DrHekier

We are shocked and saddened to learn that one of our group members, Karen Taylor of DeQueen, AR has died in a car accident this past week.

The notice was in the Texarkana Gazette this weekend and was just brought to my attention just right now.

Please have her and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

With a heavy heart,

Dr Ron Hekier.

Our group is a certified Center of Excellence, if it is a Medicare issue for you. We are possibly a bit closer than New Orleans.

Sorry I didn't post the new support group dates for October this weekend.

I ended up getting some SmartLipo laser lipolysis done on my abs and love handles this weekend, and was so excited about it I forgot about updating the website. (Dr. Keilin did my procedure for me so I got a discount! Sort of... It's her birthday this week, and that always means jewelery.)

At tonight's support group in Texarkana, Betty gave away a door prize; a copy of the book "Walk Away the Pounds" that includes a DVD. We have a few more copies and will give them off our blog page again, as in our prior contests. This time we will wait about a week to give away the book, so that people in the Mt. Pleasant support group can hear about it and log on to the blog.

Remember, holidays are coming up, and we all need to get in the habit of making exercise a routine part of our lives.

Don't forget to check the blog page for general info, and the contest! I'll update the seminar and support group schedules tonight as well.

Goodbye all.

Capital one health care financing has good terms if your credit score is good. One of our patients got an interest rate of 1.9% recently. Another one got a loan with an interest rate of 10.99%, so it all depends on your credit score. I don't know the link off the top of my head, but I think we have a link in our website which is in my signature below.

Sugarbear we wish you a speedy recovery. Drop us a line, email Betty or Jamie to let them know how you are doing, (and who you are )

Remember this month there is no support group meeting in Mt. Pleasant. Tonight's meeting was in Texarkana, and the next one is in Idabel, OK on September 24. Always check out the support group schedule on the website.

We are having a new contest on the blog page. The last contest was for your mind, a free copy of the Khalia Ali book, and this contest is for your stomach. We are offering a $50 gift certificate to the Ironwood Grill, a great healthy restaurant here in Texarkana. We're already thinking of the holiday season coming upon us, and want to encourage healthy eating.(Go to the main page at Lap Band Surgery Texarkana- Serving Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and then click on 'blog'.)

Hi everybody! I've been laying off the board for a while because I didn't want people to feel I'm lurking or spying. Except for hippmom; yes we are tracking you and have logged your IP address and are preventing you and only you for accessing our website: Texas Arkansas Lap Band :confused:

For those coming to the Texarkana support group next Monday, be aware there will be a new location. The YWCA was sold and the new owner will not be renting their room any longer.

We need a new location by next Monday, and so far we have lined up Wadley hospital. That room is a bit small if we have much over 50 or 60 people so Betty said she may try to find something else in the next week.

Obviously we can't call 500 people individually, so we will try to send out a newsletter. (Say thanks to Deb and Tammy when you see them next week because they are going to have to lick 500 stamps, yuck! :confused: )

The new location should be finalized in the next couple of days and will be on our website. Go to our website and click on seminars and support groups and the new location will be noted in the next couple of days.

Also, Dr. Keilin recently read a book by Khalia Ali on her Lap Band journey. Ms. Ali is the daughter of Muhammed Ali, the former heavyweight champoin of the world. We are giving away a free copy of the book on our blog page. Go to the website and click on blog. Or here's a direct link : Lap Band blog

And one final note: Many people have wondered about getting enough Protein. For many Lap Band patients, getting protein can become an issue because you might have significant restriction when eating meat products. Our practice has partnered with Bariatric Advantage, a company specializing in supllements for weight loss surgery patients.

We can now offer protein supplelements made with the bariatric surgery patient in mind. Go to our website, Lap Band Surgery Texarkana- Serving Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and click on 'Estore.'

See y'all soon.

Today we performed our 476th Lap Band! We are proud of our patient's accomplishments. Check out our seminar schedule on our website to come to our next seminar. We also encourage all prospective patients to come to our support groups to talk to our patients.

Would the need for h. hernia repair help with the insurance battle or be more of a problem? I have Fed. B.C.B. Shield. I live closer to Little Rock, but like what I have read about the Texarkana clinic.

I don't think it would make a difference one way or the other.

A fair number of our patients have a hiatal hernia which we repair at the time of surgery. You would probably want to have a recent upper GI study or endoscopy study to document the extent of the hernia. If it is rather large, such as having most of the stomach in the chest, that might be an issue.

We have many patients from Arkansas, being on the Texas/Arkansas border. Our group and hospital were recently designated as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the ASBS/SRC.

If we are close enough to you, we would be happy to help.

Don't worry. Some people can feel it, others can not. Don't worry it's still there.

I remember about 3 years ago one of our patients called us frantically to say that her port flipped and didn't feel right. She rushed over to the office and said "Here feel this, feel this under my scar on the right side of my belly."

We told her "The port is on the other side ."

She couldn't tell where the port was.

For some people however it is more noticeable.

Sounds like you might need an unfill. Nighttime regurgitation/reflux is often a sign of excessive tightness. Don't be worried about an unfill. Sometimes that is what you need to LOSE WEIGHT. I saw three patients in clinic this week that were unfilled during their last routine visit 6 weeks ago and LOST WEIGHT since that time.

You see, when you are too tight, you are going to resort to eating foods that get through your band. That usually means (1) thick liquids such as ice cram or shakes and (2) Fried or crispy foods such as tortilla chips.

If you are to tight an get an unfill you may find your eating habits improve and you lose weight.

Good luck.

Just a reminder to all the folks who had their surgery in Texarkana that our support group in Mt. Pleasant meets tonight (Monday May 21) at the Mt Pleasant hospital at 7:00PM.

The support group schedule is on our website at Lap Band Surgery Texarkana- Serving Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana ; click the link for 'free seminar' on the homepage.

PS Not sure why the link to noscales . com is not showing above.

Most of our patients need somewhere around three fills to get to their 'sweet spot.'

I know one patient who lost 99 pounds on one fill, and others that didn't start losing until several fills.

Each person is unique and it might take some time to get to your sweet spot.

I wouldn't worry too much, the radiologists frequently read these films this way. Even when I know I put the band below the esophagus because I saw it with my very own eyes, sometimes it looks like this on Xray. I stopped getting routine post op barium swallows for this very reason.

Dr. C

Ok, I'm biased because (a) I'm also a Band surgeon and ( I'm a Dr C fan (even thought I've never met him!) but I have to agree. And I also agree with the post by 'mypov.'

A radiologist without a signficant amount of experience reading films on Lap Band patients may read a film in a way that is confusing to the surgeon who actually placed the Band in the first place.

You might need to get some Fluid taken out, an 'unfill' is what some people call it.

I think this is one of the most important threads in a long time on LBT.

Lap Band surgeons constantly struggle with trying to convince people that if you aren't losing weight, that doesn't automatically mean you need a fill.

Too full is bad!

I seem to recall the slippage rate being quoted as 1%. Our practice has a slippage rate of a bit under 1 percent so that seems right to me.

Has anyone hired either of the two attorneys that specialize in Obesity related insurance appeals? I would just like to hear some other experience on this matter. I was denied by UHC on 01/23 and am waiting for my medical records and highly considering hiring an attorney.

I'll ask my office manager if we have had any patients use a specific attorney, but I know Walter Lindstrom is highly regarded.

There may be different 'flavors' of Fed BCBS, with some PPOs providing preauthorization.

We have been told by our Fed BCBS representative that they do not provide pre-authorizations or pre-determinations. They say if you meet criteria they will pay for it so they are asking us to take it on faith.

We are waiting to get reimbursed on our first Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield patient done in 2007. If we see there are no problems with reimbursement than we will do them more frequently. I read here on this board of another patient with Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield who paid the surgeon and hospital and then filed on the insurance to get the reimbursement.

I was banded in April 2006, but to date I have only lost 30 lbs. My last fill was June '06 and restriction is NOT a problem. I don't seem to be able to get a handle on "good" foods. I get severe blockage on healthy stuff but chips, and other junk goes down just fine.

I think you may be a touch too tight. I always remind my patients that if you are too tight it can lead to inadequate weight loss. Excessive tightness causes restriction to 'good foods.' Some patients who are too tight compensate by having high calorie foods. Tortilla chips is VERY common; chili, shakes, Soups are other common items.

I would probably consider taking some Fluid out. If you could feel better satisfaction and early satiety with 'good food' it would prbably help you.

Good luck.

I would suggest you consider calling the insurance company as well. Sometimes they seem more receptive if a 'customer' (i.e. patient) calls in addition to the doctors office.

I have Humana PPO. I can't find anything about LPS in my benefit booklet or on the website. I will call tomorrow, but I really don't want to tip them off until I am better prepared. Has anyone ever dealt with Humana? I appreciate any advice.

Not quite sure what you mean about tipping them off. An insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurance company.

If a procedure is a covered benefit then they have to provide it if you meet their requirements.

Give them a call. Everyone's policy is potentially different. So your policy with that payor may be different than someone elses, which is why you need to call yourself.

Good luck!

Boy this is almost inconceiveable. How could Fluid get into the Band, but not get out of it? How could there be some sort one-way valve that allow Fluid into the port/band, but not out? I must not be understanding something here.

I think of it in terms of a bicycle tire. How can you have a leak that allows air in, but not out of the inner tube?

I assumed it was a matter of fluid in the tissue around the port, i.e. a seroma. So I think what you are describing is fluid around the port in the subcutaneous pocket where the port is located.

Thoroughly confused....

The fluid is inside the port and tubing. The fluide builds up over a couple of weeks so the band gets tighter and tighter so i can not eat. Then the fluid is removed the most i had removed was 7ccs in a 10cm band after leaving it for 4 weeks. I have had an endoscopy which all looked fine. All the Docotor does is keeps flushing it out to wash it out.

Has anyone else had an infection inside their band which was treated successfully?