RestlessMonkey

Most insurance companies pay a rate that is "reasonable and common" or some such verbiage which means the hospital can bill whatever it wants to but insurance will pay only a set amount for each procedure etc. Same with surgeons, anesthetists, x-ray docs, etc. They agree, in order to get the business, to accept that "common and reasonable" payment and write off the rest. You don't "get" that rate unless your insurance has "made the deal". No insurance, no insurance rates. For example my doc billed several thousand for the surgery, he GOT $800. Your best bet, if you have no insurance, is to find a doctor (like the one in Denver) offering a package deal.

I LOVE my band. I have almost no restriction and yet I lost 5 pounds from Dec 18 through today! I had our traditional christmas dinner (chicken and dumplings) I had our traditional christmas Breakfast (fruit turnovers) I have had candy and Cookies. We have eaten out 5 times (Mexican 4 of those) and I LOST 5 pounds. I didn't think I had, but my husband said I was eating a lot less. I guess he was right. Now isn't that just a wonderful thing? I've eaten what I wanted of this holiday abundance and lost 5 pounds. I LOVE my band! If I can answer any questions about the surgery etc I would be glad to. I've been through it twice and my DH is an RN, so am glad to share and help if I can!

If you scroll through the forums you 'll find some relating to life after lap band removal, other surgeries, complications etc and you may find your answer there. I don't have bypass but is there something about your band we could maybe help you with, to prevent another invasive surgery?

My doc gave me a prescription to phenergan to have filled and keep on hand for vomiting so call them tomorrow as my buddy Slim-n-Tn says. Hopefully it's just a 24 hour bug (real flu doesn't have vomiting and diarrhea) and will pass quickly. Try not to eat anything and once your stomach settles, just have water and see if you can keep it down (or some gatorade if you have it) you don't want to vomit if you can help it.

Katie I lived in El Paso and that's across the border from Juarez. Good luck is all I can say. Many many people are successfully banded in Mexico but you couldn't PAY me 20K to go get medical procedures done over there! I know there's a surgeon in Denver who does not take insurance but does it all for around 10K; I'd go there before I'd go to Mexico. I have been dissed for the opinion, which is all it is, an opinion. And you know the saying, we all have one. I realize many people are happily successfully banded over the border. But I grew up in El Paso and heard stories to curl your toes; there's a reason they come HERE for medical when they can afford it! Regardless of your decision, having the band is great! I didn't realize when I got it that follow up care is as important as the operation itself...fills and unfills, care for other "problems" that pop up...make sure you have that lined up. THere are places like fillcenterusa that will do your fills for you regardless of the banding surgeon, but if you don't have one of those close, many surgeons will not touch another's patient, regardless of WHERE the original surgery was done. So make sure you have someone who will do your aftercare (or plan to fly back to Juarez frequently!) Good luck. I truly don't mean to scare you...and having the band is a wonderful thing. Do what you have to, to get it, if you think it's right for you!

I was 405 and 5'5"...I just quit flying once I topped 350. I feel your pain! There's too much life that passes us by when we are very large. People say "go ahead and live"...well, yeah right, except when you can't FIT. It wasn't being shy that stopped me! LOL I LOVE my band and hope you too are as happy and satisfied. I've lost weight over the holidays and never once felt deprived or "on a diet". It's like a miracle!

I am tricare standard and haven't paid for a fill but not sure if that's my surgeon, or tricare, or what. I guess I should've checked but I was so glad tricare covers the surgery; I figured I'd pay for fills out of pocket if necessary. If you need to budget (something I SHOULD do! LOL) call your surgeon on Monday and ask. They will know! If you dont' have a surgeon yet, call tricare.

If you are so restricted that you can only have soup, then according to my doc, your band is too tight! I was told the goal is to be able to eat just about ANYTHING but in much much smaller proportions. There are many great surgeons in Houston; perhaps a visit to the "Doctors and Hospitals" forum can steer you to one. Please reconsider a complete unfill; statistically people who do that gain it all back. You worked hard to get where you are today....just go a little farther and work with a new surgeon to get you to the good spot where you can eat most anything but don't gain. As another poster said, it is your choice of course. Either way, that forum I mentioned may have some names for you. Good luck!

They didn't submit mine for approval until all the prereqs were done but then it was 2 days. From my seminar to my 1st surgery was 1 month total.

Call your pharmacist and ask what type of OTC Laxative s/he recommends for a post op bariatric patient. I'm sure they'll give you a safe option. As to losing....my doctor (and many others I've read about) say the initial time is for healing, not losing. in fact, the NP at my doc's office told me last time it's often 6 months before their patients start consistently losing, following proper restriction. Give it time; the lap band is a slower process, but it will help you for life!

if you followed his rules post op re liquids etc and are just now eating the burgers and fries you'll probably be fine! If you were eating them from much earlier on, you may be in trouble.

A lot of people get the "last meal" syndrome and if I can tell you any one thing, it is this: that nervous wild overeating is unnecessary. Most bandsters can eat anything they want post op. Period. Some can't eat certain foods. My doctor said his patients seem to have their biggest problem with stringy red meat. For some it's dry chicken, or white bread. Some can't swallow their own saliva but honestly they are TOO tight..their band needs to be loosened. Some can eat ANYTHING in any proportion and they need restriction. The "green zone" or "sweet spot" is when you can eat anything you want, but in a much smaller portion (think child sized) and be satisfied with that for up to 5-6 hours. For example you'll have a junior burger and a few fries instead of a double with cheese, large fries and a shake. You get my drift. Will you miss food? Most likely not, because you won't be denied food. This isn't a diet...it isn't a "force you" diet. I never ate my huge portion of dinner and wished I could eat twice as much, but I DID wish that I could be satisfied with the smaller amount my BFF ate, for example. Well Sha-ZAM! With the band, I am increasingly satisfied with less food. It's wonderful! You will have to deal with "head" or emotional hunger. Some say that goes away too....for others it remains an issue to be grappled with. But you won't sit crying eating a pea while your family chows down on gumbo. :tongue_smilie: You will work the band your way (some diet, many don't) but realize you WILL choose what to eat. Odds are, except carbonation (no beer...although some DO drink it anyway! for me, its not worth it) you'll be able to eat almost anything.

If your doctor said you're ok, and you trust her, then you're most likely fine.

You CAN do full liquids but you can also just do whatever your doc says. At the stage you're at, I was told to eat anything and it's possible that's what your doc told you too? It's just the eating until you're in pain that is worrisome! :tongue_smilie: I'll cross my fingers that she'll just look at you like you're nuts for worrying. My doc is another to just lay down the law (I LOVE him) but doesn't explain unless I think to question him. So don't feel bad, really. I'm just sure you'll be fine! I'll cross my fingers for both you and shelly2b. It's a common problem; they don't tell us WHY; they just expect us to obey!

I really DO feel your pain...but there's always a good reason to overeat. That rationalizing got me here today. I used to feel happy when I had that stuffed to bursting feeling. How sicko is that? So I understand. You can do it, though. You just have to make up your mind, and go for it. Do what you need to avoid all that food. Once you have adequate restriction it will be easier, but you'll still be in control. You have to make the good choices for yourself! :hurray:

no your pouch won't shrink back sorry! Or at least, not back to the small size you need. You might want to check with your surgeon; he can tell you if it's likely stretched and/or if your band has slipped, and what can be done. If you really have to have caffeine and can't stand coffee or tea then there are pills that have it... no reason to drink the sodas!

I posted an answer (an answer...probably not THE answer, but an answer) to you on the other thread. Please go there...contact your surgeon Monday if you're worried, and stop the insanity right now! :hurray:

What is the diet your surgeon has you on? Are you supposed to be eating solids yet? If so, then I'd just say QUIT! eating until you hurt, for goodness sake! I know it's hard (I didn't get to weigh 405 by eating a little too much occasionally! LOL) but you don't want to eat to the point of pain. Pain = not good. There will always be temptations...once it's not the holidays it will be valentines or Easter or spring break or whatever. Restriction will help you but working some on that "head hunger" will be good for you, too....trying to learn to listen to your body and figure out when you are REALLY hungry and when you're eating for other reasons. The band will help you, but you have to help the band. If you feel like you've really overeaten badly, talk to your surgeon. He should set you up with nutritionist or whatever to help you; and he may want some tests to see if you stretched the pouch or caused slippage. Liike Shelly2b you'll probably be ok if you just rein it in now. It's hard (they call it bandster hell) but you just have to get through. It will get easier.

I wish the surgeons would TELL us this...I'm a nursing student and was going to eat some refried beans during week 2 (full liquids) and my husband (who's been an RN for 20+ years) is the one who said...uh...you DO realize your stomach churns when you eat, right? and you DO realize you'll rip your sutures loose! I was so upset I sat and CRIED with my can of beans! LOL but he was right. I'd tell my surgeon just to be sure but you're probably ok! Hang in there; it really really does get better and it really is worth it! :hurray:

If you found KP covers it just from this site, unfortunately you STILL need to contact them directly. Your coverage may have an exclusion, depending on the source. All KP policies are not the same. Once you know it's covered, they can give you a list of acceptable surgeons/hospitals. From those, make your selection. The "Doctors and hospitals" section of this site has lots of posts. You can also attend a few different free seminars until you find a doc you like. From there, you'll do what the surgeon and your insurance require; it seems to be a little different for each person. So your first step is your insurance company...are YOU covered, what are the requirements for YOUR policy ( a certain weight? BMI? Proof of 6- months or whatever of diet and exercise? nothing? they are all different) and then WHO will they pay to perform the surgery on you. It seems daunting but will fall into place! Good luck!

Which 6-week liquid diet? I'm not sure what you mean; fortunately I didn't have to be on liquids for 6 weeks. Do you mean pre-op or post op?

My doc sells bariatric chewables (more stuff in them than centrum...I compared the bottles) I however can still take MY vitamins which are very complete and which I love. I have no problem yet swallowing pills...have had 3 fills.

You SHOULD have a BM. Call your surgeon ASAP on Monday if you haven't and see what he recommends you take. Please don't delay...ok? To go a few days post op without is ok, but you should at least have some "liquid" going through there! If you haven't gone at all and you don't by Monday morning, you need to have your surgeon tell you what to take to make it happen. :hurray:

My surgeon is head of bariatrics at a local hospital, and the hospital has an employee who does nothing but handle insurance for bariatric patients (that was a blessing!) So she knew I'd BE approved unless one of the specialists denied me for cause. In other words, she knew insurance would pay...if I didn't get the surgery it would be because of psych or cardio or some such. So I didn't get approval UNTIL I'd been to all the "specialists" and they knew I was green-lighted. Within 2 days after i'd seen all the nutrition, psych, etc.... my coverage had cleared and they scheduled my surgery and all the pre-op tests.

Find out if the insurance covers it, then follow their directions. Some must be referred, some don't require that, etc etc. I had to pick from surgeons my insurance would cover and once I had done that, had to attend a seminar given by the surgeon of my choice. Once done there, I made an appt to see him and then he directed me for specialists/tests etc as required. I went to my PCP but didn't need to...no referral was required by my insurance. So you have to see what coverage you have, and then what prereqs it may require of you.