NimbleBean

Hello All!

You know I worried every day about approval and the procedure itself and what would come afterward. But since I was approved and received my date, I haven't thought about any of it! It's as if I was waiting for something that was meant to be, and now I don't need to worry because life will only change for the better (for all of us!). That said, I did see something disturbing this past weekend.

My BIL (over 400 lbs.) was banded in the fall. I visited them last weekend and watched him eat more food - at one sitting - than I ever thought a person could manage on the band. At dinner: bread; 2 appetizers (one was an entree portion) + muffin; enormous cheesy burrito; 1/2 a giant chicken pot pie; and huge brownie with 4 scoops of ice cream. The way he could manage it?... drinking pitcher after pitcher of Water while eating.

Why someone would commit to the surgery and then not commit to the band is difficult for me to comprehend. But, he's an a** anyway! (Not that I have strong feelings or anything! LOL)

In any case, I did the 6 month medically-supervised diet and lost 33 lbs. Have continued it (paid for the sessions with the nutritionist in advance) and lost another 11 lbs. I feel I have learned really healthy eating habits, and particularly Portion Control, which will be helpful with the band.

I don't have to do a liquid diet prior to surgery. Is that the case with anyone else. Seems like most folks here have to do it.

:clap2: Cheers to us all!

May 22, 2007! Can't believe it's actually going to happen.

Good luck all May banders!

:clap2:

NimbleBean

285 - August 2006

241 - March 2007 (after 6 month MD-supervised diet)

? - May 22, 2007 (Band date)

140 - ? (Goal Weight)

QuadMom,

I have NJ Plus and have just been approved! I had to do a 6 month medically supervised diet (I've been on many diets before, but had medical documentation on them), had a psych evaluation, and provide my weight from 5 years ago. That info was all sent in on March 19 and I had my approval on Friday, March 30. Will be scheduling my surge

Where are you in the process?

NimbleBean

Sending good wishes for approval, Momma!

Just got my approval yesterday and feeling on top of the world.

Keep us posted.

NimbleBean

Maltomeel,

Thanks for the encouragement and CONGRATS to you on your approval. Now we can both start the next phase of our journey. I'm hoping for April 18, but my surgeon may already be booked. Keep me posted on your date.

:gluck:

to us both!

NimbleBean

August 2006 - 285

March 2007 - 241 (after 6 month medically supervised diet)

? - 140 goal weight

Came home last night to a message from my surgeon's office. NJ Plus/BCBS approved me! It took only two weeks, and part of that time was waiting for my doc's office to send over some additional info.

Will be calling on Monday to schedule my surgical date. Can't believe it's really going to happen and I won't have to go into debt to pay for it.

Seems like a good day today!

:clap2:

NimbleBean

August 2006 - 285

March 2007 - 241 (after 6 month medically supervised diet)

? - 140 goal weight

Dr. Chau is a highly skilled surgeon with a lot of lap band experience. He is with NJ Bariatrics which is a Center of Excellence. I'm going to have him do my surgery and have only heard wonderful things about him. I had my consultation with him several months ago and was really impressed with him. He's young, but experienced, caring and thorough.

I just had my psych eval with Pam Kance Brolin - Family Therapy Associates. On Route 1 North, in Monmouth Junction (a couple of miles north of Forrestal Village). She is the wife of Dr. Robert Brolin of NJ Bariatrics. She was terrific, and of course is well versed in weight loss surgery patients. If you need more info, let me know and I'll send you her contact info.

I hope to get approval soon!

Good luck to you.

:girl_hug:

I'm going to use Dr. Chau at NJ Bariatrics in Monmouth Junction (near Princeton). The NJ Bariatrics/University Medical Center at Princeton is a Center of Excellence.

I'm in 3 months into my medically supervised diet. I see my doctor (visits paid by insurance) monthly, and she has me see a nutritionist weekly (these visits paid by me!). I've lost over 30 lbs. so far. My BMI was 41.7 prior to the diet; worried that if I lose too much the BMI will drop enough to cause the insurance company to say 'no' to covering the surgery.

Feels silly to pay money each week to the nutritionist and then sabotage the potential for weight loss. But, I know I need the lap band. I will not be able to sustain this weight loss without this tool.

By the way, the nutritionist, who has never had a weight problem herself, is completely against the lap band. No surprise there! But, my doctor is supportive.

Starting weight: 287 :grouphug:

Current weight: 254

Goal w/surgery: 152

Tia, After you said that you just called your insurance company and they told you all you needed was a referral, I called my insurance company again. This time they said that my PCP needs to write a letter saying that I've been on all kinds of diets in the past and nothing has worked. Last time they told me that that wouldn't count if my PCP hadn't been monitoring those diets. They also told me this time that I need to have a psychiatric evaluation for them to even consider paying for the surgery. No one said a word about that last time I called. So, it's hard to know what to believe. But my surgeon's office seems to have been through all this before, and I'll call them on Monday and they will call the insurance company and cut through all the BS! If all goes well, I'm hoping for surgery in January or early February. Any idea when your surgery will be scheduled?

Bella, have a great time on your adventure tour! Perhaps we'll be banders together if my surgery is scheduled when I hope it is!

Cheers to us all!

NimbleBean

Yes Tia, I have to do the diet for the insurance company. It's just amazing to me that they make us go through this. Do they think we want to be obese, that we haven't ever dieted before?!!! So, my doc has me see a nutritionist weekly (of course the insurance company doesn't cover that!) and the doc once a month for six months!

Maybe the insurance companies hope we lose enough so that we then don't qualify for insurance! A catch 22!

Do love the idea of keeping this thread going for us, and any other pre-banders who want to chime in. Will be a great support system for those of us not quite at surgery yet!

NimbleBean

I, too, have started the process. I'm on my medically-supervised diet (oh help me not hurt my dietician who says I won't need the surgery because this diet - oops, 'better choices' - will work! Yea, just like the 657 other 'better choices' I've been through before!!!).

This time last year, I found myself obsessing about my weight in a way I never had before, even though I have been obese for most of my life. So, I started doing research on gastric bypass and lap band, although I didn't think I was seriously considering them. Then suddenly, something clicked. I realized that what I need is help, a tool to assist me in my weight loss. That's what I think the band will give me - a tool I need to help me achieve my goals. So, the feeling of taking back control of my body, my mind, my life has been really powerful in the past few months. I love the feeling. I've always been very assured in my work and my interactions with others, but inwardly, my self-esteem has suffered. I feel it building back up each day and that is a wonderfully powerful impetus to see this through.

:gluck: to us all!

***bump***

I'm still 4 months away (if the insurance gods approve) from my surgery, but thought I would try some of these Protein Shakes you folks suggest. Have any of you tried Bolthouse Farms "Perfectly Protein? " It's vanilla chai tea with soy protein - 10g of protein per serving. It that good, bad or completely inappropriate for the band? It tastes great, so if it's the right stuff, I'd like to use it.

I've just started the medically supervised diet, hoping that my insurance will approve me for surgery sometime in February. In the meantime, I'm reading all I can here, and attending support group sessions at my doc's office.

Earlier in this thread, I came across something I'd never heard before. Linda V mentioned that her doctor "does not do fills under fluro." Can someone tell me what fluro is.

Thanks to all of you for the great info and for being so inspirational!

I'm new to all of this - just starting the insurance process for Lap Band surgery early next year. So, I read all this with great interest. I do have a question, what is sliming or PBing?