Sooverit!

When I went to the seminar that was offered at the sugery center where I want to be banded they gave us handouts with pointers on what to do for insurance coverage. Someone posted here that their insurance co wanted to know WHY the diets failed from the PCP! Geez....I guess I would say for me when I am PMSing I can't stop eating everything in site. Also I could mention injuries obtained by over exercising, or I couldn't control portion size?

I have not been banded and am awaiting to see the Nutritionist . My BMI borders around 36/37 and I am a big boned 5'8" kinda gal. Somtimes I get those thoughts in my head like I'm not overweight enough for this surgery.!!...or maybe I don't deserve it. Then when I went to my PCP and the nurse said I was developing High blood pressure and I think about the people in my family that got Type 11 diabetes I don't think I'm crazy. I must remember this is not a cosmetic proceedure but a life saving/prolonging proceedure but still I know if I told certain people I was having this they would think I was totally nuts but who cares...

Someone asked a question re getting help from a therapist for bindge eating and I couldn't reply individually so I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in again. In "You on a Diet" by Dr. Oz he suggests that everyone who is overweight go on Wellbutrim...it's a mild antidepressant that has a side effect of controlling smoking as well as binge eating. I went off it after I made the decision for lap band surgery and boom my binging started up again full force, but I had stupidly been on Atkins for 6 weeks and fell off as well. I'm going back on Wellbutrim and will stay on even after banding.

Heyhon63: I completely know what you are saying and it's a joke! I too know more about nutrition that any so called expert as well. I've dieted for more than 30 years and took off and kept off 60 lbs till I got prgnant again but not at this age ...just ain't happenen without something like this. I had heard that CIGNA does this as a front...what ever that means...I think it weeds out people who may be able to pay out of pocket or may not be sure they want this surgery. I've been seeing my doc for the past year and I've been complaining about my wieght and he's been making suggestions tho it's not been consistenty for 6 months ,,,I am praying he will just write them up as tho I was doing 6 months back to back. I was told that CIGNA wants your Dr. to write out a progress report on 6 separate letter headed letters stating your weight, what diets you've been on for that month, how many lbs. you lost, exercise and anything he gave you like a food pyramid or anything pertaining to weight loss. It's silly but it's worth getting covered!

Hi Maria: We are neck in neck here....I have my Nutritional Assesment on August 30th at NYU~! Tonight I do the sleep apnia test. I got a check up today and had high blood pressure for the first time ever...must be mind over matter - more reasons for the insurance company to pay out!

Hi Candle: Congratulations on you surgery date! How exciting. I had a question for you about being approved for Dr. Geiss. I would have went to them but the nurses on the phone seemed like they were put off when I called...I probably was asking too many questions and they said I wouldn't even qualify for surgery at a 37 BMI...insurance or not! I found out later from NYU Med Center I certainly can get it done and may qualify for insurance coverage to boot. If you don't mind may I ask you what your BMI is? I am hoping to have fills there when I do finally get my surgery so I don't have to treck into the city every month. Wish I was you!!

Faith, thanks for responding, and when I think of it that way you are right. Technology at this rate is probably going to peak in 10 years and I'm sure the problem of obesity will be cured with something even better. Thanks for helping me look to the future. If I can get 10 years I'd be tickled also, but I don't want to have problems in 5 years as I am reading on these posts. But then again at my age the monopausal years are the big weight gain years and after 60 weight tends to decline. My goal is to live at least to 85 so I can see my 10 year old daughter fully an adult. I was doubting that would happen if I entered my 60 obese...even entering 50s obese is asking for a road of possible weight related complications, ie. adult onset diabetes, hypertension, etc. I know you know Faith...sometimes I'm writing to solidify things in my own mind.

I was very confident in my decision to get lap band surgery after reading the thousands of interesting posts here. I was unconsciously or deliberately not reading the 'Difficulties with Lap BAnd" sections however. I finally did and what I'm seeing are problems down the road after being banded for say 6-10years due to slippage and/or errosion and other problems. I felt then like I had been getting too caught up in the hype/hope to think long term. Anyone else think this way or has anyone had this band for over 5 years and how are you doing? I know the Lap Band has only been in existence for 11 years even in Europe.

Wondering how the band does in the long run - like after 5 years. Has anyone had slippage or other complications after this time period?

Hey Lighter: Congrats on getting your day! I know what you mean about being nervous about the liquid diet...but I think after the 2nd day you may lose your appetite...even people who fast for weeks have reported this. My progress will be slow but that's okay. My PCP went on vacation for 2 weeks:rolleyes: and I am waiting for him to get back so I can do the sleep Apnia test. So far I've done the seminar, on-line video, survey, and psy eval. Then when vacationing doc is back the apnia test, blood tests, physical, and God willing he will write the 6 progress report letters and a letter of recommendation for lap band surgery. I fully expect my insurance company to pay...I fully expect my insurance cmpany to pay...(positive visualization)...I full

Thanks Mich, Congrats and way to go on getting your surgery date! I'm not going to give up I think the insurance companies are just making me jump through giant hurdles to make sure we won't pay on our own.

Hi Sass: I live not too far from Dr. Geiss' office but want to go to NYU because it is covered 100% there with CIGNA. I was hoping to get my fills at Dr. Geiss' office and also emmergency service, but I put in a request for info about this with my Dr. in NY...it is something to think about! thanks

I am in total agreement with Terri. I have fallen into that trap of working so hard and dropping 2 clothing sizes only to then go to the doctors for a weigh in (I don't own a scale) and being crushed by only losing a few lbs. It made me think the loss was all in my mind or something. I vow to not EVER buy a scale after I have this done! ! There are just too many things in my body that can be me measured by a scale besides fat!

Whoops I mean this for everyone but my previous note was directed to BetsyJane

Thank you for your honesty and great replies! Your really know how to touch on the heart of the matter. You could write a book about this Lap Band thing and I would buy it~! I love how you described the "automatron" -sp? aspect when you sit infront of the TV. When we got our "Plasma" TV w/Tivo I gained 20 lbs. and I never even care too much for TV before. I would come home from work super stressed on certain days and like a robot sit in front of the TV and graze, gorge what ever you wanna call it for hours! YOu put it so perfectly when you said the lap band will stop an eating catastrophy! Thanks for the great reads! Best to you on your wonderful w/l success!

Hi Dani: I see you've had your proceedure done with Dr. Fielding. Your weight loss is impressive...way to go! I am hoping to have my surgery performed by Dr. Ren at NYU. Were you happy with your treatment there? I have heard only good things but was just checking. I used to live in the city but I am now commuting from Long Island. I was wondering where one would go in an immergency if you lived far from your surgeon's office?

This is what I want to hear Harleygirl! I love that you can eat what every you want just less of it~especially healthy stuff like a good salad! Good for you...I bet you had a somewhat "iron stomach" to being with? I know I did up until about a year or so ago. I could eat ANYTHING at anytime. I just don't want to get this and be stuck only eating foods that go down easily ...like puried meat...ehh gads...

The mainstay of my now preband diet are salads -I love being creative with salads and bring them to work; baby greens, spinich and every veggie in between I can find in the fridge along with cheese, bacon, salmon, tuna, walnuts, etc....the reason I'm so overweight is I love them too much and eat way too much of them. MY QUESTION: Will I still be able to eat salads... in smaller doses of course?? How many of you eat salads now and now that we are on the topic would anyone mind sharing what is the mainstay of your diet now that you are banded?? :hungry:

Zen Girl: Have you tried eating only protein or cutting down on carbs. When I do the Atkins diet I couldn't care less about sweets. If there not in the house it's harder to eat them too. If I buy sweets for the "kids" ...I end up eating more than they do. I must not bring anything sweet in the house except for yogart. Can you eat fat freee yogart on the band? Can you eat fat free sugar free pudding? I notice esp. at this age I crave sugar more esp. around that time in the month. Doesn't the band help with bindge eating....I'm a bidnger too and I thought you just couldn't eat that much???

Jwl: I was wondering too were the questions given to you on paper or did the Psy ask you in person? Was it timed? I better get my sleep if there's going to be a big test tomorrow!

Geez I hope they don't think I'm too crazy to get this proceedure~! :rolleyes Can anyone tell me if they ask any of those trick questions like "Why should people in glass houses not throw stones"? I hope they don't make me feel like a "caveman!" I am curilous to see how they handle this. I am guessing they ask questions as to how realistic our expectations are about this proceedure. I feel at this point I don't have too many anymore. Any weight loss and no more gaining would make me very happy!

Kat, It was great to hear about your wonderful success with the band. It truly is ironic that your proceedure did benefit your insurance company even though they never paid for it~! I know much of cholesterol is genetics receiving but I did notice that as I lost weight a few years back, excercised and cut out sweets my cholesterol dropped 25 pts. BB - I will never know if it was from the exercise alone. Kat I do plan to look into Bioidentical Hormones as soon as this is all done.

Congratulations on finally getting a date for your surgery! From what Dr. Ren tells us her husband, Dr. Fielding is the best and she refers him all her patients that may be complicated in anyway - only meaning he can handle it all. I had a ruptured appendix in 1989 and a C-section in 1997 and the dr. told me I had tons of scar tissue so I may have to have Dr. Fielding as well. Keep us posted. You must be excited?

You know BB lately I've been thinking the huge health benefits of lowering my cholesterol and lowering my chances of sleep apnia and at least a doz other things that will improve when I stop overeating is worth it even without weight loss. Of course if insurance covers it, it is more so worth it!:rain:we are suddenly getting a real bad rain storm here and my son and hub and golfing!! :cry

Kelly: You were banded on my birthday the day I turned 48, it's great to hear your great weight loss! BB: The doctor at my seminar, Doc. Dr. Ren who is amoung a handful of doc's nationwide, who were the first to perform the operations during the FDA trials in Europe, said the band was first used only 13 years ago...I thought it was longer than that? What she actually said was that "Older woman (what ever that meant and wish I could have asked her to define "older") who were post menopausal did not lose weight as often but did gain the healthy benefits.