mnn2501

BCBS is the most strict but will usually cover it. My SiL had BcBs and it took her over a year to get approval from them

You're information is vetry slanted, are you employed by a lap band company? Frankly if I had it to do over again I would choose the sleeve.

My opinion on it? you may not want to hear it.

If you don't qualify, then you probably are less than 100# overweight. I know its hard -- trust me I know its hard! but the lap band is only a tool, its not a magic fix, you will still need to watch your diet and exercise and I would recommend starting there. Its still possible to stuff bad food down your throat and unless you have discipline you can fail with the lapband also.

liquid diet always works (if you don't cheat) thats why most doctors require it - it also shrinks your liver and calms down your stomach - both are important.

My wife and I fixed lots of Soups and ran them through the blender. Luckily the mushy state does not last all that long (though it seems like forever)

Lap band is only a tool, you still need exercise and diet. Its possible to eat snickers bars and potato chips all day long even with the lap band. I don't know of any doctor that will do lapband surgery - even self pay, with that low a BMI.

Sorry, but you need a lifestyle change, not a lap band. You are still relativly small (I was 457# when I got my lapband) and young (I am 52) , so unless you have something physically stopping you from exercising, you must start - Exercise is a must even with the lapband as is eating correctly. There is no magic fix to weight loss.

I do wish you well.

My wife is type 1 diabetic and she's had lap band surgery - has cut down on her insulin usage a lot.

My wife found gummi-vitamins, taste just like a gummi-bear - they're great!!!! Sams carries them as does Kroger groceries and probably a lot of other places too.

Smoking cause the problems everyone has already mentioned, having said thatquiting smolking the 2nd hardest thing I ever did (losing weight is #1) It really does cause problems with healing and besides can't you find better things to do with the money you'll save - like maybe buy gas? lol

I went through boxes and boxes of TicTacs when I quit

Good luck

Different doctors require different things but the idea is to shrink your liver and to calm down your stomach (stomachs move around when digesting food). Most non-solid foods do this, both my wife and I would cook Soup and run them through a blender and the doc said it was fine so you may want to try that.

Some Protein shakes taste better than others - keep looking, you'll find one (for me it was Slim-fast high Protein shakes)

My doc had me on liquids 2 weeks before and 3 weeks after -- although I admit I cheated starting about a week after. Be VERY careful a couple days before and a couple days after - thats not the time to cheat, it can cause serious problems

I've had the lap band since Feb of this year and have lost 50# so far. I can eat everything I have always eaten, but only about a 1/4 of the amount I used to. My wife had it 2 weeks after me and has lost 60# so far, she eats about half what I do. Family meals are no problem for either, but when going out to eat, plan on doggie bags. This does cause problems with some things that don't reheat very well (my favorites: Ruben sandwich, burgers from Red Robin, taste great originally but just don't reheat worth a darn so is kind of a waste.

The size of American restaurants meals is just way too much for anyone and IMHO part of the cause of obesity in this country.

Keep in mind: CHEW CHEW CHEW and slooooooow way down in your eating and you won't have problems, try to eat too fast and you'll have what people here call PB's(productive burps). My wife has problems with this, I have never had any problems.

There may be foods that just cause you problems - its rice for my wife, and flour tortillas for me -- they're ok if we chew and eat slowly, but take too big a bite and its like it gets caught (goes down eventually, just uncomfortable for a while).

Seriously, I wish I would have done this years ago.

Rest easy, I was 457 and got the lap band. have lost 53# since Feb 26 (and probably could have lost more by now but could not exercise for 6 weeks due to a bad back)

Head to the Emergency Room of your local hospital

I've never heard of a 4 cc band? That seems senseless to me.

I had a doctor once ask me "Did you ever think of losing weight?"

Like I was supposed to go "Wow, I never thought of that - would that help?"

Needless to say I never went back to him.

The rudest thing I ever had happen was shortly after we moved into a new house, new area, new Church, etc. We had been going to this new Church less than a month when a couple about our age invited us over for dinner after Church - thinking great we are meeting new people in our new area. Well we got there for dinner and it turns out they are selling weight loss products and while we did eat dinner it was one big sales pitch -- we never bought anything and we kept our interaction with them to an absolute minimum after that. Turns out they did that for everyone they saw that were overweight.

. the more fills i have, the tighter i am right?

Yes and no. The more weight you loose the smaller your stomach becomes so fills are playing 'catch-up' with your shrinking stomach.

So, let me get this straight - you walk in with cash and they turn you down? I can understand them not giving you credit but if you have the cash its against the law for them to turn you down - in the U.S. at least. Every denomination of money in the U.S. says "This note is legal tender for all debts public or private"

My first fill was 2.5cc which did nothing, I actually gained back 2 pounds, 1 month later I had another fill 3.0 more which did the trick, although now - 4 weeks later my weight loss is slowing and my eating is getting more again. I am finding exercise is the key -- too bad I'm having back problems right now (had a bad back for years - comes and goes)

Not even the Water in Mexico is safe ---- lol

Some people will try to sabotage you, sounds like you are doing a great job so far - keep it up!!

I am a bit jealous though, I had 2 weeks of straight liquids before my surgery - no 'real meals' at all. 11 weeks after surgery and 48 pounds lighter - its all worth it - although my first week after was a bit rough (ie depressing) Now I wish I would have did it years ago.

Keep up the good work!

Depression hit me big time on the 3rd day. now at 6+ weeks, getting the lap band was the best thing I've ever done for myself. You'll get over it, trust us.

I certainly don't want to tell anyone to go against their doctors advice, but I went on 'real food' week 2. I had small (chopped up) peices of roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy, regular Soups (not creamed), etc. it was like heaven after 4 weeks (2 weeks pre-op and 2 weeks post-op) of Protein Shakes, Jello, and pudding. Small amounts (about 2 - 3 oz at a time) and chew, chew, chew. with short 30-60 second waits between bites.

It worked for me, but like the car ad's say "your mileage may vary"

Been banded for 7 weeks now (and went on 'real' foods early) and have not had any of those problems at all. The key (I believe) is to be sensable about the amounts of food you eat and Chew, Chew, Chew. I was told to put my fork down between bites and slow way down on eating.

You may find that some foods have a hard time going down, Taco chips just kinda sit there for me now (ie take a long time to go through the band) - but thats ok, they're pretty much junk food anyway. Also carbonated beverages are totally gone for me as everytime I try them I get shoulder pain.

39 lbs so far (includes 2 week liquid diet pre-banding)

(PB=Productive Burping - when you burp and bring up food)

If it doesn't hurt, yeah, go for it. It was 10 days before I could sleep anywhere but a recliner.

what I used most of all for the first 3 days and nights was my recliner, a heating pad, and a pillow :thumbup:

broth and a pill cutter also.

I am six days post op and supposed to be on liquids only for 10 days. Has anyone violated this policy? I would love to have some chili or potato soup...

I started 'real' foods early myself - didn't kill me. Just remember portion size (VERY Important) and chew, chew, chew!