Jodi_620

Three years later and I just got an email from Dr. Merchia's practice, apparently named SleepHeart now. The email says that there is some sort of subpoena, I think maybe he is fighting insurance to pay these denied claims. I am not sure what to make of it but if anyone contacts me about it, I will speak out against Dr. Merchia based on the way he tried to bill me for dropping off records. Here is a copy/paste of the email: ********************************* Dear Ms. XXXX * SleepHeart is investigating whether your insurance company may have wrongfully denied claims (bills). * SleepHeart has requested information from your insurance company(s) regarding their processing of claims via a subpoena. * SleepHeart has NOT requested information from you by this subpoena. * Our understanding is that the Commonwealth of Virginia has sent (or will send) you notice that this subpoena has been issued to your insurance company and informing you of your rights. * We do not believe that you have been asked to provide any information. Instead, we believe that your insurance company has been asked to provide information explaining their denial of claims. * If you have communicated with your insurance company regarding the services we delivered, please write to us with any details of these communications that you may have or recall (scan and email, photo and email, fax, or paper mail). Specifically, the date and whom you spoke with and what you or they said would be helpful. * Wrongful denial of claims by insurance companies represent a substantial burden to patients such as yourself. Please contact us with information that you have regarding wrongful denial of claims by your insurance company. Sincerely, __________________________________________________ SleepHeartVA info@SleepHeart.com Central Voice 703-348-7857 Central Fax 703-444-4308 www.SleepHeart.com Appointment Address: Serving many states

In the beginning, I would have to lie on my back and lift my feet up so that I or my fill doctor could locate it. Doing this pushes those abdominal muscles forward thus your port moves closer to the surface. Even after losing 100% of my excess weight mine is still not visible but very easy to feel.

Stands for "Non scale Victory" it is something positive from weight loss besides what you see on the scale.

For some reason I have experienced the opposite effect. I rarely burp now.

Absolutely not! That would definitely be crossing the line and when and how a person deals with their weight problem (or any other problem) is for them to decide. And I don't believe that surgery is for everyone. It takes dedication and a willingness to make sacrifices and permanent changes and not everyone is willing and/or able to do that long term.

I feel the same as M1aman. I don't know why, but it has always bothered me when people would comment about my weight loss. More so now that it has been a few years. I tend to change the subject when it is brought up.

Mine is a Weight Watchers brand digital scale. I bought it when I had my surgery five years ago and as an obsessive weight tracker, it has held up to religious daily weigh-ins and is very accurate. I just recently had to replace the battery. I believe I bought mine at K-Mart.

I have had that off and on since banded sometimes it is temporary. If it continues and you stop losing and/or gain then schedule an adjustment.

You especially want to watch your carbs if you are not working out. Lean protein, fruits and green, red and purple veggies (avoid starchy veggies)

1. Started losing around 3 months out 2. It was mostly just noticeable to me, I was freaking! 3. I was/am taking a multi, Calcium plus D and a hair/skin/nails B complex with 3000mcg of Biotin 4. The loss slowed down within three months 5. I was back to normal after six months. I can tell you what I was told and what seemed to ring true for me. In our case the hair loss is not always related solely to Vitamin deficiency but you need to eat well and take your Vitamins because regardless of whether you lost due to deficiency or not, the vitamins will help your body recover and help your hair to grow back. Often the hair loss is simply due to shock. You suddenly changed your diet, likely ate an extremely restrictive pre-op/ post op diet. On top of that, anesthesia and surgery can stress your system and now your diet is still restricted and you are losing a lot of weight. With all of this your body sort of goes into a shock mode. Your body puts all of its focus on processes necessary for survival and hair is not one of those things. Hair is on a 3-month cycle. So hair loss typically becomes noticeable at around 3 months. Once your body recovers (vitamins and a good diet aids in this), your loss will slow down and will begin to grow back within 3 months (again proper diet and supplements help it to grow and makes regrowth nice and healthy). My doctor assured me that not one of his patients went bald due to surgery and I found that all that he said was true for me.

I agree with all of the responses, you ARE NOT a failure. There are three things necessary in order for the band to be a success, 1.) Proper Diet 2.) Sufficient adjustments 3.) Supportive Doctor. Based on what you have posted, you are doing your part but your doctor is failing you. I was never questioned when I asked for an adjustment. I was reasonable and followed the rules, the rules were simple, eat the way I was directed to and if i was feeling hungry between meals and/or not losing weight then I needed to come in and get a fill. If your doctor won't support you, stand up to him and/or find someone who will.

Happy Anniversary!!! Congratulations, you are doing fantastic!

First I would like to thank you for this thread. This is something that has been weighing heavily on my mind. My surgeon left the area two years ago and after two years with no follow-up, I found a doctor who, don't get me wrong, so far he seems to be a wonderful doctor but he has very little faith in the Lap Band. Though I am a band veteran I was required to attend his webinar and he kept talking about he low success rate and high rate of complications and I have been sweatin' it every since. When I finally met him, he appeared to be quite surprised at my success with no complications but maintains that I am an anomaly. His view seems to be that the amount of tightening required to reach a normal weight will eventually create complications. I am 5 years out and have been normal weight for more than four years. No complications just the typical adjustments.

Well, I am coming up on 5-year anniversary and it was recommended by Alex that I update everyone. It has been an amazing, life-changing journey for me. There have been some ups and downs along the way but it all was well worth it. I went to a seminar with Dr. Eric Pinnar in Reston VA on April of 2008 at 5'4" and 234 lbs. and immediately knew that I wanted to get this done. I had been overweight since I was a small child. It was always hard for me and my self-esteem was always so low. I remember the psych asking me what my goal weight was. I said 150 pounds thinking that was aiming much too high. I was already 160 pounds in the sixth grade and my lowest adult weight ever was 175 and that took a lot of starving and so it was short-lived. The psych’s response was “You can do better than that”. So I chose a goal that would put me dead center normal BMI which for me was 137. I was sure that I would never reach it though. Within 3 months of surgery I had already hit “one-derland” losing 35 pounds. Within 5 months I was half-way to my goal and in less than a year I reached my goal. At that point I was thrilled with the new me but kept saying one day I will reach 120. I settled in happily at 137 and maintained that weight well for a year and a half then got another adjustment to see if I could finally do 120 and I did around 2 years ago, I had stayed at that for two years. During that time I felt like I probably could have my band loosened just a bit but unfortunately, right after my last fill, Dr. Pinnar closed shop and moved to Florida so I was left without a doctor. I managed the two years eating smaller more frequent meals and usually skipping Breakfast (I have always and still am tight in the mornings). But my thyroid has been giving me fits for more than a year now. I wondered if perhaps I was not absorbing my meds fast enough due to the tight band. So just a couple months ago, I found a surgeon who would take me in and he ordered a barium-swallow and blood work. My blood work was fine, Iron just slightly low. The swallow was scheduled first thing in the morning when I am at my tightest and the radiologist gave up trying because the barium was just flowing too slowly. So yes I got an adjustment. That was 5 weeks ago and I am starting to feel like my thyroid is back in business though my weight is up to 130 and it is more of a struggle to keep it from going higher. I will go back on June 6th. I hope to see if we can’t tweak my band a little more to make it easier to maintain my weight without being too tight. So five years later I continue to require band maintenance, good diet and exercise but with the band it has been possible and I am so grateful for having it! So I am happy to be celebrating my 5-year Bandiversary! (Oh and I also quit smoking the night before surgery so I have two successes to celebrate!)