Pete53

If you are worried about taxes in Texas the more important election is Lt Governor as nothing happens without the Lt signing off on it. Republicans have screwed up a good thing our electric rates are second highest only lower than Maines but Maine can make a summer without A/C and I can't, Perry's promised tax reliefe never happened just more taxes being collected. My Property taxes are 15% higher than last year. I had 3 electric bills over 500 and my insurance cost more in Texas than anywhere except maybe Florida. Foreclosures are up 40% in Dallas and yet I keep hearing what a great economy we have. Maybe you should ask the Lap Banders who have to pay cash what they tink of our Medical Insurance?

I think that most of Kinky's voters will be people who usually don't vote. Carol Strayhorn will suck a lot of votes from Chris Bell. We should have a runnoff if someone does not get 50% or we are going to have a lot of independents running as straw dogs.

I like Bell and will vote for him

Went to see Cardio Doc today and although checkup is good and some adjustments in meds he said I have an issue. My angioplasty on September 13th used the old type of stent metal that requires intensive therapy of plavix a blood thinner and this will put me in the penalty box for at least 6 months. I guess that I will just have to tough it out. I am not giving up on this. He also assured me that probably in 4 months he will be able to make a decision to proceed or wait longer. He said once stable he could stop plavix and use something injectable to stop bleeding so I can have the lap band surgery done.

Great News!!!! Congrats!!!!!

If you or your school think there is even a slight possibility that your child has problems with dyslexia than they should be tested and diagnosed. With some help it can be treated and your child can learn other ways to process information. In Dallas the Scottish Rite Hospital will test and it used to be free. If there is a problem they will make some recommendations for how to treat it and in some cases they will provide free resources. Good Luck

Teaching to a specific test is not teaching children to learn or think for themselves. With the resources available kids should know a lot more than they do. Learning shortcuts and tricks to take a test is not useful in real life. Just my opinion.

Gayle: You are so upbeat and helpful. I really appreciate your kindness and compassion. Its hell being new but I am learning a lot and also what to ask the Doctors. What I have learned so far as the Docs are not always good at eplaining what is going to happen but for me knowing makes it easier to deal with.

I plan to vote for whoever is highest in polls besides Perry. Chris Bell supposedly is 5 points behind in polls right now. Whenever the Republicans in Texas promise something it ends up costing Consumers big time. My electric bill is almost as high as my mortgage, my property taxes are disgusting and Insurance has doubled and tripled under Perry. He has done nothing to earn my vote and he won't get it.

We went to Iraq for the wrong reasons and we will stay there for the wrong ones also. If we leave Iraq tomorrow it will be better for US and also the Iraqi's. Supporting puppets has never worked and probably never will. We left Viet Nam in 1975 and they did not send people to harm us. If we leave Iraq now it will probably be the same. Drafted 14 Nov 1968

Good Luck!!!!

I don't think that you can get rid of your sister's boyfriend but the advice so far has been good. Hard as it seems sometimes its best to just ignore the boyfriend and let the sister know you love her. As a Father of four sons and an older brother of 5 I learned a long time ago that its very difficult to convince family that a relationship is bad for them.

Ann: Good Luck I am new and in Dallas waiting for Insurance Approval. Pete

I am waiting for approval on Lap Band from Insurance and am sure it is what I need. Its still just a tool and something to help me lose the weight that I need to lose to be healthy. Good Luck as I think it is very important that you are very sure its the road you want to take.

Went to see my Primary Doc and brought him up to date about my Lap Band. He was very supportive and assured me he would fight for me if needed. He also seemed genuinely happy that I had found Doctors in the system and told me that he has new resources for his patients. All and all I am very positive and it seems so far that my progress has been smooth even though it started out a little bumpy. The Internet is the greatest think ever invented in my opinion.

I am scheduled for first visit with Dr Wade Barker at Doctors Hospital Dallas TX. They told me that they would accept my Insurance Secure Horizons Medicare HMO. I am 62 weigh 302 6'0" with Diabetes, sleep Apnea and hypertension. Hopefully, I will be able to get on with it without to much hassle from Insurance. My Gatekeeper Doc said that he would approve it. I have seen others say that they may make me get in a weight loss program for 6 months. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated.

Jack thank you for such an easy to understand explanation and answering questions that I did not not know I had.

I have appointments on Tuesday with Primary Doc and for a study that I am in plus a heart stress test on thursday. Than Sep 13th I get a scope to check out stomach. After talking to Insurance my Doc for Surgery is a contract Doc and should be able to get me scheduled. We are looking at 21 to 53 days now but who is counting? Thanks for asking.

Not helping people lose weight is very short sighted. I know that the VA did a study on 1000 Veterans who got Gastric Bypass Surgery and found that after the initial surgery that for most Veterans their costs dropped dramatically. Keep in mind that the VA actually bears almost 100% of costs for Meds and Treatment.

I can't speak for others but for me I could diet till the cows come home and the result is always the same. I lose 10 to 20 lbs fairly easy and than my appetite hits so hard I would be willing to eat the covers off of matches to fill my gut. If I don't get the tools I need it will be impossible for me to lose the weight I need to have better health. I am married to a Registered Dietitian and she says I need something besides a diet to lose the weight. Don't be discouraged by a No it just is an opportunity to try another door. I think that if I am turned down by Insurance I will try to get it done at VA and failing that Hola Mexico!

L8 and Lou: Nothing is set in concrete and at first I had no help at all. No suggestions but I interviewed several Lap Band Docs and the one who told me to come in and that handled Secure Horizons HMO is the one I went to see. He told me that it would be no problem and that was that. I had an appointment to get a scope done and soon an appointment for a stress test. Last night I talked to the CSR at Secure Horizons and asked a lot of questions. He was very patient and looked up the Doc who is doing the stress test and the Hospital and than he told me this. Dr Barker is a contract Doc and I will not even need my Primary Docs ok. Its seems that my stumbling on Dr Barker is what has helped the most. If he calls me in and says I have to diet for 6 months fine we all know how that will go. Since my Insurance is tied to Medicare I can still drop out of the HMO and go 20% copay but I am going to ride this pony for awhile. I have contact with the Doc through email so I can get updates but I have decided to follow his orders and get back after stress test on 13th. I guess he knows what he is doing as the CSR for Secure Horizons said he does a lot for them. By the way he primarily does the regular bypass and told me that I was the patient that they had in mind for LapBand whatever that means. I love this Board and I see a lot of support and caring but I am going to be as positive as I can be. I spent 15 years getting sorry care from VA cause I thought it was due me and now I wish I had switched to an HMO 13 years ago when I first got Medicare. I guess if I had a point to make is that if you are having trouble being approved you might call the 800 number and ask for a list of contract bariatric Docs and hit it from another angle? Good Luck to all

Thanks all I think that breaking it up into smaller goals is a fabulous idea..

I am on my way to Lap Band Surgery. I had first consult with the Surgeon last week and he said I am a patient made for lap band procedure. My current weight is 295 down from my all time high of 302 almost 3 weeks ago. I am 6 feet plus a little it seems to vary and I am also 62 with diabetes, sleep apnea and some breathing problems probably due to my big stomach. I would like to set up realistic goals. I am scheduled for a scope of my stomach and a stress test to be cleared for surgery. The Doc says probably will be scheduled in 30 to 60 days. I think that the more I know about all that is involved the better chance of success. I have in my mind a wish to be able to lose 60 to 90 lbs. Is that realistic. I am semi desperate as it seems that problems are starting to pile up and I don't want to be a burden to my family.

Well since I posted I saw the Lap Band Surgeon he is a contract Doc with my Secure Horizons Medicare HMO and he told me that he would have approval from Insurance in 30 to 60 days. I called Insurance and since he is a contract Doc I don't even have to deal with my Primary Doc. I asked what it would cost for the Lap Band and they told me 100 bucks. So what I learned is that if you have an HMO might serve you well to read up on your contract Docs cause there is always more than one way to skin a cat. And to think I was considering dropping HMO and just going straight Medicare to pay for it.

BJean Hang in there I am in same boat age 62 and lots of medical problems getting worse between the Doctor visits. For all the bad news I see hope that there is a way that I can lose weight cause if I don't do it now the meaner things will start to happen. No reason not to be scared I am also. Fear can be a great motivator. It looks to me that most who are here are glad that they did it. Even people who are having problems are still fighting.