Need Lap Band Buddy / Mentor Iam just starting this process.

[Lisa73 0]

Hello My name is Lisa I am looking for a buddy to talk with while going through this process from beginning to end, no experience required.

Hx

I live in Alton, IL. I am married with one daughter and run a home daycare. I am waiting for my educational seminar on June 10th at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis, MO with Dr Scott and Dr. DelaTorre. I have United Healthcare and hear they are really good about quick auth. I have called the ins co. and they informed me they do indeed cover wls. I also called and received pre-authorization number for the psych evaluation. When I called my PCP in April the soonest appt. they could give me was three months out. (June 16th). I'm trying to think of everything I can do to make this happen as quick as possible. I think I have read every blog on this site trying to educate myself as much as possible. Thanks

Edited May 29, 2009 by Lisa73

[maplef50 0]

Hi Lisa,

That is my daughter's name. My name is Maple. I am in Detroit, MI. My Dr is Dr. Gazerali and my surg will be done at DMC, Harper hospital. Ny insurance has already approved me so it is up to my body now to cooperate with the tests.

I am at the beginning stages like you. I am doing my pre-op tests. I have had everything but the swallow test, the cardiac Eco and stress test and the last part of the C-pap sleep study. I should be done with them in the next 2 weeks and if all goes well as I suspect it will I will get a surg date.

I like you am reading anything and everything I can about this and asking tons of questions of my nurse who recommended the band to me and who has had the band herself and has lost over 100lbs. She was so thin when I saw her yesterday I didn't recognize her at first. I'm looking forward to that day when people can say that about me.

I'd also like someone to go on this journey with.

Wanna?

[Lisa73 0]

Hello Maplef50 sorry it took so long I didn't think anyone replied to me. That's great you're approved ! I just received a phone call from my surgeon's office and they scheduled me for a Psych eval. I was suprised she was booked all the way out to Aug 3rd. I was wondering how did your surgeon come to the conclusion you needed a sleep study or is that mandatory for the lapband surgery?

I really do not want to do that I guess it just seems like a big hassle and a little bit of an invasion of privacy.

Let me know how yours turn out. Lisa

[maplef50 0]

Lisa,

My doctor asked me to have a sleep study because I carry a great deal of my weight in my tummy and chest which causes me to snore when sleeping on my back and I have sleep apnea as well. He wanted to make sure that all the I's were dotted and all the T's were crossed before he went ahead with the surgery.

It is different for each paitent though because not all the people that were in my orientation group had to have a sleep study. Don't sweat it. Maybe you won't have to have one either. I just happen to be one of the ones who did. :confused:

And you are right it was a ton of bother at least to me, but I'm done with it now. I had the last part of it yesterday. All my tests are done now and all systems are go.

I'll call my doctor tomorrow to make an appointment to see him about getting a surg date. I want to do it in August because I have a very important convention to go to in July and I want to have a good time and not be tender footing around fresh out of surgery and drinking only fluids. that would simply put a damper on my excitement about the convention and my new Lap-band.

WOW! that does seem like a long time to wait for a psych eval. Did you doctor have another psychiatrist he could recommend that might be able to get you in sooner. I had all my appointments scheduled for the same month I did my orientation. I was at the doctors about twice a week for a month, with appointments and follow ups but I was able to get it all done and over with.

I hope your doctor and insurance company will work together to get this done for you in short order too.

Let's keep in touch :thumbup:

Maple

[Lisa73 0]

Maplef50, Thanks for the info on sleep study very interesting. I thought about what you said about changing to a different psych. dr. but I had to call the ins co. and get the approval and an auth # myself, and the list of other bariatric psych. dr. on the list are pretty far from where i live but i did call the office and asked them to put me on a list to call if there are any cancellations. Who knows I might get that call. Today I am preparing to go on vacation next week. Me, my husband and 4 year old daughter are going to Branson, MO for a week. 5 hrs in the back of a mini van with a 4 year old. I hope this is going to feel like a vacation. Let me know when you find out your surgery date. Lisa

[maplef50 0]

Enjoy your vacation Lisa! I'm happy for you. I haven't had a vacation in just some time. I'm going to treat my convention next month like a vacation although it is only for 4 days. I will get to stay in a really nice hotel and be with many many friends, some of whom I haven't seen since last year this time so it should be super enjoyable and spiritually enlightening.

You know what....I just thought of something. You might be able to do your own leg work by letting your fingers do the walking in the yellow pages and find your own Psych eval doctor then go to your lap-band doctor and just get the referral and short cut this process. Basically any Psychiatrist will do a eval for surg.

When did you plan to have your surg anyway?

Maple :thumbdown:

[Kamie 0]

Hello Lisa and Maple! My name is Kamie and I am still in the deciding phase of this whole process. I am 23 and I weigh 275lbs give or take. I have been overweight since I was about 8 years old and have tried everything imaginable. I am really serious about this and I have been to the seminar with my live in boyfriend. I am not afraid or anything I just need to talk to someone else in the same situation as I don't know anyone who has even thought about lap band. I know it would improve my life I just don't know how to follow the process. I too have United Health care coverage and was told the same thing by the Dr./Surgeon. I find your excitement very encouraging and just thought I could use some advise. Thanks and cheers to your headway in the process!

[maplef50 0]

Hi Kamie,

I understand your ambivalence. I too had it in the very beginning. I wondered if it was right for me. I wondered if I would be able to eat tiny food for the rest of my life. I hate to exercise so I wondered if I could lose weight without doing any and the list goes on of things I was wondering.

Then I pondered the things I couldn't do because of the weight. I can't shop at a regular clothing store. I have to pay twice as much for the ugly clothes I end up wearing From the fat lady shops. I look twice my age because fat is not my friend. I can't walk as fast or as long as I would like and my back and knees hurt when I try

After doing my pro's and con's I don't have to tell you the pro's won out. I started my process about mid May and I am already done with all the pre-testing and ready to go. There are lots of folks here who took the plunge and haven't looked back or regretted their choice. I look forward to being among the pack.

I have been fat since the birth of my last child which was 35 yrs ago. I am simply tired of being sick and tired. If you do your pro's and con's list and your pro's win out then do it now don't waste your young life wearing a fat suit like I did. On the other hand if your con's win out then I'm sure you'll be able to make a fine life for yourself just as you are. This is a really personal choice that each of us have to make alone. I will support you in whatever choice you make and hope you will stick around to do the same for me.

Maple

[Kamie 0]

Its actually so funny that you said that, because I just recently did my pros and cons list about 5 days ago and my pros list was at least four times as long. I keep thinking about how many things I miss out on and continue to miss out on everyday. I went shopping with an old friend like 2 weeks ago and I just felt like a failure the whole time because she was wondering why I wasn't trying things on. I didn't want to say, " oh ya because nothing will fit."

My boyfriend/future man's family are all really fit and healthy and I wish so much I could relate. I wish that I could swim with them and travel with them. No one realizes I am scared I won't fit into whatever they do.

I guess I am just ready to fit!

[maplef50 0]

Kamie,

I'm glad to hear you did all your homework on the subject and that you are doing this for yourself to be able to do the things in life that you want to do. I wouldn't worry about your thin soon-to-be in-laws because although fat may never have been one of their challenges you can bet they have something just as challenging that they do deal with. So don't feel inferior to them over something they were born with and had no hand in. We don't get to pick our own genetics, We simply get what our parents gave us. So in that department they were a bit more fortunate. So what

These people are probably not judging you so don't judge yourself to harshly. I think you are taking the right steps to deal with an issue you deem a problem and I just know you'll make a success of it.

Maple