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I am in a similar situation... I also have Anthem BC/BS. My BMI is only 35.9 but I have sleep apnea, GERD and joint pain, so that qualifies me. My doctor requires 3 visits one month apart with him -- I'm not sure if that's Anthem or just his requirement. I also have to see a pulmonologist, cardiologist, psychiatrist and nutritionist. Apparently Anthem does not require the 6 month supervised diet thing. I have a surgery date of June 9th now and at my visit with him yesterday, my surgeon told me to go ahead and start working on changing eating and exercising and that it would be OK to start losing now because I was already pre-approved. At the first visit, he had told me not to change eating habits because if I dropped below 35 I wouldn't qualify for surgery. If you have co-morbidities, you should still qualify for surgery if you're above 35 BMI. Hope this helps -- of course all insurance plans and docs are different, so it's best to be absolutely clear with the doctor.

I'm in BC

I am a Dr. Britt patient. My GP recommended him rather than one in Huntsville that I had originally made an appointment with. I haven't had many dealings with Dr. Grove outside the seminar, but I have heard that he is wonderful, one particular thing about him, is that he has also had the lapband, so he will truly know what your going through each step of the way. Dr. Britt, as you know, is Dr. Grove's surgeon so either one is a win/win choice in my book. They both are very supportive and encouraging. I really like Dr. Britt and I love my band. Don't worry about the six months, it actually goes by faster than you realize. I do understand the anxiousness to go ahead and get started on your journey to a new life and trust me it will get here pretty quick. Your going to be busy jumping through the hoops for BC, just do exactly as your told and you will get through it with flying colors. As far as the office staff, I find them to be equally as supportive and very responsive. I have not once had any second thoughts or regrets with my decision to get the band, or the surgeons to go with. They truly seem to care and want to see you succeed. Good luck to you!

Ok got the dogs fed - GS went to taco bell - I have my fish cooking... I haven't been too good with Breakfast lately - I need to go to the store - today one of my insured asked me to lunch - I had never met her before just talked on the phone for 5 yrs - She doesn't know I am banded she was the first person who I have eaten with who didn't know - it was weird cuz I was eating so slow - she didn't notice as she ate 2 soft tacos and I ate 1/2 of the taco a few bites of the Beans - So for you who haven't told - I could see how it's hard - all my freinds know so when i stop they all look at me are you ok - ya I'ms just a little stuck :tt2: I can't say I eat on a time schedule - breakfast when ever - usually around 9 ish - always noon for lunch on the weekdays - dinner is usually 7:30 - 8 p.m. most nights - Weekend are when ever I am hungry - I ususally don't eat breakfast on the weekend - cuz I am out and about - usually just dinner and evening Snacks.. If I ate at 6 p.m. I would be hungry or looking for food from head hunger by 8 - As peaches indicated (i don't know if it was here or 50 thread) that the night she had fish she was hungry a couple hours later... It's not just that it's my whole nite time eating thing - I know when my demon hours are so I just fix it so that I can feed those demons during the hours that the want to be fed and stay within my calories for the day.. Today all I have had was that 1/2 taco and 1/2 beans - I had a dentist appt after work - got my new bridge it feels good.. Expensive but you gotta have teeth :frown: Can't say I am really hungry - I cleaned the kitchen - tried to Iron this skirt from coldwater creek that came today (a lady I work with gave me a 40% coupon) omw - it's gorde or pleated and i spent an hour on it and now my back is killing me - I was pissed this afternoon when I could get our old thread - Wanted to see what Phyl said - I was busy at work so didn't get a chance to ck as much as I usually do... Yes this is a healthy transfer addiction - better than my shopping :eek: Ok gotta ck my dinner - gs just gave be a bit of chick quesidlilla from taco bell -it was good - see i wasn't hungry till i had that bite now i want to eat - food really is an addiction for me - once i start I can't stop (well yes with the band I stop - but pre band I didn't - this is why for me it's such a great tool.. Ok - I am out here for the night - Sweet Dreams everyone - Talk to you all tomorrow... xoxox Janet P.S. What am I the unofficial leader of the lucky#7 - phyl - jackie and Karri all got in contact with me about our thread being broken -:frown: Thank you guys for loving me - It really made me smile Well, I fixed our problem - we have a spot again - :thumbup:

Yes they do, and you don't have to wait 6 months either. I just got my date and I have bcbs and have to wait 6 months, but my surgeon said with the fed. ben. program you don't.:smile2:

you could also post on canadalapbanders Canadianlapbanders.com A number of eastern bandsters subscribe to this site run by a nurse who is banded. I am from BC but thought I would answer your enquiry so you know there are eastern chat sites. Good luck.

and today's weight is.... = 336.2 my BS and my BP are decreasing as I eat right - what a concept!!!! LOL

Hi I am in langley, BC i just got my band on dec 19.08 best thing ive ever done hope u go for it

Hello, jsut noticed your post. I have had the band since March and all is well. I noticed that you get your fills in College Station. I am looking for a support group in BCS as I live in Caldwell, Texas. Also I wanted to tell you that my brother is having the surgery in two months with the same doctor as my sugery and there are placing the port high ... close to the ribs because my brother is a stomache sleeper.... I'm not sure why that is relevant... but that's what my brother told me. Anyway if you know of any groups please let me know. Thanks, Catherine

hi there, just moved to BCS, was banded 2 1/2 years ago in Mexico but havent had the thing working correctly due to getting pregnant 6 months after being banded and now getting ready to deliver another baby anyday. I am wondering if you ever found a support group here? I am going to gat a fill as soon as I can after having my baby. The fills I received before never worked and I never truly had good restriction. I would really like to see this band pay off. I also think my port isnt attched correctly euther, it flips back and forth! Any info on BCS support groups for bandsters is appreciated! thanks

2 weeks ago i went for my first fill and the new dr; bc my original dr opened his own thing and my insurance wont cover me to move or something) i saw didnt do fills till 6 weeks and they scheduled for 4( theres another post about that) so long story short i obviously didnt get it. Then today was my second attempt to get my first fill again... well the dr put the needle in and fished around for a few mins and couldnt get to the port bc it is too deep? So now i have to go to the hospital to do an xray fill. Well first off they have to get an approval from my insurance THEN schedule the appointment. Thats going to be at least another week! I have gained 3lbs since i have been on reg foods. The hospital is like 45 miles away! I know its not the dr fault this time but wouldnt you think they should have longer needles if, as he said "it happens more then often", instead of having to send me or other ppl to the hospital?? Im not happy at all!!

The following is a condensation of a series from the Investor's Business Daily explaining 'What Caused the Loan Crisis': 1977: Pres. Jimmy Carter signs the Community Reinvestment Act into Law. The law pressured financial institutions to extend home loans to those who would otherwise not qualify. The Premise: Home ownership would improve poor and crime-ridden communities and neighborhoods in terms of crime, investment, jobs, etc. Results: Statistics bear out that it did not help. How did the government get so deeply involved in the housing market? Answer: Bill Clinton wanted it that way. 1992: Republican representative Jim Leach (IO) warned of the danger that Fannie and Freddie were changing from being agencies of the public at large to money machines for the principals and the stockholding few. 1993: Clinton extensively rewrote Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's rules turning the quasi-private mortgage-funding firms into semi-nationalized monopoies dispensing cash and loans to large Democratic voting blocks and handing favors, jobs and contributions to political allies. This potent mix led inevitably to corruption and now the collapse of Freddie and Fannie. 1994: Despite warnings, Clinton unveiled his National Home-Ownership Strategy which broadened the CRA in ways congress never intended. 1995: Congress, about to change from a Democrat majority to Republican, Clinton orders Robert Rubin's Treasury Dept to rewrite the rules. Robt. Rubin's Treasury reworked rules, forcing banks to satisfy quotas for sub-prime and minority loans to get a satisfactory CRA rating. The rating was key to expansion or mergers for banks. Loans began to be made on the basis of race and little else. 1997 - 1999: Clinton , bypassing Republicans, enlisted Andrew Cuomo, then Secretary of Housing and Urban Developement, allowing Freddie and Fannie to get into the sub-prime market in a BIG way. Led by Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd, congress doubled down on the risk by easing capital limits and allowing them to hold just 2.5% of capital to back their investments vs. 10% for banks. Since they could borrow at lower rates than banks their enterprises boomed. With incentives in place, banks poured billions in loans into poor communities, often 'no doc', 'no income', requiring no money down and no verification of income. Worse still was the cronyism: Fannie and Freddie became home to out-of work-politicians, mostly Clinton Democrats. 384 politicians got big campaign donations from Fannie and Freddie. Over $200 million had been spent on lobbying and political activities. During the 1990's Fannie and Freddie enjoyed a subsidy of as musch as $182 Billion,most of it going to principals and shareholders, not poor borrowers as claimed. Did it work? Minorities made up 49% of the 12.5 million new homeowners but many of those loans have gone bad and the minority homeownership rates are shrinking fast. 1999: New Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, became alarmed at Fannie and Freddie's excesses. Congress held hearings the ensuing year but nothing was done because Fannie and Freddie had donated millions to key congressmen and radical groups, ensuring no meaningful changes would take place. 'We manage our political risk with the same intensity that we manage our credit and interest rate risks,' Fannie CEO Franklin Raines, a former Clinton official and current Barack Obama advisor, bragged to investors in 1999. 2000: Secretary Summers sent Undersecretary Gary Gensler to Congress seeking an end to the 'special status'. Democrats raised a ruckus as did Fannie and Freddie, headed by politically connected CEO's who knew how to reward and punish. 'We think that the statements evidence a contempt for the nation's housing and mortgage markets' Freddie spokesperson Sharon McHale said. It was the last chance during the Clinton era for reform. 2001: Republicans try repeatedly to bring fiscal sanity to Fannie and Freddie but Democrats blocked any attempt at reform; especially Rep. Barney Frank and Sen.Chris Dodd who now run key banking committees and were huge beneficiaries of campaign contributions from the mortgage giants. 2003: Bush proposes what the NY Times called 'the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago'. Even after discovering a scheme by Fannie and Freddie to overstate earnings by $10.6 billion to boost their bonuses, the Democrats killed reform. 2005: Then Fed chairman Alan Greenspan warns Congress: 'We are placing the total financial system at substantial risk'. Sen. McCain, with two others, sponsored a Fannie/Freddie reform bill and said, 'If congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system and the economy as a whole'. Sen. Harry Reid accused the GOP ;of trying to 'cripple the ability of Fannie and Freddie to carry out their mission of expanding homeownership' The bill went nowhere. 2007: By now Fannie and Freddie own or guarantee over HALF of the $12 trillion US mortgage market. The mortgage giants, whose executive suites were top-heavy with former Democratic officials, had been working with Wall St. to repackage the bad loans and sell them to investors. As the housing market fell in '07, subprime mortgage portfolios suffered major losses. The crisis was on, though it was 15 years in the making. 2008: McCain has repeatedly called for reforming the behemoths, Bush urged reform 17 times. Still the media have repeated Democrats' talking points about this being a 'Republican' disaster. A few Republicans are complicit but Fannie and Freddie were created by Democrats, regulated by Democrats, largely run by Democrats and protected by Democrats. That's why taxpayers are now being asked for $700 billion!! If you doubt any of this, just click the links below and listen to your lawmakers own words. They are condeming! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68D9XrqyrWo&feature=related]YouTube - Fannie & Freddie: The Real Story Behind The Economic Crisis[/ame]# http://www.youtube...com/watch?v=pIgqfM5C8lY# [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9juJr8CSY4&feature=related]YouTube - How democrats lied to America, while using community reinvestment act and acorn to destroy the American financial system.[/ame]# Postscript: ACORN is one of the principle beneficiaries of Fannie/ Freddie's slush funds. They are currently under indictment or investigation in many states. Barack Obama served as their legal counsel, defending their activities for several years. Please share this with everyone you know. Send it. Print it. Talk about it. America needs to know!!!

Wow, you guys gave me the greateat ideas!!! I defintely try some beans. Also, I'll start dipping my beef, pork, and chicken in Heinz 57 sauce. I love that stuff. I love this board bc you guys always help me out so much!!! Thank you!!

I am going in for surgery tomorrow due to a "possible" slippage. All the test results were inconclusive- they think 98% that it may have slipped since i have been experiencing major acid reflux over the past year. But again they arn't 100% sure. I guess the only way they can find out is to go in a check it out. I had the band done in '05 and since then they told me they have made a "new and improved" band and will be replacing it with that. I just really want the acid reflux to go away... of course i am nervous for surgery again but i am looking forward to some possible relief. Has anyone gone in for a slippage/replacement surgery and did you have any success? Please let me know bc I am really hoping for the best and just wanted to see if anyone had any luck.

Hi all, just thought i would start a new thread. I have been researching lap bands on the internet for a week now. I am 23 and i have always suffered with my weight. I have done weight watchers,been sent to some women from the nhs who i had classes with about food and exercise, (I know it all but i just cant put it in to theory), i have tried reductil, xcenicol, none of them have ever made much difference. Im fed up of being the girl with pretty face, oh and big boobs, lol. they are a plus to my size, the only one mind. Anyway after physchin meself up i finally went the doctors today, and she agreed i have to have some tests over me periods being so irregular as in not had one for 5 months and then i have to go back to my doc and she is going to refer me, IM MADE UP. My boyf said yesterday what makes you think you will get one??? So when she agreed to get the ball rolling, i coulda kissed her!! maybe not but im made up. As far as im concerned life can only get better. sorry for so much chatting just wanted to tell some one, anyone !!! natty13 xx:biggrin::eek::mad::tongue::biggrin:

I've sewn for a long time -- in fact I have a BS in Home Ec. I started quilting in about 2000. I'm waiting for a surgery date. I've been getting through all the tests and pre-op stuff, and it's taken months. My date should be in late October, or early November, but I have to prove I've lost the 15 pounds first. I've got 13 down my first week of dieting, and two to go, but no weight loss this week. Sticking with it though. Boy, you have less than two weeks before the big day. Good luck! I think it's going to be life-changing, don't you?

Medicare did not have any prerequirements. My secondary is BC/BS Federal Employee Program. They required the usual but did not require the 3 or 6 month diet documentation . I had to see a pulmonologist, a psychiatrist, a cardiologist and my PCP. I sailed through all the tests and BC/BC sent approval in less that a week from when the paperwork was presented to them. I have been on a doctor's supervised diet on my own. I have been doing the Optifast program because I needed to lose weight before they would do the surgery. My BMI had to be below 60. This was a requirement when I was thinking of pursuing surgery at another hospital. But I changed when I found out the first one was not a Medicare approved center. They are in the process of getting approval. I am thankful for that though. It made me go to another consultaion meeting at the second hospital and I liked their doctor's so much better. I am very pleased with whom I have chosen.

Hey Jeni, Let us know what the class is about and how it went. Sound like you are getting on the right track. I got another fill Friday, so up to 1.9 in the band. I didn't think I was doing that great but I was down 6 lbs from my last fill. So hoping to drop more this next time. My next apt is Sept 24. Keeping my fingers crossed. Anyway with all the stress I am under right now with work I am surprised that I haven't gained 20 lbs. We are short handed and I am picking up the slack. My boss helps but it would help more if he could just stay in the office more. He was gone doing bs for over 4 hours today. This is getting to be a bit much and I am just about fed up. I love my job and I don't want a different boss, but he doesn't see what it is doing to me. I think it is time for me to start keeping track of his time and showing him what I have been putting up with. Wish me luck

@@Djmohr Thank you so much @@hellohealthy Yayyyyy congrats to you!! I'm loving this stage right now and it only gets better from here! They actually don't allow us to have baby food bc there's not enough Protein and there could be a lot of sugar.

My all in one Bariatric Choice chewable wafer supplement has Iron in it~ and it is like sucking on a candy- yum But just in case your tiredness isn't from low iron, the nurse at my clinic always says that if we start to feel that way to start charting: 1)how much Protein we are getting in 2)how many fluids 3)how often we are taking our Vitamins and are e taking enough? She said that often we will find that we aren't doing what we are supposed to be doing and that's why we get really low energy. Also~ my sister had extremely low Bs. It affected her very badly with low energy. She ended up getting a B shot every week. She said she felt so much better right after getting it too. If it continues def go to the dr and see what's up! I hope it passes quickly, I hate that feeling

I'm going on six fills next Monday..... I'm super close to green .... They are stirring to fill with .2cc's now, bc they are tweaking or fine-tuning the amount. Good luck..... Remember, it's a JOURNEY!

Hi Lara! I was worried about my exercise eval as well. Basically they ask you a lot of questions about your current activity level and any difficulties you have doing different exercises. They check your heart rate and they had me walk up and down a hallway several times to check my heart rate during exercise. I would wear a good pair of gym shoes fit walking and comfy pants bc they check your range of motion. I was told you can’t fail, but they could recommend that you participate in several exercise classes prior to approval. Think of it as an evaluation rather then a test. They pretty much just recommend exercises for pre op and post op and try to prepare you for what needs done before and what to expect after. Don’t be nervous, just be you and be honest and you will be fine! I hope tomorrow you will post that it wasn’t as bad as you though it might be 😉 Good luck!

At 2 weeks out, it was discovered that I had a small absess with a leak. I spent 17 days in the hospital with no food or fluids going into my stomach. I was fed TPN through a PICC line and gained weight during my stay. I went from feeling like I was on top of the moon before surgery, to feeling like I was actually going to do this after surgery, to going downhill for two weeks after surgery, to passing out, being weak, not being able to eat or drink much of anything and internal pain by the time I was admitted into the hospital...on my birthday. After numerous tests throughout my hospital stay, the leak partially closed and my idiot doctors (not my surgeon) felt I should just go home and eat, hoping the rest of the leak would heal in time. But if I get sick again, just come back. Horrible advice, in my opinion and the opinion of my surgeon, but thankfully I have not been back to emergency and I seem to get better as time goes on. I still worry daily. It been about 3 weeks since I've been out. But I lost the weight I gained and then some. Stay strong. My story may not be as bad as yours but I do know some of the struggles you are going through. I spent a majority of my days worried I was going to die and crying more than I thought possible. I now thank God for helping on this journey, for bringing me back to my family (I have a 5 month old baby girl) and for the 40 lbs I've lost so far. ((((hugs))) to you and everyone else who's had complications.

Don't give up! I was denied by UHC two days before my surgery. My surgeon had to have a 1:1 conference with the approval department head. They overturned the denial the day before my surgery. It could be the fault of some tiny paperwork mistake. Mine was bc my surgeon put "hypertension" instead of "uncontrolled hypertension". It's very stressful, that I understand, but persevere and remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease!