DeLarla

I found out some info for anyone that self-paid and wants to appeal their insurance. Before you can appeal, you have to actually file a claim. You have one year from the date of your surgery to file the initial claim. If you haven't decided whether you want to fight your insurance (since it's after the fact and you've already paid) at least do the first step of filing a claim before your one year expires in case you change your mind some day. Once you file the first claim, then you've bought time for the actual appeal. You'll need a claim form with the "Universal Procedure Code." Send the claim form to your insurance with copies of your medical records and billing. They need records from 1) Surgeon 2) Facility 3) Anesthesiologist. Along with that you need to send your medical history of weight-related problems, diet journals and histories, etc. I'm not sure where to get this form, but any band surgeon should be able to provide the form along with the procedure code. I'm in the process of filing a claim, which will most likely get denied. Once it gets denied I'll start the appeal process. I doubt I'll win this battle, but I think we should all appeal our insurance companies. If they get enough appeals, they might see the need to pay for this procedure instead of constantly battling the insureds. I don't have my records from Mexico, and I'm not sure if my surgeon will even release them. However, I'm sending the claim in incomplete. At least I'll get the claim filed before it's too late... my one year Bandiversary is less than a month away, so I'm not wasting any more time.

So. How much DO you make?

Zoe, I'm wearing your pants and blouse, but I only kept 1/2 of what you sent. I'm going to see if there's a Vegas chapter. I looked into it before but couldn't find one, but maybe things have expanded since then.

I like where this is going... Alexandra, how about if I modify my idea to tie in with Donali's newbie section, which will have a section for potential complications (right, Donali?) How's this: Could the registration process include something like, "click here to get started?" This would bring the newly registered member right to the newbie section, where all the commonly asked questions are right there. This all came to me because lately the new posts are flying by so fast that the good threads that go on for pages are purged so quickly. So many of the new posts are identical, so I think a lot of new people are posting things that don't get much attention.

Roly Poly bugs? Gawdddddd.... please tell me you swallowed them whole? Penni, get your head out of the gutter, I swear, for a change I wasn't even thinking dirty!

Alexandra, you can edit any questions you want. Not a problem with me at all. I trust your judgment to make it a good poll.

I gave it a good sleep and I think it would serve a very valid purpose. Sure, it might scare people away from getting the band, but at least all the warnings would be in one place. How would anyone new know about all the potential complications unless they posted a new thread asking everyone? If you do a search for "complications" you won't come up with everything.

Beth, that's the first time I heard the topic of stitching the stomach discussed. Did they say any more at the seminar that you can share? People don't always have symptoms. Three of my band buddies were getting normal fills under fluoroscopy when the fill doctor noticed the barium wasn't flowing through the band correctly. It's supposed to flow through the band, but with erosion the barium will flow "over" the side, sort of like a waterfall. Once they see that they schedule an endoscopy to confirm erosion. They usually remove the band at the same time as the endoscopy is done. So far, everyone that I know that had "suspected" erosion from seeing it under fluoro proved to really have it.

Today's the 6th, so I'm tap dancing in my cha-cha heels in honor of this day. Congrads, Nurse Penni Money!

LOVE LOVE LOVE the sun, Trish. I make purses, welding caps & slag rags. I'll post some pictures when I can. I love ceramics, great stuff!

Happy Birthday to you from your loved ones in Vegas, Baby!

I like Nicole's idea, too. But after 9 months go by, borrow a friend's baby and "accidentally" run into him and introduce him, "this is my son, I named him after you." Hee hee.

Megan, I'm confused. First you said you got the e-mail from wifey in the morn, but then you said today you were e-mailing throughout the day? Are you sure one of his roommates aren't messing with you? I think you need to call him and ask him if it's true. That e-mail from his supposed wife doesn't look legit to me because it doesn't even call you a slut, it's just a friendly e-mail. Mad wives don't send pleasant e-mails to their husbands' mistresses. I think you should do a little sniffing around. There's still a chance that he really cares about you. Maybe he has a stalker ex-girlfriend that he's trying to protect you from... all I'm saying is to find out the truth before hating him. Then if he's lying, hang him by the balls. Go for the revenge.

I read on another thread that Ortiz trained Lopez. That's a lie. I don't know why there's so much dishonesty connected to Mexico. There's no reason for it.

Port Number One is in a jar of formaldehyde lost somewhere in Mexico. Port Number Two is probably on some scientist's desk at Inamed in the "to do" pile. Has anyone seen my port?

I learned the hard way that we can't edit polls, so I can't change anything at this point. But I have to add a big disclaimer: THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT ACCURATE! It's just for fun. For example, a bunch of people have had their bands removed due to erosion lately, but Donali is the only one that still loves us enough (sniff sniff) to stay in our family and post here. But it's still interesting to see how much info we'll get. Also, a few people told me they won't participate in this poll because I chose to have the results public. Some people aren't comfortable saying anything negative, which I totally understand. I'll re-do this poll in a more professional and concise manner after a week or so, and I'll keep the results private. Thanks everyone for participating. It's a fun tool.

OMG, my mouth got all twisty watery with the pickle sandwiches because my friend, Tina, used to drink pickle juice - the whole jar of it! Donali, are you saying Coffee-Mate is better than Creamora when eaten plain? I also eat heavy whipping cream by the tablespoon when nobody's looking. And here's a GREAT one! Open a can of smoked oysters and pollute with hot sauce and mustard on crackers!

Paula, have I told you I LOVE you today? I bow down to any woman that will suck the head off of anything!

Digging around & found this... I gotta wonder, does Lupus cause the problems with the Band, or can the Band cause Lupus? Does that make any sense?

All this time I thought Lopez trained Ortiz. I honestly never knew Ortiz trained Lopez. I knew they were partners, but I was under the impression that Lopez had a lot more experience in bariatric surgery. If Ortiz did train Lopez, maybe he needs to sit in a few surgeries with Lopez to see if everything is being done correctly.

This was my first stab at a poll because lately I've been getting a lot of calls and private e-mails with new erosions, port removals, infections, etc., that I thought we need some type of poll. But I should have asked everyone to help me build the list of questions. You can only have 15 questions in a poll. Should we all make a better list and start all over? I can delete this one if you guys think it could be done better. Comments... feedback anyone?

Zoe, it's YOUR birthday but you send ME a present? I got the box today! Thank you, and a very happy happy happy birthday to you!

Hopeful, I wish I could help you, but the Band is only a tool that will restrict the feeling of being full. I'm struggling, too. All I can say is "Today is a New Day" and we can do something one day at a time. Just get through today, that's all you gotta do.

Okay, this is going to win the award for the GROSSEST LBT POST EVER, but I just gotta share. My best friend from highschool is a certifiable whacko. She was also one of those people who are horrified of using public bathrooms, and she was married for 7 years and never pooped while her husband was in the house. Once when we were roommates our plumbing went out, so I went potty in the next-door neighbor's apartment (no problem, I'm not ashamed of being human.) When I got home, Jill's face was beat red and she had the garbage disposer running and there was a chair by the sink. She refused to admit it, but she sat her ass on our kitchen sink and pooped into the garbage disposal!!!!! Till this day we still laugh over that, but I never used that side of the sink again.

I'm still trying to figure out if you eat the eyeballs when you suck them out. When I peel my shrimp, I devein them and take out that long strand of poop. If you suck the heads off of a crawfish, are you sucking in the poop stringy thingy like the vein in a shrimp?