shonette

I was banded on 7-21-2010, and I had so many doubts and dreams at the same time about getting my band! Since November of last year until June 2010, I could only imagine what my life would be like after getting my band. I read so many blogs of other's success and what worked and what was working for them. I would look at their weight ticker trackers and only pray that God would give me the same success. Weight has always been the monster lurking in my inter closet. I have always had to be very aware of my eating habits my entire life. Since 1997 I have never loved the image that stared back at me in the mirror. There were several times I would refuse to look at my body in it's entirety in the mirror. I hated the image that stared back at me. I felt like it was another person locked inside of this fat body. I wanted so desperately to set that imprisoned person free, but I was never successful at freeing the real me. God is so good to me in so many ways. He wants each and every single person to live life to its fullest. The road I was traveling was not the plan God had for my life. I had to take a very long, hard, and honest look at myself before the healing for me could begin. I thank God that he opened my eyes to a newer way to live my life. I want to be healthy inside and out. I had to first start with a lot of mental changes before my body would change. I had to first come to terms with my fat girl issues. I thank God every single day for this band. I heard so many people say it's only a tool, but the true work is up to the individual. I understand what that means to the fullest now. I have something in place to enable me to recognize my food limitations. I really understand that my food choices are so important, and I can't afford my choices to be empty calories. God is opening my eyes up in so many areas when it comes to my weight issues and the unhealthy foods I was eating. I do understand this is a daily walk, but it’s one walk I do not mind making. I offer the things I have learned and will learn to people around me who want a better way to live their life. I do know this is a long road I am traveling on, but I’m up for the challenge. All I can say over and over again, I thank God for giving me this chance to do a lot of wrong things over again. I want every single person who is considering being band or those who have their dates set; don't give up because the fight is worth fighting. I do thank GOD every single day for my band! I do know the best is yet to come for me in my life. I feel like this is an early Christmas gift. Be encouraged, stay focused, and know God has your back!

You are so right because patience builds our temperament for the long haul. I learning to wait and to stop wishing time away. Thanks.

Those words are comfort when things are there hardiest! I also love that God tells us if we worry there is no reason to pray, because we are not trusting him to handle our problems! Therefore, I have learned to pray about all things and worrry about nothing! It is a process that is not easy to do, but having faith in God makes it possible.

Janet, What you had to say was right in line with some issues I am facing in my life. I do know that God has a plan for each of our life. Sometimes, things don't always happen in the same order we would like for them to occur. However, I know every day is truly a gift and I try to focus daily on my purpose in life. It is just so in lighting to read your beautiful and encouraging words. I've always been taught that someone else is affected by our actions and behaviors either written, spoken, or gestures. Your words have truly blessed my soul today. I work at a residential living facility with people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. It is a very emotional thing for family members to experience with their love ones that slow process of who that person use to be. My prayers are with you and your family.

I really do appreciate everyone's support and advice on the different ways to relate to my husband. One of the most unfortunate issues in my marriage is effective communication. My job is to talk and listen to others issues and concerns all day long. That comes very natural for me, but he really doesn’t communicate very well when it comes to expressing his feels. Therefore, I try very hard not to take a lot of what he says to me personal. However, that can be a down fall for us at times. However, I do know with prayer things can and will work out for my good. Again, I really feel blessed to be apart of this site. Today at my first post op. visit my doctor was very proud of my success.

Thanks so much for the encouraging words. It is really hurtful not to have the ones you love to nderstand how important this whole process is being banded. I've spent over half of my life being an over weight person. For the first time in a long time I feel like there is really hope for me. It's so funny becasue he just called me at work wanting to go eat dinner. He always want to take me out to eat! I don't want to eat for the first time in a long time.

It's been two full weeks since my surgery, and I've lost a total of 15 pounds. I am learning how to listen to my body and this is very new for me to do. I eat very slowly and when I feel the least bit full I stop eating. Learning not to over eat is a really big deal for me. I have always felt like I needed to have just one more bite of something really everything. I now know that is not the case. Food is starting to mean something totally different to me than ever before. I am getting so excited to finally see the scale move down in numbers. My clothes, underwear, bra, and shoes are all fitting a little different and that is a very good feeling. I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, but I am ready for the challenge like never before. I look forward to doing some form of work out nightly -now. For me, every little thing counts when it comes to working out. I now look at everything as some form to work out. I park my truck farther away from the doorway, and I find every opportunity to walk while at work. I am getting so many compliments from people at work, shopping and church. I do have one little problem at this point. I really thought my husband would be very happy and excited that his wife is looking healthier and sexier. "WRONG" He is becoming one of my biggest haters with all of the stupid things he has been saying. I could notice this changed even before my surgery actually was done! Now things are only getting worst between us. Well, I have decided I did this for me and my love ones who truly love me. Therefore, I am not going to allow his unhappiness to become my own. With God's help I do know things are only going to get better and better for me having this band. I have to stay focused, active, and true to myself and this band. It is a tool and I intend to use it's assistance to the max!:cool:

I really do appreciate everyone's advice on handling the remaining balance of my surgery due to my doctor's office error. Thank God everything has worked out just fine with my covered percentage. I have only two days before I have my band. This has been a very long process, but I thank God I am finally at the end of the road. I do understand this band is only a tool, but I thank God I will have this tool to help me to achieve my weight lost goal(s)! Being apart of this site has given me so much encouragement and hope for the future with my band. I now have so much insight on the do’s and don’ts with my band. Wednesday is my day that I will enter into a whole new world (BAND LAND)! I feel a lot of excitement and nervous at the same time. :rolleyes2: I do have faith that everything is going to work out for me during this procedure. :bye:

I was so pleased to find out yesterday afternoon my doctor was willing to go along with the original agreement 90/10. I do thank God that he always works things out in my favor. I have learned not to allow my frustrations to cloud my judgment. Therefore, I will have my surgery as planned on 7-21-10. My pre-op time has changed to 9:30am because there is so much I was told need to be done. I am a little nervous but I guess that is normal. I do thank God I will be banded. This has been a 2 year phase for me and now it will be a reality. OMG!!!!!

Thanks for the advice. I may ask if I could be set up with a payment plan to pay the additional monies. I just feel cheated because I should not have to pay any more than what I was told up front. I even thought about changing doctors at the very last minute. I really hope you feel better and you continue to do well.

I received a phone call yesterday while I was in training at my job from my doctor's office manager. She called to let me know Dr. McCowan was not in network with my insurance company, but they have their application in process to become in network providers. I was speechless! :cursing:I asked her what you mean my doctor is not in network with my insurance company. I asked-day one before I chose Dr. McCowan to be my surgeon if he as in network with my insurance company. I was told yes he was. My husband included the high opp. plan so his benefits would pay 90%, and I would only have to be responsible for the remaining 10%. That is a big difference when you are talking about several thousand of dollars. After I have done every single thing required for me to do, I am being told this none sense by his office!!!! My insurance has approved me for this procedure and my pre-op is schedule on 7-14-10 @ 9:15 am and my surgery is scheduled to be on 7-21-10. Due to unforeseen additional financial expenses, my procedure will be postponed for a later date. This is totally unfair and heart breaking news for me. Someone may ask how I not knew my doctor was not in network with my insurance company. I called and asked the insurance company and my doctor before this entire process was started. I was told by both parties everything was fine and 10% is the only out of pocket expenses I had to be responsible for. I started getting bills from my doctor's office with high balances. I was paying my entire portion up front before any visit or procedure was done. That was the first red flag, but I was told by the office manager everything was cleared up and corrected on their end. I started calling my insurance company myself to see what was going on around April when the second bill notice was mailed out to me. I was then told by my insurance company they accepted his insurance but at 70% instead of the 90% that I was originally told. I was told several times by the office manager everything was being cleared up, but within 2 weeks of getting my band it's all been a lie. The difference of my 10% out of pocket and 30% is about $2500 additional dollars. I am not financially prepared to pay that due to some other financial obligations I have. I spoke with another person who works with Dr. McCowan to see if he will do my procedure at the 10% rate, because that was the original agreement. I am just praying something workout before my actually date. :smile2: I do have faith in God that he will and has always worked things out in my favor.

This has been a very long process with me getting to this point. I called my insurance company today, and after 35 days I have finally been approved. There were a couple of days that me, my doctor’s office and the insurance company was playing fax tag. Thank God it was all cleared up. Some documents had to be resubmitted, but all and all it’s all over the waiting game is too. I was given my pre-certification number (BX8MSVK1) SWEET! I really don't know how I feel to actually know this is really going to happen for me. I have read so many other people’s site speak about their experiences, but today is my day to celebrate my "Great" news! Thank God for being so good to me throughout this entire process. Everything has gone very smooth but the road has been very long. My date to be banded has been set for July 21st and my pre-op is on the 14th at 1pm. I will get all the information I will need to know leading up to my actual date. Today I started my sugar buster diet and it is not as bad as I thought. However, this is my first day on this diet. I am just so excited to know my journey is just about to take a big turn for the better. One of my good friends I met on the Lap band site recently had her procedure done. That is a really big advantage for me, because she is able to give me some personal insight on does and don'ts! The days leading up to my surgery will be very exciting ones for me. I can not wait for my life to take one of the biggest turn around ever. All I can say is God is truly good to me. Thank God! :frown:

All of my documentation was forward to my insurance company this week. I was required by my surgeon to do a sleep study last weekend. That was one of the most unpleasant experiences I have gone through in a very long time. Thank God it is done and over! I have found myself trying to eat a lot of different things I normally would not be eating. It’s like I know in the back of my mind I will not be able to eat those foods for a while or never once my procedure is done. Food is starting to become more of a focus for me than I would like it to be. It really takes very little food to bring me to a filling of being full. I am finding myself force eating, and I hate that feeling. It has taken me a very long time to train my stomach that a little can go a long way. I have started losing the weight on my own, but getting the band would be a wonderful thing tool to have. I understand that my mental state has a lot to do with the physical desire to eat even when I am not hungry. My husband did not even eat supper last night, and I noticed he did not give the thought of not eating a second thought. I don't understand why that does not work for me. I do understand that every single person is created and designed totally differently, but I wish some things about me were different! I have a lot of mixed emotions about being band, but I am still so excited at the same time. Does any of that make sense? I know God is going to give me the strength and ability to be successfully with the band. I feel like some of the bad food habits I've tried so hard to fight are trying to over take me once more. I find myself wanting to eat and I am not even hungry. Is that crazy or what? I read someone's blog and they wrote," Being thin taste better than food"! Those words are keeping me focused when I don't want to be focused. I do want to be thin, and that is a greater desire than eating certain foods. Maybe some of what I am experiencing is the anxiety of waiting for my answer from the insurance company! I have waited so long for my day to come so an extra 15 business days is not going to kill me!

That is sooooo wonderful that your band is working for you. I am praying to hear something from my insurance company by the end of this month. I pray to be banded around the middle of June. I can't wait until am on the other side of the fence! BAND LAND! (SMILE).

Hello all Ga. banders, I too felt a little lonely not being able to identify with anyone from my area. I live in Valdosta, Ga. and I know very few people who have been banded or who’s getting band. My doctor is Kevin McCowan at Smith Northview Hospital. I will have my sleep study done this Sat and all my paper work will be turned into my insurance company. I have met all the requirements Cigna initial told me I was required to meet. I am praying to get an approval around the middle of June. I am glad to be able to chat with some local banders. Good luck to very one in their road to being banded or currently losing weight with their band.

I pray things continue to go well for you. Are you in pain or just sore? My doc gave me the impression that it was a breeze, and I could return to work within 3-4 days. But if you are feeling the way you are on your fourth day, am not so sure things will be that simple. I do know everyone is a little different. Good luck.

I have not posted anything in a very long time. When I first joined this site at the end of last year 2009, I was so excited for this process to start and end. I felt like this time would never come to an end for me. As I look back over these last seven months, I really can see my idea of being band has changed for the better. I was so desperate to find a quick fix and this band was going to be my answer. I now realize that the band is going to be the tool yes a "tool" to lose the weight. I have said it so many times before that I understand my responsibility in this whole process, but looking back I really don't think I did. This is my body and I am responsible for the way I take care of it. For years I have not done a very good job of taking care of myself. It is hurtful for me to be able to admit this, but I really have let myself down in so many ways. I have made so many excuses for things being the way they have been with me physically. I do understand and realize that no one else can or will do this for me. I have developed so many health issues (heel spurs, arthritis in my right knee, swollen feet, and a hernia) that are contributed to me being over weight. I do realize and thank God that I could have so many more serious conditions. However, these conditions cause me enough pain and discomfort. It's not easy to say these things, but it helps me to understand my responsibility in my present condition. I do love myself and my entire family, therefore they all deserve better from me. I will do my sleep study this Saturday, and all of my paper work will be turned in to my insurance company. I have met all requirements, and I really don't foresee any reason they would deny me. I am praying to have my procedure done by mid June. At this points in my life, am ready to make a life long change to becoming a happier, healthier {"ME”}! This site has been such a blessing for me to be able to vent if needed and receive the most unbelievable support any person could ever want or need. Thank you Lap Band Family. My journey is just beginning!

Sorry btrieger, Your math is incorrect. Her starting weight was 349 and she lost 102 which make her 247. Her goal weight is 170 and it means she needs an additional 77lbs to meet that goal. Therefore, she knew exactly what she was saying. She looks great!

Hello afosterchild, I hope these words will bring you some encouragement. Almost 6 months ago I started my long journey on becoming banded. There were so many things I had to do before my insurance company would approve me for the band. The longest part was my six month diet. I really hated that more than anything in the world, because I just wanted to get banded and start my new life. However; things were not that easy. Therefore, I had to find positive things to focus on while I waited for the different stages to happen. Thank, God I can now say that my time will not be long before am banded. The very last thing I have scheduled is my sleep study. My insurance company does not require this, but my doctor does. My sleep study is scheduled on May 15th, and I will be scheduled for a date to be banded. I really never thought this time was going to come, but it is really here for me. I took the six months to read up on as many things relating to the band. I have already started changing a lot of eating habits that are not good. I really think am really mentally and physically prepared to be banded. I promise you the time will fly be before you realize it. I do wish you all the success you want and hope for. Good luck!!:confused:

That is wonderful news! Babys are always a blessing in so many ways. God will protect you and your baby the whole way through. Don't worry but stay encouraged.

Sparta I read the reply from Spartan who made a personal attack on all the opinions who opposed the Psych Evaluation. Maybe I have the wrong ideas or opinion about the individual post made by the Band members, because I did not know there was a Band Police who was standing at the door dictating what individuals were allowed to feel and say on this site. First of all who died and made you God! Absolutely, no one did and therefore you don’t have the right to critic everyone’s remarks. What authority do you have to point out to anyone what they are entitled to feel concerning their personal choices? I do not respect any single thing you had to say concerning your reasons to have a psych eval. I really do believe that you have some DEEP, DEEP ROOTED EMOTIONAL ISSUES THAT DEFININATELY REQUIRE ON- GOING THEREAPY! You continued to make comments that included other banded individuals. That is very small minded because no one can speak on the behalf of every single person. All of my remarks were about my personal feelings because that is the only true opinion I can share. Spartan: You joined this site on 1-7-10 and you are trying to do what? Why have you joined this site? Is it to only criticize others and to be an argumentative person! This is a support site and if you don’t like the way another person feels about their own personal opinions tough. “Get a life”. I truly feel so sorry for you. Maybe you don’t have any friends and I definitely can see why not. Your personal cheerleaders that encouraged you: way to go you told them. How childish is that we all should be adults on this site who should respect the opinions of others even if you do not agree. Come on maybe this site is not for you. Maybe you were not taught: if you do not have something nice or encouraging to say just shut your mouth up!!!!!!! Every single thing you have said on this site should be taken with a grain of salt. POOR YOU! I reviewed your post and you’re a very, very negative (individual). I see why you advocate so much for therapy. My heart really goes out to you. What you need is prayer and much of it. My appointment was today and I spent 20 mins completing paper work and a total of 15 in the office. (Joke)! It was a waste of time away from my job and money. My MONEY! Continue to curl up on the couch because you really need it. Happy banding. I love this site and all the wonderful people who is apart of it and maybe you need to find so where else to vent. You are in my prayers! You are a JOKE!!!!!!! SAD.

I feel the same way all of you ladies do about my psych appointment scheduled for tomorrow. It really is a waste of my time and money. Why in the world do someone need to tell me what my thoughts or feelings need to be concerning my over weight condition. I know that am over weight and that is why am doing something about it. In my own personal opinion, it is just a money thing. I really hate to feel that way but ladies I do. I refused to do my sleep study because it is not required by my insurance company so absolutely not! Am willing to do only those things that I have to do and nothing more. My doctor states it would help my chances of being approved. When they see my BMI and other weight related conditons that alone will be all the help I need to be approved. Once I complete the six month monitored diet, they will have to approve me no matter what. That is another thing that is truly a waste of my money and time.

OMG. My heart goes out to you in is situation. It makes me really pray for God to be with me in my upcoming band procedure. We want to have faith in our docs and believe that they will do their very must for us. It was be very upsetting for me that you made several attempts to voice your concerns about something not being right with your band. They continued to tell you that every single thing was (okay.) That alone would make me know that these people really have no idea about what they are doing in this field. Thank God nothing life threating occured to you during this period. It is just a blessing the other doctor was open and honest about what he saw. I would get me a very good lawyer and make them compensate you for all the things your have gone through. I Pray you find another good doc to fix your band so you can start to enjoy the real band life. I am so excited that I will be getting my band in a couple of months. Honey, my heart goes out to you and my prayers are with you. Stay in good faith.

Stay encouraged and have faith that God will take care of you from the begining to the very end. You will be in my prayers.

I was talking with my doctor about some of the problems I was experiencing with my acid reflux condition. He wanted to do an EDG to see if I actually had a high hernia. My test was friday morning at 6am and it was a lot worst than he actually thought. My condtions had gotten to the point that every single thing would cause an acid reflux reactioin. Sometimes drinking water could cause intense burning in my throat. My God sometimes I thought it was a condtion only in my head. Surely, I thought simple things I would eat could not cause that much discomfort but it did. My doctor is really cool and he stayed after my procedure to read the results that friday morning so I wouldn't have to wait over into next week to know the results. My doctor stated my hernia was not the worst he's ever seen, but it was worse than most. I really feel better knowing that I truly have a condtion that can be fixed at the time am banded. :bored: My primary doctor was very supportive that I was working toward getting the band implanted. He was willing to assist me in any way needed to ensure my insurance would approve me being banded. He stated it was only a game the insurance company required, and we would both just have to stay on top of the insurance requirements so I would not be denied. However, my doctor did not advocate me taking any diet pills. He felt that would be unnecessary for me to take them, but he wanted me to continue to watch what I was eating and to work out as much as possible. My last requirement per my insurance company is the psy visit on 2-10-10. My paper work will be submitted once all the documentation has been completed from my other appointments. I pray by some miracle from God the insurance company would go ahead and approved me without the six month monitored diet by my doctor. That would be really cool if they approved it right off w/out the diet. I really trying to lose some weight becasue my liver has to shrink down in order to be banded per my doctor. I feel really excited:biggrin: