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Smiley79

LAP-BAND Patients
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Posts posted by Smiley79

  2. Posted

    to my buds in Sleeveland

    starting Water aerobics next week, can't wait,. bought a one piece nice bathing suit that looks good on me. ;)

    haven't gone to gym , in a long time do to ortho problems mainly with my knee - wish i had gone to gym earlier - i think others have knee problems or whatever - and you go exercising - but tomorrow is a new day

    besides swimming, i am gonna try the eliptical, very slowly, to see if I can do? i use to be a wiz, and i loved it so much - wish me luck

    i know i should have started the Water earlier, but here i am, better late than never

    i even bought a couple of nike shirts and 3/4 length stretch pants - they were on such a sale, plus i had a coupon too. it would have been a sin to pass up these clothes - people have been shot for less than that

    all above i bought at Kohl's

    this hanging skin looks bad, and you can't hide when you are in a bathing suit :(

    never thought i would have such hanging skin around - what gets lost, has to find a way to go down

    only about a handful of cover-ups left, end of season, so its just me and the bathing suith - in person - "hanging" around :lol:

    i've been enjoying life a lot more these past months, do to the help of a certain new tool that you can't buy in a hardware shop ^_^

    81 degrees & sunny here

    take care all

    kathy

    Hi Kathy! Happy Tuesday! Is it Friday yet?! :) I LOVE water aerobics. I have been taking two hour water aerobic classes, twice a week in the evenings for about a couple of years now.

    BTW, 81 degrees!! GET out! That would be like a cold front for us here! LOL!! It was 108 here in Texas yesterday, even hotter today, up to 115 with heat index! Wake me up when it is October!! Have a FABULOUS day!

    Hope you enjoy water aerobics!!

    ProudGrammy reacted to this

  5. Posted

    Six days post op, down six pounds, and I just realized that yesterday I went from "severely obese" to just "obese." I still have a long way to go, but i started out "morbidly obese" in February, and have not been this light in TWENTY YEARS! Not that long ago I thought I'd never be here again.

    Congrats! Way to go!! That must feel amazing!! 6 days out? How are you feeling?

    KS Fort Worth reacted to this

  13. Posted · Edited by Smiley79

    Copied & Pasted from the BCBS of Texas - Health Select/ERS Website:

    http://www.bcbstx.com/hs/bariatric_surgery.html

    Bariatric surgery is also commonly known as weight-loss surgery. To qualify for bariatric surgery coverage, you must meet all the requirements listed below.

    Checklist of Requirements:

    • You must be an active employee or a return-to-work retiree* with five continuous years of Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) employment with no breaks in G.B.P. coverage. No breaks in coverage can include years of coverage with an H.M.O. in the G.B.P. ****The benefit is not available to dependents, retirees not enrolled in active employee benefits, or H.M.O. members, even if they have other insurance that covers bariatric surgery, such as Medicare.

    • You must have at least one other condition considered a co-morbidity, uncontrolled at maximum medical management, and which is generally expected to be reversed or improved by bariatric treatment to include, but not limited to:
      • Diabetes;
      • Hypertension;
      • sleep apnea;
      • Dyslipidemia;
      • Coronary heart disease;
      • Osteoarthritis; or
      • Any other co-morbidity related to obesity that has not responded to maximum medical management and that is generally expected to be reversed or improved by bariatric treatment.

    • You must have been evaluated by a licensed professional counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist within the 12 months before the request for predetermination of benefits.

    • You must have medical records documenting a five-year history of Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 40.

    • You must have documented active participation in a comprehensive, non-surgical weight reduction program (for example, the BCBSTX weight management program) for at least 12 consecutive months during the 24 months before the date you apply for surgery.

    • After surgery, you must provide documentation that you have participated in a medically supervised lifestyle management program for maintaining weight loss and health goals (such as the BCBSTX weight management program) for 12 consecutive months after the date of surgery.

    If you have questions about bariatric surgery coverage or benefits, contact Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) at (800) 252-8039.

  14. Posted

    I also used Dr.Kim. I was sleeved on April 10th. My starting weight was 261 and 3month 2 weeks later I am 211. Weight loss of 50 lbs.

    I was Dr.Kims first patient of the day. Got to hospital and was wheeled back before 5am.

    I too over packed and used only tooth brush, fresh panties, socks, lip balm and my cell and charger. I could have guest. My husband and children both came but I was in no mood to visit. I was nauseous and dizzy I did not do anything but sleep. I had zero gas pains. Only pain I had was being dizzy and nauseous. I hardly even walked cause I could not keep my balance. I stayed my full two days because I was to sick to go home. They give you nothing but clear liquids and they stated horrible. You are asked to sip several shots per hour and log it. I of course did nothing and sipped nothing. I was just to sick to hold my head up. I was pumped full of liquids through the iv but I still when home dehydrated. I ended up taking two weeks off instead of the one week. I again forced myself to drink liquids because being dehydrated was causing the dizziness, headaches, nausea and fatigue. If it was not for the advise of dooter I would have never figure out you got to sip sip sip or ur recovery will be horrible.

    Three months two weeks out I don't regret it one bit.

    Good luck.

    Thank your for sharing your experience! I look forward to watching your progress!

  15. Posted

    Regarding self pay and pre & post op diets:

    I was self pay with Dr Kim and had the VSG last week and paid both Forest Park and Dr Kim using Care Credit. The price is $12,300 - here's the break down:

    $250 - scheduling fee to dr Kim applied to surgery

    $5,050 - Dr Kim and surgical assistant

    $6,200 - hospital fee

    $800 - anesthesiologist

    these fees include radiologist fee, bariatric university class and material, floow up appoitments for 1 year, pre-op appointment and testing at hospital, support group meetings for life.

    Forest Park gave me 2 years at no interest and Dr Kim's office gave me 6 months no interest both through Care Credit.

    I was on a 2 week pre-op liquid diet I bought from them that cost me $180. After surgery you do 1 week Clear liquids, followed by 2 weeks full liquids and then 2 weeks blended/pureed foods.

    Hope this helps!

    Thank you so much!!

  19. Posted

    I am pre op and will continue to attend my kickboxing classes and circuit training~ I plan to incorporate my 3lb weights in my walking immediately post op! Minimize excess skin, as this is one of my biggest concerns post op! Walking 3x a day {my pupp is going to love that} with my mini weights and squats! Gotta whip this body into shape! Thanks for the heads up and Motivation~

    Best wishes everyone!

    T~ :wub:

    Kickboxing! IMPRESSIVE! I cannot wait until I can do stuff like that again!!

  20. Posted

    Not a one. I took GREAT comfort in Dr. Kim's complication/leak rate. The national average for leaks and such is 1%. His is .01%, so anytime I started to feel really nervous or freaked out, that thought was very calming.

    I am doing very very well. Almost 80lbs since February! I was hoping for 60 by October. I blew that number right out of the water! ;)

    Dooter, that is very impressive and inspirational! Congrats!! Can I ask if there was anything that has really surprised you about this journey? Also, do you have loose skin?

  21. Posted

    After 3 weeks of being sleeved, especially if you have a lot to lose, start going to the gym IMMEDIATELY. You DON'T have to start cardio but you DHOULD start a weight training regimen. This will greatly assist in the saggy and loose skin problem. TRUST ME. As a trainer, one of my clients is 44 years old and weighed 402 lbs. He had the sleeve almost a year and change now and I realized after losing all that weight he has little to no loose or saggy skin... He weighs 202 right now and looks like a trainer himself.

    I understand some drs may tell u to wait a little longer but three weeks is the best time to start! Even if it's light training every bit helps because your body will notice it before you do.

    Thanks for the information! Would Water aerobics do the same as using weight training?

  22. Posted

    I don't even know what those are. I went there on Friday February 10th for the first time, saw Dr. Kim, David Kellenberger, Pam the dietitian nurse lady, did some pre op stuff at Forest Park, then Monday the 13th I had the surgery. Badda Bing, Badda Boom. I could have gone home Friday, but opted to stay in town through Monday. Saw David K one more time and went home.

    Thank you! You seem to be doing amazing! Did you have any complications?

  24. Posted

    I travelled from Albuquerque to Dr. Kim, and He wanted me to stay in town for a week, or almost a week. I ended up staying that long just because I didn't feel well enough to drive back just yet.

    I stayed at the Hyatt Place right near Forest Park. It was nice.

    Thanks again for the information! What are BENDS classes and how did you complete them living away?

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