KyBandChick

Wow you ladies are harsh. To assume is to assume wrong. No I'm not selling the product but I'm seeing great results so no need to lash out at those who are. I'm down 25lbs in 2.5 months and feel great, which I think is pretty awesome. I'm 10 years post op and post 2 babies back to back with a total unfill from csection swelling. I by no means have gained all my weight back but like many gained with having children and needed a refocus hence my return. Perhaps you will understand 10 years post op. I was curious if there was anyone interested in what I'm interested in, you know a community.

I'm trying to get back on track after gaining some of my weight back post babies. I'm drinking ketones and following low carb diet. I feel amazing, wish I started this years ago.

I'm post band but needing to restart. I'm consuming exogenous ketones (supplemental ketones) which makes a ketone diet SO much easier. Finally I'm back on track. Highly recommend drinking your ketones and following a low carb diet to take some weight off pre surgery. By drinking my ketones if I went out with friends and had a drink or ate something higher in carbs it doesn't take days to get back on track

I'm back on the "bandwagon" as well. I gained weight after having my 2 kids and having most of my Fluid removed after my first child was born. I finally got the courage to go back and get a fill. I'm focusing on a mostly lower carb diet and drinking ketones supplements. Down 25lbs in 2.5 months!!! I'm making my way back

I'm glad you have had a positive experience with him. Mine has been quite the opposite. He doesn't really seem to understand the psychology behind LAP-BAND® patients, which is as important as being able to perform the surgery (IMO). I dread every visit. I feel like a 5-yr-old waiting for my punishment for being bad.

Hi Lanette, please help me understand what you mean in saying he doesn't understand the psychology? Are you having trouble losing weight with your band or you don't feel he is interested in your journey?

Samiott - the band will change your life for the better. It certainly has mine. It's too bad your husband isn't super supportive but you know yourself and if you need help or not. I think often people who have never struggled with weight just don't understand how hard it can be especially when you need to lose so much and such an impossible task it seems. How far in the process are you, have you seen the doctor yet? I love my doctor with the St. Mary's group, very caring and informative. Once you have surgery scheduled they have you go through a pre op day at the hospital for lots of testing then later that next week they have you meet with your doctor a day before surgery and that is when you pay (if you have to). When the call to schedule your surgery they also tell you exactly when you will have to pay anything if applicable.

It is the doctor's that are out-of-network. That is why they are allowed to charge whatever they want. The hospital is still in network. this way the doctor's guarantee they get $4000 for the surgery which is crazy because I know the usual reimbursement from insurance is around $1000. Call you insurance and ask about cpt 43770. you shouldnt have to pay anything above your copays and deductable.

I am seeing Dr. Geller, who is also in the Norton's bariatric program. For the Norton's program, there is a $300 program fee to see the nutritionist and psych doctor before surgery. But the surgeon doesn't have any fees. I know that Dr. Geller accepts the insurance allowable as payment in full. I don't know how the St. Mary's docs get away with what they do. They definitely aren't better.

Holly

You are correct in saying the reason for the 4k charge that they charge you up front so they get the full $4k and not the insurance contractible rate which will be much less. How are fill charges in the Norton program? It's been a year since my surgery so I don't remember everything from the Norton meeting vs. St. Mary but I thought you had to pay for fills later with Norton where your fills are covered with St. Mary as long as they are your alloted fills. I haven't had to pay a dime to the doctor since I paid the $3,900 (and my insurance didn't pay me the full $3,900 back). The people who really get screwed are those without insurance since they don't get the insurance contract rate for the hospital either and have to pay a bunch for fills.

Hmmm...so if the insurance is "in network" now (UHC just became "in network" on Dec. 1, 2009 at St. Marys and Elizabeth)... then maybe now I won't have to pay upfront?... I guess I will have to call and ask them on Monday...

Certainly call and ask but they were very good at warning me when I needed to bring money. If they say your insurance is in network then you probably wouldn't have to pay or would pay a lower amount. At the time of my surgery they said then Humana was their only in network even though my insurance paid me as if they were in network.

Did they require you to pay the $4000 upfront or did they send it to the insurance first?

I did have to pay the $3,900 on the visit the days before my surgery. My insurance then sent me a check for the portion they covered. My insurance was not one of their "approved" plans so they made me pay up front.

Dr. Lusco performed my surgery and provides my post-op care. Well, I guess I will just say "He Rocks". He is very informative and I feel provides great care and I would certainly suggest him if you are looking for a Louisville doctor.

Sorry guys I happen to disagree. While yes I agree eating less is much more difficult pre fills it isn't an excuss to gain weight. If you were saying that you were not losing or gaining then I could understand but if you are gaining then you should probably make some changes. Why waste months until you get to your sweet spot giving yourself an excuse of "it's normal" to gain weight. You had major surgery for weightloss and I doubt you take that lightly, so why allow yourself to gain weight. What are you doing to exercise? Are you eating high fat foods? You can follow the band rules, eat a healthy diet and still lose weight (maybe a bit slower) before you get to your sweet spot.

I probably just found my sweet spot after 3 fills about 2 weeks ago. Most of my weight was lost w/out restriction. I have worked up to walking about 20 miles a week and it makes all the difference. Sorry I am not meaning to sound harsh here but think about it, you had surgery to lose weight. You picked a surgery where you have to work a little harder than other surgeries. Don't allow time to pass with the idea that the band has to do all the work. Otherwise you will look back several months later and not lost much weight. Best of luck to you in your journey.

I think it depends on the surgeon. I went to several information meetings with different surgery groups and all said they didn't do lap band on patients who had BP in the past. Hopefully there are surgeons in your area that will perform the surgery. Best of luck to you

I had a catheter the night of my surgery when I had to go to the ER b/c I couldn't go to the bathroom. I too was scared b/c I had never had one before. I though the pain was very mild and walking around with one isn't bad as you will probably be hooked up to an iv too so just another tube coming out of you. I would have rather had a catheter than what I had to go through that night b/c I couldn't go.

In your second post you didn't mention exercise. More me that is the key. I usually exercise for at least an hour 5 days a week. If I was not doing this my weight loss wouldn't be nearly what it is, plus I feel so great b/c of it.

Thanks everyone, I'll choose the glass half full approach. I have an issue where I assume any attention is negative.

Okay so today I am at the park enjoying a brisk walk with my dog. This guy (who I must say was rather cute) was walking the opposite direction. We passed each other several times with each mile. After the third mile he looks at me and gives me a big clap like "way to go". I wasn't out of breath or struggling in any way so the poor self esteem side of me thinks he is cheering on the fat girl like wow you have already walked 3 miles and are still going. The other side of me thinks he was just being nice and encouraging, but he never clapped for the runners around me or anyone else. I guess I felt very singled out like "way to go fat girl keep up the walking". Am I crazy to feel this way? I totally have major self esteem issues.

Hello all, I was banded in January. Dr Lusco is my doctor and he is just great. Love my band, I learn more about living with it everyday.

I have a major sweet tooth as well. I still crave sweets after surgery. I am not perfect but I really try to manage by not bringing my favorite sweets into the house. If too much suger makes its way into my house I throw them away quick. I also do the calcium chews it s like a yummy tootsie roll every morning. I also hate the chewable vitamins so I also do gummy vitamins so thats 2 Gummy bears every morning too. Good luck to you.

Everything you all are descibing sounds very normal. Try a heating pad that really helped me with the gas pain. I have also read from a lot people on hear if you have one of those back massagers that it helps to use that on your chest. Plus walking will really help push the gas out. I went to Wal Mart one day and walked around a bunch and it really helped

Perhaps I am a bit cynical but I think it really comes down to money. While your insurance may say it is about seeing if you can stick to a change for a period of time I am dealt too much with insurance companies to believe that. I think an insurance company looks at it like if 10 people show an interest in the surgery then the odds are maybe only 5-7 will stick with the program and jump through the many hoops then they have saved surgery costs for all those people who didn't jump through all their hoops.

Hi Dee, are you drinking with your meals? My doctor keeps reminding me that not drinking 15 min before a meal or 30 min after a meal are key. Also, if you feel the need for the ice cream how about SF popsicles or fudgesicle? Throw the ice cream away and start fresh. It seems like you are making some good decisions (other than popcorn and ice cream) so maybe cutting out the poor snack choices and not drinking with your meals could be the help. I would also try to get in as much exercise as you can. I just don't lose weight with just my eating I have to exercise at least 3 days a week for 30-40 min at a minimum.

Hope you feel better, your pain shouldn't be that bad

The great part about the pre op diet is you usually lose a bunch of weight which is a good kick start. I was so sick of liquids so I bought 5 cookbooks that week. Even though I couldn't eat the food it satisfied me a bit (it's crazy I know)

Mandilou thanks for your post I feel you on most all your posts. I think being so overweight you feel so alone and that no one understands what you worry about. This thread is very therapeutic knowing others feel just like me and worry about the same things

Being on an airplane and trying to disguise the fact the belt wasn't about to fit around me. For years I got away with laying my sweater over my lap and on a trip to TX I was caught. That was so mortifying that I took the belt with me for the ride home so I wouldn't have to ask for a belt again and have people see the attendant give me a belt again. I know it is crazy, b/c who am I kidding everyone knows I am as big as I am except me.