Pnw_Red

My doc said I didn't have to do a pre-op diet because I've recently lost 20 pounds. However, he told me not to gain. I found myself getting a bit of a "last meal syndrome" thing going, so I just bought some Medifast (which other patients usually go on) and I'm down something like ten pounds in ten days. Crazy! It's not fun, but I found a few days in I just wasn't hungry. Not SATISFIED, but not hungry. I figure it's good practice distinguishing between the two. :huh2:

My doc's office told me that at 5'7.5" my "ideal weight" would be 140, and then they kind of laughed and said they believe the insurance charts (that the "healthy ranges" are based on) are very conservative. They also talked about the fact that when you've carried around a lot of extra weight, your body compensates by increasing bone density and muscle mass in the lower body. So somebody at a given weight who has been significantly overweight for a decade is going to be thinner and leaner than somebody at the same weight who has never had a weight problem. The nurse and nutritionist mentioned that, the psychologist mentioned that AND the surgeon talked about it. They asked ME to set a goal and when I picked 175, they told me they thought that was a very reasonable goal for my height, frame size, and the fact that I've carried a lot of extra weight for a long time. I figure that losing a lot of weight, even if it doesn't get you into your "healthy weight range" will STILL do a ton of good for your health. For me, losing 145 pounds will do a lot more for me than losing the last ten to put me into my "healthy" range. And I'm more than ok with that. JMHO.

The Ports DO have titanium in them--at least the original lap band does (not sure about the Realize band.) IT's on the back of the port--the side that sits against the muscle wall. I sat in the surgeon's office three days ago and saw their sample ones. He said that some people do set off the metal detector, but not always. He also said they are MRI safe because titanium isn't magnetic.

My insurance specifies in their paperwork that the weight they use is the weight at the BEGINNING of the six months. I have BCBS of Illinois. And honestly, I've been told that the six months is to show you CAN'T lose weight and I've been told it's to show that you CAN lose weight. Nobody really knows for sure.

I'm curious, how do you use WW points if you're limited on your intake by the band? Or are you using Core? I'm doing WW, but am not yet banded. I'm trying to get down 10% before surgery. I'm down 5%, so only about 14 lbs to go!

Hi everyone. I'm seriously considering getting the band in the next few months, but I have a question about eating "real" food. I know that my more successful dieting attempts have included being able to eat "real" food just in smaller quantities. I try to avoid a lot of fake sugar and overprocessed low-fat things. (I'd rather have 1/2 an oz of "real" cheese than eat a ton of low-fat.) I'd rather go without sugar or have fruit than eat a lot of artificial sweeteners. Is it possible and reasonable to eat whole, real foods with the band? I don't mind picking leaner options as long as they're natural foods. (Ie, we're looking into buying local grass fed beef, eggs from local pasture raised chickens, veggies from local farms, etc.) I have a little one and we're trying to start eating whole, organic foods as a family and try to develop some good eating habits as he grows up. I know that there's a period where shakes/smoothies are necessary, but I'm wondering how many people end up living off of "diet" food and supplimental food after the healing process is done.

Oh, I'm fine with shakes, etc at the beginning. I just don't know if I'd choose this option if I was going to spend the rest of my life eating shakes and highly processed diet food. It's not even so much a carb issue for me as just a normal "food" issue. I'm not a huge cheese freak, but it makes for a good example. :thumbup: Right now I'm doing weight watchers in anticipating of surgery in a couple months and I'd WAY rather spend a couple points on a little goat cheese or sharp cheddar cheese (1/2 oz is plenty for flavor) than four times that much fat free cheese or a bunch of fat free dressing. ABsolutely, without a doubt, being fat is a huge health risk for me--the biggest risk. But I think we're going find over time that a lot of our fake/diet/sugarfree foods aren't doing us any favors in the health department. I can bet my future on small amounts of real food. Not sure I could do the same if I knew my future consisted of Protein shakes and splenda. Thanks for all the input!

Thanks ladies! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. I"m calling the doc's office tomorrow and hoping to get this all going by April !

Thanks all. My annual appointment with my doc got postponed today, so I'll have to wait until next week I guess. I'm going to go ahead and get an appointment set up with the surgeon's office and my doc's office and then start the process.

Did you all start communicating with your ins company at the beginning though? Let them know you were starting this to verify that you met all their other criteria? Or did you just start the testing and dieting and then submit it all at the end?

HI all, I'm just starting my six months of supervised diet/exercise program. I've been on Jenny Craig for a couple months, but nothing very documented. My policy info (BC/BS of IL ) specifically says that that BMI at the BEGINNING of the weight loss program is the qualifying number, and even has a paragraph that states that most people can manage to lose some weight and stick to a program for six months but after that point, it generally tapers off and/or weight gain starts. So, the policy certainly doesn't read like they're trying to "trick" people into losing too much weight to qualify. I couldn't find any info online in the patient section, but once you go to the health care provider section, it's pretty easy to find policy info. For those of you who knew of the 6 month requirement, how did you handle it? Did you just start the six month program and try to get surgery at the end, or did you check with the insurance company at the beginning and meet with the surgeon immediately, then start on the six months?

Hi everyone. I've been lurking the last few days, looking for information about the lap band surgery and how people generally feel about it. I did a little looking and discovered that my insurance WILL cover the surgery. I believe I meet the requirements of five years documented obesity (if not, it's close!) and I have a BMI of over 40. I do have to show a 6 month weight loss effort, and I'm currently on Jenny Craig, but am going to start an official six months with my doctor this week at my annual checkup. I'm not 100% sure about the surgery, but I figure I can spend the next six month carefully considering it and making efforts to lose weight so that I've got some good habits already established. (I don't have problems losing weight on diets, just keeping it off more than 2 minutes after I decide I can't stand being hungry any more.) I'm 31 and have been overweight most of my life. My mom is also considering the surgery. She has been morbidly obese for as long as I can remember also. Nice to see all the great before and after pictures and hear peoples' stories. I don't think I want to spend another ten years hoping that I'm that miraculous 5-10% who can actually lose weight and maintain the loss, so hopefully I'll be joining you all soon! I'm going to a seminar put on by a local weight loss surgery clinic next weekend, and I may schedule an initial visit just to get my weight and interest established.