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Okay so really excited planning to do lapbanc go to bariatric clinic appt. and now I am totally confused. I think that the sleeve might be a better way to go. Judging by the people who have opted for the sleeve after the band I am thinking I would like to cut out the middle man(literally). Now I have to do a sleep apnia test , and EKG which is all good but a poop test arrrgghhh!! It is all worth it right. I just started my process, I am scared out of my mind to go the extra mile, with intibation, stay in hospital, longer recovery. Okay so here we go. Hope to keep in touch along the way. Next appt. tomorrow for follow up to the crazy tube they stuck down my tube to my tummy, appartently my lower intestine did not relax enough for them while they were poking it with a tube, so trying something else. Is skinny worth it? Okay I know that answer!! Skinny and healthy are!

As far as Vitamins go, Bariatric Advantage was recommended to me by my NUT as the best. They also have a Calcium CITRATE caramel chewable to take twice a day. I think it's really tasty. For insurance, could you afford Obamacare? Hopefully, your public coverage will be within the income requirement. I had my babies at 38 and 42 years old. My daughters have been so much fun and the highlight of my life! This is waaay cool for you! Congratulations!

One therapy session isn't how therapy works. Therapy's sort of like "eating well," in that one healthy meal doesn't make you healthy. It's a process. I've been seeing a therapist for the last 21 months (mostly once a month) -- started two months pre-op. I've found a great one -- he works with bariatric patients (although not exclusively), so he knows the WLS and obesity territory. I don't know that a therapist without that kind of experience would be all that helpful to someone in our situations. Oh ... and my surgeon told me pre-op when I asked him what does he think distinguishes best between those patients who lose all their weight and keep it off from those who don't, "Bottom line, those who don't lose touch with us, who always keep all their appointments, are the ones who do the best." Very best to you! Your future is in YOUR hands.

One member asked the question: Is sleeve surgery “taking the easy way out”? This question really got my juices flowing and thinking. For all of us who endured the agony and anguish of bariatric surgery, we recognize there is nothing easy about this most important matter. Let see, how easy this is? 25 intelligent reasons for making our choice. 1. Exercising and working out with little or no results (life long) 2. Yo-yo dieting with little or no results (life long) 3. Heart disease 4. Respiratory problems 5. Stroke 6. High blood pressure 7. Elevated cholesterol 8. Diabetes 9. sleep disorders 10. Gout 11. Discrimination (on the job, in public, airline seats, etc) 12. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) 13. Amenorrhea - absence of menstrual bleeding (gals) 14. Impotence (guys) 15. Cancer 16. Psychological problems 17. Kidney disease 18. Liver disorders 19. Economic factors (cost of associated illnesses, food, clothes etc) 20. Insurance issues 21. Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint) 22. Social problems – (family, friends, dating etc) 23 Gallbladder disease 24. Pregnancy complications 25. DEATH The dictionary defines “easy” as: 1. Not hard or difficult; requiring no great labor or effort: 2. Free from pain, discomfort, worry, or care: Our lives have been anything but easy. As always, comments welcome. Lash

I am posting here to bump the thread up and hopefully get more responses. I'm having a terrible time with this as well. I did so much research pre op, and was happy with what I bought (or so I thought). I ended up with Bariatric Advantage Sublingual Vitamin B12, Celebrate Calcium PLUS 500, and Celebrate Vitamins Multivitamin Chewable. The B12 isn't bad. It's cherry flavored, and doesn't make me nauseous. The multivitamin is ok flavor-wise, but it does make me nauseous. And the calcium is just awful. They are huge, and I'm supposed to take 3 a day. I'm lucky if I can get one down. They make me so sick to my stomach. And that's even when I make a point to take them on a full stomach. I would love to hear what other people are taking!

I have read so many articles and talked to several Bariatric doctors who continue to tell me that my pouch will not stretch however your brain somehow adapts allowing you to consume more. At about the one year mark I noticed depending on what I choose to eat, I can eat 1 cup of food max. I am now 19 months post op and I still have that same restriction. I can eat 2 to 3 ounces of dense Protein and a bite or two of veggies/fruits and I am almost overly full. However if I eat a bowl of cream of wheat, I can eat almost a full serving. I believe what I have researched, that we adapt, our brains do that. Our stomachs don't stretch. Incidentally I have also learned that I can over indulge in things like Cheezeits! I do eat them but if not careful I can mindlessly nibble way over a portion! I know this because I gained 2 lbs eating the wrong stuff for about 2 weeks. Boy was I pissed at myself. I got back on track and within 1 week I lost those 2lbs eating the right foods and never feeling hungry. Also, I noticed when I was eating too many carbs those 2 weeks I had several episodes of hypoglycemia! It came on so very quickly that it was scary. It became a vicious cycle. Eat too many bad carbs your body will crave it. So now that I know what not to do, I think I will stick to the plan and if I want Cheezeits, I will measure out one serving and watch my carbs the rest of the day!

You can call back and ask to speak with a Supervisor. Explain that you got two widely different answers on two phone calls and ask for clarification. If, in fact, your particular policy excludes coverage for bariatric surgery, that means it won't be approved for anyone, under any circumstances. That's what an exclusion from coverage means. If it's covered, then ask to be sent a copy of the criteria that need to be met for surgery to be approved. I hope this helps!

Hey All! Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate the support. Just spent about 8 hours in the ER. I went to my HMO after hours care center first and they had an ambulance transport me to the ER due to the severity of my dehydration. They had a really difficult time finding a vein to administer the I.V. It took five sticks to finally get one. Once I was transported to the ER, they were not much help. They spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to do with me. Did a barium (however you spell it) swallow and I was restricted about 99%. I was shocked the barium stuff didn't come back up. One thing I found out was the amount of vomiting I did over the last two days caused me to swell really badly. Currently, I'm open enough to drink liquid. I'm too scared to try solid food. May try some Soup later tonight. Long story short ... the ER had no one experienced with bariatric surgery. Thank God I was able to speak w/Dr. Martinez. He told me to tell them what to do - have the radiologist remove some of the fill under flouro. Unfortunately, they had no radiologist on staff. So, I didn't really get anything resolved. But, since some of the swelling has gone down I can at least drink something. So I spent all day lying in a room w/an I.V. connected to my arm. I felt a lot better getting some fluids, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. I still won't have anything resolved until next week but I feel a lot better. Again, thank you all. I am doing much better than I was when I first posted this morning.:thumbup:

I haven't asked at the office, but I thought Gio was doing a support group at the Valley Bariatric Center? How are you doing??

As usual, check with your surgeon (first) and your PCP on any medication related questions. Tylenol is a good start but NSAIDs like ibuprofin, aspirin or naproxin are generally acceptable with the sleeve - the no NSAID rule comes from the RNY side of the bariatric world (the RNY has specific problems with such medications which doesn't apply to the sleeved stomach,) but many surgeons aren't yet comfortable enough with the sleeve to recommend them to their sleeve patients.

OMG, my latest phone call to my doctors office this morning must've lit a fire under their bums. I GOT MY SURGERY DATE! Theyve been dragging their feet for 3 weeks scheduling my pre-op testing and surgery. Looks like I will be begining my new life Aug 5th! i am sooo incredibly excited. and nervous. i could probably puke lol YAY!!!! *doing my happy dance*

I realize this was a whole back but... That is more normal, ink blots are part of what a psychoanalyst does for therapy - you likely had an mmpi-2 (300+ items but takes just 45 min) since insurance companies want to see objective data with the report and that is the one recommended by the committee that sets the standards for Bariatric evaluations. 😀

Hi, can you tell me what happened with this? I had the same thing happen with UHC in February. Last week I exhausted my final appeal and the bariatric center told me I'd have to go somewhere else, because they do not offer a self pay or financing option.😨

That is the common coverage for bariatric surgery, having a BMI 40 or over or a BMI of 35 or over with two comorbidity factors. The surgery has to be medically necessary for them to cover it under insurance. They're not going to pay for someone who doesn't need it to have it.

Hello Everyone! I have my 1st consult next week with Dr. Garth Davis. I am 35 years old with a BMI of 43, I have Blue Shield of California and my insurance does cover Bariatric surgery (if approved). I am nervous and excited but would like suggestions on what type of questions I should be asking during my consult? Thank You! Marie

I have an appt with Dr. Lautz at Brigham and Womens. I am a registered nurse and did extensive research on bariatric surgeons and decided upon this guy. In doing my research, I came across posts from previous patients of his and that he was fabulous. I also contacted the State Board Of Medical Licensure and he is clean as a whistle, has never had any infractions or lawsuits brought against him. He is board certified (this is important) and is the director of the bariatric department at BW. I see him for my first appt in May and am quite comfortable with who I have selected...hope this helps and good luck! kim

Thank you for your response. Definitely know his name as a weight-loss doc, but don't know if he's involved in a bariatric practice, but I'll research him. Thanks again.

And OSU says No,Pickles, No Never Again. Big black,letters in my LIFE AFTER BARIATRIC SURGERY handbook. Darn shame, I made wonderful,Bread and Butter Pickled baby,onions but the Pickled Beets were LL's ,Aunt Ruth's forte.

When did you have your banding done? Do you like her? I have seen her name listed among the bariatric surgeons in the Pittsburgh area. How has the band been working for you? How many fills have you had? Any problems?

So I was hoping we could do this here. I need extra help. Maybe we could low carb it togethor? Since I am just starting this fresh I was hoping noone would mind me starting a new thread for it at my home VV. The other thread on the main forum is so large and intimidating. Anyone want to do this with me? recipes? Ideas? I am supposed to be eating this way anyway so I thought I could renew my commitment (or actually make one) to low carb lifestyle now. Protein first, Veggies if room, and hopefully no carbs. :puke:

The decision will be yours to make, of course, but to answer your question...I would definately make the same decision to get my lap band again if the sands of time were reversed in a strange alternate universe!! I made my decision based on several factors. First and foremost, my bariatric doctor said that he felt this surgery was better suited to me than other alternatives. I'd definately ask for a medical opinion from a trusted, knowledgeable medical person in your life. Secondly, after a lot---I mean hours and hours--of research on my own, I also decided that this procedure was the safer option FOR ME. I could go on, but I can't stress enough how important it is to do the legwork and weigh the options in your own terms as to how either surgery might affect your life, your family, your health, your budget etc. etc. This has been the most personal decision I've ever made for myself. WLS will CHANGE YOUR LIFE and I just want you to feel confident in your decision. I know I probably didn't provide the info you were hoping for but I hope it helped a bit. Good luck and there are lots and lots of wonderful people on this site who have posted many pros/cons and other thoughts related to WLS so strolling through some posts may also help you gain a better picture of how WLS has affected real people. Good luck!

KarmaandKismet; You are very wise to consider this. Personally, I feel that counseling and ongoing therapy should be a REQUIREMENT for anyone who undergoes Weight Loss Surgery of any kind, and I am kind of surprised that insurance companies do not make this a KEY part of the process, other than the initial Psych consultation. I believe that it is a KEY component of success in this area. SO MUCH of the obesity enigma is that it is a “mind game”. The Lap Band and the other forms of WLS can very effectively deal with the Physical component of Obesity, BUT unless the “mind’ component is dealt with, a very large percentage of WLS patients will not be as successful as they would like to be. It is known that a certain percentage of Gastric Bypass patients will put the weight back on within a few years of losing it. This is not a result of any deficiency in the surgical mechanism, but it is a direct result of the “mind component” of weight loss not being addressed properly, or even addressed at ALL in so many cases. It is also known that in the case of the Lap Band, a large percentage of Patients never reach their intended goal, and, again, it is because (in many cases) the psychological and emotional issues that brought the patient to the point of needing surgery have never been addressed. So, yes…you ABSOLUTELY need to make Psychotherapy an integral part of your Weight Loss Surgery experience. In answer to your question about Therapists who specialize in Weight Issues, yes, there ARE those who maintain a Specialty Practice in that field. You need to hunt for them a bit, and I should warn you that MOST Psychotherapists will say that they deal with weight issues, but the fact is that most of them do not deal with it as a SPECIALTY. And, you really do want someone who is a specialist in this, someone who has been doing it for a number of years as a primary practice. Sometimes you will see them in the yellow pages, but as is most often the case, the BEST practitioners do NOT have to advertise. It is very possible that you can get a referral from your Surgeon’s office; they very often have good links to Professionals in this field. Also, if you contact your local chapter of Overeaters Anonymous, they often can refer you to Professionals as well. Again, I have to emphasize the importance of finding someone who is very well experienced and trained in Bariatric Psychology as a SPECIALTY, and not merely an incidental part of their practice. I think if you ask most Psychotherapists if they treat people with Obesity issues, they will all say yes. But, the vast majority of them will only have a couple of patients for whom it is a defining issue, and their experience in treating this problem is not very deep. So, take the time to find someone who really IS an expert in this….you will be well-served by having this kind of professional on your Team. Good Luck with your Surgery, and please keep everyone posted on how you are progressing! S.

He has an office in Albany, but to get a fill there it's $100+. If a patient wants the promised bariatric support and "free" fills, you have to drive to Macon. It's the hospital system's fault, not Bagnato's; but either way, it left patients in a difficult situation. I got insurance approval, which was a year-long fight, and had my fills at the bariatric center in Albany. Since I moved six months ago, I've heard the center in Albany had to close. I am glad to be out of SW GA for many reasons and getting support and care for my band is one of them. I wish you much success. I have nothing but great things to say about Dr. B as a surgeon.

about 2 months out and my stomach/tastes are pretty unadventourous. Turkey jerky, cheese stick, fish, sf popsicles and chrystal light. That's my go to's when I 'have to' eat. As long as i take my bariatric specific supplements, is this ok? Seems like there needs to be some veggies mixed in to be a 'healthy' mix, but there's just no room. Thankful for this second chance at life. just want to make it a healthy round;)

OMG...I can't believe that the doctor and hospital did not have you meet with one before your banding. I had to meet with the dietitician prior to being approved for the surgery. Shelly64 has shared some good advice, and is similar to what my doctor's office has told me. The day of my pre-op appointment, I had to attend a 2 hour nutrition education class. Points which were stressed included eating your 3 oz of Protein first, limit carbs to Fiber choices, and nothing to drink until 1 hour after you finish eating. Every bite should be chewed 20 times, and a meal should take at least 20 minutes to complete. If you don't get enough protein nutrition from your food, suppliment with Protein shakes. Protein is priority one. There are also some bariatric nutrition web sites, however I have found that they mostly are for the by-pass procedure patients, and they have different nutrition requirements. I am not an expert in the field, I'm just sharing some of the information I was taught in the class I attended at the hospital this week. Don't get discouraged...stay focused! Good luck!