I've just begun my quest into banding. They say the break-off age point is 65. I'm almost 63 and need to move fast. Us 'oldies' want to live and know that the excess fat will shorten our lives. I've been checking all the treads and everyone is below 50. But us 'grannies' have our own unique problems. And we face the potential of death from fat. 63 may sound old, but I want to live as much as I did in my 30's. I want to think of death as something that hits during the 90's.

No, I haven't been banded yet. I am still searching and looking for the right doctor or hospital. Good Luck to you in October. Let me know how it goes. I am nervous but ready to do what I have to do! Good Luck

My Dr. is Dr. Brown in Colorado...I trust him totally!!!

deb

I use Dr. Brown in Canon City to do my fills. His was the first seminar I attended in Pueblo.

Kat

NMSunshine

Congrats on your Band B-day !!!! :clap2: 9/11/07

How did it go??? How are you feeling??

Hope all went well and that you will be posting soon.

xoxox

J

NM Sunshine.... Hope all went well with your surgery... Hope to hear from you as soon as you are able... Safe travels and Congratulations on being in bandland....

Hey FA, It's only too late after you've already quit trying.

I was presented with the idea of a LapBand one evening this summer, and 21 days later I had the surgery. I may be a little reckless, but the most wonderful things in my life have usually come from spontaneity. Even my husband, my home and my 3 kids. I believe this will be one of those things. Like my doctor says, the Band doesn't care if you're on vacation, if you've had a bad day, or if you've decided to give up - it's there to support that one brilliant moment of positive thinking that you had, for the rest of your life. Good luck to you.

janey

Hi, Don here,

My wife (Nina) asked me to write something on the Bariatric Seminar at the River Oaks Hospital in jackson, MS close to Flowwood & Brandon that Her & I went to. (09-11-07)

This might take awhile to write so be patient. I'm writing this slow because I know some people can't read fast. (I'M NOT NAMING NAMES)

Dr. Carroll is the Doctor that started the meeting and he is the person that does the surgery. I found out that He is the one that Trained the two Doctors that gave the other Seminar I went to last month at a different hospital (CMMC). He has been doing the Bariatric surgeries for 10 + years. The Lap-Band surgery has only been done anyplace in the USA since about 2001.

It was a very informative meeting as well as the one I went to last month. My big concern is the cost. The cost is about $16000.00 PLUS if you pay cash. We have Federal BC/BS. they pay for 90% of it. Now that I'm 65 and on Medicare this is where it gets complicated. This is something I have not worked out yet. Medicare is suppose to be my "Primary" insurance now & F BC/BS 2nd dairy. BUT, if Medicare does not cover it will F BC/BS pay the 90%???? Nina & I are going to the main BC/BS office soon and TRY to understand it.

After Dr. Carroll finished telling about the different types of Bariatric surgeries and what to except, a Dietitian spoke on what to except BEFORE & AFTER the surgery. On what you can eat, what you can't eat and the portion sizes. Dr. Carroll recommends the Sugar Busters Diet after the surgary.

Dr. Carroll said if your BMI is between 40 & 48 He would probably do the Lap-Band. If it's more than that He would probably do the Gastric By-pass. My BMI is 42, Nina's is 37. He also said Nina might not be a candidate for the surgary. He also said the if I have the surgary, Nina should start losing by (OSMOSES- MY WORD). In most cases the partner of the one having the surgery will lose just because they see their partner losing. Very interesting.

That's enough for now. If you have anymore (?) please ask. A good Website is www.lapband.com.

Don

PS: Update (I just found out that I will be covered by my Insurence if Medicare OK's it or not. I hope this is true.

I have my 1st. appointment with Dr. Carroll on Sept. 24th.

:whoo:

PSS: I proof read this 3 or 4 times and caught most of my mistakes, so that should have let the slow readers catch up. (It's a joke)

Hello Don, I was just waiting on Blue Cross to ok me for the lap band. I am disabled and was due to go on Medicare on September 1. Thank God above Blue Cross came through for me and agreed to pay. They approved it on August 23rd. My surgery was on August 27th. I hope yours works out for you. We pay for our insurance and their rates are through the roof and yet they sometimes to pay for us to get healthy. Keep us posted on what they decide. Good luck.

Hey girl, I will be 62 in December and I will have surgery September 21. I have been reading and checking out information for 6 months and I am ready.

Skinnydip - I read somewhere wher medicare did cover lapband and that was the main reason all the other insurance carriers started too to..

I guess once the government said it was experimental then the other insurance companies agreed... I read this or my doc told me - can't remember which - just like your typing slowly for us slow readers that had me cracking up

Don,

I've been on Medicare for 5 years (disability). They paid for my surgery and from what my doctor's office told me, very easy to get approval. They don't require psych consult or documented previous weight loss attempts. I was told that they won't pay for the initial dietary consult my doctor required, but so far I've not been billed for that either!

As for spouse's weight loss.... mine isn't losing with me because he eats everything I can't eat! If we go out to eat, he eats his meal and then finishes mine so his little pot belly is growing! I think he's gained 10 lb. while I've lost my 36!!

:omg:

Hi everyone I made it back. It went great and I'm part of the 'band club' now.:clap2:

INDIGO GIRL

NICNACNUT

KAT

Hi everyone I made it back. It went great and I'm part of the 'band club' now.:clap2:

INDIGO GIRL

NICNACNUT

KAT

Glad you're back!! Happy Healing! You're on your way now!

:whoo: :pizza:

phyllser

Thanks. I still need to sleep a lot and have gas pains. But that is minor compared to what I will be getting from this surgery down the road. Been living off of jello, broth and fruit cycles. Just had my first food with milk in it (powdered milk in protein shake). Feel a little pain from it. Haven't had any hunger pains since surgery.

phyllser

Thanks. I still need to sleep a lot and have gas pains. But that is minor compared to what I will be getting from this surgery down the road. Been living off of jello, broth and fruit cycles. Just had my first food with milk in it (powdered milk in protein shake). Feel a little pain from it. Haven't had any hunger pains since surgery.

Sounds like you're right on target. I had my first fill last Monday and things are going very well. Able to eat like one small piece of pizza, one egg and a spoonful of potatoes for breakfsat this morning & a little shaved ham. Tried 1/2 sandwich and a cup of soup yesterday at one of our favorite lunch places.. hadn't been there in at least a year. I managed to eat the insides of the 1/2 sandwich and 1/2 of the cup of soup before I was full. DH is gaining weight eating my leftovers!