:bored :bored :bored well well I guess this site has nobody from the chatt. area and let me also guess that no body has been banded at memorial hos. by dr. fromm-paynter-or ponce?? Geez I sure feel like the lonesome stud here lol.

I am doing good. I was afraid to weigh because I have been eating a lot more lately, but I got on the scale and I have only gained 2 pounds. I thought it would be more. I was afraid I had gotten back up to 200 but I haven't. I never want to see that number again!! I have my 2 week followup with my surgeon tomorrow and I will ask him if it's ok to start exercising again.

 

congrats carrie.

 

slim - i do have to wait. :biggrin:

slim, I took hydrocodone after surgery. It helped a little but not a lot. But I am feeling much better. Funny thing is, I broke out in a rash after taking the meds. I have taken it many times before and not had any reaction, so I don't know what was up with that.

I have noticed a change in how I react to some medicines. Maybe the weight loss has caused it? Either way, I am glad that you are better now. I hate that the medicine didn't help as much as it should. I was afraid that would happen.

 

Punkster-that sucks that you have to wait on your fills. It isn't as though you are new to fills. Oh well, it will come soon enough.

I have noticed a change in how I react to some medicines. Maybe the weight loss has caused it? Either way, I am glad that you are better now. I hate that the medicine didn't help as much as it should. I was afraid that would happen.

 

Punkster-that sucks that you have to wait on your fills. It isn't as though you are new to fills. Oh well, it will come soon enough.

 

i know. i am just frustrated. i have been going up and down with the same 5-10 pounds since the beginning of june. waiting has to do with letting the band properly encapsulate or something. bleh. i am ready to start losing again. i know i will with my 2nd or 3rd fill.

i know. i am just frustrated. i have been going up and down with the same 5-10 pounds since the beginning of june. waiting has to do with letting the band properly encapsulate or something. bleh. :thumbup: i am ready to start losing again. i know i will with my 2nd or 3rd fill.

Hey Punkster and anyone else on here that has info, I am wondering how much the endoscopy center at memorial will bill my insurance for my fill. I got my first one there last tuesday. They are billing insurance but I have no idea whether or not my insurance will pay as they refused to pay for banding at Memorial. I think I need another fill as I am pretty darn loose this morning and it is still early. I would like to just work with this one as I feel some restriction but I know I may actually need a tad more. I suppose I could just get it in Dr. Sass office but I have always been afraid to get them without fluoro cause of the possibility of a puncture. I have never had a fill without fluoro though I have had an unfill onetime with the old band without. I also fear not seeing what is happening because of my history of Hiatal Hernias and prolapse and gastric edema. Anyhow I am just thinking ahead. I am able to eat a pretty good bit and yesterday at lunch I sort of ate a normal size lunch. I was happy about being able to eat an apple but at the same time, I know I ate more than I should without any overfullness. Dinner was a different story. I really had to take it easy there and I wasn't hungry at 5:30 but ate anyhow. Anyhow if anyone can help me with the financial info, let me know! I may just have to exercise the old will power muscle.

thanks,

Corliss

Hey Punkster and anyone else on here that has info, I am wondering how much the endoscopy center at memorial will bill my insurance for my fill. I got my first one there last tuesday. They are billing insurance but I have no idea whether or not my insurance will pay as they refused to pay for banding at Memorial. I think I need another fill as I am pretty darn loose this morning and it is still early. I would like to just work with this one as I feel some restriction but I know I may actually need a tad more. I suppose I could just get it in Dr. Sass office but I have always been afraid to get them without fluoro cause of the possibility of a puncture. I have never had a fill without fluoro though I have had an unfill onetime with the old band without. I also fear not seeing what is happening because of my history of Hiatal Hernias and prolapse and gastric edema. Anyhow I am just thinking ahead. I am able to eat a pretty good bit and yesterday at lunch I sort of ate a normal size lunch. I was happy about being able to eat an apple but at the same time, I know I ate more than I should without any overfullness. Dinner was a different story. I really had to take it easy there and I wasn't hungry at 5:30 but ate anyhow. Anyhow if anyone can help me with the financial info, let me know! I may just have to exercise the old will power muscle.

thanks,

Corliss

i am not sure how much they bill your insurance but i have paid as much as $400 for a fill when they were billing my insurance which sucked. they can switch you to cash pay where they dont bill your insurance and it is $125. it just depends on your insurance.

this is for the flouro in the gbi's office. i have never been to an endoscopy center.

I am not sure either how much they will charge you. I am one of the lucky ones, I have really good insurance and I only have to pay $30 for a fill. I have had a fill and a lot of unfills without flouro. Funny thing is, it is the same price for me either way. Even when they don't use the flouro, GBI still bills my insurance like they did. :thumbup:

i am billed the same whether they use flouro or not also.

anyone see the new gbi commercial?

I hadn't seen a commercial. I need to watch for that. I haven't had an unfill (knock on wood), but they charge my insurance $450 every time I get a fill. Thankfully, I only pay $20 for my fills. Of course, that is all subject to change.

I haven't seen a new commercial either. They also charge my insurance company $400. I think it is a huge rip off. Especially when they don't use flouro. It looks like that would be some type of insurance fraud if they are billing for it but didn't use it.

That's true Carrie. I hadn't thought about that.

I have worked in 2 doctor's office and I don't see how they get away with certain ways that they bill. But that's just my opinion.

the commercial is several people talking about how much weight they have lost and that they are now offering sleeve gastrectomy. i have met one of the people.

i was surprised that they were offering the sleeve. it didnt say banded sleeve. interesting. i have only seen it once.

Edited August 26, 200916 yr by punkster

i am not sure how much they bill your insurance but i have paid as much as $400 for a fill when they were billing my insurance which sucked. they can switch you to cash pay where they dont bill your insurance and it is $125. it just depends on your insurance.

this is for the flouro in the gbi's office. i have never been to an endoscopy center.

Is GBI in Dalton? I used to go to the weight management center at Memorial but never had a fill with my old band. I just saw the doctor and he gave me meds to try to deal with the difficulties I was having. Then when I had to have my band removed I saw him there for follow up. I originally went to a doc in Maryville TN for my fills. I don't know a lot about the other doctors here, as I have only seen Dr. Sass who is no longer at the Weight Management Center. Thanks, Corliss

Is GBI in Dalton? I used to go to the weight management center at Memorial but never had a fill with my old band. I just saw the doctor and he gave me meds to try to deal with the difficulties I was having. Then when I had to have my band removed I saw him there for follow up. I originally went to a doc in Maryville TN for my fills. I don't know a lot about the other doctors here, as I have only seen Dr. Sass who is no longer at the Weight Management Center. Thanks, Corliss

The Gastric Band Institute that I go to is in Chattanooga and on Gunbarrel Rd in the Memorial Atrium. I see Ponce and they have flouro in their office. I think most people in this thread go to the Chattanooga office but I am not sure of that. His office is affliated with Memorial but not at the main hospital.