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

Hey Nikki,

My appointment was at 1:30pm, but I was there for almost an hour. She put the .5cc back in from last month and we are going to see how I do.

I agree with you about seeing Dr. Choban since you have been couging up a storm, after feeling so sick in august I don't think anyone should wait. I think within these last 6 weeks I have figured out how hard this can be. If I eat too fast I get sick or eat the wrong food like rice, roast beef. If people think this is the easy way out they are wrong.

Since you work at Mount Carmel also, have you joined the gym at the CSC building? I have my start up session with the trainer tonight. I hope this will help kick start my weight loss. I lost 3 pounds in the last 6 weeks which is better than nothing. When is your next appointment. I am going to see Dr. Miller since Choban didn't have an opening until 1/29/09 but I was able to get in with Miller 12/29/08 which still is 9 weeks. WOW.

Let me know what the doctor says today. I hope you get to feeling better.

Darla

Hi, all -

Well, I had my baseline sleep study Monday night and am back again tonight to do the cpap. I am so upset and discouraged. I'm barely functional from the exhaustion, my anxiety & depression have me at 'record lows' (like the stock market), I can't seem to get my 3-month pre-op diet right, and my best friend (a man I dearly love & thought was 'the one'... Who made me feel precious & desirable despite my size) is shopping for girls on the match.com (because of our religious differences.) I'm having a really rough time and am wondering if maybe my plan to 'save my life' with the LB came too late to make a difference for me. :-(

Sorry to my spew my anguish here, but I'm in a pretty dark place and thought that maybe some of y'all have been there too. I am seeing a psychologist regularly now and am trying to snag an appointment with a psych to get a workable, non-fattening happy pill. I am going to book some personal training sessions this weekend and start seeing the dietician every week if that's what it takes. I am trying.

Thanks for listening

SailorChristy - yes I had to go be evaluated in a sleep study and now have had a CPAP machine for about 2 years and I'm glad I did it. The actual testing process at the sleep center was very hard on me too. I couldn't get past the idea of being wired up and watched while I tried to sleep. I was exhausted when I went home after both nights there, took a shower and got the gunk out of my hair, and went to bed and slept for real at home for the morning.

Hang in there on the personal relationship front too. I am still single at this point but the more relationships I went through where I thought this guy or that one respected me for who I was and not just for size, and when things didn't work out I was always down. So, here I am now doing this lapband program just for myself, not for catching or keeping a man by getting thinner or prettier.

I forget, are you in the pre-op stages, doing all the pre-surgery approvals and clearances? That part did take alot out of me jumping through those hoops but I would tell you to just keep going and it will be so worth it.

SaliorChristy,

I agree that maybe you should see someone about the possilbe depression. I think this whole process is hard and is hard afterwards. I am married however, thought the whole process myhusband did not want to have the lapband and was scared something would happen to me. Due to him not wanting to have the surgery that gave me a lot of pain. Things are going good now, but I'm still focus on doing this for me and my health and someone else. Try to put yourself first and your health. Take one step at a time and slow down if you need to. Some of these test like the sleep study is hard on people. I have had my cpap for years and have used it on and off being it's such a pain. Since I have lost weight I don't use it like I should and I can feel it.

Anyway, don't be hard on yourself, and do this for yourself and no one else.

Good Luck.

Thank you, ladies. The cpap wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I felt a bit better after sleeping with it. Now I must wait as patiently as I can for Dr. Zee (internist at Fresh Start Bariatrics) to write my rx so I can start using it at home.

I am pre-op. Had my all-day appointment 9/28 and was expecting to have surgery before the end of the year... until I royally screwed up my first month of the 3-month pre-op diet. I'm seeing Jan, the dietician, on Monday afternoon.

I am sorry that your husband was worried and caused you stress, d. When I first came up with the idea (in August) to have LB surgery, I was so excited to tell my best friend. We talked for an hour about it, and he treated the whole topic with such sensitivity and never for a moment made me feel bad about myself or my situation. He too is (was?) concerned about surgical risk, which really touched my heart. I had thought that he would be the one to visit me in the hospital and help 'nurse me back to health' (especially since he lives just two doors down from me), but I guess that won't be the way it goes.

I am so eager to get banded, but since this is my last chance at life, I want to make sure that I get it right. I hope that the cpap machine will help me get everything on track -- and I hope that it won't be a need that I have forever.

Thanks again,

Christy

On a somewhat more positive note, :eek: is there anyone else here with a membership at Premier at Sawmill Athletic Club (the former Sawmill Athletic Club)? I am looking for an early evening workout partner. Anyone interested? Thanks.

Hi,

I don't want this to come out negative, but I'm concerned Sailor girl that you talk about being banded as the "last chance at life". I know we have to get really low with our weight out of control before we will consider WLS. And that's a better place to be at to make this decision than to act like it's the diet of the month, because it is hughly important decision. Many things that were typical before surgery are impacted by the decision. Even 19 months later I'm like, "Damn, damn, damn, I can't eat with my coffee!" after taking a bite of food. Like you'd think I'd know that by now.

But let me caution you that if you're like me, you'll wake up in the same bed with the same bills showing up and the same yard to mow and the same family members who love and annoy you; like you have always had. While WLS does cure the weight (if you follow the rules) weight isn't the only thing going on in our lives that gives us trouble. Those things will still be waiting for the skinny you.

The up side however is that skinny you will have more energy and determination to handle those troubles.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Thanks BTW, to all you Mt. C people who let me hang out here. I'm OSU.

Hi, pretty Juli - Thanks for your response. I should know better than to make ambiguous, melodramatic statements like I did, as if everyone here knows my story. Let me explain a bit. I hope this doesn't come across as defensive or even more melodramatic!

I moved home from FL eight years ago, which was 6 months after my Dad's heart attack. He had heart bypass surgery just a few months after I moved to Columbus. Since that time, I've witnessed my precious Dad be diagnosed with one obesity-related disease after another, and observe as he suffers through each day and is hospitalized about once per month. My Dad has heart disease, type-2 diabetes, inflammed/fatty liver, obstructive sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, hypertension, high cholesterol, and depression/anxiety. My Dad is only 61 years old.

As for me, my body has already failed me once. I have (had?!) Graves Disease, which is autoimmune hyperthryoidism (dx Nov 2002.) I went through three years of roller-coaster riding on meds (cycling back and forth between hyper and hypo, with occassional moments of bliss in a 'euthyroid'/normal state.) When I started to experience the eye symptoms that often accompany Graves (e.g., they started to bug out of my head), I elected to have a total thyroidectomy. Well, it's a good thing I had the surgery because there were two little secret microcarcinomas that only God knew were there. I had thyroid cancer, but it was stage 1 and the thyroidectomy is the treatment for that.

Thyroid disease has been a real strike against me in the weight management department. I've gained about 10# every year since I was first diagnosed with Graves. I can very clearly see my future in my Father's struggles. I have hypertension, anxiety/depression, high cholesterol, and a fatty liver already... and as of last week I have added obstructive sleep apnea to my resume'. I don't want to have to continue living with this burden... with this daily fear of what comes next for me health-wise. I am only 38 years old, and I long to be as active -- and as 'at peace' with my health -- as I was before Graves. (I ran a 5k race every weekend when I lived in Orlando!)

I view the LB as the tool that will help me to regain my health and avoid 'the family curse.' I don't feel like I'm viewing it as 'the diet of the month,' but I'll talk to my LB program psychologist about that just in case. I know that life will always throw me curve balls, like you said. I long for the day when I can confront them without the added burden of being 'a sick person.'

Thanks again for your response and for the opportunity to explain my melodramatic statements a little better. Y'all will probably be hearing a lot more from me in the weeks to come. I've failed my first month of the pre-op program miserably, but I'm renewing my focus now and 'using my resources' to stay focused. I really think/hope that starting to use the CPAP machine will help improve my frame of mind and this dark spiral of anxiety/depression that I've found myself in lately. :thumbup:

I couldn't agree more with Juli! She said everthing I was thinking, but I wanted to add that food (cake, Cookies, ect) won't be able to be used as your BFF anymore, either!

I know that I am not perfect, I fall off the waggon more than I should, but the reality is I stop myself daily (maybe hourly :-) ) from using food to deal!

You can do it, too! Once you are at your "sweet spot" it is easier. Not easy, but do-able! And in this way, the band does change your life!

Good luck! I wish I lived near you...I would love a workout buddy!

Sounds like the last few years have been really hard on you! I hope the lap band will open doors that even you don't realize are closed! Good luck!

10/30 I had my first surgeon appointment with Dr.Price. We talked about getting banded and what clearances I need to get the surgery approved. I am 5'6" and I currently weight 252. My ideal weight would be 135. I was told that may not be possible with the lapband.

I am 38, I want to lose weight so I can have a healthy baby. He said I may have to wait 2 - 3 years.

I got my paperwork for the clearances I need, but I am changing insurance companies at the first of the year. So I may need addtional or different clearances.

My mood is currently a little disappointed, but I am moving ahead. It seems the more you have to wait or work for something the more you appreciate it.

Things are not meant to happen in my time, they happen in God's time. I just need to let him bring me to it and be patient.

Okotberfest-

I started out this whole process at 270 and today I am at 217. I have pcos and needed to get rid of the weight in order to have a child. My surgeon was Dr. Choban and she said that we could start trying at the one year mark of my surgery. I did ask about both surgeries and went with the Lap Band. So, don't give up hope on having the band. Keep positive.

10/30 I had my first surgeon appointment with Dr.Price. We talked about getting banded and what clearances I need to get the surgery approved. I am 5'6" and I currently weight 252. My ideal weight would be 135. I was told that may not be possible with the lapband.

I am 38, I want to lose weight so I can have a healthy baby. He said I may have to wait 2 - 3 years.

I got my paperwork for the clearances I need, but I am changing insurance companies at the first of the year. So I may need addtional or different clearances.

My mood is currently a little disappointed, but I am moving ahead. It seems the more you have to wait or work for something the more you appreciate it.

Things are not meant to happen in my time, they happen in God's time. I just need to let him bring me to it and be patient.

Hi Octoberfest -- I also had Dr. Price as my surgeon and he asked me if I didn't want to consider RNY too but I was firm that I wanted lapband and he said okay, if you know you'll have to work at it, then that's what we'll do. That with RNY the weight would come off much faster but I was okay with the pace I'm at. I'm at -70 lbs from where I was a year ago and I'm about 30% of my excess weight gone in a year and that is a fantastic rate of loss as far as I'm concerned and I see the potential to be at -100 lbs by my bandiversary on March 17 2009 so hang in there. If you want lapband then be committed but I respect whatever decision you make with the doc. BTW - after Dr. Price did my surgery, Dr. Miller has been my follow up surgeon for my fills and I've been very happy with him too. I think he assisted Dr. Price on my March surgery anyway and vice versa, Dr. Choban assists on Dr. Miller or Dr. Price assists for the other two, they work as a team and that's great to know there is redundancy on who can take care of us long term.

BTW - good luck to both of you for losing weight in order to be able to have a future in starting a family at a healthy weight. God Bless you both!

Hi everyone haven't been on in a long time because I feel like I have lost the last 3 months on the weight loss wagon. After being deflated it has been a very slow game of catch up. I have literally been the same weight for 3 months!! I just now have started to lose again. The only saving grace is that I didn't gain and i feel great! I haven't had this much energy since I don't know when. Dr. Miller gave me .25cc just to see if it helps since we don't want to get "to tight" ever again. Had i known i would lose 3 months imight have suffered through it a little more to see if it loosened up on it's own. but the smart girl in me knew it was way too tight.

So here I am back on the band wagon after a brief hiatus. Motivated again!