JSahi

I'm glad you posted the pic. It's a learning lesson for me as a new postop band patient.
Glad you are feeling better! I hope the positive comments outweigh all the negative ones. Best wishes!

well glad to read it is okay...although it wasnt pretty, i appreciate you sharing the pic

Well went to the my doctor earlier today and the results are in..... The band was to tight. No liquid was going through when I took the x-ray so they took some Fluid out and I'm feeling great!!
I just want to thank everyone for commenting. I was just anxious and wanted to see if anyone else has gone threw what I was going through. It looks like I was spitting up acid from my stomach since the food was getting stuck up top. I was just a little scared and was looking for support while I waited the crazy 12 hours to get in to my doctor. I'm happy that I posted this because I know that I am not the only one who had gone through this and I won't be the last. I don't feel like we should be afraid to ask questions because I'm sure someone out there on this forum has the same question or has gone through the same thing.
I'm just relieved that all it resorted to was taking out some fluid! Thank God!!

Am I the only one thinking that ALL of the comments regarding Chez's original post were immature and petty? Come on... even a 21 year old like me knows better not to put out bad energy when none is needed.

Hope everything turns out okay! Didn't know it was a crime to ask a question on a SUPPORT GROUP site! But keep us posted and ignore the bad energy NOT everyone acts like that!

Are you single? No no just kidding. Wait, are you? Jk. You look amazing, truly. You should be one proud man!

Haha! Tiny1234, you are cracking me up and I am tempted to ask the same question.
Congratulations on your success!!! You kicked butt, and I bet you feel amazing!

congrats to you and creekwood also
keep sipping and then sip some more and then sip again
def keep moving as best you can so move some of that gas out
i promise, as each day that passes, it will get better....and in 6 months
you guys will be on here telling everyone else the same thing

May 7th for me. Finally!!!

May 7th for me. Finally!!!

May 7th for me. Finally!!!

May 7th for me. Finally!!!

I lost 14 in ten days

I lost 14 in the first week! One week to go.

4 months 70 pounds.....
very excited!!

The first six days have been a struggle but woke up this morn and feel so good. I am so surprised at how much better I feel. Ready to lose all the excess I've been carrying around for years!

But you are reading anecdotal evidence not facts. The fact is, you follow the rules and do what you're supposed do, you only have a roughly 5% chance of serious complications. In sharp contrast, if you remain morbidly obese you have almost 100% chance of obesity related complications someday. Don't you think the band is a much safer long term "risk" than remaining obese?
You simply cannot gauge the success or failure of the band based on what you are reading online. You need to understand- it's the people who have problems that post the most and loudest. Those of us happy with our bands too busy enjoying our new healthy lives to bother blowing up the internet. Plus, if you look closer at all those horror stories, the majority of them you'll the person has no one to blame but themselves. The band didn't fail- they did. Vomiting, chronically over-eating, and walking around with their bands too tight are sadly common but all things you can avoid to keep your band healthy.
Don't let the naysayers scare you. Speaking for myself, I've lost 200 pounds in 15 months and never been happier or healthier in my adult life. There are many others like me, too.
Best wishes.

dont cry....if you really want this, then have a wls but go into 100%
any surgery has risks (from manicures to wisdom teeth)..nothing is for sure..heck godzilla could walk on my house but i am not gonna worry about it..
...sure i was scared...i had trouble wiping my butt
it was either do it or get bigger...
that was 9 months ago...

Not sure where you are getting your statistic of 99%, but I'm sure that your estimation is VERY high. Be careful where you are getting information from. Ask your doctor for his complication rate, and don't make a generalization like you just did. We bandsters tend to be quite protective of our band and you are setting yourself up for some major response.
Yes, there are risks of complications , but there are also risks associated with morbid obesity. I know what I choose.

hellooos!
I am currently on my 6 months diet for my insurance to approve me to get the band so YAY and GOODLUCK FOR ME lol.
I've been reading threads and I see alot of peoples talking about how they eat and what they eat to lose the weight but I never really see anything additional about exercise.
My question to you all is, do you exercise often? If so what type of exercises do you do? Or do you pretty much leave it up to the types of foods and portions you eat to lose?
Just a curious future bander

hellooos!
I am currently on my 6 months diet for my insurance to approve me to get the band so YAY and GOODLUCK FOR ME lol.
I've been reading threads and I see alot of peoples talking about how they eat and what they eat to lose the weight but I never really see anything additional about exercise.
My question to you all is, do you exercise often? If so what type of exercises do you do? Or do you pretty much leave it up to the types of foods and portions you eat to lose?
Just a curious future bander

I had BS of ID and was denied because I had no official diagnosis of Diabetes even though I had gestational diabetes twice with both pregnancies and high cholesterol. They required certain 'comorbidities', not just the ones listed on the FDA website, in addition to BMI 35+. And I was also denied because I had not fulfilled 2 yrs of doctor-supervised weight loss with proven weight loss. I was just tired of trying to jump through the hoops to have it covered. I even work for them! Anyway, i'll be able to claim the expense on taxes as non-covered medical since I meet the FDA criteria. I'd suggest filing your 'appeal' with supporting documentation (submitted by your surgeon/pcp) and go from there. Have the doc write a letter also. This is taken straight from the BCBS of IL website for providers regarding medical policies in place for certain procedures that require preauth. This is for bariatric surgery.
http://medicalpolicy.hcsc.net/medicalpolicy/home?ctype=POLICY&cat=Surgery&path=/templatedata/medpolicies/POLICY/data/SURGERY/SUR716.003_2012-02-01#hlink
NOTE: Check member’s contract for benefit coverage for bariatric surgery.
PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA FOR COVERAGE
For a member to be considered eligible for benefit coverage of bariatric surgery to treat morbid obesity, the member must meet the following two criteria:
1. Diagnosis of morbid obesity, defined as a:
Body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 40 kg/meter² (* see guidelines below for BMI calculation); OR
BMI equal to or greater than 35kg/meters² with at least two (2) of the following comorbid conditions related to obesity that have not responded to maximum medical management and that are generally expected to be reversed or improved by bariatric treatment:
Hypertension, OR
Dyslipidemia, OR
Diabetes mellitus, OR
Coronary heart disease, OR
sleep apnea, OR
Osteoarthritis; AND



2. Documentation from the requesting surgical program that:
Growth is completed (generally, growth is considered completed by 18 years of age); AND
Documentation from the surgeon attesting that the patient has been educated in and understands the post-operative regimen, which should include ALL of the following components:

Nutrition program, which may include a very low calorie diet or a recognized commercial diet-based weight loss program; AND
Behavior modification or behavioral health interventions; AND
Counseling and instruction on exercise and increased physical activity; AND
Ongoing support for lifestyle changes to make and maintain appropriate choices that will reduce health risk factors and improve overall health; AND
Patient has completed an evaluation by a licensed professional counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist within the 12 months preceding the request for surgery. This evaluation should document:

The absence of significant psychopathology that would hinder the ability of an individual to understand the procedure and comply with medical/surgical recommendations, AND
The absence of any psychological comorbidity that could contribute to weight mismanagement or a diagnosed eating disorder, AND
The patient’s willingness to comply with preoperative and postoperative treatment plans.
COVERAGE STATEMENTS FOR SPECIFIC BARIATRIC SURGICAL PROCEDURES (Gastric Restrictive and Gastric Malabsorptive)
NOTE: For a member to be eligible for benefit coverage of any one of these procedures the member must meet the Patient Selection Criteria described above AND the member’s contract or certificate of coverage must allow coverage of bariatric surgery.
Adjustable gastric banding (open or laparoscopic), consisting of an external adjustable band placed high around the stomach creating a small pouch and a small stoma, may be considered medically necessary as a surgical treatment option for patients with morbid obesity who meet the eligibility criteria for surgery, including lack of response to the required conservative measures.


NOTE : If the original adjustable gastric banding procedure was a covered benefit, it is not necessary to request documentation for refill and maintenance procedures.

I have bcbs of Illinois and had no problem getting approved. My bmi was 39 and I had slight high blood pressure, that's all. I know the policy used to call for 6 months of nutrition counseling but now only requires one month after February 1st. Maybe it's how your doctor submitted the paperwork.