Emilie1

My son is going to be so dissappointed. He was planning his whole 12th birthday around that movie. I will have to break the news to him when he wakes up. At least one of us gets to sleep in.lol

My vote for the is for the smashing pumpkins.

Is there any test for fatty liver ahead of time. My surgeon said that I did not need a preop diet because my BMI was not high enough. It is 43 and I have seen people with lower ones than that need the preop diet. I have lost weight since I decided to do this about 20lbs, and will continue to try to loose till my date in October. I hope this is enough. I would be devastated to be opened up and sent home with out the band.

Who is your insurance? I am not required to wait six months also and was wondering what your insurance did require from you?

Hi, I also have Cigna, but have not been banded yet. I have a few more test before it is sent for approval. Anyway, I think what you pay is based on what type of plan you have. My plan will cover everything, all I pay is Dr copays and a hospital copay. Cigna should be able to tell you exactly what you will have to pay. I have called them a million times to check on what I need to qualify and they have always been easy to talk to. Good luck.

I decided in June that I wanted to be banded and since then have been researching and practicing how to eat. I figured if I could not commit to eat right before surgery the band might not work for me. I chew and chew almost all of the time.(sometimes I forget, but usually not for more than a bite or two) After I have chewed it to death I start to swallow and then (this is gross) spit it back up and chew a little more. I see it like a bird feeding its babies. One thing I agree with is that I tend to loose interest in eating or it is just not as enjoyable. Oh also, since June(about two months now) I have lost 21 lbs. Yea:thumbup:!

for the October bandsters to get started. I am planning to be banded on October 13th if all goes well. I have my psyc evaluation this week and am getting my 5 year weight history from Drs to send to the surgeon . My BMI has to be 40 for 5 years and/or 100 lbs over ideal weight for five years I am not sure about #1, but am sure that I have been 100 over for the past five years so I should get approval easily. Once I get it all in I will keep you posted on my insurance approval hopefully it will come quickly, if not I will be calling a bugging them constantly.

Thanks for all the great information. I did see a nutritionist and plan to see another one before surgery. The one I saw was not very impressive every question I had she referred me back to the Dr. She basically just told me what products I would be using after surgery. I plan to use the sippy cup because I to am a gulper of liquids especially when I am thirsty. I plan to try to be at least at 900 calories for the liquid part if I can I will make it more. I just don't know if I can drink that many calories.

My insurance also does not require a six month wait. Where in texas are you? Can you go to another Dr? What is your insurance? It is rare that you do not have to have the six month wait and that is probably why your dr. is telling you to do it they just are not use to seeing it not done.

I come to this site everyday to read what others are posting about their bands. I read questions and concerns that others have. Sometimes I even have information to offer(but not often as I am not a bandster yet). If I gett approved by my insurance I plan to be banded in October. I should have everything submitted to Insurance by next week.(I hope) Right now my obsession is the post op diet, how to make it as easy as possible for something so hard. I know how much Fluid I need to take to keep hydrated and how much Protein I need, but how many calories do I need? How do I get all of those calories in and keep my intake sugar free. I was planning on reg. Gatorade, but just read that it has to much sugar. I am planning to have the same thing every day at the same time to make sure that I stay consistent and get everything I need nutritionally. Oh yea I just read a post about someone who used a sippy cup to make sure they did not drink to fast, I had never thought about that, but it sounds like a great idea, slower than a straw which was what I was going to use. Well thanks for letting me rattle on about my obsessions.

I am not banded yet, but have/had three kidney stones in each kidney. I was told to make sure that I drink lots of lemonade. I make it myself with lemon juice and splenda or sweet and low. I drink four eight oz cups a day and have not passed a stone in a year. Don't know what happen to the stones they may still be there. I asked at my nutrition consult about the lemonade and she told me to ask the Dr. I believe my kidney stones were a combination of dehydration and untreated UTI. I to am concerned about staying hydrated after being banded and also how my new stomach will tolerate the lemonade.

Shelly, I am not banded yet but am trying to get everything done for my insurance to pay for it. I think(but am not 100% sure) that your insurance company will require proof of your 6 month diet which would mean a claim once a month for six months from you Dr. You can check with your insurance company and see what they require and exactly how they want it. That is what I am doing. Good luck and I am sure someone else will have more information on the letter to the insurance.

Does anything make it easier? Also the liquid and full liquid thing...how soon after surgery are you usually hungry? Leslie or anyone else is there anything you can look back on and say if you had done it different it would have been easier in any way? I am nont being banded until October, but want to be as prepared as possible. I love this site it has answered all of my questions and even motivated me to go to one of my Dr.'s siminars which in the begining I was not going to do.

Why is your wait so long? Have you called the insurance company to see if they have all of the information that they need? Some where on here I read that the surgens office can cause delays by not sending in all of the required information. Good luck and remember you can always call and see where your referal is at with the insurance.

Hey in San Antoino, who is doing your surgery? I am seeing Dr. Cavazos there, but am from Austin area. Good luck on your surgery.

I also have cigna and have been told four times now that I do not need a six month diet. I do need to have a five year history of having a BMI of 40 or above or having a BMI of 35 or greater and being 100lbs over my ideal weight. There might be one period of time where I was not 100lbs over my ideal weight, but it was only for a very short period of time. I just hope that CIGNA does not turn around and tell me that I need the six month diet. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Thanks......

Paula where in Tx are you from. I am starting on my journey also and am planning to get my band in October if all goes well. Good luck on yours and let us know how it goes...

I am just getting started on my journey. I had my first consult with the Dr on July 18th. I need to have an upper GI done and a psyc evaluation. My upper GI is done and my psyc eval is next week. If everything is good I hope to get approved asap and be banded in October. My insurance has said that I don't need to have a six month diet I really hope they do not come back and say that they were mistaken. I will keep you updated..... Thanks for the info on Dr. Cavazos.

Hi finally I have found someone who has been banded by Dr. Cavazos. What was your experience like? Did you like him? Have you had a fill was he able to acsess your port easily? Any info would be apprciated I am trying for an October band if everything goes well. Emilie

Mindy, I did get your email. Thanks I am not sure if I know how to email you back with out going through the board. I am not very computer savy. I am right outside of Austin, actually half way between Austin and Bastrop. I am planning to be banded in October if everything goes well. I am gearing up for it trying to make sure that I am as prepared as I can be. I have about a billion questions but cant always think of them when I am on here. I have started writing them down so I can ask as I go.

Has anyone heard of him? Has anyone been banded by him? Please let me know....Thanks Emilie

I am going to be banded in San Antonio in a couple of months. My Dr is Cavazos at N.E. Baptist wondering if you have ever heard of him.

Has any one gone to or heard Dr Cavazos in San Antonio. Any feed back would be great thanks.

Hi, I am not banded yet, but constantly thinking about how I am going to make it through the liquid and mushie phase afterwards. One of my favorite recipes is a Soup with cauliflower it is wonderful and I believe definetly doable. You bake your cauliflower with onions and garlic and olive oil. Then you boil it in chicken broth you will probably do that a little longer with the band because you want it real soft. You put the veggies and broth(cooled alittle) in the blender and blend it till it is smooth. The original recipe calls for heavy cream but I am thinking the low carb milk or maybe skim milk. I have not started looking into powders and stuff to add protien if you know of any please let me know. Thanks and hope you enjoy Emilie

I am planning to be banded in Oct. Since I have decided to do this(June 10th) I have lost about 15lbs. I know when I have the surgery that I will probably loose more and between now and then also. My question is has anyone ever waited a very long time for a fill because they were loosing ok with out one? How long can the band stay in with out having to be filled? Also once every thing is healed and before a fill how much restriction is there? Ps Going for my upper GI today, one step closer.