aubrie

I can't beleive it. It's really happening and now I'm scared to death. I couldn't sleep last night. Will be having the band put in on the 19th!!!:clap2::whoo: Of course this means I will be miserable and dining on Jello for Thanksgiving, :hungry: but it's worth it. I started this journey in December of last year. I thought my doctor could just order it. Ha!! Aetna required a 6 month diet and also several other "requirements". :faint:So we started the nightmare. I finished in June and was ready to schedule my surgery for July. Plenty of time to be healed and have a substancial weight loss before I went home for Christmas for the 1st time in 4 years. Not so. Aetna just had to rain on my parade. :rain: I was denied and devastated.:think I can't remember when I was so depressed. I ate myself silly and gained back my 6 month loss. Not much mind you, as this has been the reason for the band all along, but I still had lost about 12 pounds. After the depression and hopelessness passed, I got MAD. :angry It took 5 months, but I did it!!!!! :bounce:This time next week I'll be in bandland. WOO HOO!!!!:clap2: Now for my question.... When I go home for Christmas, I will still be in the mushy stage. NOT what I had planned. I told my family about the surgery last year and my Mom was hysterical. I finally told her I changed my mind, so they don't know, and I don't want to ruin a long awaited trip with their comments and criticism. Any suggestions on how to hide it? I'll be a week away from full diet. Sucks doesn't it? Am I kidding myself? Mashed potatos and egg nog are the only things I can think of that will be "legal". And even egg nog is not really legal. Lord, think of the fat and sugar!!! :help::help::help::help:

It amazes me how different doctors are. I don't have a pre-op liquid diet. My doctor says that all that liquid stuff weakens you, and he needs his patients at full strength, and fully nourished to start the healing process properly. So I just have to eat three well balanced meals a day for two weeks with LOTS of FRESH fruit and vegetables and LEAN protien. So I have one day of liquids prior to surgery. After surgery I have 2 days of clear liquids, then 2 weeks of full liquids, then 4 weeks of mushies. This seems to be different from everybody.

Okay. I just clicked on this post by accident and it's looking like I might be very glad I did. I have cysts. Several of them. They are intermittantly very painful. I have brown splotches on my face, and my facial skin went from smooth to feeling literally like sandpaper. I have a lot of soft blond hair growing on my face near my ears and upper lip. My hair became dry and brittle. I had a hysterechtomy about 3 years ago. I had tumors growing inside the walls of my uterus. I had them for some time. I had sonos and the little cameral put inside to look several times and they couldn't find anything, but my uterus was the size of a 5 month pregnancy. they didn't find the tumors until AFTER it was removed and they dissected it. Gross, I know, and I apologize. Long story short. the face stuff and the cysts I got AFTER my surgery. (I still have ovaries) I have gained massive amounts of weight, and truly don't have the eating habits that would explain this. I asked my doctor about PCOS and he frowned and said, no you don't have that. He didn't even check. He gives me hormones about once a year for 6 weeks to shrink the cysts. they go away, but ALWAYS come back. why wouldn't he check me for this? By what you all say, it sounds like what I have. Can I demand a test? I was afraid I had ovarian cancer or something. I demanded a test for that, and the doctor refused several times. He said that the tests are not very reliable for that, and if I get a false positive he will be obligated to do exploratory surgery, and he was certain I just have cysts since they shrink with hormone therapy. Are there any physicians or nurses out there that can comment on this???????

Chickie, all I have to say is WOW!!! My only wish is that I was 27 again. My fear is that after I lose all my weight, even if I have cosmetic surgery, will it still look okay on a 48 year old???

they denied me because they said my doctor's 6 month documentation "wasn't good enough". that's when I had all my other doctors write letters and send documentation of other problems I was having. I had my OB/GYN document my stress incontinence, my cardiologist document my heart problems and high blood pressure, I had a sleep study done, and had my Rhumetolgist document the deterioration of my knees and hips from the weight. After that appeal, how could they refuse?

I go in for surgery on Monday. I'm terrified. I've been having nightmares about razor blades and all kinds of gross stuff. It's not like me to be such a weinie. I saw my doctor today for pre-op. He helped a little, and he's such a doll!!! If he's the last thing I ever see, I couldn't complain!! LOL

My fills are covered for the first 90 days on Aetna. Then I pay $175 for a fill. I don't know if my insurance covers them after that.

I just got approved as well, after 11 months of trying!!! I'm scared to death, but happy. I go in on Monday, 11/19. I hope I have what it takes...

Had my pre-op visit with the doc today. He told me if I was REALLY really good and showed some good progress, he may let me have a bite of turkey for Christmas. Woo Hoo!!!

MOM2KNK I'm getting banded by Dr. Craig Chang in Victoria, Texas.

Good question Missy!! I HATE artifical sweetners and refuse to eat them. They also make me sick. I get violent headaches and I've read to much BAD stuff about it to start now. How will this affect my loss? I don't eat a lot of sweets to begin with, but do like sugar in my coffee, and real yougurt etc. what do I do?

I graduated from SWTSU in 1981. Oldie but a goodie!!! I loved San Marcos too. I even went to graduate school for a year. I didn't want to leave, then I got married and didn't finish. Big mistake. It is wonderful to get to visit when I see my son. He's having a good time too. His older brother is so jealous.... Wow! there are lots of Bobcats out there!!

Tifferoni!!! I'm getting banded next week on the 19th and my son goes to Texas State!!! He lives in Butler Hall. I am also an alumni of Texas State.... Although it was Southwest Texas State when I went to school there. What are you studying? How do you like it? I would LOVE to correspond with you and be an alumni support cheerleader for your journey. I hope to hear from you.

I'm getting my band on the 19th. I'm going home for Christmas and am not telling my family about the surgery. I told my mom months ago and she went hsyterical with worry. She's almost 70 so I don't want to worry her so I told her I changed my mind. Suggestions on how I'm going to hide the fact that I did it if I'm on mushies until New Years?????

Even after the 6-week progressive, post-op diet is over, there are a few things my doctor will NOT allow. ever. period. 1. soda or carbonated drinks (this includes beer 2. nuts with papery shells on the outside 3. popcorn 4. anything with whole peppercorns

I finally took out a medical/surgical loan through Capital One. For me it was only 1.99% interest on the $3000 extra I needed. I set it up on payments for 18 months. It took about 10 minutes to get approved. It was a snap and solved the problem. So I'm having my surgery on the 19th! WOO HOO!!! :)

Even after doing the 6 month diet, and everything else they required, I STILL got denied. I appealed and now 5 months later and having danced through more hoops I finally got approved. I'm having my band done on the 19th. From start to finish it took me 11 grueling months. Even with all this, they will only pay $1085. I have to pay the doctor $3000 out of my pocket on top of all this greif. Aetna sucks.

My doc doesn't require liquid pre-op either. I have to watch for only 5 days. He says that's all it really takes. His opinion, is if you know what you're doing that's all it takes. I was so relived to hear it. I'm having mine on the 19th.

I forgot to add to my post above that the doctor also said he only includes one year of follow up for self pay. Insurance patients only get 90 days of follow up. that doesn't even include your first fill really.... I was so upset. Do I trust this guy? Someone please explain what UltraGreek and my doctor is up to. It sounds really fishy.

OH MY GOD!!! this is like reading my own post. I had the EXACT same thing happen to me yesterday. I was stunned. I FINALLY got approval after months of doing backflips, and then an appeal. I got approved and called my doctor on cloud 9 to schedule the procedure. They then tell me that I will have to pay the doctor $3,000 up front before I even set foot in the hospital. They say that Aetna doesn't pay enough, and that I have to make up part of the difference. They "claimed" that Aetna would only pay him $1085. I had to pay $3,000 and they would write off $1915. I called Aetna and was on the phone with them for 2 and a half hours!!! I provided the procedure code given me by the doctor, and they told me over and over again, department after department, same story, that the reasonable and customary amount they pay a doctor from that area was $6000. What the hell? What was he complaining about? did he think I wouldn't ask? Now Aetna is suspicious. this has really turned into a nightmare. What do I do????

My doctor only requires 5 days of pre-op diet. He feels that lack of proper nutrition prior to a surgery will prolong the healing process. If your body is stressed and then stressed further with surgery, it will take longer to heal. I asked about shrinking the liver, and he felt that he could achieve the level he needed in 5 days. He stated that if you know what you're doing you don't need more than that.

I have Aetna POS II as well. they have treated me like &%$#. I'm going through an appeal now. I did the 6 month diet, had sleep studies, ($100) went to a dietician ($100), had my rhumetolgist document the pain in my knees, hips and spine resulting from weight, my OB/GYN stated it caused my stress incontinence to be worse, during that 6 month diet my blood pressure meds had to be increased, and I was denied. Went back and did a psych evaluation and also had my heart doctor send records and documentation about my heart for the appeal. If I don't get approved this time I'm getting an attorney. Good luck. I HATE Aetna.

This is definately something to ponder. When I told my husband I wanted to get banded, I thought he would have a fit. His comment about it hit me square in the head. He said, I think it's a great idea, because it would break my heart to see you in a wheel chair in a few years. I'm only 48. A few years? Yes, my blood pressure is going up FAST, my knees hurt, my back hurts, my hips ache, but a wheelchair? I knew he was right. I saw on CNN this morning that several studies are now showing that cancer is directly linked to obesity. Wow. Who the hell wants that? Diabetes runs in my family, but only those who are obese have it. The others who watch their weight are fine. DUH!!!! In answer to your question.... Heck yeah obesity will cause you to shorten your life. And what life you do have will be a miserable quality. Now I can't get the surgery fast enough. I'm fightiing an appeal with my insurance at the moment. which makes NO sense. Surely the insurance companies must know that obestiy will cost them untold millions in unnecessary medical bills for associated ills. What is their problem? This has the potential to save them mega millions in claims and mega millions of lives and they still give everyone grief. I have a word for this, but I'm to much of a lady to use it!!

Margie, Hang in there sweetie. I just got denied a few weeks ago myself. I had one HELL of a pity party and meltdown. It's one reason I have put off the lap-band for so long. I didn't think I could face the letdown if I was denied. Well, I was. I did get depressed and gained all my pre-surgery weight back, but with the help of the folks on this message board, I appealed. so we are going for round two. My surgeon sent in 28 pages of documentation and ALL my doctors wrote letters to Aetna. If I'm denied again, I'll call Walter. I want my life back damn it!! I deserve to live like a normal person. So, I'm squaring my shoulders, gritting my teeth and holding my head up. You GO GIRL!!!!!

Our group goes around the circle and everyone says who they are and share if they want to. They share all kinds of stuff. Their current weight loss, recipes, upsets, setbacks, questions, inspire others. It just depends. You don't have to talk if you don't want to.