Tracyd

It amazes me that insurance companies actually deny these surgeries for people that are truly suffering and battling this. It's preemptive medicine and it's a wonder they don't realize this. To me I would think it would be a no-brainer.:mmph: Good luck JungleJim and all the May Bandsters!! :hippie:

I'm going to be banded on May 25th. I'm being banded by Dr. Kemmeter in Grand Rapids Michigan at MMPC (Michigan Medical, PC). They're an excellent group of people. It is followed with support groups, exercise therapists, behaviorists, and nutritionists. I'm on a product for 2 weeks through MMPC to shrink the liver as much as possible and then liquids for 2 weeks after and then meet with the nutritionist for the next steps. Luckily for me my insurance is covering most of it. All I have to pay for is $1294 which includes 4 weeks of product (my only source of nutrition). My first appointment was 12/27 to start the process. Now reality has hit ... OMG ... :omg: I have been reading this site and have posted a couple of times. During the 12/27 meeting I guess the Dr. told me that he wanted me to try to lost 15 pounds on my own ... I don't remember the conversation, and when I had actually gained 14 pounds from December to last week, there was a possibility of a delay .:angry ... hey .... isn't that why I'm doing it, because of the difficulty I have to begin with losing and keeping it off? Anyway, so far so good, I talked them out of the delay with an understanding of them still possibly delaying it depending on how I do on product this week. I'm rambling ... sorry. Bottom line. I'm starting at 331#, 5'6" with a BMI of I think 52.:faint: My goal is in babysteps. I met another bander at the surgical support group (most of the group is gastric bypass patients) that lost 100 pounds in one year. I can't even imagine. This place has been an absolute God-send :angel: for me. So much support and so many answers to everything. Thanks everyone .... and good luck to all.:nanahump:

I just got my surgical date of May 25. I'm in Grand Rapids Michigan. I did just want to let you know that in my intense research in choosing between the band and gastic bypass I found that the average weight loss is the same between the two surgery choices over 5 years, it's just that bandsters lose it more slowly .... and the big decision maker for me is that if something goes wrong (God forbid), it is reversable and haven't really messed up your inside organs. Good luck to all.

I'm a Dean's secretary at a community college. I love what I do.

Thank you all for your replies. I have understood all of them and thank God again for this site. I am not upset that she would want to do the band ... more power to her. :clap2: What made me upset was her thinking that it's going to be easy. I've explained to her that it is another tool in my arsenal of losing weight. Only this tool will allow me to have physical control of the amount I eat, I will still have to deal with the mental. Again. Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I hope that next time I post a message, I'll have a date for the surgery.:puke:

A friend of mine (my best friend) said that if this works for me, she's thinking of getting the magic pill. I asked her what she meant by "magic pill" and she thinks that with this surgery, it's a guarantee and the "easy" way to do it. :faint: I really couldn't believe what she was saying. We did have a bit of a tiff over it and both agreed to disagree. How do you handle people like this that think the lapband is the easy way to lose weight?:puke: I thought I'd just blow it off, but I seem to be stewing about it. How do you handle people like this?:help: I've just been approved (insurance) and am waiting for the last test result to come in (sleep clinic) to be able to schedule the surgery.

Sorry, but this is a very long note .... First and foremost, I want to thank everyone on this site for their honesty of the lapband process and their openness. It has been invaluable. I haven't been here for awhile. I just got my letter of approval from my insurance company (Priority Health-Grand Rapids Michigan) yesterday. I'm soooooo excited, I couldn't really believe what I was seeing. With the way everyone was saying how difficult it was to get insurance to cover it, I was really doubting it would ever be covered. Especially when I was denied the first time (only due to incorrect paperwork provided to the insurance carrier). The practice who provided the incorrect paperwork, called the insurance company and within 24 hours, the first phase toward approval was to start. At the same time of being very very excited for this magnificent tool, I'm also extremely scared. :phanvan I hear the nightmares ... and then I have to remember all the success stories. Tomorrow I'll be calling my doctor's office to see when we schedule the surgery. I'm guessing it won't be until the end of February because through my weight management practice, you're on product for 2 weeks to try to shrink the liver as much as possible for easier access to the stomach (the liver actually sets in front of the stomach). The product is part of a high-protein, low calorie eating plan using nutritional supplements. It is called a“supplemented fast” because you consume no regular food, only nutritional supplements...then the surgery. During these next 2-3 weeks I'll also be meeting with a dietician for about 2-3x (1 hour each). The program I'm going through is the MMPC Weight Management/Bariatric Surgery Center. They are very very focused on the person as a whole. Prior to even getting Priority Health to approve it, I had to meet with the main surgeon, then a physical with another surgeon (they work on a two-doctor team for each surgery) as well as 2 meetings with a behaviorist and take a personality test and a sleep test. After the surgery, I will be on a liquid diet for 2-3 weeks with a slow introduction to solids. At the same time they offer a surgical support group as well as other support groups. Well ... babbling, I'm good at (as you can tell) :speechles ... I wish all of you much success and hope to be "talking" with you all soon. Thanks again for your honesty and openess. It certainly helped me make the decision between gastric bypass and lapband.

Congratulations. I hope to be joining you all very soon in bandland as well. I was just approved by Priority Health (in Grand Rapids Michigan at MMPC with Dr. Kemmeter) to meet with the Doctor, Physician's Assistant, and Behaviorist. After that they do an evaluation and approve the next step which is 3 appointments with the dieticians and then evaluate that and then the surgery will be approved and scheduled. I figure if the insurance company is making me go through this process, both they and the medical team see a commitment from me. If anyone thought it was a quick fix, I don't think they'd tolerate this type of process. I'm just lucky that my insurance is covering it. I will only be paying $1300 out of pocket and that will include the food (product) that I have to be on two weeks prior and liquid two weeks after. This website and all of you have been absolutely priceless in understanding the lapband surgery and assisting me in my conversations with the doctors. Thanks to everyone for the honesty and ability to be so open. Good luck to all the new bandsters!!!:notagree

I'm in the process with my insurance (Priority Health) to get the lapband surgery. I'm going through MMPC's Center for Health Excellence in Grand Rapids, at http://www.mmpc.com/specialties/cfhe I have been going there for the Weight Management Program as well. They're great people, caring about the person as a whole from behaviorists, nutritionists, exercise therapy and personal treatment ... whether you're a surgery patient or a Weight Managment (semi-fasting), or TRIM patient. Surgery patients meet 2x per month. In their other programs (Weight Management and Trim), you meet on a weekly basis. Great place. Great People!!!!

Thanks for the honesty. This is exactly what I was looking for. PB? I'm a little naieve here and I'm sure when someone tells me what "PB" stands for, I'll have a V8 moment. Thanks again.

I am so sorry that I forgot to give history of me. I haven't been banded and am currently going through the process of insurance and PCP referrals to get banded in Grand Rapids Michigan. I've already asked if you can feel the band and the port, and now I was curious if anyone gets extremely nauseated and why. I'm 43 year old female, 309 pounds (51 BMI), and 5'5". I have no major obesity-related illnesses except osteoarthritus. But, eventually if I don't do lose weight soon, all other obesity-related illnesses are inevitable. Thanks for listening.

Me again with another question. Anyone experience extreme nausea? Thanks.

Both of you have said how old eating habits remind you that the band is there. How is this? Does it get stuck? Do you ..... (ya know)? Curious.

Thanks for this informatoin. Now that I've started the process, I'm starting to wonder about the device inside. It's nice to know that you don't actually feel it. :-) Again, thanks.

I'm just starting the process of getting the band ... went to orientation and discussed it with my PCP. He'll be writing the letter and referral next month. My goal is to get the band at the end of January. My main question is for those already banded .... do you feel the band or something foreign in your body and/or how does the port feel to you?

Serenity .... welcome. I have only found the web a bit ago and am not banded yet. However, I too am from Grand Rapids and had my orientation this past Monday. I've been going to MMPC since June 2004 on their weight management program. They are a wonderful place. Good luck.

Little bit of history: I'm 43, 304 pounds, 5'6" and sick of living this way. I have garnered a great deal of information from this website and thank all of you for your willingness to be open and truthful about your experiences. I'm currently looking into getting the band done. I went to an orientation yesterday at MMPC's Center for Health Excellence in Grand Rapids. I've been going to their weight management program since June of 2004. June-August 2004, I was on their product of Bariatrix which is similar to Optifast, however it is food (their food). The Center is a great place with wonderful support, physically, emotionally, etc. I lost 60 pounds, but have now gained half of that back. It takes a lot of soul searching and conviction to come to this point. This place not only does band surgeries, but also does gastric bypass surgeries as well. When I went to orientation, I started swaying toward the gastic bypass, but have come to a decision to get the lap band (less invasive and they don't cut any organs). Thanks for all the information on this website and your willing to be so open and honest. P.S. I was on a thread a couple of days ago and thanks to their instructions figured out how to do a "new thread."

Thank you for the information and support. Good luck to all.

I'm currently looking into getting the band done. I have been trying for the past hour to figure out how to post, so I figured I'd just replay to someone who is new on the form as well. I'm from Michigan and going to go to the first orientation tomorrow. Little bit of history: I'm 43, 304 pounds, 5'6" and sick of living this way. In June 2004, I started a weight management program at the same place that does the bariatric and lap band surgeries. I lost 60 pounds, but have now gained half of that back. It takes a lot of soul searching and conviction to come to this point. I have garnered a great deal of information from this website and thank all of you for your willingness to be open and truthful about your experiences. Good luck to the newbie ... and thanks.