hopeful1

Blossom, We'll have to compare notes as we go along. Good luck to you too.

Hi Tanya, Hang in there. I never thought I'd get approved either. The four months it took seemed like an eternity now it's done and surgery is just around the bend. Keep on trying. Denise

Iluvharleys - Just realized you're being banded tomorrow!! Good luck. Let us know how you are. Denise

Thanks for the congrats and encouragement everyone. Can't wait till the 28th. Cissylea, where in Colorado are you? I have a lapband friend from Grand Junction (she sometimes posts here as well) who came over to Dr. Johnell in Greeley to be banded. I live in Berthoud and had a co-worker who had gastric bypass with him who's done very well. I chose him because he does more lapbands than other WLS doctors in this state. It took me 4 months to get approved but it was a combination of paper work mess ups and such. Usually he's pretty fast and once I was approved the surgery was scheduled for three weeks later. Live2canoe, I finally responded to your private message. I didn't even know I could get those! I'm such a rookie at this. Anyway like I said I live in Berthoud and work there as well. I've been at the same bank for 10 years but with three different owners! Lovemeacb4e, I'm sorry to hear you're discouraged. That's a little scary for us waiting to be banded. I guess I worry most about that phase right after banding and before a fill when everyone around you is expecting you to be losing like a gastric bypass patient! I'm surprised you're eating solids too. I don't think my doctor advises that. I'm 52, 5'4" and depending which scale I get on weigh anywhere from 244 to 250! I've had a weight problem most of my life and dieted since I was 13. It just got out of control when I got over 40 and I've been powerless to stop it. I've gained nearly 50 lbs. the last 10 years and I was already 60-70 lbs. overweight before that. Scary. I sure hope this works. Thanks all, Denise/hopeful1

Hi everybody, A hen party at the hospital sounds like a plan. I've got your date on my calendar Maurine and hope I can get up there. My daughter is leaving for Florida the 6th. Will you still be there then? I haven't heard anything from my insurance except that they're still reviewing it. How long can that take? Gee whiz it's probably less than 10 pages of information. I'm just VERY discouraged at this point. My sister just told me she lost 37 lbs. on her own and it makes me wonder why I can't do this myself and not rely on surgery. The success stories I've heard are so encouraging. I just think of the band as my last chance. Becky - my daughter did a little photography at the Recorder one summer and one of my ex-coworkers worked there awhile too - Kathy Karpiel. Did you know her? It is a small world. Keep us posted with your continued success and maybe we'll meet up at the hospital. Ginni/barelythere - haven't heard from you lately. How's the move going? Lakewood is not far from my daughter in Westminster. Denise

Anyone out there been banded by Dr. Johnell in Greeley, Colorado? I'd like to hear about your experience if you're willing to share. hopeful1

Hi Maurine, It's me, Denise. I 'm glad you're logging in to this site. As you can see Chickadee/Becky has shared lots of info about her procedures with Dr. Johnell and seems to be very happy (and successful too!). I just want a positive answer so I can join the group! :mad: Keep me posted.

I am now in the appeals process with my insurance despite the fact that my first denial was because "somebody" misplaced some key parts of my application (testing, Psych eval, etc.). Anyway, I know there's a great appeal letter on this forum somewhere, written by Alexandra I think, but I'll be darned if I can find it. Can anyone help please? Thanks much, hopeful1

Thanks Marie, I found the appeal letter and printed it out. Couldn't have found it without your help. I just hope I don't have to use it. I sent my insurance contact a new "chart" of my last 4 years dieting attempts and of course forgot something. For awhile I was on wellbutrin to see if it might suppress my appetite. It didn't. They wanted more detail than was on my previous submission. I haven't heard from them or the doctor's office so I'm still just waiting and praying for the hoped for answer. You guys are doing so well it just makes me all the more impatient. I "met up" with chickadee on this site who was banded by the surgeon I'm hoping to have do mine. She is so pleased with her results. Can't wait to be one of you. Denise :mad:

ginni Where are you working when you move to Denver - or are you here already? Lakewood can be pretty expensive. Do you have any other options? The further out of the city the less expensive usually. Let me know how you're doing with your move. Denise

Hi Becky, I know where Lyons is - it's very pretty there. I live in Berthoud so we're not too far apart. I actually have some customers there. That arterial blood gas test doesn't sound like fun. Did they numb the area for you first? It certainly sounds like you are very happy with your decision. You are doing just awesome. I think your "no diet" tactic sounds great. For once in your life to not have to really think about a "diet" would be wonderful. I've been thinking I'd try to stick to Weight Watchers or something and I may still. I'm one of those that needs some kind of plan for what I'm doing. (If I ever get there!) I got no answers from either Dr. Johnell's office or the insurance yesterday and it's getting rather worrisome. I'll just keep bugging them I guess until I get the hoped for answer. Thanks Denise:)

Congratulations Babs, You've done AWESOME!! I haven't seen the underside of 200 in over 10 years! I am sure hoping to get there too. When were you banded? Post some photos - you must be looking just incredible. hopeful1

More questions, I forgot to ask what physical tests you have to have done prior to the surgery? I have only had a glucose, thyroid, and some test for the stomach. I've heard some horror stories about some pretty awful tests. Scary. :sick thanks Denise

barelythere I'm not sure Dr. Johnell does fills for other doctor's patients. I think one of his other prospective patients told me he doesn't. But he's not the only doctor in the Denver area that does the lapband. He's just the closest one to me (he's in Greeley) and the one I've heard the most about. You could sure check with his office and see though. Where are you moving near Denver? He does have many support group meetings too. They want you to feel really prepared and supported when you have surgery with him so that you're ready to change and then keep your habits changed! Chickadee It's so nice to hear from a Johnell lapbander I have only heard good things about him. I had a co-worker who had gastric bypass with him and he has done really well too. 53 lbs. since April is really impressive! I hope I can be so successful. You know I'm one of those that thinks I'll be the only one who doesn't lose weight. How hard was it for you to curtail your previous eating habits? Did you have to lose some lbs. prior to surgery? Were you on liquids immediately after? I've been waiting since July for an answer from my insurance. I actually had my visits with Dr. Johnell's office in June!! It seems somewhere in the shuffle the insurance misplaced all my test records, psych eval, etc. so Karen had to refax it all over to them just a week or so ago. I am now very impatient I'll tell ya. Especially since I hear all these success stories. I want to be one of them too! Do you live near Greeley? Keep in touch ladies, Denise

Hi Lucky, Colorado is a wonderful place to live but I think it's fairly expensive for housing. My two daughters live just outside Denver, one in Westminster and one near Aurora and both pay about $850-$900 a month for a two bedroom, two bath apartment. There are a lot of apartments for rent and they got theirs for a discount. What kind of a job is your daughter thinking of taking? Thanks for the encouragement. Denise

Blossom Don't feel bad. I did the same "eat all you want" thing too when I made up my mind to get the surgery - and I'm not even approved yet! So now I have 10 more lbs. to lose too that I didn't have before. hopeful1

Thanks for your reply and encouragement. I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. Sometimes it's a few weeks between visits with the "group". 95 lbs is wonderful! You should be extremely proud of yourself. I'm 120 lbs. overweight and would be happy with about 75 off - who am I kidding I'd be thrilled with 75! :banana I'd be happy to just see the underside of 200! If you have any tips you'd like to share I'd love to hear them. Denise

One more congratulations to ya Marie! You have to be so proud of yourself. :Bunny Biking is something I'd really like to get back into if I ever get approved!! We have a very nice bike trail not far from here that's about 14 miles long. I had to laugh when you said you'd be the one to take a zero rather than give an oral report. I actually did that once in high school too. Who'd have thought I'd have grown up to be a teacher for awhile?! Wish me luck on an approval sometime in this century so I can become a "biker mama" too. Thanks for all the encouragement you give to us "wannabes". hopeful1

Thanks for replying barelythere. When did you have your surgery? I am waiting for an answer from my insurance. Dr. Johnell's office is probably going to have to resend all my records as it seems Great West has "misplaced" them. Let me know how you're doing. hopeful1

Thank you all for your input on this one. You've said exactly what I needed to hear. I WILL lose weight. I will HAVE to change some of my habits - the band will make me do that. Thanks Leatha for reminding me to take one bad habit at a time. You guys have all done an awesome job and I can't wait until I can see that happening to me too. My doctor's office has everybody's paperwork messed up at the moment and I'm not getting an answer as to whether my insurance company has everything or not. It's very discouraging to say the least especially when I'm revved to go! I can see why everyone loves this group. Thanks Denise

I have to say it's a little scary to read some of these posts. I haven't been banded yet and worry I'll be the only one that won't lose any weight. It is hard to change such old habits. How do we get beyond this? I see such a wide range of weight losses and wonder how some do so well and others not. If it's all in how you approach it what makes the band any better than anything else we've tried? hopeful1

You guys have voiced the same fears I have. I am always sure I'll be the only one that banding won't work for. I am worried that my head is not in the right place or won't stay in the right place. And yes whippledaddy I too binged just after I'd made my decision to go ahead with the banding. I didn't realize I was doing it until the scale was up 10 lbs.!! Now I have been asked by the doctor to lose 12 lbs. and am having a hard time doing it. Thanks for all the suggestions and stories that make me feel I'm not alone while I wait for the insurance to give me a positive answer. Denise:nervous

Oh, and thank you Marie for reminding me of what I should be doing. I've had a hard time getting on that wagon. My doctor wanted me to lose 12 lbs. prior to surgery and I'm only about half way there.

New Hope, I just received my first denial letter today and I think (hope) what it's saying is the insurance doesn't have all my information and tests. My insurance required a psych eval, nutritionist visit, and some other tests - thyroid, glucose. I had heard they required documentation of 6 months of dieting under a doctor's supervision. I had proof of maybe 3 or 4 mos. at WW. Excess weight is 120 lbs., BMI is 42.5(?). I do have (17 yrs.) hypothyroidism and take synthroid and hope that's not the problem. But to get to the point - why did it take you eight months to get approved? P. S. Our insurance just approved a co-worker for gastric bypass with no problems. I do think we are self-insured but with Great-West.

My letter does say "Denial" but then it goes on to explain that the insurance doesn't have certain things that they require. It doesn't say the surgery isn't covered. I guess that's why it was confusing. I did call the surgeon's insurance gal today and haven't gotten an answer back yet. So I remain... hopeful1:)