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hi everyone!

I started looking into lapband after the 1st day of the Avon Walk for breast cancer. I got to the 10.5 mile lunch break and wanted to lay down in the middle of the street and just die!! I knew i had to do something. I've been a yo-yo dieter all my life. My aunt works at the 900 N Michigan surgical center so I asked her about the procedure.

2 weeks later i went to the infoseccion.

Then I went to meet Dr Meyers and speak to him about it.

This past wednesday, I got the call that the insurace gave the all-clear!! I almost fainted! I hate my job but at least it'll be good for something!!

I've been doing all this research w/o talking to the hubby. figured i'd wait til i head from the insurance - y bring him in if they said no (he's 125 pounds soaking wet). Anyway - spoke to the husband Friday and he's behind me and my desicion!! WOOHOO. not sure why i thought he wouldn't be...

Now i have a surgery date of 10/26!! I'm soo exicted! I would have gotten it done the week before but we have my college 10 reunion and i dont want to be on a liquid diet away from home.

I just can't believe its all happening!

I did get a letter from the insurance saying they recieved my information but still want to confirm that this isn't for a preexisitng condition. I've been having nightmares for 2 days now that I say something stupid or sarcastic on the phone and they say never mind.

Am I just in panic-mode now?

I'm glad theres a site out here that I can ask questions and see what others have been through!

thanks!

Sonia

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Hello everyone! I am out in the far Northwest Burbs about 10 miles from the WI border. I have a lap band surgery date of 9/26. I am at 230.lb and hope to get down to 135 or 145. I am middle aged so we'll see what happens. Kind thoughts to all and don't give up the fight. Linda:clap2:

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Hi I am Teri,

I live in McHenry and I am having the lap band procedure on 9/15.

I wonder???? Does insurance pay for fills? I have Humana HMO. Does anyone have any experience with this at all?

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Hi Teri,

I am from Northlake (by Elmhurst) and I am getting banded on 9-22 at the Wish Center. We are self pays, from what I hear, unless this a medical necessity, most insurance companies don't cover it at all. I would imagine if your surgery is covered, the fills should be to. Maybe just give them a call?

Where are you getting banded at?

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Hi Lin here,

Im in Wonder Lake, getting Banded by Dr. Heydari at Woodstock Memorial Medical center on 9/26.

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Hi Teri,

I am from Northlake (by Elmhurst) and I am getting banded on 9-22 at the Wish Center. We are self pays, from what I hear, unless this a medical necessity, most insurance companies don't cover it at all. I would imagine if your surgery is covered, the fills should be to. Maybe just give them a call?

Where are you getting banded at?

I am getting banded tommorrow at 10:15 am at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. (I work there) My Humana HMO is paying for it, because I have hypertension, and High cholestrol. I love hospital insurance.

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Hi Lin here,

Im in Wonder Lake, getting Banded by Dr. Heydari at Woodstock Memorial Medical center on 9/26.

Lin,

You are so close!!!! Right down the street. I will let you know how it goes for me. How much weight do you want to lose? My Dr. would like to see me at 156 which is the max for my height and still healthy. I would like to be 135 - 140.

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Best wishes for your surgery tomorrow 9/15. Email me when you feel up to it and let me know how you are doing. I want to lose about 95 lb. Tomorrow Iam going to the hosp. for my pre-surg bloodwork and upper GI.

Prayers for your speedy recovery.

Lin

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I am looking for a ew Dr. I live in Peotone and I need to get a fill and the drive downtown is such a nightmare with the Dan Ryan ripped apart. Does anyone have a Dr. that would take a new patient that needs fills in or close to my area? I am just curious if Dr.'s take patients with bands already and give them fills. Thank you very much!!!!

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I am looking for a ew Dr. I live in Peotone and I need to get a fill and the drive downtown is such a nightmare with the Dan Ryan ripped apart. Does anyone have a Dr. that would take a new patient that needs fills in or close to my area? I am just curious if Dr.'s take patients with bands already and give them fills. Thank you very much!!!!

Yes, some banding doctors take other banding patients. I was banded at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood, by Dr. Vafa Shayani. I absolutely love my doctor and the banding staff at Loyola. I sent a friend to Loyola for her fills, she was banded in Mexico. Good luck with your Quest.

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Hi everyone-

This is my first post. I was banded on 9/15 with Dr Myers.

Mskobe-I was so scared preop as well. I am a nurse so knowing everything that could go wrong made me a nervous wreck. Just know that your feelings are normal and you will be fine! I also work at Rush and i think it is a great hospital-they will take great care of you! It would be nice if someone could help you post op but i think you will be fine taking care of yourself-just take it slow getting up and down. I just moved to Chicago in January so i asked my mom to come from Ohio to help me. Well she and my father came for a few days. I was a bit scared when they left but i was fine. If you want any more details, just let me know. I could go on and on...

I think it would be great if a group of us could get together. I know i could use all the support i can get!

Melissa:)

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Hey Chicago bandsters Its so awesome to read a thread about locals with band i often feel so isolated everyone has the by pass around here..... Dr horgan banded me.... I have had alright success i was 397 and now i am 197 or so...

KIM

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Hey Chicago bandsters Its so awesome to read a thread about locals with band i often feel so isolated everyone has the by pass around here..... Dr horgan banded me.... I have had alright success i was 397 and now i am 197 or so...

KIM

You lost 100 pounds and that is just "alright" weight loss? You should be very proud of yourself, that is fantastic! I am down to 279 though I can't get my ticker updated. About 21 pounds since 9-11 start of liquid diet.

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Hi, I was banded by Dr. Myers on 8/10/06 and have lost 50 pounds. I lost about 20 BEFORE the surgery with all the fasting. I have had one fill, and can eat just about anything I want, but in small portions. I have 30-40 pounds to go....

Eileen in Oak Park

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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

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      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

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      2. Doughgurl

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    • 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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