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Geez I know how you are feeling. I was the "party girl" drinking and eating, always going out and now since Dec 1 pre-op diet I have been staying home a lot. Most of my friends don't get it and are upset with me, but you know what I don't care because in one year I will be down to my goal weight. As far as your husband goes maybe he will try to start eating healthier with you and be more supportive. I am sure in the back of his mind he is like omg she is going to lose all this weight and take off on me, and it does happen. My friend had gastric bypass two years ago and her husband is constantly spying on her, texting her, questioning her etc. Maybe having a heart to heart with him with help? Is he receptive to talks? Good luck with YOUR WEIGHT LOSS. Happy New Year!!!

I wasn't sure where to post this thread, Complications or Life After LapBand, but hopefully I will get my answers here :rolleyes. I will actually post this in two forums (Moderators, I hope that's ok??) As you all can see by my ticker I am really not that far from my goal, and although I have had some complications, there is currently no evidence of a slipped band. Bear in mind that my goal weight is MY goal weight and brings me into a normal weight BMI. My doc would like to see me at 122 lbs, but he's nuts. I am neither 20 years old NOR a fashion model. I am a 5'5" 40 year old woman, for God's sake! So my question- in the event of a slip, will most surgeons consider doing a conversion to a VG, RNY (something I would NOT consider), or this mini-bypass I have been reading about (something I would consider), if your BMI is no longer in the "danger zone" (ie 35 and up)?? It wouldn't make sense to me if you were, say halfway to your goal and your band had to come out, for you to be REQUIRED to put your weight back on before you could have another procedure done. I hope it never comes to this for me, but hopefully your answers may help those that are in that very situation!

I've gotten a LOT of flack from bypass patients about my band choice...just ignore her snotty butt lol and tell her you have to work VERY hard because you went with the option that doesn't remove your gut to cheat the food you put in your mouth. (sorry)

This might not help, but I could not afford a band either. But my husband told me that I was always good at getting new credit cards. We were way in debt, but I tried anyway and the credit union approved me for another $8,000. It sounds insane to accept that loan, but my band is paying for itself. If the credit union refused me, I'd have written checks in advance to a bunch of cheesy quick-cash places. I'd have pawned all my jewelry, cashed in all my change. I was dying. There was no choice. In order to pay for my band I made a couple sacrifices. I used to get manicures 2ce a month. No more. And I cancelled our Arrowhead Water delivery and bought a $20.00 Britta filter. My food bill is crazy now. I don't pick out anything for myself. My meals are whatever food my husband doesn't finish. I was spending tons on Taco Bell, Jack in The Box, etc. Fast food 5-10 times a week. Now fast food sounds gross to me. After the surgery all I wanted was liquids cuz I was afraid to eat anything else. Once they allowed me real foods, my body craved healthy stuff. Like my body knows it needs Protein. I was craving tomatoes and asparagus. My credit card payment is $130.00 a month. I found ways to come up with the cash. It's worth every red cent. I have dual coverage. I have Blue Shield through my work and Health Plan of Nevada through my husband's. Both approved the bypass, neither approved the band. I could have appealed it, but I wanted to start living right this second. Screw the insurance companies. As far as this new debt, hell, the credit union shouldn't have given me the money cuz I was behind on my mortgage with them, so let them try to repo my band!

Magster, if Aetna is denying based on "experimental" status, it stands to reason that SOMEDAY that "experimental" status will no longer be viable. After a while, new procedures that work STOP being experimental. But it's not true, in any event, that Aetna denies based on that reason alone. Aetna clearly shows a preference for RNY (though I really believe that will change after another year or so), but if you can provide medical reasons why RNY is not right for you they WILL approve the band. Look at their website (under Coverage Policy Determinations--Obesity Surgery) for specific reasons why banding would be approved over bypass.

Sunday, August 30, 2009 Educating Primary Care Physicians about Lapband As with all surgeries, lapband can result in complications. The band can slip, infection can occur, some people are so good at eating around the band (using slider food) that they gain weight back, or they never go in for their fills. Some Dr.s don't seem to give very good advice to their patients about sticking to higher density proteins and not turning them into slider food by adding things like gravy to them. Some actually recommend that people "prime the pump" with liquid before they eat. Some Dr.s take forever to give their patients a fill that actually acheives restriction. Not all patients make sure they get the kind of support system they need to achieve success nor do their Dr.s The lapband is a tool not a cure. Other issues need to be dealt with simultaneously. If they're not, the band isn't as successful. So some primary care physicians seem to only be aware of the failures and are unwilling to recommend their patients for the lapband. They also don't distinguish between gastric bypass which is much more drastic and has many more severe complications and the lapband. They confuse the statistics for the two. I think a lot of these Dr.s really don't understand the nature of compulsive overeating. They keep thinking that if their patients just listened to them and followed the diets they hand them and had better nutritional education they'd lose the weight. But time and again, nutritional information and closely supervised diets don't help their patients. Over the years some have prescribed drugs that haven't helped and have actually harmed overweight patients. When I think of the money and time I spent on Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Tops, OA, Atkins, and some wierd combination of thyroid and speed one Dr. put me on, it makes me angry. I had a Dr. who didn't believe in the band. She thought I could do it myself. I knew I couldn't. I had to go to a new Dr. anyway because of insurance so I tested the next Dr. to see if he recommended the band. With two co-morbidities he took it seriously. He had Dr. friends who did lapband surgery with great success. So he went ahead and recommended me for the surgery which started the year long process of jumping through hoops to get the band. I'm blessed that I had the persistance to get through that year and that I had a cooperative Dr. My insurance company also sent me to a top-of-the-line specialist. Some insurance companies won't cover the surgery at all. Although I have access to a nutritionist at my surgeon's office, I've found even greater support on lapbandtalk, especially on a thread called I'm here to help...This blog has also proved to be an invaluable ally in my recovery. A lady at my church who is in much worse shape than me has not been able to get her primary care physician to recommend the lapband. Meanwhile, the meds she's on for her co-morbidities have made her gain even more weight. People need to explore the risks, the failures, and the successes of lapband surgery before they make a decision. They need to know that its still hard work to lose the weight and keep it off. Their Dr.s should be helping them explore their options and get set up for success if the option for lapband is chosen. I think the primary physicians need to get more educated, not only about lapband surgery, but about compulsive overeating itself. It is an eating disorder, an addiction, with genetic, biological, emotional, psychological, and spiritual componants that all need to be addressed. The band helps relieve the person of enough of the addiction aspect to let them work on the other aspects. I had worked for years on all the other componants with counseling, 12-step meetings for food addiction, 12-step meetings for codependency issues, not to mention prayer and Bible reading and Bible study groups. I'd come to pretty good terms with my ADHD/ADD and still I could not succeed in losing and keeping off the weight. I had a medical condition that needed a medical solution. I hope the woman in my church gets the help she needs. I hope the lapband, if she gets recommended, proves to be the tool she needs like it has for me. She's a precious soul and very much loved and appreciated in my church community. I want her to be around yet for a long time.

Sarcar: You are absolutely right. My employer is fully funded not self covered. Therefore it is the insurance co who dictates if the service is a paid procedure. The insurance rep explained to me that the contract they signed was w/self insured companies. The insurance company will provide services as if the procedure is covered, but when the bill comes, the employer will pay for it. I am hearing through the grapevine that the insurance company has paid for Gastric Bypass. In fact, I contacted the insurance company and said that I needed a denial for WLS. The lady said "Our company does not approve for WLS". I said " I know, that's why I need a denial letter." She said to have my PCP send in a referral for WLS. She then said "I believe Dr. Patrick White does that surgery". I said "Yep". (that's the guy I have heard they have allowed other Paramount members go to for the surgery. ) Problem is that he has an age cutoff of 50 something (I am 61) and that he only does By-Pass (I want Lap-Band). So now I know to ask my PCP to send a referral to the insurance co so I can get a denial. Then I will contact Obesitylaw.com and procede through the process. I am gleaning lots of information from all of the WLS sites and am gearing up for a battle. I may end up a self pay but I will continue the fight, up to and including contacting the people with the power to change legislation in Ohio. I may even see if there are others in the same boat who would like to see this discrimination against us stop. My therapist's office said that after Paramount signed the contract w/the Dr.'s who do lap-band, that his phone rang off the hook. Individuals were scheduling the required psych test. A few days later, a number of individuals called back to cancel the psych indicating that the procedure was an exclusion on their company policy. The surgeon's office said the same thing. When I asked the insurance rep at the Surgeon's office what happened to those people when they found out they were not covered she said "I don't know. They never called back" (I think she was making a hidden slur regarding my character lol) Little does she know that I am hopeful that I will someday get banded by that doctor and the bill will be paid by Paramount! Anyway, that's my story and I'm gonna stick with it!! Thanks Sandy

I am so overjoyed. I received a phone call from the doctors office. They left me a message and basically just said they were calling about my approval. I immediately thought oh no…they need more information. By the time I got the message to call back, the doctor's office was closed. I immediately called the insurance company (AETNA) and the agent was very nice…told me about how successful her gastric bypass was from 2 years ago. I told her I was worried that I wasn't gonna get approved and she don't worry…YOU'RE APPROVED. The date she gave me for my surgery was March 24. How do they come up with the surgery date? Do they contact the hospital to find out the first available date? Will the doctor give me a different date? I was hoping to be sleeved in February. M head is spinning right now….getting my list together so I can be prepared…. I'm really getting sleeved!!! Yaaaahhhhh!!

There are two phase to weight loss surgery: the Weight Loss Phase and the Maintenance phase. The weight loss phase tends to be short. I had RNY gastric bypass and I transitioned into the Maintenance phase at around 7 months. Sleeve patients lose weight at a much slower pace and sometimes enter Maintenance at 2 years. So during the Weight Loss phase I advise that you adhere to the meal guidelines given by the surgeon and nutritionist. In the Maintenance phase, you have more freedom and go with what works for you.

Oh poo! I hate computers sometimes...accidentally hit the "back" button..sheesh OK, here we go again. My husband has never had a weight problem either. He is part of the "push yourself away from the table" brigade. Off and on over the years he has tried to be my food police, which has cause a lot of strife between us. He just doesn't get it. I mean, he forgets to eat. Who does that!?!? Years ago, when I first brought up surgery (bypass), he was totally against it. I yo-yoed for years. He observed the battle. I looked into surgery again, and found out about the band. He was much more comfortable with the band. Still not happy that I needed surgery to push myself away from the table, but accepted it. As I have lost the weight and become healthier, he's stopped being my food monitor. He's so funny now. He'll say, "are you sure that's all you want?" I say, "uh, yeah, this will do me." "Ok then." He says he feels bad when I can't eat a lot knowing how much I love food. I tell him I still enjoy it. I just eat less, but eat slower so I still enjoy it as much as I used to. It's very refreshing not to have food and my weight be an issue between us. We don't constantly argue about whether or not I can possibly be hungry because he isn't. Yes, we had that argument many times. If he wasn't hungry, I shouldn't be either. If he was hungry, I was allowed to be. Now, if I am hungry, he accepts it. It's wonderful.

Thanks so much for responding. I appreciate you taking the time to tell me your stories. What was the final straw for you to finally make that move to go to a surgeon? Did something happen or were you just fed up with being overweight and just decided to go through with it? I guess I just have reservations about doing it. I know a few people who had the gastric bypass. One is gaining his weight back 3 yrs in and the other a female seems to have put alittle bit of her weight back but she has had ALOT of hair loss. She also had skin removal not long after her weight loss. Both seem deficient in vitamins etc. I just dont want to go through all this and ultimately end up gaining it back. Id like to think that I could say on target and make a change in my eating habits and the types of food I eat but seeing others starting to put the weight back on makes me second guess doing it.

Are you sleeve or bypass? I may be wrong here- but shouldn't we be keeping to 1/2 cup of food per meal? I'm bypass, maybe that is why? I'm 6 weeks out as well and can't eat more than that physically. I'm so scared of stretching that little pouch! Lol I think it depends. I read by 3 months the RNY pouch usually expands to closer to a cup in size, and I bet that varies. Also I find the liquid foods may pass faster onto my duodenum, but besides shakes, I never measure the volume of my meals. Semi solid things like yogurt or puréed refried Beans are never an issue. I once heard you can't physically stretch the bypass pouch although it gets bigger with time, but I don't know what the truth it. Usually they say it is the stoma that widens to much, allowing food to pass faster, but that isn't from overeating. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Are you sleeve or bypass? I may be wrong here- but shouldn't we be keeping to 1/2 cup of food per meal? I'm bypass, maybe that is why? I'm 6 weeks out as well and can't eat more than that physically. I'm so scared of stretching that little pouch! Lol

I'm looking at the vitamins online and I was wondering if those of you that either originally had the bypass, or those who revised to it, can tell me which of these looks better? I know vitamin needs for bypass are different than the sleeve. Thanks!! https://www.bariatricadvantage.com/item/ultra-multivitamin https://www.barilife.com/product/just-one-chewable-once-daily-bariatric-multivitamin-iron/ PS - I will be adding additional biotin to whatever vitamins I end up with. like I do now. Just throwing that out there because neither of these provide the amount my surgeon recommends.

Good afternoon love! Just wanted to reply to your comment and share a bit of my journey with u. I had a revision in December from a VBG(first weight loss surgery approved) in 2004 to a gastric bypass do to esophogus issues, heartburn and major weight gain. I lost 46lbs after revision. The vitamins I see you posted are great but expensive. I have blood check up every 3 months have been amazing and i take a Bariatric vitamin from amazon. 16.77 month. My health is fabulous. Look into amzon for vitamins love. It will really save you money and they work just as well. Please take your daily calcuim after revision and you will be just fine. Good luck and God Bless you

Hey, so i live in a big coastal city myself, and just had my bypass. I’ll tell you, yes, it’s a funeral for food. I always ate all kinds of things, and now I’m full off of 2oz of water.. your new stomach doesn’t have room for much else. I have no idea how people are drinking alcohol and eating other stuff.. you’ll feel very sick if you do. But this is the cost of wanting to get health or small.. however, other friends of mine who had bypass, after one year or more, eat and drink pretty normal now.. they just haven’t kept their weight off all the way... as for insurance? I’m in California and have medi-Cal , so in all covered. Only payed for vitamins and my shakes.

I have bcbs of mn and mine was submitted yesterday! I hope it works, I was denied within 3 days last time because of miss info from ins to doc they said I needed 3-4 pre op req visits I actually needed 6 for the sleeve, so I'm done now and should be no fight but ins is ins so who knows! They have 10 days or so he said to approve or deny. I'm a revision and on the books for June 10 pending approval!

Hello everyone - My name is Jason and I'm 32 --though soon to be rolling over to the 33 year marker. I've been overweight for 24 years of my life and to this point, it's really all I can remember. My attempts at losing weight have been more than I can count on two hands and two feet and I can always succeed at losing 30-50 pounds. Anything beyond that has been a brick wall and it's been very frustrating. I work as an ICU nurse and I see so many patients that make me think "this really could be me in about 15-20 years" because of diseases that are secondary to chronic morbid obesity. I've looked into the options over the past 10 years. My first wife had a Gastric Bypass and saw massive results. My second wife also had the gastric bypass before we were married. I've decided that the LapBand surgery would be ideal for me. I am so very thankful to have insurance that includes coverage for weight-loss surgery. I have completed the pre-op paperwork to start everything and I am really going forward with it. I will be faxing the paperwork in on January 2nd, following my appointment with my PCP to start the required 3-month medically-supervised diet. I am hopeful that I can have my surgery by July. I am truly blessed to have the support of my wife. She is my rock and I know that with God's support and that of my wife, I will not fail. Though, I am doing this for myself. The comorbidies are starting to reveal themselves to me: I have obstructive sleep apnea, hypertention, knee and lower back pain... it's terrible. Weighing myself this morning, the screen told me I was a whopping 347lbs. Enough is enough. I realize this will be a journey and I am pleased to see an online support group for people like us. I look forward in reaching out to new names, new friends, and share this experience. All the best, Jason "The Night Shift Nurse" St. Louis, MO

@@BananaSplit Please please please don't gain to have the surgery. Exercise alone will not get you there. With a 30 BMI, you can do this! But 90% of weight loss comes from diet with exercise being a much smaller portion though still really important. If you have that good habit built you can begin to change your diet to get rid of this extra weight. Go speak with a nutritionist, they really really can help you. Moving toward a high Protein, good carb diet is the way to go. Learning about portion management is critical and lastly staying away from sugar, rice, potatoes, Pasta and bread also critical during weight loss. Here is the thing, if you had this surgery, you would have to change your lifestyle to the above in order for it to be successful long term. So, although I am very thankful for having bypass, if I could have done it withou surgery I would have. My BMI was well over 40 and I had almost every comorbitity. Gaining weight to get there will only do more damage to your body. I hope that you find the best solution for you, I am just saying having your insides cut out or rearranged when you are not morbidly obese seems like a risk you don't need to take. This is just my opinion. I wish you all the best!

Excited but nervous! I will be having a revision from the sleeve to the Loop/SIPS. My surgeon will be removing my gall bladder, fixing my hernia and then doing the Loop DS. Has anyone had all 3 of these done together? It just seems like so much! Thanks! 😊

I'm waiting for my sister. To tell me she is having a baby too she just had the bypass in February and she also has pcos..,

I was wondering if any of you had your revision surgery in Tijuana, Mexico. I am considering going there since my insurance company won't cover my band removal and the gastric sleeve surgery and I cannot afford the self pay option.

Wow sure sounds like you went through a lot! I am glad you are on your road to recovery! How was the repair surgery? Did it take a long time? I am in the lap band to RNY revision process, definitely terrified of complications but I am trying not to let it stop me from going something that will give me hope to lose the extra weight I have been carrying all my life.

I have a consultation with Dr. Geiss on 7/16 and am very excited/nervous. I've been lurking about on this board for weeks now, and it has been VERY helpful. I have an appointment with my PCP on Monday, and I know he'll be supportive and write any kind of letter I might need. I just turned 29 on 7/8, my BMI is 35.4, but I have severe degenerative disc disease, arthritis of my spine, bursitis in both hips, an ulcerative erosion in my stomach, and a strong family history of obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure - my mother actually had a gastric bypass. I wanted to see if anyone out there has Oxford Liberty and has used Dr. Geiss so I can get a better idea of what I'm in for. The more research I do into the lapband, the more I know I will benefit from it. Thanks for any help/advice!

Hi Jane, I am from Florida. I have to be honest, I have been to all the major bookstores around here and never found the first book on lapbands. They have plenty on gastric bypass, but not the lapband. So, the ones I have I got from Amazon.com. You will love Orlando, there is so much there to do, and the weather is beautiful this time of year.