wanda-sc

I had my surgery last June, was told in March I had already met my deductible by Medicare and that if I was outpaitient I didnt have to pay a thing, if inpatient $1200. Yesterday, I got my medicare statement and they show me owing $31,000!!! It says procedure is not approved. OMG, has anyone else had this happen? No way I can pay this amt. And, to top all of this off I had to have the band taken out in December, it was making me sick. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smile:

Givens@Riverside is my doc.

:eek:For some reason my ticker isn't working, I weigh way more now than before surgery, too. Isn't this just grand?:thumbdown:

:eek:Well here I sit in the hospital for emmm now let me see, the 4th time since June 5 when I had my band. The first was actual banding, second was blood clot in my leg, 3rd and 4th times now are for not being able to swallow-even liquids!! So my legs are now so big they feel like they are about to pop open. I generally feel lousy. I have been npo since midnight and it's 5 am now, I guess they will tell me soon when I am going back into surgery for my doc to "look around". My family wants me to tell him just to take the band out, and if I get to see him again before surgery that's what I am going to do. This is rating up there with one of the worst things I have ever done for myself. I definetly would not do this again. Ladies think long and hard before you do this and like I said if you are like me and things always go wrong for you, dont do it!!! I would appreciate your prayers this morning, I am really worried about making it out of this surgery alive and I am not kidding, I am scared to death this time. Wanda:blushing:

:sad:I sure dont think blah, blah, blah! Good grief Oprah could have paid for lap band, and then had the plastic surgery to go with it. But instead, when she falls off the wagon she starts exercising and dieting. I know she has her own chef and exercise trainer. But crap, if I had a trainer in my room every morning I doubt he could get my fat butt up. Sure, she has help that most of us can't afford. But, she also isnt taking the easy way out.

Yes, I did have the complication of a blood clot. And yes, my doctor will refill my band soon I expect. My point was that the only reason I lost weight in the first place was pure willpower, the excitment of getting the band. But just like every diet I have tried and failed, this seems to be the same. The band so far has not made be feel satisfied, of course I may have to get to the half way point that my band holds before I feel that-I just hope I do. This still is not a magic cure-you have to do the work, just like a diet. I do think if I had the chance to go back and know what I know now I would have either not had the band at all or had the gastric sleeve. Best wishes to all of you.

Wow, please forgive me for posting in the wrong place. However, maybe this may make some people who are thinking of having this think again. There is no quick fix.:thumbup:

Hi, I had my Realize Band put in June 5, at surgery time I was around 184. 2 weeks later I was 172. Then the unthinkable happened, I woke in the night with my leg throbbing, went to the hospital had a DVT. I am now on Coumadin for life, I have done nothing but gain weight. November my stomach was hurting so bad, I could not swallow even my own saliva. I had my 4cc removed-was in the hospital again for 3 days. Now I weigh 188. I just don't understand. I got the band because it was supposed to make me have a "full feeling", I have never had that. This was a total waste of money, and my body. I think I was just meant to be overweight-everything I do sure does not help. The only reason I lost weight in the first days of my band was because I was so gung ho with the idea, I really lost it on my own, the band has done nothing but jeopardize my health. Moral of the story: Never ever have surgery if it not a life and death emergency. I would like to hear from any of you with similar "gone wrong" stories.:thumbup:

I researched this band so much before I went in for surgery. Everything I heard was that it was going to make me feel satisfied. That is something I have never felt. So I went for it. Guess what, I still don't feel satisfied. I am ok for a week maybe after a fill. I have had 2 now and am at 4cc, I have the Realize Band. I did good at first, then I had a setback of a blood clot in my leg and even though I was on the bariatric diet in the hospital, I weighed more when I came out than when I went in by about 15 pounds. I got really discouraged and started eating. Then I got my first fill, I tried really hard but after about a week of starving, I gave up. Then the same thing happened with the second fill. I do try over and over to get restarted, but for some reason the starvation kicks in and I give up. I have a glimmer of hope that the next fill will be my sweet spot. I weigh more now than before surgery-really bad huh? I would like to hear from anyone else like me, if you are out there.:thumbup:

Hi: I had my surgery June 5. Was doing pretty good, motivated and losing. Then June 23 I had a blood clot in my leg. Even though I was on the bariatric diet in the hospital, I weighed as much as I did when I came out as I did at surgery. And I was told not to exercise. I had 1 fill on July 30 and I felt no different, I have a hard spot where he did the fill, so I wonder if it even went in my band. I have been really depressed, just can't seem to get started again, my hair is falling out. If anyone had this happen or if you have suggestions for me, please write back. Thanks, Wanda

Hi, I got the Realize band June 5, lost some weight was doing good and then on June 23 I got a blood clot in my leg, when I came out of the hospital, even though I got very little to eat, did the bariatric diet, I weighed as much as I did in the beginning. I can not get back on track, I am about to pass my pre surgery weight. And to top this off, I am losing my hair, even though I am eating a regular diet. Any suggestions?

They told me to take zinc for hair loss-I am away from my home right now, so I don't have the bottle with me-but I believe 60mg is what they told me to take. Good luck.,

Yes I think now I regret having it. I was banded June 5, had a blood clot June 23. Was told after blood clot no exercise-which you really need to start. Plus the fact I started out with 3 meals a day 1/4 cup, now I can 1/2 cup. And drink protein drinks in between. who couldnt lose weight if you could eat like that. I have not felt enough restriction to my band not to feel hungry. But I am in this knee deep now and I hope eventually it will begin to work.

I had a blood clot 3 weeks after surgery and was told no exercise. I am not losing any weight. I wish I had never had this surgery.

Men can be so thoughtless. What a jerk to leave you just after surgery. Try and look to the future, you will look so good you won't have to worry about guys like him.