July Butterflies Master Thread

[thatDEgirl 1]

Hi all, I'm Lacey, 28, mom of a 6 year old little girl and a military wife. I finally got through all the TRICARE (insurance) hurdles and am scheduled to be banded by Dr. Nye at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola on the 22nd.

I've been bigger almost my whole life, hovering ab=round 160-165 at 5'2" through HS and college. I got married and went off the pill, only to gain 60 pounds in 3 months. It was then that we discovered I had PCOS and infertility. More weight gained through treatments and then pregnancy. At my highest I was 265 but have stayed at 230-235 for the last 2 years. While we lived in the UK, I was offered gastric bypass but was unwilling to take a step that drastic with a little one. Once I discovered, TRICARE was now covering lapband, I promptly made an appt with my PCM. She was willing to put in the referral, knowing my history (I also have bcp induced high blood pressure) but we soon found out after some blood work that I have a form of leukemia. After getting all that learned about, etc, my oncologist gave her blessing for lapband and here I am.

Looking forward to sharing with all of you!

[orea15 0]

Wow, Lacy, you've been through a lot in a few short years. Congrats on making the decision to get the band. And best wishes regarding your other challenges.

Orea

[Booklady 0]

Hi Everyone! I too am a July butterfly!! My banding date is Tuesday, July 8th. So as you can imagine I am excited and nervous - all at the same time. Like many of you, I have been overweight most of my life and now other health issues are added to the problem. I have two precious grandkids I want to play with and this "Grammy" is tired of saying "Sorry, I can't do that" or "I can't get down on the floor to play!" I am ready for my journey to begin. :thumbup:

[IntoLess 0]

Booklady, you and I are bandster twins! My day is the 8th as well. I understand about being nervous and excited. I am a bit of both, but I am not jittery nervous or jumping up and down excited. It is almost like it isn't happening. I think I am just ready to get it all done and over with. To think in less than 48 hours I will be banded. I have all my housework done, the family has food to live on while I am recovering, the clothes are washed and put away. I just need to get my dog groomed, and I will be set. Anyone want to volunteer for that one? :thumbup:

[Goober 1]

Hi my name is Allison and I am scheduled to be banded July 10 :biggrin:

I am a working mom of 4 year old twins. I have been overweight my entire life :thumbup: I am excited about the band.

Penny - I am sorry your insurance sucks I am a self pay and my payments are going to stretch my budget to the max, but I am worth it. I hope you find a solution soon.

Nice to "meet" everyone!

[thatDEgirl 1]

Wow, Lacy, you've been through a lot in a few short years. Congrats on making the decision to get the band. And best wishes regarding your other challenges.

Orea

Thanks Orea! While it stinks in the meantime,I do know that the man upstairs will not give me more than I can handle.:thumbup:

[elainemcd 0]

Hi,

My name is Elaine and I am 43 years old 44 on the 29th of July. I live in Scotland and had a band fitted on July 2nd so am still recovering after the op. Although we have a National Health Service for this op I have had to pay to go private. To wait for surgery on the NHS would have taken forever. I paid £7,450.00 for my surgery but that includes follow up for 2 years. Hopefully I should have lost all my weight by then. I am 5 8 tall and weighed 283lbs before surgery but have already dropped 11lbs, this liquid diet is really hard.

It will be great to check in and see how everybody is progressing we have taken a huge step in sorting out our weight problems. It is a major decision and a brave one.

Congratulations to everybody.

[joiful 0]

I have insurance under my business name, they really can't turn you down for anything. Be quite about your band. All the insurances will find out because "they" talk to each other and so does the pharmacies. All that info on you goes to like your credit bur. and is keep on file and that is how the insurance companies deny or grant you insurance. I found that out when trying to get health insurance not under our business and was turned down. Was told I was a diabetic when I was not. I filled a prescrip. for diabetic med for help stop surger cravings. It was filled 5 years ago and nothing since for diabeties.

I was banded on the 4th had complications cause of my intestines were not waking up. Came back home yesterday. Had to get up at 4:15 am and ride in a van, pick up some one and then go to the border. The border wasn't too bad but couldn't hardly stand or walk and that was required for some reason, no wheel chair around. Then get back into the van go to airport. Got stuck in an airport elevator. Had to wait an hour for the plane. The plane ride was 3 hours and the ride home 45 minutes. I would never EVER suggest any one having surgery in Mexico. They did't even know English to tell my husband that I was allergic to many pain meds, couldn't even ask for Jello or a band aid. The comforter on the bed had holes in it like the pillows. Never got to talk to a dietician or never got explained on some liquid medicine that I has gone in the trash. So I am sooooooooo glad some one on this chat site suggested this book-Weight Loss Surgery with the Gastric Lap Band. I could have not done it if my husband did not go. I didn't even get to the hotel was in the "hospital" until I left. Maybe not all Mexico clinics are the same. Be warned though the pictures they show you on the site may not be where you will be or actually the doctor you will have. I went to Bajanor so it may be different other places. Plus they were going to pay for my husband's flight. Don't think so they asked for $321 more dollars, did not aurgue with them much just showed them an email and told them I could have purchased the tickets myself and saved close to $300.

Today I am a little better but still not up to what I think others have been. There is no way I will be able to work tomorrow and I have a sedantary job. I hope Wednesday.

I hope every one is doing well and thank you for the well wishes!

[PennyLane 0]

Thanks for the good wishes on the insurance front. I'm going to call them and see what happened--maybe it was a mistake (doubtful, but it's possible). If not, then I'm going to get on the group plan at school (I'm a graduate student/librarian). Luckily the plan starts every August so I won't even have to go that long without insurance.

Congrats all who have their bands already--let us know how it's going!

[PennyLane 0]

Hey, all, trying to revamp this master thread. I really want to "get to know" others who are doing this around the same time as me, and would love to hear stories of surgery days and such without looking through tons of threads.

We already have three pages of threads in our forum, while if you look at other months (April 07 for example: April 07 Bandsters - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum) they've been doing this for over a year and only have one page worth of threads. They do all their updates in one master thread.

I really think that this is the most effective and organized way of going about getting a support group going and think that we should do it too.

[Sthernbrat 0]

Hey everyone! I am also a July Butterfly. I am going to be having my surgery in the next week or 2. I have everything one and my surgery is all paid in full sence I was self pay. I am just not waiting to my srugery date. I am very excited and hope everyone is doing great and good luck to everyone!

[GBear 0]

Hi all you July bandsters!

My name is Jennifer and I'm getting banded on July 16 by Dr. Kirshenbaum in the Denver area. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, though. I'm going to stay with relatives in Denver and visit my bridesmaid in CO before my surgery. Since my hubby has so little vacation time, my parents are going to be with me and visit our relatives at the same time. I am very grateful!

I'm 37 years old, but feel about 30. I'm in a high tech field as a writer. No kids yet, but I am pretty darn close to my nephews and nieces and spend as much time with them as I can.

I've been slightly overweight most of my life with all the weight concentrated in my "spare tire" below my waist. I started slowly, but steadily, gaining weight when I finally stopped growing taller at the age of 22! Yes, I'm a woman who continued to grow until a couple months before her 22nd birthday. I didn't realize that's why I started gaining weight because I thought I stopped growing 4-5 years earlier. Ha! (I used to 6' 0.5", but I've now "shrunk" to 6' even.)

So I had 22 years of learning how much food I required to maintain my weight... but that was only while growing. I never learned the amount to eat after that, so I learned to eat too much. Ever since then, I'd gain some (sometimes a lot) until I'd eventually start a diet of some sort and then lose some (not usually all of it). I know *what* to do to lose weight and I know all about nutrition and exercise and blah blah blah. But making those decisions are hard. So I'm really hoping the band will help me make the right decisions more often than I do currently.

I have been pretty nervous most of this week for very irrational reasons. My body feels stressed. My rational, conscious brain knows this is all a good thing, but the irrational gut/sub-conscious just doesn't want to give up my dysfunctional relationship with food! Luckily, my conscious is overruling my sub-conscious. :cool:

Best of luck to everyone! (Sorry I got so wordy here.) I hope everyone's surgery went/goes well!

[kimaly 57]

Hi everyone, i'm as my screen name says Kimaly, i'm 44 married to the best man ever(my oppinion) Have 3 grown children, boy 2 girls and have 3 beautiful grandchildren also boy 2 girls. I started getting heavy in my late 20's became obese by mid 30's my band date is 7/22 and I can't wait. I'm getting banded because i plan on seeing my great grandchildren someday. I'm a retired hair dresser and instructor, I now work part time for my husbands company doing payroll and sorts. He has a full time office manager, it just gets me out and gives me my own spending money. I'm going to mexico, because i'm paying out of pocket all at once. I'm a animal lover and have 4 dogs, 1 cat, 2 suger gliders, 1 bird, 2 geckos, fish, and hermit crabs that are about 5 years old. maybe not that exciting but it's my life and i truely love it. it's great getting to know everyone, good luck to all as we start our new journey!! :cool:

[lynlynkr 0]

OK, it is offical, all of the July 2008 folks are nigrating to this thread. My name is Lynn. I live in Ohio with my huband of 30 years. I have 2 grown children and 5 grandchildren. ai just turned 50 in June. (However, I feel 30) I am a nurse of 20 years.

I have a very atheletic build with a great deal of muscle mass which masks my weight. I am 5' 3 and weighed in at 199.4!!! Nevertheless, I have evenly distrubed fat which has resulted in sleep apnea, painful hips and feet, and depression.

The good neews: I will be banded July 16, 2008. I have a goal of 125 - I would love to acheive it; but is it possible? really?

This web site has been my life line lately, it has helped me get ready and stay motivated. Thanks everyone. Lynn:thumbup:

[Goober 1]

Hi Ladies;

My band is IN! I had the surgery July 10. They had to fix a hiatus hernia while doing the band, so I am still very tender and gassy. It was a little scary, but it was over so quickly!

The demerol they gave me for pain made me wretch and heave, so I am taking Childrens liquid tylenol for pain.

I have my first fill scheduled for Aug 11 .