Elisabethsew

Now THAT made me laugh out loud. Nice analogy.

I had pulmonary emboli in both lungs and was on Coumadin. I stopped taking Coumadin 3 days prior to surgery and then took Lovenox injections for 3 days post-op. I went back on Coumadin the day after surgery.

I can't take credit for this because someone else posted it a long time ago. Eating 10-12 raw almonds a day does the trick. Once I started eating them, I had no problems plus it's got some protein. Of course, you need to make sure you stay hydrated as well... especially whenever you increase fiber intake.

You really need to call your insurance company and check with them. Normally, insurance carriers will not pay for complications related to a procedure that they did not cover but it all depends on the diagnosis and treatment plan.

H. Pylori is a bacterial infection that can cause ulcers. It can be transmitted sexually so partners are usually treated with antibiotics as well as the patient. The course of antibiotics solves the problem so it's good it was diagnosed.

Congratulations and welcome! Call your insurance company and ask for a list of their requirements to gain approval for the surgery. Keep reading through the posts and ask lots of questions. There is a wealth of info here. MANY people have been very successful and there's a thread of people who have lost over 100 pounds.

Port flipping is not common. Port placement is something you should discuss with your surgeon. Tell him/her what you read and what your concerns are.

The purpose of the 6 month diet is to prove to the insurance company that you can't lose a significant amount of weight. If you've done this in the past, have your MD write a letter to the insurance company. It's also a VERY good idea to call the insurance carrier and ask them to send you the requirements so you don't have any surprises.

IF you need to appeal, call the insurance carrier and ask for your case worker. That is the person that can tell you what you need to do to gain approval. Good luck! I've got my fingers crossed that you'll be approved.

The answer really depends on what your surgeon advises. Ususally, you go back to the sleep center and they monitor you with the C-Pap mask in place to determine the correct therapy settings. Most surgeons have you bring the machine with you on the day of the surgery. Call your surgeon's office and they should be able to answer the question.

My surgeon only uses the medifast shakes that you get online. I ordered the ready to drink (RTD) chocolate ones and love them... still order them.

Congratulations... fingers and toes crossed for you!

Protein has 4 calories per gram so your shake has 80 calories of protein. My surgeon advised Medifast shakes. I got the ready to drink ones in chocolate and still order them. I'm sure you'll get a lot more suggestions.

It's very understandable to want to feel restriction ASAP after surgery. However, this is major abdominal surgery and allowing a healing period is very necessary for long term positive outcomes with the band. I would advise listening to the surgeon concerning the first fill policy. After that, I agree that the patient is the one who knows when a fill is needed and should be proactive in getting it.

Thank you for sharing your "finds" and opinions. I'm always looking for something new to try. I found 100 calorie bagels in the grocery store. I toast one half, save the other, and spread a little peanut butter on the toasted half. It's a great snack and tends to keep me full.

I know many of the people on this thread are not in the medical field. I am and have been for a long time. Please realize that it's VERY common for healthcare/pharmaceutical companies to offer incentives to MDs to use their products. These companies spend a fortune developing new products and drugs and ear mark huge advertising budgets to "sell" them. As an example, the staff in the cardiology cath. lab never spend a penny on buying Breakfast or lunch. We average 70 cardiac caths a day so you can imagine how many people work in this area. Everyday (M-F) breakfast and lunch is provided by one or more healthcare reps from a company seeking to get their product/drug in use/prescribed. We live in a capitalist society and this extends to the healthcare industry as well. Who cares if the MD is getting paid to use a new, FDA approved band? I have a friend who gets $1,500.00 to give a 45 minutes slide presentation to other MDs on the benefits of Guardacil and he's paid by the pharmaceutical company. He rated as one of the 10 top OB/GYN MDs, has authored a book, tests MDs who are applying for Board Certification, etc. The fact that he lectures for money on a product he believes in does nothing to lessen his abilities as an MD. Just a little offering on a different perspective...

Call your insurance carrier and ask for a written list of their requirements for covering weight loss surgery.

Call your insurance company and ask for a written list of their requirements to cover weight loss surgery. Many carriers will only pay for a BMI of 40 with no other medical problems or a BMI of 35 with one or more other medical problems (called co-morbidities).

I would highly advise that you look for another surgeon. MANY do the surgery on higher BMI patients. The pre-op diet usually lasts for a week and is for the purpose of shrinking the liver so that the surgery can be done via the lap approach.

Most MDs do not advise a diet below 1200 calories. Protein should be taken throughout the day and balanced with fats and carbs. Very high intakes of protein can damage the kidneys so it's not something to be taken lightly. For anyone doing strenuous exercise, a diet of only 1000 calories might be too little. Also, extra hydration is very important. On the show, The Biggest Loser, the participants are medically supervised and have a prepared diet.

That's a good question to ask your surgeon. Fertility is definitely increased with the surgery. Once you get pregnant, the band will be emptied. Some OB/GYN's want it emptied ASAP while others allow gradual emptying as the fetus grows.

Research studies show that people who have the lapband lose weight at a slower rate but that after 2 years post-op, weight loss is about equal for both surgeries. Go to a few different informational meetings offered by 2-3 different surgeons and ask lots of questions. My BMI was as high as yours and I'm glad I made the choice to have the lapband. I'm a registered nurse and did not want all that is involved with gastric bypass (malabsorption, pouch stretching, etc.).

Welcome! Many surgeon's office staff give the date before the approval. If your approval is delayed, they back the surgery date up so don't worry. Call your insurance company and ask for a written list of their requirements.

Welcome. I would advise you to read over the many posts. The best answer is to do whatever your surgeon tells you to. Your surgeon's office can give you a list of all of their requirements so that you can get started meeting them. Some people bounce back fast from the surgery and others require up to 2 weeks to start feeling human. LOL.

Call your surgeon's office and ask why you can't have caffeinated coffee or tea. My only restriction was no soda and it was advised to avoid alcohol. Welcome!