Carrie

Awesome. You can do it, Next goal get under 210, then under 199!

Please let me know when the next one is. I may still be on liquids but it's really more about company these days rather than food.

I'm so happy for you that this experience was soooooo much better than last time. It's great to hear that the second crew was compassionate enough to understand the pure trauma you had been through before and respected and cared enough for you both as a patient and fellow human to make sure you were comfortable both physically and emotionally as one who had been put through what you had could possibly be. So rest on and before we know it your signature willl change, the scary story will be gone and you will be at goal.

I am in a desperate situation as I am trying to get the other half of my funding in a few days to secure a date to get this thing (lapband) out and a sleeve done. I came across a website called PatientSource.net and it all looks legit but for the weirdest reason it won't let me apply. I was wondering if it ws legit at that point. Anyone else use them and get approved? Is there a catch?

I named my band Pamela several years ago after Pamela Anderson. It's made mostly of silicone and saline and can be very bitchy depending upon the hour.

Mine is paying for band removal because I am having a lot of problems from my 5 year old dinosaur band causing weakening in my Esophagus. HOWEVER, they refused to pay for the sleeve. I am paying the difference between the two which is $8,000 and my insurance is paying for band removal at 100%. Of course because I've been on liquids for 6 months because of my band I want this done ASAP so I am still fighting to be reimbursed via insurance on the conversion to the sleeve. If you have BCBS many of them cover the Sleeve, however some such as mine consider it "experimental"

I have my pre-op class that Dr. Castro requires for folks having surgery all day this coming Thursday. At that time I will have a useless psych eval as I'm already on liquids mostly so what food am I exactly giving up for this surgery? lol I will also see Dr. Castro immediately afterward for my pre-op exam. The next day on Friday, I get blood and labs done at the hospital then it's nice and quiet until the day of surgery. I have to be there on the 26th at 8am for a 10am surgery!!! I'm getting nervous and excited all at once!

Hi all. I'm in Wylie. I am currently banded since 2005 but it's comin' out in about 9 days and I'll be sleeved then as well. :thumbup1:

I've had this stupid band for almost 5 years. The past 2 years have primarily been mushy and liquids with ZERO Fluid in my band. I'm on my third surgeon, the first had all his patients taken away from him, the second was just an extention of the first and refused to tell anyone how bad the first surgeon had messed up our bodies, covering for him. I went to a doctor who specializes in band to sleeve conversions recommended by a lady on here. She has the exact same insurance and criteria and apparently she will be getting a huge bill in the mail as I've tried to get in touch with her privatly but her insurance refused to pay her claim based on the codes they used to get the approval. She was approved but the doctor used a less specific code and apparently got "caught". So now the Office Manager type insurance lady at the doctor's office (who I freaking LOVE the doctor) is like oh you;re on this insurance yeah your friend, blah blah blah. Totally NONE of my business but I know. My insurnace approved removal of this torture device aka The Band but refused the sleeve procedure saying it was experimental. It was my old doctor's office who submitted the Pre-Qual and they used the ---75 code that I don't remember it all. The new insurance lady refuses to even try to file saying they have already denied me what's the point. I sent out my own awesome appeal yesterday and the new doc and insurnace company should get it soon. The new doctor offered to let me pay the difference but that's about $12,500!!!! For the doctor, anesthesia and 2 nights in the hospital, I offered to just show up for tests as needed because I don't live far but he is damanding two nights in the hospital. I'm really upset. I'm back on full liquids and can barely swallow meds yet I haven't had any fluid in my band for 3 years.

Looks like my band removal and conversion to VSG will take place on Thursday, August 26, 2010. My sweet Hubby's birthday. I would say it's his birthday present, but I'll save that for when I'm at goal and get my boobs done...lol.. I've lost most of the weight before and he loved me then and he loves me now. I am so blessed to have a hubby simply put, loves me for me, even the imperfect, not convient parts of me. I've known him for over 13 years and we have been married almost 9 years. It's nice to know that no matter how things ends up he supports me 100% no matter what and I the same. :crying: I do believe in true love. It's harder than hell to find and trust me I've been pretty close to it at times in other relationships. I want this surgery so I can watch my babies grow up and have babies. I want this surgery in order to be able to grow old with my husband, cause he's definately a keeper in my book.:lol0::thumbup::thumbup::lol0:

I still have a bit of comprehension (sp) in another bariatric surgery. I've had the Lap Band since 2005 and I'm considered to have a dinosaur band. What I am wondering are there any folks here who have been sleeved for over say 4 years? If so, how has things gone after the honeymoon period? Any common problems? I know a lot of times people are very active in forums then once they get fixed or lose weight they go along happily in their day to day life and the ones that mainly come here (that I've seen) are 2-3 years out at the most or pre-op like me. Thanks!

In your situation it's obvious you can't lie about what you have done. I would just say something like an Uncle who was obese saw you struggling and left you enough money to have the surgery. They don't need to be so far up your butt to know everything. If you are going in the medical field and it sounds like to be a doctor this is really just as much as an investment in your future as finishing medical school. It's tough to be 300lbs and tell your 180lb pt. to lose weight!! They are going to be thinking well you need to also, etc. I'd leave it as an inheritance and vague. Maybe through in a few tears of how awesome and close the "uncle" was. I know I'm horrible. :biggrin0:

You and I are on the same day. Wanna be my Sleeve Sista?

on this coming Thursday? I'll be there barely awake at 8am.. zzzz

My date is a few weeks out. I originally had the Lap Band back in 2005 and went from 297lbs at surgery down to the 160's. My husband and I had been married for 4 years at that time and we had our first child who had just turned 10 months old. About 6 months after I had my band put in my husband had his put in. He lost 20 pounds to this day. At this time we are both banded. I'm consistantly in the 220's and he is over 350lbs. He has promised me if I am successful and happy with this surgery he will follow me again and have the sleeve done. We didn't have any problems with me being "successful" with the band and especially with him not being successful. We have since had another baby, so we have two kids under the age of 5 and intead of weight loss, we are much more concerned about the health we have and our ability to provide our babies with a happy and active childhood. He loved me fat, he loved me thin, he loves me fat again. I think if your connection is more than just physical and at a deep enough level then it will last. I'm not a person who goes out, I have my babies at home and I have the rest of my life to go "out" but my babies won't be babies forever. That's just my experience with the weight loss and our relationship. I wish you guys the best.

Anyone else have the same date looking for a buddy?

Is anyone welcome at the group or only Baylor patients?

Who had the 1k worth of origination fees? The company u went with or Surgeryloans.com

I'm not actually with Dr. Aceves at the moment. I've had problems with my insurance (who hasn't!) and been exploring my options. I couldn't get a final number from the office manager as my insurance did approve my band to be removed by declared the usual "investigational" crud on the sleeve portion. My US surgeon is Dr. Manuel Castro in Dallas, he is going to do the band removal under insurance and while he's in there he will convert me from band to sleeve for $4,500 and I'll have to pay another $3,500 to the hospital for a 2 night stay and extra anesthesia. So out of pocket it looks like I'll end up paying 8k for both the removal and sleeve. I have half the money, looking to get the other half now.