egorsgirl1

Photo Egor:photo: and I just turned 51. I am asthmatic, arthritic, bi-polar, pre-diabetic, and FAT (100lb. more than when we met 34 years ago).:drama: His BMI is 45, he has to sleep with a machine for apnea, and take two insulin shots a day, in addition to medicine for clinical depression. We are both being treated for high blood pressure and cholesterol problems.:eek: We first went to AIGB-Dallas November 14th, and are working through all of the time and tests Aetna requires before banding :thumbs_up: (hopefully March for me and April for him:pray2:). We have become more aware of the lifestyle changes we have to make, including walking, portion control, chewing thoroughly, and thinking about when, what, :tea: and how much we drink. So far, we have lost about 10 pounds each :scales:, in spite of :pray2:Thanksgiving , FOUR family birthdays,:party::cake: :party: :happybday: and Christmas! :present: :)Banding seems to be a great tool for people like us, who want:pray2: :pray:to lose the weight that is making our other health problems worse. :gluck:

I'm glad to see that more of us are posting now.:whoo:Looks like RedTulips3 was right. I have my psych eval next week, and I still have another dietician, a stress test, and some lab work still to go. Egor is lagging behind me, and may have to wait until April! Is anyone else having trouble not drinking with meals or for half an hour either side?:spit:

:gluck:I wish us all luck with what we eat and what we don't tomorrow. Sometimes it's hard to remember that having the extra food and leisure to get into this shape really is a blessing!:rose:

<p>Wow! 29 from 19 states, plus 2 each from Canada and Australia.</p> <p>Good for us!<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/girl_hug.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Girl Hug" smilieid="152" class="inlineimg" /></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> egorsgirl1 Plano, TX : Reba </p> <p></p>

We have Aetna HMO. I have to keep my BMI over 35 while showing that I can diet, exercise, and follow directions for 4 months. No problem for DH. He has more to lose than I do.

I'll be 51 Sunday, so I'd like to lurk and learn here while I wait to be banded in March. So far, I've had my sleep apnea test, started walking, and practiced chewing instead of drinking with my meals. I have more tests and checkups before I get a date. I'm counting on ypu ladies (and gentleman) to help me keep at it!

My insurance is dictating that I have to be banded by Dr. Marsden at Wise Regional in Decatur, TX, too. What do you think of him? Did you drive over that day, or stay in the Bari Suite? I am also located in Plano. I am doing all of the pre-op stuff at AIGB in Richardson. I have attended two monthly support meetings, even though I'm not being banded until March (and DH in April). Please continue sharing your experiences, so we can know what to expect. Reba

Tracy, What do you mean by Onederland? I have seen it in a couple of other posts, too.

I take Cymbalta now. Guess I'd better ask my doc if we need to change. Thanks for the "heads up!" :kiss2:RDK--on my way!

<p><p>USA</p> <p>Twilight - Montana</p> <p>DonHoll1 - Indiana</p> <p>Christasha - Chula Vista</p> <p>Ellisa - Ohio</p> <p>Jazzywoman - Ohio</p> <p>sfeiner - Baraboo Wi</p> <p>tmecia25 - Dallas Texas</p> <p>egorsgirl1 - Plano, Texas</p> <p>thundandlight - Massachusetts</p> <p>sghatl - Georgia</p> <p> </p> <p>CANADA</p> <p> </p> <p>AUSTRALIA</p> <p>Sewenup1 - Sydney</p></p>

When I went in for my first consultation, one of the other patients (recently banded) in the waiting room told me to practice chewing as much as possible. Very nice of her! I'm still working up to meals without water, though.:think

I heard from co-workers that our insurance paid 100% of their banding, so I made the decision to go with the band 3 wk ago. I watched the online seminar and attended a bandster support group meeting that week. The following week, I had my initial diagnostic consultation. That's when I found out that getting Aetna to approve surgery would require dieting, testing, etc. I am tentatively scheduled to be banded in early March. At first, that seemed like forever, but I see what I've done in 3wks, and I'm afraid everything will fly by too fast!

DH and I are waiting and working for approval to be banded in March. Anyone else?:ranger:

Thanks for all of the replies. Egor and I are nearing our 51st birthdays, and our kids are all grown, so we will try it together...like nearly everything else since 1973! His BMI is a couple of points higher than mine. Will that make an impact on what we eat when? Egor thinks everything is happening too fast, and I think waiting until March is too slow! Do any of the other "band duets" have problems like that?

Egor and I are both waiting for insurance to let us get banded. Meanwhile, I'd like advice and opinions. Should we have surgery together, a few days or weeks apart, or a month or more apart? We have different general doctors, so they may not recommend the same doctor to do our bands.:think

After I went to the diagnostics Monday, I was very let down. It feels as if I am in Limbo until my first visit with the dietician and second weigh-in next month. The good thing (?) was that since I have received absolutely no diet or exercise instruction yet, I am saying farewell to food by enjoying all of everything I want to eat at all of the Thanksgiving feasts and family get-togethers at my kids' places. :hungry:

After I went to the diagnostics Monday, I was very let down. It feels as if I am in Limbo until my first visit with the dietician and second weigh-in next month. The good thing (?) was that since I have received absolutely no diet or exercise instruction yet, I am saying farewell to food by enjoying all of everything I want to eat at all of the Thanksgiving feasts and family get-togethers at my kids' places. :hungry:

I saw a brochure for a lap-band seminar, and for the first time considered that losing my 90 pounds of "baby fat" might require more than yet another do-it-yourself diet. My doctor happily gave me more information, and I also researched AIGB on-line. A few days later, my 300 lb diabetic husband and I visited a support group, and both made the decision to go for the band. We already knew from talking with his co-workers that his insurance would pay 100% for qualified patients to have the operation. I went for my diagnostic visit, where I was told that I had to come back for four months of counseling, testing, and evaluation before surgery next spring. They also told me that I'll have to pay 10% up front, plus my co-pays for each visit, and $100 for each fill. Doesn't sound like 100% coverage to me! My husband is going back to his regular internal medicine doc Tuesday, and I plan to tag along to ask questions.:confused:

I saw a brochure for a lap-band seminar, and for the first time considered that losing my 90 pounds of "baby fat" might require more than yet another do-it-yourself diet. My doctor happily gave me more information, and I also researched AIGB on-line. A few days later, my 300 lb diabetic husband and I visited a support group, and both made the decision to go for the band. We already knew from talking with his co-workers that his insurance would pay 100% for qualified patients to have the operation. I went for my diagnostic visit, where I was told that I had to come back for four months of counseling, testing, and evaluation before surgery next spring. They also told me that I'll have to pay 10% up front, plus my co-pays for each visit, and $100 for each fill. Doesn't sound like 100% coverage to me! My husband is going back to his regular internal medicine doc Tuesday, and I plan to tag along to ask questions.:mad: