TheGh0st

That sucks. Though at least there is some hope of them approving it. I had BCBS and a written exclusion on the policy so I had to go self pay. Still if my insurance had covered it I'd hate to be told that after battling my weight for practically my entire life I still had to show them that nothing magical was going to change during an additional 6-month supervised diet. Good grief what do they expect to find? Don't they realize by postponing it they are only increasing the odds of more payouts on the insurance due to co-morbidities than just getting the surgery overwith and the weight loss started?

Sorry, I haven't read it either but it sounds interesting so I thought I'd bump the thread and see if anyone else has.

Dr Price works out of St. Lukes on Wornall but I can't think of anyone else specifically on the Missouri side. Here is a link to their site. Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss - Saint Luke's Health System I believe I have heard from several people that he and his staff leans more towards RNY but can't say I remember anyone specifically having problems with him otherwise. I did see his site referring to RNY as the "Gold-Standard" in weight loss surgeries. I couldn't find any information on numbers of surgeries performed or any other data.

Dr. Malley's website is malleysurgical.com his office is in Mission, KS but performs his surgeries out of the NewHope Bariatric Hospital just north of 435 & Nall. The other site Wheetsin mentioned is Tallgrass and they are out of Topeka. There are several other doctors performing the lapband in the immediate KC area but in my own humble opinion Malley & Hoehn are the most experienced doctors in this area. Malley has performed over 1000 band operations and Hoehn isn't too far behind him. Malley is a proctor for the region teaching other docs learning how to do the surgery and Hoehn works out of Shawnee Mission Med Ctr which is one of the only hospitals to get its Center of Excellence Rating for this surgery so far. In other words I think it would be hard to go wrong with either surgeon. I would recommend checking out both of their seminars and more importantly attend each of their support group meetings before making a final decision. If you are interested there is also another local Bandster Group that is not affiliated with any doctors called KCBandsters. They have an online Yahoo group as well as monthly meetings at a local library. The group has people that have been banded by many different docs even several that were banded in Mexico as long as 7 years ago. They are having a meeting next Monday night if you are interested. It may be a good place to meet and question people in person from some of the various local docs all at once without some of the bias towards one doc or another you might get at a doctor's run group. PM me if you want more details.

On another note I would have loved to have seen Rupert back he reminded me of my father's old friends from my childhood back when his hobby was getting together with a bunch of friends on some land they bought together, dressing up like some sort of buckskinner or fur trader, sleeping in TeePee's and lean-too's and competing with each other on thier skills shooting muzzle-loaders, or throwing knives, tomahawks, and such. They were an odd lot but it was always kind of fun to sit around the fire as a kid listening to the old guys trying to best each other with 'tales" about the "big-bear" that got away as opposed to the "big fish". I had a STRANGE childhood. Oh, and James, just say the word and I'm yours baby! :cursing: You know you us women with curves beat Parvarti scrawny body any day!

Yes, try to stay calm and not worry too much. As I said serious complications are rare, but you are definitely doing the right thing by not waiting any longer. You are in my prayers.

Amazing Grace - Please give us an update. I am worried for you sweetie. I wish I'd seen your post yesterday. Not being able to get down liquids at any time of day is not a good sign no matter what the cause. Yes, it could be an obstruction if you tried to swallow something and hadn't chewed it well enough for your new fill level, a flu or other illness could be aggrevating your stomach lining causing it to swell more than normal, or it is possible that even a minute fill can be that proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. But the bottom line is no matter what the reason if you can't get any fluids to stay down within a 24 hour period (maybe even less, after all I'm no doc) you definitely need to get in for an unfill even if you have to go to the ER and demand one. It may be rare but still in situations like this you don't want to take any risk that the band is so tight you may cause damage to your stomach that would require the band be permanently removed. Like I said please give us an update.

You have to do what works for you and you alone. Many bandsters I know (especially us women) do find that their band feels tighter in the mornings from overnight tissue swelling. Good check would be do your rings feel tighter in the morning or at another time of the day? if so, then so will your band. Early on I was able to lose weight without being so tight I couldn't eat in the mornings. Then for a while I found that I needed (wanted?) to have a fill level that meant I was a bit too tight for foods in the morning, because at a lesser fill by afternoon my band would feel so loose I'd be ravenous the rest of the day. Still you have to be carefull not to cross that line to where you are battling a fill that is too tight. (*edit*) I started to post a little essay on what it means to be too tight but decided to delete as I'm not a doc and the idea of too tight can mean different things to different people.

I did have to visit the Cardiologist and even run on the treadmill (What a laugh that was). But then I had a pre-existing heart issue, so they just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be a problem for the surgery. I do still go to support group meetings. But sadly I no longer with Hoehn's group. I miss seeing everyone there and have been thinking about going back for a visit ever since I heard Billie was back. Who knows one of these months if I ever find the time I might just pop in.

Yippee!!!! Jon boy is gone. What a creep. I'd bet the farm that he really hadn't wanted to get voted off and his own stupid scheeming just bit him in the proverbial @ss! I am so glad he won't be around anymore. I'm routing for James, Ozzy, Cirie & Yau-man. Suppose, with that smile of his, James would have to be my top pick though. Wouldn't you just love to see a little wardrobe malfunction on that man. Mmmm Mmmm Good.

Losing I hate you. I need to get work done but NOoooo I'm wasting time trying to best your score for the last 2 days. Yipee... Finally reached 800. Not competitive am I?

Oops... I hadn't finished my post. I meant to end it with and if/when the doc tells you she won't then sue her sorry @ss! (Forgive my language) Ofcourse I'm not a doc or even in the medical field so I could be wrong but this really sounds like a stupid incompetent mistake she made.

I can't believe it!!!:regular_smile: How terrible! OK I can believe it strangers can be so RUDE some times, even family and friends. Still I think you showed much more restraint than I would have. I'm afraid if it had been me, I would have been posting this from the prison computer after my reaction:cursing:.

Sorry to say it but I'd tell her she needed to refund any money given you PLUS pay for a different doctor to do the surgery and money to cover the extra time off work and "emotional trauma". I realize that any surgery has it's risks but that complication just does not sound acceptable to me.

Yup, Malley uses Flouroscopy for his fills. kcispy4 - Hey there. Good to see another KC area bandster (or Future Bandster)

I feel for you. Has your surgeon talked to you about a revisional surgery? He better be doing it for free. As you said despite his reputation he had to have put it in wrong if it is not secured around your stomach. Because there is no way it can become "un-snapped" and fall off your stomach. The band isn't snapped around your stomach it is designed somewhat similar to a zip tie. It has a hole on one end, they wrap the band around the stomach then slip the port tubing and other end of the band through the hole and pull it into place. Once secured it can't unsnap any more than a zip tie can be pulled apart or a belt that is properly fastened. I'm not saying your wrong at all, I'm just saying the doc had to have made a mistake placing the band for it to not be properly fastened. The band once properly secured can't accidentally open any more than a properly placed zip-tie or belt buckle. He better agree to do the revision for free and cover the hospital costs as well. If he tries to suggest he will only cover it depending on what he finds inside I'd insist on the surgery being taped for legal record. That ought to put the fear in him.

How terrible! And it couldn't have been at a worst time with your in laws coming and all. I remember the stories you've told. I feel for you.

I hate the all caps as well but, just a thought. At my work we use strictly all caps for our data entry so if I come to LBT during a break I have to consciously remember to turn the caps off. I'm pretty sure I've always remembered to but who knows I may have inadvertantly been one of those annoying all-caps posters in the past. I know I've been the long winded poster from time to time, and probably with bad punctuation to boot. I tend to write more stream of thought. I try to self edit but don't always have the time to re-read and re-write my posts just to please someone else. I figure if people don't want to read it they are free to skip it. Actually, same goes in real life. My real friends now when to tell me I'm rambling and need to shut up. I usually pout but get over it as I know they are right. FYI - I spent nearly 5 minutes reworking this post am still not pleased with it.

Great Job!!! I'm so happy for you!

Try to take heart. I know it is hard to stay positive and I can't explain why you aren't losing. Except to say that there are many of out there that have experienced the same problem of initially losing a decent chunck then fighting like heck not to gain it all back before a fill. I swear I spent my entire first year (and 14 fills!) feeling that way and yet despite all my constant feelings of failure I ended up losing 80 pounds that first year. Hardly a failure I'd say but it still didn't stop me from feeling like one throughout the year. All I can suggest is to try to keep your chin up and probably stay off that infernal scale until you go in for that fill.

Great to meet you Teri! Good Luck on your journey.

OK we are getting WAAYYY off topic here. But Ireland would be perfect. I lived in Scotland for 3 years and loved the weather despite the jokes. Winters averaged in the mid to high 40's with everyone running around screaming its freezing if it actually hit 32-degrees (Can anyone say 20 below windchills here?) Then in the summer it averaged out in the high 70's. I swear I was in heaven. Just cold enough to know it was winter and just warm enough to know it was summer. Hardly anyone had central heat and central air in a home was pretty much unheard of.

LessNLess - No one like a bragger.:eek: Especially those of us sitting up north in the wind and snow. :biggrin: That's alright I'll just remember you this summer when you've had 60+ days of 100+ weather and I'm "chillin" in the 80's & 90's. :frown: :eek::party:

My experience was pretty much identical to lessnless, except for the horses and haybales ofcourse. Not too many of those in downtown Kansas City. Still compared to my previous surgeries this one had to have been the easiest. I also could have been back to work much quicker but chose to take the time work had given me. And as Bradleybanana said there are some very good an informative threads about the lapband process here at LBT. I would suggest reading some of the "stickies" in the Lap-Band Surgery FAQs and References Forum: Lap-Band Surgery FAQs and References - Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Surgery Discussion and Lap Band Surgery Support CKopasek - I'm not trying to "flame" you. However, you appear new to the board with only 7 posts. I congratulate your loss so far and admire your enthusiasm. But I would like to caution you. There are some employees of doctors offices that will create user names and fake identities here for the sole purpose of trying to get more business for their doctors. Other members of this board get very upset about this deception and can sometimes be quick to jump to the conclusion that a new poster is one of those imposters when many of their replies sound more like commercials for their doctor than an answer to the original questions being asked. Again, I'm not trying to accuse you of any wrong doing and only wish you the best. I look forward to watching your continued success with the band unfold and welcome your input on LBT.

I did the same as TarHeelLuv. Charged it to my frequent flyer card then immediately paid it off with the profits from a recent house sale. Had originally planned on using the profits from the house to pay of DH's student loan which was at 3.9%, $130/mo & tax deductible, but decided to pay for the surgery instead. Now whenever I refer to the loan as my husband's student loan he is quick to correct me and say it is my lapband loan. lol