Anyone Out There?!?

[Hikingcole 0]

Hi, I'm from just outside Berea, KY and just now looking into getting banded. I've been working out for about four months and the last month I've been very regular at it. I go to the gym at least three days a week, do cardio five and six days a week, lift weights and do the machines three and four days a week. I've lost 27 lbs. but the last month have gained 10 back. I'm so discouraged because I'm working out harder than before but gaining weight.

I'm hoping the banding will help me gain control of my hand-mouth disease and get my weight under control in the process. I'm 44 and thinking that my slow metabolism might have something to do with the slow weight loss and then I think the weight lifting is probably what's contributing to the weight gain. If I knew for sure it was "muscle gain", I wouldn't be so down about it but who knows?

I am scheduled to attend a seminar on April 14 at the Georgetown Hospital, the Bariatric Clinic. They wouldn't tell me much on the phone except that it will cost just under $18,000.00. My husband is behind me 100%. It kind of made me wonder if my weight bothers him that much and he said he just knows it bothers ME that much and wants me to be happy.

I'm 5'2 and currently weigh 230. I'm size 16/18 and would like to weigh in the neighborhood of 120 and size 8. According to "the graphs", I should be 115ish.

PJ, I thought about going to Vanderbuilt (I think that's the hospital but could be the town in TN, I'll have to check with my cousin) for the surgery. I've heard they have excellent doctors there but not researched it thoroughly yet.

Caramel, I am approx. 76 miles from TN border so I could go to Louisville as easily as I could go to TN. Georgetown is the closest place for me so far but when a doctor comes with such high recommendations as Doctor Lusco, it would be worth the extra hour to drive.

Can you give me their phone number so I can contact them and schedule a consult or maybe attend their seminar? I will be a self-pay so it will take me a few more months to get the rest of the funds together. At Georgetown, they also told me that the price I was quoted covers all the fill fees for life. I'm looking forward to the seminar so I can ask questions and get answers.

Gale

[JOURNEY BEGINS NOW 0]

It was nice hearing from someone else in the same situation as me, which I know everyone on the forum is in it, but its nice to know someone close to home is. I have done extensive research on the procedure and am confident it will work, if I get to have it done. Right now, I am still on the 6mth physician monitored diet and taking Phentermine, I have went from my highest @ 224lbs to approx. 212lbs (it fluctuates), and of course I feel much better and confident, but its only temporary. If I miss one dose, I gain like a 1lb, and of course I have adjusted my food intake and my average daily excersise, but no drastic improvements yet. I wear like a 15 sometimes 14 (pretty snug) and would love to be around 150 and wear a 10, that's where I was before my 18mth daughter came along. I know how you feel in regards to your husband's comments, my husband is supportive as well, so of course that makes me feel like he thinks I need it more than I do. But of course I also recognize my insecurity as well. That is an awesome weightloss of 27lbs even if you did gain 10 of it back, that's still 17 down. I am sure you are looking more toned even if you don't see it and are more comfortable walking for longer periods of time and etc. I am sure this procedure works, my aunt is 230lbs, 5'0 and she just turned 40, and she is on her last step of being approved through Blue Cross Blue Sheild for the lap band to be done at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. I can't remember the name of her Dr, but he is highly recommended in any type of bariatric surgery. And the Dr. I have chosen comes just as recommended, Dr. Charles Morton at Southern Hills Medical Center, also in Nashville, TN on Harding Place. If you have any questions about the seminar or procedures please feel free to ask I will be more than happy to answer them and if I don't know I would be more than happy to try and find the answer for you. Cyndi

[Busy 0]

I wish I would exercise 5 or 6 days a week, if you can stick to that regiment then sticking to the band requirements will be easy for you!! I also am not banded yet, doing the 6 month required diet. My doctor attempted to put me on Meridia but my insurance does not cover diet medication so I said, "OK, I will pay for the perscription" Then they told me it was $124.00 per month! Needless to say, I am not currently taking diet medication! I am also impressed by the 17 to 27 lb loss, I would feel so much better with 17 lbs off. I work on the second floor and am bound and determined I will not take the elevator. Everyday I have to stop mid way up to catch my breath. I am seeing a doctor in Clarksville, TN, Dr. Steely, he seemed nice when I met him and I have not heard anything disheartning about him. I currently weight 252 and am 5' 7". Here is to insurance acceptance and healthy days!! When I get Vandy's phone number, I will post it for you Gale.

PJ

[Busy 0]

One site for baratric surgery at Vanderbilt list phone #, 615-322-0259, for Dr. Holzman, Dr. Richards, Dr. Wright, Dr. Melvin and several others.

[Hikingcole 0]

Cindy, my father died of a heart attack when he was 43. I'm now 44. Also, both my sisters (one younger, one older) and my baby brother are recovering drug addicts. My older sister got hooked on diet pills and just went down from there. All three hooked on pills. Because of my sister's addiction (this was before the two younger became addicts), I didn't want to take diet pills. The doctor did give them to me when I was 18 and about 120 pounds. Go figure... I took them a few days but was just too scared. Nowadays I just think if I used diet pills to lose the weight, once the pills stopped, the weight would come back. You'd think the insurance companies would realize that and just approve the surgery, wouldn't you? I hope you get approved soon and that all goes well for you.

I applied for Anthem insurance for me and my husband. We own a small masonry company so we don't have health insurance through a company. I was turned down because of my weight so we don't have anything at all. I've been working out for about four months now, maybe five. It's very dishearening when the scale goes up. I can see a difference in my body and my clothes as well. I think that helps me to keep going then there's the thought of if I'm THIS BIG WITH exercise, what would happen if I just give up? I feel like I'm in a terrible nightmarish situation sometimes. I work harder than I ever have trying to lose weight and be as healthy as I can and am starting to gain. If I stop working out and just relax like I would certainly like to do sometimes, my weight would spiral. Sometimes I feel I could just scream I get so fed up. I keep pressing on though and hope that my efforts will pay off.

PJ, working out 3/4 days a week on weight lifting and 5/6 days a week with cardio gets tough sometimes. It's much easier than it was when I was first getting started but there are still days that I have to litterally make myself get up and go. The gym is about 45 minutes from my home and it's really hard to drive that far when I'm "down" and just wanting to lay around the house or even crawl back under the covers. I'm sure you know what I mean. I've so seriously considered moving just to be closer to the gym but I hate to give up our small farm. We have 10.5 acres here and is almost paid for.

Thank you for the phone number. I surely appreciate it. I'd like to check a few different doctors and not just grab the first one I find.

Have you been told about the restrictions for banding yet? I haven't been told much of anything. I haven't been able to be online much to even look through this site yet as we had a bad storm here last night and I had to shut everything down. Today I was taking my grandson back to his mom and then off to the gym and am just getting online tonight. I have so much research to do before the final decision is made.

I read a few posts last night about the bad things that have happened to a few people and it sounds a little scary. I was thinking that what if I pay this $18,000.00 for the surgery and have a blown port (which I don't even know what that is yet but saw a title about it) or have to have it removed altogether like one lady on the site has to, or it slips. I don't know if slippage is included in that price or not but will definitely be asking. I'd hate to spend so much on this only to find out the money has just been wasted.

I hope you get your surgery approved as well and that all goes smoothly for you and Cindy. I wish I had insurance that would pay for me to have it done. I don't think there would be a hesitation then.

Gale

[Busy 0]

Research is always the best route. I did several months on different sites before I decided to consult with a doctor. Now I am sure this is the only way, for me, that I am going to be able to chase my two grandsons, ages 5 and 2, they way I want to chase them. I refuse to sit in a chair and tell them to go play!!

We also had rough storms on Sunday night. Tornados hit our area and took out about 100 homes but by the grace of God, no one was killed. Several broken bones but nothing that won't heal.

PJ

[Iziksmom 0]

Hi everyone from KY! I live about 40 miles NE of Louisville in Henry County. I was banded in Jan. '06 by Dr. Olsofka at Caritas in Louisville. I have also seen Dr. Lusco once when Dr. O wasn't available. They have been wonderful!! If anyone is thinking about using them, I HIGHLY recommend them. I was a self pay ($17,500) since my BCBS wouldn't pay for it. I did the 6 weeks of rehab at the hospital (included in the price) with Kirk and Lin who are part of the Bariatric program. It has been fantastic and taught me alot of things I never thought about or considered before. Now I look at things like Protein content, how different nutrients affect my weight loss and keeping up with my exercise and why it is SO important! The group at Caritas (now St. Marys and Elizabeth hospital) is absolutely wonderful!

Hey busywoman, I was at my dad's in Princeton over the weekend and sat thru those awful storms. My brother in law works in Hoptown and he sent pictures of how bad things were. Hopefully you guys came thru okay.

If I can answer anybody's questions on my experiences with the group I had, feel free to email. It's nice to see the KY contingent on this board! Good luck everybody!! :-)

[Busy 0]

Greta

Anything you can suggest will be greatly appreciated. Although I am not banded yet, I will be if insurance pays or not. Share any tricks of the trade because I have save pre-diets, post-diets, indicatiors of problems, solutions for gas, making a list and checking it twice!! Hope your brother-in-law made it throught the storms unharmed. We are expecting rought weather again tonight and tomorrow. Keeping our fingers crossed and prayers going up. Glad your band experiance has been so good, 31 lbs is a wonderful accomplishment. It WILL be me someday soon!!

PJ

[CaramelDiva1922 1]

Yeah they have a web page just got to www.caritas.com, and they havve a oage for tha bariatric center on there. Lana or Debbie will be who you speak with. They are great. I went in last month for my bandiversary and Lusco told me that I was his star patient for the month, and asked for advice for other patients. Who'd a thunk that. They have great seminars, and theyare relly informative. I didn't do the rehab at Caritas, buthave lost 106lb to date, I haven't weighed myself in a month, so I don't know how much weigh now, but I know that it is less by my clothes. I don't have a exercise regimen, alhough I pay $40 a month for the gym that I never use. I have been doing a lot of digging, raking, hoeing in my garden the last 3 weeks, and I know that is helping the inches go away. I had a friend who went to georgetown, and she had a bypass, and is doing great.

[willybe 0]

:faint:I went for my first visit and got my packet of paperwork. . I have to get several doctor reports, sleep apnea report. broken hip reports, diet reports. my own personal letter of why i want and need the surgery..fun fun fun.....but iam working on it.

[chrisgtl 0]

Iziksmom, I'm in Lagrange and my scheduled surgery date is May 31 - I'd love to get with you and discuss your experience.

[chrisgtl 0]

I'm getting mine paid for by insurance, except it's out of California since the company I work for is headquartered there. However, Dr. Geller - Louisville, said many companies are now covering it. The only problem is you have to do all of the pre-work and actually have the paper work submitted to your insurance to be absolutely sure they will pay or not pay.

[willybe 0]

anyone around Owensboro?

[Altoonasoup 0]

I have been to the seminar. Dr. Lusco was very thorough and I felt quite confident in him. I have sent in my paperwork and am waiting for Anthem to pre-approve me. I don't know all the requirements of Anthem, but I think I meet the most of them. The only thing I'm not sure of is the "medically supervised diet" My MD does not want to prescribe pills, because of my co-morbidities, and believes that other "medically supervised diets" are a waste of time and money. I am sure that even if I succeed in losing, I will gain it back.

I am glad to hear the votes of confidence for the Caritas Bariatric center. Norton's also has a bariatric program, but I have not checked into it much, since my MD knows the Caritas surgeons.

Right now I'm getting a bit nervous, but I'm not sure why. I'm not sure if I'm afraid I won't get approved, or if I'm afraid I WILL .

[chrisgtl 0]

"Medically supervised diet" does not mean pills. It means you've seen a doctor on a regular steady basis concerning your efforts to lose weight. Medically supervised means you've gone to your primary care physician once a month for a weigh in and consultation and the Dr. marks in your records the visit was for "weight loss". Some insurance require 6 months of MSD, or 12 months, some don't require it at all. There's no way to know ahead of time what the insurance will cover until the paper work has been submitted.

The insurance company when they request MSD are banking on the fact most people will not follow-through, therefore, they'll never pay for the surgery. If insurance requires the MSD...do it...be faithful and make sure the DR makes the correct notations in the chart records because this is what the insurance company will look at to determine if you've met their criteria.

Good Luck.