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Where are all the Michigan people at??



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I know with my BCBS PPO that a BMI of 35 would be accepted with co-morbidities. I also want to say (don't hold me on this as it was 8 months ago when I heard it) that the education insurance is the best to have becasue there are no pre-surgury requirments such as a supervised diet. I believe the MESSA is educational correct?

Yes MESSA is the educational insurance for many teachers and support staff. They do not require a pysch eval nor a supervised weight loss program. However retired educators have BC/BS PPO which is a whole different ballgame!

James, I'm betting your comorbidites would qualify. Got my fingers crossed for you!!!

Judy

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Hold the phone! I'm from Michigan!! Where are you getting banded? Feel free to PM me if you want to chat. Welcome to LBT! :)

HI, My name is Cathy ....I am from suburb of Detroit....I had my band on Feb 13th, 2007...Still wondering if I did the right thing! Don't even think I lost any weight yet...Its funny ....you think you'll loose 20 lbs right away...Like the weight will just melt off..... You can email me at catrn48183@yahoo.com if you want to talk...Hope to hear from someone...I am extremely bored.....I need support.

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Hold the phone! I'm from Michigan!! Where are you getting banded? Feel free to PM me if you want to chat. Welcome to LBT! :)

HI, My name is Cathy ....I am from suburb of Detroit....I had my band on Feb 13th, 2007...Still wondering if I did the right thing! Don't even think I lost any weight yet...Its funny ....you think you'll loose 20 lbs right away...Like the weight will just melt off..... You can email me at catrn48183@yahoo.com if you want to talk...Hope to hear from someone...I am extremely bored.....I need support.

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Wendy here, I am patient of Dr. Deol's and I could not be happier. Dr. Deol, and Rebecca just rock. Simple, fun, very caring, and skilled. Rebecca can be a bulldog for ya when it comes to your insurance. They have a simple form letter w/four statements your PCP has to check off on then you should be all set to go w/BCBS. I have BCBS and it was a breeze w/the letter.

Are you saying you had a re- band....please tell me about that...What happened......email@ catrn48183@yahoo. com

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Wendy, that is good to know about Rebecca. When I talked to BC/Bs today just to find out what their criteria was, the girl was pretty helpful and I left feeling somewhat better. But it is good to know that about Rebecca. Hopefully, she will be able to help me out. I am going next Tuesday to the first seminar, then my appt with Dr. Deol is March 13th. As absurd as it may sound, I just wonder if I should try to gain a few more pounds to make myself that much closer.

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Thanks James! Most of the loss is from my pre-op diet. I jsut want to take things slow. I don't care if I only lose a pound a week. After a year that would make me 52 pounds less than I am right now. My band is going to help me eat less but as long as I am getting all my protien in I will not be worrying about dieting. If I can only eat a quarter of a can of tuna fish you can bet I will be putting real mayo on it becasue I want to enjoy that quarter can.

As bad as it sounds if it were between not getting the surgery and getting it if I gained some wieght, I would gain the wieght.

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I agree with you, a pound a week is more that I am loosing now! I would welcome that success! I am seeing my pcp on Friday and hope that he supports my decision to have this done. If not, I will still persue this. I am excited to start this adventure.

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hello everyone I am in the process of trying to get banded. I am from the Bay City Saginaw area I have seen Dr. Obeid and went through all the steps and my insurance (Blue Care Network)denied me saying my documented weight loss was not recent enough. It has to be within the last 2 years I am going to appeal it has anyone else gone through this process?

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slabenne: yeagh! i went through this, and I had to have 12 months "no missing" weigh ins to make bcbs happy. Thean they pd. for the whole thing. The people at Henry Fords explained that if tou don't follow that criteria, you don't stand a chance, cause they will not touch you. So I am

afraid this part you have to do. I don't no how many months you need to

go,,, but,,, it's worth it."EXAMPLE" While you go this month for testing at a different dr. ask for the print out of your visit. This should have your weight, and b.p on it, keep these in a folder. If you go to see your surgeon and he ways you in! that counts, just make sure it is in a different month. This way they all add up. I think I saw my Health Dr. about 6 times. The rest was blood work, shrink, internal medicine,and so forth. I made sure I was weighed at every visit, and got a print out. When my date came, I was ready to go, and all my testing was done, and I gave the file to the head nurse who copied it all. That was it! When it gets broke down the way I did it for you, you don't have to see your pc to often. the hole idea behind this is to discourage you from getting it done. I'm sure it worked on a lot of people. Please don't let them win!!!! Good Luck! Shirley..:clap2:

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Hi I am from Lowell, Mi. work at Macy's in kentwood! I was banded 10/17/07 and have lost 42lbs. But could have been more if I would have had a fill sooner than I did. I just started with the fills in Jan 24th. I think.

Mary

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I will not be able to get my first fill until April 12. I already made the appt but I am really scared about it. I am really excited about the nice weather we are finally getting here in Michigan. It makes me really want to get out and go for a nice long walk.

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I will not be able to get my first fill until April 12. I already made the appt but I am really scared about it. I am really excited about the nice weather we are finally getting here in Michigan. It makes me really want to get out and go for a nice long walk.

Don't get too excited, supposed to snow this weekend.... :) SO am I going to have a pitty party. You are all welcome to join me! lol...

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I will because I have 2 year old twins and they were really enjoying to outdoors. I can not wait for the nice weather to get here and stay here.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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