Lap Band Question
 

Hello :)


I am considering lap band and was wondering if anyone can answer this for me: I'm in the very early stages of hoop jumping. I have Kaiser insurance, and it's covered. Today I saw my GP as she wanted a true weight for me and a fasting blood test, then she put in a referral to the surgeon. She said that once I see the surgeon (who knows when) they may want me to lose 5-10% of my weight before surgery and they would take the weight I am the day I see him as a starting point. So, I asked the GP if I should go all out and try to lose some weight before I even see the surgeon and she said that if I do that first that it would be harder to lose the actual 5-10% from the surgeon's starting weight because I'd have been dieting. She in so many words, told me to basically maintain and not gain. But what if it takes me months to see that surgeon? Should I continue to do my half attempt WW/MF thing, or what? I'm not sure what to do and hope someone can help me out with this :)

VeggieGal

well i found out on a tues that i was having surgery on monday so i didnt have time to lose any weight. he made me go on a semi liquid diet to shrink the size of my liver. i started in nov and had surgery on jan28, 08. i gained 15 pounds between that time and my surgery. i think i was saying goodbye to my best friend and worst friend at times(plus it was thanksgiving and christmas and i had a newborn so i stress ate). see what they tell you when you go, they are all different. if you dont lose the weight they wont cancel your surgery, they will just take a harder look at you to see if you can really handle the mental part of surgery.

i wondered the same thing
 

-if I should lose weight before I was told to because in the past I would loose for a while and the stop cold. I didn't get an answer from my surgeon and it's not mentioned on my insurance. In the meantime I'm trying to just chew longer, ear smaller portions and include more fruits and veggies to start to get ready for life post-op

good luck in your journey!

Bari experienced
 

A couple of things...don't start dieting until after the surgeon submits the insurance. Your data will be skewed.

Next, be sure you talk with your surgeon about the weight loss before surgery for the lap band. The lap band is only for losing a small amount of weight. What would be the point of losing that weight before having the surgery just to lose a little more? Also, your insurance is going to process your claim with the weight that you weighed when you registered the day of surgery. Wouldn't it be a bummer if you weighed so much less that you weren't considered morbidly obese anymore and it wouldn't cover it? Talk with your surgeon - they should know best.

Melissa
(works for bariatric surgeon)

Originally Posted by ahphooey:
The lap band is only for losing a small amount of weight.

Don't let this discourage you... I know far to many people who have lost 100+ lbs with the lap band.

I agree with your GP.... just maintain. In the mean time, don't panic, once you see your surgeon he/she will tell you exactly what you need to do. I know this whole process is nerve wracking but try not to stress yourself out, just do what the doctors tell you what to do and try to relax (yeah I know, easier said than done).

:hug: and good luck...let us know when you see the surgeon.

.

I got an appointment card in the mail yesterday and my date to see the surgeon is March 21. :) My GP didn't waste any time with the referral, which I was afraid she would. I'm reading all I can on the surgery and I have to say I'm still a little skeptical about the whole thing. I'm a WW'er from way back and I actually still go and gain and lose the same 3# over and over. A few years ago I lost 90# (a meesley 5# from my goal and never got there) but got lax with exercise and dieting and then menopause hit. So now I have a bunch to lose again. :?:


Thanks for the info on the not losing yet. I'm kind of afraid to not diet as I don't want to gain any more. I feel so out of control. I just hope after I see the surgeon it's not months and months before I can do the surgery. I could blow up to 500# by then! I was under the impression that the surgery was for morbidly obese people with alot (or at least more than a little) to lose. I have a good friend who just lost 95# with the LB and has probably another 80 to go. She choose LB because it was not chopping things up inside and rewiring her intestines. Another friend lost #166 with RNY and lost it pretty fast.

Ahpooey, In your line of work, do you see more ppl having the LB or the RNY?

VeggieGal

Congrats VeggieGal... you'll be surprised how fast things will move :hug:

False alarm. I called today to see if I could come in sooner, and come to find out, I'm not meeting with the surgeon, but a mandatory 2 hour class on WLS. Sooo...I asked if they had a sooner time and I'm going this coming Friday! It's about month early. I'm bring my hubby with me. He went to the information class with me already. Then I guess the next thing is seeing the psych, going to a 5 hour class and THEN the surgeon. She said it could take 3-4 months for the surgery :( I knew it would be like this actually. Anyhow, I did ask the nurse if I should be dieting now and she said as long as I don't go below a BMI of 35. Mine's 39 right now with weight related things like high blood pressure and pre-diabetes, high cholesterol. She said they don't ask you to lose 10% but if I was actually on the lower end of the bmi range they could do surgery sooner.
I'm still a bit scared of this whole thing. I keep reading on the Medifast board how well people are/have done with it and think why can't I just do that? I've done it before and I simply don't keep it off (90# with WW and 34# with MF)
Thanks for listening to me ramble :D

VeggieGal