TQUAD64

There are no guarantees in life. All surgery minor or major have associated risks. Your doctor and his staff will do all they can to protect you. And I know you will do all you can by following your doctor's instructions. Overall, there are studies that show the death rate for gastric banding to be about .01%, which is very low. Sorry I cannot quote the studies for you verbatim, but if you do a Google search you will find information on it. Good luck!

Hello tgp157: I have not experienced anything negative about the band. At least not yet, but I am newly banded, so there is some time. It is nerve racking going through the insurance approval process, but you get through it. It is nerve racking completing all the required tests, but you get through it. It is nerve racking wondering if this is the right the decision, but you get through that. It is nerve racking wondering if you will wake up after surgery, but you get through that. It is nerve racking to see your hair falling out, but you get through that. It is nerve racking to see the scale not move, but you get through that. With the support of your family, friends, and LBT you will get through your journey and come out a healthier person for it. Good luck!

But not everyone has the same story as NoPJB. Actuall her story is not typical. It can happen, but for the most part the Band works. I have never been stuck with the band. I have never vomited with the band. And I have lost over 30 pounds. Don't base your journey on someone else's journey. Our individual experiences do not compare. Check out the threads on this forum that show all the weight loss. Draw your inspiration from there if need be.

Nessie: All I can say, is three-teenage daughters. Girl, you have your hands full. You must have the patience of a Saint! Raising three daughters in the world today is no easy task. The images projected at young girls has created a hostile environment for girls and women. To fat, to thin, not this, not that. It is just to much pressure. You know your girls best. You know what they should hear and see. Only you can really decide what is best for them; whether or not they need to know about your health and medical care. What I told or did not tell my kids will really never help you with your decision. Best of luck on your journey and raising your daughters.

Whygirl: If you are exercising you will lose fat and gain muscle. Muscle weighs more. I bet your losing lots of inches. Don't worry to much about the scale at this point, since you were just banded. Right now your body is in recovery mode and you don't have a fill yet. Give it time, you will get there. Take care,

Me too!:bored:

I am so with Jachut. I can eat anything, only a lot less of it. I would love to just belly up to the food bar and have at it. But alas, it shall never be, healthy living is now for me. (I am such a poet) :bored:

Hello Esantos628: Well, how can you be alone when you have so many people on this forum to support you? Do you need a fill? How are you doing with your exercise? Are you seeing your doctor for aftercare? How is your Protein intake? And do you really know how much food/calories you are consuming in a day?

Wow! 4-hours is a long time. Congrats and good luck!

Hello NOPJB: I am sorry you are going through this. We all have the expectation that we are going to lose weight with the Band. Afterall, why go through at least 6-months (on average) of insurance and doctor requirements. Not to mention preparing our bodies for the surgery and aftercare. Truly, we do have the right to expect the Band, this tool to work. However, the key word is tool. It is only one factor of so many factors that help you gain control. Exercise, healthy food choices, and aftercare are major factors that determine how well our Band will work for us. No judgment here Nopjb, just some suggestions; 1. Meet with your doctor to discuss the lack of weight loss 2. Find a local support group 3. Start exercising, even if it is a DVD at home or a walk around the block Best regards!

We didn't eat fast food pre-band. We just don't like it. And it is expensive. My teenage son battles with anorexia, OCD, and Bi-polar and he struggles with food. If anyone were to bring him home fast food or if I drove him to a fast food chain he would have a melt down. Needless to say, I am only allowed to cook healthy food at my house. If I bring in junk food or unhealthy food, he throws it in the dumpster when I am not looking. He basically keeps me honest. Thus, to make a long story short, we didn't eat fast food pre-band nor do we eat it post band. :-)

Totally off topic, but I love your aviator! Good luck! :cursing:

You really need to contact the insurance company to find out the requirements for WLS. In your case, it all starts with the insurance company. In my case, the PC started the process by alerting my insurance company to the fact that he is requesting referrals for a pysch eval, supervised diet, and/or lab work. Once my PC received the authorization for these referrals from my insurance company, we moved forward with the process. Yes, I had to provide I was over weight for a period of years. I cannot remember how many, but I had it well documented. Good luck!

I have learned that people make mistakes and give wrong information. Ask the insurance company to send you in writing the exclusion clause that states they do not treat morbid obesity and WLS. As far as utilizing a loan, I used Capital Ones Care program and took out a $5K loan for my Lasik Eye Surgery in 2007. I do not regret that and I love being able to see. If I had no insurance to cover WLS, I would look out all my options to having the procedure done, including going to Mexico. I am sorry this is happening to you. I hope you are able to find the resources to have the procedure.

Sorry playhead, but you have to follow your doctors orders. If he/she states 6-weeks then it is 6-weeks. I am not a doctor, thus I am always going to say follow your doctors orders and not to read to much into what other banders are doing pre-op or post-op for that matter.

Your doctor will include that in your discharge orders if they do not then ask your doctor. I was told not to drive until day 7-post-op. And honestly I did not feel up to driving until day 7 post-op.

Hello Minnah: You legally do not need to tell anyone at work the details of your medical issues. You are protected under HIPPA and you do have the right to take FMLA. Of course your co-workers are going to know your gone, but they don't legally get to know why. Your HR department should be aware of that. (There are some requirements to qualify for FMLA, talk to your HR department or do a Google search). I did not tell my co-workers. I went on vacation for two weeks and had the surgery. I had my bariatric doctor complete my FMLA form, so I could take time off work to go to my monthly doctor appointments. I requested that my doctor not use her stationary or any identifying stamps that stated bariatric on it. It is my right to protect my medical information. My weight loss has been slow and gradual, which is why I chose this procedure. People are now commenting on how great I look. No one has asked what am I doing to lose the weight. I thank them for the comments and tell them the truth. I work my butt off. I am now jogging on my treadmill for 60 minutes on an incline at least five times a week. I count calories, get plenty of rest, cut back on my portions and stopped the snacking. I have had many surgeries and I have never felt compelled to discuss those procedures with my employer and co-workers. Personally, I believe keeping my personal matters and job matters separate. When I go to work, I don't talk about my personal life and when I go home I don't talk about my work life. Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter. Best of luck to you!

Today: 60 treadmill 4% incline 3.33 miles jogging and power walk mix. Tomorrow morning back to the dentist to see why my gums are infected in area of the root-canal. Son-of-a-gun still hurts.

I drink coffee with lots of caffeine, my doctor would prefer that I didn't because it is believed to stimulate the appetite. Anyway, my doctor knows I drink it and we just leave it at that. As far as energy, your only five weeks out, I would imagine you body is still in recovery mode. As far as Vitamins, my doctor recommended I take B12, which I place under my tongue and it melts away. B12 helps with energy. Additionally, exercise will boost up your energy as well. Keep up the Protein, at least 90 grams.

Hi beautylocs, keep calling the scheduler and/or ask for the office manager to move this forward. My paper work submitted to the insurance company on October 14, the insurance company approved October 15, and on October 16 the bariatric center gave me a surgery date for November 11.

Does your insurance compay require you to lose 10% of your weight during the 6-month diet? I have never heard that before. I was told I would need to lose 10% of my weight during the pre-op diet, then that was switched to 10% of your excess weight. I was not given a set number of pounds to lose during the 6-month diet. I was told not gain weight during this time and not to go below a 40 BMI.

With my insurance I make a co-pay of $15.00, which covers the cost of the doctor visit and the fill.

There are people on this board who have been fully filled and have not reached restriction. It does happen, but this is not the norm. Restriction is fickle and is very different for each person. I have not reached my sweet spot yet, but I do have some restriction after a fill. It usually lasts for about two weeks. But that is just my situation. You will not know if the tool will work for you based on other people's life experiences with the band. I appreciate your fear, as I felt the same way, but sometimes we have to take a leap of faith and give it a try. There are no guarantees in life.

I spoke to the psych doctor for about 30 minutes. And then I completed a questionnaire at his office. I believe it was around 200 questions, multi-choice. I spent more time with the questionnaire than I did with the doctor. The questions were basically all the same but asked in different ways. Do I follow doctor's orders? Do I do things on my own without following orders? Do I feel suicidal? What type of support system do I have? Do I cheat?

Banded at age 44. wish I did it sooner.