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I have UHC also and looked into it after I was successfull with my band- All of what I was looking for was covered with documentatioin. I had 2 consults both of which would NOT file insurance although I was given the option to file a claim on my own for reimbursement. I obviously have opted not to have anything done yet and am being sleeved in 48 hours. My current doctor has a plastic surgeon that not only takes insurance, takes payments but also assists with financing if needed- I am going to look into this next year as I still have more weight to loose...

I was going to buy these last weekend while stocking up @ the VItaminn shoppe and was thankfully for-warned by one of the guys working there about their nastiness.. I found 4 other new proteins to try and have LOVED them! Muscle Milk lite, Isopure, Pure PRotein and 1 more I cannot think of the name- they are all on the reccomended list from my doc and taste great! and make good slushies (pre op) of course... Post op may be a different thing since most people say their taste buds change- don't know- will cross that bridge when I get to it.

Congrats! I will be in your situation in about 48 hours.. YAY me!! keep us posted and of course speedy recovery!

Im scheduled in 48 hours... I am a medical professional I know all the things that COULD happen and therfore I have totally freaked out many times... I am now nervously excited- Nervous just in general and excited to get it over with. I have had a real shitty last year and 1/2 feeling terrible and I am 100% convinced that this will resolve a lot of my health issues. I wish you luck and although it's easier said than done.. don't worry

Thank you soooooooooo much for doing this; I too just registered!

So many good tips- i'm so glad for this post! I am having surg next week and will make sure I have all of the above on stand by... Nyquil cup, (perhaps some nyquil.. lol) sf popsicles, tea and a shot glass @ my desk for when I go back to work.

I also have been "worried" all the what if's are coming to the frontal brain more rapidly than the thoughts of what life will be like "after"... I assume this is normal- I'm not worrying about after side effects becasue I think everyone's case is different and the post op instructions are all different and we never know how exactly someone does their instructions- I just pray, take comfort in my choosing the physician that I did and believe that I am in amazing hands and beyond that it will all play out as it does... Good luck-

I don't know if you'd call it "nesting" My husband calls it hoarding (soup that is) lol.. it's on sale this week.. haha.. I'm being sleeved on the 18th... Right there with ya!!

Checking in here as another pre-opper... i'm on week 2- Mine is a bit more lax as well- because i'm a band to sleeve conversion I'm on an Adkins diet with liquids... so everything has to be only protein or in liquid form. I am managing (not well) on protein shakes, and a lot of lunch meat- I too am feeling quite lethargic (no energy) and tired. I am trying to stay away from the SF jello and such because I know I will be sick of of it post op- sort of saving that.. I am making some homemade chicken soup this weekend for broth next week and the meat and veggie's for puree post op- oh and btw I totally agree on TV commercials. The other night TOTAL torture-- actually sat through a show on donuts.. (I really dont eat them and don't like them) but the guy had 2 krispy creams as buns for the most amazing cheeze burger ever... I was like on it with my fake taste-vision!! lol.. but it is hard...but I am mustering through this time next week I will be post op YAY!! I know it will have been worth it.

a) there is a "forum" on lapband to sleeve patients you might want to check that out- I have (for another week) the lap band and am getting a revision to a sleeve- I am NOT a lapband hater- I am not having my lapband removed because of slippage, erosion, malfunction etc. I have an auto immune disease and it is thought by my phsyicians that my body is "rejecting" the band as a foreign body in my body and not allowing me to get better physically from the auto immune issues. I was successfull with the band- lost 100lbs and about 89 inches all over- I have since gained back about 35 lbs total over the last year due to in-activity (no exercise due to back injury) and having band un-filled- My personal advice would be this- Unless you have only minimal weight to loose i'd say 45-75 lbs then consider the band- if you have 75+ lbs to loose then look at your other options- The studies when I was banded 3 years ago about the sleeve were not available and now that I am being sleeved there are new studies out about the band. I am reading now that the band is normally only reccomended for 4-5 years and that statistically most band pts have it removed and revisioned into something else. Only you and your doctor know what is best for you, your body and your future- You should not let anyone on here persuade or disuade you. We all have made whatever decisions we made on our own- Yes it is nice to have advice and opinions BUT you have to live with what you decide etc... There is a pain in the arse factor too about the band with fills, follow up etc- looking back it was a bit of a pain but not to inconvenient- AND there were a lot of foods I couldnt eat but I found new foods that I did like that I would have NEVER tried before.. So for me it wasnt a complete loss... Good luck with whatever you decide to do- I'm sure you will do great!

We will be 1 month apart as I am being sleeved on Nov 18- Good luck and keep us posted-

I had/have this same concern and asked my doctor on Monday @ my pre op- His answer was simple- a) it wont grow back to the size it is now; yes you will have MINIMAL stretching which is normal but you will also by that time have learned to eat less and have lost the max amount of weight. it is possible to tweek if necessary years down the road- I asked this because I am 42 and wanted to know at 60 if I start gaining back I at least waned the possiblity of a tweek. He said yes but the likelyhood is nil.

My doc uses a 40 and says anything smaller is really looking for a lot of potential side effects...

While your checking with your doctor; ask them about your synthroid... it is supposed to be taken on an empty stomach 1/2 hour after getting up in the morning. I had thyroid cancer and have been on synthroid for years and have always been told this....

1 month after getting my lapband unfilled I had my pre op today and I actually lost 3 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was soooooooooooo happy!!! 1 month from tomorrow I will be in sleeveland!!!

I work for a podiatrist. I can tell you that 90% of our patients have APF- Acute Plantar Fascitis. Depending on the severity when they get to us they may or may not start with Steroids- it is a LOW DOSE pack normally 4-5 mg pack for 6-7 days. NOTHING MAJOR... IT is to help reduce the inflammation so the anti inflammatory can do it's job. We also dispense stretching exercises REGARDLESS of whether you have had meds or not and dispense a night splint for stretching when at rest. The best organic thing to do is take a frozen Water bottle and roll your foot over it not only does it releive pain but it also is stretching at the same time. Most people get relief with the meds and stretching but often times an injection is needed as well as orthotics. Your podiatrist will most likely reccomend custom orthotics which most insurance companies DO NOT cover. We sell a very high quality over the counter orthotic called Power Steps. I personally swear by them- I personally have them in all of my shoes as does my husband and inlaws. THey retail for about 40 bucks. YOu can also use biofreeze or Cryo therapy to help. NONE Of this treatment will interfere with your surgery even if you have to have the injections of cortisone. Just to let you know... Hope this helps... You can find a local person that sells the Powersteps and BIofreeze by googling them and looking for a local retailer near you... GOod luck!

I am going to be sleeved in 1 month. But when I had my lap band I had the same concerns- All I can say is that my "energy"/obsession was guided into another one.. and that was exercise- I became obsessed with it- until I hurt my back and couldnt go at it like before. It wasnt until I hurt my back and couldnt exercise that I realized I needed to internally deal with things and I started to really look inward into what made me do what I had done to myself?? Once I realized I couldnt blame anyone anymore and spoke to many people from my past that had either caused me pain or hurt both mental and emotional- I felt like a huge weight was lifted. I started to realize and actually soak in healthy eating and eating for 1 and usint my band a as a tool etc... I discovered a whole new world of foods, exercise I could do with a bad back etc.. IN the process I developed new relatiohships and have made friends for life with the new me if that makes sense- I am at a much better place personally and know that moving forward things can only get better but the fear of going back still looms... I think we just all need to figure out the trigger and try to deal with it...good luck!

How'd it go?? Any after effects??

I wouldnt have waited this long- Obviously that's not normal... Hopefully it's nothing serious. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing.. good to know!

Advanced liquid Protein Shot 45g Protein 0g Sugar 0g Fat Liquid Protein with an Incredible Taste Saw this over the weekend... lots of protein- Claims great taste... curious...

In 2007 I had Thyroid cancer- had both glands and 4 parathyroids removed- went through ablation and more radiation x1 year afterwards.. Have suffered with auto immune problems FOREVER and have lost a half of head of hair between the thyroidectomy and lapband in 2009- 3 months after lap band I started Biotin 1000mg twice a day for 6 months then once a day- I noticed a gradual difference- I used to clean the shower drain daily and now it is only a few times a month (of hair) My hair is not back to pre-cancer but it is back to fuller, healthier and I feel better about it too... I know the anesthesia is one of the biggest issues that help cause it not to mention the vtamin deficiencies etc.... I can only speak for myself and my experience but I SWEAR by Biotin... I know it will happen again with the sleeve in November but mentally I am better prepared for it as well as having the Biotin in me and on hand....

After joining this group and reading all of the problems with the band that many have had I am now a beleiver that the band is not a permenant thing. Having said that only you and your body and your doctor will be able to determine when enough is enough. I think you have to outweigh the benefits of the band if it is still truely working for you or not- If you are unfilled and doing most of the work then perhaps you can loose the remainder on your own. But if you need that extra push and have not been able to in the past then obviously the sleeve is the answer BUT if it were just 25-30 lbs- the sleeve to me seems quite drastic... As with the lapband- I would only reccomend it if someone had 40-75lbs to loose after that It would be the sleeve- I cannot wait to have my band out and get sleeved but then again I have a LOT more to loose. Good luck!

Mine did not but I don't know if my extenuating circumstances of worsening auto immune problems helped with that decision or not.. BUT do make sure they get both the removal and sleeve authorized as 2 seperate things... I've heard horror stories on people preparing to do both and are only authorized for the band removal... do double check.. I am lucky to have such good coverage.

Although i'm not sleeved yet, I agree with everyone else.. AND if I were you this early on I would DEFINITELY get a 2nd opinion.... Obviously there is a lot more information that you need to allow yourself to absorb.... Good luck!