brenpren07

Well I was about to exit out of the website and I went to my page and looked at my join date and it was exactly one year from when my surgery is going to be. I thought that was pretty cool!!! That just kinda confirms for me that I am making the absolute right decision......Good Luck Everyone!!!!!:thumbup:

Thanks, good luck to you too!!

So the 21st-23rd was hard just waiting for tomorrow. I went out and bout some protein stuff and chewables for after surgery just getting prepared so I don't have to worry about it later. I got the 12 pk. Alpine Punch Isopure 40g Protein, and the 42g Protein New Whey Shots. I also got the liquid daily vitamin, chewable calcium citrate, and chewable iron w/vitamin C. So I think I am ill prepared.:drool: Well, Friday I cleaned up my room to keep me occupied and donated a lot of clothing out of my closet(never worn) and my drawers to a New Beginnings Center in Garland. I figured now is better than never I mean after a while I won't need them anyway not like I need them now too. So later that night I went to the drive-in theater in Ennis, Tx. and had seen Legion/Daybreakers, both good movies we got home around 1230am so I went straight to sleep. On Saturday I went with my brothers girlfriend to look for Apartments cause i'm moving out at the end of this month. (I live with my parents now):wink2: So I kept busy with that and found a place which I need to go in Monday before surgery and place a deposit. I went to work later that night at 7p-7a and the day went by fast. So here I am today I went to sleep when I got home this a.m. @ 0830 and slept until 2p.m. I woke up at lunch and chatted with the fam and then was surfing the net for a while. I was supposed to go to work and after a while of contemplating whether or not to I decided to not. I called-in and said not coming in cause I have surgery tomorrow. So, that will make my night longer now until the morning. I have been nervously eating and going to be NPO at midnight until 1045 in the morning. I am going to do some homework and then go to sleep around 11p.m. I have all my stuff packed (like a day surgery bag) for tomorrow. 11 hrs and counting left 'til surgery. So I guess this is it for my post today. Gnite everybody!!!:sad::biggrin:

So the 21st-23rd was hard just waiting for tomorrow. I went out and bout some protein stuff and chewables for after surgery just getting prepared so I don't have to worry about it later. I got the 12 pk. Alpine Punch Isopure 40g Protein, and the 42g Protein New Whey Shots. I also got the liquid daily vitamin, chewable calcium citrate, and chewable iron w/vitamin C. So I think I am ill prepared. Well, Friday I cleaned up my room to keep me occupied and donated a lot of clothing out of my closet(never worn) and my drawers to a New Beginnings Center in Garland. I figured now is better than never I mean after a while I won't need them anyway not like I need them now too. So later that night I went to the drive-in theater in Ennis, Tx. and had seen Legion/Daybreakers, both good movies we got home around 1230am so I went straight to sleep. On Saturday I went with my brothers girlfriend to look for Apartments cause i'm moving out at the end of this month. (I live with my parents now) So I kept busy with that and found a place which I need to go in Monday before surgery and place a deposit. I went to work later that night at 7p-7a and the day went by fast. So here I am today I went to sleep when I got home this a.m. @ 0830 and slept until 2p.m. I woke up at lunch and chatted with the fam and then was surfing the net for a while. I was supposed to go to work and after a while of contemplating whether or not to I decided to not. I called-in and said not coming in cause I have surgery tomorrow. So, that will make my night longer now until the morning. I have been nervously eating and going to be NPO at midnight until 1045 in the morning. I am going to do some homework and then go to sleep around 11p.m. I have all my stuff packed (like a day surgery bag) for tomorrow. 11 hrs and counting left 'til surgery. So I guess this is it for my post today. Gnite everybody!!!:thumbup::biggrin:

So after about 1hr of being home the Doc's office calls and it's my dietitian Irene. She tells me my surgery was pushed back an hour. I thought for some reason it was going to be cancelled. I was relieved. So Monday @ 1045 I will be admitted for surgery.:sad:

So after about 1hr of being home the Doc's office calls and it's my dietitian Irene. She tells me my surgery was pushed back an hour. I thought for some reason it was going to be cancelled. I was relieved. So Monday @ 1045 I will be admitted for surgery.:thumbup:

So I went in today @ 1000 and went to the obesity center to ask what I needed to do as far as registering and getting my time and prescription elixir. She told me to go to preregistration which I did and they told me I needed to have some labs done so I went to the lab and she took my blood to test for clotting and stuff for anesthesia purposes. Well she busted my vein and now I have a huge bruise looks like I was man handled or something. So I went back to the doctor in the same building and they gave me my prescription and finally a time for surgery. It's @ 0945 and then she said I will have a 2 week post op visit and then six weeks after surgery my first fill. Yay!! Im so excited!!:sad::w00t:

So I went in today @ 1000 and went to the obesity center to ask what I needed to do as far as registering and getting my time and prescription elixir. She told me to go to preregistration which I did and they told me I needed to have some labs done so I went to the lab and she took my blood to test for clotting and stuff for anesthesia purposes. Well she busted my vein and now I have a huge bruise looks like I was man handled or something. So I went back to the doctor in the same building and they gave me my prescription and finally a time for surgery. It's @ 0945 and then she said I will have a 2 week post op visit and then six weeks after surgery my first fill. Yay!! Im so excited!!:thumbup::w00t:

I haven't had surgery yet I have it on Monday but I have already started to drink protein drinks. I like the Alpine Punch Isopure Drinks its 40g of protein in one bottle and 160 calories which isn't bad for the amount of protein u get. I want to try their other flavors they have like pineapple orange, blueberry, and grape. Good luck finding one that fits.

I haven't had my surgery yet but my Doc. said I might have shoulder pain for a few days after because for some reason the extra air that ends up in your stomach causes it.

1.What is your current and goal weight? 253/160 2.What is your surgery date? 01/25/10 3.What is your age? 20 4.Where do you live? Dallas 5.Where are you having surgery? Renaissance Hospital 6.Who is your Doctor?? Dr. Michael Green Jr. 7.Insurance or self-pay? Insurance, mostly 8.What was you "deciding factor" for having this surgery? I was sick of not looking good in my cloths and feeling tired all the time! Social Anxiety,finally deciding to change...!

Hello everyone my name is Brenda P. I am 20 yrs old and live in Dallas, Texas. I am trying to have the lap-band®® done. I have been researching and looking to do this since 2006. My parents, when I first approached them with the idea back then was very objective to the idea of me having the surgery at 16yrs old. Really it was only my Dad coming up with excuses why I am not overweight and how everyone has self-confident issues. So I left that at that and was determined to self finance it myself and disregard what he said. I mean he doesn't know what I go through everyday and my life in my shoes so how can he say it's okay for em to be fat? I mean seriously!! So that brings me to why I am writing this blog in August 2009 after I turned 20 I decided I am no longer my parents concern and a teenager I can make decisions without asking them first now. So I read into my insurance and whether or not they did cover the procedure. As it turned out they didn't. At the time I was on my father's insurance being a student and all so I then started to look into my mom's insurance at her work and if they covered the procedure. Luckily she just changed jobs and now works at a Bariatric Hospital. Lucky Me right! So I convince her to let me be on her insurance because my dad's insurance doesn't cover certain things. I didn't automatically tell her what for. So she was like yes u can open enrollment is coming up. So there starts the "Insurance Journey". I'm sure if you have been through the process and had the band you know all about that. I checked with the insurance company to see what doctor's were available to me and what were my choices as far as what I can have done and the fees and all that great stuff. Turn out I could only have it done at that hospital Dallas Renaissance Hospital and Dr. Michael Green Jr. was the only surgeon choice I had. So now that my Doctor was narrowed down to one I scheduled an appointment to check him out more like a group session meeting first then an appointment. He talked very well and although young he has a wide base knowledge of what he is doing and is very confident in his work. He has done the surgery over 100 times and from what I hear from the patients of his at the hospital he does a wonderful job. So I was sold to him be my Surgeon. After the appointment with him I had to schedule my first appointment of what would be 6 dietitian appointments. I had labs and chest x-rays done the following week after the initial appoint. and then was the dietitian appoint. I was kind of knowing what to expect when I went there because I had researched this thing for 3yrs and knew all complications, risk, habits that need to be changed, etc. So I weighed in first it was 260lbs first weigh in. I went over my eating habits and what I need to do to fix them. I had to end up taking supplements because I was iron, vitamin D, and slightly calcium dificient. So after 5 months of that I find out my Insurance is going to be changing at the end of Janauary. Well my last Diet Appointment is the 12th of January so I have from then until the end of January to get approved becuase my insurance the company is switching to does cover Bariatric Surgery!!! Isn't that just perfect timing. Well afterwards they spoke to the HR department and had them call the insurance directly to see if there was anything they can do about getting the approval process going and expedited to have a verdict by the end of the week for me. Well they didn't have one by the end of the week so I had to wait until this week to see if something would happen. Well I had called them to see if they heard anything yesterday and they said no but they sent an e-mail about getting an update and if I can go ahead and come in Tuesday morning to get the surgery scheduled in case my insurance is approved that way it is done the same month before my insurance ends so it can cover the surgery . So I went in today and spoke to the doctor about what to expect after the surgery, my past 6 months of diet visits, and just talking about general surgery stuff and I signed a consent for the surgery. So he said they were going to go ahead and plan the surgery for Monday the 25th of January and if we hear from the Insurance Company we will call you and let you know if your approved or not. Well of course me being ancy and not being able to wait for them to do it I asked them for a name and number and I called them to see what my status was the first time they transferred me to the lady I got a voice-mail and the second time I called someone answered and they said they would see where she was and then they told me well they just finished the meeting about your case and it looks like everything is good. Meaning I'm APPROVED!!!! YAY!!! I called my doctor and told the lady what they told me and they should be receiving a paper saying Ye or Ne and to let me know. SO like 5 min. afterward they call me an say yes I am having the surgery and it is going to be MONDAY!!!. I don't know what time yet I have to go in tomorrow and do pre-registration and all that good paperwork and get a time but it is Monday the 25th.!!! I will update tomorrow........:confused::thumbup::thumbup::wink2::thumbup::thumbup:

Hello everyone my name is Brenda P. I am 20 yrs old and live in Dallas, Texas. I am trying to have the lap-band®® done. I have been researching and looking to do this since 2006. My parents, when I first approached them with the idea back then was very objective to the idea of me having the surgery at 16yrs old. Really it was only my Dad coming up with excuses why I am not overweight and how everyone has self-confident issues. So I left that at that and was determined to self finance it myself and disregard what he said. I mean he doesn't know what I go through everyday and my life in my shoes so how can he say it's okay for em to be fat? I mean seriously!! So that brings me to why I am writing this blog in August 2009 after I turned 20 I decided I am no longer my parents concern and a teenager I can make decisions without asking them first now. So I read into my insurance and whether or not they did cover the procedure. As it turned out they didn't. At the time I was on my father's insurance being a student and all so I then started to look into my mom's insurance at her work and if they covered the procedure. Luckily she just changed jobs and now works at a Bariatric Hospital. Lucky Me right! So I convince her to let me be on her insurance because my dad's insurance doesn't cover certain things. I didn't automatically tell her what for. So she was like yes u can open enrollment is coming up. So there starts the "Insurance Journey". I'm sure if you have been through the process and had the band you know all about that. I checked with the insurance company to see what doctor's were available to me and what were my choices as far as what I can have done and the fees and all that great stuff. Turn out I could only have it done at that hospital Dallas Renaissance Hospital and Dr. Michael Green Jr. was the only surgeon choice I had. So now that my Doctor was narrowed down to one I scheduled an appointment to check him out more like a group session meeting first then an appointment. He talked very well and although young he has a wide base knowledge of what he is doing and is very confident in his work. He has done the surgery over 100 times and from what I hear from the patients of his at the hospital he does a wonderful job. So I was sold to him be my Surgeon. After the appointment with him I had to schedule my first appointment of what would be 6 dietitian appointments. I had labs and chest x-rays done the following week after the initial appoint. and then was the dietitian appoint. I was kind of knowing what to expect when I went there because I had researched this thing for 3yrs and knew all complications, risk, habits that need to be changed, etc. So I weighed in first it was 260lbs first weigh in. I went over my eating habits and what I need to do to fix them. I had to end up taking supplements because I was iron, vitamin D, and slightly calcium dificient. So after 5 months of that I find out my Insurance is going to be changing at the end of Janauary. Well my last Diet Appointment is the 12th of January so I have from then until the end of January to get approved becuase my insurance the company is switching to does cover Bariatric Surgery!!! Isn't that just perfect timing. Well afterwards they spoke to the HR department and had them call the insurance directly to see if there was anything they can do about getting the approval process going and expedited to have a verdict by the end of the week for me. Well they didn't have one by the end of the week so I had to wait until this week to see if something would happen. Well I had called them to see if they heard anything yesterday and they said no but they sent an e-mail about getting an update and if I can go ahead and come in Tuesday morning to get the surgery scheduled in case my insurance is approved that way it is done the same month before my insurance ends so it can cover the surgery . So I went in today and spoke to the doctor about what to expect after the surgery, my past 6 months of diet visits, and just talking about general surgery stuff and I signed a consent for the surgery. So he said they were going to go ahead and plan the surgery for Monday the 25th of January and if we hear from the Insurance Company we will call you and let you know if your approved or not. Well of course me being ancy and not being able to wait for them to do it I asked them for a name and number and I called them to see what my status was the first time they transferred me to the lady I got a voice-mail and the second time I called someone answered and they said they would see where she was and then they told me well they just finished the meeting about your case and it looks like everything is good. Meaning I'm APPROVED!!!! YAY!!! I called my doctor and told the lady what they told me and they should be receiving a paper saying Ye or Ne and to let me know. SO like 5 min. afterward they call me an say yes I am having the surgery and it is going to be MONDAY!!!. I don't know what time yet I have to go in tomorrow and do pre-registration and all that good paperwork and get a time but it is Monday the 25th.!!! I will update tomorrow........:thumbup::thumbdown::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

It was hard for me to stop drinking soda I first started by not buying them when I bought fast food. Then once i quit buying fast food I limited what i was buying in the stores u know how u will go in and buy a 12 pk i would only buy a 6 pack becuase i knew i wouldnt feel ike going back to the store for more also i started drinking ginger ale . to me it taste like sprite but its more natural andless sugary then i ruled out sodas and began only drinking ginger ale and that sparkling flavored water from Walmart. its better than stopping cold turkey cause u still got the carbonation that makes u go aahh. so eventually i just stopped when I felt like i was seriously craving a cokeith would grab ginger ale from the store instead. it doesnt have high fructose corn syrup which is like 10 times worse than regular sugar andsurprisingly if u cut this out of ur diet which means alot of juices, sodas, and ketchup, some cereals i was ur pre-diet you can lose about 10 lbs or so depending on if u exercise.

Thanks I hope it doesn't effect their decision to cover me.

I just got finished with the seminar at a place where I think I am going to have my surgery. The thing is I am on my parents insurance first my dads then recently beginning of this month switched to moms. I gave them my insurance info and they looked at it and said that I needed to provide a certificate of creditable coverage. Does anyone know what that is or have you had to provide one before. If so what was the outcome did you get coverage from the current insurance company? Plz let me know its killing me to think they may not cover it.:confused:

So I posted on here a while ago that I was going to self finance my Lapband because Insurance wouldn't cover because an exclusion and I couldn't get a loan. Well I am happy to say things have turned for the better. I few months ago I talked to this lady at my work and she told me her story not about getting banded but how she went from this quite, shy, tomboy, who didn't trust anyone to a pretty woman who has a new out look on life. Anyway my point is in talking to her I found some courage in myself to tell someone I wanted to get banded and ask for their help to save up for it. Someone besides my parents who were a no go 2yrs ago when I asked. Well I told my aunt because she had gastric bypass. She was ecstatic that I finally decided to do something about it. She was waiting for me to approach her because she didn't know how to ask me about it. She then told me I need to tell my parents. I was like NNNOOO!!! I am 19 turning 20 so really don't need their approval but I'm on their insurance so I kinda do. Well first I told mom. She was okay with it and even wanted it herself. She said the tough part is telling your dad. Long story short I told him when he was in a happy mood and his reaction was a 360 of what I was going into this thinking it would be. I was so happyyy!!!. So know my mom is checking her insurance and planning on putting me on it because luckily where she works the hospital is a Bariatric hospital so she gets a discount. 80% paid by insurance so I just pay 3000 that's 6000 less then where I was going to go. Plus she can do payroll deduction monthly to pay it off....WHOOO WHOO.. Just had to tell someone how happy this made me...Thanks for reading....

Your right around where i am. I am 256lbs at 5'3". I am going through the process now. I just told my parents and They are cool with it. total opposite of what I thought they would be. By the way I am 19 turning 20 in August. I was wondering the same thing because I already have semi sagging going on.

Thanks for replies. I have confided in my aunt who has had gastric weight loss surgery. I am really shy when it comes to personal issues/problems so I usually just figure them out on my own without involving family becuase they tend to make a bigger deal out of what it really is. She said she is happy to see me do this she was planning on talking to me about it. I told her my situation and asked her if she could help me save and while she said she would'nt be able to co-sign at this time she knows a doctor where I can get it below 9000 in dallas. SHe is a nurse director and has connections. So in the end I am glad I asked for help from her know I just have to save up enough money and get it down as soon as I finish saving....Thanks Lots.:thumbup:

I have good credit. Like in the 615's not great but not bad. I am trying to have surgery before I end up tipping the scales past 256.... I have tried to apply for care credit, surgeryloans.com, etc. but no one will finance because I have too many inquiries. I have tried with co signer (mom, dad) but they have worse credit than I do. I want to know if there is any one out there who is willing to co-sign for me. I know its a huge risk and I have a likely chance of zero but I am desperate and insurance said no twice and I can't seem to get it on my own. If it helps any I have a great job and work overtime and very dependable we could even make a contract to make sure it doesn't hurt your credit. I would do anything for help from fellow members or if you know someone. Plz last resort. Email me if you would like @ brenpren07@yahoo.com.....Thanks much!!!

I have good credit. Like in the 615's not great but not bad. I am trying to have surgery before I end up tipping the scales past 256.... I have tried to apply for care credit, surgeryloans.com, etc. but no one will finance because I have too many inquiries. I have tried with co signer (mom, dad) but they have worse credit than I do. I want to know if there is any one out there who is willing to co-sign for me. I know its a huge risk and I have a likely chance of zero but I am desperate and insurance said no twice and I can't seem to get it on my own. If it helps any I have a great job and work overtime and very dependable we could even make a contract to make sure it doesn't hurt your credit. I would do anything for help from fellow members or if you know someone. Plz last resort. Email me if you would like @ brenpren07@yahoo.com.....Thanks much!!!

I have not been banded yet but, I am in the same situation as you but I am 19yrs. weigh 250 at 5'3". I work 12 hour shifts at the hospital at night so I get tired of having to work and then coming home to work out. I have been up and down with my weight since I was a kid in middle school. I have been looking to have this surgery now since I was 16. I new I couldnt lose weight without a good support and this is that support to me. Anyways I started going to seminars different ones not just the ones at the hospital I plan to have surgery but at others as well.After I felt like I was informed enough I set up a diagnostic evaluation with the doc. I then checked my insurance through the doctor of my choice to see if they covered the surgery they said no so then I knew okay im paying cash. so wether or not I was covered I was having the surgery this year. I could have appealed my insurance company and written them a letter saying how i need it and my issues but if i ddecided to do so I would be waiting anywhere from months to years for them to approve. So I am bringing my credit score up and applying for a loan through Care Credit or Capital One Healthcare to finance surgery. Any more questions feel free to ask.

I don't believe he is. He is an electrician though. I think that I am just going to work on getting my credit score up right now its at a 569 and then I can apply for credit through Care Credit or Capital One Health. I really want this surgery and I won;t let insurance issues stand in the way. I would also rather not go through all the hoops of getting insurance problems figured out becuase if I keep waiting for that I would probably have gained 50 lbs from all the stress and eating that comes with it. I have found a place here in Tx hat does it for around $9000. TLCEdge and have heard good things from others and the people themselves so Hopefully by the middle of this year or end of it I will be banded. Wish me Luck:thumbup:

beechstreet ppo through my fathers work.