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

Deb, do you get your fills at Chobans office? Be sure and let us know how that goes because when/if I get the band done that will be the next thing to start stressing about!:nervous:rolleyes

Lady Q, we have been wondering how things went with you! I'm so glad to hear it went so well! I am seeing Dr.Choben so it's good to hear that you liked her. If you feel like rumbling on..please do! I am anxious to hear every detail!! :biggrin1: Again....CONGRATULATIONS!!!!:clap2:

Lady QT---so glad to hear you are breezing thru recovery!

and be assured every day just keeps getting better as you see the pounds shed. and all the compliments you recieve will compel you to eat wisely.

when i think of how i was walking just two months ago, i feel like i have been reborn. i used to avoid superwalmart because it was too big. i was actually considering riding around in one of those handicapped carts. now i cruise thru there with no problem!! and last weekend my BF and i went on an 8 mile round trip bike ride!!! i got a handicapped sticker last year and it expires in october---and i am not going to renew it.

and i have only lost 30 pounds---i cant imagine what life will be like when i shed another 90 or so!!!

i am looking forward to my first fill though. i am beginning to much more than before.

i have to report to the hospital testing center for the fill. i think they may have to do an xray to see exactly where the port is.

good luck to both of you,

debbie

Hello Everyone, I am doing just fine, I have to go back to work tomorrow:(. I still get tired easily, but as far as pain is concern I have very little over all. My port incession is still a little tender also other then that every thing is Great! I have no bruising Dr. Choban done a awsome job, one of my strips came off today and I am amaze at how it looked underneath (it was one between the breast) I don't believe that will even leave a small scar!

Today before I went off to Church the scales kept calling my name:heh:, so I had to see them and hop up on them and I have lost 13 pounds since surgery date, now that makes me very happy. I hope when I go see Dr. Choban on Thursday she puts me on the next food level, I am getting bored with the Full liquids (Campbells makes a Soup called Creamy chicken Verde that is very very good it is a little spicey I need to find more of it krogers only had one can). How is every one else doing?

Debbie, yes on your first fill you do get it Xray so She see exactly with the port is.

Lady QT---so glad to hear you are breezing thru recovery!

and be assured every day just keeps getting better as you see the pounds shed. and all the compliments you recieve will compel you to eat wisely.

when i think of how i was walking just two months ago, i feel like i have been reborn. i used to avoid superwalmart because it was too big. i was actually considering riding around in one of those handicapped carts. now i cruise thru there with no problem!! and last weekend my BF and i went on an 8 mile round trip bike ride!!! i got a handicapped sticker last year and it expires in october---and i am not going to renew it.

and i have only lost 30 pounds---i cant imagine what life will be like when i shed another 90 or so!!!

i am looking forward to my first fill though. i am beginning to much more than before.

i have to report to the hospital testing center for the fill. i think they may have to do an xray to see exactly where the port is.

good luck to both of you,

debbie

13 pounds that is great!!!! isnt it sweet?

too bad you have to go back to work tomorrow.

i did my weekly weigh in this morning and i have lost 31.5 pounds.

today i wore a blouse that was too tight across the tummy just two weeks ago!!

yesterday i bought a bike. i havent really ridden a bike in 30 years. I took it for a spin last night and this morning. i am rather wobbly but surely with time i will improve. as long as i am coasting i can go straight but as soon as i pedal i start weaving!! i got it because there is a very long bike trail practically in my back yard. i can pedal all the way from the easton soccer fields to schrock road. and eventually it is supposed to go further. first night i went up past 161 and this morning i went the opposite way towards morse. i love it!!!

i got a Revive DX which is nice because it is sort of a recumbent and the seat has a back for lumbar support.

I feel like i have really gotten the old Debbie back! and things are only going to get better with each pound i lose.

It is so encouraging to hear that you are both doing so well. I can't wait to join the banded club!

i got a band adjustment today. piece of cake. i am not sure how much they put in. not much, i dont think. they did it in xray using flouroscopy. the shot to numb the area hurt but after that i didnt feel a thing. they do it while you are standing up. i just wonder if anyone has ever fainted. a lot of people are very squeamish about needles and shots and i can easily see someone fainting. i just kept my eyes closes and didnt look.

today i weighed 267 which means 33.5 pounds.

for the first time my boyfriend of 10 years expressed thoughts that i might want to trade him in when i get hot!!! he is NOT the jealous type at all. I reassured him that if he stuck with me when i was HUGE that i would never trade him in. he is so sweet. and he hardly ever complained about my weight but i hated that he is 10 years older than me, but yet i was the one turning into an old lady.

Wow Deb..33.5 lb. Thats great! Can you really eat KFC? I thought you would still be on mushies. Can you feel the band? Are you aware of it at all? What the heck is flouroscopy? Oh my I need to stop!!! LOL . I just want to know all these little things. I am really getting anxious to do this...7 days 'till I see Choben!

sue---lets see

you start solid food at 6 weeks. it is liquids for two weeks, pureed for two weeks, soft food for one week, and then regular food. although i must admit i kind of cheated and sometimes considered chewing my food REALL well to be the same as pureeing it!!

the only time i feel the band or the port is when i sleep on either side. then i can feel pressure. if you push hard enough you can feel the port but it is not easily felt. still too much belly fat!

the flouroscopy was more like live tv vs xray which is a picture that has to be developed. they could watch the needle and saline go in. and they could see the barium i was drinking going down.

i am able to eat a lot less since the band adjustment. that is great.

because before, eventhough i was losing weight I could eat a LOT. i had to hold myself back. now, I literally cant eat for hours.

Thanks for all the info Deb. If you eat to much or don't chew it well enough, are you in pain?:paranoid

i never had even the slightest pain till the day after my adjustment.

i can definitely tell there is a difference. the lady at sams club was handing out teeny, tiny cups of rotisserie chicken (still cant pass up a freebie!!!) and i ate two bites and it didnt want to go down. it was kind of stuck in my chest. maybe it was on top of my morning cereal, i dont know. but i had to throw away the rest of the chicken in the teeny, tiny cup. that is so unlike Debbie!!!! after a few minutes it passed. there was no PBing, sliming, or throwing up. it was just a not pleasant feeling that if i ate more something bad was going to happen in the middle of sams club!!!

You sound like me, I can't turn down those freebies either. I guess that will come to a screeching halt!:biggrin1: Lordy I can't wait!

I saw Dr. Choban yesterday and they are submitting all the info to my Insurance company. Now all I have to do is keep my fingers crossed and wait!:faint:

Sue---Congratulations!!! you will be banded before you know it!!

one word of advice---call your insurance company in a couple weeks to make sure they have gotten the request. i waited and waited before i finally called only to find out they had never gotten it. so it had to be resubmitted and then i had to wait and wait some more.

Thanks Deb, good advice. I think I will call Chobans office Friday to see if they submitted the paper work, then the Insurance company Monday or Tuesday to see if they got it. I wonder how Lady Q is doing, we haven't heard from her in a while!