New From Dallas TX

[lilbit08 0]

Hi to all. I am new from Dallas Tx and I am thinking about getting banded. I thought about this last yr and then family members talked me out of it and I just stopped looking at the procedure all together. WELL...here i am again! Looking into the procedure. I am almost 100% that I want it done. I am scared because I have never been put to sleep to begin with and I have heard people vomit alot with the band and I cant deal with that at all! YUCK! I am 4'9 and I am 235 lbs.People always tell me that I look good because I am proportionate but I dont think so. I want this weight off! I have tried diets, pills, weight watchers, ear staples (acupuncture) and more and I do ok for a while and off the wagon I fall. I need all the advice I can get. Looking for a good Dr here in Dallas. Not sure how I am going to pay for procedure because I dont have insurance and I dont think that I am going to be able to get financed because I dont have any credit which is the same as BAD credit. If anyone has any answers to any of my questions, pls pls pls shed some light. I wish all a Happy Weekend!

[drew05 20]

First off, welcome!

Now to answer the questions you have. I'll answer all I can. someone else I'm sure will be along with the other answers. That's why I love this place!

K. Not a lot of people vomit. If you vomit, it might be a sign of a complication. Now if you do eat to big of a bite of something you can PB. What that means is that it gets stuck in the passage to the stomach and just comes back up. it's not vomit. But if you follow your diet and eat tiny bites and chew thoroughly, you'll be fine. Being put under is a lot easier than you think. It's like taking a super strong Nyquil. You get tired really quick and just fall asleep. Before you know it, you're awake in the recovery room! No weird dreams or anything like that.

Hope I helped!

Edited June 7, 2008 by drew05

[GayleTX 1]

Regarding your family who says you don't need to lose weight....doctors figure your 'need' for weight loss based on your BMI (body mass index). (google BMI calculator)....at 4'9" and 235 lbs

your BMI is 51....that is classified as "morbidly obese." So, yes, you do need to lose weight. I'm betting you are quite young and look really cute and cuddly right now, especially to your family. But along with obesity eventually comes poor health....we don't retain the cute and cuddly when the health begins to go. Your family loves you like you are, but you love yourself enough to want to be the best you can be in the future and to have a long and happy and healthy life.

Dallas is a great place to find an experienced, competent weight loss surgeon....some of the most respected ones are right there - Dr. Wade Barker, Dr. Richard Benevides, Dr. Joseph Cribbins, Dr. Steven Hamm are all very well thought of - as well as others. Methodist Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital are both Centers of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery and have outstanding programs and staff for weight loss surgery.

However, none of them work for free....not many people do. You say you don't have insurance or any credit at all....are you on Medicaid by any chance? They cover weight loss surgery. If not, you need to begin trying to establish credit of some sort....just a credit card or a store account with a small limit is a beginning - making payments, never be late in making payments (that's the key) to getting a good rating.

I hear your frustration about dieting. It's easy to diet, easy to lose weight - and even eaiser to gain it back ....I 'dieted' myself up to 350 pounds.....so much yoyo dieting that my metabolism went haywire and eventually only went one way - UP- on the scale. I hope you can find a solution to your weight problem soon, whatever it may be.

Best wishes to you.......

[auntlucy 22]

Lilbit, I am also in the Dallas area. Dr. Hamn is my surgeon, and I've been extemely happy. I've also had great results. I'll hit my 3 month mark on 6/10, and I've already lost 45 pounds since my surgery. Since one of your biggest concerns was vomiting, I can tell you that I have not thrown up or PBed even once. When people on this site talk about PBing and sliming, I'm not even sure what that truly means yet b/c I haven't experienced it. Perhaps I will as I get future fills (only had one so far), but hopefully I will continue to not have problems. Of course, I have followed all of the guidance of my surgeon. It has been a great life-changing move for me, and I'm glad I did it.

I also looked into the surgery more than once. About 3 years ago I looked into it (even had a surgery date) but then backed out. I just wasn't ready for it at that time, and I'm glad I didn't go through with it then b/c I don't think I would have been as successful.

I understand your concern about your family. I am very close to my family, and while sometimes I shouldn't, I care about what they think. I took my parents with me to a seminar so they could understandall of the procedures available and understand the risks. Because of the much lower risk of the lap band, they were very supportive of it. The point is that they got the education they needed and were able to ask questions directly of the surgeon.

Also, everyone doesn't have to know you had surgery. I've been really private about it. Only select members of my family know, my best friend, and very few people at work. I wouldn't have even told the work people, but I'm in a lot of lunch meetings and I thought it better to let them know. My point in saying all of this is that if you do it, YOU are in control of who and when you tell. Some people are completely comfortable telling everyone, but that's a personal preference.

Sorry for the long post...your message just hit home with me! Good luck in your decision!

I would never try to talk you into anything, but ultimately you need to make this decision for YOU!

[lilbit08 0]

Regarding your family who says you don't need to lose weight....doctors figure your 'need' for weight loss based on your BMI (body mass index). (google BMI calculator)....at 4'9" and 235 lbs

your BMI is 51....that is classified as "morbidly obese." So, yes, you do need to lose weight. I'm betting you are quite young and look really cute and cuddly right now, especially to your family. But along with obesity eventually comes poor health....we don't retain the cute and cuddly when the health begins to go. Your family loves you like you are, but you love yourself enough to want to be the best you can be in the future and to have a long and happy and healthy life.

Dallas is a great place to find an experienced, competent weight loss surgeon....some of the most respected ones are right there - Dr. Wade Barker, Dr. Richard Benevides, Dr. Joseph Cribbins, Dr. Steven Hamm are all very well thought of - as well as others. Methodist Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital are both Centers of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery and have outstanding programs and staff for weight loss surgery.

However, none of them work for free....not many people do. You say you don't have insurance or any credit at all....are you on Medicaid by any chance? They cover weight loss surgery. If not, you need to begin trying to establish credit of some sort....just a credit card or a store account with a small limit is a beginning - making payments, never be late in making payments (that's the key) to getting a good rating.

I hear your frustration about dieting. It's easy to diet, easy to lose weight - and even eaiser to gain it back ....I 'dieted' myself up to 350 pounds.....so much yoyo dieting that my metabolism went haywire and eventually only went one way - UP- on the scale. I hope you can find a solution to your weight problem soon, whatever it may be.

Best wishes to you.......

Gayle Tx, thanks so much for all your important information. YES the family thinks I am A ok because I dont have health problems "AT THE MOMENT". My mom is very heavy set and she has alot of health problems and she is really scared of weight loss surgery. I am scared too but I have to do something to make Lora feel better. I have gotten depression and it has caused me not to feel attractive at all. I dont want to live this way no more. I have been on too many yo-yo diets and I am just tired of it. I loose good at first and as you stated I gain it back and some. As far as my credit goes, I have some but not enough and my income is too much for medicaid. I am going to have insurance as of Aug 1st but beeing that it is going to be a new policy for me at a new job I am not so sure that is going to go too well. Thanks for all your information and I will let you know as I move forward.

[lilbit08 0]

Lilbit, I am also in the Dallas area. Dr. Hamn is my surgeon, and I've been extemely happy. I've also had great results. I'll hit my 3 month mark on 6/10, and I've already lost 45 pounds since my surgery. Since one of your biggest concerns was vomiting, I can tell you that I have not thrown up or PBed even once. When people on this site talk about PBing and sliming, I'm not even sure what that truly means yet b/c I haven't experienced it. Perhaps I will as I get future fills (only had one so far), but hopefully I will continue to not have problems. Of course, I have followed all of the guidance of my surgeon. It has been a great life-changing move for me, and I'm glad I did it.

I also looked into the surgery more than once. About 3 years ago I looked into it (even had a surgery date) but then backed out. I just wasn't ready for it at that time, and I'm glad I didn't go through with it then b/c I don't think I would have been as successful.

I understand your concern about your family. I am very close to my family, and while sometimes I shouldn't, I care about what they think. I took my parents with me to a seminar so they could understandall of the procedures available and understand the risks. Because of the much lower risk of the lap band, they were very supportive of it. The point is that they got the education they needed and were able to ask questions directly of the surgeon.

Also, everyone doesn't have to know you had surgery. I've been really private about it. Only select members of my family know, my best friend, and very few people at work. I wouldn't have even told the work people, but I'm in a lot of lunch meetings and I thought it better to let them know. My point in saying all of this is that if you do it, YOU are in control of who and when you tell. Some people are completely comfortable telling everyone, but that's a personal preference.

Sorry for the long post...your message just hit home with me! Good luck in your decision!

I would never try to talk you into anything, but ultimately you need to make this decision for YOU!

auntlucy....i dont mind the long post at all. i enjoy all the information i can get. thanks so much for replying and sharing all that u did with me. i have never heard of dr hamm so if you can give me some info on him that would be helpful. i am still not sure how i am going to pay being that i just started a new job and insurance kicks in 8/01, but i dont know that with me being so new on the plan they are gonna want to cover me. i also have some credit but i am always told not enough. pls keep me updated as you progress. where are u located?

[lilbit08 0]

First off, welcome!

Now to answer the questions you have. I'll answer all I can. someone else I'm sure will be along with the other answers. That's why I love this place!

K. Not a lot of people vomit. If you vomit, it might be a sign of a complication. Now if you do eat to big of a bite of something you can PB. What that means is that it gets stuck in the passage to the stomach and just comes back up. it's not vomit. But if you follow your diet and eat tiny bites and chew thoroughly, you'll be fine. :thumbup: Being put under is a lot easier than you think. It's like taking a super strong Nyquil. You get tired really quick and just fall asleep. Before you know it, you're awake in the recovery room! No weird dreams or anything like that.

Hope I helped!

drew05..yes u did help...thanks so much because i was wondering what PB meant and know i know. i am scared and funny that you mentioned no weird dreams because i am scared that once they put me out that i am gonna have a bad dream and cant wake up..lol...scared is not even the word. then i dont want anything to go wrong afterwards like slippage, erosion or anything like that. i have been lookin into dr wade barker and benavides here in dallas because i was told that they are good dr's. i just got to find a way to pay for this procedure because i just started a new job and insurance kicks in on the 1st if august but with me being new i am not so sure that they are gonna want to pay for that. also i have credit, just not enough. hopefully something works out soon. i dont even want to go to seminars or consultations because i dont want to get my hopes up high for nothing and then cant pay! thanks again for ur support~

[auntlucy 22]

Lilbit, Dr. Hamn is at TX Center for Obesity Surgery in Plano, TX (Parker and the Tollway). Dr. Cribbons is his partner. Their website is: Obesity Surgery - LAP BAND - Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, - Texas - TX

I live in McKinney. Be pacient and perhaps your new insurance will cover it. I know you want it to happen now, but use this time to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. Also, why don't you go ahead and start a low fat, low calorie diet. That way you will be making some progress and won't just be in "wait" mode. I use www.thedailyplate.com to track my food and Water intake every day, and I highly recommend that. Plus, it's free! Good luck to you!

[GayleTX 1]

So glad to hear you are going to get insurance August 1!! That's just around the corner and you might have to hurry to get things moving by then.

Most insurance companies require you to prove that you have had a medically supervised weight loss program for at least 6 months....they are pretty srict about it - most require you see your doctor at least once a month every month, get weighed, have your doctor record your weight and write into your medical records that he has discussed weight loss procedures with you. You'll need to have a doctor that is willing to cooperate with you to prepare for weight loss surgery and then write a letter indicating that he thinks you could benefit from it. Not all PCP's are in favor of wls...make sure yours is on board with you and will support you.

[lilbit08 0]

aunt lucy....thanks for ur advice. i appreciate it very much!

Edited June 13, 2008 by lilbit08
forgot to add who i was addressing this to

[lilbit08 0]

So glad to hear you are going to get insurance August 1!! That's just around the corner and you might have to hurry to get things moving by then.

Most insurance companies require you to prove that you have had a medically supervised weight loss program for at least 6 months....they are pretty srict about it - most require you see your doctor at least once a month every month, get weighed, have your doctor record your weight and write into your medical records that he has discussed weight loss procedures with you. You'll need to have a doctor that is willing to cooperate with you to prepare for weight loss surgery and then write a letter indicating that he thinks you could benefit from it. Not all PCP's are in favor of wls...make sure yours is on board with you and will support you.

GAYLE....yes u are correct because i have been told that by several people on how slow the process can be with insurance but i was also told that BCBS of SC wont cover it by someone else on this website so i may have to be a self pay. where i am going to get the money from..i have no idea..lol

[mnn2501 0]

BCBS is the most strict but will usually cover it. My SiL had BcBs and it took her over a year to get approval from them