Congratulations to all bandsters! May we all have continued success this 2008.:tongue:

It is a happy new year for me... I am down 100 pounds! There are many of us who have met this mark, and we continue on our journey.

Cheers- here's to us, and the many "losers" that came before us, and to those who shall follow. :wink:

IF YOU ARE EVEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING A BAND, GO GET INFO NOW NOT LATER..

My Mom was scheduled to get her band Dec.19th 2007- she instead had a triple bypass heart surgery, followed by many complications, blood clots, bad reactions to meds, etc.. and results are that the triple/bypass needs to be completely redone when/if she gains enough strength back to make it through such an ordeal -again.

I will continue to count my blessing, I have had the opportunity to lose 100 pounds... before her story, became mine.

Keeping you all in my thoughts daily, Kimberly

Update...

I went to see my regular doc for my surgical clearance today. I told her about my chest tightness. She sent me for a chest X-Ray and EKG. Hopefully those will be both fine, and I will be on my way

wish you luck KayleighsMommy

I have a BMI of 57.3 The over 50 years old was just additional information I thought I would share with you all. I am aware that there is a 50 year old forum too and probably will check out that forum as and see if I would be welcomed there too

Edited June 14, 200818 yr by ssflbelle

I know you have a bmi over 50. I read the post. I was just saying so no one else would be confused it's all ages...and I welcomed you too.

Oh Ok I got it now Thanks.

I'm sorry I confused you, didn't mean it. Welcome to 50+bmi forum. :thumbup:

I have a BMI of 57.3 The over 50 years old was just additional information I thought I would share with you all. I am aware that there is a 50 year old forum too and probably will check out that forum as and see if I would be welcomed there too

Hi,

Glad to have you with us. I started with BMI almost 64. Like you, on disability.. since 2000, and on Medicare since 2002. So I had the challenge of finding a Center of Excellence and doctor approved by Medicare. I ended up having to drive 65 miles to the clinic, but surgery in Seattle hospital was somewhat closer.

I had partial knee replacement in 2001, but weight loss has caused the hardware to start to come loose, so not only need a total knee on the left, but the right has to be converted to a total, also, but ortho surgeon wants me to get my BMI down to about 40 first. In the meantime, he's watching the right one closely. Have to go back in a few weeks to get it x-rayed again. He said if it gets too bad he may have to go ahead and do it this summer. I didn't even know it was a problem. I was having some pain in that one, but he says it's more critical than the left one. Who knew???

Anyway, glad to have you and we're here to offer our support and encouragement in any way we can.

Hi all

MY first posting was on the Florida Forum on May 8th but after looking around the site I see other Forum I am interested in being a part of if you will have me. My BMI is 57.3 so I should fit into this forum. I am over 50 years old too.

I have been researching the lapband surgery since the beginning of the year. I have been on disability since May 2006 and last month I finally got Medicare. MY PCP and my spine/hip Dr and I feel that the lapband is the best way for me to lose 200 pounds so I can have a total hip replacement. I am scheduled for my Dr consultation on July 22. That was the first available date he had opened.

Being so busy I truly hope he is a great Dr. He was listed on the Lapband literature as having performed at least 75 lapband surgeries last year. There were only 2 Dr who had performed that many surgeries on the list that lapband.com sent me. The other Dr was on my Medicare plan but the hospital was not a Center of Excellence. So I will have to travel 1 to 1-1/2 hours South of where I live to have this done. I don't really care about the trip if it will allow me to lose weight and get the hip replaced.

Sorry this intro was so long but I am all alone on this journey and hoping to find support in this forum.

Nice to meet you!

I think it's vital to have an experienced surgeon OVER having the surgery at a Center of Excellence.

It's even more vital since your BMI is higher. My surgery was pretty difficult due to my high BMI. My liver was in good shape because I followed my pre-op diet to the letter!

Good Luck Dear! AND welcome!

HI Tied2befit

Thanks for the welcome! Dr. Bass is one of the 2 Doctors on my plan. Both of them have done more lapbands than the other Doctors (not on my Medicare advantage plan) who were listed on the paper got sent from lapband.com. So I am confident he is a good Doctor otherwise Medicare would not have approved him and the hospital that he practices out of. I have to have the surgery at the Center of Excellence otherwise Medicare will not pay for it. I can't afford to have the surgery if Medicare doesn't pay, so I have to listen to what they tell me to do. When I was working my previous employer had an exclusion in the insurance plan otherwise I would have had this done years ago.

HI Tied2befit

Thanks for the welcome! Dr. Bass is one of the 2 Doctors on my plan. Both of them have done more lapbands than the other Doctors (not on my Medicare advantage plan) who were listed on the paper got sent from lapband.com. So I am confident he is a good Doctor otherwise Medicare would not have approved him and the hospital that he practices out of. I have to have the surgery at the Center of Excellence otherwise Medicare will not pay for it. I can't afford to have the surgery if Medicare doesn't pay, so I have to listen to what they tell me to do. When I was working my previous employer had an exclusion in the insurance plan otherwise I would have had this done years ago.

I totally understand.

I am so glad, however, I had Dr. Kirshenbaum. He's experience with Lap Surgeries made a big difference I'm sure when it came to putting mine on. Poor guy! I gave him a challenge!

I haven't visited this thread in awhile, but WOW Tied you're an inspiration. Your weightloss is really impressive, grats!

I have to admit I'm pretty scared about surgery because of my weight, (I've also, never had surgery - and I'm scared of needles, lol). My current BMI is 53.7. :ohmy:

All in all I realize I have to take control of my life, so I'm overcoming my fears and moving forward. I have my final appointment with my surgeon on June 25th (after enduring a 3 month supervised diet plan - insurance required), after that my info will be faxed over to Aetna. I hope they move this along quickly, I'm turning 35 on the 27th and an insurance approval would be a wonderful B'Day gift.

HI Phyllser

I don't know how I missed this post from you the first time but thanks for the welcome. I do need all the support I can get. I do have a date for the first consultation over a month away. July 22nd and I have to travel 45 miles South of where I live. I guess my trip isn't as bad as you had.

I am sorry to hear that the knee replacement has slipped and that you need that one replaced as well as on the other knee. My Dr stated no one would touch me for a hip replacement unless I lost 200 pounds which would put me at 155. You stated yours wanted a BMI of 40. Just curious how tall are you and what weight would a BMI of 40 be? I was surprised to hear my Dr say I had to lose 200 pounds as I have know others who had surgery when their weight was over 200 pounds.

Would love to put you down as a friend but I am still learning how to do things in my profile. No doubt you see it is pretty blank, but if you care to privately emailme here I have figured out how that works. :ohmy:

Amanda

Hi,

Glad to have you with us. I started with BMI almost 64. Like you, on disability.. since 2000, and on Medicare since 2002. So I had the challenge of finding a Center of Excellence and doctor approved by Medicare.

so not only need a total knee on the left, but the right has to be converted to a total, also, but ortho surgeon wants me to get my BMI down to about 40 first.

Anyway, glad to have you and we're here to offer our support and encouragement in any way we can.

HI MicheleK

I know what you mean about scared, this will be my first too. Yes it would be a great B'day gift and I sure do hope they approve you. Good luck with your Dr. visit on the 25th.

Amanda

I have to admit I'm pretty scared about surgery because of my weight, (I've also, never had surgery - and I'm scared of needles, lol). My current BMI is 53.7. :ohmy:

I have my final appointment with my surgeon on June 25th (after enduring a 3 month supervised diet plan - insurance required), after that my info will be faxed over to Aetna. I hope they move this along quickly, I'm turning 35 on the 27th and an insurance approval would be a wonderful B'Day gift.

Amanda -

Thank you for the reply. I think you're making a wonderful choice to improve your life. I hope we both get great news soon.

I'm willing to bet if you get banded you'll be able to have your replacement surgery in NO time.

Keep us posted on how you're doing.

Michele

Howdy all! my name is Debbie and i have a BMI of about 53...i was wondering if my insurance told me they didn't cover lapband surgery, did anyone know of how i could get them to do so??? there is no way we could afford it without our insurance:frown:...even the 80/20 split is stretching our budget to the max..TIA