Yvette1026

Ah the joys of medical billing. Well you have a few options... 1.) wait til it's worked out. 2.) hope they get it worked out and in good faith give you the surgery at the 10% rate and 3.) Get your surgery, let them bill you for the remainder and only pay your 10% if they cash it they're agreeing to your terms- you can put it in the memo or on the back of your check, etc.. 4.) Change surgeons - you're already approved, there's no real work for them to do, they'll be happy to have you. and finally 5.) let them bill you let it go 90 days, and as with all medical bills older than 90 days they'll be willing to give you a compromise - that is just enough to cover their actual costs. For example a 23000 bill being settled for 2300, or my mother's 892 ambulance bill being settled for 90, etc.. medical bills are ALWAYS trumped up, and they're always happy to get something. I know how frustrating this must be for you, but you do have options.

If you qualify on all other levels, I believe medicare will cover the surgery as a cost preventative measure.

This is a great one Janet, thanks for sharing!

This is AWESOME! Congratulations!

How long have you been going? Go every day for 21 days you'll develop a habit... and start to love it. I love it when I go, I just need to become consistent

Ok so I'm by no means thin or skinny but my surgery has definitely helped, if not made me change my outlook on food and over eating. I now know and understand how the rest of the world looks at us and why some almost feel a disgust for us. I never understood it until now... and now that it's finally clicked I never want to be there again. Before I continue let me first say I don't believe in discrimination against anyone for any reason. I also do not believe in judging a book by it's cover and I realize this may be hard for some of you to read or accept but it's my thoughts and my blog and if you're bothered by what I say, feel free to kindly hit the x, or take part in a respectful and intelligent debate. I'm up for either. All of that being said...let me continue. The problem with fat people is... 1.) We're killing ourselves 2.) We (meaning most) do nothing about it 3.) We've developed such shameful eating habits that we've also developed denial right along with it. 4.) We encourage others to eat with us, as if when we eat with other people it doesn't count. 5.) We seek out others like us, so we have eating buddies. I can go on and on about all of this.. but it has really just got to stop. So, my ever so rude awakening came when I opened my home to a young lady from church. I invited her to stay with the hopes of helping her grow spiritually and financially and remove her from the living situation she was in. Everything was ok at first, until I started noticing her eating habits. Just greedy and fat and not in a cute lil' have a fat day and pig out kinda way. In a I eat like this EVERY day at EVERY meal kinda way. Understand this is not a rant about any one person, I just use my examples as a reference point. It's hard for me as a foodie to live with someone who eats so extreme, especially when I'm still recovering and being delivered from that area myself. For years I had myself fooled that "I didn't really over eat." because I went all day without eating and then thought nothing of going through the drive thru at 10pm for 2 double cheeseburgers, fries and sweet tea. Rationalizing it in my head that I hadn't eaten all day. When the truth of the matter is, that was too much freakin' food at one time, for anyone at any given time. I was eating like a linebacker and wondering why and how I ended up with the physique of one. I really thought there was nothing wrong with my behavior, or at least I thought, I thought that.. looking back on it I realize now that I would ALWAYS mute my phone while ordering so the person on the other end didn't hear. Or eat it in the car and throw it away before I went in the house, even though I lived by myself... All acts of a shamed and guilty person. So now I have a young lady in my home who thinks nothing of downing 3 fried hotlinks at a time. These are not small hotdogs, I mean the hillshire farm kind that can be split in two and used as a hotdog...that type. Someone who I made 2 boxes of mac & cheese for easy leftovers, I had 1/2 of cup and went back to put it away only to find an empty pan. Someone who as I'm making cookies for church (simple breakaway readymade ones) can't control themselves and takes a block of unmade cookies and thinks it's funny. Someone who has lunch, then comes home and ransacks whatever is in the fridge not an hour later, eating a dinner I prepared for someone else. And to be honest....it's disgusting. I had to stop and have a moment and repent for thinking so poorly of someone but then I realized being obese really truly is a disease. The trouble with fat people is, we don't see it often times until it's too late. We're literally eating ourselves to death and it's disgusting to watch. I wonder how many times did someone think the same of me? People would always make comments to me about how they don't consider me "fat" that being "fat" was gross and that I wasn't, I was just overweight. Skinny/thin people would make these comments to me and I never understood why, or what made me different. Was it the way I carried myself? How I dressed? How I was shaped? No what it is, is that I NEVER ALLOWED them to watch me pile food into my mouth like some out of control cross between a hungry hippo and a garbage disposal. Even if I was eating out with people I would eat normally. Sometimes over indulging in bread, but always having a takehome bag/box. UNLESS, I was having a "fat day" with one of my "fat friends" who had lured me out to eat something fattening and just indulge in it. This is where we sabotage ourselves and each other. While it's fine to have a cheat day or meal, we shouldn't encourage it with each other. I have a good friend who lives in another state and we would both get Oreo shakes and bacon cheddar wedges from Jack in the box and eat them while on the phone together when we were having "bad" or "fat" days... WHO DOES THAT?!?!??! Fat people...that's who! I notice too how my friends plan their vacations around eating, I've had 3 people say to me "Oh when I get there, we're gonna eat this this this this ____ this this this blah blah blah..." I just kinda laugh it off when the reality is ummm NO WE'RE NOT... you might, but I'm not. Then the funny part is when you don't indulge your fat friends will then start to try to gode you into eating with them, by saying things like "Oh you think you're too good now cause you lost some weight?" or something to that effect, even though it's in a joking manner.. they still mean it. Or friends who look at you funny because you've lost weight... and say things that they mean as a compliment but really just come out sounding bitter. We do it to ourselves...all of this to ourselves and the problem with Fat people is we're sick and we don't even realize it. Looking back on it I know and realize I was addicted to food. The tastes, the flavors, the textures.. I would almost get a high off of it. I think that's why it's so hard for me to watch others now who are still sick. It's like when someone stops smoking, they can't stand to be around other smokers.. it's the same feeling.. Ok I'm rambling.. feel free to respond or not I just needed to get this out.. these thoughts were blocking my other thoughts I needed to get to for another writing I'm doing.. but man.. whew.. I feel better :smile2:

That's Awesome Jill! We're excited for you!

The single incision method is new and not widely used. Most people will have 3-5 incisions, the number of incisions depends on how difficult it is to place the band in you. Did you discuss concerns about your incisions before the surgery? I spoke with my surgeon at length about my concern about scars, etc. In the end he did a great job 2 of my 4 incisions are invisible. It sounds like a cop-out but your doctors have a very good reason for telling you to read the manual, that way you are fully informed and not relying on other people or misinformation. It also sets the foundation for your lapband journey, because in the end he won't be there to walk you through it. He wants you to read it so you understand every part of the band, what to look for, what to eat, how to eat, etc... Getting the information yourself you're more likely to retain it than when someone gives it to you. I can't speak to your doctor's bedside manner but understand they have 100's and in some cases 1000's of patients, they cannot walk each person through their lapband journey. If your doctor is anything like mine he had 10 other surgeries the same day you had surgery. The office staff is there to support you and help you along the way, as well as sites like this and support groups. People tend to confuse the term doctor and surgeon... there is a difference. While they both have MD after their name the patient expectation is different, he's there to consult and execute a surgery, not provide the type of 1 on 1 care a regular doctor would. Hope that helps and best of luck to you, if you've just had surgery it takes some getting used to, but the best thing you can do is research and learn it for yourself.

Congratulations on making the absolute best decision you could ever make for yourself! Great job and keep us posted on your progress!

It's the strangest thing to watch and feel my body lose weight and change. I mean just the weirdest sensation. I have to wonder why I didn't feel this when I was gaining weight. As uncomfortable and as many weird sensations as I've felt losing it, you would think there would have been some tell-tale signs when I was gaining; but no. Or maybe I just chose to ignore them. So the strangest sensation to me is feeling my ummm private areas shrink. I know most overweight people have what they call a "fat pad" covering their pubic bone area.. but as my stomach shrinks and that area shrinks it's just the strangest feeling. I woke up this morning like something was "off" so I go and look in the mirror and I was right something was indeed off.. FAT and unwanted pounds. But now.. now one side of my stomach is an inch tighter than the other side. Ok so maybe all of this is an overshare but I KNOW I cannot be the only one experiencing this. Like I look in the mirror and while I never had a HUGE belly it did hang more than I would of liked stopping just before my pubic area..but now the right side is up and so is the left, just not as much as the right.. a whole inch difference to be exact. Thank the Lord for being celibate right now because ummmmmm my naked body changes on a daily basis! There's no hanging/sagging skin - THANK YOU JESUS! but the fat I do have is shifting/changing where it's deposited at as I lose it. For instance.. my bra-line incision is now in the middle of my stomach and to the left, not under my bra and centered like it was. I'm at a point where I'm SO anxious to see what's underneath all of this, I now understand why people get surgeries like liposuctions and tummy tucks... Watching my stomach shrink and get definition is AMAZING to me... especially when I really haven't been working out. I know I know.. I could be alot further on in my process but I was so consumed with other things I wasn't making time to workout like I should...and the muscle weight gain I experienced was a turn off but now I'm back at it. Doing what's necessary to burn the rest of this weight off and sculpt the beautiful body I know is underneath. I've always had a nice shape, just a big shape..an hourglass but the big ben of hourglasses....if that makes sense lol. So I'm SUPER anxious and motivated to get to the final result. In the meantime these sensations are just SO weird to me.. and when you think about it, it shows you just how amazing the human body really is. The sensation I'm experience is my skin being able to breathe, being exposed to air after being covered by layers of fat or rolls previously. First it itches and can be painful as the skin is healing but then it just heals up into smooth, soft, supple skin. It's the most amazing thing. The down side is seeing stretchmarks where I didn't know I had them.. like the backs of calves. I've always had nice legs, big, powerful, muscular, as the little bit of fat that was on them goes, I can see the traces of stretchmarks, everyone says I'm crazy and they don't see anything, but I see it, has to be in the right light but it's there.. I see it! Then again I've had stretchmarks since I was 8 yrs old... They're all old and faded and blended in with my skin. Only if I tan too much do they really show or turn red. Ok I'm rambling but seriously this journey is just AMAZING to me... absolutely, positively AMAZING.

Good for you.. and I can totally relate.

That's great!

Why are you confused? Focus on you, this is FOR YOU. Don't let anyone detour YOU from YOU. You can do it! 35lbs is GREAT!

Yes yes yes! This is EXACTLY what I was talking about in my post to you! I avoided using the medical term on purpose but I am SO glad you went and researched it for yourself! This is great, steps in the right direction and motivation! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Glad it helped you! Much love, success & blessings to you!

That's awesome, glad you're still losing!

Congratulations and I think we all had lastmealitits, it's perfectly normal.. Enjoy it, but remember it'll still be there for you after the surgery.. just in MUCH smaller portions lol

Congratulations and yes it's a pretty simple and painless process by day 3 I was back to normal. Welcome to the other side! Gum and flavored toothpicks helped me.. I know people will say no to the gum because of the air but I chewed it with now problems.

Ok my dear, I've read a couple of your blogs and I have to reach out and encourage you to renew your mind to all of this. Until you do, it won't work! 1.) Weight loss and gain is personal, there's no need to seek other people's approval or acceptance. 18lbs is GREAT, it's 18lbs closer to goal and 18lbs less fat than you were. Men, especially Dad's opinions mean a lot to us, but remember the only opinions that matter right now are yours and your health professionals. From your posts it seems like you're just now starting to realize the "fat" of the matter.. yes I said fat, in place of fact. It seems like you're just now truly starting to see yourself as fat which is a GOOD thing, even though it doesn't feel like it is! When you're able to look at yourself with such a critical eye, it will serve as motivation to do something about it. 2.) Renew your mind. Ok so you're fat, you don't like the way you look in pics, you think the band is going to fail you, there's "no way it'll help you lose 100lbs". Stop right there my friend...can we say self-sabotage? When you speak defeat, you've already lost. You might as well eat twinkies and ice cream - they slide right through. So I urge and encourage you to renew your mind to a positive mindset. Take everything day by day, meal by meal, choice by choice. You didn't gain this weight overnight and you're certainly not going to lose it over night. The band is a TOOL, we hear/read it all the time and that's true. It's a tool to HELP YOU, but if YOU aren't ready for the help it won't do YOU any good. I really think you're at a pivotal moment in you're journey. You're awakening to the new you, change is never easy and it's so much easier to just give up. But YOU CAN DO THIS! Just think of it this way... just like in life, your path is yours and yours alone, your lapband journey is the same. Don't compare yourself to others, do what works for you and live your life. You didn't report the multitude of pounds you gained to anyone, so why report what you lose to anyone? Let them see for themselves. Yes the fact is, the bigger you are the more you have to lose for people to notice, but let them notice...Just go on with your days going down your path and doing what's right for you. Remember the only approval you need is yours and it'll feel SO much better when those "Wow you're really losing weight huh?" comments and compliments come your way because they'll be real and honest, not fished for or charity out of seeking approval. Stick to what works for you and in a year or so's time when you've lost that 100lbs and everyone is ooo'ing and ahh'ing you'll have nobody to thank but yourself. Do this for you, nobody else. Renew your mind...renew your mind....renew your mind! Accentuate the positive!

Yes when I'm in my week of PMS...I either eat EVERYTHING or nothing...I try to go with nothing so I don't pack on the 15-20lbs I know I have packed on in the past during that 1 week of time. I totally understand how you're feeling.. I haven't tried the pouch test yet but I'm going to try it soon.

Hot tea/coffee or go to the ER. But use caution going to the ER they will usually unfill you completely.

Well congratulations on making the BEST decision you could ever make for yourself! To answer your questions: It varies depending on your insurance on what to expect. Typically a visit to the dietician will go over your diet, meaning what you eat and what you should be eating. The nurse will check your vitals, the psychologist will make sure you're mentally stable to have the surgery and have the mental/emotional support system necessary post-op to be successful. It's great that you joined the gym today, now just form the habit of going. On to the next thing.. you're drinking soda and sweet tea and being diabetic. You're only harming yourself, and each drink takes moments off of your life. That sounds dramatic but that's true. With the band, you WONT be able to drink soda, it will be very uncomfortable for you, pressure and gas pains. The sweet tea, I drink myself. HOWEVER, I limit myself to no more than 2 a week and if I make it at home I make it with Agave Nectar which is MUCH better for you than sugar. Think about those two children you have and think about what's best for them and know that you're making this awesome decision not only for you but for them as well. Eating healthy is not hard once you get into it, the benefits pay off. The minute you start seeing results the more motivated you'll become. Also fills do not hurt, most dr's numb you first. The pain is minimal, I was back to normal and pain free by day 3. Off all pain medicals after a day and half. If you've had two kids this is NOTHING It only takes your body 21 days to form a habit good or bad, so if you can work on forming good habits you'll be just fine! Again congratulations.. You truly are on the path to your new life. I'm 6 months post op and I would do this surgery again in a heartbeat.

Congratulations! I feel you on the monthly thing... my monthly appointments are ALWAYS during "that time"..sigh

They're talking about things like eggs, tuna salad, refried beans, etc.. that you COULD swallow it without chewing but you would still want to chew it to break it up and make it basically slide through your band with ease.

The band is supposed to ASSIST you with losing 2-3 lbs a week. 10lbs in 28 days is AWESOME! That puts you at the high end of losing for the month. Sounds like you're doing all of the right things if you've lost that much in a month. And you can have a cookie or two just not the whole dozen. Trying to omit things totally will set you up for failure. The band is a tool, use it wisely Best wishes!