Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Ok so I am new to this forum and ready for a new life! I have been overweight all my life and am tired of the 30lbs lost and gained plus some over and over again!! I have some questions for those that have had this done. First off has anyone dealt with TLCedge group in the Dallas area? I am planning on doing the self pay option because I have no co-morbid issues and a BMI of 36. Also I have no PCP (mine just recently moved out of state), is a PCP required for the self pay option? This web site is great and I love hearing all the success stories! Thanks for any input! :tongue_smilie:

After being denied the first time, TRS Active Care/BCBS approved me after my surgeon's office sent an appeal coupled with a letter from my family doctor stating that the band was medically necessary because of my diabetes and after many tried and failed attempts at weight loss programs. She also used the words morbidly obese more times than I ever wanted to see! At any rate, I just found out yesterday that the appeal was approved, so I haven't scheduled a date yet. In fact, I don't even think my surgeon's office knows it has been approved as I called BCBS late yesterday afternoon. They submitted the appeal on the 17th and I was approved yesterday! That's pretty quick, in …

:wub:Hi out there, I am getting ready to have a lap band on jan 8th . i had a gastric bypass in 2004 and lost 50 lbs in about a year. since then i had 2 babies and kept some weight from each of them and i noticed it was creeping up again. my pre surgery heaviest weight was 245. i am almost back there and really frustrated, upset and feel like i failed myself. Has anyone had a lapband after gastric bypass?? ps i was surprised the insurance co. approved it.

hi all, got my band on thursday, used surgical consultants in hollywood florida. dr. tom bass . everything went well. been using the lapband chat for questions been working out real well. good luck to everyone

Hello, I've finally scheduled my surgery for January 22nd. A large part of my decision to move forward with this has to do with this forum, the comments and discussions have been great in helping me become educated. I am self-pay, my weight hovers just under 40 BMI and fortunately I have no co-morbidity's. I have a family history of Bariatric surgery and want to head off my weight problems before I develop co-morbidity's. I look forward to the good advice and support this forum offers. I'm in the Dallas area by the way and having Dr. Gonzalez perform the procedure. They're offering a great self-pay option right now.

Greetings everyone! I'm so happy I found this site on Thursday! I'm scheduled to be banded on December 23rd and I've been struggling through the pre-op liquid diet. Reading the pre-op post has kept me from cheating but I also may have picked the wrong Protein shake supplements so I'm a little worried about my liver being small enough. At any rate though, I'm glad that there is community site available.

I am scheduled for consultation with my regular doctor for a referal. I've had lots of negative feedback from people but not from anyone who has actually had the surgery. Has anyone had downfalls to this surgery like alot of vomiting?:laugh:

I was banded in July 08. Lost a lot but have really plateaued the last two months. This is what always happens to me when I lost weight. It is just not coming off. Doctor's office is constantly re-scheduling my appts. Most have been AT least 6 weeks apart. Just got cancelled from Dec. 15th (which was a month) to Jan 5th! I have had three fills and do NOT feel full ever..... :laugh:

I am new to lapBand Talk Forum. i am going to get lap band surgery hopefully in january. i need to lose 100 pounds. My lap Band surgeon will be Iqbal & Khan Associates in Bridgeton NJ.:tongue_smilie:

Hi my name is Andrea, and i am 275lbs and 21 years of age. I have no idea if the lap band is right for me. I am healthy when it comes to blood work and such. But i have asthma and the lbs make it harder to breath then it should be. Please get back to me. :laugh: also do you know if certain health care providers cover this? Thank you and god bless

Hi everyone I am (who I like to be known as Grammy, cause my grandchildren are what it is all about). I had my lap band surgery on Wed December 17. I couldn't believe how easy it was (at least so far). I must have had a great surgeon, Dr. Boorse. I really had very little pain post op. Didn't have to take any pills for pain. Am home 2 days and now can hardly feel it. I went in as prepared as possible. I was on Atkins 2 weeks prior and lost 13 lbs. I am sure that helped. My only problem since surgery is diarrhea. I have had that for 2 days now and I am hoping once I am able to eat yogurt and cream of wheat, etc, I will stop that. I also have irritable bowel. A…

HELLO! IM NEW TO THIS SITE AND DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I'M DOIN LOL. I HAVEN'T HAD THE LAP BAND YET, BUT WANT IT. I DO NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE AT THE MOMENT, AND CANNOT GET "GROUP HEALTH" INSURANCE LIKE YOU GET AT YOUR WORK AND I CAN'T FIND ANY INDIVIDUAL HEALTH PLANS TO COVER OBESITY TREATMENTS. ANY SUGGESTIONS? WE ARE VERY BUDGETED ON MONEY SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN PAY ANYTHING JUST TO GET IT. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP! :biggrin:

Just wanted to say hello, I'm new to this site and looking for general info, I am scheduled for surgery in February and very excited. any information will be appreciated.:biggrin:

I cannot figure out how to bling my profile. I have been trying to get the weight loss ticker on and it will not work. I am just having a really hard time finding my way around. Not sure how to find info/threads on specific things. Seems like when I do a thread search, it pulls up stuff that has nothing to do with search. Also tried to download a pic, and after it downloaded, then it said it wasn't valid or something.....Sheesh... I wish I was 16... then I would be smart enough to figure this all out... If anyone can give me some pointers, it would be greatly appreciated.... :thumbup:

Hi there, I just got my lap band on Dec 12, so it has been about a week now. I am excited and a little scared as well. I thought this would be easier, but I am still working through it. I am 29years old, married, with my high school sweet heart since I was 16. No babies yet, but hope to have some in the future. My husband & my family is very supportive. If you have any questions just ask.

Has anyone decided to get lapband and after the orientation decided not to get it because of all the risk factors?

Hi my name is Kathy, Everyone calls me Kat. I've been looking into the lap band system. I need to ask some questions. First will they do it if you have a high haitel hernia????? bad spelling:rolleyes: Also i have had my throat streached like three times. So i don't know if they'll even consider me. I ve been heavy for so long now. I had major back surgery in 05, now i have asmia because of my weight. I need to do this to get healthy. Also for my back.:laugh: Does anyone know if BCBS will pay for this????? If i can have this done, iam looking to see Dr. Hoffman. I see by everyone he is a great Dr. Thanks for listening and for ans. my questions. See ya soon. Merry Christm…

Hello Everyone, I wanted to introduce myself to the community. I cannot believe that my life is going to be forever changed on Mon Dec 22. I am giving myself a new lease on life, I have been up and down emotionally thinking of the risks, the rewards and everything in between. Anyway, I have not done a good job on my pre-op diet. I really haven't followed it that well at all. Amazingly I have not gained any weight, I actuaally lost a couple of pounds. I really don't think it is real to me yet... A new week begins a new day of me.

So I thought that this would be a good way to gain information and support. I am in the waiting period, more so( I am presuming) for the psychologist to submit his report and then for the surgeon to send everything to the insurance company for approval. The waiting period is proving to be harder than I thought. I am working with a great bariatric center which helps. Am a bit nervous about insurance approval, after reading so many posts. Has anyone had any experience with bc/bs of wny? Also was wondering what the typical hospital stay has been for people?

To make a long story short- All my life I have been very overweight. Thanks to my band, I am smaller than I was at age 15. As a teenager and young adult, all I ever wanted was to be able to wear tall boots. I could never do so because my calves were always too big for them to even think about zipping.I had put off trying on any since losing weight for fear of disappointment. Plus, I don't see any difference in my calves and never measured them before. Well Tuesday I decided to try on some at Shoe Carnival. I tried on several and they all easily zipped!!! I was so surprised & excited. I got 2 pair-one black pair with wedge heel for work/casual and another black pair w…

Hi I am new and getting banded next week. I am really excited, but starting to get nervous. Acutally more nervous about the band adjustments than the surgery.

I am just now seriously considering the lap-band surgery. I am, in fact, attending the first introductory session on Saturday. I already know that I will not be covered by insurance b/c my BMI is too low. I am about 5'9.5" and 195lbs. I know that I am not the common lap-band candidate, but the site BMI calculator still said that I qualify. I am interested in the procedure b/c I want to change my lifestyle of food. I have read many postings, and I admire how the procedure requires commitment and a change in the way you view eating, food, and nutrition. I have dieted all my life, and I am really interested in this approach. I guess my question is, do you post-surgery …

Please all Shoals Lap Band sucesses let us hear your stories.

Hi There..I have been banded since Sept. 23rd 2008 and have lost a total of 36 pounds as of yesterday. I have lost 20 pounds since surgery and 16 pounds pre-op diet. I am loving my weight loss, and have had my 3rd fill yesterday. I have restriction, but I am still eating out of habit. I am not hungry in-between meals so I have to think about why I am eating when I do eat. Am I hungry or am I bored or is this just the normal time of day that I usually snack on something. When I focus on why I am eating I do really well with staying away from the foods that do no fuel my body. I am probably going to have a few more fills before I get to where I want to be at. I star…

I am so grateful to Oprah for being so open with her weight issues. I hope that it can lead many people to look at their habits and how it affects their health. When I first saw this on TV I was like,"Stop reading my mind, get out of my head!" Many of us (especially here) have gone through this more than once, at that. The embarrassment & shame along with the not having the "right" image. (Yeah, who dictates the "right" image - that's my next thread...) But for her to live this out in front of gazillions of people and still be able to face it for what it is speaks volumes about her character. I know for myself, especially with the band, I found moments in the begi…

Hi everybody, just joined this group... I am still in the pre-op stage. Saw my surgeon last week. Hopefully I will have my band in place by the end of January. I am nervous and excited about it. :huh2:

In the process of getting approved. Looking forward to getting my lapband and know I will have a thousand questions. I am about 3/4 of the way there. Just have to get one more doctors statement and should be all set for surgery.

HI my name is amber i am 20 years old and live in berlin pa. i am going to my first seminar on jan 9th. i am so nervous what to expect. i was just wondering what goes on at these seminars. this is a small town so i hope that i am not the only one going!! i know that sounds dumb but i would love to talk to others in my community that are wanting to get this done to.

I have been thinking about Lap-Band off and on for about 8 months... my friend had it 6 months ago and she's very happy with it. She's been a great source of knowledge, but I'm just looking for more advice and stories and info. Tonight I'm going to a seminar at Southwest Bariatrics in Austin. I need to know if my insurance will even cover the procedure before I get my heart set on it. If I have to self-pay it will be a good while before I can do that. I have other debts to get out of first. My health is important but I don't have any serious health problems yet, so really, money is more important right now. :huh2: So, anyway, there's my intro. Expect to see me lurking…

i'm coming close to my 4th month at the end of december and already have lost 55lb. i'm pleased with the progress and truly feel that i would not have had this kind of outcome any other way. i'm interested most in talking with other people who are at the same stage as i am. but i woud love to chat with anyone about lapband. i look forward to being a part of this community :shades_smile:

I was banded a week ago and have had a very smooth recovery. I have a couple of questions, tho. I am having trouble sleeping, and have woken up the last 3 nights with a sort of jerking, twitching sensation in my muscles. I have been able to go back to sleep after a while, but it really bothers me! It's a feeling like I just have to move around- I literally can't seem to relax muscles, esp. in my arms. Anyone else epxperience this? Plus I did not experience hunger for the 1st few days and have been hungry at bedtime last 3-4 nights. I am at 600-700 calories, which is where nutritionist says I should be. I just am not sure how much hunger to expect. See doc tomorrow for pos…

Hey everyone. I just found this site while researching some information for my upcoming Lapband surgery. I have a long list of emotions running through me right now. Some fear but mostly excitement. 5 months ago I was diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension. A month after that a sleep study revealed a nasty case of sleep apnea. At that point I said enough is enough. I have tried Dr. supervised diets and workout routines to no avail. One morning I told my wife that I wanted to talk to the doc about weight loss surgery and here I am. Looks like surgery will be mid-February. The various posts on this site give me the feeling that I may be heading in the right direction now …

Hi Although I have been lurking for a couple of months, it is time to introduce myself. My husband is getting banded this Tuesday and me the following Monday. Since we are self pay we are trying to squeeze them both in before the end of the year for the tax deduction. Fortunately, we are close to Dr Kirshenbaum and his extremely reasonable rates. If anyone can offer any insights to couples banding, it would be appreciated. thanks!

:thumbup:my lap band is on fri tommorrow!!little nervous but ready!! been trying to get done since july. since my insurance does not pay for nothing, its been a struggle but i feel well worth it

hi every one. this must be my 6th attempt at writing. I have my appointment with a Mr Heath in London in Feb 09. This site is fantastic I have been able to find answers to all but one of my questions, that being are there any support groups near to west Sussex?

New to the forum. Feels good to connect with others. I have been banded for 13 months. I am losing slowly but steady until few months ago when I bwgan a too tight/too loose cycle I can't seem to stop. I have been very pleased with my results and looking forward to the right fill to get back on track.

Hi All! Thanks again for the warm welcome! :w00t: I have found so much helpful information here! I am still in the ‘research’ stage although I have pretty much made up my mind to have the surgery. So I was wondering can you all share what a typical day (or a few days) is like in the life of a person with lapband is like in terms of your food (portions, etc.), fluid intake, and exercise routine. I am still playing catch up on some posts but I thought since some of you are at various post-opt stages it would still be a good re-post if this has already been discussed. Thanks!

Well, I am new to the site but very excited! I got my lab band placed last Wednesday and go see my surgeon today for my post op appt! I can't wait to see how he thinks I am doing. I figured rather than reading some of the past posts that I would start fresh, rather than getting nervous by reading some of what others have posted! I'm a 3rd grade teacher in TX! My husband leaves for Iraq around January 10 or so.....:ohmy:. It's his second time to go. He is in the Army. I have 3 children and never lost one ounce of baby weight it seemed! I've been a roller coaster on the scales since my freshman year of college! Can't wait to meet some new people in my same "lap ba…

I have been on this uphill battle with weight since I was 18 years old. I have lost weight with Weight Watchers and starving and always gained it back and then some. I heard about this weight loss band concept from Sharon Osborne of all people (who was overweight her entire life preband) after reading her book.:ohmy: So at this point I am desperate. I have been between 50-70 pounds over the to of my healthy range for over 5 years now. I am embarrassed to go to family functions, meet friends, or really even leave the house. I take medications for Bipolar Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which are not kind to me in the weight department. Since starting the…

Hello, I am completeley new to the site, I have been reading this site for months but just got my surgery date yesterday so I thought that I would say hello! I start my new life on 1/8/09 and I am so excited!! What a great way to ring in the new year!! :smile2:

Hello to all my fellow banders... I had my surgery on 12/13/05 and on today, my 3 year anniversary, I have officially lost 180 lbs. It has been a long, sometimes difficult road but I'm finding that this last stretch to my goal weight has been the hardest. Has anyone else faced this same part of the battle? I know I should be happy with my success so far but all I can focus on now is my current struggle. I need any hints, advice, reminders and/or words of encouragement anyone can offer. Thank you!

I am a newbie. Well, a newbie in the sense that I'm finally going to introduce myself and stop lurking around the site :shades_smile:. I am due to be banded on December 23rd by Dr. Hart through Trueresults. I have a multitude of emotions at this moment. I scared, excited, nervous, doubtful, etc. I've been overweight so long, that it's hard to imagine that I could ever have an "After" picture. Everything happened so quickly (I'm a self-pay) and it's finally hitting me that...this is really it. I have a chance to change my life and become a healthier me. The part of me that has dieted and gained it back has me scared of failure. After reading different posts, I see…

I'm 55 and have been trying for 4 years to get approved by Aetna, without success. My BMI is over 40 and I have arthritus and sleep apnea...still Aetna always declined. This Monday, 12/15, I had my lapband surgery done in Mexico by Dr. Lisa Maria Pompa Gonzalez, at LIMARP. I am on my second full day of recovery and feeling pretty good. I found the clinic and support staff very attentive and involved in your care. Her entire staff was very accomodating and supportive. I'm looking forward to the weeks ahead and meeting some of you online to share the processes we are all going through. See you online!:shades_smile:

Hello everyone, I'm Lisa. I am new to this site and new to the Lapband procedure. I will be getting my band on January 12, 2009. I am very excited and nervous at one time. Lisa

Good Morning! This is my first time to the site. I'm not really sure how to use it, because it's the first chat room I've ever been in. I was banded 10-20. So far so good. Some of the comments I've read are very informative and others make me ask "what have I gotten myself into." I'm hoping everything goes well. I've had 1 fill, and hope to have another one in Jan. Has anyone had any experience with caffeine? I was advised not to use any. but I sure do miss my nonfat/no sugar mocha latte.

I am 52 years old and was at my wits end with my weight and all the medical problems. I got my band on Dec 3rd 2008. I am still adjusting to it but am so happy I did it. Had a terrible rash after the surgery but it is finally going away. I cant wait to see what happens. So far from the diet of working back to a regular diet I have lost 12 Pounds. Good luck to all and to you that are still thinking about it I would do it again.:shades_smile:

Thank you, Aprilapple for starting this forum. I'm new to this site as of Nov 22. I'd been thinking about WLS for the last few years and when I got to my heaviest at 297...I said that's it...and that was in the early part of 2008. I finally, meet with a surgeon this fall and I'm in the 2nd month of my 6 month diet and my nutritionist and psyc eval are both scheduled for Jan 09....so, I'm on the path. I live in central PA but, will be banded in Maryland. Feel free to email or pm me. Gina

hI. I live in Vancouver BC and am considering the lap band surgery in Mexico. I am wondering if anybody in my area has had surgery in Mexico, and what they thought of it. I am still looking into all my options and would love to have your ideas and opinions. Thanks

Hello everyone! I can't believe I have finally registered as an actual user on this site. I have been browsing this site for a little over a year and have found this site very helpful. This time last year, I was in the process of trying to get my insurance to approve low and behold I was denied because of my low BMI. I have just received funds from a settlement and am ready to go ahead and have my surgery done ASAP. I previously thought about having the surgery in Mexico but after reading several posts felt like the aftercare will be an inconvenience. Especially when looking at the trying to find a fill doctor, thinking what if something goes wrong and the like.…

This is my first time posting, even though I've been reading other posts for a few months. I finally have a date for my band after following a long 6 month supervised diet with my physician. My surgeons office called the day before Thanksgiving to let me know my approval from UHC came in and that I am scheduled for 12/23. Finally!!! :smile2: This is my second week on the protein diet and some days are easy and others are very hard. I am starting to panic, now that it's only a few days away. I have never had any type of surgery before, so I don't know what to expect. I don't want to mention my anxiety to my husband or daughter because I don't want them to worry too. Readin…