Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Columbus Area



Recommended Posts

I am just beginning the lap band approval etc. process. I am in the Dublin area and just found this forum. I would love to meet others in the area.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Where do you take Water aerobics? Sounds like you have a lot of fun. I have been thinking about starting and now sounds like as good a time as any.

Thanks.

Shawn

I have taken several water aerobics classes through the Westerville Parks and Rec Center. The instructor who did the Healthy Hazel Halloween teaches a class called H2O Bootcamp - i.e. water aerobics and her name is Jill Schmall. This winter session the class starts pretty late so I couldn't take it and not be too tired to drive home after. But if you can do it, she's a blast. There is also 3 other water aerobics classes at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 start times. Look online for the WPRC catalog under City of Westerville.

A different lady teaches the 5:30 class and that's the one I was going to take this session until I joined Urban Active Fitness gym and the water aerobics classes, and use of their lap pool any other time I want, was included in my gym membership so I dropped out of the Westerville Pks class.

I will tell you that the lady that teaches the 6:30 and 7:30 sessions has a reputation for doing alot of arm exercises and she doesn't have folks move around in the water or work with styrofoam dumbbells, noodles, etc. like the 5:30 or like Jill's class does. It all depends on what you'd like to try.

In the summer, I took the Westerville class at Highland Parks pool outside and it was fun. I'm planning to do that again this summer if Jill is teaching again.

:thumbup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am just beginning the lap band approval etc. process. I am in the Dublin area and just found this forum. I would love to meet others in the area.

Hi tekdiva -- are you an IT techie? I work in IT as a project manager. Let me know if you have questions. You can send a PM (private message) by right clicking on my specialk userid name and it gives you an option to send a question that isn't posted to all on the board.

Good luck.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello-I have only posted once or twice here, but I live in the Columbus OH area (east.) I originally went to a Mt. Carmel West info seminar early 2008, but didn't go beyond asking a few questions of my insurance carrier. As a probable self payer, the cost of banding, particularly the pay upfront requirement, was a little daunting. I recently went to another info session at Mt. Carmel East and actually have completed all the paperwork, but haven't mailed it yet. Since I'm still reading as much as I can find about banding, I learned that the wt loss center in Cincinnati, w/ Dr. Curry, is significantly cheaper than mt Carmel, and they seem to have performed significantly more procedures than mt. Carmel. I would prefer to stay close to home, but a several thousand dollar cost savings is nothing to sneeze at. Anyone else here use the Dr. Curry center as a self payer and can offer any insight or share your experience?

Thanks in advance.

Moving forward!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello-I have only posted once or twice here, but I live in the Columbus OH area (east.) I originally went to a Mt. Carmel West info seminar early 2008, but didn't go beyond asking a few questions of my insurance carrier. As a probable self payer, the cost of banding, particularly the pay upfront requirement, was a little daunting. I recently went to another info session at Mt. Carmel East and actually have completed all the paperwork, but haven't mailed it yet. Since I'm still reading as much as I can find about banding, I learned that the wt loss center in Cincinnati, w/ Dr. Curry, is significantly cheaper than mt Carmel, and they seem to have performed significantly more procedures than mt. Carmel. I would prefer to stay close to home, but a several thousand dollar cost savings is nothing to sneeze at. Anyone else here use the Dr. Curry center as a self payer and can offer any insight or share your experience?

Thanks in advance.

Moving forward!!

We have a lapband guy that comes to our monthly get together at the Polaris mall and he just had Dr. Curry do his surgery in November and was very satisfied and also chose that because of being self pay and it was much less expensive. His username on this website is Barbarossa. Let me see if I can find a posting of his and you can send him a Private Message for more details if he doesn't see this here.

Good luck and hope you'll consider coming to the mall and we welcome pre-band, and post band from any program including self pay.

I should also say that Mt. Carmel has three bariatric surgeons and they've all done several hundred or more lapbands and RNYs too. I totally understand the need to check out Cincy if I was self pay.

Edited by SpecialK

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, I am. I am a computer science teacher. My students came up with my online name. But, I have to admit that I find the boards a little confusing to navigate. I think that it will come with practice.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tekdiva and any others new -- yes this forum has a ton of information but here is how I tackled it for my use and found it helpful.

1. Checked out all I could read under the Mt. Carmel thread since that was the surgeon group I was going with.

2. Checked out all the Columbus things I could find so that I could compare what folks going through Mt. Carmel, Barix, and OSU and self-pays said compared to what I was finding.

3. Checked out the Insurance thread stuff especially when I was going through the pre-approval stages. See what others were finding they had to do and how they got approved for surgery.

4. Pre-op surgery - all the things to especially consider right before surgery.

5. Post-op surgery - all the things to especially consider to be ready for just after surgery.

6. Monthly Support Groups -- we started a March 2008 band surgery group thread and there is one for each month now even the 2009 months. This group has been especially helpful because it represented a huge cross section of people around the US and other places too like Austrailia that were going through every step pre-op and post-op that I was since we had our surgery in the same time frame.

7. General Lapband Discussion thread - check this every so often as I have time.

8. The Pictures Only thread where people post their progress pictures -- this is huge motivation to me to see what it looks like visually when we are losing.

9. Plastic Surgery thread -- yes I know because of the amount of weight I have to lose I am going to need a Tummy Tuck and maybe some other things done to help my self confidence once I have lost weight. This thread gives you the full details and don't look if you are squeamish because they sometimes post pictures that are tough to realize its going to cause some pain to get to the end result.

10. BMI over 50 -- I thought it would help me to follow some with others who had well over 100 lbs to lose and I've occasionally done this but not that much really since the March group has several of us in that category and the Mt. Carmel and Columbus groups do too.

I haven't found it as helpful to tie into other threads by religious group, age, or just the women, but some might.

Whatever encourages you.

I have to tell you I also joined Obesity Help and Thinner Times web forums and found myself always coming back to Lapbandtalk as my primary source of lapband only focused info.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi,

I am newly "lap-banded" as of Jan 21, 2009. I live in Grove City. My local doctor is Dr. Choban w/ Mt. Carmel West. I am getting along real well, better than expected. Anyone from this local area?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello and welcome, Nancy. And congrats on your band! I am working my way through the pre-op process with the Fresh Start program at Riverside. Hearing about newly-banded folks feeling good and working their band is so very motivating. Thanks for sharing!

I found the following section of the forums here that should provide you with ideas for every stage of the post-op diet. Let us know what works for you!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f9/lapband-food-stages-lists-suggestions-3995/

Hugs,

Christy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you Christy for the "welcome and best wishes". Same to you as you go through your process. It takes a while but it is worth it. Glad to know there is someone in this area looking on. Thanks for all the info. Nancy:thumbup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Anyone else here use the Dr. Curry center as a self payer and can offer any insight or share your experience?

Thanks in advance.

Moving forward!!

Saej, welcome! I was banded by Dr. Curry right before Thanksgiving as a self-pay patient. My experience has been nothing but positive. Price was one factor in my decision to go to Dr. C, but his experience is what sealed the deal for me. All but a few of his office staff have been banded, so virtually anyone you speak to there relates to what you might be experiencing. They return calls promptly and their two nutritionists, Rebecca and Erin (both banded), have been a wonderful help. I haven't updated my ticker, but I've lost close to 60lbs since my pre-surgical check in September.

As for my surgery, we drove down that morning. They took me back ~11am, I was in surgery by 12n, up and walking around pretty quick, and was discharged by 2p. We were home in Cbus before rush hour, having had to make stops at all 3 rest areas on the way home for me to walk around to avoid clots. I had very minimal pain and never had to use my pain medication. No problems with the band whatsoever.

Two recent developments might also factor into your decision. The first is that Dr C has opened up a satellite office in Cbus by Doctors West. That's where I did my 2 week check-up and where you can get your fills after the first.

The second development was the announcement made today that Dr C has now done a single incision procedure, performed last week. I can send you the press release.

I would highly recommend coming to one of our monthly gatherings at Polaris (next one Feb 14th!). I'm usually there, but getting the advice and counsel from everyone else (who are part of other area programs) was very important to me as I was going through the process. Getting a lot of input from folks with varying experiences and having a support network has definitely improved my success. Any of us would be glad to help you as you begin this journey.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Barborossa Hi - and thanks for the welcome and encouragement. I am looking forward to Dr. Curry's info session scheduled here in Columbus next week. I have lots of questions after reading several threads here. Your experience was helpful to read after I read the *slow losers* thread. Not sure that I can make the Feb 14th gathering but will try planning for March. Where exactly in Polaris do you meet?

saej

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • KeeWee

      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×