Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hello! My name is Patti. I live on Chincoteague Island, VA. I've just started my pre-op journey and diet. My surgeon is Dr. Alae Zarif in Berlin, MD. I've got insurance approval, so my surgery date will be some time in May. Looking forward to learning a lot of helpful tips here.

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Hi all! I've been reading all ya'lls words of wisdom, and I've learned a lot. I figured it was time to introduce myself and give some background. I screwed up my knee last year, and it's not much better after one surgery. The ortho keeps telling me it's arthritis and it won't get any better. I'm only 44. The only thing that will help me (until eventual knee replacement) is to lose weight. I found myself angry with the ortho, so I scheduled an appt with my PCP to get referred to another ortho. I had to wait a few days to get in with PCP, but while I was waiting, I did some soul searching and decided that I should try to lose weight first. Sounds good until y…

Hello all, My name Jessica, From San antonio,Tx I sm so glad to have found this site. For the New year i decided to have the lap band done. I am 4 months in to the 6 month program my insurance requires. I am so excited but scared of a denial. My Dr. is Dr Keith Wright. I have heard many good things about him. I hope all goes well. I will let you know, Wish me Luck!!!

Hey, My name is Chris and I was banded on March 17 by Dr. Fernandez in Winston-Salem, NC. So far I have lost around 45 pounds, though it would be more if I could get into a steady exercise routine. I had my first fill last week and still not completely satisfied with the 1/2 cup meals but hopefully the next fill will do it. : ) Chris

Yea I have started the journey skinnydom! I went to a seminar/ personal consult with Dr. Salimitari of weightloss centers. I felt he was very nice, informative and answered my questions well. I have to do a 6 month diet for insurance reasons and the dr wants me to lose 50 lbs before surgery for health reasons. I guess to make sure my liver has less fat around it. My BMI is 58. Barring any insurance problems, I'll probably have my band placed in Oct! He uses the Lap Band AP system 10 or 14 cc's. And another wonderful suprise, I was told after I reach goal My insurance will pay to remove my extra skin!! I figured I'd have to pay for it or deal with it. But this is gre…

Hi :smile2: I am scheduled for my seminar next week.I just hope I qualify for the procedure.I have a lot of medical issues and take a lot of meds.I did find out that my medicare will pay for the procedure and my mother who lives in Australia is also going to help me out with the cost.:tt1: I have been reading a lot of other peoples stories and it's nice to know I am not alone out there.Other people have the same worries that I do.Some times I just feel so alone. Wishing anyone who is about to go through the journey well.:laugh:

I am so excited ..... I am going to the seminar today. So hopefully this will be a step in the right direction. I am a little nervous and I don't know why.

im just getting the ball rolling. I to my first group meeting to learn all about the surgery monday. This site has been so very helpful. :thumbup:

Hi, Well the deed is done. Got banded on Tuesday and was discharged early last night. So i guess this is day 3. My surgery took almost 3 hours. I had a hiatle hernia, and I guess the opening for my diaframe was really large so the fix required some kind of meshing as there wasnt enough tissue to reduce the opening to prevent the stomach from sliding back up. :sneaky: I get to see pictures next week. Anyway, I always had slight pain on deeps breaths and occasionally had heart pain I atrributed to something else. Already I feel a difference in that area so I am grateful the doctor discovered and fixed it. Its faily common and generally not life threatening..but c…

Hi is there any one out there who has had recent banding in Belgium with Dr Chris as I've just been given a date but all the instructions look daunting eg how do you pay the deposit by the way I'm from the UK so it would be a great help if some one from the UK got in touch thanks

I have been thinking about the lapband for a year now, and have already had my psych. evaluation. Now i have my first doc. appointment. Starting to worry already, hope this is right for me...

I have been reading this site for weeks and I am learning a great deal. Though the closer to surgery I get the more I worry that this may not be the right decision for me. Any feedback would help me.:rolleyes2:

Hi all! I am new here, and I have a surgery date set for next Tuesday morning in Phoenix with Dr. Terry Simpson. I am so very excited and know that I have a long road ahead of me, but I feel like I am truly ready for this journey! I have the support of my husband and mother, and 3 friends (they are all I have told!). I also log in here every day and read posts from all of you. I will meet with the nutritionist next Monday, and have already copied several recipes from several of you on this site. Any suggestions or warnings (I tend to be an optimist in denial!) would be appreciated! Thank you all so much for being here! Soon, I will figure out how to get my littl…

Hi! I am new, but have lurked for a month, and even posted a few times. I haven't got a date, but I hope to soon. I am 41 (42 in May) and have 2 kiddos ages 12 and 14. I have BCBS - TX, but live in Colorado. I have jumped thru all the hoops I think I need to: --- met with surgeon for a consult, met his criteria --- met with his dietician, filled out a day's food diary for her and she tallied it and says it goes to the insurance company. it fits in "perfect" in that I eat enough calories to sustain my body frame and am aware of what I eat each day --- went to the dietician's pre-op nutrition class last Sunday. [hey - is it normal to pay for this separately? does ins…

I can't figure out how to add my ticker....This is so annoying.

Hello all. I was banded on April 16th by Dr. Morris Washington....Bayshore Hospital, Holmdel NJ. I do not have my own website or blog, and am only just now checking out this support group. Looks like a good one. I'll appreciate anyhelp I can get. Clear liquids are getting old fast. :crying:

Hi! I have been lurking here for many months and finally decided to say hello to all and thanks for a lot of the good information and encouraging words I've read on here. I will probably be self-pay because my insurance is new (self-employed) and I think they might have me on the pre-existing conditions clause. So, I am looking for any and all advice and recent COSTS on self-pay surgeons from the Midwest. :smile:Thanks in advance for any responses.............

:smile: It has been a while since I posted last. Many doctor appointments and tests later. Today I recelved the call from my surgeon's nurse and she pushed all my info on to the Surgeon so he can write my insurance company. She said in 2 to 4 weeks I will have my surgery date. Needed to loose 12lbs prior to surgery and I weighed in and am down 6.5lb...... 5.5lbs to go. Just wanted to share with others that have been or are going through the same thing I am. HEATHER

Hi there, I have been considering the lap-band/realize systems for months now and I have lots and lots of questions. I found that this is an excellent forum and hope to become an important member of this community and hope to have many of my own questions answered at the same time. A little about myself: well, I'm 44 years old and over 100lbs over weight for my height (5'9") and age, and have been for most of my adult life. I am married with two boys, the youngest of which about to graduate high school in a couple of weeks, and I have 1 cat with 2 more coming in mid-May (yeah). My mom had the bypass surgery when I was in high school, and after seeing all she has gon…

Hi newbie here! I'm really excited, and scared! I'm scheduled for May 4th. Waiting is torture! Just wanted to say hi! :smile:

I was wondering if anyone knows of anywhere closer than Chicago to have lap band done on Medicaid??? I live about an hour north of Peoria and about 3 hours south west of Chicago. Thanks and hope to get a reply soon!

Hello I am new to this site (and blogging). I am scheduled for surgery on 5/11/09. Can someone give me a real deal perspective on what to expect the first few days after surgery?

Does anyone have a suggestion or two for some solid Lapband specialists in Vancouver BC? Please help as id like to get it done locally. thanks.

I am new to this site an dam loving it so far. I am just beginning my journey down the road of Lap Band Surgery. Iam wondering if anyone knows anything about the docs here in Asheville...good or bad. How long does it take to get the insurance approval??I know you have to undergo several tests and be monitored on a medically supervised weight loss program for 6 months but when all is complete how long does it tak eto hear something?? Anyone else have GEHA insurance? I am really loving this site and look forward to talking with all of you. It is really nice to know that there is support and care out there!!

My name is Erik and after 4 months of jumping through all the hoops I finally got my date for May 13th. I am very excited and hope to share my experience here.

Hi. :crying: I was banded on April 10th with the Realizeband. So excited to have found this message board a few weeks ago. I've only told 4 people that I had this surgery - all were family and my husband. I haven't told any friends yet.

I was approved this morning from the insurance company for the lap band procedure. I'm scheduled for May 14th have a few pounds to get off to prove to the doc I'm serious. Dr. Cywes will be doing the surgery at Memorial Hospital here in Jacksonville. My BMI is 48 and I look forward to the changes in lifestyle. Anyone have any suggestions during this waiting period before surgery?

Hello, I'm very interested in being approved by Atena Global. Has any been approved and what did you have to provide?Being in Germany some things are difficult because as a civilian worker you have to be seen off base, I have a German doctor, just not sure what they require and how hard or easy it is to be approved. Any info would be great, I live by Ramstein, Germany Thanks Tina

:thumbup:I am so excited to be banded. Anyone else waiting for Feb. I'm in Texas and just can't wait.

Hello everyone, My name is Lisa and I live in Oregon, I am just starting the process for the Lab band, I have made my first step and went to the informational seminar. I also checked with insurance and I'm covered. I will have an apt on the 27th for my doctor to write the referral..Very nervous and very hopeful at the same time..I have been overweight the majority of my life. I have three kids, 6,4, and 2..I want to be here for them...I don;t have any questions at the moment, just wanted to introduce myself, I'm so glad there is a place for me to come to for information...thank you..look forward to any advice..

Hi to everyone, I've been thinking about lap-band surgery for a while, so have lurked a bit on this site up till now. Finally, I realized that time was a-wasting. and I got moving. My BMI is 38, but I have some co-morbidities. My surgeon's office told me that they would submit my paperwork, but tried to gird me against the disappointment of being turned down. My insurance is with Anthem (Blue Cross) Covacare of Virginia. Less than a week after I had my last appointment on their protocol (visit with their dietician), I was approved. Anthem rocks!:cool2:

Hi! I'm new to the site (and like so many others, excited that I found it) and have just started my lap-band journey. I'm still in the start stage, but have a meeting Tuesday with my local bariatric center. I've been battling my weight my whole life, but was able to keep it down (if you call 157 down) until I went to college, and met my husband. That was 11 years ago. And since then, we have both gained lots of weight. Once our son was born, five years ago, we decided to lose the weight as a team. We tried the South Beach, Atkins, and finally Weight Watchers. I was devastated when my DH seemed to have the pounds melt off him, and I seemed to put them on even though I …

I am scheduled for surgery in about 4 weeks. I have been obese since i was a child. I have been an every diet you can imagine. I have been always been able to lose weight 20lbs here 30lbs there but always gain it back. I have never been able to keep it off. I am so excited to have this surgery after years of struggle, but i am so afraid that i will fail at this just as i have done with diets in the past. I am so afraid that i will gain the weight back. I know it is a mind set and i have to think positive. Does anyone else feel like this

ok, my surgery is finally scheduled for April 27th which is next Monday. I was so hyped up until........ I saw a girl that had WLS she was around 300 lbs which is 50 lbs heavier than me. And she doesnt look good her skin is really hanging her butt looks like she needs a serious lift and I'm not exaggerating so some people that I know was like.... is that what you want to look like?? what are your feeling about the skin issue I mean I really don't have a couple of grand hanging around for cosmetic surgery and if I can't really wear what want because my skin is hanging then what is the sense??? please give some advice even if it is harsh. I can't stop thinking of these i…

Hello, I'm called Blu and I'm at the beginning stage of going through my insurance approval process. I'm hoping my insurance approves me for the lap band surgery, because I've been wanting this for some time now and this is the first time I've had insurance that is willing to allow its members to obtain the surgery. I'm not quite sure who I'm going to choose for my surgeon. However, I'm currently doing my research now. I've dropped by this site several times and read many of the post, appreciating the knowledge that is shared. I look forward to learning more and also adding my experience as I go through this process. Blu

I was banded 04/23/09 I go for my first fill today I m worried some i dont feel i have lost any wieght everyone sys i have i decided not to way my self until the visit i dont think that was wise now i feel that i can eat anything i hv had no oncidents but i am trying to control my eating and have been walking some

Hello all! I was banded on Jan 14-09 and have been very excited and happy. However, my port flipped over. Has this happened to anyone else?

New here from near Houston, TX. Got an appointment for a seminar on Saturday. Will be self pay cause my insurance blows...

Hey there! I was going to get banded in October, but a few days before I was going in for my pre-op stuff, my dad had a stroke, so I canceled the procedure and spent a month in Oregon with my folks. After everything stabilized, I did my pre-op and I was banded on 4-14 at 1PM by Doctor Brown in St. Luke's in Denver, CO. I'm a 30 year old male and had never had surgery before (or even really ever been in the hospital outside of minor injuries). They wheeled me into the OR and that's the last I remember until waking up and struggling to catch my breath. They had me on oxygen, and every time I feel asleep, my sleep apnea would kick in and coupled with the anesthesia, I…

Hey everyone, i've just booked in with Dr Chris De Bruyne on the 12 May 09 and would love to know if anyone has anything they can say about the whole experience, what Dr Chris is like if i work really hard, can i lose my weight within a year? I am just under 18 stone at 5ft 8ins and would love to get back down to 10st 4lbs when i felt most comfortable!

I have a referral for a consult and I don't even know what questions I should ask. I am 4'11 and 205 pounds. BMI over 40. I am quite sure I am a good candidate but not sure where to start. I need suggestions on what to ask the Dr and what I should look for at 1st appointment. I'm really a newbie! Thanks for your help. from ND, where I really saw snowflakes this morning...dang

hello, I've lost 63lbs. and am considering laser lipo. Has any one had it done?

Have Endoscopy Friday:bored:

Hello everyone! Last week my doctor gave me the referral for Lap Band and the following day I confirmed my coverage with my insurance company. I attend the seminar on May 4th and I'm looking forward to getting it done and moving forward with my life. I'm 30 with two boys and a wonderful Hubby who is very supportive. I've had my gallbladder removed a few years ago and had a very hard time waking up from the anesthesia. I'm so worried about going under again....anyone else have trouble with that? I'm looking forward to posting more on the board as my journey progresses! Jules

Not sure if i am using this site correctly. I was banded April 13th. Doing Ok, just very tired. Short winded. Ready to move past liquids!

Hello everyone:) I was banded on April 6th and had a hard first 2 weeks but now that I'm on my way to recovery I feel like I made the only choice I could.:rolleyes2: I started my mushie stage and that is making me feel even better with something other than liquids in me:tongue:. I am excited to begin this new way of life and never look back for my kids and for me:biggrin: I really have enjoyed this forum because during the tough times it is so nice to come on here and know that u are not the only one going through the same issues, it really has helped me.

Hello i am new to this. I have been doing the atkins since the beggining of may and lost 17 pounds .. I did it once before and lost 90 pounds but after having a child i just cant keep it together. I will be going for my info session on july 2nd. anyone know what i should expect? how is mercy hospital in chicago and how does medicaid work? any replies are very much appreciated.. shy girl... may 07 260 june 07 243 goal weight 135.... im loosing it here... need some support... thanks guys:straight

I had my surgery on 3/2 and will probably receive my first fill this Wednesday. I was looking to see what others have said about that first fill experience. I feel like I can eat more now so I am glad to be getting the fill, I don't want to lose momentum. Old demons have a way of creeping back in just when you thought you had it under control. Thank you to all who write about your experiences. You give the rest of us hope and reassurance. Thank you.

Hello, everyone. I was banded 6/24/2006 and have lost 100 lbs. Over the last 2+ years, I've reached the 100 mark 3 times but have then begun suffering from GERD to the extent that I wake up every hour on the hour at night coughing, aspirating, and unable to catch my breath. I've had the band deflated twice; gained back 40 lbs. twice; and made it back down again, only to have the situation repeat itself. My surgeon doesn't seem to have a clue ... other than to fill or deflate. Has anybody else experienced this phenomenon???