Kimmiev3

Thanks so much. I am excited about coming to a meeting.

Thanks for responding. Let me clarify my question a bit. I had my lap band placed on March 25th of this year out of state. So, having already being banned would it still be okay to attend a support group meeting sponsered by another Dr? Also, I have been going to Planet Fitness which use to be Gold's Gym here in Tuscaloosa. It is open pretty much 24 hours during the week. I usually go on my way home from work. I would also love to have someone to work out with. I mostly walk on the treadmill or use the stationary bikes. Anyway, thanks for you help. Kim

Can anyone go to the support meetings or is it only for patients of this particular Dr.?

This may have been asked before but I have to ask? When can you have sex after having lap band surgery?

Good luck with the crawfish....I would'nt do it but I totally understand you wanting to. I am a displaced Cajun...lol

My husband will be coming with me to Tijauan. We leave on the 24th and are coming back on the 27th. I am starting to get excited about it.

I have seen a few threads asking if people were getting banded on certain dates so I figured why not. I live in Alabama and I leave on the 24th going to Tijauna and will have my surgery on the 25th. Just wondered how many out there had the same date and where they were having their surgery.

Cramerk Dr. Ortiz is doing my surgery too. I am leaving on the 24th and will have it done on the 25th. I will let you know how it goes. Are you going back for the first fill or are you using a fill center? Is anyone else having their surgery with Dr. Ortiz around the 25th. Maybe we can get together down there.

I started my pre op diet 5 days early. I need to lose 13 pounds by my surgery date on March 25th. I did not have to start it until this past Tuesday but I was excited plus I wanted to make sure I lost the 13 pounds. My diet is a protien shake in the morning and one at lunch. I can have a low calorie frozen meal at night. I can have salad with a low calorie spray dressing. Apparently I found out that I can have loads of veggies. I had been getting dinners that were 220 calories or lower. Turns out I can have up to 300 calories. I have lost 10 pounds so far and still have just a day under 2 weeks to go. I spoke with my Dr.s office and they said once I lost the 3 pounds I can substitute one of the shakes for a 6 inch subway sandwhich. I probably won't do that. I am afraid of messing up. I have given up carbonated drinks too. Been drinking Crystal Lite and tea with Splenda. I have been hungry some days and not on others. I can't wait to get my band.

I am having my surgery at the OCC on March 25th. I simply got tired of fighting the insurance battle. It looks like they will win at all cost so I decided to go to Mexico. I am paying $7300.00. By the time I file that on my taxes next year I will come out probably better than if I had used insurance. I was just not willing to wait until 2011 for them to approve it. There is a fill center in Roswell, GA that is affiliated with Dr. Ortiz but I will be going back to Mexico at least for my first fill. I started my preop diet yesterday. It would not be so bad if it were not for the dang headache I have. I weighed yesterday morning and again this morning. I promise I am telling the truth but the scale may be lying. It shows that I have lost almost 4lbs. Now, I am sure it is just Fluid but I will take it. It sort of makes the headache worth it. Anyway, I will be glad to answer any questions about my surgery and the whole process. I would like to keep in touch with local people having the surgery at the OCC as well. Kim

I am scheduled for March 25th and just started my preop diet today. I am a 42 year old female from Alabama. I am having my surgery done at the OCC. Anyone care to take me under their wing? Oh BTW I would like to lose 117 lbs eventually.

Well after losing sleep over it and thinking about it constantly, I have decided to go the private pay route. It will save me from going nuts and I will claim the medical expenses on my taxes. I won't get it all back but I will get a nice chunk. What kind of pre op diet does Schmitt and Miles have you do?

I am scheduled for March 24th! Good luck and congrats to all the March babies. I am so excited about it that I don't care what you call us...lol.

Hello Jessica and everyone from Alabama. Dr. Miles will be doing my surgery as well. I have been trying to get everything together for my insurance. Kat has been working on it at Dr. Miles' office but it is going very very slow. I am a bit discouraged. I am acutally scheduled for March 24th because she told me that my insurance will probably not pay. Then about a week later she said that she could try to submit it. That was the last thing I heard from her and that was on the 18th. I emailed her giving her all the details and fax numbers etc. Still waiting to hear from her. I am a bit disappointed by it all and confused. But on a much happier note, I am thrilled that you were approved!!! You are having your surgery the day before my birthday. I will definately keep you in my prayers especially on that day. I can't wait to hear how it goes so keep me posted.

Hello all. I have decided to join this group in hopes that it will help me with my up coming lap band surgery. I am in the process of trying to get approved. I have actually scheduled my surgery for March 24th because my insurance will most likely deny my claim. I was told in August that BC/BS of Alabama would except photos in place of medical documentation of weight for the past 3 years. I was pleased because I was going to have a hard time finding the weights. My BMI has been up and down most of my life. Well I did the 7 months of medically supervised weight loss supervision. In fact it was on the way to my last appt for this that I found out that my insurance no longer accepted photos. You can imagine my diappointment. I have spent all this time playing the insurance game. I actually gained weight in order to make sure my BMI was high enough. I have managed to find weight for every year except 2007. I have spent money on these apppointments because my insurance would not cover it. I had physcological evalutations, sleep studies, and emotional distress from all of this. So I decided to go the private pay way. Now my Dr.'s office says....why not try anyway. If I can get a letter stating that I don't have a weight for 2007 because they did not weigh me at these appointments, which is the truth. My problem is if I do this and they deny it anyway, it will drive me insane. I don't want to put this off any longer. I have not though about much else for over 9 months. I currently weigh around 256 lbs. I don't want to be super thin and will never be a model but I need to be healthy. Both of my parents and grandparents all died in their 60's. I will be 42 in March. I need to live longer. 20 years is not enough time. My parents were not really overweight and that is not the cause of their death but I need all the help I can get. So there you go...long winded I know but that's my story. Any help or advise is welcomed. Thanks in advance. Kim Webb Northport, AL