Kimber7

I dont have my surgery until next month, but I suggest you eat if you feel hungry. Just eat protein first and small portions. Don't starve yourself. If you do, you will get so hungry that you will shove anything into your mouth.

Oh, I see. Maybe this will help... While waiting for the surgeon, I was talking to a woman who has insurance on her job. She told me that she had to go through a six month diet program before her insurance company would pay for her surgery and thought that I was lucky to have medicaid which would pay for it right away. My theory is this, Illinois Medicaid (specificly Illinois Health Connect) choses to pick up the surgery now to save money in the long run on obesity related ailments. Whereas private insurance (like HMO's) just hates to pay out period. People have been known to fight with private insurance company's from their death beds. Even President Obama's mom experienced this misfortune while suffering from cancer. It's sad. Your friends state Medicaid may be similar to an HMO like our Illinois Family Health Network or Harmony. These plans are apart of Illinois Medicaid but have retrictions like many private insurances.

It will cover it. A large percentage of their patients are Medicaid. Don't be nervous and don't go in there with a defeated attitude. Go in there with a plan to get healthy. Your BMI has put you in the position to get the surgery already, now you just have to be healthy enough to withstand the surgery. Also, you can't be crazy, so relax at the psych appointment (smile).

No problem. No I have no comorbities. I made weight (barely)! What is your weight, height and BMI?

Im in the begining stages of the process. As for tips I can tell you to show up to the seminar early if you can because they give you a numbered ticket when you arrive and after the seminar, when they set your surgeons apointment the tickets are the order they will go in. Example: Ticket #1 may get an appointment for the following day. Ticket #35 may get an appointment for the following month. Get there early! Also make sure that you don't have an HMO on your Medicaid card, like Family Health Network or Harmony. If you do, call the 1-800 number to get it removed and it will be taken off by the next months cycle. Your card should be Illinois Health Connect. This won't be a problem for the seminar, but it will be a problem for the surgeons appointment. After the Seminar, I was scheduled for a surgeons appointment three weeks later (I wasn' early). At the surgeons appointment I first meet with the dietician who talked to me about my current eating habits and future eating habits. Next I was registered in by a clerk, weighed in by the medical tech and then I meet with the surgeon, who went over the same things from the seminar. After that, I was sent for test. I had an EKG or EEG (I forget which one), x-rays and blood work. The next day, I returned to the hospital for my psych appointment and next week I go back for the medical doc appointment. At the end of the month I will begin my weekly group meetings which are a total of 4 in all. I'm tentatively scheduled for surgery in April. Hope That Helps.

Tonya I PM'd you.

Right On Jaffe Steve! I'm with you on weighing less! Your aunt hit it right on the head Babbs. I too am tired of punishing myself. I don't want to and will never be a size two, but I will be a size healthier. I believe the Band is the right choice for me because it will allow me to get back in the driver's seat of my life and health by helping me control my relationship with food. The Band is the least evasive of the wls and has a faster recovery time.

I'm afraid to do anything permanent to my body (i.e. Gastric Bypass) and I can't seem to keep the weight off on my own. Lap Band is the best choice for me.

Hi Shelly, I too am considering Lap Band. I went to a seminar and the doctor told me things that helped me lean more torwards the surgery. He said that people who loose a substantial amout of weight without WLS almost always gains a portion of it back if not all of it. Losing weight has never been my problem, but keeping it off is my problem. The doc also said that people who lose weight on the band, change their eating habits and decide to have the band removed always gains back the weight, even if they change their diets. He said that there is really no medical explanation as to why this happens, but that it does. It makes me wonder if once our body grows fat cells if they ever die? Maybe they (fat cells) still remain once the fat is gone and lurk around waiting for us to feed it just one crumb of fat to blow us back up? After seeing Oprah and the biggest loser winner balloon back up despite all their efforts, helps me to make the lap band decision.

I'm new to the site and I need help, help, help! I go to my first seminar at Mercy Hospital in Chicago in a week and I am not sure what's going to happen. My BMI is low (about 37.5) and I am afraid I wont qualify for insurance approval (medicaid). I wont bore you all with my struggles with weight loss, but I will say, this is insane to me to not be fat enough. I know HOW to lose the weight. Ive done it a million times before. What I need the WLS for is help keeping it off once Ive lost it. Please, please help me with the quailifying process over at Mercy. Is the seminar weigh in, the number they use for approval? Will the nurse put my weight up a bit since I'm close? Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kimber

Well sign me up, because if I thought I could wear weights and get away with it for approval, I would. I don't have a problem losing weight. I just don't know how to keep it off.

Thanks so much for that information Patchelton and Tquad. That info coupled with my PM's from Maquirre are just what I needed to calm down. I know I'm a bit under without any serious comorbitities, but I'm hoping something will give. I'm not opposed to putting quarters in my pockets (smile).

Maguirre67 I believe you were banded at Mercy, do you have any problem with the hospital? Can you lend me some help? I go to a seminar there next week. Kimber

Maguirre, I am going to a seminar at Mercy next month and I'm excited to learn what that will be like. Can you help me out? Do they weigh you at the seminar and if so, is that the number they use to determine eligibility? I'm 5'6 and 225 so I am under the 40 BMI mark. Please send tips my way. Thanks Babe :tounge_smile:.