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Newbie here with lots of questions



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Wow! Great site.

Hi I'm Jim from Chicago area not sure if I'll ever be "banded" as you say but starting to look around I think my BMI is 36-37 I'm 6'0 6'1 appx 265-275 lbs.

I am in the process to see if I qualify with Ins. I have Blue Cross and had heart surgery when I was age 5 I'm now 36. I'm a non-smoker and light drinker 1-2 drinks per month and have struggled with weight since age 6. My heaviest is right now. I was down to 172 when I was 23 for about 2 yrs but ended up at 225-230 for most of my 20's and early 30's. Now I'm moving towards 40 and weight 270=275 yikes!

I emailed a few places today in Illinois to get information and schedule a meeting.

My first question is how much can I expect to pay if my Ins does not cover this?

What does "Fill" mean? I have read this is a 2 hour process and will be home same day?

Will I be able to eat regular foods again like salad Pasta ect?

Looking forward to learning all I can here.

Hope everyone here is doing well on there plan.

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Well I haven't been banded yet either but I know this is a good site for support. read all the old posts . Lots of good info in them. I will let some of the other experienced bandsters answer your questions . Welcome and glad you joined us.

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Welcome! It's very smart of you to do alot of research up front. The band is a very simple design, but a very complex thing to live with. there is much to learn. Please feel free to read all the sections here on LBT and you can also see the manufacturers information here at this link. http://www.inamed.com/products/obesity/us/patient/lapband/prodinfo.html

http://bigolalaskan.com/lapband/fills.htm

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/Index.html

http://www.weighless4life.com/hub.cfm/gastric-band this one has videos

http://www.gisurgery.net/OverviewObesityBariatricSurgery.pdf

http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/tectec.html

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Good luck on your search for better health! We have some Chicago Bandsters on here. Zoe comes to mind, but I think she was banded in Mexico. However she might be able to give you some local info. Really, just research everything you can get your hands on BEFORE you do anything.

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Guest chena_cita

Hello Chicagoboy~

I'm new to this site also. I'm also looking into possibly getting banded. And like you I am searching the Chicagoland area for a reputable DR. and what not. So good luck to you and if I find anything out I'll let you know.

I had my first visit with my primary DR. and she thinks I qualify for the procedure. I'm trying to dig around online for local clinics.

wb if you like.

~chena_cita

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Hello Jim and Chena

I live in the Chicago area and was banded on Jan 3 of 2005. I had my procedure done at Swedish Covenant Hospital by Dr. Raspante. The hospital has an entire staff just for weight loss surgery including the doctors, nursing staff, dietician and psychologists. The director of the program, Ada Gurerra, is also banded and has been very successful in taking the excess weight off. The entire staff is very warm, caring and understanding.

As far as insurance goes, I'm not sure what steps need to be taken in order to use BCBS as I have United Health Care. After having my evaluation, my doctor submitted the letter to my insurance co., and I was soon accepted.

There is a lot on info on this site. Just do some browsing.

GOOD LUCK to you and WELCOME!!

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A fill takes my doc 5 minutes. You go in lay on your back, they numb the port area and stick a needle in to fill up your band. It doesn't hurt at all. You have to wait 30 minutes afterwards sipping Water in the waiting room to make sure there are no problems. Everyone is different when it comes to food. My only issues so far have been pecans and tortillas that hurt going down. Everyone I talk to has different issues or different things. One major thing I am still working on getting used to is not drinking with my meals. You cannot drink with your meals or one hour after or you will not stay full since the drink will wash your food down. Again, every doctor is different.

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You possibly could drink while eating... but it would decrease the effectiveness of your band. I have found that drinking with a meal it will either come back up or wash the food out of my pouch and make room for more.

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I know this sounds strange but I after a year or so how much food can you eat?

I'm hearing 1 cup of food per day. If I do well with my band and lose the weight I need do I have to get fills?

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Guest punky247

Hi Jim

I was orginally going to be banded in Chicago by Dr. Horgan at the Lapband Center 900 North Michigan in the Bloomingdale building, it is a surgery center, and the cost is $15.000. We ended up doing it at UIC only because of a previous surgery I had on my liver, so for precautions we did it there and it ended up being $20,000 for me. But it was the same doctor, he does them at the surgery center, and the hospital. It is a great facility and wonderful team! I love my band. It was worth every penny, not to mention a new life, and a healthy life ahead. I also have Blue Cross, and no luck with coverage I tried for a year and half. Good Luck!

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Santiago Horgan is one of the most reputable and experienced LapBand surgeons in the country. From what I hear, his skills are wonderful...and his bedside manner could use some work...but if you have to choose...

He repairs mistakes made by less experienced and less proficient surgeons. He is not the ONLY good doctor in town, but he is "the man."

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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