Hello Everyone:

I have been reading post for awhile and now getting active. I just figured out the ticker and ready to get on with the journey. I apperciate all those who have experienced what is in store for me. I look forward to and appreciate all your help and advice.

I am a 59 year old Vocational College Instructor and have had a weight problem most of my life. Now, it is getting worse and my health is showing the consequences.

I have been to the inital consultation with the surgeon, Dr. Kappa, in Kingsport, Tn and am now in the process of getting the necessary documents, tests, and consults. I have Cigna insurance. Any advice and encouragement will be greatly appreciated!

Congrats on beginning the process! I also started in December 2007 and just completed the process a week ago. I am scheduled to be band in two weeks. The insurance process was not bad because the team of staff work with you to make sure everything is documented properly and submitted the forms. It does take two to three months to do everything, but what a blessing when its all over. I wish you the best in your new journey you are about to begin.

Hi Cathy, Welcome. I wish you luck with your pre-op process and then with your banded journey. I,too, am waiting for my band. I expect to be banded the end of May or early June if I am approved by my insurance company. They require a six month medically supervised diet. It's been going OK and actually I am thankful for the six mo. prep time. It's given me a chance to acclimate. I am also thankful for this forum. I have had a lot of questions answered. I look forward to seeing your posts in the future.

Hi!! i'm hoping to get banded at about the same time. Good Luck !!

What kind of pre-op diet do you need to do?

Wow, I have made so much progress this week toward my quest for the band! I completed the psyc exam, it was un-nerving... I am glad that is done, but he did approve me, after saying I was too trusting... lol, it could have been worse. That took 4 hours and I was exausted. I don't know why it had to be so long. A written test and then an hour of interview. I also saw my GP and got a lot of assurance there, plus the documentation of the 6 months doc lead dieting, my insurance requires. I pick up the records from the OB/GYN and the sleep apnea docs also. All I have left is a group support meeting next Tuesday and the individual nutrionist meeting on Thursday and the gallbladder scan that should be scheduled next week. Then I will be ready to submit to the insurance! I hope that will give me the go ahead! I am aiming toward the end of April when my school has a semester break, that will be an ideal time!

Good luck Karen and thanks for the support sisterc and lilo. I will look for you all on here! I will need all the support I can get and will look forward to being a support to others!

Cathy, Karen, Lilo, Sister...WELCOME! Big changes are in store for you all...and it will be like nothing else you've experienced. I know all the pre-banding tests seem overwhelming, but I am glad they treat this so seriously. It will speak to each of your successes. Heaven forbid this becomes a vanity surgery, done jsut for the asking! The time before is for wrapping your head around the process, the time post banding is for healing. The journey is full of self disscovery...and that's a good thing. All the self awareness brings you closer to your goals!

Good luck, we're proud of you for taking control!

Wow, I have made so much progress this week toward my Quest for the band! I completed the psyc exam, it was un-nerving... I am glad that is done, but he did approve me, after saying I was too trusting... lol, it could have been worse. That took 4 hours and I was exausted. I don't know why it had to be so long. A written test and then an hour of interview. I also saw my GP and got a lot of assurance there, plus the documentation of the 6 months doc lead dieting, my insurance requires. I pick up the records from the OB/GYN and the sleep apnea docs also. All I have left is a group support meeting next Tuesday and the individual nutrionist meeting on Thursday and the gallbladder scan that should be scheduled next week. Then I will be ready to submit to the insurance! I hope that will give me the go ahead! I am aiming toward the end of April when my school has a semester break, that will be an ideal time!

Good luck Karen and thanks for the support sisterc and lilo. I will look for you all on here! I will need all the support I can get and will look forward to being a support to others!

I also look forward to taking this journey with you, Cathy. Sounds like our surgeries won't be too far apart from each other (if I get approved). I am ready to get the band and start the next phase....we'll talk soon. The other Karen

Cathy, Karen, Lilo, Sister...WELCOME! Big changes are in store for you all...and it will be like nothing else you've experienced. I know all the pre-banding tests seem overwhelming, but I am glad they treat this so seriously. It will speak to each of your successes. Heaven forbid this becomes a vanity surgery, done jsut for the asking! The time before is for wrapping your head around the process, the time post banding is for healing. The journey is full of self disscovery...and that's a good thing. All the self awareness brings you closer to your goals!

Good luck, we're proud of you for taking control!

Thank you for the support, Cindi. I am ready for all of this to take place. Been looking at doing this for three years and feel that I am fully prepared for what's ahead.

Hey Ladies

You are going to love your band when you get them... It is the best thing that you can do for yourself - as we are all in the 50+ gang and we finally realize that if we want to live a better and longer life that we need to get this fat off of us..

The band is a great tool to help us acheive this goals and with the help of our other tool (our brains) we will finally get it that this is a lifetime lifestyle change in our eating habits - that we must execrise and make healthy food choices to be healthy.

I feel 10 yrs young - look like a normal person - feel 1 million times better about me - I am so proud of the work that I have done to accomplish this goal - and imho I have done the work not the band - yes it has helpped but I am the one who has made good food choices and gets my butt to the gym. I am the one who says no to the candy - fried foods - by band is my interior motivator ...

Good luck to you all and welcome to lbt

Thanks for the support, Janet. I have a question for you. It's off the subject. After losing your weight, how do you feel about the condition of your skin...do you have sagging? or are you one of the lucky ones?

Thanks for the support, Janet. I have a question for you. It's off the subject. After losing your weight, how do you feel about the condition of your skin...do you have sagging? or are you one of the lucky ones?

Lilo

I have dog ear boobs (but truly I did when I was heavier i had ugly boobs with the fat I went to 42 D - I was orginally a 34 a or b and after the birth of my son 37 yrs ago I had saggy boobs - - I am now a 36 D - but totally deflated)

My tummy has a little apron but not too bad - I wear lipo in a box - inner thighs not pretty and I have some bat wings - It's all about your genes and how long you have been overweight. No amount of exercise is going to fix saggy skin. I gotta say that I am pretty lucky - I have some sag but not as bad as others - I am not a beauty nake - but who sees me naked

I dislike my arms but what I have read the scar from that surgery is uglier than the wings - I don't know if I want to go thru the pain of having surgery - in my clothes I look pretty good - I would rather spend the p.s. $$$ on my face - and I am lucky there too not too bad - I have hooded eyes and little bags under the eyes - but had this 80 lbs ago too - My face is what is seen and my body might not be perfect - but I feel so much better and who cares really and at our age we aren't going to have the body of a 20 yr old.

I like said - no perfect body here - but over all I gotta say it looks a hell of a lot better than 80 lbs ago - saggy skin ain't gonna kill you but the fat will - that's the way I look at it..

Karen, Lilo, Sister, Cindi and IndioGirl

I like this group. Let's see... do I have everyone? There are two Karens, and I am Cathy. I am excited about this process and trying to avoid the negative people I encounter about this. That has kept me from telling a lot of people close to me. I don't want them to discourage me, one sister keeps saying how scared she is for me. I know she wants the best for me, but also is a little jealous that she doesn't have insurance to pay. Another sister is considering surgery but has chosen to use another Doctor and complete bypass. Funny how sisters can be. I want the band because, I will need constant support and don't like the idea that my stomach has been completlely changed. My regular physician says this is not at invasive as the bypass. Has anyone else had this kind of "support"?

I have so many questions, but for now I need to concentrate on the "homework" my nutritionist gave me. I have to complete a day's menu for the 1st 3 phases of diets. Phase 1 -clear liquids,Phase 2 fluids with liquid protein,Phase 3 mushie food. We have to take these into a one-on-one appointment with her and also take a quiz to be approved for surgery. I guess everyone has their own requirements, but most seem to be pretty much the same.

I hope you are all doing well and I hope to chat more soon!

Karen, Lilo, Sister, Cindi and IndioGirl

I like this group. Let's see... do I have everyone? There are two Karens, and I am Cathy. I am excited about this process and trying to avoid the negative people I encounter about this. That has kept me from telling a lot of people close to me. I don't want them to discourage me, one sister keeps saying how scared she is for me. I know she wants the best for me, but also is a little jealous that she doesn't have insurance to pay. Another sister is considering surgery but has chosen to use another Doctor and complete bypass. Funny how sisters can be. I want the band because, I will need constant support and don't like the idea that my stomach has been completlely changed. My regular physician says this is not at invasive as the bypass. Has anyone else had this kind of "support"?

I have so many questions, but for now I need to concentrate on the "homework" my nutritionist gave me. I have to complete a day's menu for the 1st 3 phases of diets. Phase 1 -clear liquids,Phase 2 fluids with liquid Protein,Phase 3 mushie food. We have to take these into a one-on-one appointment with her and also take a quiz to be approved for surgery. I guess everyone has their own requirements, but most seem to be pretty much the same.

I hope you are all doing well and I hope to chat more soon!

Cathy - Your doc sounds like mine - I had homework too - there are so many people here who don't know what to eat or do after they they have surgery - It sounds like you will have all your facts so that you will be able to succeed at this and not be lost as what needs to be done once you are banded.

I have 1 older sister - she was happy for me - she doesn't have a weight problem - My little bro was ok too.. I guess they figured I was a big girl and I could make my own decisions. My support has been my Lucky#7 gang -

We have the greatest group and my 50+ ladies - these are the 2 thread that I have posted to religiously since I joined in May..

Bypass vs lapbands - for me and per my doc it depend on many issues - if you are a big sweet eater - then bypass may be a better option as you don't absorb your calories and with the band you do and candy/sweet are easly eaten with the band - For me it was a portion control issue - I didn't eat tons of junk just too much good home cooked food and no exercise.

Welll gotta get back to work - ttyl....

Count me in ladies! I have my last of seven "hoop jumping" appointments this Thurdsay. Afterwards, everything will be submitted to BCBS for approval. I suspect surgery will be in April. A woman I work with is doing this as well, and her info goes in Monday for approval, so I'm anxious to find out how long this process takes. I'm very excited and so glad to have this forum. I have been lurking for a while and have been absorbing all this information. I feel like I'm going to have tons of new friends for support. I have been overweight all my life, obese most of my adult life and morbidly obese for the last 10 years or so. I cannot wait to be healthy. I have a wonderful new husband and plan to have many many years with him.:thumbup:

Count me in ladies! I have my last of seven "hoop jumping" appointments this Thurdsay. Afterwards, everything will be submitted to BCBS for approval. I suspect surgery will be in April. A woman I work with is doing this as well, and her info goes in Monday for approval, so I'm anxious to find out how long this process takes. I'm very excited and so glad to have this forum. I have been lurking for a while and have been absorbing all this information. I feel like I'm going to have tons of new friends for support. I have been overweight all my life, obese most of my adult life and morbidly obese for the last 10 years or so. I cannot wait to be healthy. I have a wonderful new husband and plan to have many many years with him.:thumbup:

Hi & Welcome Di

I love my band - I did it cuz I wanted to extend my life too.. I feel so much better 10 yrs younger - I have made new friends here in fact my lucky #7 group plans on a meeting this summer - we can't wait to meet each other and I have already met on of my ladies cuz she winters here in the desert - infact I am going to dinner with her tonight - so yes LBT is great for support and meeting new people - it give yous so much info and support.

I have BC and had no problems getting approved - met the surgeon on 5/32 got approved 6/20 - surgery on 7/17... I haven't felt so good in years..

Right now I am on my way to the gym - and that is a BIG improvement for a total slug bug... I can now exercise - I can't say I totally love it but have come to like it quite a bit...

Good luck on your jounery - we are here for you..

I am really getting psyched up for surgery. I have completed my psychological exam and the 3 hour pre-op class; I still need the gallbladder scan, a group support meeting and the individual nutritionist meeting. I have completed my homework for the nutritionist of completing menus for a day in each of the 3 phases after surgery. That was much more difficult than I expected, I had to go to the store and look on the labels. The 2nd, 3rd were fairly simple, but phase 4 for the rest of my life was much more difficult. I do have some food allergies and that makes more of a challenge since I cannot eat egg, dairy, including cheese and no peanut products. I think I have it figured out. I think this process with the menus will be most helpful, at least I have had to think about it before I get there.

I have Cigna Insurance and they require 6 months Doctor supervised diet, I am hoping that the program I enrolled in last summer will be ok, it was a program called “Loose it for Good” that a physicians group sponsored. My insurance did pay for it and it was coded for weight loss, however, I only went for 4 months, I had been to my regular physician for 3 months prior to that for phentramine. I hated that drug, it made me feel so mean!

I hope all of you are doing well and I am so excited about this process, I looked at some "little" dresses Yesterday....I hope by next summer I can fit into some of them! I am certainly going to try my hardest! I was told not to loose too much weight until I am approved, but I want to diet so badly, Oh! I cannot believe I just said that, but I want to get started and get this weight off... because I feel certain that with the band I will be able to keep it off! That is what is most important to me about the whole thing! To be able to get it off and with the band and a change in lifestyle....keep it off for good!