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My doc has me on meat, cheese and eggs for the first few weeks after surgery. Yay for protein! This morning I put chicken thighs (bc they're moist) in a slow cooker. For breakfast, I blended chicken with miracle whip and some broth for mush. No bueno. For lunch I blended chicken and cheese with chicken broth. It was okay. For dinner I blended chicken with gravy... In retrospect I'm not sure this was my brightest move. It wasn't a good taste to me at all. I think my band has caused me to fall out of love with chicken :-( I was fine eating it during pre-op diet. Has this happend to anyone else? I think I'm going to do eggs and cheese tomorrow...

So I needed a space where I can come, vent, and move on without looking childish. The past couple of weeks a particular topic about Dr. Ramos-Kelly has been getting a lot of attention. First, let me say I heart my doctor and what he has done for me. He is an excellent surgeon. The DRAMA that has occurred is because a VST member was advocating to ONLY go through his "personal" assistant for the best price and service. I did not go through this assistant and had a great experience and the price is the same. What irks my nerve is ANYONE who did not go along and praise this assistant was talk to in an unfriendly matter. We're all grown and have opinions. BUT the icing on the cake is the information I found out in the wee hours of the morning. So this particular VST member is telling people to PM her and she will connect them to this "coordinator." She provides no info in her signature like most of us. She is getting a referral fee from this "coordinator." Which I have absolutely no issue with. My issue is bashing other coordinators and companies like you give a darn about connecting people to other good people. You are getting money for the people you send the coordinator and to me your opinions are not genuine. You are a grown women, conducting yourself as a child, and deceiving newbies to the site. How dare you claim to not know said coordinator was starting her own business when YOU supplied her with her new laptop. I was beginning to wonder how, someone who you were only around for 3 days, deserves such high praises and esteem. Its because she is cutting you into her new business model. Be honest with the people. YOU are turning people off from Dr. Kelly (I have PMs to prove it) with YOUR "car salesmen" mentaility. Geesh! Whoosa! I feel better now. Back to the regularly scheduled program. .

I guess I'm confused. Why would you need an attorney to appeal? Seems like a waste of money. I would head to Mexico before I did that. That's what I'm doing. Not wasting another moment on the insurance BS!

I spoke to Bariatric Surgery Insurance Specialist today and she told me she was very familiar with Fed BC/BS. Her info to me was 35 BMI-40 with health related obesity issue such as diabetics II, sleep apnea. If 40+ considered morbidly obese so different criteria. She said I could come in they could see if I qualify (5 hr drive when roads are not snow covered). There is a 3 month surgery prep including 3month nutritionist/psych visit. I think I am borderline to being 35BMI/with possible diabetic II (runs in my family) with sleep apnea….but of course have to be tested. Another statement the office made to me is if I go to MX to have this procedure, that my BC/BS might cover me if I occur complications, esp if I was never approved. It started me to thinking…..what if????

Yay! I have BCBS Fed and it took about 8 days so don't get discouraged if it takes a little while!

My preop diet starts on the 3rd of November for 3 weeks. I have given it lots of thought while I waited. I am allowed veg, milk and yogurt. My go to, will be Thai soups and salads. I have bought in lots of water noodles as they are only 4 cals a packet. I like them better than courgetti. They do fill you up. When I get fed up of those I will have soups - carrot and coriander, mushroom and onion are favourite's . Then there is vegetable curries with cauliflower rice. I have had a lot of time on these pages and will use all the knowledge I have picked up. Onwards and downwards

It all depends in your insurance req, bc I hv a 90 day supervised diet req so my dr has to wait til my 90 days r up and then he will file asap, my dr encourages his patient to lose weight, and I also researched it to that is a good idea to lose weight and start an excercise regimen way b4 surgery, with that said I set my own personal target of losing 25lbs by my 11/21 surgery date, and as far as insurance co dr turns in my initial weight for approval

Wow did you even get the surgery? I would go see the surgeon bc that is not right at all Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had surgery the same day as you, however i was told to stop my birth control 2 weeks before surgery, and last week i was told i could start again when i have my next period...... only thing is ....... havent had one! not for 6 weeks, since i went of the bc before surgery. i think its because im losing weight because weight fluctuations can affect the menstral cycle.

I am 32 and did have high blood pressure and sleep apnea when I made the decision to have surgery but I would be lying if I said those were my only reasons. I am not a Texas Girl but I live in San Antonio I am actually a California Girl so you don't have to tell me about VANITY lol they build more women than they birth in California .I was 226 at 5'2 and I could see I wasn't getting any thinner despite constant yoyo dieting and I was depressed I was no longer the young,fun and flirty girl my husband met at 22 I wanted to be that girl again.I was feeling trapped inside a body that had aged 20yrs vs the actual 10yrs that had passed everything always hurt .I did this surgery for my health and to find me again.I have lost 43 pounds since October 31st and I can feel the real me coming back again .I am starting to like shopping now that I am not limited to the "big girl" section. I was a very tight 36 in my favorite Silver Brand jeans bc I refused to buy Silver Plus Sizes jeans and now I am a comfortable 31:) I am in a much better place health wise and mentally!

Buttercup, you should hear soon. BC/BS approval took less than a week for me.

Hi everyone, I'm located West of Atlanta, in Carrollton Ga. I've not been banded yet...I still have to find out if my policy covers it. I have Anthem BC/BS and I am considering using Dr. Champion in Marietta Ga. Has anyone used him or heard anything about him? Also, is there anyone out there that had to prove 2 medical conditions cause by weight because your BMI is not 40 or above? My BMI is 37 and I have high cholestorol and PCOS (Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome) which causes insulin resistance and weight problems among other things. Dr. Champion requires $100 for the letter of neccessity and then $250 to schedule the surgery date. Does this sound normal? Also, do you pay for fills serperately after surgery? I guess I assumed they would be included in the cost of the surgery. Any adive would be great, I've been reading all the posts and have found lost of helpful info. Thanks!

Hi, I am in Mcdonough,GA.. I got banded feb26th-09, just this past week..I am doing great now..Just the 2 liquid diets before and after are what gets me..But with protein shakes it helps with being less hungry..I have BC/BS and they paid for my surgery, I didnt have to do the 6month thingy..I had to see and psy dr and Nutrition dr..after that I had to wait for approval and it all fell into place..Got approved and within a week got my surgery date and now I am finally banded..I also had to attend a seminar, So all in all took me 3 months..But is so worth it..I have lost 15lbs so far..But if you have any questions let me know..Am new to myself with the band, but I am always glad to talk to anyone about lapband...Good Luck... Sommer was banded on Feb26th-09 wooohooo

Awesome!!! I have a new Anthem BC California policy but live in Texas. What were your requirements?

The psych I saw said that if ur doing stuff right 80% of the time then ur on track. U cant deprive urself bc that will make u go crazy when u do get something.

I called the doc about a week after surgery bc I hadnt heard that we couldnt use straws. He said that I could give it a shot. He said for some people it gives them a "too much air" feeling, but that it wouldnt hurt anything...just might be uncomfy. I dont drink from straws though...so I can't tell you how it makes me feel.

Hi Jennifer I think it is fantastic that you joined up in support of your husband. I think the biggest misconception may be that there are foods we can't eat after surgery. Granted there are MANY items we shouldn't eat, but unless for some reason he can't tolerate something, the option to have his favorites, in moderation, are there. Bread is hard for a lot of folks, its just too dense and heavy. There is no way to know exactly how he will be effected. I love my carbs too, and I know I need to stay away from them to really get the most out of my weight loss efforts. This has ALWAYS been the case, not just post op. Carbs are necessary for a balanced diet, but most have no real nutritional value. Since we take in so few calories, we really want to get the most bang for our buck, so I try to stay away. I just found some wraps (Fiber One honey wheat) that I will have for lunch on occasion. Your switching to whole wheat pastas etc, is a great step in aiding his changing habits. I had a conversation with my mother not too long ago, she has never had any weight issues and we were a large family of 10 kids, so she never really thought about the food we ate growing up and how it does shape our habits throughout out life, just that we had enough. We had lots of bread and Pasta, quick meals that fed a lot of people for less money. It was a way of life, and that's what it needed to be at the time. But looking back, my habits were formed early on, it was up to me to change them. I completely understand his not wanting his struggles to be ones your children have later on and his wanting it to change now. That being said, it has got to be hard for a whole family to make sweeping changes, but some are for the overall better good. I don't have children, but I do have my young nieces & nephews come over a lot. Yogurt, cheese sticks, fruit. all acceptable snack items that are all still good for me too. keeping an open dialog is most important, if there is an item that he feels having around will make it really hard for him then maybe talk with the kids and see if they can take one for the team & dad and do away with for a while. I also can understand needing there not to be junk food in the house, maybe each of the kids can pick their own healthier alternative while he is in the early stages. I have been keeping pre-portioned packs of nuts as a snack, it gives me a crunch and on my plan. Making the decisions as a family for the overall good should make it a little easier at least. He may not realize all the changes you have been making behind the scenes. There are a few really good websites that have very tasty family friendly recipes. www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com and www.emilybites.com The kids most likely won't even realize these are "healthier" options. If his inquiry about surgery opened more of a dialog about healthy eating habits for the family, there is no "fault" there. He might need to think about it in a different way, or at least know that you don't think of it that way. Every summer I go away with a big group of my family to the beach. This year I put it out there to my many nieces and nephews to bring their bikes as a way of getting from one house to another (and to get me moving on vacation) They JUMPED at it, they loved that I wanted to ride with them and every one brought a bike, the whole week we rode and they never thought it was more than a great way to spend time together. My point really has to do with perception. There is a sub-forum here The Man's room. He & youmay get unique point of view by checking it out. Again, I really applaud your efforts to understand what he is going through and your willingness to do what you can to make the process easier. Best of luck to you all!!

One would like to think that they are "in good hands" when they are a patient in a hospital. After all that is the place where Ambulances rush people to when they need medical help. Not a hater. Fed up with lies & deception.

that is very common - in fact there's a thread floating around whether those 200lbs or less are "deserving" of surgery. BS - i so am worth it!!! i don't do support groups at my surgeons practice for the same reason - everytime i go in .... you get the up-down. i don't care, my dr says i'm good advertising for his practice:) i found all my support here and w/my DH who was banded w/me. good luck all those w/upcoming surgeries!

You can always appeal based on your co-morbidities... Write out a detailed history of your work with weight watchers and those other supervised programs - find any old documentation - a canceled check, or anything. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are dangerous stuff. You can just tell them that if you croak before the 12 mos is up, your relatives will sue the *&*p out of them and win. I hate BC/BS too. We know what BS stands for, right? Anyway, If you really do HAVE a history of supervised weight loss attempts and a history of being morbidly obese, you can fight them. Check out the sticky thread in the insurance section - there are some research studies there that you can quote in your appeal.

Mrs Gamgee I just met a new bari-friend and maybe you' d like her too. Her name is Lesliebari, lives in the BC Rockies and b will,have, hers somewhere on the coast, I'm guessing maybe Vancouver. Now to remember what thread she was on? Oh pafizzle, I'll go searching and see if I can find it. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Ooh I loveee my BA shakes bc they're so thick. I think it's made the two week preop diet better. Are you telling me that feeling will change after surgery??

I have been having a really rough time on the liquid diet part hopefully next Thursday I can go on puréed foods. I am also getting down because people make me feel like I will never eat again. I have been craving sushi like crazy and a few people said well keep craving it cause you will never eat that again. I mean why be so cruel. I hope I can def eat sushi after surgery. Some people say oh well you have to wait at least 2 years to eat sushi. It's making me feel like I have to defend myself all the time. My family is super supportive and always tell me I will eat my favorite foods again it's just a matter of time. Other people make it seem like I have committed myself to a death sentence. Are these people right? Will I be able to eat sushi in a few month or years or never. I'm just getting so fed up. I also love pasta and rice and they make it seem like well that's off the menu forever. I don't want to eat it always but knowing every once in a while I can have it makes me feel better.

Way not to take his BS and transfer of responsibility. He does need to own this if there is any chance for healing. He needs to rebuild the trust he destroyed. That is a long row to hoe. I hope he's not trying to buy his way back in. You might want to check out this site: https://www.gottman.com/ I think Dr. Gottman has some of the best materials for helping to communicate better and building trust.

If you're taking BC pills you need to continue them for at least 1 year after surgery. The risk is too high to you and the baby if you get pregnant before you lose all of your excess weight. Plus it's very unsafe for a baby to gestate in an overweight mother. While those babies survive just fine, they have many issues as they grow up so it's to your advantage and your future child's advantage for you to get on birth control (no reason to stop taking it 4 weeks before surgery - say on it the entire time - talk to your surgeon about that) and stay on it for at least 12 months following or until you've lost all of your extra weight then about 3 months after you've reached your goal. Once you're at that point you'll know how you should eat. This is crucial because it's very likely you'll have your Fluid mostly - if not completely - removed if/when you become pregnant and if you already know how to eat you'll be able to minimize weight gain outside of the necessary 20-30 lbs for your baby.