cobrien78

I have some questions I'm hoping those of you who have had the LapBand can answer. While I know there is less chance of vitamin deficiency with LapBand, do you still need to take multi-vitamin or any other type of daily supplement and do they have to be chewable or can they be crushed? Also, I have PCOS and my hair is thin and sheds easily. Do those of you who had PCOS and maybe had this symptom see an improvement or did it get worse because of lack of nutrition or whatever? Thanks in advance for any information you can give me!

So what are the SPECIFIC differences of the realize band and the lapband? Are there any, do they work differently?

The family practice dr. said that my insulin resistance wouldn't count cause I have PCOS and that's a fertility issue. He said my BP wasn't that high 136/86 even though I told him I've been treated for it in the past and it is consistently that elevated. He said he didn't have my cholesterol results so he couldn't be sure I have high chol. even though I told him it was tested high. He also said they wouldn't give me the surgery because my BMI wasn't 40 or above and I didn't have any co-morbidities although, in my opinion I do. He told me they don't do surgeries on people who have BMIs under 40 so as you can tell he really doesn't know much about WLS. Needless to say he really frustrated me and made me mad. I just want to gain a few lbs. to make sure I do qualify and be on the safe side it can't hurt to have a higher BMI.

I don't understand how I have a BMI of 36.8, yet I have over 100lbs to lose?! Anyway, tricare doesn't go by BMI which is good. I'm hoping they will do my height at 5 7, but I usually get measured at 5 8. It sucks to be tall and overweight cause most people don't look at me and think I'm obese even though I am.

Thanks mommieof4! I'm just starting to freak because the dr. I got my referral from was telling me I don't qualify because I don't have any co-morbidities. And I was like I do and he kept telling me they didn't qualify as a comorbidity.GRR! So of course I'm second guessing and freaking out.

I am well over 100lbs overweight for my height and size. However, with my insurance company I have to have 2 co-morbidities to go along with that or I have to be 200% my ideal weight. I have at least one co-morbidity and the other stuff will be determined by my ins. co. However, I am only short a few pounds to be 200% over my ideal weight. This is why I am giving it consideration.

Did anybody here gain weight or use ankle weights, fishing weights, etc. to add to their weight? I'm considering it as I only need a few extra pounds to be a shoo-in for approval. Wanting to know others opinion on the subject and if anyone else has ever done this.

OK so I'm a mental case right now please bear with me. I saw the met life charts and according to them I'm small frame?! I measured 3 times! However, I'm going with the medium frame cause I just don't believe I'm a small frame person. And in order to be 200% over ideal weight I would need to gain 24lbs.! However if I really am a small frame I would only have to gain 10lbs minimum. Is it worth it to gain the weight? Or do things like weights and stuff when I weigh. My consult is the 26th, what do you think? Sorry for my insanity!

Well according to Tricare I have to be at least 100lbs. overweight and have 2 co-morbidities. Or have to be 200% your ideal bodyweight. I am 105lbs overweight and I have high chol. and I have high BP however, noone has ever wanted to treat it except one dr. in the past. See everyone else has said it isn't "THAT HIGH"??!! GRRR! Lots of people in my family have died from heart disease! My own father had a heart attack when he was 28 years old!! I am not even exaggerating! I have PCOS and am insulin resistant. I had my gallbladder removed but crap if I knew it would count as a co-morbidity if I didn't have it removed I wouldn't have! I just want to have the surgery done and lose the weight BEFORE I get worse! I mean how high does my BP have to get? Do I have to wait to be on insulin too? I'm just so pissed! I know I haven't been denied yet but when someone tells you these things it's really frustrating.

Thank you guys! I actually told the dr. "No offense but, I want the Bariatric surgeon to tell me I don't qualify NOT you!"

I went to get my referral to the bariatric surgeon for the lap band and the dr. was and @$$hole! He said I don't meet the requirements and probably won't have the surgery cause the surgeon won't do it!! I'm soo frustrated for some reason some BMI calculators say my BMI is 38 and some say 36.8!? I'm so upset he was such a jerk! He said I have NO co-morbidities and that my BP which is 133/86 wasn't high because there is a curve they go by to determine whether or not someone has high BP!! I have PCOS (insulin resistant on metformin), high chol., had gall bladder removed, and I'm 105lbs over ideal weight! Also have Extreme family history of heart disease. I'm only 30lbs away from being 200% over ideal body weight which is an automatic qualifier for tricare. I'm so frustrated, he did give me the referral but kept reiterating how I wouldn't be having the surgery because I didn't meet the guidelines. I see the surgeon for the initial consult on Aug. 26th. I'm really upset because I just feel hopeless and helpless I've done so much to try and lose all this weight and now if I'm unable I will just get crushed and it won't be long before I will gain that 30lbs and get automatically approved for it. WHY??!!

That's what I thought that the referral approval was just for the consult. However, I can see how that is confusing for some since why would they even pay for a consult if you don't qualify. Gotta love tricare!

Are you on meds for PCOS? I have it too and I have Tricare I'm going for a referral tomorrow for the lap band. I am worried they won't approve me even though I have a lot of their co-morbidities. I am on metformin for the insulin resistance because of PCOS. I also recently had gall bladder removed which is cholecystitis. I have a severe family history of heart disease (my dad had heart attack at 28). I am also a little over 100lbs overweight. I am hoping to get approved. Good luck on your appeal! I would definitely talk to your PCM about what you can do.

I am SOO HAPPY I found this site!! I have never been to a forum where there are soo many supportive people!! Thank you so much for answering my questions. I know with you guys I can do this and it makes me want to do it even more! Thank you so much! :eek:

I know everyone is different but here is a question maybe some of you can answer or relate to. Whenever I diet the pounds come off quite fast my problem has always been MAINTAINING the weight loss, I can never seem to KEEP off the weight. This is my main reason to get the band to take off the 100lbs I have put on and maintain it. Anyway, if I get approved for surgery and have this done will my weight come off fast like in the past? Anyone have similar experiences?:eek:

Ok what the heck is sliming??!!:eek:

Like many overweight/obese people I have a LOVE affair with food. Mostly the "bad" stuff. How hard is it REALLY to change your habits and your love for food? Does it come naturally because of the restriction or is it something you really have to work hard at like other diets as far as willpower? That is why I failed so many diets I didn't have the willpower to stick with them. I am ready to change my life and eating habits, I guess I'm just afraid that I fail at this too. Secondly, my mom's best friend had the band placed late 2006. She has lost maybe 30 lbs. But she may have gained some back. How is this possible? Because I don't want that to happen to me. I don't want to have this surgery for nothing!

If I get approved for surgery (keep your fingers crossed), then my husband and my close friends will know. I will not tell my family as they are very unsupportive. They think all this is MY fault and that surgery is an easy way out because "If you really tried, you could do it yourself." Ugh! So, they won't know! We don't live in the same state so it makes it easier.

I live in Great Falls, Mt and was wondering if there was anyone out there who has been banded here and which dr. they recommend? Thanks for any input you can give!

:biggrin:Hey there I've been considering getting the Band for some time now. I have an appt with my PCM to get a referral. So I'm wondering if some of you bandsters could help me: What's the BEST thing about being banded? What's the WORST thing about being banded? Thanks!

Well, I've been researching and have been thinking about LapBand for awhile now. I've been putting it off because I've been diluted about my ability to take off the weight. I'm 100 lbs overweight and everyone in my family thinks I can just diet and exercise and it will come off (basically, I haven't tried hard enough in their opinion). Well, yesterday I received pictures from my mom that she took while visiting us. I about fell over! I didn't realize I looked THAT bad! It really grossed me out and made me cry. I made the call for the referral today. I'm hoping I can get banded by October. I know I can't lose THIS much weight by myself.

Well, my husband is in the military and tricare just started to cover lap band and I'm waiting till we get up there to get the referral. So I guess I'll have to find out which dr.s if any will accept tricare. I really hope this works out. Thanks for all the information!

We just found out that we got orders to Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, MT:biggrin2: My question is: Are there any reputable bariatric surgeons that do the lap band there? We are moving this summer, so I wanted to do a search and see if anyone here can recommend someone? Thanks so much for any help you can give!

We will be moving to Great Falls, Mt this summer! I am so excited about it! Anyway, I've seen some of you mention Dr. Roher(sp?). Does he do the lap band surgery and if so has anyone had it done by him and what was your experience? Any info on bariatric surgeons in that area would be great, thanks!

Ok has anyone started or plans on or already had the lap band surgery through WHMC? I am getting the referral on Monday (hopefully) and I am wondering how long it takes to get approved and how hard it is? Also, how the experience was/is. We should be PCSing this summer and hope to have the surgery done before we leave. Thanks for any info!