katwmn63

ifyour arthritis is severe enough, that should count as another co-morbidity.

every single one of these tests you mentioned are standard prerequisites for both surgeons and insurance companies. 2 thoughts come to mind: 1- you will have to have them anyway, so why not let your pcp order them... most insurance co's will include any medicaly supervised time towards your 4 months...so start it with your pcp, the documantation will be there to forward to surgeon/insurance. 2- it seems your pcp has knowledge of the band since she is bang on with what tests to order to make sure you qualify, and are medicaly cleared, before going to the next step. That is still rare...most pcp's don't really know enough about the band. i'd say that is a plus. Good luck to you, but my personal opinion/advice only of course, i'd give a 2nd thought to your pcp.

thanks:) found out i have a Standard AP band by allergen that holds 10cc's.

well one thing i did learn here, is that i need to find out what size band i have too??? I'm gonna email my doc. Thanks guys/gals he did tell me he flushed the band to test it, but also to fill some to give his patients restriction right away... which is something that he didn't used to do. i guess i am just worrying that this feeling full easily, and not feeling hungry wont last til Aug 24.... it seems so far away :{

How much did your surgeon put in??? My surgeon told me he filled "a little" at surgery because he believes the port should be left alone to heal for a full 6 weeks before poking at it, and he doesn't want his patients to go that long without restriction. i like his thinking. but when i aked him how much he put in..he said he didn't know excatly because he lets some bleed off to test the band is flushed... but enough to feel some restriction. he also scheduled me for a "2nd" fill Aug 24th, but said... but if you want to push that out because you are already feeling enough restriction, that is fine. I am only 9 days out... i feel restriction i guess, get full fairly easy, but .. hmmmm i want to know how much :{ if you were filled during surgery, could you tell me how many cc's you got and how long that restriction lasted you if at all??

The pain you are describing is completely normal as is the belly noises,... the only pain that gets my attention is the pain spasms all over your body. i am glad to hear that you are moving around as much as possible... you want to help with the gas, AND, prevent clotting. call your surgeon about the other pain though. this would concern me if you were sedentary most of the time, but you say your not. you will have more pain having had the hiatal hernia repaired than most so you are describing things bang on. do feel better soon and best of luck!

YAAAAAAAAY!!!! :thumbup:

my surgeon was Dr. Vafa Shayani who has a center in Chicago and also operates out of Rockford... which is where I went. I have done alot of comparing and willingly traveled 2hrs each way from my hometown to get to him. just wonderful. can't say enough:)

great question. i was filled at surgery...some...enough to feel restriction now that the swelling is gone and it seems for now that it is keeping me from entering bandster hell. but i am only 8 days post op. compared to those that were banded around the same time as me that were not filled at surgery, i am experiencing the same heal time. i feel great. ask your surgeon weather or not he fills at surgery, and what are his reasons for his practice. they are all different but they all have good reasons for why they do it one way or another. mine fills because he likes to leave the port alone for a full 6weeks after surgery and doesn't want his patients to go that long without restriction. :thumbup:

my question here is why not have all these test results collected rather than repeated? i had the results of my month old stress test faxed to my surgeon...as well as a 6 mo old TSH test that was later called for... no problem. i would not repeat recent tests... it is a waste of health care cost for whomever is paying for them... not to mention a waste of your time and prolonging your surgery. get all your test results gathered that are applicable to LB preop and be ready to fax them to whomever needs them. And as mentioned above...move on to someone who is not dragging his feet with your future with those tests in hand!! GOOD LUCK!!!

If so i have a wonderful reccommendation for you. let me know. -kat

i must say, that if i got the flu or a bug the day before my surgery i would be in a panic, i would be on the phone with my surgeon's office til i got a voice, not an answering machine, and my mind was at ease that it would be rescheduled ...for soon. i would be so devastated that i would, with all shameful honesty, be trying to talk myself into how i can hide the symptoms to get through the surgery anyway (though i'd like to think i would ultimately come to my senses)... becuase I really, really, really wanted this!! i don't know if it is fear or uncertainty...only you can truly know this. but if it is fear... you had triplets darlin!!!! I assume you had a c-section. I have had 4 c-sections and can tell you, if you can handle that, this is a piece of cake in comparison, and has much less risk, and waaaay quicker recovery. you'll be back to chasing after your babies in no time:) if it is uncertainty... talk to someone who knows you well and who you truly trust....and be soul searching honest with him/her. to be successful, you MUST be ready, and you MUST want it. Good Luck! I truly hope you do it for yourself and that you are a great success :smile:

Hi there! My surgeon has been different than most of those I have heard of on this sight. For some examples: - I never had to do all liquids on pre-op (even though his nutritionist gave me a liquid diet to follow) doc says "just do low carb and lw fat, i want your liver shrunk" - I never had to do clear liquids post op.. the day i left the hospital he told me to go get myself a milkshake:) - today was my first postop appt with him. i was expecting going to mushies, he said "try mushies first, but also slowly start trying to ease your way into regular foods right after. If you tolerate it, keep going, just pay attention to being full" :Dancing_wub: -he also informed me today that he filled me during surgery so i will feel restriction immediately. most surgeons don't fill til 4 weeks or so after surgery. he stated he used to not fill during surgery, but he feels he wants to give the port a full 6 weeks to heal before poking it...so he fills at surgery so his patients don't have to wait 6 weeks for a 1st fill :Dancing_wub: I am so very happy with my surgeon's style...and it appears he has a good reason for doing it his own particular way based on his knowledge and experience. So definately follow your surgeon's advice... he is making these decisions based on what he has found to be best for his patients and for your healing and adjustment. Besides... liquids suck!!! :smile: GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i am one week post op and have fealt full since surgery. initially i assumed it was from swelling...which everyone seems to experience for the first 3 days or so after surgery... but on my first follow-up today with my surgeon, he told me he filled me at surgery which most surgeons do NOT do, so my still feeling full is due to at least some restriction. so i guess the best answer is that most feel restriction right away due to swelling... but only some continue to feel alot of restriction after the first week post-op until they get their first...and sometimes 2nd, fill. best of luck to you tomorrow:)

i agree with the others that during preop you are ok if a few bites of pizza is all you did. it does bring to your attention though, how out of habit and without thought, we just pick up food and bring it straight to our mouths. it is a behavior we have to unlearn so to speak. you caught it and you learned from it. Good. Best of Luck!!

the appetite will come back as soon as you heel. be careful, that will be the time you are entering bandster hell, being hungry and not having any restriction yet. Enjoy the lack of appetite while it lasts. when you can eat...eat high Protein that will keep you full longer to help get you through the "hell" phase. goof luck!!

Kara- please, please demand they figure out a way for you to get your fills without this emotional trauma. I would think that your surgeon could have/would have figured out the best placement for your port given your size. If he didn't it may be worth a port revision. I don't see why they cannot get you into a more comfortable postion so as to prevent this horror when you go in for your much needed fill. Don't take no for an answer darlin.:smile: Keep us posted. good luck to you -kat

congrats!! it gets better with each day!

i only did 10 days...some do none so don't be surprised. just stick to it for those 7 days and you'll do great!

thanks Rutglius, i haven't tried the gasx yet, but think i will:)

my surgery was monday the 13th also...and today was the first day i had a bowel movement... i had 2 and they were both loose. i am on a full liquid diet...so it does include creamy Soups and Protein shakes already (was not required to do all clear liquids) but not mushie food yet. perhaps since you are having a slightly thicker diet (Beans, mashed potatoes) than liquids in your first week, that you are experiencing more dirrahea. i do hope you feel better soon!

i am 3 days post op and should probably feel better than i do. i am doing well except for being unable to take a deep breath (still). yawning is too painful and i can never finish a good yawn. when i try to take a deep breath, i feel like someone is squeezing me all around my abdomen and forcing that air right back out again before it has a chance to get all the way in. another poster told me that they suture the port to your ab muscle. is this common? could this be why i feel a painful tightening in my abdomen when i breathe deeply? my surgeon said that as long as the pain and tightness isn't in my chest..it is just a matter of a few more days healing. but i find it very uncomfortable. any thoughts?

I agree with ccweeks above...post this in the isurance & financing forum and you might get more direct help. my brother is using BCBS federal emplyees program and they do in fact cover lapand and followup. i also know that there are many users on this site that have used BCBS with great success, but there are just so many different types of BCBS it is difficult to sift through any differences between them. keep looking and certainly call them directly and ask. good luck!!

wow...this really surprises me. i know there are alot of differences in preop diets, post op diets, requirements for insurance comapanies, etc. etc. but thisis one difference that doesn't make sense. If we have a risk of clotting high enough to warrant daily self injections of heparin postop...shouldn't we all be doing it? shouldn't at least this be consistent?

apparently some surgeons are very strict... i asked to be weighed when i went in for my surgery... otherwise they wouldn't have even weighed me. My surgeon only required me to "lose as much weight as possible" during a 10 day preop...i lost 10 pounds but don't even think the surgeon knows. at the very worsed... i am sure it wouldjust be postponed, not cancelled. you'll get there.