horsetrainer

The info packet I got from the surgery center in Detroit says...2 weeks before surgery, replace two meals a day with a protein drink? Anybody know why? I'm willing to do it (I'm willing to do ANYTHING to get my weight down!) but just want to know why. Also, most of the posts have a cute little....ruler?...with the weight and loss and BMI etc at the bottom of the post. How can I get one too?

Been working on getting a Lap Band for over a year. My sister got her's about 18 months ago and is doing great so I've been working on getting Banded too. UnitedHealthCare said NO. Said it's got to be IMMEDIATELY LIFE THREATNING condition. I have diabetes, sleep apnea, osteo-arthritis and high colestrol but nothing immediately life threatning so....NO GO. But now I am on Medicare because I'm disabled with arthritis. Several Weight Loss Centers in Tucson and Phoenix have applied to be able to take Medicare but none have been approved yet. So I decided, "to heck with it! I'm tired of waiting. I'm going to fly to Detroit and get the surgery done there." I can get follow-up care from one of the Bariatric centers here in Tucson. Medicare doesn't pay for fills anyway so that would have to be out of my pocket even if I could get the surgery locally. Is there any info on long-term effects of the Band? I would like to hear from people that have had the Band more that 5 years. Horsetrainer