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

Lisa, sorry I missed you. I thought you were ahead of me, but I eavesdropped and found out that her name was not Lisa. I agree, it was kind of freaky feeling, but aside from the little bit of burning when she did the first shot, there was no pain. I'm sure it's different for every one, she took me up to 5cc's and I was completely restricted so she backed it off to 4.

Greg, I hope it works that well for me. Sounds like you're doing ok. When I went up to get weighed today, I was telling my daughter...that was my room...SpecialK was there.. Greg was there.... I felt much better walking that hall this time!

SpecialK, I got hungry just reading your post. Sounds like you had a lot of willpower. Good for you!

TM, you still hanging in there? How's it going?:thumbup:

I'll get a real test tomorrow. My daughter will be out-of-town this weekend (we'll be babysitting the grandbaby ) so she's taking us out to dinner for Mother's Day tomorrow night. We're going to our favorite place: Genji Japanese Steakhouse on Brice Road. I used to eat a boatload of fried rice with yum-yum sauce and strip steak . I think I might try a tiny bit of rice but don't want to run into the same problem someone else had recently and end up at the E.R. And even though they tell you "no steak", Dr. C. said a tender filet mignon would probably be okay (in very small bites). Hopefully I won't have any adverse effects. It's going to be real tough passing up all that rice and watching everybody else eat. I should probably eat before I go so I'll at least be full and not feel like eating.

Hi Everyone

Sorry I haven't been around I hope all is well with all. I went in for a fill today it was done by Missy in x-ray she is getting very good at doing them she put 5cc in I have lost 50lbs altogather banded 1/7/08.

Missy asked me to ask all Columbus banders to come to her suport group in June the frist Mon.. Hope to see you there.

ladyroz

Edited May 7, 200818 yr by ladyroz

Nice to hear from you Ladyroz. Wonderful progress on your weight loss. I've stubbed my toe a couple times this week so I just need to take heart from those who are in it for the long haul with me. Thanks to all of you!

I agree with you Kathy! As easy as it is to get all caught up in our daily progression, we need to remember the big picture. Yes, we might have ate more than we should have at one meal...but it is just that...ONE meal. Look at where were are today and where we started from! That is something we ALL can be happy about!

Hey Sue! I'm still here, just super busy this week. Grandbabies birthday party on Saturday, a special guest speaker at church Sunday, and we are heading to Lakeland Fl. in the morning. I have been like a mad woman trying to get things done around the house (I love coming home to a clean house) If we could go away more my house might be clean more often :sad:.

I see Dr. Miller on Tue. YEAH! I am still waiting for results from my echo. I spoke with Dr. Beavers nurse yesterday and she said they haven't even been looked at yet!!!! It was 2 weeks ago today!!! I told her I needed this for a clearance for surgery and these results are my hold up. She promised to return my call by this morning... guess what morning is now over and still NO CALL :biggrin:. I give them till 1pm and then ITS ON!!! (I'm not really sure what "it" is, but it sounds good LOL:tongue:)

I have been keeping up with everyones posts....WOOOHOOO for fills and restriction.

Greg~ I am keeping you in my prayers.... its so hard to just sit and watch others eat :thumbup: especially at Geniji!! Here's to resisting the power of fried rice!:party:

Hi ladyroz, good to hear from ya. Can you give us more info on the support group?

Hi Lisa!! Have you purchased that new colorful outfit yet??

Hi Grammy!

Hey Debbie and LadyQT! I miss hearing from the two of you. Have you taken your cruise yet Debbie?? If so I wanna hear all about it. I LIVE TO CRUISE!!!!

Niki and Kathy~ I'm with ya on keeping your eye on the big picture. I would have given up long ago if it weren't for that picture!!

I pray everyone has a blessed weekend!

I hit submit before I could say Hi to you Sarah. I am longing for that kind of restriction. I can eat all day and still feel like I can shove in more... oh for the day!

Hi Lynn...sounds like you are getting things moving in the right direction. Keep us posted on your progress.

Hello to anyone I may have forgotten!!!

Well, My sister and I have our Band dates. We will be going on the 19th. I am very excited, yet feel as if I am losing an old friend (food). Even though I know it will probably take care of my diabetes, blood preasure and cholesterol I feel sad and must keep reminding myself what my old friend has cost me and how much better I am going to feel when I am able to do all those things I havn't done in a long while.

It sounds as if all of the recent banders are doing really well and you all are certainly motivating me. I have one question though. How much exercise are you all doing and how soon after your band days were you able to start? Also, is anyone from the East side Reynoldsburg area?

Have a great time in Florida!

Hi Joy,

I work on Brice Rd. (right next to Genji!) and live near Rt 256 & Tussing - technically in Pick'town but very close to the Burg. I think I started walking within a few days after surgery. Currently, I try to walk about 5 times a week, anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. I have a membership at the Power Shack but have yet to get off my butt and actually get over there to work out. Once I get started, I think I'll be okay, as I used to go to Lifetime Fitness (about 5 years ago) when I lived up that way. By the way, I LOVE your Shrinko de Mayo logo. Es muy awesome! Hasta luego.

I am so inspired by all the posting on this site. It is great to know we are in the same boat in the same location.

Yesterday was a busy "getting clearance" day!

I went to Mid Ohio Pulmonary (10:45 AM) for my first sleep apnea consult with the doctor. He want to do this big long drawn out ordeal. I told him I have a personal time line and would like to have my surgery in June and his plan was holding me back. I explained I turn 50 in June and it seems like a new starting point for me. He said "Can you come back tonight" Now that's what I'm talkin 'bout!

(4:00pm) Went to Sara Krieger fr my Psych evaluation - since she didn't keep me - I guess I passes! I didn't get out of there until 6:30 pm.

Not enough time to get back home to get my stuff, so off to Walmart for PJ and toothbrush.

730pm arrive at the sleep lab. What an experience. I was wired! Got tangled during the night. Up at 6:00am showered and directl to work!!!!

I will probably have to go back on Sunday night for the second go round. All I have after that is the one on one and preop nutrition sessions and my appointment with Dr. Choban. She should have all of the clearance information back by our appointment date. Do you suppose she will give me a surgery dat then???? Or is there another waiting phase after all this?

I too wonder what it will be like to say a final farewell to some old friends. (favorite foods) But I am excited at the same time.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, it really helps.:thumbup:

Hey all!!

for the first time today i felt like i wasn't on a diet!!! I ate some things I shouldn't have but I only needed a small amount. trying not to get on the scales til next week because I've become(pardon the expression) a "scale whore" at least that's what they called it in the chat room. i hid them under my bed and am going to try not to dig them out. we'll see if eating small amounts of what i want is working. good to hear all of your stories of success and the frustrations too.

Exercise post surgery - yep, siimilar to Greg and I was out walking at least 30 minutes pretty quickly after that. On April 1 I decided to kick it in gear and go and get my money's worth out of the gym membership I pay for at work ($8 a month -- what a benefit) and I go down and use the treadmills, exercise bike for at least 30-40 minutes. I am trying to either go outside and walk around downtown Columbus on my lunch hour for at least 30-40 minutes or if the weather is crappy, go to the gym and do the treadmill/exercise bike. I'm trying to work up from 3-4 times a week - some weeks I'm a little better than others. Right now, I'm doing a huge amount of physical yard work and that counts as exercise in my book on the weekends. I have to say with me having knee surgery April 17, I'm just starting physical therapy this week and have to do that for the next 6 weeks, so I'm hoping to keep getting stronger and increase activity as I can.

So, yes, start walking as soon as you can!

May Bandsters -- yes I too love your month's logo of Shrinko de Mayo! almost as much as our Shrinking Shamrocks for March!

Congratulations on your May band surgery date! It will be here before you know it.

So, my turn to wait for insurance approval. It was submitted on Monday and as of yesterday it was in for review. They told me it would take 4 days to review it. So, we will see what happens.

Question for the sleep apnea people: How did you get used to having that thing on your face and sleeping with it? I am having terrible anxiety with it and just can not do it. I need to in order to have the doctor sign off for surgery.

lynlynkr- just an fyi- Dr. Choban wants you on your cpap or bi-pap machine for 6 weeks before your surgery. If you do have the sleep apnea, get your follow-up appointment schedule for 4 weeks from now. This is what I did. Also, if you have to get the machine and such, make sure you get the same mask you had on the second night. I did not get the correct one and it has held me up for 4 weeks.

TIA for the sleep apnea recs.