travelinsnorkel

At one point someone emailed me the link to where I can find all of the questions to ask the surgeon at my appt and now I can't find them again! I am going for my first appt tomorrow and want to make sure I cover everything! Thanks!!!

I am getting ready to meet with the surgeon for the first time on Wednesday and I feel the same way! What if this surgery just makes things worse and I feel terrible? I'm hoping he will clear up a lot of my questions and it seems like this is the natural course of things, to have doubts and question things...good luck!

Hi there...thanks for posting! I haven't been banded yet, but what you are going through is something I am worried about. Who will I be when I lose the weight? I have always been the fun and funny fat friend. I am very social and like to go out with my friends...this usually revolves around eating and or drinking. I realize that I don't have to do much of either, but I wonder what it will feel like not to? I can see how it will be a very big change to be the newly thin girl in the group and trying to find who you really are after having been hiding behind the fat. I wish you luck!

I called my insurance company, Care First Blue Choice, and they said that they don't cover the lap band surgery. Does anyone know if there is any way to have the doctor appeal this? I haven't met with my surgeon yet, so I'm sure they'll have some ideas, but thought I'd check here first. Thanks!

I haven't been banded yet, but I'm just wondering how many of you need PS? Do most bandsters need it? Does working out help with this? Or is it just the way your body is that matters? Thanks!

Thanks for the advice. I totally agree I need to work on the weight loss first! I just wondered how many people get the skin issue. I've been overweight my whole life and it is all in my stomach. If you saw my arms and legs you would think I was thin! haha. So, in all likelyhood I will need some skin removal, but just was curiouse.

Does everyone have to get a sleep study for sleep apnea prior to surgery? Or is it just if you have signs of it?

I got good news today! I emailed the doctor's office and actually got an email from the doctor saying that since I did the online seminar presentation I can schedule an appt and ask any extra questions at that time so my appt will be 4/29!

Ok, so having been on here for a few weeks and getting answers to many of my questions, I finally made the call to the surgeon thinking that I would meet with him, make my final decision, then go through the necessary steps to get my date. Well, I was told I had to attend a seminar before i can even see the doctor, which only happen once a month. This month I will be away when it is held, so I won't even get to attend the seminar until the end of May, then who knows when I will see the doctor. Is this common? I'm feeling a little discouraged...

I actually called to register for the seminar and they had a slightly earlier date. So, that is promising. However, I found out that my insurance doesn't cover the procedure so I'm hoping that that won't hinder things. I am trying to relax and work on no stress eating! Thanks for the advice!

Thanks for all the info! I guess I just need to be patient. I know that they need to do all of that to make sure you are ready. Fortunately, I work for my primary care so I can probably push things through on that end, but I do want to make sure I'm psychologically ready. Now it is just a waiting game!

I'm considering getting the lapband surgery and I'm wondering how everyone does with the pre-surgery diet. It looks like some of you are able to follow it, some not so much. I feel that if I could follow a liquid diet, I wouldn't need the band! I'm sure after the band I will be able to follow the program because I will have no choice, but I don't know how I will do with the pre-diet....

I haven't been banded yet, but I was wondering the other day how you deal with the extra skin issue in the bedroom? Or do most of you have plastic surgery?

I have posted a few times, but guess I should have introduced myself on here first. I'm considering having the lap band surgery. Haven't made an appt with the doc yet, but I work for a doctor and she agrees that this would be a good idea for me since I just developed diabetes, high BP, high cholesterol, etc. I've tried every diet imaginable and feel that I gain back more weight each time and now am at my heaviest. It used to be that I wanted to lose weight to meet guys, now it is more about my health, which I think is a better reason to do this. However, I also feel like a failure if I go through with this. I see these shows and read articles about people who just set their minds to it and lost the weight, why can't I? I realize that there are a lot of reasons that I can't and that I'm not really a failure, maybe this is just how my fear is manifesting itself. Thanks to all of you who post on here and help us newbies understand how it all works! :thumbup:

Hi there....I'm in Ellicott City and I haven't had an appt yet, but I'm going to see Dr. Averbach...who did you see? Did you have a good experience? Thanks for the encouragement!

Has anyone researched why each surgeon has such different requirements? I wonder how that plays into recovery. It seems like there should be a standard across the board...

Thanks for the encouragement. I know it isn't really a failure, but all of these are things I need to come to terms with before I go for the surgery. That along with eating through the band and gaining all the weight back. I plan on making my doc appt on Monday so I can ask my millions of questions and get on with this! I am excited as I've been overweight my entire life. My doc asked me about my goal weight...I said I would be happy at 180...she was like, picture the last time you were that weight. I was like...it was in middle school and I was fat at that time!! So, not really what she was looking for...haha, but I got the picture! :thumbup:

Do you have to be put under for fillings? Is the port linked to the outside of your skin?

I'm considering the lap band surgery, but I know 2 people who have had the gastric bypass surgery and gained the weight back. Anyone know the percentage of how many people with the lap band gain the weight back?

Thanks for the info. It sounds like a much better choice than the bypass. Do your doctors follow you closely so that you don't slip too much before getting the fill? Also, do people ever get the band removed at goal weight, or is that not realistic? Thanks!

I have been contemplating weight loss surgery for a few years now. I'm 33 years old, weigh 280 pounds at 5'9". I've tried all of the diets, been to weight loss campuses, and still no luck! Now I'm having more and more health problems from it including type II diabetes, high BP, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, knee, and back pain. I'm not scared of the surgery, but I am worried about the aftermath. I know that I'm obsessed with food, does the post surgical therapy really help you deal with this? Does everyone need plastic surgery? I work out a lot and am hoping to avoid that. Also, what is the rate of failure? I know two people who have had gastric bypass that have gained their weight back. I also am wondering what one does if they get pregnant, do they adjust the band? Sorry for all of the questions, but I appreciate any help! :biggrin2: