Hello everyone,

I just wanted to introduce myself i'm OGee from Chgo, IL (just a nickname)

Well I have been thinking about this for almost a year now. I am at my heaviest @ 332 lbs 6'1" tall. I made a apt to talk with a DR. Sraker @ Loyola (sorry if I butchered his or her name) about Lap band. I guess that's the first step? How long do I have to wait b4 getting the surgery done? What is it that I must first go through?

I know my insurance has already cleared for the surgery. All i know as of right now that my apt to see the Dr. is on the 10th of March, 2009.

Thanks

OGee

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to introduce myself i'm OGee from Chgo, IL (just a nickname)

Well I have been thinking about this for almost a year now. I am at my heaviest @ 332 lbs 6'1" tall. I made a apt to talk with a DR. Sraker @ Loyola (sorry if I butchered his or her name) about Lap band. I guess that's the first step? How long do I have to wait b4 getting the surgery done? What is it that I must first go through?

I know my insurance has already cleared for the surgery. All i know as of right now that my apt to see the Dr. is on the 10th of March, 2009.

Thanks

OGee

Hi OGee! I am a Dr. Sarker @Loyola lap band patient. I was banded on Sept. 4, 2008. I met 3 other Dr. Sarker patients through lapbandtalk.com. BTW - Dr. Sarker is a female. As for how long it takes before surgery can be scheduled, I believe it is all dependent on your insurance requirements. All of us Dr. Sarker patients had all of the tests done - pulmonary, sleep test, psychological test, heart tests, nutrition consult (although I believe that is optional now). They put you through alot of tests to make sure that you are healthy enough for the surgery. With so many tests to schedule you can imagine that it takes several months to get them all completed.

Loyola's support group is basically non-existent. The other 3 Dr. Sarker patients I know go to a monthly support group that meets at Alexian Brothers Hospital in Elk Grove Village. The group meets the 1st Saturday of every month and it costs $10.00 to attend. It is led by a psychologist. It's a good group. I can give you more information, if you'd like. People attend who have not yet been banded and many people bring their support person (spouse, signficant other, etc) with them.

I'd be happy to correspond with you about my experiences with Dr. Sarker and Loyola. Good luck to you. I hope it all works out for you.

Marie715

Hello Marie, and thank you for the quick response. WoW i can't wait until those months pass. When I called to make the appointment on Tues they asked me for all my ins. info and she said it was approved. So I don't know if those test being optional are a good thing or bad? truthfully I know I have trouble sleeping. And Yes please I would like more info on the support group. I would love to hear about your experience with Dr. Sarker.

Well I don't know this dr. or clinic but I just thought I would say hello since I am from champaign-urbana and welcome you to this journey. I was just approved yesterday and am waiting for my consult date as well. It is nice to see a fellow IL person on here. Good luck to you.

Hi OG and Marie,

I was actually banded in Elk Grove Village and LOVE the support groups there. You do have to pay the $10 but it is so worth it. I've also found a TOPS group that meets in my local library every Wed night. It's great for accountability and they welcome weight loss patients which is so nice!

OG, I hope your surgery path goes smoothly!

Christy

Just wanted to say hi—I'm a Chicagoan as well! I was banded at Day One Health by Dr. Galvani. He is wonderful, but my first attempt at attending the support group there was a total bust--no one showed, turns out they had changed locations and I had been given the old info! I'll give it another try this month.

Anyone in the downtown area that might be interested in meeting up sometime for a lunch or tea or something? I'm eager to meet some fellow bandsters in person!

Hope to hear from you!

Valerie

Well I guess we should just make this a CHITOWN post. I am in chicago as well and will be having my surgery with Dr Kane. I have only a few more steps before a surgery date is given. My insurance has approved it and I have to schedule a sleep test and I should be good to go after that. Dr. Kane's office is great and always there to help out and answer questions. I am really excited to get the surgery done and begin the post op journey. Good to hear the Elk Grove support groups are good because I will be attending those soon. Hope all is going well for everyone.

Don714

Hello Marie, and thank you for the quick response. WoW i can't wait until those months pass. When I called to make the appointment on Tues they asked me for all my ins. info and she said it was approved. So I don't know if those test being optional are a good thing or bad? truthfully I know I have trouble sleeping. And Yes please I would like more info on the support group. I would love to hear about your experience with Dr. Sarker.

Hi, you know it sounds kind of wierd that their office said you were approved before you have even seen Dr. Sarker. Could they have possibly just meant that Loyola accepts your insurance? From what I have heard, the insurance request does not even get submitted until after all of your test results are done. Let me know what they tell you at your first appointment with Dr. Sarker. And yes, most definitely, all of the tests are an extremely good thing. By the time all of the tests are done, you will know that you are in the best possible shape to get through surgery and also for the lifestyle change that is required.

Marie

hello everyone yesterday was my first visit with Dr Sarker. Marie you were correct it was just to see if they accept my insurance. I still have to call BCBS to see what criteria is needed for them to pay for the surgery i guess? She seemed very nice, explained to me everything that I needed to know and answered my questions. I still have to take the exams to make sure I am healthy for the surgery. So since I was there I did my blood work and my chest x ray. So when I wake up this morning I will call to schedule myself for the pshyc eval, the sleep apnea, nutrition eval, PFT, and Pulmonary exam. Seems like a lot to do =( but it will get done. I am tired of living in this huge body of mine. I weighed in at 331 lbs. I know it's going to be a huge change, but this change I am willing to accept to better myself for my family. I have kids that I want to see grow up. It's going to be a hard journey.