theard

I'm 2.5 years out and I can eat bread as long as I eat small and chew a lot. Most of us were the same as you until we got enough fills to start to feel restriction. Some can't tolerate bread at all. Bread can ball up in your pouch and cause long stuck episodes if not eaten like a Bandster.
Bread is OK in small amounts whether it's white(highly processed and no nutrition) or whole wheat(still processed but offers some fiber). Carbs, and mostly simple carbs like flour is processed in your body very rapidly and is turned into sugar causing insulin spikes. When the spike is over, the crash can make you even hungrier than before. You'll find yourself reaching for more carbs. Carbs are addictive, imo. I love em, but try to stay away from simple carbs as much as possible.

Well , you're just fabulous wrapped up in amazing with a dash of awesome sauce, now are'nt you ?????? Way to go with all your hard work ! Congratulations !!!!!!!

Theard,
I was a Pre-Auth Nurse so I will share what I know about the process.
1. Some offices try to flood you with paper (labs, office notes, imaging, etc.) -- it's annoying and it doesn't help the patient's chances for approval. I couldn't stand it. Seriously, 100 pages! How about giving me the info I need to make a decision?
2. Missing/Incomplete documentation: All the required documentation must be submitted. If five years of documented weight loss is required, then that's what the nurse is looking for. If there is a nutritional counseling requirement, then the nurse is looking for complete records from the practitioner that include diet, exercise, etc. You'd be amazed how many people miss this one. The NUT and Psych documentation must include all the elements required by the insurance company. Many of the commercial plans have templates available that you can give to your practitioner.
3. Medical Necessity isn't met: This one is a biggie and will often cause an immediate denial. Those letters of medical necessity that the docs send in are often a waste of time and are usually only useful at the time of an appeal. If criteria isn't met, then your Doc needs to be prepared to discuss the reasons why you need the surgery with the health plan's Medical Director. They can call in while the case is being reviewed or do a peer-to-peer review after it is denied. Basically, the doc has to care enough to prove your case. Some do, some don't.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
P.S. The 30 day timeframes a quoted are BS.
Medicare: 14 calendar days for standard (non-emergent) requests with an additional 14 calendar days if an extension is granted because it is in the best interest of the enrollee; i.e. additional time to submit required documentation or have tests done to meet criteria. The health plan is required to advise you in writing if an extension is needed AND you have the right to file a grievance if you disagree.
Medicaid: every state is different (i.e., New York and Missouri require a three business day TAT. But if additional info is needed the NY cases are allowed to go up to 14 calendar days). The default for all Medicaid states is typically 14 calendar days. Some states require an even shorter TAT as mentioned. Even if an extension is granted it is typically only for up to 14 calendar days.
NCQA accredited health plans: If the TAT criteria listed above does not apply (i.e. Commercial Health Insurance) then check the plan's accreditation. NCQA requires a no more than 15 calendar day TAT with an additional 14/15 calendar days if an extension is granted. However, you still have to be notified in writing than the Health Plan granted an extension AND the notice should specify why it's being granted.
I know I typed a lot. Hopefully it helps. Sorry for any typos, I'm on my iPad.
Ally.

Depending on each persons situation and insurance it was various things. It seemed some insurance companies requires them a BMI of 40 without comorbidities or 35 with them but also a5 year history of being morbidly obese.
I know for myself that sent me in a panic as my weight has fluctuated between BMI of 37-43 over the last several years so if that 5 year history applied to me I was dead and stinking and would not landed me a denial. Thank goodness my UHC wasn't structured that way.

Ok sorry if this sounds rambling but I wanted to kind of give my background for those wondering since a couple people emailed me too. Feel free to ask me more as I was just typing what I could think of:
So the truth is the way I had success was to get real with myself. The first year I completely failed my lapband. I lost a little and then gain 30 pounds back. I didn't exercise at all and tried to tell myself walking the dog counted as good cardio. I also didn't count any calories that first year. I ate crap and tried to blame it on my band not working properly. I was very uniformed and thought the band was magically supposed to work. I didn't understand that I needed to get to that "sweet spot". The second year I decided I had to do it and get informed. I read these bariatric pal boards and searched for the secrets to everyone's success. The answer? No big secret, actual real exercise and counting your calories! I got a little cruiser bike and actually rode it 15 miles a day 7 days a week starting the day I bought it. I had always wanted a bike like that and said if I got one i would use it. That day I also started counting my calories religiously...right down to a stick of gum. I stuck with 1200 calories for the first year and then actually had to up my Protein calories once I started doing even more exercise. When it got too cold I tried zumba and fell in love with it and did it 7 days a week. Then I upgraded to twice a day zumba for several months. Then I did the Insanity program and zumba every day for 3 months. I slowly but surely lost steadily that whole time. The majority of my calories was always Protein. 90 grams at least. And when my weight was stuck and I exercised more, i upped it to 120 grams of protein and lost even more. With that amount of protein i felt full, and there was only enough calories left for my veggies, then fruit the sometimes some carb foods. My band is a realize band and if i remember correclty it is at 10.2 in an 11cc band. I almost have to have the darn thing closed shut to feel any real restriction. I havn't had a fill in a year. (acutally i had it to 10.7 for a almost a year until this january when i started randomly having really bad night reflux so decided to just get a tiny bit out). I made little goals as I went along.. If I had a trip planned, I would say, ok I just have to lose 10 more pounds by then. Or I just want to weigh what I was when I graduated college, and the what I weighed when I first got married, and then I just wanted to be smaller than my husband ( that was an awesome day the day the scale said I weighed less than him!). And the it was I wanted to be what i was when I was 21, and then the ultimate was what i was when I was in my teens!
As for extra skin, yes i look dang good in tight workout clothes but naked is an entirely different story. I will be very honest here and many people here can relate. I struggle daily with my body image. While I may look tiny and muscle packed with clothes on ( I'm at 19% body fat), without clothes my skin is soooo wrinkled. My upper arms are super bad and I am pretty self conscious about them. I wore tank tops last year but vowed not to this summer as i swear all i thought about was people staring at the saggy skin. My upper and lower stomach and pubic region have a huge amount of extra skin that gets in the way when i exercise. I can actually hear it flapping about when I workout dang it! My chest is completely non existent, just flaps of skin which will require a lift and augmentation. My inner thighs and butt are the least saggy out of everything but will require a lift if I really want the complete packed. The good news about some of this is my legs and butt have actually gotten better with working out once I added weight training. I was so overweight for almost 15 years and so i just don't have time (or age) on my side for my skin to shrink back. My goal is to concentrate on reducing my body fat just a little more and have my arms, chest and tummy done this fall as a reward for keeping my weight off for a significant amount of time.
The best advice is to get very informed and have a plan. Don't kid yourself, real exercise and a diet plan is the key to success with the band. Exercise is my best friend now. I actually want to be a personal trainer and nutrition counselor. Many people have asked me how I did it and I have to say I was sick of being what I was.
You can do this!!!!!

I am very excited about getting my surgery and even more excited when I read all of your positive feedback to others!
I also made my decision to have the lap band a couple of days ago. I have already started making small steps like eating smaller bites and slower. I know the closer it gets to time for my surgey the greater the challenge will be, but I am depending on God, my husband and all of you for support!

Stunning!!! You look amazing!
I'm officially a believer!!!!

Buy some Flax Seed, it's found in the baking isle, excellent source of Fiber and Omega 3's, just sprinkle it on your food

Cereal is a dangerous food for me. It's like dessert, and I can't control it. I was never a big cereal eater, unless it was after dinner

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I purchased some benafiber today. I'm trying to get as much as I can through healthy foods and will supplement the rest.

Go Monday and see your doctor. I had the same thing after surgery and did not know that the doctor had prefilled the band during surgery. I was miserable and could not keep much down. It was from the band being partly filled and the swelling around the band. I had immediate relief when the doctor took out the Fluid. I waited 2 weeks and was miserable before going to the doctor!! So don't wait go see doctor.

I can see why he wants to make a poster of your transformation you look fantastic and have done so well, you are an inspiration to us all. I was only sleeved 2 weeks ago so seeing the difference in you is amazing.
BUT I also understand the body image issues, I hate getting my picture taken and I seriously doubt I will ever have my picture taken until my driving license needs renewing.

At my 6 month post -op visit (I went 2 weeks early) my surgeon wants to make a poster of my 5 month pictures.. He called it a "total transformation". I find this ironic since I have never willingly showed pictures of myself in the past. I only made my before and after for this forum. I definitely have some body conscious issues and I am trying to work on them.
I work for the same company that is associated with the hospital where I had my surgery, so it is pretty awkward for me. I'm a nurse at a sister medical center so many coworkers would see this. I have not kept my VGS a secret, but I hadn't broadcast it, either . While I am flattered, I kind of feel like it's flying my bloomers up a flag pole! What do you think?

Am down 53 pounds. This surgery is the best thing I could have done for myself ! Before pic Halloween two weeks before surgery.

congrats!!!! that is incredible news thank you Jesus indeed

As my surgery date got closer the excitement was building rapidly but when I when I returned from lunch and received the email from my surgeon office that I was APPROVED......omg I LITTERALLY was jumping up and down and yelling THANK YOU JESUS!! This journey at times has been tedious but well worth it. Things became very real once I received the approval. I am so excited yet nervous but I know these are normal emotions.

I have BCBS State of Maryland. My surgeon's office submitted on 2/14/14, and I didn't get approval until 3/7/14 (3 weeks)! Surgery had been tentatively scheduled for 3/12, and I was a nervous wreck. Hoping you get word soon.

Holy Wow!!!! Congratulations, you look amazing. So tiny!

No Way! You could be the lapband pinup model!!!

Banded June 2010. Rid of 168 pounds!

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I have seen this question too frequently. I am banded now what, I got approved now what, I am post op now what? People your surgeon and their team should leave you with no questions like this. You should know every step of every moment with your band except which foods it will hate. You shouldn't be second guessing what you are eating, wonder what you are supposed to be doing. If you have to ask now what, then you need to find another doctor. No one should come out of weight loss surgery blind. Not knowing what to eat, the problems that can occur, how often you should be drinking and so forth. You spent six months to a year preparing for your surgery and you should not be asking now what because your doctor, nutritionist and their team should have explained everything to you.

I am finally down 100 pounds!!!! Only 40 more until I hit my final goal! My weight loss journey began in December of 2012, and I had surgery in December 2013. I still cannot believe how much life has changed. The only thing that bothers me a little is I feel like I lost apart of me? Like my jolliness isn't there anymore LOL! But nothing tastes better than skinny feels.
I will be turning 21 in September, and I've heard a lot of horror stories about patients turning into alcoholics after surgery. Anyone have anything they can share about this?
Also, I am running through jeans like no tomorrow. Any advice for clothing tips since they will only last for a short time before they are too big?

HW 253 CW 196. I'm so happy is been such a while since the scale stood at the hundreds when I went on top of it. I love the fact that I got this surgery done every where I go I tell people my story so they 2 can do something about there weight. I can now run around with my one year old and tire him out. I love my new life can't wait to keep shedding these pounds off.

The stuff is caustic! I bought an entire package and threw it away. It tastes, wow I cannot even describe it. Almost like fake cheese Soup? Where it has that alkaloid aftertaste. I tried it different ways and each was horrible. I would not recommend it. Just an FYI some people say it tastes like kraft dinner cheese, or even package cheese sauce. I am generally a cheese sauce lover and can eat the crappiest stuff, this stuff was not even tolerable to me.

I weighed this morning and I am pleased to say that I am 3 weeks an 2 days and have came from 224lbs to 196lbs as of today. Total loss so far 28 Lbs.. Who hoo .