kaytiebugs

I was under the general impression that the doctor attended/hosted information seminars. Is this correct? I just found a doc who doesn't attend, the RN does them. This kinda turns me off because I would like to meet the doc before I start making any commitments! Doesn't the doc usually attend?

I've been thinking about it, talking about it, dreaming about it, but it wasn't until today that I actually DID something about it. I looked up a bunch of docs. I picked a few that I liked and I'm going to my first information seminar next Wednesday. It reminded me of when we were getting ready to buy our house. We talked about it for MONTHS, dreamed about it for years, and I remember the first time I picked up the phone and called a mortgage broker to get the ball rolling, this feeling hit my gut like "THIS IS FOR REAL!!!" It was like that. I'm nervous and really excited. I just wish I had someone to come with me. My hubby goes to college in the evening (it's at 6:30) so I think I might have to go alone. Maybe I can get him to skip school for one day. Did you go to the seminar alone? Or did you bring a buddy?

I'm with you. There's some people in my family I'm not even telling. I think I'll just say the docs finally got the right combo with my pcos and hypothyroid scripts. lol I've told a few people that I'm going to do it and I don't like there response.... so I've stopped. The only opinions that matter at this point is my husbands and my mothers. They are the ones I can go to and talk about it. I might tell a couple of close friends (that know the hell I've been through with my weight and have watched me eat like a rabbit and work out constantly with no loss). My biggest thing is I'm just tired of hearing the whole "Oh, your horomones will balance out, you've just gotta find the right medications." or "Well my friend soinso is a personal trainer blah blah blah"....... I've been to a trainer. I've taken every pill under the sun. I've worked myself half to death and still can't lose more than 10 pounds. Even my doc said between having PCOS and hypothyroidism it's going to be REALLY hard to lose weight. She's the one that suggested I look into a lap band. So... yeah... I won't be telling anyone. But at the same time I can't help but wonder what people will think, like "Why did she stay fat for four years then out of nowhere she dropped a ton of weight, why didn't she do it sooner???" I don't care what my coworkers think, and my boss knows about it because they know my health problems have messed with my ability to be at work and stuff.

I google searched "ga lap band" and found this site... www.obesityhelp.com I haven't visited the forums or anything because I headed straight for the "Find a surgeon" section. All of the doctors in Ga are listed, there are hundreds of patient testimonials for the docs, it lists so much information about them... I'd say everything except his home address and SSN lol. Colleges, how many surgeries the doc has done, op time, recovery time, etc etc etc. A+ site. If you're looking for a doc, check this site out.

So if I get the ball rolling within the next week or two, ya think I could have surgery early July?

I'm trying to get an idea of how long this takes from my first informational seminar (I believe thats step 1, right?) to the day I would actually have surgery (given that my ins doesn't require a 6 month monitored diet). So from the first seminar, nutritionist, psych, eval, all the way up to surgery.... what kind of time frame are we talking? I get 10 hours of vacation time per month, and I've got about 20 accrued right now. I'm trying to figure out when would be an ideal month to shoot for because I've also got a few other things I need to do (that require paid time off) over the next few months... and I'd like to take a vacation in aug/sept at the latest. PS- ya think if I'm a trooper I can have surgery on a Thursday and be back to work the following Monday?

As with any big insurance company, it depends on your policy. A previous poster said Anthem no longer covered it, but I just finished looking at my policy details and it is covered. It just depends on your policy. You can log onto the anthem website at Health Insurance and Medical Insurance from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) and sign up for your account. You'll need your subscriber number handy to sign up. Once you're logged in, you can access all of your plan details, mine included coverage for the bariatrics and such. My plan also covers travel expenses! That's not to say that either of us will be approved, but your policy may cover it.

My BMI is just shy of 40.... it's like 39.something. Before I go to the appt where they get all my info and submit it to my ins for coverage approval, should I gain a few pounds to get my bmi over 40? I don't want them to deny me because my bmi isn't high enough or just shy of the limit. If there limit 40 I'd only need to gain like 3 pounds.... but if the limit is 45 I'd need to gain more like 35 pounds so that isn't an option. Hope this doesn't sound really stupid... I'd just rather gain the 3 pounds than have to deal with being denied. If I call my ins company will they tell me what there procedure is for approving or denying? I want to ask, but I don't want to disclose anything on accident that might get me denied... like my bmi being 39.5 instead of 40.

I got something really cute at walmart last year. I hate most plus size swimwear but this was actually really cute, pretty flattering, and comfortable. I don't like having my picture taken, so these are the best shots I have of it. It's like a dress but not your typical granny swim dress. Cute fabric, just long enough without being too long, and it sucked me in all over. It covered the top of the thigh ick. I was a little skinnier in these shots.

I'm still in the process of deciding whether or not getting banded is 'for me'. I decided to make a pros and cons list. I folded a piece of paper in half. The front two sides are the pros and cons of having the band, the back two sides are the pros and cons of not being banded. The only pros I could come up with for not being banded were 1) Not having any restrictions on what I eat... but that's more of a con than a pro (that's exactly what I wrote); 2) No foreign object in my body. Number 2 shouldn't even be a factor because I've wanted breast implants for years (not because I'm small either... I'm actually a c/d... I just want a perfectly shaped hot rack!). My pros for being banded list is huge... I ran out of room on the paper. The only cons I could come up with are the cost (about $3K for my deductible I believe), and the little day-to-day bull crap that some (not all) people have to deal with. You know... reflux, vomiting... the little annoyances that aren't really permanent and are just a bump in the road. Of course there can be serious risks, but for the most part I'm not worried about them because they are so minor. So with all these pros and so few cons... what's holding me back from just making a decision????? I mean, I've done craptons of research on the band. I have answered the majority of my questions. My next step would be to get my rear to the gastro doc to talk about surgery. What's it going to take to make me feel good about this decision? I already know that the pros really outweigh the cons. I also know that losing weight without the band is going to be practically impossible thanks to a couple of health problems I deal with. So what's the freakin hold up??? Why is my brain still wary?

I'm still in the process of deciding whether or not getting banded is 'for me'. I decided to make a pros and cons list. I folded a piece of paper in half. The front two sides are the pros and cons of having the band, the back two sides are the pros and cons of not being banded. The only pros I could come up with for not being banded were 1) Not having any restrictions on what I eat... but that's more of a con than a pro (that's exactly what I wrote); 2) No foreign object in my body. Number 2 shouldn't even be a factor because I've wanted breast implants for years (not because I'm small either... I'm actually a c/d... I just want a perfectly shaped hot rack!). My pros for being banded list is huge... I ran out of room on the paper. The only cons I could come up with are the cost (about $3K for my deductible I believe), and the little day-to-day bull crap that some (not all) people have to deal with. You know... reflux, vomiting... the little annoyances that aren't really permanent and are just a bump in the road. Of course there can be serious risks, but for the most part I'm not worried about them because they are so minor. So with all these pros and so few cons... what's holding me back from just making a decision????? I mean, I've done craptons of research on the band. I have answered the majority of my questions. My next step would be to get my rear to the gastro doc to talk about surgery. What's it going to take to make me feel good about this decision? I already know that the pros really outweigh the cons. I also know that losing weight without the band is going to be practically impossible thanks to a couple of health problems I deal with. So what's the freakin hold up??? Why is my brain still wary?

How long after surgery is a gal able to get back on the treadmill for a mild/moderate exercise? A few days? A couple of weeks? Thanks!

lol... no alcohol isn't a problem and if I had to I could easily never drink again. Smoking, on the other hand, will be a challenge to quit. When I've dieted before I've always drank diet sprite and either bicardi limon or absolute citron vodka... but since soda is a no-go I'm still scratching my head on what to mix it with. juice wouldn't be a great idea since it's high calorie, would it? On the average Saturday night I'll have three drinks or beers and if there's jager we'll all toss it down until the bottle is empty... I <3 jager... puts me in a warm happy place :-). So in other words, 2-5 shots.... but that's just jager, not all liquor. I can't do a lot of hard liquor. Jager is just a lequer (sp?). I don't binge drink and would be fine with drinking a little less at a time. But of what? If all this sounds silly... lemmie explain a little more. I'm still considering the lap band and I want to do things the right way. I want to know that I can adapt my lifestyle to what it needs to be. I don't know many people my age who don't drink and I'm trying to think of a way to be able to take part in the festivities without overdoing it or killing my diet/restrictions. I'm not an alcoholic, I promise, just looking for what would be my best options.

I'm almost 24... so I've not quite outgrown my partying years. What do you guys do about drinking?? Do you still drink? Cut out beer? Only do shots? No alcohol at all (if you drank before)? My hubby and I drink <responsibly> with friends practically every weekend!! That's the one thing I'm really wondering about... can I still drink a little? I mean I'd be okay if I could just throw back a few jagerbombs... or just straight jager

I'm not banded... but my advice would be to get a hobby. My brain needs a distraction or else all I think about is food and cigarettes. I sew daily, this keeps me from raiding the fridge. I'd have to actually stop sewing and go downstairs to raid the fridge, I don't wanna stop sewing! What everyone else has said is good advice too.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the huge amount of information this site has provided me with. Please forgive me in advance for asking questions that may have already been answered. I usually don't have time to log on while I'm at home and have to get on and off quickly while at work so I don't have much time to dig deep for answers. Anyways... THANKS EVERYONE!

Just curious... What made you decide to get banded? Was there a 'last straw'? Here's me - I'm thinking about doing it... seriously considering. I've tried to lose weight the old fashioned way (diet & exercise) many times, plus I've tried a lot of the fad diets. Nothing works!!! I found out I have hypothyroidism last Nov. and found out I have PCOS this month. Even my doc told me it is going to be really hard for me to lose weight. I asked her about a script for Phentermine and she told me if I wanted to kill my heart go ahead, but she'd have no part in it... and she suggested the lap band. I went back to the same doc today and asked her for a referral. It was kinda hard to talk to this 130lb woman about weight problems, but she was sincere. I told her how my weight effects practically every aspect of my life... and as I choked back tears I said 'it sucks'. I couldn't speak anymore or I would have busted out with big fat tears. I'm still not certain about it. I come here and read all the info, peoples problems, peoples successes, etc. and it makes me feel confident about the surgery. Then I step back into reality and I think to myself "I'll try it myself one more time"... that'll be the third time I've said that to myself since I initially thought about getting banded. That'll be my third try at DIY. Honestly my spirit has been beaten down due to all of my past failures.... all of the times I've genuinely worked my A$$ off to try to lose without success. It makes it hard to do. Then the icing on the cake.... even the doc tells me it'll be hard to lose on my own. I second guessed this statement and did my own research about people with my two health problems and weight loss.... only to confirm her statement. The more I think about it, the more I want to do it..... and the more scared I am. I don't know what I'm scared of..... I guess it's all of the possibilities of little petty day to day problems people have. All of which pale in comparison to the results the band provides. I can't help but think 'what if it doesn't work for me?'. I feel like so freakin many of the problems in my life revolve around my weight. What if getting banded doesn't fix the problems? I know it will. I'm a very optimistic person but anything related to weight loss automatically turns me into a pessamist. I'm not a depressed person, but thinking a lot about my weight and how I'm going to get it off depresses me. I guess I'm just looking and hoping for a sign or something.... something that will make me say/think "YES! I want the lap band!" Something real. I'm not a spiritual person, so praying about it wouldn't do me much good. I just want to find a way to be at peace with this decision. Any advice?

I am such a weenie.... I mean to the point of I got my epidural when I was only 2cm dialated with dd and I will never get another tattoo because I screamed so much durring the first one (lol now.... but that crap HURT). Does post op hurt really bad? I imagine there will be some sort of pain and lots of pain meds. How long does it hurt? I'm probably going to ask a million questions... sorry in advance!

I'm just reading and researching..... when you first get banded, you don't have anything in there right? So, is there any restriction? Is the restriction that is there due to swelling and such? When (and if... still researching) I get banded, am I going to feel starved due to the no fill + clear liquid diet?

Thanks everyone.... I've been browsing the before and after pics thread. That's helped lift my spirits a lot. I gained a lot of weight when I was pregnant with my daughter.... I was 175 post baby and the weight crept up to 215 over the course of maybe 6-8 months post partum. I've been a sliding scale ever since. I try to lose and I'll drop 10-20 pounds and gain it all back shortly after. The first 10 pounds is easy.... but it took me forever and a day to lose 20 stinkin pounds, and with all the hoopla about '10 pounds a month is healthy', thats discouraging to hear when you're working your a## off and can't lose anything. My doc suggested the lap band to me because I've tried so many times and always lose hope after a few months of nothing. Honestly, I just don't have the will power. I have hypothyroidism and POCS which both make it hard to lose weight, so combine that with a low self esteem and whaddya get.... failure and hopelessness. I'm nervous as crap about even considering the lap band... I mean the thought of not being able to pig out on my birthday is not a pretty picture to me. I can stick to a diet pretty well, but a cheat day every now and then is what keeps me going! I'm still thinking about it... lots of questions... I've been thinking about it for a few weeks now. It's been on my brain every single day. It's a scary thought, but it sounds like it's worth it. I think I need some encouragement from folks who have been there. My mom and husband are backing me up and are talking to me about all kinds of stuff, but they don't know what it's like.

I'm 230 right now. I am strongly considering getting a lap band. Statistics say people lose around 45% of there excess body weight. Just a rough estimate, I'd say anything above 130 for me (I'm 5'4") would be considered excess.... I think 145 is where I would technically be considered overweight so I'll use that as an example. So subtract 145 from 230 and you get 85... 85 pounds of excess body weight. So if I lose 50% of that (42lbs), I'll be at 188... still very obese. Can someone please correct my math.... 42 pounds of weight loss doesn't sound very worth the $3000, months of 'getting the hang of it' etc. Ick someone please tell me this is wrong. Even if I do it like this.... excess body weight being anything above 120, that still only puts me at losing 55 pounds.... and being at 175. I mean 175 sounds pretty good right now, but 5 years ago I was a nice 130!!! Someone please help me figure out my potential weight loss. Having a lap band doesn't exactly look easy or fun, so I at least want the results to be worth it. Thanks!!

Hi everyone!! I've been browsing the forums today and have found so much useful information! Thanks so much for that. I've been overweight since I had my daughter (shes 4 now). I was 130 when I got pregnant and never really had weight issues growing up. I got up to 180 when I delivered, then down to 170 after. I nursed and tried to lose weight but it didn't happen. Over time I gained more and more weight. I tried to lose weight the hard way (healthy diet and exercise) but never lost much more than 15-20 pounds. I'm now up to 230 at 5'4". I've been tired for a long time. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism last fall and just diagnosed with PCOS Friday (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Hypothyroidism makes it hard enough to lose weight... and PCOS also makes it hard to lose weight... so I'm doubly discouraged and the lap band seems like the only thing that might actually help me get down to an ideal weight.

Be mindful that many credit cards with 0% interest still accrue interest if you don't pay them off within the 12 months. This was the case with a Chase credit card we had (our first credit card). After the 12 months our jaw dropped to see all of that interest tacked onto what we owe them. Also, God forbid you can't pay it off within 12 months and have to pay interest.... we have fairly good credit and our credit card rates have gone from 15-17% all the way up to 35% on one of them with no explination or even so much as a notification from the credit card company. Honestly, I'd rather work 4 jobs and save the $5000 than use a credit card. Best of luck to you. Have you thought about a bank loan?