MissMaryAnn

Hello! I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences with any of the following physicians at Emory: Scott Davis, Jahnavi Srinivasan, or John F. Sweeney. So far, the Emory Bariatric Center has been great. Now, I need to make an appointment with one of them, and unfortunately, I can't afford the co-pay for three separate appointments to see who I trust the most. Any and all information is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. (this is also posted in the Doctors and Hospitals forum)

I just flew Delta cross-country last week, and the procedure for taking a CPAP in a carryon is the same as for a laptop computer-- you need to take it out of its bag and send it through separately, and it will likely be looked over/swabbed by a TSA agent. They didn't seem fazed by it, and while it didn't take very long, since I also had a laptop it was quite a bit of wrangling to get all my things back in place afterwards. :thumbdown: In the future I'm just going to out it in my checked baggage, well padded by clothing, to save time. However, it's in no way a big deal, I just am lazy. :cursing:

I think that when we grow up being constantly compared to others, that's how we learn to value ourselves. In high school I was considered very smart and I based my self-esteem on that; when I got to college, I didn't stand out anymore and I was devastated because my whole self image had been built on that one thing. I didn't think you said anything offensive at all, hon. I've got to say that you certainly seem to have a good head on your shoulders and a lot of insight into your background and how it has impacted your feelings. Your journey is just beginning and I think you're making an awesome start.

Oh, and I get red, itchy hives when I'm under stress, too! I find that taking just barely warm showers instead of hot ones, using Cetaphil (or the Target/Wal Mart versions that are cheaper), using unscented "free and clear" laundry detergents and avoiding fabric softener (no Downy scent, sob!), and using a fragrance-free hypoallergenic moisturizer all over really helps.

Hollie- I mean this gently, but I think you might want to take a look and see if you have any judgemental thoughts towards people who have the gastric bypass surgery. They don't have an easy road, either. We're not better people for having chosen the Lap Band, just like naturally effortlessly thin people aren't better than we are for having good genetic luck. If I'm misreading your posts, then I apologize; but I feel like we as Lap Banders (well, I'm hoping to be a banded) need to be careful not to judge anyone else for the choices they make on their own journeys. We all know the pain of being treated poorly because of our weight, so in my opinion, we're all in this together, regardless of how we choose to find a solution. :tt2: I really enjoy your posts here and I think you're a great contributor to the board.

It might be that people do notice, and think you look great, but don't know what to say. I work at a great company but we have a very strict policy regarding both privacy and sexual harassment. One of my coworkers has obviously lost a TON of weight and looks wonderful. I didn't feel comfortable bringing it up, though, because I didn't want her to feel self-conscious, like everyone at work was monitoring her weight. As a big woman myself, I worry about that a lot. :smile2: However, one day I just told her in private that she looked great and asked if she was doing anything differently. She told me that she'd been working out with a personal trainer and had been eating healthier and had lost 40 pounds. I confessed that I had noticed and she was thrilled, not embarassed at all. It may be that your friends and family may just not know how to approach you but are admiring your hard work from a distance.

I wish you the best of luck on your weight-loss journey! :thumbup: I don't think you need to leave the boards-- you acted on your doctor's advice, made the right choice for you, and that's what counts--but either way, congratulations.

I have been considering the lap band for a long time, and attended my first seminar back in January. I went to my PCP, got a referral, got my psychological evaluation, met with the surgeon, and then just... stopped. I think that it was a combination of getting a bunch of confusing insurance statements that made me think I was thousands of dollars in the hole, and a consultation with a bariatrician who seemed to think I would fail no matter what. I decided that I wasn't in the right head space for a lap band. And yet, several months later-- I have realized that without consciously trying, I've given up carbonated beverages, cut WAY back on alcohol (from 2-3 drinks per night to maybe 1-2 per week), slowed my eating pace, and started eating at home almost all of the time. I've also decided that my health is worth spending money on-- I'm a big saver, and it is very frightening for me to spend money, because I am afraid I will lose control or go bankrupt. However, my husband pointed out to me that my mother does the same thing-- never spends money on herself and is still miserable, and I realized that maybe being happy and healthy is more important than having a big fancy house or high bank balance. And so suddenly, the lap band seems doable again. Part of me feels like I just needed to take a step back and take some time to decide to move forward, but part of me is still saying that it's selfish, that I'm just lazy and gluttonous and I shouldn't need surgery to lose weight... but those voices are getting quieter. I guess, after all this rambling, what I really want to know is if anyone else experienced these roller coasters of emotion while going through the process. And if so, how did it work out for you? Any advice or guidance or sharing is very welcome. :thumbup:

If I were you I would contact an attorney for a (free) consult, and then the ombudsman of the hospital or clinic where you had the surgery, if only to understand what the implications of this information being available to insurers are. I mean, I'm not suggesting you sue, but I think you are within your rights to find out if the surgeon's office is in error, and if so, what rememdies are available to you-- such as reporting the surgeon to the licensing board, etc.

I just wanted to thank you all for your words of wisdom. Hearing your stories has really made me feel better. I'm headed to the bariatrician's appointment in a few minutes, and this time, I am mentally prepared to give the supervised diet my all. Just one more hoop... :thumbup:

Hi everyone. I just had my first visit with the surgeon last week. It went very well; however, he told me that the average excess weight loss over time for lap band patients is 50%. I felt that he was being very kind and realistic. My concern is this: my BMI is currently 37.8, and for me, 50% excess weight loss would be just about 40 pounds. Which would be great, and would be something I have never been able to achieve on my own... but when i am already freaking out about bills, it's giving me pause. Despite the fact that my insurance may eventually approve (based on my BMI and comorbid sleep apnea), the bills are adding up fast. For example, I was told by the psychiatrists' office staff that I had to pay $275 out of pocket for the evaluation, which I did. However, I just got a bill from my insurance stating that I owe an additional $700. Now, I'm fairly sure there was a mix-up, but if not, then my summer plans are pretty much toast. Every time I see a bill I feel disgusted with myself again that I can't just do this on my own. I feel like I am spending so much money to potentially lose what is not a large amount of weight. Now, don't get me wrong, I would be thrilled to be at 190 and stay there, but I keep thinking that if I fail I will have wasted money I really can't afford to spend, and (at this point in my life) my weight is not yet a life or death issue. So I am having trouble keeping motivated to continue the process. Has anyone else felt like this? What did you decide to do? Any tips or suggestions for getting over this feeling that I am wasting money on vanity?

Hey Ice, just a suggestion-- if your two other professors give you friction about getting an incomplete, you could try talking to your academic advisor. He or she will be able to advocate for you. You might even want to meet with your advisor before talking to the other two professors, because the advisor might be able to intercede on your behalf. Good luck, and I hope you heal quickly!

For those of you who have business clothing to give away, but don't want to sell them on ebay or a consignment shop, there is a great organization called Dress for Success that provides business apparel for disadvantaged women who are trying to start careers-- they start by giving them an interview suit (once they have an interview) and then a few additional basic pieces once the women are hired. Their greatest need is for plus-sized clothing. They are totally legit-- I know about them because my husband used to work with the refugee community, and Dress for Success was able to help lots of women with nothing get a nice interview suit and a few separates together. They also now offer all sorts of support for helping women keep the jobs they get, too. You can learn more about them at their web site: Home - Dress for Success Hey, if you're going to give the clothes away anyway, why not give some other women a boost while you're doing it? :wink2: I'm hoping to be in a position to give away my "fat" clothes soon, and I think it's inspiring to see what you all have achieved!

Hi! I'm here in Atlanta and in the process of applying for insurance coverage of the band with the Emory Clinic. How are you feeling?

Thanks, that's great to know!

Hello! I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences with any of the following physicians at Emory: Scott Davis, Jahnavi Srinivasan, or John F. Sweeney. So far, the Emory Bariatric Center has been great. Now, I need to make an appointment with one of them, and unfortunately, I can't afford the co-pay for three separate appointments to see who I trust the most. Any and all information is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. (this is also posted in the Georgia forum)

I LOVE pho too, although I usually get chicken. Several of the Vietnamese restaurants around here sell just the broth without the meat or noodles-- you could put the herbs in then take them out or just not eat them-- it might help with the craving. Good luck!

My doctor told me that when you are eating normal (or excessive, as I do) amounts of calories, it's almost impossible to exercise all the extra off and lose weight it you don't change your eating habits. However, once you have the band, and are eating fewer calories, exercise makes a HUGE difference, since you can burn off a much larger proportion of the energy you consume. It made great sense to me.

Everyone here has given excellent advice, but I'm going to take a slightly different tack. I am assuming that moving your surgery date is a possibility, so if it is not, then you can stop reading here. :thumbup: As a saver and a planner, I often make travel plans a long way off in advance and pay ahead of time in order to get good deals or to coordinate visits with family members far away. Usually this means that I can't change my plans. Is it possible that your coworkers have made arrangements like that? Your boss may just assume that you have more choice in the matter. I definitely don't think of weight-loss surgery as "elective", especially since you are self-pay, but if you ARE able to be flexible with the surgery date, it might benefit your reputation at the company to move it back a week or two. I don't think that your boss is necessarily being hateful-- he may just be looking at the bottom line. Also, since you are well within your rights to demand the time off, compromising with a schedule change could be an opportunity for you to "earn" a favor with your boss that you can call in later. No matter what happens, though, good luck!

I've been obese for over a decade now, but I've always been in fairly decent physical shape, which may be why I haven't had many comorbid conditions (except for killer sleep apnea). Last Thanksgiving, I walked my second half-marathon. I improved my time from the previous year by 20 minutes, and I felt strong and wonderful, and so proud of myself after the race. That is, until I got the race photos. :ohmy: I looked enormous. For some reason, the contrast between the euphora I remembered feeling and the misshapen body that I saw brought it home to me that I have to do something to change my life, along with the realization that I'm not likely to improve my time any more without adding running, which is extremely difficult for me because of teh excess weight I am carrying. I think that, on some level, I thought that I could just exercise all the weight off if I tried hard enough (despite the fact that the day I stop training I start rapidly gaining weight-- I've gained 10 pounds since then.) After I sat for a while and thought about the photos, I decided to stop beating myself up about overeating. My body doesn't produce satiety signals very well, and I use food as a coping mechanism to deal with my emotions. Neither condition makes me a bad or immoral person, just someone who needs help. I just cannot exercise enough to lose all the weight, not when I can't control my eating habits well. I'm very grateful to live in a time and place when help is available. :biggrin2: Now to just get through the application process...

First, I am so sorry to hear that you were hurt as a child. You are also not alone in your pain. I will hold you in the light. As for the rest of your letter, I'm just in the waiting process for a band, but I have lots of experience with anxiety, so take my two cents if you like.:biggrin: I had a similar experience of a sudden onset of anxiety and panic attacks after a trauma-- though mine was not a childhood issue nor weight-related, it follwed a severe adverse reaction to a drug. I too had a panic attack happen out of (seemingly) nowhere, and then could not seem to calm down at all afterwards. After getting therapy I realized that feeling like I was going to die had triggered lots of underlying psychological issues for me, and I had to deal with them whether or not I was ready. It's my belief that sometimes a stressful event of any type can trigger latent tendencies towards anxiety. I HIGHLY recommend talking to a therapist and maybe a support group about your problems. The good news is that anxiety is the most treatable mental health problem out there. I really am grateful at this point for everything I went through because I feel that it's made me a stronger, more stable, and more compassionate person. I would have had to confront my issues sooner or later, anyhow. I promise that I am not being dismissive when I tell you that you will almost certainly be fine in not too very long, and probably better. Just remember that anxiety and the bad things that happen to us to cause it are not our fault.

Angelsoul-- When are you going for the seminar? I am going on January 10, and no one told me that I need to bring someone with me. Thanks!