celticdreamer

Hi Everyone, I'm so excited that I could just cry tears of joy. Tomorrow is my surgery date and I can't believe it's finally going to happen. I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 am. It's an hour away from here, which means I don't sleep much tonight. I don't think I would have been able to sleep anyway! I can't wait to lose my weight, find myself, and RECLAIM MY LIFE. :biggrin: -Theresa

Wow, I'm being banded on Friday too! Thanks, lizbuff, for the post. It's very assuring!

As far as psoriasis goes, losing weight can reduce swelling in the legs and this can often help a flare up go into remission. One of the main reasons I'm having this surgery is so that my legs stop swelling and the psoriasis clears up.

My surgery is scheduled for May 9th. I am in Connecticut.

I had the upper GI endoscopy done yesterday. That's where they put the scope down your throat and into your stomach. It was very easy. I remember the doctor putting the sedative into the IV, and next thing I knew, I woke up back in the room where I was before the procedure. Easy as pie. The only side effect for me is that I have a mild sore throat today, but that's pretty normal. I've been through this about 4 or 5 times (have a hiatal hernia and had an ulcer) and it's really no big deal whatsoever. Don't even worry about a thing.

Hi everyone, I am having second thoughts about getting the lap band. My surgery's scheduled for May 9th, but I need to know this - at 347 lbs is the lap band going to really be enough to help me lose SO MUCH weight? I want to get down to 180, so that'd be 167 lbs to lose. Should I consider a more drastic option, like a gastric bypass? Thanks.

I have Empire BCBS. My BMI is 49 and I have mild sleep apnea. I was approved about 15 days after the surgeon's office submitted the request. My co-pay for the surgery is $250, in addition to co-pays for the surgeon, nutritionist and therapist.

Oh wow! My good friend used Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana and LOVED him. Her results were wonderful. The hospital, she said, was clean and the staff was so much more attentive than in US hospitals. She said Dr. Ortiz even visited with her and her husband for 45 minutes after the surgery. She could not say enough nice things about him. I think you made a great choice!

OK, maybe I'm delusional, but I thought we were lap band candidates BECAUSE we haven't had much success either losing weight or keeping it off. Two pounds a week is 104 pounds in a year. If I could lose that and KEEP It off, I wouldn't NEED the lap band.

Congrats on your date! I just got my date on Friday, so I know how exciting it is to finally KNOW this is going to happen! My date is May 9th. I JUST CAN'T WAIT! Good luck to you, and keep us posted! -Theresa

Thanks everyone for the nice comments! I am looking forward to reclaiming my life, and the lap band is simply step 1. When I lose enough weight, I'm returning to theater, performing comedy improv and doing karate. I've spent too much time cooped up in the house, embarrassed to show myself in public. It's time to start LIVING again!

LOL I'm 41 and just got my surgery approved today. I don't know how old "IAmwithTheBand" is, but if he/she thinks 40 is old, he ought to think again. Can't wait until HE turns 40. But anyway, nothing could get me down today! I am on cloud nine!

I just got off the phone with my surgeon's office. My surgery is scheduled for Friday, May 9th. I am PSYCHED! I have to go for a pre-op class on April 23rd, an endoscopy, chest x-ray and bloodwork on April 24th, and a pre-surgical visit with the surgeon on May 1. I need to start the pre-op diet on May 2. 22 days until my surgery! I can't believe it's finally going to happen! WOOHOOOO Life is GOOD! -Theresa

I called Blue Cross today and they said that my surgery is definitely going to be approved! While there's more work for them to do before the pre-authorization is complete, I know now that this is GOING TO HAPPEN! I am PSYCHED!!!!!!! I will call them back tomorrow to see if everything is set, then I will call the surgeon's office to schedule an appointment. IT'S FINALLY BECOMING REAL.

Even without the six month diet, it sometimes takes awhile to get an insurance approval. My first visit with the surgeon's office was February 27th. I completed all the prerequisite nutritionist & therapist stuff, and the office submitted to my insurance for pre-approval on April 2nd. I have been waiting since, and each day feels more like a week. I wait for the phone to ring, and it hasn't yet. I also called my insurance company three times to check on the status and all they will tell me is that they have up to 30 days to do this. I DON'T WANT TO WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE. It's time for my life to start changing, RIGHT NOW. Anyway, it all varies, but I think you could do this in July if you do everything you need to do quickly and your insurance doesn't slow you down. -Theresa