ape087

lol Im with you every step of the way. Im banded on the 10th of November AND I have to do the 3 week liquid diet. Luckily I have a very involved nutritionalist who has helped me do a great diet plan. I do get to have some cottage cheese and such, but for the most part its 2 Protein shakes a day, some pudding and cottage cheese, and as much sugar free Jello and low sodium broth that I can handle.

I think what you have to remember is that happy people dont have time to sit here as post as much as those people who arent happy. Happy people are out living life, and trying to get the most out of their band. Its like every other website, angry/unhappy people want people to know how bad it is, but happy people dont really spend as much time spreading the word. I havent got my band yet (counting down til November 10th! ) but Im excited about being able to use this tool, especially since I know that if I didnt have insurance I wouldnt have the oppertunity to do this.

Hey Im set for November 10th too! I just got my time. I hafta be at the hospital to check in by 7, and surgery time is 10. They told me I should be ready to go home at like 3pm! Nervous but excited. Whats the length of everyones liquid diet? I hafta do 3 weeks! Its a blessing (and curse) that my husband is gone to sea at that time because Im not sure if I could cook for him and not want to eat myself.

I think that we are all in the same boat. Im more excited than nervous. My husband is in the Navy, and we planned the surgery date when he was supposed to be here. Then they changed the date to being back on 2nd day post op, and now he's comming back on 5 day post op. Thankfully I have some friends to stay with to help me with my 11 month old daughter, otherwise I dont know what I would do. Im just worried about going back to work. Im supposed to be discharged the day I have the surgery, and my surgeon said that I could go back after 5 days because I dont lift anything, I just hope he is right.

that is so crazy! I went to 3 different doctors to try to find one to help me do something other than surgery (I was 20 years old and the thought of surgery terrified me) and they all suggested surgery (the band). Find another dr. surely your insurance wont say "oh, you have to be with the referring dr x amount of months" so switching wont hurt a thing.

Woohoo! We're growing in numbers. I hafta go for my upper endoscopy (I hope I spelled that right) next wednesday and am a bit nervous about that. Other than my weight Im pretty healthy and havent had any major proceedures like that. Anyone else have to do this? Also I have to do a 3 week liquid diet starting the 21st. My husband will be out to sea, and my daughter is only 10 months so pretty easy to please, so Im not worried about the will power, just dont want to feel hungry. Any tips?

Hi lowPSI! Your story is pretty similar to mine. Im going in for my band on 11/10, but I also tried for the sleeve (my dr's wanted me to get it because I had more weight to lose than what they thought I could acheive on the band :thumbup: ) but tri care wouldnt approve it. I did lose some weight between my denial for the sleeve, and had to go back and the dr's said they thought since I did lose weight on my own I could do the band, so here I am ! I also need to go back to work soon afterwards (although I would love to have 2 weeks Im going to be lucky to get 2 working days withouth complaint ) but Ive gotta do what's best for me. Good luck on your band! Just thought I'd let you know you're not gonna be alone that day

Hi Everyone! I just got my surgery date this week, and Im on for 11/10. I could have had it the last week in October, but am trying to wait until I have a bit more vacation saved up. Im nervous but very excited. I dont have to have any additional testing done before the surgery, which I thought was a good sign.

HI ladies! Im a navy wife too with tri care prime through tri west (san diego). Im getting banded at UCSD, and went to an online seminar, then met with my dr's and their team, and did my psych evaluation all in one day. They had everything documented for me after the first appointment, and sent it all to tri care. Once they got the paperwork in (which took me calling them after tri care told me they didnt have it :frown:) it went in review Thursday afternoon, and got a call from a tri care rep on Friday afternoon telling me Im good to go, and she pressed the button to send me my authorization letter as we were talking :crying: I know that it's going to take about a month to get everything done (labs, ekg, upper GI and such) but when you're a navy wife you learn that time really does fly by. Im hoping to get banded the second week of November (since my husband is underway all of October :biggrin:) and have to do a 3 week liquid diet.

I got a call from Tri-Care today telling me I was approved. The letter was sent from my dr yesterday, and approved today! Im excited but nervous. I know I'm ready for this, but part of me worries about the change as well. Am I ready for my family back home to see me at christmas, even with my small change? A 3 week liquid diet is hoping to shed off 20lbs, and even that will be a noticable change. This seems to be the perfect time in my life for it. I'm young (23) my husband is getting out of the navy next year so we are moving back to civilian life, and we have a beautiful 10 month old daughter. I want to be around to enjoy all this. Let's just hope that I'm strong enough to keep up with this new life that has been given to me.

and I can't believe how nervous I am! I guess I put off the thought of surgery for 2 years before deciding it was time to take it seriously, and now Im worried that it wont be something the dr's want to do. Im 5'2 and 297, so I know medically I qualify, but am still nervous. All I have to do for my insurance is pass a psychological evaluation and Im good, but what if the dr's say "oh, you're only 23, you've got a baby, you're living life, you dont have any major health issues besides your weight, you can wait."? Is it just me, or did everyone stress like this?