badonkadonkbutt

The doc isn't requiring me to be on a pre-op diet other than 24hrs before, but my insurance says I have to lose 5% of my weight before surgery can be officially scheduled......Lovely

Well, I went to my surgeon yesterday and I am tentatively scheduled for August which is exactly when I wanted to be banded to begin with!! I just three more months of weight loss specific appts with my PCP for insurance purposes to go! I can't wait :clap2: . It seems so real now!!

Marti, I am in the same place you are. I just had my consult with the surgeon and am looking at an August surgery date. I weighed the options too, but lapband just kept winning for me so lapband it is. Congrats on making the choice to get healthy with us!!

Thanks!! I am so excited. I am actually even excited about losing the insurance required weight. I can't wait to go grocery shopping tonight!!

that would be cool bigthunder!! I am so excited..:whoo:..can't wait..:whoo:..to be banded.... :biggrin1:

Oh my....I am so sorry to hear you are sick. I don't know what to say, I am sure some of the others that have been banded already may have some suggestions. I just wanted you to know I will add you to my prayers.

That is awesome BigThunder!! Keep us posted on when your date is :biggrin1: I have my consult tomorrow and will be walking in the door with almost all of my insurance requirements. I am starting to get nervous :phanvan I just want the ball to get rolling. My insurance requires me to lose 5% up front, so I just want to get a jump on it. :high5:

A 12lb baby....your my idol! I have a 5, 3, and 2 year old at home....they keep me hopping too! Hmmm You would think I would be thinner....hehehehe

Hang in there dxeln! It will be soon if you have all of that done!

Oh thanks for the comment tann!! I, like you have had 3 c-sections and was wondering how the surgery compared to them.....I think though after you have kids, your tolerance for pain is much higher

I am still in the beginning process too. It really depends on if you plan to self pay or use insurance. Also, what I am learning already....be pushy. For example, I want to be banded in late July/August. My insurance requires a psych eval. I have been told that the doctor they will recommend I go to takes 2-3 months to get you in.....I don't think so I may have to self pay to go somewhere else to get in sooner, but it will move things along if I do. Also, if you are using insurance, keep in contact with them. Try to get one point person to talk to. This will keep things straight and always try to get everything in writing. One more thing, when you go to your consult, I have been told to take as much insurance required documentation as possible. This will help them determine a time line for you as well.

Ok, I need some help with my pre-op diet :help: I go on Thursday for my first consult with the doctor and according to my insurance, before I can submit everything for evaluation, I have to lose 5% of my body weight. I am panicking :faint: . Obviously if I could lose weight on my own I wouldn't be in this position. I have yo yoed like everyone else and am really just confused at this point. I don't know how many calories I should be eating, carbs, Protein etc. I have to drop about 15 lbs before I can have the surgery and want to do it in a healthy yet quick way. I have done Weight Watchers in the past, but it took me almost 4 months to drop 25lbs.....I know this sounds terrible, but that isn't good enough for me...plus I was starving all the time on it. I think I need to eat more protein but am just not sure how much. I currently weigh about 280 and need your help! If anyone can help point me in the right direction with some guidelines, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks faithmd, I appreciate all the help I can get! I will also call and find out about the weight loss thing to see how much I truly have to lose.

Awesome information guys! Putting things aside, with bypass you may lose the weight faster, but that isn't necessarily a good thing. With the band, you will lose slower allowing your body the chance to change with it. This may help lessen the need for plastic surgery later on......surgery that often insurance does not pay for and can be very painful. Your young, your age is going to work for you here in regards to elasticity. I have been contemplating the same decision as you and am definitely leaning towards the band.

I can do that.....I am worried about being hungry. Does eating more protein help with that?

Okay, I am starting to panic a bit myself....:help: I have to lose 5% of my body weight before insurance will let me go ahead and have surgery. I go to the surgeon on Thursday and starting then, the quicker I lose the weight, the better off I will be. I am terrified. I obviously have no idea how to lose the weight. I have done WW, Atkins, Southbeach, etc. in the past and have a very hard time with it....obviously, that is why I am looking at the surgery. I am so confused now as to how many calories, fat, Protein I should eat, that I don't even know where to start now to lose the pre-op weight. If anyone can help point me in the right direction with some guidelines to follow to help me, I would really appreciate it. I am ready to diet again. I have put myself on hold for too long due to frustration and now I am ready to go....just don't know how to.

You guys have a good holiday too! I won't be able to check in for a couple days...what am I going to do without everyone! hehehe

Good Luck! keep us posted!

AWESOME!!! You should be so proud of yourself!!

Somewhat of the same thing has happened to me Eficka. I have been trying to lose weight for years and yo yo up and down. My girlfriend was heavy too and became obsessed with it. She dropped about 80lbs and became buff. Because I didn't, I am no longer good enough for her to talk to. I approached her about it and she denied that was the reason she couldn't make time for me anymore. I can't wait to lose my weight and see if her tone changes.......too little too late.

Thanks Renebean....I am preparing for the fight. I am stockpiling info for my consult so that if there is any question as to why I want lapband over bypass, I will be ready to fire..........a woman with a goal is nothing to mess with ! hehehe

Shelli16415, if you get a chance, I sent you a personal email! We need to talk!!

I am worried because my insurance has a statemtent in it to the effect of 'banding will be done if patient is deamed not able to undergo a more invasive surgery such as RNY.' If they give me a hard time about it, I am going to fight tooth and nail for the band. Personally, it makes more sense to me in both the short and the long term.

Shelli16465, I want to lose 110-130lbs. There were so many people in last months meeting! It was kind of weird though....everyone was looking around at each other trying to guess if they were pre-op or post. But everyone had really good questions. (I went the first Wed. last month). What a small world though....I work in Jamestown New York! I can't wait to meet him!

He is really nice! I went to my first support group meeting last month and learned so much. I have my pre-op consult with him on April 12th (next week!! I am so excited). I have almost all of my insurance requirements met except I have to lose 5% of my weight but can't start that until I meet with him on the 12th and I need 1 more visit to have my 6 PCP weight loss visits in. He seems to be so caring, I really already feel comfortable with him. Do you go to the meetings on the 2nd Wed. of the month? I am planning to go next wednesday.