want2bthin
Latest Weight Ticker:
Weight - BMI goals:
252 -
245 -
235 - 43
229 - 41.9
224 - 41
218 - 39.9 (graduate into 'severely obese' category)
213 - 39
208 - 38
202 - 36.9
197 - 36
191 - 34.9 (graduate into 'obese' category)
186 - 34
180 - 32.9
175 - 32
164 - 30 (graduate into 'slightly obese' category)
136 - 24.9 (reach goal of graduating to 'healthy' category)
Other goals:
Wear Size 20
Wear Size 18
Wear Size 16
Wear Size 14
Wear Size 12
Wear Size 10
Wear Size 8
-Ride a bike comfortably
-Possibly rollerblade (depending on how daring I decide to be)
-Go whitewater rafting again (haven't done in 20 years)
-Wear a sleeveless top without feeling totally self conscious (my arms are one of my worst features)
- Of course look nice in a bathing suit
-Tummy tuck when ready
-Plastic surgery on my arms - and maybe a body lift
===========================
September 22, 2009
Seems more than anything this is becoming my Fill Diary. I have continued to struggle; actually the truth is I just gave up.
After 3 1/2 years I am down a whopping 12 lbs. I went to the new Dr's office again in August and was convinced that my band had eroded after reading the symptoms. Essentially I can eat anything and I do. I can eat a full sub from Quizno's, 2 slices of pizza, you name it. Dr. Maffai said it might be that the Lapband got unbuckled and he sent me for a Esophagram (fluroscopy). I was very happy that he did that since it had not been done since right before I was discharged from the hospital in March 2006.
I had the test done the following week. The technician said that even though he wasn't supposed to say anything that all looked fine from the standpoint that there was no blockage.
Well today I had my next appointment and finally got to see Dr. Kaul who is the Dr. my friend recommended all along. Dr. Maffai was great too but I really felt like Dr. Kaul has more experience and he was just wonderful. The first thing he did was looked at the test films (I had them on a CD) and he shook my hand and said 'Congratulations! You are not nuts. Your band is wide open". Well that in itself made me feel so much better. I talked to him about revising to the sleeve and he said that may be a possibility depending on my insurance but that we should work with the band first. So even though I had 4cc (100%) in my band last December that that was just a guideline so he would go higher (which I've read is needed for some people). So we agreed to go that route and give it a try for 6 months. At first he put in 5cc and I drank some water and it seemed OK. When he withdrew the saline before the fill I had 3cc so 1cc had evaporated since last December. Well thankfully he suggested I wait 10 minutes before leaving since within that time the 5cc became unbearable. It was like a major food stuck episode but worse. He took out .5cc and that seemed OK but once again we waited and afterwards I was concerned it was still too tight. So he took out another .1cc to leave me at 4.4cc.
I can definitely feel the difference and bottom line is I just want to start fresh. I absolutely let myself get totally out of control and now I feel hopeful. I'm on 2 days liquids and I made some protein pudding which ended up taking me 3 sittings to eat which I see as a very good sign.
So once again.... we'll see how it goes. I need to make a follow up appt with Dr. Kaul for 4 weeks from now. Will be back then.
================================
January 6, 2009
Fill level = 4cc (100%): 12/23/08
Well thanks to a good friend who I met through a WLS support group a the new Dr. I wanted to see accepted me as a patient. He is under my insurance program so I no longer will have to self pay. Though in fairness my former Dr. was very good in terms of accepting only $75 for a fill since he knew I had to self pay. One of my concerns though was that considering my lack of progress I felt like I should have at least xrays or fluroscopy or something to make sure all is OK inside of me. Particular since I have excelled at abusing and eating around the band. In any case I went to the new Dr. on 12/23. Long story but I never ended up seeing the Dr. and saw the Physician's Assistant instead. She was very nice. She said we needed to start with seeing how much fluid was in my band so she took it out - it was @ 3.5cc so .3cc had evaporated in the last 14 months since my previous fill. She asked if I had ever had the full 4cc and I said I hadn't so she ended up putting that much back in. I was very happy for this though I can't say I've noticed much of a difference.
I know that my main problem is myself. I started going back on OH and reading the message boards again which helped provide motivation and support. I accepted that since I have no been following the rules I really need to do that before considering any other actions. I mean certainly there are hundreds of Lapbanders here on OH that have had lots of success and in reading their posts they are doing what they are supposed to - following the rules. I have always known the band was only a tool to help and that it was to be a 50/50 partnership.
In any case I've resolved to get back on track and follow the rules. I weighed 252 when I went to the new Dr. so gained back 23 lbs since my lowest. I even went back to a WLS support group that I used to go to for a long time and had stopped since I felt like such a failure. They started a monthly Lapband only group and I went this past Sunday. I felt very good afterwards because while I thought I would sit there as a failed outcast the reality is that all of the members are going through the same things as me. I just started using "the daily plate" website that I learned about on the message boards and I really love it. I am focusing on getting lots of protein in, exercising at least 15-30 mins to start, drinking water and only allowing myself an occasional sugar free dessert. It's only been 3 days but I am finally feeling very hopeful and that feels GREAT!!!! I've been mildly hungry here and there and I know my stomach has some adjusting to do. I hope it shrinks so that it gets easier.
So I'm off to a new start..... hooray!!! I'm optimistic for a great 2009.
======================
August 15, 2008
Wow it's been almost a year since I've written an update. I will have to be honest and say that I have completely fallen off the wagon. I now weigh 245 so have gained back 16 lbs since my lowest weight. I have not been back to the Dr. since last October when he told me I was already at 3.8 in my 4cc band so there was little more he could do. I am hoping to go to a different Dr. but I'm not sure if his practice will take me. I may look into getting the sleeve instead - again, if the insurance is willing to pay. My former Dr. was not under my insurance so I had to self-pay for fills and there is no way I can self-pay for surgery. I'm not even sure if I want that yet since I fear I will still face the same issue which is my own rebellion towards food. I have a very stressful job and this year has been one of the roughest I can remember work-wise. Not trying to make up more excuses but it is what it is. I had gone back to Weight Watchers with some friends and I still gained weight. Mentally I just don't seem to be into this. I'll do well for a few days then back to my old habits. I'm sure people will say I should go to a therapist - which may be true and I've done that too in the past; however with my schedule the way it is I cannot do that either.
Guess I am rambling at this point. Not a rosy picture. This is the reality of weight loss surgery. As I've heard so many times I had surgery on my stomach, not my head.
I have not been on this Board in a long time so perhaps just doing so will help me get back on track. I used to be on routinely reading everyone's stories and hints and tips and contributing where I could.
We'll see how it goes from here....
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October 4, 2007
Fill level = 3.8cc (10th fill on 10/3)
I wanted to write again mostly because yesterday I had another fill so am now at 3.8cc in my 4cc band. I had lost 5 lbs on the Dr.'s scale. I had just gotten back at 2:30 a.m. from the airport and a 6 night trip to FL then to LA and then home while moving my daughter from FL to LA. Unfortunately I did not make wise choices a lot of the time so I gained weight back. I know that most of it is water weight so I'm not stressing too much but it does really bother me that just when I think I have gone 2 steps forward I end up taking 3 back. The thing is I was doing so well and really expecting to see 228 on the scale and it just wasn't cooperating - even though I was eating and exercising well. I have sabotaged myself like this so many more times than I can ever remember. I really have to let go of the numbers and forget about the scale. You can see below that just 2 weeks ago I was feeling incredible and so hopeful and now I feel the opposite. This just continues to remind me how much the war is within me. I am going to start a new job and will be travelling much more so I really have to get my act together NOW!!!!!
September 21, 2007
Well I am happy to finally post a positive report. It's been just about a month since my fill and I've lost 12.2 lbs already. So I'm now at 229.0 which is the lowest weight I've been in four years. I even went on vacation for 12 days - 8 of which were on a cruise - and still managed to lose 3 lbs during that time. I am trying to focus on the bandster rules - and things really do work well when you follow them. Even on the cruise - I never had the bread rolls with dinner - ate a lot of eggs for breakfast and really stayed away from sweets. Towards the end I got more lax about that. I am reading the book "Shrink Yourself" and following a 12 week online program which is like having online therapy sessions. All of it deals with emotional eating and I am finding it incredibly helpful. I know it has definitely helped me and I'm very encouraged about that. Reaching 229 was a milestone in many ways - the lowest yet since surgery, under 230, lower BMI, etc. I am feeling great and smaller clothes are starting to fit again. Life is good!
August 22, 2007
Fill level = 3.6cc (after 9th fill today)
Well it's been an even longer time since I've updated this and it seems it always comes to mind most when I get a fill so here I am. Unfortunately I do not have good progress to report but I emphatically must say that I do not blame the Band for it at all. The good news is that I did in fact complete the 1/2 marathon on March 25th that I mentioned below - it took me 4 hrs 34 mins to do so but I did it!!! It was a great experience though I'm not sure I will do it again next year at this point. The sad news is that my mother passed away the following week and that has affected me even more than I expected. She was 83 years old and quite sick but in the end the reality is that I miss her horribly and I still cry many days each week. However, there is one thing that I realize every day and that is just how blessed I was to have both of my wonderful parents (my dad passed away in 2003) and I will forever be thankful to God for them. I was there at the Emergency Room with my brother and I and held my mothers hand as she departed. I replay that scene in my head frequently and while it's still hard to think about it was also an answer to prayer that I was there since I didn't want her to be alone and since I had somewhat always had regrets that I wasn't there for my dad in the same way.
As you can probably tell from the above I am dealing with a ton of emotional issues right now but I won't go on further about them. In terms of the Lapband it has been doing its job - I haven't been doing mine. I learned to eat around it and considering that even before surgery some of my favorite foods were ice cream and puddings I really won't do well until I get better control of those things. I recently started the Shrink Yourself online program and I bought the book. They are both excellent and I would highly recommend them to anyone struggling with the same issues - which I expect is many of us.
I had not had a fill since March and I had several incidents where food was getting stuck so I figured I did not need one - I knew it was me that was holding back my own success. However, in the last 2-3 weeks I have become literally ravenous every 2 hours so I made an appointment figuring surely some of the fill must have evaporated. Well it turns out it hadn't. I thought my fill level was 3.7cc for some reason but my Dr. said it had only been 3.3cc before and that none had evaporated (which I was glad about). He put 3.6cc back in and said that I definitely need to start having them again every 4-5 weeks and that I will probably need about 3-4 more. He said some people need even more than the 4cc that it holds and I am probably one of them (no argument there). I think I've actually lost count but I'm pretty sure that was my 9th fill. I made some homemade chicken soup for the first time after I got home - even made homemade noodles. It is delicious and while I've only eaten a few noodles I make sure that I mush them up before swallowing.
So that's where I am as of today. Oh btw, not surprisingly I had gained weight. The Dr. just finally got a new digital scale so it was a new one for me but I weighed in there at 242.6 -- on my own scale I weighed 241.2 this a.m. The lowest I've gotten to in this journey was 230.2 on my scale. I know that focusing on the #'s does not help me and I've tried not to weigh myself often but the kicker is when I'm doing well I want to weigh myself but if it doesn't show a loss I typically then get in a slump. This of course makes no sense at all but it's the truth and why I know that my bigger problem is emotional vs. physical.
Well I will end this for now - who know's when I'll write again. I am headed to FL next week for my daughter's graduation and then her and I will celebrate on a 7 night cruise. Of course most people thought I was crazy to get a fill before a cruise but I am hoping it will keep me from gaining. I've been on lots of cruises so I'm really hoping that I restrain myself - I've already done the midnight buffets enough times in my life - and I was already on a cruise this past April.
Till the next time....
Susie
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February 1, 2007:
Well it has been a very long time since I wrote an update so here goes. I ended up falling back into my old bad holiday habits so essentially during December I gained 9 lbs. I have no excuses - I just let my food addiction get the best of me. Of course for New Years I resolved to get back on track and I'm very happy to report that I have. January was a wonderful month in many ways. I'm now at 234.2 which means I took off 9.4 lbs in January and am once again at my lowest weight ever. I started my own little group with a bunch of friends (ex WW'ers) and we meet every Wednesday night. I go to my WLS support group on Sunday nights. I have made so many wonderful new friends there and it has made all the difference. Our leader, Lisa, is the most awesome person. She has motivated us towards the goal of completing a 1/2 marathon (13 miles) on March 25th in Central Park (the MORE Marathon). Well I figured even just trying would really help me stay on track. And it has been incredible. I joined Planet Fitness the first week in January and have been going faithfully 2-3 times a week with my WW/WLS friends. I can't believe how much I like it. And this past week we started training for the marathon so I walked over like 7 miles total last week. I am feeling soooooo good about myself and even when there was one week where the scale wasn't moving (and I was starting to slip again) I felt the difference in my clothes. I've also learned my lesson on not keeping a food journal. Years ago when I was on WW I religously kept that food diary and I always knew it helped me succeed. Well two weeks ago was the week that I didn't since the beginning of the year and, you guessed it, it's the week I started falling backwards and actually gained .6 of a lb. So last week I vowed to start tracking my food daily again and sure enough this week I lost 4 lbs! I really consider that a 'lesson learned'. This WLS journey has been such a learning experience. I have a goal to get to 52 lbs lost by March 7th which will be my one year anniversary. At least that way I will have met the 1 lb a week goal. I'm now at 39 lbs lost but with my marathon training I still think I have a good shot of taking off the 13 lbs more needed to reach 52 in the next 5 weeks. That's about it for now.
November 25, 2006
I've moved my mini-goals up to the top to keep more focus on them. Just realized that I also just reached one of them - to weight 235 for a BMI of 43. It has been so long since I gave an update mainly because I was allowing myself to yo-yo - routinely gaining and losing the same 6 pounds. I really gave into my emotional eating and felt like a real failure. I essentially 'checked out' of Lapband land for a while. I stopped going to meetings, stopped reading these boards, etc. I've now had six fills and am at 2.7cc in my 4cc band. I am scheduled for another fill on 12/1 which I am debating whether or not I will get since I am very much back on track. It's really only been since 11/13 that I've been really doing well again. I had a moment where I vowed to myself and to God to do better starting the next day and I've kept that. Interestingly I got sick the day after and that actually helped a lot. Probably the best thing was that I also had my first sliming incident which really scared the heck out of me. I ate an english muffin with ham for breakfast, which I've done before, but this time it wasn't going down. I had my fill some weeks ago so I expect this was a case of the fill finally kicking in, as I've read so many others write about. I also bought the Fitday PC program and have been using that and love it. I can't believe how much it is helping. Yesterday was even Thanksgiving and I did very well for which I am very happy. I'm at my lowest so far -- 235 which means I'm down 38.2 lbs. This does actually come out to exactly 1 lb a week since my surgery and considering how long I was off track I also feel very good about that. I think I may have hit my 'sweet spot' or I may just need that little extra .cc or so to get there. I am so very happy to see the scale going down again and to not be craving sweets and just giving into my food addictions like I was doing. Life is good!!!! Till next time.
**** below copied from old profile format ***
August 11, 2006:
Figured I'd better give another update while I'm thinking about it. I had my fourth fill today. I did feel the last one the most of the others but in the last 7-10 days I started feeling hungrier and hungrier and I gave into my old cravings and bad habits. I originally wasn't supposed to have a fill until 8/31 but called my Dr.'s office and moved the appointment up. I'm very glad I did. So now I'm on a soft diet for the next day and a half so I can't say for sure how much of a difference there is yet but I am sure hoping and praying. I'm now at 2.3cc in my 4cc band. One thing I was glad about was that there was no evaporation this time as there had been the last two times. I have to get my head back in gear and I am working on so many mental and emotional levels to do so. One thing I feel very good about is that I have finally been getting exercise in - by getting up a half hour earlier to do so. I resisted that for years since I love my sleep and tend to stay up much later than I should. But I ended up reading an article that said that 75% of those that exercise first thing in the a.m. stick with it vs. only 10% of those who do it at night. And that was certainly true for me - my best intentions always gave way to my tiredness when wanting to exercise at night. I'm going to a lot of support groups and each one is unique and helpful in different ways. I'm leaving on a vacation to FL again in a week so also definitely wanted this fill beforehand this time. That's about it for now - until next time....
July 24, 2006:
I haven't updated in a while and that's mostly because I had fallen off the bandwagon and so my weight wasn't going in the right direction. I take full responsibility though - I slipped back into bad habits. I had my 3rd fill last week and I definitely feel this one more than ever. When I saw Dr. Artuso for the fill last week he said that .4 had evaporated from the band so I was only at 1cc and really had little or no restriction. So while that helps explain why I could eat any and everything I still ultimately blame myself since I really didn't exercise any control. So because of that I had already gained 4.4 lbs before I went on vacation for 9 days (5 of which were on a cruise). After the vacation I had gained another 4 lbs for a total gain of 8.4 lbs. Of course I felt miserable, depressed and defeated. Fortunately I had my fill only a few days later and I have been doing great since then and so far have lost 6 of those pounds so my total loss now is 29.8 lbs.
Knowing that my failure was due to my emotional eating and having a need to address those issues I went ahead and ordered the Guided Imagery CD's produced by Sandy Richards of these boards who had Lapband surgery herself. I've listened to the first 3 so far and I have to say that I do feel they are helping - and I really had my doubts when I ordered them :) Considering I have already been going to four different support groups - two weekly and two other ones monthly I can't say that I wasn't getting a lot of support - on top of OH of course also.
Another thing I have started doing and am thrilled about is actually getting up 1/2 hour earlier and exercising. Now I really treasure my sleep and I am not a morning person (although I have no choice since I have to work :) so I expected this to be very hard for me. The truth is that I always promised myself I would exercise at night but in reality it was not happening - I have a 90 minute commute one-way to work (yup, that's right one way!) So everyday is at least a 12 hour day for me and I'm wiped out. Then I read an article that said that 75% of those who exercise first thing in the a.m. stick with it and lose weight vs. something like 10% of those who exercise in the evening. That really hit me so the next a.m. I did it - I got up early. I felt so energetic that I couldn't believe it - and while it's still no picnic for me to get up at 5 a.m. I definitely am starting my days out more healthier and with a feel-good attitude.
So I'm feeling good about getting back on track. And I still consider 240 to be my next goal that I'm working towards. I go on vacation again in 4 weeks and this time there will be no cruise and I will have a lot more control over what I eat when.
That's it for now..... Susie
Latest Results (6/8/06):
June 11, 2006:
Well when I weighed myself on 6/8 I was down 32.2 lbs which I'm thrilled about. It seems this 2nd fill is really starting to kick in since today I had a piece of a biscuit and really felt a lump in my throat. I also seem to be getting fuller faster. I do need to work on not having ice cream as much - even if it is low fat or no sugar added types. I just see that it's become too much of a habit and when I've had a 1/2 gallon in the refrigerator at home I've gone back for 2nds a few times. I also need to get my butt into gear in terms of exercising.
One great NSV is that prior to the surgery I was down to only five or so outfits that I could wear and I was constantly looking in the closet disgusted that I had to wear the same things to work each week. Well now I'm down to a size 20/22 and I have enough clothes to wear for several weeks. I haven't weighed this little in about 2 1/2 years but fortunately I still had outfits from back then. I've also started packing up clothes that are too big to go to Goodwill. I'm glad to get rid of them.
Lapband surgery was the best choice for me. I accept that it will take me longer and that I have to be patient. I have been going to several support groups - two of which I learned about on OH - and it's great to meet so many new people. We all struggle with the same issues regardless of surgery type but we have each other to lean on and learn from.
May 27, 2006:
I went for my 2nd fill yesterday and after a few pricks of the needle all was well. I was disappointed to learn that my surgeon has left the New Image Weight Loss Center and is moving back to FL. Dr. Artuso did my fill instead and he is the main surgeon there anyway (I hear WLS renowned surgeon) and he had assisted with my surgery anyway. Unfortunately I have no out of network benefits with my insurance which is why I had to have Dr. Choi to begin with but Dr. Artuso was very kind and said he will work with me on fill payments and that any emergencies will be covered which put me more at ease.
Best of all on his scale I had lost 30 pounds and I haven't weighed myself on my scale since to see if mine says the same. I was on a soft foods diet for the last 48 hours and was feeling very renewed and refreshed. Especially after the last week I had. I now have 1.4cc in my band and I do feel a little restriction but since I haven't really had any regular foods yet it's a little hard to tell. I'm very hopeful though.
Till the next time....
May 24, 2006:
Well tomorrow I go for my 2nd fill and I am really looking forward to it. Sorry to say I've slipped into some of my bad habits this past week and need to get back on track. I have lost 27.2 lbs though (was 28 but gained .8 this week from my poor choices).
I've decided that I need to start defining some mini-goals the way I've seen others do so here is my first pass:
Mini Goals:
Weight - BMI goals:
246 - 45 (currently - still morbidly obese)
240 - 43.9
235 - 43
229 - 41.9
224 - 41
218 - 39.9 (graduate into 'severely obese' category)
213 - 39
208 - 38
202 - 36.9
197 - 36
191 - 34.9 (graduate into 'obese' category)
186 - 34
180 - 32.9
175 - 32
164 - 30 (graduate into 'slightly obese' category)
136 - 24.9 (reach goal of graduating to 'healthy' category)
Other goals:
Wear Size 20 (currently 22/24)
Wear Size 18
Wear Size 16
Wear Size 14
Wear Size 12
Wear Size 10
Wear Size 8
-Ride a bike comfortably
-Possibly rollerblade (depending on how daring I decide to be)
-Go whitewater rafting again (haven't done in 20 years)
-Wear a sleeveless top without feeling totally self conscious (my arms are one of my worst features - thanks mom!)
-Of course look nice in a bathing suit
-Tummy tuck when ready
-Plastic surgery on my arms - and maybe a body lift
I'm sure there will be more I'll add to the list - but that's it for now.
April 22, 2006:
Well even though I just got around to updating my profile yesterday, today I was feeling so great I couldn't resist reporting that I've lost another 2 pounds. When I reported my weight yesterday it was what I had weighed a few days prior since I try to only weigh myself once a week. Since I'm leaving on a trip tomorrow I went ahead and weighed myself this a.m. (instead of the usual Mondays) and I was thrilled to see another 2 pounds gone. I am really starting to feel it now and I was able to wear a pair of jeans today that I really love and haven't been able to wear for at least 18 months. The LapBand really is a wonderful tool. I'm loving it!
April 21, 2006:
Just a quick update - six weeks since surgery and I have lost 22 pounds. I am feeling great and my clothes are definitely looser.
March 9th, 2006 - Home and banded!
Well I'm home after having been banded on the 7th. The surgery went fine. I was very pleased with the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry. They are a very small hospital but this is one of the surgeries that they specialize in and everyone was just wonderful. I'm still quite sore but already this a.m. I'm feeling a little (very little) better. The hardest thing is to get out of bed in the a.m. I also think I should have been sent home with some stronger pain meds but I'll call the surgeon about that. I've been reading the book "Before and After" by Susan Maria Leach which is a great book. She had RNY surgery a few years ago and it's a bit of a journal and she includes a lot of advice and recipes. It was great to have at the hospital since, of course, I didn't have internet (or obesityhelp.com) there with me. I weighed 272 right before the surgery and then the next day weighed 274.5. Considering how bloated I was and the fact that I had a portable EKG unit in my pocket I'm not concerned about that. I have to call my surgeon on Monday and make a follow up appointment. I'm not sure when I'll weigh myself again - for now I'm concentrating on the post-op diet.
It's been an interesting journey and I expect only better things to come.
February 23, 2006: Approved! Surgery Date is March 7th
Well I have to say that all the times I saw subject lines like this one I often thought I can't wait until the day that I can write that. Well today's the day :) It wouldn't have come this soon without all of the wonderful people and advice here at OH.
Of course as I have mentioned in other posts I really had to push and push to get things through. I'm sure my surgeon's office will breathe a big sigh of relief when my surgery is done. I've been pretty much calling them daily.
Last Friday I was very disappointed after hearing from them that the insurance company was now saying they wanted six consecutive months of documented proof from my Dr. that I had been on a supervised weight loss program. They also wanted proof that I was morbidly obese 5 years ago.
I was able to work get the documentation from my doctors this week. I had made an appointment for Wednesday so that I would have four consecutive months out of 8 total (but not six consecutive). Here's my best advice on this - write up the documentation yourself for them to sign. My Dr. thought it was ridiculous to have to send six separate reports and the nurse told me he wasn't going to do it; but fortunately I had taken care of that for him. Just had them fill in the weights and blood pressures for six office visits and he signed them.
Since my current Dr. has only been my primary since last year and since the primary I had five years ago is deceased I thought I'd had a tough time and was getting worried again. But fortunately I remembered that I have had the same OB/GYN and sure enough was able to get the 'actual office notes' from 2000 and on (another specific from the insurance company - had to be 'actual handwritten notes'. That info was faxed to them yesterday and I know they've been responding to any paperwork sent within 24 hours each time - to get me the responses that they wanted more info. Well this was the last of the 'more info' they required.
I called my insurance company and was told the case was still pending so I asked if I could talk to the pre-auth department and they said they would for me and put me on hold. Well, hooray, when they came back on the phone they told me that they were told the surgery was being approved today but the system hadn't been updated. I ended up calling with a question later in the afternoon and at that point they said that the system did now show all was approved.
So.... of course now I'm very excited, anxious, nervous, etc. My surgery will be on 3/7 and I'm taking off 2 weeks from work. I'll be spending the weekend paying lots of more attention to all of the advice for what to bring to the hospital, post-op foods and hints, etc.
Again I want to say thanks to everyone and I'm happy that I'll be able to share my experiences with the people who may be reading this and are in the same position I was a few months ago.
January 2006:
I've been researching weight loss surgery for over a year. I really did not want the gastric bypass but fortunately, through this site learned about the LapBand. I am really hoping to have it done in February 2006. I switched to HealthNet this year specifically because they cover the LapBand and I had read good things about them here.
I had my first surgeon consult last week. With all of the research I had done I really knew pretty much everything he told me. Last June I saw my Primary Care Dr. for weight loss and he prescribed Meridia (at my request really). I've actually gained weight on it but I was on it for six months which should cover me for the pre-op requirement. Now I've go to see a Nutritionist and have Psych and pulmonology consults. I have two of those appointments next week and am hoping to be able to get the 3rd in as well.
This website and the LapBand Forum (wonderful group of people there!) have just been so wonderful that I can't even put it into words.
