arthukd

Awesome! I am totally obsessed too! I read the binder I got from the doc on my first visit cover to cover when I got home, and I pick it up and read it every night! I am constantly browsing this forum. I really enjoy all your posts. Very encouraging and informative. Keeping you in my prayers for a successful experience.

I never discussed it with my primary care physican. I attended a seminar, realized insurance would not pay for it and waited two years until I could afford to pay for it myself. I made an appointment w/ the same surgeon my sister used and scheduled a surgery date at my first appointment. It is all moving kind of quickly, but since I have my sister to discuss things with I feel much better about it. Good luck tallking to your doc. I am sure he/she would be supportive and give you very good advice. I just never did b/c I didn't see it as a necessary step, like you I didn't feel like I needed to make an appointment just to talk about my weight and on reguarley scheduled visits I didn't think I would be having the surgery so I never brought it up. (I have a roommate now and I am using the money I am saving to finance the surgery)

Great info from ymjackson1! Also, make sure you drinks lots of Water and use lots of moisturizer!! I have already started doing both and my surgery isnt' for another 5 weeks. (baby oil after showering locks in more moisture than lotion - just becareful if you apply it in the shower, next time you get in, you might slip!!)

1.What is your current and goal weight? 226/145 2.What is your surgery date? 1/13/10 3.What is your age? 31 4.Where do you live? Birmingham, AL 5.Where are you having surgery? The Surgery Center 6.Who is your Doctor?? Dr. Touliatos 7.Insurance or self-pay? self pay 8.What was you "deciding factor" for having this surgery? I have been over weight my entire life, lost up to 40 lbs on LA Weight Loss and gained it all back and have only been able to lose 5 -15 lbs since with lots of effort. I particpated in a weight loss study w/ twice a day injections (supposed to control your appetite) and lost 17 lbs. 3 months after the study was over I had gained back 8 lbs. I am tired of yo-yo dieting!!!! My insurance will not cover the surgery and I am now in a position that I can pay for it. Yay!! Here is my mantra for the new year: Leaving the fat behind in 2009 and getting thin in 2010!!!!

Thanks Kiz. The diet sounds very similar to what you did. However, it is three meals a day. No shakes. I am just a little anxious. I met w/ the surgeon for the first time last week and scheduled my surgery the same day so it is just moving a little faster than I thought. I am thankful though. I am a CPA so busy season picks up in Feburary. I wanted to have the surgery in early January so I will have time to recover before the long hours start, and I figured it would be much easier to stick to a liquid/soft food diet after surgery when I don't have a lot of social activities to attend.

The pre-surgery diet my doc uses seems very liberal based on what I have read on this forum. A typical lunch/dinner is 4 oz of protein, 2 servings of veggies, and 1 starch. I have been wanting this surgery for 3 years but insurance wouldn't cover it so I decided to self pay and I am concerned about complications. (a co-worker had complications from bypass, which almost killed her and would have cost over $250,000 if she wasn't covered by insurance) I just want to make sure my liver is sufficiently shrunk!! Anyone else follow a similar diet?

I have been considering LapBand surgery for almost 3 years now. I attended a seminar about 2 years ago and did not proceed b/c I had a BMI of 36 and no comorbidities. At the time I was not willing to pay for the surgery myself and have tried several attempts at loosing weight but always end up back where I started. I have decided it is now something I am willing to pay for myself. I have been overweight my entire life and saw a doctor about it when I was around 8 years old. In January of this year, I was told I have the early signs of arthritis, at age 30! I was wondering if it would even be worth fighting with the insurance. The main reason I am curious is because I have a small window of time in January that I could schedule the surgery or I will have to wait until May because of my job. If I think insuracne will pay for it I would wait until May but I don't want to postpone surgery and end up paying for it myself. Any thoughts??