SUCCESSFUL4LIFE

Muscle Milk (light) is my favorite. I also like EAS (carb control) & Unjury..... Unjury you can't buy in stores you can only get it on-line & that's a bit expensive.... I get the Muscle Milk (light) & EAS (carb control) from Sam's club in bulk. Good luck on your journey.........

Hi Lap-Band Buddy.... I tried to copy the quote that I left below on Fluffy's response, but I couldn't. Don't be afraid to ask questions, because we all have done the same thing.... Everyone at my Surgeon's office know me, because I call & ask lots of questions & some of them "Over & Over & Over" again...... Best of luck to you....

Not everyone has gas pain, shoulder pain, & runny noses: After surgery I did not have gas pain, shoulder pain, or a runny nose. Every persons body is different. Think of child-birth... you hear about so many different stories about giving birth & the pain etc. etc. etc. We only speculate on experience & sometimes by reading or from a family member's experience, but we are all different when it comes to (Surgery/Pain/Healing) the process is always different. As my surgeon told me... "Doctor's can only tell you what MAY occur" not saying that it WILL occur...... Also, you have to find what works for YOU as far as being hungry..... I'm never hungry - as the Surgeon's Staff told me you may have to thicken your shakes or eat your small portions more frequent...... We are here to support one another & one million more (people) may ask the same questions, over & over again.

This is easier than you think. I was banded on Dec 22, 2010 & just overthought the entire process. I was worried about gas pains, nausea, blah, blah, blah & guess what?????? I did NOT have any nausea or gas pains whatsoever.... My surgeon explained to me that it depends not only on the patient, but on the surgeon...... Some surgeons do the procedure with their patient's lying FLAT, some do it with their patient's ELEVATED, & as for myself while I was lying on the operating table before I was knocked out there was this towel like pillow thing underneath my lower back & top of my buddox so that I was sort of arched a little bit. This is the technique that my surgeon uses on all of his patient's. The only pain that I did have was on day two around the incision site (which I took pain meds for) but other than that I feel great.. My post-op was on 12/28/10 & I had my staples removed.... It's healing good.... Just keep in mind that you have to do everything that your surgeon/nurses & hospital staff tells you to do & you will be ok... I will be praying for you & the best of luck to you.....

Carbonated drinks can cause the band to erode. My surgeon said not to drink at all. My cousin has the band & if she feels the need for a soda (once in a while) mixes it with a little Water? Also one can of soda has lots of calories & hidden sugars. As far as other carbonated drinks I don't know the calorie amounts, but I was told to stay away from all carbonated drinks.

My surgeon said that if you do NOT have a bowel movement by the third day to take milk of magnesia. Then if you don't go by the fourth day you should call. The problem with taking fiber is that it sometimes bloats your stomach & that's the last thing you need when it's already bloated from the gas that they pump you up with during surgery.

Why don't you make an appt with your Gastroenterologist? It could be Barrett's or Gerd.......

IT'S LISTED UNDER NEW YORK BECAUSE ROCHESTER IS IN NEW YORK STATE. SOME OF THE SURGEONS (THE DIRECTORY'S) LIST THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR STATE & NOT THEIR CITY.

I AM A CODER.... MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHY CAN'T YOU CALL THE SURGEON'S OFFICE WHO IS DOING THE SURGERY & GET THE CPT & DX CODES FROM THE PERSON WHO DOES THE BILLING??

ANYONE BANDED BY EITHER OF THESE SURGEON'S (DR. WAYNE WEISS OR DR. PETER KWON)? ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK IF YOU WERE, OR SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD/OR HAVING WITH THEIR SERVICES. THANKS

THIS SITE IS EXCELLENT FOR SUPPORT & SUGGESTIONS AS WELL, BUT I GOT TO MEET WITH SEVERAL BANDSTERS & GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS AT SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS. THE NURSE THAT WAS NOT ONLY THE SPEAKER, SHE WAS A BANDSTER AS WELL & VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH IT (banded for 6yrs) I MET SERVERAL PEOPLE WHO GAVE ME LOTS OF INPUT ON EATING AS WELL AS THEIR SUCCESS STORIES. YOU SHOULD TRY GOING TO A FEW OF THE SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS & HEARING GETTING LIVE FEEDBACK "FACE-TO-FACE" THE MEETINGS WERE REQUIRE BY MY SURGEON BEFORE EVEN MEETING WITH HIM & I'M GLAD THAT I DID BECAUSE IT HELP WITH MY DECISION TO HAVE THE SURGERY & NOW I HAVE LAB-BAND BUDDY'S THAT LIVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I CAN CALL ON BEFORE & AFTER MY SURGERY. I'M SCHEDULED FOR 12/22/10.

CONTGRATS! TO YOU! MY BIG DAY IS COMING UPON ME 12/22/10 & EXCITED, NERVOUS, SCARED, BUT READY!! PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH & LET ME KNOW HOW YOU ARE DOING!

CONGRATS! TO YOU!.. I AM BEING BANDED ON 12/22/10 & SO READY TO BEGIN MY BAND-A-SUCCESS JOURNEY.! MY THOUGHTS & PRAYERS WILL BE WITH YOU.

OH BOY!!! NOW YOU'VE GOT ME NERVOUS ABOUT POST OP-PAIN. MY SURGERY IS 12/22/10. THEN AGAIN I HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. I SURE HOPE TOMORROW YOU WILL BE FEELING BETTER, IN FACT I KNOW YOU WILL.. CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW JOURNEY TO A SUCCESSFUL NEW YOU.

DID ANYONE OUT THERE GET DENIED BY THEIR INSURANCE & HAVE TO APPEAL? I HAVE OXFORD & THEY DENIED ME FOR LAP-BAND SURGERY, BUT I APPEALED & NOW IN THE WAITING PERIOD TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM.

OH HOW HAPPY I AM TO BE GETTING BANDED ON 12/22/10.. I HAD A SURGERY DATE SET UP FOR 11/24/10 BUT WAS DENIED BY "OXFORD". I TYPED UP A TWO PAGE APEAL LETTER & WAS APPROVED!!!! NOW I CAN CONTINUE MY JOURNEY TO WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS...

your BMI does not have to be 40 with Oxford or any other ins carrier... It's really the co-morbities as well as BMI & family & personal history of your health. I was approved yesterday after I typed & faxed them a two page appeal letter as to why I thought this procedure is right for me.. My BMI is 34 but went down from 40 since 2006.. My surgery date is Dec 22nd.. I am so thankful that I can now have the surgery - it's been a long journey for me..... ....

They denied, because I no longer have diabetes because I've been losing pre-op weight. I guess they want you to be sickly before they will approve the surgery, but then on the other hand, my surgeon won't do the surgery at the weight I was at - I just can't win. I'm not giving up. I am going to keep appealing until Oxford approves me. keep your fingers crossed for me.....

I also have "Oxford Freedom Plan" they denied because now that I've been losing my pre-op weight I no longer have diabetes. I have hypertension & joint & back pain as well. I had to re-send the original medical records (from my Endocrinologist/Cardiologist/PCP/Lab-Band Surgeon/PCP) to proove that at my heaviest weight I was a diabetic & have something called "Weight induced Diabetes" & I have a strong family history of diabetes/Heart Disease/Obesity. I typed them a two page letter stating why I know that I'm a good candidate for Lap-Band Surgery. If they deny again I will keep trying until they do approve. I have a surgery date of 12/22/10. I want it this yr because I want to start off the New Year with a New Me. Plus the new deductible kicks in on 1/01/11. Just pray for me.....

Don't be so hard on yourself.. Your body is still in the "Healing Mode" give it some time & leave the scale alone. Just take your time, do what your Doctor(s) tell you to do & most of all "Keep the Faith & Believe in YOU"

:lol:Cigna (DOES) cover Lap-Band surgery! My cousin has Cigna & also two others friends of mine that had the Lap-Band surgery done have Cigna..... The difference between Oxford & Cigna is that Cigna requires a 6month pre-op diet before they will even consider weight loss surgery. I have Oxford (thank God) & they DO NOT require a pre-op diet... Why don't you try to get all of your pre-op testing done & start a diet as if you've already had the Lap-Band done; that's what I did.... I found out on 10/13/10 that I had to lose pre-op weight (not per Oxford-but per Surgeon)... So the next day I got my Protein shake powder mix, I cut out bread-rice-Pasta & sodas & on my way I was... I have a shake for Breakfast, a shake for lunch, & a small portioned size plate of food for dinner that consist of protein & veggies. As of today 11/05/10 I have lost 13 pounds & the surgeon only asked for 12 pounds to be lost..I also include walking & that really helped me out. I have done all of my pre-op testing with the exception of meeting with the psychiatrist & I do that on 11/11/10. I didn't wait for anyone to tell me to do anything. I just found out what pre-op appts were necessary & did them. I did that so that I can get banded before the new year..... It's not too late for you to put your best foot forward & get those appts in before your coverage with Oxford ends. Most likely it will end at the end of 2010 right?? You can do it. My will power kicked in & I took control... Good luck on your journey....

:rolleyes:Well it depends on your insurance. Some insurances require a 6month pre-op diet, some a 3month pre-op diet, & not only that some surgeons require you to lose 5% of your pre-op weight before they do the surgery to shrink the liver a littlebit. I went to a seminar on 10/13/10. Then I had my cardiac clearence with a cardiologist, this friday I have my EGD, Last thursday I had a full lab work-up. I meet with the psychiatrist on 11/11/10 then I meet with the surgeon & have chest x-rays done on 11/17/10. With all of that I am required to lose 12lbs (which I already have) pre-op (this was my 5%). what I did is the day after the seminar I started a diet as if I was already banded.... I have a Protein shake for Breakfast, one for lunch, & a small sized portion of protein & veggies for dinner & I walk alot. I cut out breads & Pasta & soda. This really worked for me. oh yeah I have Oxford & they do NOT require a pre-op diet... yay for that

JUST REMEMBER: with the Muscle Milk & EAS you have to get the correct brand: Muscle Milk (light) & EAS (carb advantage)

I know two people that had the same problem & what they did was increased their calorie intake to 1600 per day with excerising & their weight starting falling off like crazy.... Sometimes the body can get too little calorie intake & this can drastically slow down your metabolism. Just increase your portion size (with protein). This should work, & I wouldn't be telling you this unless I saw proof with my own eyes on two different people (male & female) GOOD LUCK :wink2:

I was told by my Doctor, that your growling stomach (post-op) are not hunger sounds. It's you stomach getting used to the band. The stomach is distrupted when it's made into two... The growling noises are normal (post-op)