TracyinKS

this thread is great!!!! I'm HOPING my change.. changes the family, but dbf eats HORRIBLY.. and he is a night eater... I do worry about him, but it is HIS choice.. and I myself don't want the food police patroling so, I won't BECOME the food police.... One thing I have tried to instill in my 3 year old is that finishing our plates are NOT a race... (he is always saying.. I BEAT YOU) I do hope that less junk and more healthy options will flood our home..... and even though fruit has carbs I think a cut up apple w/peanut butter is a far better choice than chips and a box of girl scout Cookies.

Thanks guys.. I LEARNED SOMETHING TODAY!!! Very interesting.....

Hey Wendy: Where are you from? My surgeon didn't have a particular one they work with so I was on my own.. but yes.. I called several places and a couple of them couldn't be bothered with me.

Another KC area person here.... I did the same calling around as you........ The WLSC (not affiliated with any insurance is the 13.5 price no fills or aftercare) I'm going with Dr. Malley because he does take my insurance but his cash price is 16.5K with a year of after care and fills.... (he says he wants to see you every 4 weeks for the first year... and you may or may not get a fill depending on your personal needs) If you self pay you can get in quick because you can schedule at any one of the 3 hospitals he works at....... (I have to wait for Menorah, and they are already booked Through March 8th) IF money was a real issue... I would go to Dr. K in Denver for under 10K because KC to Denver flights are cheap..... (but the weather this year as you know is crazy) I envy you not having to jump through the insurance hurdles... good luck and keep us posted. ohhhhh ya.. you might go to obesity help dot com and look for surgeons in the area.. they have something like 27 local ones that you could do research on .. first step is to attend a seminar... for instance.. there is one close to me (atchison/leavenworth) I also called about 5 places before opting for Malley... and mostly it was the knowledge and courtesy of the person answer the phone and questions.... (plus I'd heard good things about him on here and other places) Stanely Hoehn is another one I've heard good things about. Opie (Olathe is getting started) and Wanda K (I think is her name) has also gotten rave reviews.

I have my eval tomorrow, and next week I have the nutritional eval.. THEN my dr will submit to insurance for the approval number... THEN I will be able to schedule surgery.....the hospital is already booked through March 8th.....

First of all CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!! Second: I have no idea, but CONGRATS on your new little belly bean!

Hey Sunshine!!!!!!!! If ya got it USE IT GIRL!!!!!!!!!!! I have to use PTO, which is why I'm hoping to go back soon.

Hello: I read all the posts through page two, and I just wanted to add my two cents to the pot. Lots and Lots of good advise has been given...... I along with MANY here was the "fat" girl with the skinny sister. I started my period at age 9 and hid it from everyone including my mom for 3 years, because I was mortified of being so different. I played sports while young but was always one of the biggest girls on the team..... On the outside I was self confident, popular, involved... but on the inside I was miserable ALWAYS aware of my fat.... crushed when talked about or rejected.. because I started my period so early I WAS EXTREMELY HORMONAL... I would have major mood swings and since no one but me knew I was on my period.. I just was reguarded as a terror. (this is me thinking back on those years) Later at a realitively young age of 22 I was diagnosed with hypothyroid, as a matter of fact the endocrinologist made me come in 3 times because he thought the test was done wrong due to the fact of me having the thryroid of an 80 year old man... he was suprised I was functioning. Also I was diagnosed with PCOS.... both factors make it very hard for me to lose weight... and slimfast.. well I GAINED on it... because of the sugar. Eating Low Carb is the only way I can lose weight, and once I'm banded it will be THE way I continue to eat... and most of the stuff in your pantry is LOADED with carbs, including the fruit. Someone mentioned the MEXICAN doctor who does the band on teenagers, and my doc is working with a 16 year old now (in Kansas).......... the band is NOT easy, NOT a quick fix, and she would still be able to gain weight if she continued to eat the crap.. which as any inventive person can soon find.... that is why she will need to be emotionaly ready to do it........ I agree with others who say to BUILD her up from the inside.. she needs the self esteem, but also she needs to find something that will help her to shed some pounds.. enough that she sees the difference and feels the power of having control, and I'm betting that if she cut down the SUGAR... (ALL FORMS OF SUGAR) she would start losing...... and go check out those trendy clothes sites.... a girl DOES need some cool stuff to fit in even if It may be a little pricey. Most of all GOOD LUCK oh and I might mention... I was infertile, (both hypo and PCOS) factors... I was blessed at the age of 33 with a child, due to following a LC eating plan..... all this makes me more at risk for things like breast cancer.. so getting her checked out now is vital........ I hope some of what I said helps a bit.

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that is funny! AFter my surgery I plan on attending those meetings.

yeah... I had this, because the place I had orginally called about surgery used them and they gave me the specific doctors account #. I think that is why they list their own financing on their websites. Good luck in finding your financing.

I see it Kedasmom! Mom2Sassy: How exciting.. I wish my mom would just go to Mexico.. her insurance won't pay and I've been sending her all the links... If I could afford it I would just fly her down there and pay for it myself...

I have PCOS and was put on it after I had my son because I'm insulin resistant. I didn't take it because I knew that if I just ate a low carb diet my PCOS symptoms would go away.

My doc said that for a desk job he'd take a week off, physical labor job no less than two weeks. He also said some of his patients get the surgery on Thursday and go back to work the following Monday (this is what I hope to do)

CP-Mike: I feel for ya... I may be looking at APRIL! but I can hope. Debbie: You'll do great! Susannah: YOU GO GIRL!!!!! How exciting!

Keeping everyone updated......... I have my psychologist eval tomorrow... the dr. told me to plan on 3 hours. I am internally dealing with the fact that I may not be able to get my surgery scheduled until late march or even April....... Have a great Tuesday

Sounds to me like it is a requirement of the shrinks office.....I had the same problem when calling around to find the earliest appointment... one place got real snippy with me telling me that I would be required for no less than 3 sessions. I found a place that only requires ONE appointment (albeit its 3 hours) because I have an interview first then I take a pencil test, and I've read on here that it is something like a 600 question fill in the cirlce test.. I go tomorrow

I agree with the others.... call your insurance people and see what EXACTLY they require for predetermination.... I have BCBS (albeit they are all different) but I didn't have to have a required diet, and what I needed is a nutrition eval and a psyc eval...... and as for everybody and there brother is wanting it... well that is because we ARE an OBSESE society!

Is this a requirement of your doctor OR your insurance? Find out what exactly they want before signing up. The reason I say this is if it is a doctor requirement, you might want to find another doctor. If it is a requirement of your insurance you need to know EXACTLY what they want.. (a 6 month supervised diet, a YEAR supervised diet, or simply a nutrition eval) You need to make sure that you follow the rules they set, meaning.. checking in EVERY 4 weeks, because if you miss they MAY require yo to start all over again.... just my two cents p.s.

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!! I hope your headache goes away soon!

welcome to LBT!!!!

Welcome to LBT! Like others have said.. read this forum and you will learn an amazing amount of info from people living with the band.

Good luck to everyone on here that posted upcoming surgery dates!

NOW THATS WHAT I CALL SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This board has a wealth of info,, read, read, read and post, post, post!

great letter! and more importantly... GREAT JOB!