tomorrowsdream

I never had any referred pain of any sort from a lousy gallbladder I had to carry around for 2 years after heart surgery. The pain was right where the gallbladder was and nowhere else. The fact that they nicked my liver is still giving me pain. I guess I am the "fat liver" they refer to.

Jill, my daughter is tricare and they have agreed to extensive plastic surgery..a one time surgery as you said, but she is getting everything done, from her tummy, to her goblet neck, to lipo in her thighs. I think every insurance ought to offer at the very least removal of the sagging skin. I think my kid is going to look like a movie star. If she could get away with it she would stick a nose job in there too, and it won't surprise me a bit if she does

Like I said before my daughter has now been approved (3 years out from gastric bypass) for tummy tuck and breast life. How she knows her way around the medical system so well I have no clue, but the girl can seem to get anything done. The tummy tuck should be standard, so people will feel really good about losing all that weight and not having it just hanging....but how she got the breast implants and lifts approved I'm never going to know.

If I had pain in my left shoulder I would panic. I've had 5-way-bypass and that is where all the pain was when I had a heart attack. Now you're telling me you get gas in your shoulder. I would end up in the ER in panic because I wouldn't know what signal my body was sending. HELP. I had my gallbladder out, and they told me the gas would be horrible. I never got any gas. I had a C-section and they told me the gas would be horrible. I sailed through it without any gas. I wonder if maybe I can get through this without too much gas.

If I had pain in my left shoulder I would panic. I've had 5-way-bypass and that is where all the pain was when I had a heart attack. Now you're telling me you get gas in your shoulder. I would end up in the ER in panic because I wouldn't know what signal my body was sending. HELP.

I live on ibuprofen for arthritis. I elected to take it over the Celebrex because of the controversary. The same could be said for Celebrex I guess as it has almost the same components and is NSAID. I guess I'll be switching to Tylenol for arthritis instead,although it doesn't help nearly as much. There is always the chance that losing weight is going to help the arthritis...so maybe I'll end up not taking anything and that would be wonderful. Thanks for the input. I wondered what caused band erosion also. I wondered if it was eating spicy foods or something like that. I had absolutely no idea. Is there any way to keep a port from getting infected? I mean do you clean it with alcohol, or do you stay on antibiotics awhile or what? I would think erosion could happen if the dr. places the band in the wrong place, and I've heard of this happening from several people. OK I'm scared.

My daughter still has what she calls her "pouch" after losing over 100 lbs. with gastric bypass. She wants to have plastic surgery for it, and her dr. is putting her in for it under her insurance. Go figure. He thinks anyone that loses a great deal of weight should be covered for plastic surgery to remove excess fat. She honestly has been approved. She is stationed with her husband in Italy and will be going to Weisbaden, Germany for her surgery. She is getting a tummy tuck and a breast lift. How lucky can one person be. She is the first I've heard of being approved afterward for plastic surgery for anything to do with weight loss without having to pay. She also seems to have the best luck in the world at most everything she sets out to do. She never lets up for one minute with insurance companies, and I think sometimes they take her just to shut her up I do, however, agree that should be a part of the surgery if you have a lot of loose hanging flab when you are done. Good luck with that smiley face.

I haven't been banded yet, but I did stay with my daughter for 2 weeks after her gastric bypass surgery and she had the same problems as you with terrible gas the first day or so and not being able to go to the bathroom. We did get ahold of what they call "Ask A Nurse" in our city. They are available 24/7 and seem to be well informed. She suggested because of the gas that my daughter not take a laxative by mouth but use adult sized glycerine suppositories, which can be found at Walmart or any store for that matter. My daughter used them and had relief within 1/2 an hr. She continued to use them on as an need basis for a couple weeks. She managed to get rid of a lot of gas that way too. I hope this helps you in some way and you get feeling better really soon.

I never had this problem till I had my gallbladder out. My dr. thinks it is a hernia (it is in the upper right hand side of my stomach). However, during surgery the surgeon said "she nicked my liver" and put some durabond on it. I'm wondering is this where my liver is, or is this a dumb question. I know my gallbladder was on the right hand side, but this is like high on the right hand side. I'm so puzzled and it hurts to touch it, but not if I don't.

Ever since I had my gallbladder out 2 years ago I wake up queasy. If I didn't know I was too old to be pregnant and haden't been exposed I would swear I was pregnant. I'm wondering what the surgery is going to do to my already queasy tummy. I've heard people say their stomachs are sick. If mine were much sicker I couldn't stand it. I take compazine and was thinking of asking in advance for the patches. Should I hold off on the surgery. Any advice out there from someone who has been there. Thanks. I don't want to make myself sicker. I always feel like I'm nauseated...horrible feeling and it doesn't go away without meds.

Well, someone suggested it and it sounds like a great idea, so here it is. The check-in site for older bandsters. I'll get this started. I'm 63 and in the process of getting a loan to pay for my surgery if needed (can't cound on Medicare). I've had the Thallium scan. I had 5-way-bypass in 2001 and am doing fine in that department, but the weight has to go. I devoted myself literally to eating when they took my cigarettes away...but then that is what ended me up in surgery to start with. Now, the culprit is almost as bad. The weight has to go to help my heart and my arthritis. I have taken the sleep study and have sleep apnea. I'll be in the hospital for a night next week to see what amount of C-pap I need. I have taken a thallium stress test to make sure the arteries are still open. I'm scheduled for an echocardiogram on Monday (just because my cardiologist is overly careful and hears a slight murmur he thinks is mitral valve prolapse), which is liveable, but he wants to make sure there are no leaks from the bypass surgery. I am going to have all my blood work done on the 17th of Nov. and then I have the psych appt. and the appt. with the surgeon, at which point all the testing will be done, and I'll only have to wait for the surgery and to make sure I have money in hand. OK, now the rest of you older bandsters (who are banded or waiting) please check in and lets give each other lots of encouragement and talk about our experiences. To date I don't have much to share, but am looking forward to hearing from all of you that have been banded and the weight loss you have achieved. Check-in site officially open.

There are 2 types of stress testing. One is treadmill and the other is what is called a thallium scan (nuclear if you prefer). There is absolutely nothing to worry about. It makes you short of breath for just a few seconds and that is it. The thallium scan is absolutely and positively painless and I would prefer it any day to threadmill. Wish you luck.

I too am waiting to be banded, but it will be done here in the states...someday when they get all the darned paperwork done. I guess there is far less to do for Mexico so perhaps that is a plus. Mine has been dragging on forever. I wish you luck and keep in touch.

You asked a question very few people like to answer. Whether they are self-pay or had insurance pay part, very few people are comfortable discussing costs. Me I don't personally care. I'm a Medicare patient and I'm hoping they will pay. If they don't the surgeon is $10,000 and the hospital is $10,000, which I can work with as I worked at that hospital for years and I know I can work something out with them. People often go to Mexico because you can get the complete surgery for between $9000-$10,000. I personally would not do it. My surgery includes all the aftercare and fills and I don't want to be far from the dr. It's an issue I asked when I first joined and people just don't like talking about the cost of their surgery. Everyone is probably in a different situation. You can look up some lap banding on the net and get some prices in Mexico, and you can call around. I just talked to someone the other day from the Dallas/Fort Worth area, so she may read this and give you some info. Whatever you choose I wish you luck. I think if you are basically young and healthy you could go to Monterrey, Mexico and probably do great. If you have existing medical problems that need ongoing care you should probably stay here. It's a very personal decision. Whatever you decide good luck.

I think I coughed up about 25 yr. worth of gunk after my heart surgery. Is coughing up this mucus normal if you are not a smoker, or does it just happen with smokers. I know I coughed for 2 weeks, and oh my God did it hurt. I felt like my chest was ripping open again.

I wish I had a surgery date. I attended the seminar and for a mo. have been getting through sleep studies, and it is just one thing after another it seems. Wow, you get to be on veggies too. I guess all dr's. are different. I've been told I can't have anything but liquids. Keep in touch and let me know how it goes. Sometimes I think I'm happy with what I've learned on here and then someone tells about the problems they are having and I get nervous again. I wish you all the luck in the world and I envy you. I wish I had a surgery date...

I'm going to see my internist on Friday and I assume she will refer me to an ENT. I'm up late tonight once again because I can't seem to breathe out of left nostril. I have no clue what is going on. I've tried sprays to no avail. Guess I will have to let an ENT dr. figure it out. By the time I get the OK for this surgery I could be 80 years old

Who are you insured by that your rates are going to $5000? That seems rediculous. I think your dr. could say he supervised different weight loss trials for you. Mine certainly has done run of the mill ones with me, but then they aren't requiring that of me. I think my dr. wants this done as soon as possible because of my health. Good luck to you. I'm not sure what you are requesting, but hopefully someone will help you out. I had the misfortune when I lived somewhere else of being on phentermine (before Phen-fen cam out) but it is just as destructive. It is what caused serious heart problems that required extensive surgery. I have also been supervised on Meridia...didn't help at all. Best of luck to you.

I also am on Medicare because of a disability, so hoping they will pay mine also. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but have to be prepared to pay I guess. It states on the application for surgery that they don't allow any appeal process...not sure where they get that from. I understand you can appeal Medicare if you have to.

I'm on Medicare and I've been told that within the last few mo. they have begun covering lap banding. I've spoken with them several times and they have told me verbally if it is coded correctly they will pay. However, because they don't pre-authorize anything I am going to make sure I have the money available to pay if it turns out they don't reimburse. I'm hoping for the best.

I attended the seminar (which by the way is the first step) and got an application and the labs, etc. that were required. A sleep test was a requirement. That's why I went ahead and got one scheduled. Never thought a thing about it, and it turns out I have severe sleep apnea. I go next Sat. night again to get put on the C-pap overnight to find how much I should be on. My dr. requires you go into surgery with the C-pap. This, or any surgery, is extremely dangerous if you have sleep apnea. It is very common with people that are overweight, and lots don't know they have it. You can stop breathing under anesthesia if you have sleep apnea and are not being treated. That doesn't sound like a very good alternative to me. I'm darned glad I found out beforehand I had it. However, I may have to see an ENT anyway because I'm not breathing very well out of one nostril. It seems like it is one thing after another...but I'm sure the day will come when I will have the surgery. I think the choice between gastric bypass and lap banding is truly a no brainer when you consider the complications that are involved with the gastric bypass. I'm not big on having my intestines cut and re-routed. Good luck to you.

I have been getting all my lab work done before hand. It requires a sleep study, which has taken me a mo. to complete. It might be a good thing to get out of the way as it is a requirement. The lab testing is the same I think, so if you want to start out getting them done, that's the way I did it. I haven't been banded yet, but only have the psych eval. to get through now.

My surgeon tells me I will be required to be on a liquid diet for 2 weeks before surgery. Now, my thought is that if I could remain on a liquid diet for 2 weeks I wouldn't be needing him. I would shrink my stomach on my own. It doesn't make any sense to me. I don't see how this can be accomplished, and if it is possible why will I need the surgery. I will have already learned how to starve. Very confused.

You are doing great and God Bless your Mom for having this done at 73. Did she do fine? Did you do fine? I read pros and cons on here about how people are doing right after the surgery. Some of it is scary, but then there are posts that give me hope.

Gastric bypass is a very invasive surgery where your intestines are re-routed, and often with problems such as major leaks. The surgery is far more risky then the more non-invasive lap banding. Everyone on here seems to be losing weight fantastically. I would never even consider gastric bypass, and my doctors would never allow me too, but they will allow me to have lap banding. Always remember lap banding can be reversed and adjusted...there is no adjustment possible with gastric bypass. My daughter had it 3 years ago. She suffers from "dumping syndrome" among other things. Everything she eats goes right through her, because of the intestinal re-routing. I would think long and hard before I ever opted for gastric bypass. Talk to some of the bandsters on here. They seem very happy with their choice, and I think it has far more success than 50%. A lot is right there in your mindset I think. Good luck to you. Lots of dr's. that do gastric bypass do NOT know how to do the lapbanding procedure. It's not uncommon to find that lap band dr's. do not do gastric bypass either. My surgeon does not do gastric bypass at all. They are surely going to try and swing you to their way of thinking if all they do is gastric bypass.