WOOHOO - surgery set for March 4th. My approval came pretty fast after a 6 month diet/waiting period. Now I am set. Can't wait. No pre-op diet. How about you? From what I have been reading here, I thought they were pretty much required.

March 4 for me too....Tampa General with Dr. Murr!! Pre-op diet a must for Murr's patients...the more you lose the easier it is to navigate around the liver in order to place the band around the stomach laporascopically.Can't wait to get this monkey off my back!! Good luck to all!

Congrats! March 7th is my band date! We will have to keep in touch to check on progress and motivation. I will have my surgery in Tyler, Texas by Dr. Hugh Babineau. I did not have to go through the 6 month hurdle. I guess I got lucky. I am so excited. If you don't mind me asking, how much weight are you trying to shed?

Oops did not see your ticker at first...I see how much you would like to loose

Hey trinity and rosecity - yeah for both of you too. Iam sure you are like me and can't wait either. I am really excited for the next phase. I ahve real;ly been focusing on what I can eat, not what I need to exclude after the surgery. DH is all on board as well. He too needs to lose a few, but foe him it is different. It falls off him like rain!

Rose - I am in TX too. In fact, DH use to work in Minola. We go back from time to time for a reunion. Beautiful little city you have there.

Trinity - what part of FL are you? I lived in Miami Beach for 9 months back in 2000 for a job assignment. Beautiful, but I don't see myself living there again. I am pretty Southern and MB is not. Very NY or even international. I needed more accents to feel at home.

Wow small world. My DH graduated from Victoria High in 1993. Do you know the Ozunas, they are DH good friends. My mother is from Port Lavaca, alot of our family is still there.

My insurance (UHC Choice Plus) requires a 5 year weight history, do any of you have any idea (or experience) on how long it takes your previous doctors to get that info sent back in? (I know they're all different but maybe a ballpark estimate?) I faxed the requests 2 weeks ago and my surgeon's office has only gotten 1 response back so far. I was thinking 2 weeks would be plenty of time. I think on Monday, I'm going to start calling them and harrassing them about it. I have 3 other doctors I'm waiting on.

I'm just getting impatient. I figured that they'd all be back in by now and it would already be submitted to my insurance. One of the girls in my office is having back surgery on the 20th and will be out for 4-6 weeks. I was hoping to get my band done before then and be back by the time her surgery came up. We only have 4 people in our office and both of us can't be out at the same time.

It just seems so bleak to me. If I can't get everything in and get my surgery scheduled before the 15th, I'll have to wait at least another month and a half! :biggrin:

I guess I will most definitely be a March Bandster!

hey mom - I would check out some of the posts in insurance. You can even search just that thread for your ins. company for more details from someone who is or has been through it with them.

I would also find out from your insurance co. exactly what they will require for this 5 year thing.

I know I read at least 2 posts by someone who had to come up with a 5 year history. One of the post said he/she was able to track back their weight history through their PCP. Another one pulled her Weight Watchers records. (you might even try on search on 5 year eight history)

Another consistent note you will find in those insurance posts is to be your own advocate. If you have to go to offices to help makes copies, do it. If you have to make the calls to the physicians, make them. Be very proactive. Even my surgeon's office told me that after they submitted, I would get more results by calling my insurance co myself than they would. Think of yourself as the insurance co's customer. They are no different than Best Buy then. Most people would expect service at Best Buy - expect it from your insurance co as well.

Hope that helps.

Hi Robin, My insurance also required a 5 year weight history. I called my OBGYNs office. I faxed them a letter asking them to release the info and they faxed it to my surgeon's office the very same day! The Surgeons office said if I was missing a year in the middle or something, they could still take it. Hope this helps...Best of Luck to you!

BTW, my surgery is scheduled for March 4th and I start my 4 weeks of Optifast tomorrow...wish me luck!

OK, I was apparently being paranoid for no reason. I just got an email from the insurance coordinator and she got all my paperwork and submitted it for approval on Jan. 29th. So now I just have to wait and see!

WooHoo!

Alright Mom!! That is awesome. You have to let us know how it goes. Hopefully you will be a Marcher also.

Rose City - I have only been in Vic for 3 years now. Don't know the folks you mentioned.

Guys - we are all really close to only 1 month until surgery. How exciting! I have been working on my exercise - trying to get going to make recovery easier. In some of the other threads I am on, folks who have already been banded have said this is really smart. We have a month to get done what we can. What are doing to prepare?

Guys - we are all really close to only 1 month until surgery. How exciting! I have been working on my exercise - trying to get going to make recovery easier. In some of the other threads I am on, folks who have already been banded have said this is really smart. We have a month to get done what we can. What are doing to prepare?

Texgirly

I am trying to increase my physical activity, drink more Water and let go of the Dr. Peppers now. My goal is also to lose about 10 pounds before surgery.

March 4 for me too....Tampa General with Dr. Murr!! Pre-op diet a must for Murr's patients...the more you lose the easier it is to navigate around the liver in order to place the band around the stomach laporascopically.Can't wait to get this monkey off my back!! Good luck to all!

I got my band date 03/04/08, my pre op diet begin on 2/14/08.

40 ish, 300.9lbs, 5'11", BMI = 41, (Optifast diet for 2wks. prior to surgery)

12/08/07 - Initial Seminar

12/18/07 - Therapist & Nutritionist Appts.

01/03/08 - Met w/ Dr. Ehrlich - Surgeon, Bloodwork, Gallbladder ultrasound

01/08/08 - Primary Care, EKG, more bloodwork

01/15/08 - Blasted the PC office so the Surgeon's billing dept. should have all of my paperwork.

02/14/08 PreOp appointment & 2wks. of Optifast Diet

I will be getting banded at St.Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, CT.

A Speedy Recovery wishes to everyone !!!!

Hey - welcome to March 4th CTMan!

Right there with you on the pre-surgery exercise. Everyone either says they did and were glad or they wish they had. I walk/ran 2 miles this morning.

WHen I had my first consultation, they told me my 6 Diest Cokes/day would be an issue. I went cold turkey 2 days later. I tried one about 2 months after quitting and now I can't stand them. I don't even like most carbonated drinks now. Here is a funny thing - I sometimes accidentally order one when eating out. My DH justs laughs as I fumble with the waiter to fix it.

Good luck with the Dr. Pepper. I started drinking coffee for the caffeine - that was brutal. But it is way more fashionable!

March 4th for me too!!

That is looking to be a very popular day.

My Dr requires a 7 day pre op diet. I've modified my diet already and have cut out drinking at meals.

I just got invited to a wedding on April 6th. I guess if all goes well I will be on soft/mushy food.

Hello All!!

Hey - welcome to March 4th CTMan!

Right there with you on the pre-surgery exercise. Everyone either says they did and were glad or they wish they had. I walk/ran 2 miles this morning.

WHen I had my first consultation, they told me my 6 Diest Cokes/day would be an issue. I went cold turkey 2 days later. I tried one about 2 months after quitting and now I can't stand them. I don't even like most carbonated drinks now. Here is a funny thing - I sometimes accidentally order one when eating out. My DH justs laughs as I fumble with the waiter to fix it.

Good luck with the Dr. Pepper. I started drinking coffee for the caffeine - that was brutal. But it is way more fashionable!

Thanks Texgirly I will need it. Funny thing is, I am a Starbucks junkie too...LOL. I have been doing fairly well this week with the carbonated beverages.