Hello!

[chubbola 0]

:rolleyes ok come on...i know i'm not the only fatty in wisconsin! i'm just starting my band journey and would like to connect with fellow chedderheads who have had the lapband or who are contemplating getting one (like me)! i have my first seminar on 12/11/06 and am so excited to start my journey! hope to hear from you!!!!

have a great day!

[bubbyville 0]

Hey Chubbola -

I am a cheese head just like you!! I had my surgery on 6/20/06 and extremely happy that I did it. I am still working on getting my fill right. Let me know if you have any question - love to share !!!!

Tracy

[chubbola 0]

aha! i knew someone was out there!! lol!! i'm going to my seminar in madison a week from monday--dr. gould and his team at UW seem to be my best bet.

how are you feeling? i see you've lost a ton of weight! good for you! i have been bouncing back and forth between 240 and 290 for the last three years-just can't get the weight off, much less keep it off! i'm just hoping that with the lapband i can actually feel FULL without gorging myself with cosmic brownies and pizza!!! i know it's not a cure-all, but it's a darned good start!!!

thanks for posting-hope to hear back from you!

have a great day!

[bubbyville 0]

Chubbola -

I got banded in Fort Atkinson. My friend got banded in Madison - I should ask her who she had as a DR.? She is 1 year out and 100 #'s down.

I started the whole process in March '06. I told the coordinator that I wanted to have the surgery the week after school got out and she laughed at me. She told me the process could take up to a year with some insurances - but I was bound and determined to get it done in June. I was lucky!!! We did it june 20th. The surgery itself went very smooth - I was so extremely calm, I knew that this is what I needed and was ready for the change.

What happened after surgery is what was the worst experience!! My Dr. and I still am not sure what happened but I became terribly ill in the hospital. I threw-up in the hospital all the way until discharge (which they were not going to let me go home if it didn't stop). I don't know how or why but I got myself to stop long enough to get myself home and into my own bed. This was an occasional issue for about 3-4 weeks then I went into week long stomach flu yucks for the next month. That is how I lost all the weight so fast. This is not your average recovery!!! and it is not common at all to be so sick. We still are not sure why I was so sick - I tend to believe it was the anesthetics???? or maybe my body was trying to reject the band??? This time was terrible esp since I do in home daycare. My parents of my kids were very patient with me and this long long recovery. I was also thankful that my daughter was home most of that time and she was able to help me around the house because I was not able to do much.

BUT now I feel much much better. I didn't get my first fill until @1 1/2 months ago. I didn't get hungry (I had to remind myself to eat) until before my first fill and I also didn't stop losing weight until just before my first fill. I now have had 2 fills and still am eating more than I should. My weight hasn't changed much within the past month either. I go back in on Tues for my third fill. We have been going very small amounts each fill because I am scared to get sick again. Fills aren't bad at all - my doc numbs the area before each fill so you really can't feel anything.

I do need to start working out - walking or something though. I do have a machine in my basement and it is just collecting dust. I have been having problems with my wrists and that is now requiring surgery so I have been slightly laxed on the exersice thing. :guess I do know that my Doc says he can tell who does and who doesn't.

I am very happy that I did this and would do it over again in a heart beat. I recommend it to everyone. I even make people touch my port!!! It is a great tool to help - I have done that rollercoaster so many times that I needed a more permanent thing - and believe me - you still have to work at it.

I have more energy than I remember having in a long time. My favorite hobby is not sitting on my butt any longer. My children are enjoying their mom's new look. I even made my 11 year old cry when I showed her a new outfit I bought. The hardest thing is getting rid of all the oversized clothes. I never was able to throw out the things that I didn't fit into - just saved them because I probably would need them again - that ain't happening anymore!!

Ok I rambled. It was great hearing from you. I did the same entry about 8 months ago to see if there were any WI out there and only heard back from one person (I know there are more of us out there too).

Hope all goes well with your info session - let me know!!

Take care

Tracy

[chubbola 0]

so glad to hear from you! thanks for your story! i wonder who your friend had for a surgeon in madison. i'm going to be seeing dr. gould at the uw bariatric center-i'm so excited to meet the whole team! i too would like to get my surgery done either on spring break or summer vacation (i am in school to be a RN and am also working full time) because i don't/can't miss any school! thank you for your inspiration, and i'm hoping to hear from you again!

thanks a ton (no pun intented)!

[Shesha 1]

Hi ladies,

I am just starting my band journey too. I am self pay though, and am currently in the "shop around" stage. I will probably end up flying to denver to have my band done by Dr. Kirshenbaum. I will need a fill Dr. in Wisconsin though. Any suggestions???

I checked with Midwest Bariatric in Neenah already, but they are a tad high in their followup costs. Hoping to find someone a bit more reasonable... btw.. I am in central Wi...

[chubbola 0]

hi shesha!

i'll most likely be going to uw madison for my surgery, and i have my first seminar next monday! i will ask how much fills run at their clinic! i'll get back to you!

have a great day!

[laurigee 545]

Hi Everyone...

I Am From Wi Also. I Had My Surgery Done By The Same Dr. As Bubbyville In Fort Atkinson. Dr Erickson. He Is Amazing And His Coordinator Patrice Is Wonderful Also. My Surgery Was Quick And Easy, No Pain At All. I Love The Support Group That They Offer If Fort Atkinson For All Us Lapbanders. Its Fun And You Meet Alot Of Great People. Good Luck To You All!

[Red wine lover 0]

:rolleyes ok come on...i know i'm not the only fatty in wisconsin! i'm just starting my band journey and would like to connect with fellow chedderheads who have had the lapband or who are contemplating getting one (like me)! i have my first seminar on 12/11/06 and am so excited to start my journey! hope to hear from you!!!!

have a great day!

Chubbola,

You're certainly not the only 'fatty' in Wisconsin, think of all the brats, beer and brandy this fine state consumes!

I'm a guy who started working on getting his band, back in October. I'm waiting to hear from my Doc at Midwest Bariatrics (Neenah) if they've received my PCP's letter yet, as that is the last hoop to jump thru, before they send a letter of determination to my insurance co.

This is an exciting time for you. I pray your journey goes smoothly. We're always here to talk!

Bill (Red Wine Lover)

[chubbola 0]

Chubbola,

You're certainly not the only 'fatty' in Wisconsin, think of all the brats, beer and brandy this fine state consumes!

I'm a guy who started working on getting his band, back in October. I'm waiting to hear from my Doc at Midwest Bariatrics (Neenah) if they've received my PCP's letter yet, as that is the last hoop to jump thru, before they send a letter of determination to my insurance co.

This is an exciting time for you. I pray your journey goes smoothly. We're always here to talk!

Bill (Red Wine Lover)

hello!

thank you for your prayers! how exciting for you, too! i went to my seminar and am now even more ready to get this going! my surgeon impressed me with his knowledge which is a good thing! although i didn't learn much (due to my excessive reading about the band...ugh!) it was still nice to meet the bariatric team 1:1 and chat a bit! hope you hear from your PCP soon! hopefully wisconsin will have two less 'fatties' next year!!!

btw...what insurance company do you have? i have BCBS Wi...

[Shesha 1]

Hi Cheeseheads!

Well, I am now an official January bandster. I will be banded by Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver on January 25th! He offers 3 months follow up care with his price, so I will probably fly to him (depending on airfare costs) for my first fill or two ( and just to make sure everything is going right with the Dr. that did the surgery) Then, I'll need a local Dr. for fills/adjustments and care incase of complications....

I've made a few phone calls regarding fills if you do not have your surgery with the resident Dr...

Midwest Bariatric in Neenah offers a $2000.00 annual package that includes 12 fills/adjustments/Dr.visits and 12 support group meetings.

UW in Madison: $2000.00 "member fee"! - just to join their clinic, then it's around $200.00 or so per fill.

Dean Care in Madison: $250.00 for initial visit, then $125.00 per fill thereafter...

I am still waiting to hear from some other groups, but guess where I will be going based on what information I have so far... Dean. =o)

[Red wine lover 0]

hello!

thank you for your prayers! ...what insurance company do you have? i have BCBS Wi...

My insurance is Midwest Security and I don't have a good feeling about the initial asking for the surgery w/them. Here's hoping I'm really not psychic!

Keep in touch with us for any encouragement you may need. Hugs to any/all who need one!

Bill (Red Wine Lover)

[Shesha 1]

Hey Bill,

I was at a seminar for Midwest Bariatrics in Green Bay. They seemed like really great people and surgeons. I wanted to have my band done by them but the self-pay rate was just too high. Let me know how it goes with them... I asked A LOT of questions (much to the sighs and groans of the other people, especially the RNYers in the room) at the seminar and took notes, so if you have any unanswered questions, let me know.

Sheila

[chubbola 0]

Hey Bill,

I was at a seminar for Midwest Bariatrics in Green Bay. They seemed like really great people and surgeons. I wanted to have my band done by them but the self-pay rate was just too high. Let me know how it goes with them... I asked A LOT of questions (much to the sighs and groans of the other people, especially the RNYers in the room) at the seminar and took notes, so if you have any unanswered questions, let me know.

Sheila

hi shesha~

did you inquire about UW madison's self pay program? i was just at their seminar and they offer a lapband with a year of follow up care for $19,000-fills and visits included! just wondering how much you're paying in denver!

[Shesha 1]

Hey!!

Yes, I did inquire on UW's self pay program and received the $19,000 quote, which is $1,500.00 more than Midwest Bariatric in Neenah ($17,500). The thought of lifetime care is great, but I just can't afford it right now, and don't want to wait. =0)

Dr. Kirshenbaum, www.lapbandrockies.com , in Denver only charges $9,950.00. He wants to offer people an option over Mexico. I've researched him, checked his credentials etc. and he is a very experienced laproscopic surgeon (38 years). He started the lapband two years ago and has only done about 60 of them,though. Which isn't a lot compared to Mexico, but comparable to the Neenah surgeons. (The two Neenah Dr.'s mainly do RNY's and said they have done a total of 100 bands since they started two years ago).

Thanks for filling me in though on UW. I got the paperwork in the mail today from Dean Care, so I'll fill that out and I should be all set!

Sheila :biggrin1: