mjensen1

Diane, Surgery Center of Richardson has done more lap-band procedures than any other facility in the world, according to Inamed, the company that makes the band. Dr. Jay is a great surgeon and his patients love him!

Carrie, good to see you here too! Terri, thanks for the welcome!

Because insurance companies have carved out lower payments on a procedure thats been performed for years and years. The band is still new, they havent made those carve-outs yet and have to pay out more. And tho youd think theyd approve you for a procedure that costs less, yes it does, in the long run. They are watching their profits THIS quarter, not three or four quarters down the road. The band is safer, less invasive and equally effective, so more people are likely to choose it over more invasive procedures. They would have to pay out more up front, before they realized the savings. The average person could change policies every 2.7 years, they might not realize the savings, so they put up all these hurdles and try to keep from approving. Really makes me want to work on lobbying our state representatives to make coverage for WLS mandatory!

Having worked with some of the best band surgeons in Texas and witnessing many fills, I am wondering if possibly he miscommunicated to you that he didnt want you to have more fill "right now" and didnt mean not ever. When they do the fill under fluro, they are looking to see how narrow the flow of barium is. Maybe yours is where he thinks it should be for now. That doesnt mean if you lose more weight it would not change. Sometimes the docs just arent clear when they speak. Also, from personal experience, I know that removing a small amount of Fluid and increasing your caloric intake can help boost your metabolism. My doc did this, unbeknownst to me, during a yearly EGD. Boy I was shocked when I lost down below my goal weight, thinking everything was the same as it always was. When he "confessed" that it was a little experiment to see if it really worked, I was surprised but pleased and relieved. I am in this for the long haul and hav always worried how the band could be managed for my lifetime. This makes perfect sense. I also found out later, and had confirmed by a surgeon who is also banded, that if you remove all the fluid and leave it out (my case - 6 weeks) then start putting it back in, you will have more restriction on a lesser amount of fluid. Again reassuring me I can manage my weight for the rest of my life. Hang in there!

Hey everybody, Im new to LBT, but been banded over three years 10/25/02. Highest weight 233, goal 147, current 143. Maintaining since 09/03. Worked as Lap-band coordinator for busiest lapband facility in the world, now represent a single surgeon. I love helping my bandbuddies reach their goals.

That will be a nice change!! Thanks for the welcome!

I was banded in College Station by Dr. Benavides and now work with him and several other excellent surgeons at Surgery Center of Richardson. It is so great to be able to help other people get banded, but sometimes its hard to just BE a bandster and get support when I need it. Looking forward to getting to know all of you!