Can any of Dr. Miles or Schmitt's patients help me with a few questions I have? I have BCBS of AL PPO.

How much where you required to pay upfront? (with insurance)

What was the PREop requirement? (liquids for so many days etc?

What is the POSTop requirement? (liquids so many days, mushies.. etc)

I think that's all for now. We have a couple of vacations coming up and I would like to have a heads up on the money so I don't spend it on vacation lol and food requirements..... same.. need to be sure vacation goes along with them.

Thanks!!

Hey everybody! I am a patient of Dr Schmitts. I have been reading all of your posts, but have never actually posted a comment.

I am having some trouble with the billing office at St Vincents East and was wondering if anyone else had gone thru the same thing. I had my surgery back in April and my insurance paid all but my $250 ded which i got billed for thru the hospital. (I think the total that insurance paid was around $6000.) Then my husband had surgery in July and we got a bill from hospital for almost $1,000! I started looking at the break down from our insurance company and the total bill was $30,000! Which is outrageous for this surgery ( he had no complications and went home the same day of surgery) Anyway, so now I am fighting with them and can not get any straight answers as to why his surgery was so expensive. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm very frustrated and don't have another $1000 to spend for this surgery. :biggrin:

Oh wow Keri...that is horrible! I don't see why they would have charged that much for the exact same surgery. I am having to pay 300 tomorrow as my co-pay, so that makes me wonder how much more I will have to pay out in the end. Keep us posted.

im sorry keri but i cant help to much on this.

i had to pay the 300 up front like april and i got a bill the other day for almost 600. and so far thats it. im hoping thats all i have to pay. i got bc/bs of alabama gov. i now theres many plans outhere that pay more then mine.

on another note. i just got back from the gym. i had a great work out. thread mill for 40 mins. bike for 20 and then lift weights for another 30 mins. i fill like a train hit me. lol

i wish i had time to do that 5 days a week. my goal for the next weight in is to lose 10 more pounds. and then 10 more before xmas. that will give me the weight i wanted to lose before then and then some. i think its good to set small goals like that.

im still working on the shirts. i was thinking about putting this on the back

Banded 4 life

august 26, 2008 <------- insert your date here

www.banders4life.com <----- it made the link sorry

and then on the front we could put a nick name for are little group here.

Good Morning My Friends!~~

It's about 5:30 am and I am getting ready to go to the nut. class. I am scheduled to be at the hospital all day long...class, preop testing and then the visit with Dr. Miles. Wish me luck! I will be checking in later on this evening!!

have fun today alabamagirl! its not long now to your are a member of the banded guys/guls.

Wow just catching up on all the posts. I am sorry that your first fill was so rough, Jason. Lisa has always done mine. I must have just missed you at the Dr.s office. I got there about 2:10 and was in the waiting room with about a 1000 other people and they called me right back and Lisa came in and saw that I had lost 20lbs since my last fill and decided that we would not do a fill. I have another appt for December. I was glad, cuz I would hate to be too tight.

Hope your nutrition class goes well April. I was going to tell you if you wanted to go to support group with me you could meet me at my house and we could ride together - that will save you some on gas. Just let me know!

T-shirts sound cool.

Hope everyone else is well!!

=)

Shawna

ford, when i came out into the waiting room and seen that its was over full. i was glad i got there when i did. i looked for you when i cam out but im sure you had left before i did.

I got my first fill today. Exactly 6 weeks 1 day post-op. It was the breeze. The hardest part was the 1 hour wait before they sent me to a room.

I got 3ccs in my 9cc realize band. I really didn't expect to get that much so it was a pleasant surprise.

I have lost 21 lbs since surgery. Dr. Schmitt was really pleased.

im glad yours went beeter then mine april. 21 pounds is good. you should be happy.

Hi everyone, I don't think I have posted in this thread but I do check in every now and then. Aprilapple, I am so envious that you got your fill...my surgery was on Sept 11 and I was never told that I needed to call so far in advance to make my fill appt. I called about 2 weeks ago and they couldn't get my in until Nov 5. I'm sorry but I think that is absolutley insane. SO now instead of having to wait 6 weeks, it will be 2 months for me...:eek: I called today to see if I could go ahead and schedule my next fill appt but they told me I have to wait to see what Dr Miles says...I know I shouldn't feel like this but after having so much anticipation for the past year leading up to this and now it's like I never even had surgery and all this stress and headache was all in vain. :eek: This past month and a half has just felt like a lifetime and I am wishing I never told anyone that I was getting the band b/c all I get asked is "How much have you lost?" There is this expectation of quick weight loss so everytime I get asked that, I have to explain how the band works b/c most people are ignorant in that fact... Sorry for the rant but I am really getting frustrated... I am also tired to thinking about food all the time...I am constantly trying to plan what I am going to eat so I can make good choices b/c I am extremly busy, I HATE the protein shakes, and I usually have to grab something quick. Thats not a good combination with the band...lol I guess I feel like it will be easier when I have some restriction...I hope...

snowflake I am so sorry that you are having to weight do long for a fill. I understand your frustration. You and I were banded around the same time so I know where you are as far as hunger and food choices. What helped me this week was I started working out. It has helped to take my mind off the lack of restriction. I tried to call ahead to schedule nov also but they saidvi had to wait. I sheduled it today so my second fill is nov 19. Also try mixing things like banana or peanut butter in a blender with your shakes. Check out the food forum for recipes. Hang in there!

I have been working out for a while now but it's so hard to find time b/c I work full time(w/ OT right now) and go to school full time so during the week going to the gym is almost impossible. I really wish I could find a protein mix that I like but the good ones are so expensive and I hate to buy it and hate it also...I tried the canned shakes from the Apothecary but they are horrible and I don't stay full but for maybe an hour and then I'm looking for something else...But I have been doing good as far as getting in my protein by just eating but that might change when I actually have some restriction...

Hi everyone, I don't think I have posted in this thread but I do check in every now and then. Aprilapple, I am so envious that you got your fill...my surgery was on Sept 11 and I was never told that I needed to call so far in advance to make my fill appt. I called about 2 weeks ago and they couldn't get my in until Nov 5. I'm sorry but I think that is absolutley insane. SO now instead of having to wait 6 weeks, it will be 2 months for me...:eek: I called today to see if I could go ahead and schedule my next fill appt but they told me I have to wait to see what Dr Miles says...I know I shouldn't feel like this but after having so much anticipation for the past year leading up to this and now it's like I never even had surgery and all this stress and headache was all in vain. :eek: This past month and a half has just felt like a lifetime and I am wishing I never told anyone that I was getting the band b/c all I get asked is "How much have you lost?" There is this expectation of quick weight loss so everytime I get asked that, I have to explain how the band works b/c most people are ignorant in that fact... Sorry for the rant but I am really getting frustrated... I am also tired to thinking about food all the time...I am constantly trying to plan what I am going to eat so I can make good choices b/c I am extremly busy, I HATE the protein shakes, and I usually have to grab something quick. Thats not a good combination with the band...lol I guess I feel like it will be easier when I have some restriction...I hope...

Seems like it was in nutrition class we were told to make our first fill appointment at our one week (get your staples out) checkup.

Anyway, get in as much protein as you can. It keeps you satisfied longer and keeps you from making bad choices. Even with restriction you have to be very mindful of what you're eating.

Don't be so hard on yourself, you're doing great!

I got my first fill today. Exactly 6 weeks 1 day post-op. It was the breeze. The hardest part was the 1 hour wait before they sent me to a room.

I got 3ccs in my 9cc realize band. I really didn't expect to get that much so it was a pleasant surprise.

I have lost 21 lbs since surgery. Dr. Schmitt was really pleased.

Wow! 3ccs is a lot! I think I have 4.5 cc's in and I've had four fills. I'm guessing Dr. Schmitt did it, because Lisa is much more conservative with her fills than either doctor. I can't believe everyone is having to wait so long. I was there last week and in and out in about 15-20 minutes. I guess I've been lucky every time.

You're doing great!

i also got 3cc's when i got my first feel. im thinking it might be to much. for dinner last night i had half a grilled chicken breast,tablespoon of mashed potatos, and tablespoon of green beans and i was stuffed. does that sound about right to you gals/guys?

im off to the gym and hoping to get a good work out in.

oh i got my new scales in today. its the one from the biggest loser. if its readying right i have droped 2 pounds since my fill on the 20th. so hoping its right.