B'ham Banding

[thicknthin 0]

Hello To Everyone!

I am waiting for approval from BCBSAL. I'll be getting banded by Dr. Dewitt in Birmingham at Carraway Hospital hopefully soon. Is there anyone out there who has traveled this road already? The people at the office are great, and I have a wonderful fuzzy feeling about everything.

[Soon2B2LittleE 21]

Hi,

I'm thinking about going to Dr. Dewitt? How was your experience? I too have BCBSAL and am just starting my 6 month diet as of this Tuesday:)

[Godshelp 2]

Dr. Dewitt's staff is great. I was banded by him in April or 08. Hope things go well for you.

[Soon2B2LittleE 21]

Dr. Dewitt's staff is great. I was banded by him in April or 08. Hope things go well for you.

Thanks! I do too. I just dread the 6 month diet and hope that I don't have to start over because of an error. :tt2:

[thicknthin 0]

My experience so far has been great. Laurie (not sure how to spell her name) is GREAT! She knows everything about your insurance policy from top to bottom. She explained everything to me well and in detail and I appreciated it so much. She is so helpful. I'm sure you've met Dr. Dewitt, Soon2BeLittleE. He seems like a very nice personable guy. I've talked to him at my consultation in August and talking to him made me more comfortable. He was honest and very informative (as a doctor should be, I guess). But I have gotten word that I have been approved and the surgery has been considered "medically neccessary". Anyway, the staff is great and they know what they are doing. That is why I chose them. I'm VERY confident in them and I pray that GOD stays with him during his surgeries. GodsHelp, can you tell me about any difficulties you may have had? And if you work, how long did you take off?

OH, and the six months went fine for me. I went to Dr. Dunn in Norwood Clinic because I called to ask Laurie for a recommendation because I couldn't find a doctor who understood what I needed them to do for the six months. I even gained one of the months, and was a day late on the last month. I was so afraid, but Laurie told me that it was fine. As long as I went once a month, and me gaining that month wouldn't hurt my chances. I went every 4th friday morning. The last month I had to go the monday after that 4th friday. I've been approved so BCBSAL was fine with it apparently. So don't worry, you'll be fine. Just keep your dates!!

Edited October 6, 2008 by thicknthin

[Soon2B2LittleE 21]

Thanks thicknthin. Tomorrow is my first visit to my PCP for the supervised diet. I haven't been to a seminar yet, but plan on going to the one in November. What other tests, etc. did you have to do besided the supervised diet, if you don't mind me asking? Just anxious to get it done. Also, how was the seminar? I am, I guess, worried about doing the supervised diet and not having other things done within the 6 months so that I can be approved and get a date, versus completing the diet and then having to go through other tests, etc. and then get a date. I may be over reacting, but I can be OCD at times:)

[thicknthin 0]

SURGERY DATE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008, I'll be changing my lifestyle. YAY!!!!!

[thicknthin 0]

I'll be back on later to respond to you Soon2BeLittleE. I'm at work, right now. LOL. I just had to post the excitment really quick.

[thicknthin 0]

Besides the supervised diet, I also had an EKG and a psych evaluation. The psychological evaluation was scheduled by Lori for me after I went to my consultation. I felt cheated...lol....I was expecting the chaise lounge and the "tell me what's on your mind" talk. LOL. But it was a series of tests, redundant questions and a few other little things. I talked to the doctor for a few minutes, and that was that. Nothing serious. The EKG was scheduled the same day as the Nutritional and Physical Therapy Assessment. EKG lasted abouit 30 seconds (I was shocked), Nutritionist went throught the pre-op and post-op diets, and the physical therapist just wanted to see what physical health you were in now, to track your progress later (ie walking and climbing stairs, touching toes, bending, reaching, turning). I found out I have another class to attend the wednesday before my surgery. I have no idea what it is about though. I think it is my pre-op appt, but I thought it was just an appointment, not neccessarily a class. I'll keep you posted. GODSHELP can you give us some input about the class that was a week before the surgery?

[Soon2B2LittleE 21]

SURGERY DATE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008, I'll be changing my lifestyle. YAY!!!!!

Congradulations on your surgery date!! That's great news!! And thanks for the other info. I had my first appointment for what I thought was going to start my supervised diet, but I had the most horrible experience ever and to top it off, didn't even get a chance to see the doctor, just the rude nurse practitioner!! At any rate, I think I may do better with my OBGYN next month!! :smile2:

[thicknthin 0]

:biggrin: Carraway Hospital closed one day before my surgery. :eek: I have to wait for scheduling times at Princeton Baptist Hospital now. So I'm once again, waiting for a date.:smile:

[thicknthin 0]

:biggrin: I left this one out of the last post. Should have been the main icon!!

[thicknthin 0]

WOW THAT WAS FAST!!!!

I was called today and told that my new surgery date will be Monday, October 27th at 9:30AM. WHEW!! I'm feeling better again. :sad_smile: I won't get too excited until I wake up from surgery though.

[texasweb 0]

I will be praying for you on that Day ..

[thicknthin 0]

Hello, all. My phone's internet wasn't cooperating with the website, but I just wanted to stop by and let everyone know I'm doing fine. I wake up each day feeling better. Just a few mild discomforts, but I don't have any real pain. It hasn't dawned on me yet that the band is actually inside of me. Hard to explain. Talk to u soon.