PATCHELTON

I am glad to hear it comes in light, because I have looked at it in the store and felt it had too many sugars. I am not banded yet (waiting to hear from insurance) but I have had problems with constipation for years. I was disheartened to hear of the post op problems. I take a stool softener twice a day NOW, so any tips on things that help will be appreciated. If you are eating the Activia, would it hurt to take acidopholus too? Or should you do one or the other? I eat yogurt almost every day anyway, but have been doing the fat free variety. I guess I can afford a few extra calories if it helps relieve the feeling that you have a cork stuck you know where.:mad:

Whoever told you that was mistaken. I think they are confusing Vertical Sleeve Gastroplasty with the older procedure called Vertical Banded Gastroplasty. They are two distinctly different procedures (the older one included a band and stapling if I recall correctly, and according to my doctor it isn't done anymore or almost never done anymore). Vertical Sleeve Gastroplasty does not involve a band of any sort. If you would like more detailed information go to Obesityhelp.com where the procedures are described in detail with pictures.:mad:

I have not been banded yet. My paperwork is with my insurance company so I am waiting for the authorization. My coworker had band surgery and came back after a week and it was too soon for her. She didn't have enough time to take off more. I am fortunate that I have plenty of vacation and sick time. I plan to take 2 weeks minimum, even though I have a sit-down job. This is a big step for me and I want the time to adjust. I am all stocked up with protein shakes, chicken broth, frozen sugar-free popsicles, sugar free jello and such. I found a check list here somewhere and what I didn't have already I have purchased most items. Still need slip on shoes, and liquid Tylenol. I asked at Target and they don't carry adult strength liquid Tylenol, so I will look around. Have the Gas-X, heating pad, ice pack, paper tape, gauze, blender, even toilet tongs LOL! I think I might need a UHaul to get to the hospital!

Yes that is the pair from BIG MEDICINE. I watch it all the time. I am not banded yet, but I have learned a lot from their show, once they got around to showing some band surgeries. Thought for a while it was only going to be RNY topics, but they cover Lapband too. Even the daughter (Garth's sister) has a Lapband. Been to a seminar and it is a general information meeting, describing the procedures, and answering general questions. Specific questions would be addressed in the private consultation with the doctor. Good luck on your journey.:glare:

Atenolol is given to lower blood pressure, and sometimes to slow heart rate. I take it for blood pressure, but this is the first time I heard of someone having to take it prior to surgery. I'd be curious as to the reason they give you when you call.

I began this journey at 252 lbs. I am also 5'7". I have only had one person tell me to my face that I didn't look heavy enough for surgery and that was a post op bandster! A coworker said "You are doing this for health reasons, right?" At 63, I really don't plan to turn into a red hot mama, but who knows? Because I am tall, my BMI was about 38, but my insurance criteria was as follows: BMI 40 and 100 lbs overweight, or a BMI between 35 and 39 with one or more comorbidities (chronic conditions affected by excess weight) such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, acid reflux, arthritis and a few more I can't think of. Of the ones I listed, I have everything but diabetes. I have elevated liver enzymes on my cholesterol bloodwork, and my PCP is concerned. The bariatric surgeon said that could indicate fatty liver disease rather than a reaction to cholesterol medication and that could lead to non-alcoholic cirrhosis (great--something else to worry about!). I even saw an article about a study of people with BMIs lower than 35 having weight loss surgery, though I doubt insurance is covering that. Your BMI alone won't determine your eligibility, but I would suggest checking with your insurance company and see if they can send you a copy of the section covering weight loss surgery in their manual so you will know up front if you qualify. My plan is through my work, but I asked and they sent it to me.

Basically it is a group of messages responding to a theme or type of question or topic. Unless you put your message under an existing thread a new thread starts with your topic. Hope that answers your question.

In general the range is 18-60, but I will be 63 on 2/12. I have completed the seminar, 6 month diet, psych evaluation, consultation with bariatric surgeon, and am waiting for insurance approval.

I have read the above posts, and it seems that different doctors approach the surgery differently. My PCP is concerned about elevated liver enzymes on my cholesterol blood test, and the bariatric doctor said that could be reflecting fatty liver disease (as opposed to a side effect of the cholesterol medicine) and he plans to take a sample for a liver biopsy during the lapband surgery. They do require a liquid diet 2 wks before and 2 wks after surgery. I have the papers from my PCP to get the chest xray and bloodwork for PAT once I have a surgery date. I have also had a nuclear stress test and an echocardiogram. One thing I would check though is what your insurance requires. One of the posters said she had BC insurance, and her plan could be different, but I thought most BC plans require a 6 month documented weight loss attempt. I live in Maryland and have Blue Choice, the HMO under Carefirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield. All of the plans to my knowledge in this area require the 6 month (or 2 3-month) diet. I used the dietician on the bariatric team, who basically told me she didn't care if I didn't lose any weight, but I shouldn't gain any. I just finished that up and she sent me the documentation to take to my PCP who had to sign off on it, then I mailed it back to the surgeon's office. They called me last week and told me all my papers were in and they were submitting to insurance. So I am hoping to hear this week maybe. Please check your insurance on whether this is required. I heard even Medicare is requiring it. As for the liquid diet, the 2 weeks before is a new requirement from the bariatric doctor. My sister had gastric bypass almost 2 years ago and didn't have to do it. In my case the dietician and psychiatric nurse were not covered by my insurance but the surgeon's consultation was and the surgery is covered. It's a lot of hoops they make you jump through, but it is because they don't want you making this decision on a whim. As for tickers, I can't get tickerfactory ones to work. I go through the steps and end up with just a placeholder (box with a red X) that is a link to their site. The one I have is a different site, not as big a selection, but it worked, and the process is basically the same. Design the ticker, then highlight the url's in the first window, click on copy then on Lapband talk click on Edit Signature, and when you have the signature box, put your cursor in there and click on paste. You will see the codes but if you scroll down and select Preview Signature you will see the end result. Hope this all helps.

Exercise that will work for you is whatever you will do consistently, whether walking, going to the gym, working out to a dvd at home, or whatever. The key is regular exercise. I am waiting to be banded and was going to Curves 2-3 times a week, but nothing was happening because I ate too much. When I started this journey I looked for a way to increase my exercise and decided walking was how I wanted to do it. I asked around because I wanted an interesting place to walk or I knew I wouldn't stick to it. I found a park about 10 minutes from my home. It is on a river, has piers for fishing and just watching the wildlife (mallard ducks are gorgeous) picnic areas, and a walking path about a mile or so in length. It has variations in the direction you can go, but basically circles the outer edge of the park. It is technically closed from Nov/Apr but they don't lock the gates, so people go there all year to walk their dogs, or just walk for exercise. One of my coworkers told me to be sure and take peanuts for the squirrels, so I am one of several squirrel feeders that come there. They are so tame that many of them will come right up to you and take the peanut from your fingers. It makes the walk fun and I usually go around twice. I even keep peanuts in the trunk because one time I ran out and found myself apologizing to a hopeful squirrel because I didn't have a peanut for him, LOL! Sometimes there are few squirrels out, sometimes lots. I even found myself walking in the rain juggling my umbrella and a bag of peanuts in case I saw any critters! So sometimes I walk briskly and continuously, and other times I stop a lot to feed nuts to the squirrels. I look forward to going and can't wait until the daylight lasts longer so I can stop during the week on the way home from work. Right now I can only do weekends. If it is cold I layer up and still go. I use Curves during the week. It might not sound like much, but the walking (I lost about 10 lbs during my 6 month diet) added to my exercise has brought me down from 2x slacks to 1x so it is working. Now if the band helps with quantity I will be on my way. Good luck with your journey.

Hi Steve, It is unlikely you would have a consultation appointment if the doc didn't think you qualified. I can give you the criteria for my insurance, and I think for the most part it is the same in general with others. You need a BMI of 40 or more and be at least 100 lbs overweight. If your BMI is between 30 and 39 (as is mine--about 37) you must have one or more co-morbidities (ailments adversely affected by excess weight) such as: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, acid reflux, arthritis in weight bearing joints, and there may be another one or two I can't remember. I have all of the above except diabetes (sweets are not my problem--too much quantity is). If you want to know for sure, I would call your insurance company and see if you can get them to send you the criteria. If your insurance is through work, you should check with your benefits person who can possibly copy the section of the manual spelling out the criteria. That is what I had to do. I was trying not to tell them what I wanted other than a copy but they said the manual was too large so I told them weight loss surgery and they send me the pages covering the info. Hope this helps. I have had my consultation, psych eval, and just finished up a 6 month diet attempt required by my insurance. Hopefully yours won't require that, but many do want a documented weight loss attempt. My personal feeling is the diet if too succesful makes the insurance company think you can do it on your own and don't therefore need surgery, because the nutritionist I went to who is part of the bariatric team told me she didn't care if I lost any, just not to gain any more. They want to do the procedure so they don't want you to do too well during the 6 months. Catch 22! Good luck on your journey

I have just finished up my 6 month "diet" and Dr. Singh at St. Agnes will do my band once approved. His office called me yesterday to tell me all the paperwork is in and they are submitting to insurance as of today. So I may know something as soon as next week. My sister went to Singh for her RNY, but when I came to the conclusion that I needed surgery I chose the band because I didn't want to go as drastic as RNY. Singh's a sweety and Dr. Averbach (he's Russian) sounds like Count Dracula LOL! I am hoping for a surgery date in February. I will have to do liquids two weeks before and two weeks after surgery. Before is to shrink liver, after is for healing, if I got it right. Been going to support group and coming here. I have learned a lot from both. Stay tuned . . .

I am waiting for a surgery date, and I copied a list from one of these threads. I have most of the stuff either bought or it was already there. My sister who had gastric bypass laughed when I told her about toilet tongs, said it didn't occur to her and she never really needed them. I have protein drinks (Permalean donated by my sister, plus stuff I bought), sugar free popsicles and jello, chicken broth, and a few things for the mushy stage. Because of what I read here I think I will hold off buying any more until after surgery. I may have enough to get through two surgeries LOL!

I am waiting for approval, hoping for a date in February. Just finished my 6 month "diet" required by insurance. Even though to some extent I was cutting back (lost 10 pounds) I have had so many last supper meals I can't count. The bariatric people tell you not to, but one post-op in a group said don't pay any attention to that. She ate all the stuff she knew she wouldn't be able to eat any longer, or in the quantity she was used to. I must admit I have done the same thing. I love pizza and have had more than a few these last 6 months, and spaghetti, and subs, you name it. At the same time I am working on the real issue, head hunger, trying to mentally prepare myself for the drastic change. Some days I am really good (today I am eating carrot sticks, celery sticks, snow peas with a little ranch dip, and a small can of V8 for lunch, and for a snack later instead of a snack pack full I counted 20 almonds and brought them with me. For breakfast I had a 4 oz fat free yogurt and an apple. I know it will be a while before I can eat even this stuff post op, but I am doing better than a sub by far). I am eating my way through my pantry, and once I get a date I have two weeks before and after on liquids, so I will pack up whatever is left and give to a food pantry. Bottom line is, you are normal as far as I can tell. We really need to look at the addictive behavior that makes us eat so much bad stuff.

Tell your DH that the Lapband isn't the ONLY thing that can be replaced if problems develop (lol).

I am waiting for a surgery date and have just finished my 6 month supervised weight loss "diet" which is required by many if not all insurances. Every office does it differently. I met with the dietician from the bariatric team to start the diet. Check with your surgeon's office and see if they offer that. It is really a Catch 22 thing though. When I finished talking to the dietician she told me she didn't care if I lost any weight, but I shouldn't gain any more. I lost maybe 10 pounds, but I didn't rigorously diet. The problem is, if you are successful the insurance company may deny coverage of your surgery, saying you can lose on your own. But the bariatric team wants to do the procedure, which is why they don't particularly want you to lose much if any weight during the 6 months. As for comorbidities, the list includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea, arthritis, reflux, pretty much any ailment that is affected adversely by excess weight. My BMI is around 37/38 but I have everything on the list but diabetes. My surgeon also said my elevated liver enzymes (on cholesterol test) may also be due to fatty liver disease which can become non-alcoholic cirrohsis, so he plans to take a sample for a liver biopsy when he puts in the Lapband. I am chomping at the bit, wishing my date was tomorrow. Now I am waiting for the letter from the dietician which comes to me, and I have to take it to my PCP for sign-off, then get it back to the bariatric team, at which point my paperwork goes into the insurance for approval. I weighed 252 at the beginning, and now around 240-241. Not bad for hardly trying. I did have two bouts of strep throat which probably knocked off 5 pounds, since it is hard to eat and I had lots of chicken Soup and sugar-free popsicles. So, there you have it. Hope I answered your questions.

Compared to all of you, I got off easy. I had a psych nurse, who talked to me and asked me questions about work, home, and family. She also asked me if my sister (who had RNY about 18 months ago) had tried to influence me. I could honestly tell her no, I came to the decision all on my own, did lots of research. and decided the Lapband was the way I wanted to go. I am waiting for approval. Just got my very last weigh-in for the 6 month "diet" and once I get the letter about that and take it to my PCP, that will go back to the bariatric team, and I believe then my paperwork goes to insurance for approval. Hoping for sometime in Feb.

I was beginning to think this was a thread on Oprah, but while we're on the subject, wouldn't it be cool if she had a show with only WLS guests. There are more than a few celebrities who have had it. Carnie Wilson had RNY, K Ali (Muhammad Ali's daughter--not sure how first name is spelled) has had Lapband, I saw a Discovery Health show about a female rock singer who had Lapband, and anothe show featuring Gil Gerard who used to be the TV Buck Rogers, and I believe he had the vertical sleeve. I remember he lost 143 pounds (I didn't recognize him when they showed him before surgery!). Maybe Oprah would get inspired. All the losing and regaining she has done surely has taken some toll on her health, as it has with us. I am waiting to get banded (hopefully in February) and look forward to a new relationship with food. More power to anyone who can lose weight and keep it off, by whatever means.

I have not been banded yet, but am just finishing my 6 month diet for insurance. I have been researching in the meantime, and my sister found some protein drinks (canned like a soda) at Trader Joes called Worldwide. It is very low to zero in the bad stuff, only 1 or 2 sugars, and comes in 23 or 35g protein, and the usual vanilla/chocolate flavors. The web site promotes it as a sports drink, but someone on this site posted a link to Brigham Women's Hospital and I went there and printed out their entire bariatric eating program, and the Worldwide drinks are listed with the protein drinks, along with Atkins Advantage and EAS,which are on my list from doctor. Check it out. No mixing needed.

Aside from my BMI of 37/38, I am about 100 pounds overweight, have all the co-morbidities except diabetes (HBP, high cholesterol, GERD, knee arthritis, sleep apnea, etc), and I am 62, soon to be 63. It has gotten to the point that I can't afford the COPAYS for the meds I have to take! Someone at work said "You are doing this for health reasons, right?" Like, duh! I joke about getting my bills paid off so I can save for my tummy tuck, but who knows what the future will bring? We all have our reasons (mostly the same ones) but we came to this decision and if we pass all the screening hoops they make you jump through, who is to say you are too old?

The vibrating plate sounds like an update of the old vibrator belt, and my guess is you will waste a lot of time vibrating your fat without losing any. I seriously doubt the calorie burn, too. I would ask the gym if they have published studies showing that this thing does what it says. If they give you the runaround, I would do the same thing--run around the vibrating plate. You will probably burn more calories and lose more fat. I haven't been banded yet, so I can't say what it might do. And I don't have a ticker yet, either so maybe someone else on this thread can help with that.:cry

I was really excited when I saw this link. I am not banded yet but gathering all the info I can for each stage. I printed out most of it, and emailed the dietician in my program. She told me these were for cancer patients, who usually need lots of calories, and many of them are high in calories, so I am not sure, even though pureed, they would be right for bandsters' mushy stage. Some did make my mouth Water, though.:confused:

I have not been banded yet (just finishing up my required 6 month supervised diet), but have been working on increasing my exercise now so it won't be as big a challenge post op. I have been going to Curves for the last couple years (living proof you can eat enough to cancel out their workout, but I figure some exercise is better than none), and recently started walking. I found a park near where I live that has a nice asphalt walking path and when I started going there, a coworker told me to be sure to take peanuts for the squirrels. I did and found that giving treats to the squirrels made the walking fun for me. Some are tame enough they will come up and take the peanut from my fingers. There are black ones and brown ones. Sometimes I see a lot and sometimes only a few, plus lots of wild birds. People bike, walk, and walk their dogs there too, so I have met lots of nice people and dogs. I usually warn the squirrels with "Doggielert" so they can disappear while the dogs pass by. I look forward to the walks, even to the point of going in the rain, juggling my umbrella and bag of peanuts in case I met any squirrels (I did see a handful). The trick is to find something you enjoy doing that you will do consistently. I am waiting for spring so the daylight will last long enough for me to stop at the park on the way home from work. Right now it is dark by then. By walking outside I am getting fresh air, natural vitamin D, as well as exercise. I would go everyday if it wasn't dark. Curves I do after work to fill in the gap. I will be 63 in February, and my BMI is around 37, but I have every comorbidity except diabetes, so I am hoping for a surgery date sometime in February.

I am also a patient of Dr. Singh, and had my next-to-last weigh-in today. One more and I am done! Then some paperwork goes to my PCP, and back to Singh's office, then they submit to insurance. I am hoping for a date sometime in February. My BMI is about 37/38, but I have sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, GERD (reflux), knee arthritis, and probably something else I can't think of, so I don't envision being denied but anything is possible. My biggest problem post-op will be learning to eat slowly and chew. I inhale my food! If you can, I would recommend coming to the support group even before surgery. I have learned a lot from them. In January they are having Lapband only support on the 3rd Wed of the Month. First Wed is for RNY's, but Cathy said we can still come if the topic is of interest or whatever. It really helps to talk to people at all stages of banding. Hope to see you there.:scared:

Many, if not most (including Medicare) insurances are requiring six months supervised/documented diet attempt, or two documented 3 month attemps. If you only have to do three months altogether, that is not too bad. My six months is up around 1/16/08. Then paperwork for my PCP to sign, which goes back to the bariatric team, at which point I believe the paperwork goes to insurance. Hoping to get a date around mid-Feb 2008.