kelking

Maybe they won't pay for it because BCBST does not require dietician visits prior to surgery. The only thing I had to do was the Psych visit...and when you do that make sure that you find out from BCBST in advance exactly what testing they require with your policy. With mine I had to do the MMPI-2 and the EDI-2 and EAT-26. Each policy is slightly different depending on if you work for an employer that is self insured. When you call their customer service area they should be able to tell you exactly what is required and hopefully it messes with what your surgeon's office requires. Good luck with your process.

I had a trainer about a year ago who came to me...yep, you heard me right, he came to my house. Took out any of the anxiety about going to a gym. I bought some basic weights and he brought some with him. Once I felt stronger we started using the small gym in my community club house. It was the best thing that I ever did for myself. When I started he was $3300 for 3 months and he came to my house 3 days a week for that time. After a couple of sessions, I hired him outside of the company that he worked for and paid him cash. (that worked out to be a savings for me and he made more money too.) Best of luck to you on finding someone.

I went through them and I was told that they respond with an approval or denial within 30 days. I think mine right right about that amount of time. They also try to get you hooked into their Case Management Program. I was really excited about it in the beginning and then it just became a pain in the @. Good luck on your journey!!!

I normally get stuck both ways. Not sure if when I eat too fast I don't chew enough....and therefore it is the same thing.

One thing that helps greatly is to use a small pillow and hold it to your stomach. This helps with getting out of bed and when you sneeze or cough. They taught me that one when I had my gallbladder out 10 years ago.

I had a hard time getting water to go down the first several weeks after surgery. I really found that adding Crystal Light to my water helped it go down for some reason. Really don't think it was just the flavor, it was like it make the water easier to pass. Now after I have had my really tight first fill, water passes like it did pre-surgery.

I also felt the effects of my fill immediately. Of course that was probably because I could not even swallow the dixie cup of water that he gave me right after so they had to do a slight unfill. That night I could not even eat two bites of tuna salad. My fill was Monday and I am now eating about 4 ounces at each meal but still too tight to have more than a protein shake for breakfast. Would be great to have one fill and be done!!

I had a period of extreme exhaustion about a year ago (pre-band). I was eating well, losing weight and working out 5 days a week....but I just couldn't stay awake. It was during that time that I learned that I had sleep apnea. Could that be a possibility? Hope you get to feeling better.

I wonder if she is actually jealous because your insurance paid for it and hers apparently did not. Which is way outside of your realm of control.

I just had my first fill too....and then I had my first unfill. The dixie cup of water proved to be too much, the Dr took one look at me and said, Oops, I think that was a bit too much.

I was a big Diet Coke drinker (heck I even worked for them for a number of years)...I started to wean myself off 1 month before my pre-op diet. I tried to cut myself back to one can a day (some days i did great and other...well you know). Then the week of my pre-op diet started I opted for every other day and the final week before surgery I was off it. I thought it would be sooo much harder than it has been. (we even have free diet coke in the office so it is always around and very accessible) I think the fear of carbonation and the band keep me just scared enough that I won't try it. Good luck to you.

Hey Mandie, just wanted to let you know that there are several August Rush bandsters threads on here. You should be able to find a lot of excitment and support on there. Best of luck on your big day!!

Kimmyb, I too am being banded tomorrow and my feelings are all over the board. I have not been even the slightest bit nervous until today...not nervous about the surgery itself but worried about what happens next. Stay stong!!

Being banded on the 17th....starting to get a little nervous now. Somehow today being my last day of work until the 25th makes it all a little more real...

When you get in and out of bed, try holding a small pillow to your stomach....works with sneezing, coughing or laughing as well. I know it really helped when I got my gall bladder out and when I got my appendix out. I already have a small pillow out for next week.

Khloe, my doc's office specifically reccomended liquid Mylanta with gas releif in it. They said it gives better releif than Gas X. Wish they would have mentined that before I already went out and bought the Gas X.

Good Luck Sultana!! I'm sure everything will be good for you. Keep poking around in the forum and you will see many people who were/are just as nervous and you and things are going well for them.

My docs office said it was ok to use a heating pad. They reccomended putting it on your left side (my doc normally places the port on the right). She said the worst gas pain often originates around the band where air gets trapped as the pull a part of the stomach up over the band to secure it.

I would say don't just go off what they tell you in the seminar but do some research with your insurance company as well. There may be a disconnect between the two and you may be in easy breazy. My insurance company was actually more stringent and required a BMI over 40 for the last 5 years, documented. Which I did not have. I ended up doing a sleep study, since I felt it was possible that I had apnea....never been so happy for a diagnosis like that.

Way to go TripletMomma2000!!! You are a great inspiration to those of us who will be banded this month or have been banded at any time for that matter. God willing I will be making the same sort of post this time next year.

Yay Spoiltmom!!! This is a very exciting time. I'm 11 days behind you!!!

In my experience it is not very accurate. I have worn my HRM and compared the calorie burn at the end and the machine is often higher than the machine than the HRM. I tend to think my HRM is more accurate.

Don't worry Laurie, you are not the only one who hasn't shopped. I figure I will need something to do these next couple of weeks while I'm not eating or thinking about eating...

Hey All!! My magic date is the 17th....it was supposed to be the 5th, but the Doc decided to take some last minute vacation (should that even be allowed?) This is my last weekend before the pre-op and so far it has been happening just like I would have expected, food is meeting mouth on a regular basis. I will be taking off 6 days post-op, not sure if I will need that much time but since things are pretty stressfull at work right now, it sure won't hurt anything. Everybody stay strong.

The CPAP machines are able to know when you do or do not utilize them. One month after having my CPAP machine I was required to send in the memory chip from the machine which was storing my usage on the machine and monitoring if the air pressure that was being used was enough to keep me breathing during the night...so please just know that there is not a way to fake out the machine. Having said all of that, I did find it much easier to use the mask when I am at home as opposed to using it at the sleep center...without all that other junk hooked up to me. I also find that when I use it: I feel less tired during the day, I feel more mentally sharp than I was before and I am never as stuffy headed during the day than I am when I don't use it. Does that mean that I hope I never have to give it up...heck no, but I do know that for now it makes me feel better.