Alexandra

I take .125 of Synthroid every morning and have no problems. My PCP seemed to think the dosage might have to be adjusted after a lot of weight came off, but that hasn't proved to be the case. As far as I can tell, my hypoactive thyroid has not been any factor at all with my banding.

I don't know any details, but I have the impression that the "mini" bypass has nothing to recommend it but its name. Most insurance carriers won't cover it at all, even if they do cover RNY and banding, perhaps because it has a high complication rate. In general, I think it's bad news. But I'm not sure precisely why. Some help, huh?

Hey, I can understand that indeed. I've felt weird lumps and bumps that only later do I realize are actually bones or muscle. It's truly weird feeling our skeletons emerge from under their blankets! Tell your doctor you have many friends who could easily have done the same thing. Guess we're all idiots, then. WHAT A GREAT FEELING THAT IS!!! Congratulations on this one, too. My brother has ALWAYS been the skinny one, and even though he grew to 6'5" I've outweighed him since we were in grade school. Well, guess who has like 60 pounds on me now? HAH!! Nothing like stickin' it to the bros, huh?

ITA with Karen. I don't think anything LIKE 80% of bandsters have to have their gall bladders removed later on. It certainly shouldn't be done just as a precaution or timesaver against the possibility that it might have to come out months or years later. Of course, your doctor may know of some reason why yours has to be removed at this point, and if that's the case there's no reason why it can't be done at the same time if it's appropriate. Lots of people do have a dual procedure, when necessary. But ONLY when necessary.

My heart goes out to Nancy and her family, and I hope her father has found peace.

That's perfect!! Things always seem to work out for the best. Congratulations!!

Mandy, by that time you should be totally healed, and you might even forget you have had surgery. If you haven't had a fill by that time, be aware that you will be able to eat anything you want, and everything you want, in possibly the same quantities as preband. Try to remember that just because you can doesn't mean you should, or be prepared for the consequences of overindulging (i.e., no weight loss, and possibly regain of whatever you may lose immediately post-op). Whether you'll be able to ride the rides depends on your tolerance for such things. But your surgery will not be a hindrance at all.

Lovecats, I'm guessing you don't live in NJ. Every state is different, in fact lots of Blue Cross companies DO cover banding. You'll have to give more information about where you live before anyone can give you helpful advice. And even then, a lot will depend on the particular plan you have; one carrier can have many, many different plans.

I just heard that for some people, for some reason, lying on one's left side might help dislodge food that's stuck. Who knows? Worth a try. You know, whether we golf-ball, PB, slime, get something stuck, or just "ouch" for a minute, it's all the same thing going on. RESTRICTION. However it manifests itself in the particular moment or what we call the feeling doesn't really matter. The point is that our bands are telling us we are either eating too much, too fast, or taking bites that are too large. Personally, I'd rather PB and get the episode over with than have the sliming thing going on with something stuck for possibly a long time. A PB gets whatever it is out of the esophagus/pouch/stoma, and though it might have been unpleasant at least it's OVER. I see a PB as the culmination of any situation in which something that can't go down has to go somewhere. Better to have it come back up than sit in my esophagus or stoma, irritating and painful, until it either dislodges or dissolves.

Congratulations, Zoe! That's not a small v, that's a BIG V!! Wow, to be overweight. What a dream. I just calculated my own BMI based on this morning's weight. It's 31.3. Holy sh*t!! I haven't really done that in a while so it's astonishing to see how low it is after being 45+ for years and years. I'm gonna cry! Can't help you with the fibroids, though you have my deepest sympathy. Yikes, a grapefruit? Can you feel it from the outside with your fingers? Brrrr...

What state are you in? Every BCBS is different and you can give hope to people in your state.

Wow. I'm no doctor but that would seem to be counter to the way the manufacturers intend the band to be used. If your band actually is at the base of your esophagus, it's not surprising you're having heartburn! When the food is held up by the band it has nowhere to go BUT up. We're supposed to have SOME leeway via a pouch to let us eat a smaller, but still normal, amount of food. Are you in touch with any of your doc's other patients? Do they have the same negative experiences you do? I'm really sorry for your troubles and hope you'll be able to find answers with a different doctor.

Well, we'll let you slide this time. It was a good evening; there was someone there who had been banded the day before. I think that's some sort of record for being out there quickly. I hope your little guy feels better!!

Congratulations!! :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :banana :banana :banana :banana

Janice, there are some big differences between the lap-band and what you had, chief among them being that you start out where most of us get to only after several adjustments. Believe me, when we're adjusted tightly it's very hard if not impossible to eat pizza. Adjustability works both ways, so unfortunately you don't have the option of having your band tightened OR loosened at any future point. I'm sure the restriction you feel will lessen somewhat over time, but for now you're at your tightest and will just have to learn to live with it. We start out loose and get tighter, while your process goes the other way around. Frankly, it's that sudden transformation that scared me totally off of the VBG or RNY when I was researching bariatric surgery. Changes have to be made slowly if they're going to be permanent, goes my thinking. I hope you will be able to find the guidance and support you need as you go through this process, which I'm sure will be the hardest part of your journey. Hugs and best of luck to you.

Lisa, you can rest easy. My doc's office routinely says that Horizon BCBS is their EASIEST carrier to get approvals from. All you have to do is make the medical case cleanly, and I'm sure your surgeon's office will know exactly how to do that. You're in very good shape. More bananas for you!! :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

HI Lisa, Welcome to another Jersey girl!! Who is your insurer? I'm always very interested in learning more about banding and insurance in NJ, since I'm a group health insurance broker here. Do tell! I have two girls, almost-7 and 4, so I know EXACTLY what you mean about wanting to be more active for them. Part of my incentive to get banded in the first place was a realization that I couldn't run after one of them even if I HAD to to save her life. So here I am today, 120 lbs lighter than that day and enjoying a whole new aspect to momhood. We're going to the Land of Make Believe on Monday and for the very first time, I'm looking forward to it!

[hijack]Desertmom, I can't believe your doctor thinks there is nothing that can be done to alleviate your symptoms! What happens when you have an unfill? You are NOT supposed to be in pain all the time or having reflux and heartburn. 39 lbs in two months is not a healthy pace and if I were you I'd be pestering that doctor for better answers. [/hijack] Rene, the band is EXACTLY what I expected. I researched the hell out of it and knew that it would provide me negative behavioral reinforcement if I ate too fast or too much. That's precisely what I wanted, and precisely what I got. It's not easy learning to live with that negative reinforcement, but I didn't think it would be. It's been easier than I was afraid it might be, so in that sense it's been a pleasant surprise. I've had only the most minor episodes of reflux, which have been handled with small unfills and behavioral changes. Overall, the band is absolutely the best thing I've ever done for myself. Even for all the complications I've heard about, to me it's clearly the safest and most logical procedure to deal with morbid obesity in otherwise healthy people.

And you know what, Jorjet? You may be discouraged from time to time, you may want to give up, but the great thing about the band is that IT WON'T LET YOU. It will still be there when you think it's all a waste, and it will encourage and allow you the time to regroup and get motivated again. So you are WAY ahead of the game compared to where you would have been without your band. We were just talking about this last night. When the weight loss slows down, which OF COURSE it will, and we find ourselves apathetic about the endeavor, which OF COURSE we will be from time to time, the MIRACLE of our little band is that it doesn't let us throw in the towel in the same way we have done in the past. A few pounds up after a months-long regimen of dieting would have meant complete failure to me in the past. But not this time. And never again.

Teresa, click on User CP and then Edit Signature. Paste the code from the ticker site into your signature, and it will appear here on ever post. Welcome to LBT, by the way!!

Hey, Alexra, where were you last night?

Sorry, I got the name wrong. It's advancedlaparoscopicsurgeons.com. Last night I discovered that the preop seminar normally scheduled for the last Thursday of the month (which would have been tonight) was held last week. Sorry about that! Call the office now and reserve your place for next month, when the meeting will be on the 28th. I may be there, since I am often at those meetings to share my experience with pre-ops who are considering banding.

Well then! If your policy absolutely includes bariatric surgery, the next step is to see if you and your doctors can make a case for you medically. Your BMI is just below 40 so you'll need to list co-morbidities. Do you have a surgeon yet?

Well, I love the doctors in the practice I used, and I believe they have banded more patients than any other doc in NJ. You can find out more about them at www.advancedlaparoscopicsurgeons.com There's a seminar scheduled for tomorrow night (the last Thursday of each month), which is mandatory if you plan to seek a consultation with them.

Aetna is a bear. There are way too many issues to generalize about any insurer, but I can tell you I was approved by Aetna after a long fight and third-party review. Since that time (2002-3) they have changed their policies and it's now marginally easier to get approved than when I did it. ON THE OTHER HAND, I've just heard that Aetna is excluding bariatric surgery from their standard large-group plans, so check your policy for an exclusion before you do anything else. Are you medically qualified, as far as you know, for bariatric surgery? That's the first and biggest question. What's your BMI?