http://thinforlife.med.nyu.edu/

I'm in NJ but am willing to take the drive for the best.

Good luck John! My surgery is with Dr. Fielding on Monday (3/9), I'm pretty excited. The only advice I have for you is to do your research before your appointment with Dr. Fielding, I didn't really know what I needed to ask him in my surgical consult and now have questions that I wish I would have asked - things like the risk of band erosion, port flips, how his record is with band slips etc.

Ait - Just wanted to say - GOOD LUCK ON MONDAY !!!!! Start of your new life...........

Thank you!!!! I'm starting to get nervous b/c I did not make it through two weeks of liquids, I have been doing liquid days with food dinner b/c I just could not function. And I'm starting to freak that he'll open me up and my liver will be too fatty and he won't band me. Keeping my fingers crossed...

Ait - Don't be nervous.......You'll do fine.....Since your surgery is Monday,try and have just liquids for the weekend. That will probably help alot.......

You're in good hands with Dr. Fielding.

AIT - Did you have your surgery on 3/9/09 ?? How are you feeling? What's it like to be a bandster??

Hi! Thanks for checking up. I did have my surgery on 3/9/09 and everything went great. I'm feeling a little too good actually, my stomach seems to be healed b/c I get really hungry and can eat way more than someone with a band should be able to. My first fill is on 4/6 and I can't wait - hopefully I'll get some restriction then.

I'm glad all went well. I met Dr. Fielding Wednesday with my wife. We had a nice conversation about Lap Banding and what my wife could expect. That seemed to help her. My surgery is scheduled for 5/11/09.:crying:

I have to see my primary one more time then they'll submit all the papers to Aetna for approval. I start the liquid diet on 4/27 and pre-op testing on 4/30/09.

What have you been eating? and how does it feel "going down"?

I go to Dr. Ren at NYU, though I had my surgery in Monterrey, Mexico with Dr. Rumbaut. I really like Dr. Ren -- the office is busy, but she is bright, informative and gives a relatively pain-free fill.

I read the book they wrote with Muhammed Ali's daughter before having my surgery. It was a decent read and informative, though my favorite of the books I bought before I had my surgery was Weight Loss Surgery With The Adjustable Band.

Catherine

So I started going for my fills with Gaspar, I have been going at 3pm and the office is nearly empty! (I guess I'm giving away my secret here) But I haven't been there for more than a half hour, which is really great!

I will be getting banded by Dr. Ren on June 27th, Im currently on the preop liquid diet. From what I read everyone said to expect her to be strict, which she absolutely is, but its better that way cause I dont want to let her down. IDK it makes it more personal... Im excited and nervous about the procedure... I had a nightmare last night, I got banded and when i woke up the band felt so tight and uncomfortable that I felt like I couldnt breathe... Is this normal?? Can this nightmare be possible??

I will be getting banded by Dr. Ren on June 27th, Im currently on the preop liquid diet. From what I read everyone said to expect her to be strict, which she absolutely is, but its better that way cause I dont want to let her down. IDK it makes it more personal... Im excited and nervous about the procedure... I had a nightmare last night, I got banded and when i woke up the band felt so tight and uncomfortable that I felt like I couldnt breathe... Is this normal?? Can this nightmare be possible??

The band is placed around your stomach, not your lungs :thumbup:

It's VERY normal to have anxiety and nightmares before any surgical procedure.

You're in great hands, try to take some breaths and relaaaaaax.

Dr. Ren is my savior! I went to her in '03, and she revised my band in '04. I love her and her team. Go, if you haven't already!

My surgery was done by Dr. Kurian on 11/17/09. The staff at NYU are exceptional.

I'm in the process of getting everything together for my surgery. So far I am very happy with the staff at NYU and Dr. Ren was very pleasant.

I met with Dr. Ren on Nov. 18th and my primary has already given me 3 months of my medically supervised diet...only problem is I have GHI which is out of network and Empire BC/BS through the City of New York.

I already spoke to the blling mgr. who reassured me that they are trying to get back in network with GHI.

However, I am wondering now if I shouldn't try to find another good bariatric surgeon who will accept my insurance. I have all the factors to be covered by insurance. I have a BMI of 48 and co morbidities.

I'm afraid of having the surgery being happy and losing and then getting stuck with a bill for thousands of dollars. I have been in the hospital 2x since 2001. I know how high hospital bills can be.

Any thoughts? anyone have any experience with their insurance being out of network ? I'm really stressed about this.

I'm in the process of getting everything together for my surgery. So far I am very happy with the staff at NYU and Dr. Ren was very pleasant.

I met with Dr. Ren on Nov. 18th and my primary has already given me 3 months of my medically supervised diet...only problem is I have GHI which is out of network and Empire BC/BS through the City of New York.

I already spoke to the blling mgr. who reassured me that they are trying to get back in network with GHI.

However, I am wondering now if I shouldn't try to find another good bariatric surgeon who will accept my insurance. I have all the factors to be covered by insurance. I have a BMI of 48 and co morbidities.

I'm afraid of having the surgery being happy and losing and then getting stuck with a bill for thousands of dollars. I have been in the hospital 2x since 2001. I know how high hospital bills can be.

Any thoughts? anyone have any experience with their insurance being out of network ? I'm really stressed about this.

Hope everything works out for you. I sent you a PM about my experience.