Hi everyone!

My name is Jessica. I'm a 28 year old social worker who lives in Salt Lake City. Hopefully, I will be having the Lap Band surgery soon...I'm waiting for the insurance to approve it. I have Aetna and I've heard that they are pretty difficult to work with. I'm crossing my fingers!

I'm currently at 218 pounds and I'm only 5'1". So my goal weight is between 120-130. I've already found so much helpful information on the forum! You all have such inspirational stories to tell. I look forward to getting to know everyone!

Welcome aboard JDru

Good luck in getting your approval.

Tracy

Greetings JDru! Welcome to LBT!

Welcome, hope everything goes well with that insurance.

Welcome JDru,

I use to live along the Wasatch Range a bit to your south some years ago. It certainly is beautiful. I moved back to (west) Texas, but I do miss the beautiful scenery from there.

Hope you the best in your band journey!

Terry

Welcome to LBT! Good luck with your journey. There is a lot of valuable information on here just for taking the time to read it.

Hi Jesica,

I live in Pocatello , Idaho not far from SLC. I was just banded August 17th. I had Aetna, but I ened up being self pay as they wanted a more recent attempt at weight loss and I had been there and done that over the last 20 years of my life, and decided that I was not going to lose the weight and still not qualify because I had been able to lose. My problem is gaining weight back and that is where I hope the band will be of help. I did my first exercise to day with 30 minutes on the treadmill and got in a little over 1 mile. The first 3 days were painful to get in and out of bed and to walk,but there after each day got better. I have my two week check up this Wednesday with my surgeon, in Blackfoot, Idaho. Self pay was $11,000. and other wise with insurance it is $15,000. This covers the fills for 1 year and then it is $100.00 per fill after that. Good luck to you on qualifying for insurance. I also did not have serious co-morbidities, or life threatening health issues. I am 5'5 and started at 230#, in May. My scale says now I am 208#.

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!! pbrown: it sounds like you've made great progress! Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Hey,

One of my best friends that I just met since banding lives in Salt Lake City, and she was banded the same day as me in Monterrey, Mexico, we had insurance but didn't want to jump through they're hoops and we were self pay. She's losing great and has had one fill, and I've had two. We were both banded on July 10, 06. I have lost almost 35 pounds and she's lost a bunch too. It will be wonderful, your new life starting over.

I'm so proud for you. If you want I'll give you her email address and she can tell you who her fill doctor is, I know she really likes him. Her and I talk about once a week. So I should be hearing from her tomorrow. Her name is Tracy. You'll love her, she is so honest, and not self absorbed, and down to earth and very truthful. She's a doll.

Hi guys, hope it is OK for a UK girl to write to you all? I find this forum extremely helpful and am hoping to get some good advice and guidance. Taking a big breath .....

I am in the preliminary stages of setting up appointments for the op and am very nervous and excited at the same time. I am hoping to have it done in London beginning 2007 and the thought of being in a position to finally do something about my weight is what drives me. I have a couple of questions that no-one around me can answer (I don't know anyone who has had it done):

1. Do you feel the LB once it has been 'installed'? I mean, besides not being able to eat much, can you actually sense it there all the time?

2. Can you feel the portal under the skin?

3. Do any of the above stop you from doing any physical activities?

4. How do you cope mentally/emotionally with the changes? I know for a fact that I will have to work hard at changing my relationship with food: no more comfort eating, a complete life change.

Many thanks in advance for any advice and feedback.

Mari :mad:

Hi bandsister!

Welcome to LBT!!!

Here we go to bandland on Oct 5th!!

Anna.

Hi Jessica,

I'm so excited for you. Keep me updated on how things go, if you don't mind. I have 2 co-workers who went to Dr. Hansen and Dr. Alldredge here in SLC. One was just banded in July and is down 57 pounds! She said she was only on pain meds for 2 days and she was back at work in a week, so I'm comfortable that we picked the right Doctors! I just got the approval yesterday and am scheduled for 10/23, so I will be anxious to hear how you are doing.

Audrey