fill, get another one...at this early stage i dont think getting them close together would be an issue

[Bel 1]

Ok so i thought i would post this so you guys know that its OK to mess up, i have had the band 6 years and i messed up last night (big time) Heres what happened...

I had a fill a few weeks ago cause i leaked a little and boy did that fill restrict more then i have been, back to eating small portions (which i havent done for over 1 year) so anywhoo, i am still kicking myself into only eating small amounts and im missing the larger portions (1 and 1/2 cup). So i made dinner last night and ate that and was stuffed with about 1 cup of food, then a coupla hours later my head did some talking, gee i want Cereal, Belinda gimmie Cereal, please i love you i want cereal CEREAL CEREAL CEREAL lol and i made the mistake of listening....1 large bowl later and i was in pain, i knew it wouldnt fit, i could feel it before i started but i wanted it sooooo bad and thought what the hell i can wash it down (cereal is my vice) WELL guess what, i couldnt wash it down cause i was too friggin full to drink anything....it is now 10am the next day and i have been up all night with reflux ( i refuse to pb unless i am dying) and i am still stuffed full and sore as hell. I am drinking my pepsi max now to get it down.

For me pepsi is a god send, i have always been able to drink it and when i am tight or stuck i drink some and the bubbles loosen the band just enough that i an get whatever through without too much pain, love the stuff and i know most people say dont drink it but my surgeon is banded and has 1 every day for lunch, i can have it and have had around one a day for the last 6 years, sugar free of course! (dont try it if your newly banded)

Anywho i couldnt believe i made such a dumb mistake but it just goes to show everyone is capable of their moment of stupid, just as long as you learn from it people!

Lesson: Dont be such a pig lmao

Edited August 27, 2008 by Bel