Ok Banded pro's this is my first time posting , I would like to know if n e 1 has been banded in columbus, ohio at the Mt. Carmel hospital and if so how was your experience? I have just sent in my first set of paper work to be approve by their Dr. Also they are charging $300.00 for administrator fee (paper pushing to the Ins.), not to mention I will have to spend another $200.00 for their nutritionist and this $500.00 is not covered by my insurance:faint: . Are fee's normal? I was just wondering because I feel as much as the surgery cost, these things should be included! N E help would be nice

no, i dont have a surgery date yet. today i faxed the coordinator a copy of my approval letter. i better call tomorrow and make sure she got it.

i never did get a bill for 200 dollars from the nutritionist. (Hope she doesnt read this forum!!!!) hopefully, that is one thing that did fall thru the crack. i went to see her on feb5. so you would think i would have gotten a bill by now. but i do remember her saying there were some computer problems that day.

the coordinator just called and gave me a date: june 13.

most poor boss is going to cringe when i tell him that because it is right in the middle of my only co-worker's vacation. which means he will be there all by himself!! oh, well.

i am a little scared but that is normal. i really should try to lose 10 pounds so my liver will shrink before the surgery. hmmmm.

I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! You have put fire under my feet!! I will be calling tomorrow to get an appointment with the surgeon, hopefully they'll let me schedule before they get my administration fee on Friday!!!

As for the bill coming for the nutritionist, I think you can forget about that coming because every one is suppose to pay that up front before you even get in to see her,so I guess that is one free service that you received out of some of their high price service Keep me posted I'm so excited for you!!!!!!!!!!

the coordinator just called and gave me a date: june 13.

most poor boss is going to cringe when i tell him that because it is right in the middle of my only co-worker's vacation. which means he will be there all by himself!! oh, well.

i am a little scared but that is normal. i really should try to lose 10 pounds so my liver will shrink before the surgery. hmmmm.

got the letter with various instructions today.

i see the doctor again on may 31 ad then have preadmission testing on june 7. there is lab work and a chest xray and a EKG and something called Incentive Spirometer Instruction--what the heck is that?

there is also a bariatric pre-op class that day.

then june 13 is the big day!

i went to the thrift store today and bought some "new to me" clothes that are way too small. not the first time i have ever done that--but for the first time i am reasonably assured that i will actually be able to fit in them soon!!!! going to the thrift stores is going to be fun again!!!!!

I took my paper work and administration fee in on Thursday 5/24/07, I couldn't set up an appointment they said they had to get all of my paper work together and they will call me some time this week. You have inspired me to get all things in order so I can have the surgery maybe by the end of July, or the begining of Aug. I hope that is not an unrealistic dream, I need this so bad!! I even went out yesterday with my husband looking at cars, I end up wanting a sports car, since I know by the time I will get a new car I will be lot lighter the what I am!!! I am also looking at clothing that I want to wear also. I just thinking, if I had of taking care of my paper work in a timely maner, we would be having a close surgery date:( oh well I can only go forward from here. You'll have to keep me posted on how things are going with you!

got the letter with various instructions today.

i see the doctor again on may 31 ad then have preadmission testing on june 7. there is lab work and a chest xray and a EKG and something called Incentive Spirometer Instruction--what the heck is that?

there is also a bariatric pre-op class that day.

then june 13 is the big day!

i went to the thrift store today and bought some "new to me" clothes that are way too small. not the first time i have ever done that--but for the first time i am reasonably assured that i will actually be able to fit in them soon!!!! going to the thrift stores is going to be fun again!!!!!

if you dont hear from them in a week--call them. you have to be very proactive with them.

i went for my presurgery visit with dr choban yesterday. it was just to explain all the dangers and have me sign a release form.

she is very likeable and i can see why she always gets standing ovations at the meetings.

i told her i needed a work excuse. she asked how long i wanted off and i told her a month. She looked at me like i was crazy. she said most people go back to work after 4 days. i told her i had 10 months of accumulated sick leave that i will lose if i dont use before i retire. she said "we'll give you two weeks and that is stretching it"

crap.

i was really looking forward to some time off!!! and i wanted to kind of be on solid food before i went back to work.

i told my boss that my friend got two weeks off for an ingrown toenail!!!

i got three books from the library: Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery

it has lots of recipes and the author had the lap band

Fighting Weight-by Khaliah Ali--she had the lap band

and Before and After(Living & Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery)

I have an appt. to see Dr. Choban on June 19, hopeful after I see her they will send my paper work into the Ins. Company soon so they can approve it FAST!! I'm glad you informed that Dr. Choban is likeable.

:dance:OH MY GOSH Debbie you only have 9 more days before your gonna be a Banded Lady!! I am So happy for you and jealous at the same time I guess I shouldn't have dragged my feet with all of my appt's. Oh well hopeful I will have an Aug. surgery date. Do you think that is a realilistic goal? So Dr. Choban only wants to give you 2 weeks off, I won't be able to take STD I will need to use some of my vacation days, oh well tahts ok I didn't have plans to go any where this year. Did she say how long you would have to stay in the hospital? I would love to go home the same day! As I said before the only one who knows that I'm having this done is my Husband. Talk to you later and I will keep you in my Prayers!

if you dont hear from them in a week--call them. you have to be very proactive with them.

i went for my presurgery visit with dr choban yesterday. it was just to explain all the dangers and have me sign a release form.

she is very likeable and i can see why she always gets standing ovations at the meetings.

i told her i needed a work excuse. she asked how long i wanted off and i told her a month. She looked at me like i was crazy. she said most people go back to work after 4 days. i told her i had 10 months of accumulated sick leave that i will lose if i dont use before i retire. she said "we'll give you two weeks and that is stretching it"

crap.

i was really looking forward to some time off!!! and i wanted to kind of be on solid food before i went back to work.

i told my boss that my friend got two weeks off for an ingrown toenail!!!

i got three books from the library: Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery

it has lots of recipes and the author had the lap band

Fighting Weight-by Khaliah Ali--she had the lap band

and Before and After(Living & Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery)

Hey does anyone remember seeing a thread that had a list of items you need to buy before surgery to have when you get home? It had alot of good things on it and I meant to print it out but know I cant find it to save my soul

you will really like dr choban, she is cool!

i would say that august is a very realistic goal. it might even be sooner. it just depends on how fast your insurance company approves it.

you may not need to take two weeks off. from the way the dr talked most people only take 4 days off. i just wanted more time off.

i go for pre admission testing on thursday and there is some kind of a class that day, too. so i am putting off buying stuff till then. i want to see what they recommend.

i think that list of stuff you need in in FAQs.

also i am pretty sure they want you to spend one night in the hospital. which i though was strange because most places do it as an outpatient surgery.

:biggrin1: Dibbie you have less then 24 hours and you will be a new Banded Baby!! I am so happy for you!!!!! I will keep you in my Prayers' Hopefully I will only have to wait only couple of months I want this to be my last summer that I refuse to wear shorts in 90 degree weather, and be able to wear this leather outfit that I brought that I have never been able to wear (one of those moments that I thought I was going to lose so much weight that never happen:embarassed:.)

you will really like dr choban, she is cool!

i would say that august is a very realistic goal. it might even be sooner. it just depends on how fast your insurance company approves it.

you may not need to take two weeks off. from the way the dr talked most people only take 4 days off. i just wanted more time off.

i go for pre admission testing on thursday and there is some kind of a class that day, too. so i am putting off buying stuff till then. i want to see what they recommend.

i think that list of stuff you need in in FAQs.

also i am pretty sure they want you to spend one night in the hospital. which i though was strange because most places do it as an outpatient surgery.

yep, tomorrow is the big day.

i a home and recuperating. now i know what everyone means when they talk about "gas" it is what is causing most of the pain i have. but all and all i feel fine.

It is taking long because they are not real organized about this whole process. You have to be real salvy. Also, make sure your doctor documents once a month that you are working on weight loss. Some conferences can be be done over the phone.

I hope that your Gas pain has gotton better!! So did the Dr. write you off work for 2 weeks? How are your incisions looking and feeling? Are you still happy you went with Dr. Choban? I have an appointment tomorrow morning with her, I hope after that they process my paper work FAST to the insurance company so I can be banded soon!! I am so mad at my self for procastinating with getting my appointments done! Oh well that is LIFE!! Well I hope you get back to feeling 100% soon. Look forward to hearing from you to see how things are going!

i a home and recuperating. now i know what everyone means when they talk about "gas" it is what is causing most of the pain i have. but all and all i feel fine.

i am feeling great! i dont go back to work till jul 1 but i could have gone back today. i would just have to take it a little slow.

my stomach is a little black and blue around the incisions but it doesnt hurt. i havent taken any pain medication since i left the hospital. one reason being--the prescription was for roxicete which is liquid percoset and hardly any drugstores carry it. so after the first day i decided i didnt need it anyway.

i have lost 11.5 pounds already!!! what i love the best is my feet arent all swollen! i was able to get into a pair of previously too tight shoes today and they were actually roomy!!! that alone is a blessing!!!

i eat a little cream of wheat for breakfast. a strawberry banana smoothie. soup for lunch. a pudding cup, soup for dinner. it is harder than i thought to get in 60 grams of protein a day. i try to mix protein powder in everything but i eat so little there is only so much you can put in a half cup of soup. and i try to sip water between meals but i am not getting anywhere near the 64 ozs a day i need.

but i still feel fine.