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Kathie

LAP-BAND Patients

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Blog Entries posted by Kathie

  1. 13 February 2007

    · Kathie · 02/14/2007 08:06

    THE GOOD NEWS
    I've got a date! I'm scheduled for Lap Band surgery on 8 March. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, scared, and any number of other emotions.
     
    I'm not of afraid of the surgery in general. But as it applies to me... I guess I just wish my insurance company was on board. It would somehow make me feel more secure.
     
    THE BAD NEWS
    The dietitian wants me to lose 25 lbs (in 25 days)! Is that even possible? I guess I'll give it my best shot.
     
    Wish me luck.

  2. 31 JANUARY 07

    · Kathie · 01/31/2007 19:38

    At beginning of the New Year I had an AHA moment where I just knew that gastric bypass surgery was not something I was ready to do. But I have Kaiser insurance that covers the bypass and not the Lap-Band.
     
    It occured to me that I also had insurance through my (soon to be x) husbands' policy, so I started making the calls, inquiring into cost and what my financial responsibility would be. I was ready to book a consultation with a surgeon in Northern California, when I found out THAT was no longer an option. Hmmmm.
     
    So now I had to decide if I could pay for surgery myself. I started investigating surgeons in MEX assuming US prices were too high.
     
    As it turns out, US prices are about double those in MEX - give or take a couple thousand dollars. But if I was determined I could make it work.
     
    In the end, it just makes more sense, for me, to use a surgeon close to home - that has a fabulous reputaion - and more experience under his belt than most other surgeons, no matter what country you're in.
     
    So tomorrow I have a consultation. I'm excited, apprehensive, giddy, nervous and the whole gammut of emotions.
     
    I'm still enrolled in Kaiser's mandatory pre-bariatric class. It's informative for any WLS patient. My classmates aren't enthusiastic about my decision to have the Lap-Band. Maybe they are dissappointed it's not an option for them. But I understand and support them in their decision too.
     
    NOTE:
    To those who have questions about Kaiser and the Lap-Band...
    I've been told the following by Dr. Nina Lott at Kaiser San Diego Positive Choice Center:
     
    Kaiser SoCal will be offering the Lap-Band when they find a surgeon, who may not be local. It is a requirement for Medicare/Medical and Kaiser is a provider for Medicare/Medical.
     
    And as far as how I would be viewed after having the Lap-Band placed (on my own) - I've been told that I am a Kaiser patient and they will treat me as necessary.
     
    So here's to jumping in with both feet!

  3. TUES 7 NOV 2006

    · Kathie · 11/08/2006 01:17

    About 10 years ago my husband saw in article in the news about the LAP Band. He knew how depressed I was about my weight and encouraged me to go to a seminar. I guess I wasn't ready for that yet at only a meager 245 lbs on my 5-2 frame. I think they were performing clinical trials here in San Diego at that time.

    Now, here I am at 280. After multiple attempts with Optifast, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Fen/Phen, Meridia, Circuit Clubs, SouthBeach, Scarsdale, Zone, etc. But you all know this story for yourselves.

    I'm currently enrolled in a nutritional class at Kaiser as their prerequisite for gastric bypass. But this surgery scares the holy crap out of me. I don't like the idea of rearranging my insides and the possibilities of nutritional complications - if I survive all the other potential risks. Of course all surgery has risks. And the biggest one for me on this (LAP Band) one is that I won't lose enough weight. But I'm jumping ahead.

    I recently discovered that an old friend was having this surgery. So I'm pouring over the statistics and find the LAP Band a much more desirable surgery.

    So we'll see.

    Good luck to all of you. I'll certainly continue to journal my journey.

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