GoBanana

thanks carol! how much did they both cost? I might just suck it up and go there...id need to take an entire day off work though------grrrrrr

The reason I ask is,

I am from Long Island and my Surgeon is almost near Manahattan and I live out east. Its a pain to go all the way out there - is it possible to find a closer place to get a fill or do i have to go to MY surgeon?

Also, do any insurance companies cover a fill?

Can you give me some examples of how much fills cost if they dont cover it?

thanks!!!

I am going through the NY Bariatric Group...I havent been banded yet but I have nothing but good things to say about them. My Dr is Spencer Holover and he is just such a nice man. I am really looking forward to further visits with them. Does anyone know of the other locations for NYBG ?

im very surprised actually. I wasnt expecting this to be difficicult. Especially since the bariatric group i am going through makes things super easy and does all the leg work. I just thought I could go in to these specialists tell my story, get my clearance and be on my merry way...boy was i wrong

the problem is, my insurance is terrible and there arent any dieticians that take it - this one is affiliated with my PCP's office....i would go to my surgeons nutritionist but she doesnt take my insurance and its going to cost me 150.00 plus another 150.00 if i choose to use their psychologist. not having luck finding one of them either...this is costing me a fortune with copays and everything and i havent even set my surgery date yet!

Patience is NOT something I was blessed with LOL

Hopefully this will be the only set back - i am really amped for this surgey to be in December

She is making me do a two week diet program before she will give me clearance - regardless of the fact that i had my 6 month supervised program with my PCP. And she saw it too!!!

I have to just keep waiting and waiting and waiting...i just want to get these appointments over with and im sick of these diets i have to go on - i just want my surgery...and if she doesnt clear me im going to go to another dietician. UGH makes me so maaaaaad!!

the thyroid thing was a freak thing actually. my doctor felt my neck and said go get an ultrasound - then from there was the cat scan and now my endo says get a biopsy - my levels were all normal but that really doesnt mean anything - or so i hear...whats normal for one person isnt necessarily normal for another - i do have to go for an endoscopy as well....maybe i will just push it to january...i just hate taking time off work - everyone is so nosy - they dont pay attention to what i eat though so they wont notice the mushies lol

besides they are used to me always being on a diet they wouldnt even ask LOL

UGh! So, I went for my consultation on October 12th and I made my appointments for my cardiologist,pulmonologist,and dietician. I got the clearance from my PCP as well as the 6 month supervision paperwork...i go to the endocrinologist to find out he wants me to have a biopsy on my thyroid (long story short - had some problems and they found a lump) he wants me to follow up in a month (Nov 15th) depending on what happens then, i can get my clearance. Then, the surgeon will submit everything to the insurance. My frustration is this: I am off for a week in December between Christmas and New Years. I wanted to have my surgery then. But then I realized I would feel miserable during the holidays with my family and I thought to myself "why not do it for thanksigiving week" (not a huge holiday for me)

Now this thyroid thing is in my damn way and im aggravated! Not to mention im not telling anyone at work so if i do end up having it in december i have to go back to the doctor a week after the surgery and i would need to take another day off to go see him....

im just so frustrated...and this anticipation is getting to me...not knowing what is going to happen and all of that -

i just needed to vent

Right? Im so excited...but in a different way than i used to get over a new diet...its like ...ive just had enough. and honestly, the other night i went on you tube and just watched videos for like an hour - i didnt even realize how fast the time went...i just got so AMPED...it was like..C'MON LETS GET GOING ALREADY!!!! i mean, i get the throwing up sometimes and stuff but, anything is better than how i have been feeling lately...this is just the worst...

It just gives me hope and I feel like, thank GOD i am finally going to be done with this dieting roller coaster...its a different feeling. i cant quite explain it

Pendulum,

I understand your frustration..

have you looked into the other surgery options? Alot of people who have the bypass like it because it makes you so sick to eat the sugary stuff - i havent gotten the band yet but i have reached that point where i have eaten enough in my life and I AM READY to not eat garbage anymore...the band is an excellant *tool* to help you on your diet journey...you can still eat things you want once in a while. In the end, we all know what we have to do to lose weight...its a question of if you really want it or not...and if you dont want it right now, thats ok...you will reach that point when you are ready and you do want it. I totally get the whole "eat whatever you want" mentality...i think it happens to everyone when they starts a some sort of diet...but the one thing that most people here have in common, is that they are ready to have this tool to give them the extra push they couldnt have before. Decidiing to get the band is sort of like an

A-HA moment. Do more research on the bands...and DEFINETLY go onto youtube and look up lapband stories - there are so many and they will inspire you!! i watch them for fun - it gets me so AMPED!!! Theres a girl NewToy4KT i think thats her name look her up on you tube -

Im at the very beginning of my journey as well. PM me if you like!

Best of luck!

I guess i meant head hunger LOL i dont know - i just know im sitting at work bored and i just want pick pick pick....i guess in the end it really just is ME that needs to make the changes regardless of what type of surgery or any surgery at all....

thanks for the help

me too please! DianaLG617@yahoo.com

I am still in the beginning stages of everything - made most of my specialist appointments! However, i am concerned because...today i realized that i suffer from severe mouth hunger. And it got me thinking "is this the surgery for me?"

i knew i wasnt hungry physically. but i just wanted something...chocolate...im addicted to it...add to the fact that i sit at a desk all day...its hard ya know?

id hate to go through this just for my mouth hunger and bad habits (night time eating) to keep me from losing.

does anyone else have this problem? were you able to overcome it? does the band really help this issue?

personal experiences welcome!

thanks in advance

Thank you all for your input. At this point, I am just going to wait to see if I even get approved before I start ripping my hair out over this decision. Because then I get hopes up and they come crashing down. Hopefully I find out in a day or two. thanks again

Thanks for your reply. Im just nervous because I know with gastric you really cant have sugar because you get dumping syndrome and thats good for some people because it acts as a deterrant. With the lap band, you can still have those foods and its as if you are just on a regular diet. Unless certain foods make you sick with the band of course...

Ugh decisions decisions....

How do you know what zone you are in?

I went in wanting gastric, then i decided that the lap band would be better for me but now, as a person with no discipline, i am thinking gastric is better because i will eat less. I feel the Lap Band is more lenient and you dont lose as much and you are still able to eat the bad stuff...i have no will power thismight not be for me :/

Have any of you had a different "first choice" ?

thank you for your help ladies. I really hope I get approved and I really hope I can lose the weight everyone keeps telling me about how gastric bypass is better because people on lap band either dont lose weight or gain it all back and im wondering if im making the right decision.

Hi Everyone!

I went for my consultation on Wednesday and I went in all for the Gastric Bypass - after having waited in the waiting room for about 3 hours I got to talking to some of the people in there and they sold me on the band. And, after speaking with the surgeon, I feel the band would be my best option also.

But, I should have made alist when i went there because i totally forgot to ask some questions. So, one of the ladies in the wiaitng room told me about this site and I figured I would come here and ask! You all seem nice enough...

The more you fill the band the less you eat. Correct?

The doctor really didnt go into detail about the fills and maybe thats because it was just a consult...

it doesnt get filled when they first insert it right?

How often do I have to go get it filled?

Im worried that i he wont fill it enough and it will be a disaster from the beginning.

I know you are on a liquid diet for a couple of weeks after surgery, when you start eating solid food do you gain weight?

how long are you in the hospital for?

im prepared for 1-3 pound losses a week and im ok with that. I work out alot so I will probably lose inches faster - im just worried about the initial beginning with the trial and error of figuring out the perfect "fill" amount.

im also worried my insurance wont cover me...my insurance is terrible.

thanks for listening. any help is appreciated