Post Op 2 Days Lap Band + Other Information !!

I'm in Brooklyn, NY and had lap band surgery on 2/15/2007. I'm sure I'm like everyone else on this site. I tried all the diets, lost thousands of pounds, and gained 'em back and then some. I'm 50 y/o. I have (soon, I hope that will be had) some comorbidities, though I do not have diabetes. My biggest comorbidity that really made me suffer is sleep apnea and I have been using a bi pap machine for nearly three years. My others problems associated with obesity are much the same as yours! My insurance carrier approved me on the first submission of my medical documentation. Hey, for those of you who have been on diets not exactly physician supervised, keep those attendance books (i.e., weigh****chers) and receipts and any forms or weight loss records you have because I did and found that although I did not have years of physician supervised weight loss, I could prove that I had tried, succeeded short term and failed long term at numerous diets. I had my attendance books from various weight loss programs to help substantiate my request for lap band surgery. My doctor worked hand in hand with me and I thank him for his great and kind assistance. So I was approved, picked a surgical date, did a liquid diet for two weeks and on 2/15/2007 had the procedure done at 8 AM at NYU Medical Center here in NYC. I woke up in the recovery room with just a minimal amount of pain and was transferred to a step down unit where I remained only overnight. I was monitored because of the sleep apnea. I hope everyone who is considering this type of surgery and those who have had it, or are going to can have the same experience as I did. I found every single person associated with my procedure to be kind, caring and genuine - from the pre-op triage nurse, to the scheduler coordinator, to the 'guy' in the o/r who was in charge, to the post op staff in recovery, to the staff on the floor during the overinight stay. ----------------I'm looking for local (NYC, Brooklyn in particular) folks who went through lap band and are into attending support groups and the like. Please contact me. A good new friend who understands this all would be great,. ----------------I'd also like to extend my good wishes to those of you who are about to go to surgery, and to those of you who are researching the procedures available today. Which ever procedure seems right for you, know that you are taking this step to make your quality of life more pleasurable and that this time around you are really doing it for YOU. ----------------In my 30 years of dieting, I never could maintain a maintenance weight for any extended period of time, and so, I always was a weight loss failure. I know 'this time around' I won't be. Good luck to all of you.

I'm in Bay Ridge Brooklyn and want to welcome you to the losers side! Hope you are feeling okay. I don't attend and support groups due to my busy schedule. I'm 35 yrs old w/ family, work and finishing college (last semester). I was scheduled for a LAP Band but opped withing 2 weeks of surgery for the Lap RNY. Either procedure it's still a tool not a cure. I hope you are adjusting to your purees. The second week was soo difficult. Thinking and watching food network on TV. Any way hopefully when you feel better you can begin an exercise program. I can't wait for the spring to go for walks. Good luck. By the way who was your doctor? Lap RNY 11/14/2006 Height 5 feet Start Weight 215 Current 156 Goal 135

Congratulations on the start of your new life! I had the lap band placed in August 2005 and it's taken me a L-O-N-G time to take the weight off, but I have. I am down to a size 8/10 and at 5'7" that's pretty small. I wear mostly mediums now. I feel great, healthy and happy. It is an adjustment, though, because you have to get used to being thin. It's like taking off a big comfy blanket. I feel raw and exposed a lot of the time, but I'm getting used to that. People treat me differently now...it's interesting. The best advice I can give you is to be patient and make sure you get enough protein in you. The lap band isn't like bypass surgery. It takes a lot longer to lose and there's less support out there for us. I haven't been diligent on this website for a long time now, but I wanted to check in and I saw your post. I knew you'd need an answer. You can do this. I promise. Regards, Suzanne

I am hoping to have surgery in NYU too with Dr Ren. Who did you use? I don't live in Brooklyn so I prob wont be at the same support groups, but I'd love to hear about your experience and what you had to do to get there. I met with the psychologist and currently have my appointment with my doc and nurse and nutritionist scheduled. What am I supposed to get cleared with my primary care physician? What else do they require before getting a surgery date?

I used Fielding. Ren and Fielding are husband and wife, though that's not greatly publicized. He's a very laid back guy and she is much more to the point in 10 seconds. They are both fantastic is what I heard before going into this. I went for Fielding because I'd seen him do an informational seminar / session without his projection system working and that allowed the floor to be opened up to an endless amount of questions and I liked the way he answered them. He answered my question well. Seeing the psychologist, the nuturitionist and even having your first appointment is all in vain, and will cost you some bucks if you don't clearly understand your health insurance policy and the requirements for authorization, that's if you are using health insurance to pay for the surgery et al. The psychologist is there actually to protect in some sense the surgeon. He determines whether or not your crazy. I imagine that involves sorting out whether or not you might be a danger to the surgeon. Of course, he obviously makes a decision about your understanding of your choice for this type of procedure. I found the session with him pleasant and actually enjoyed expressing my thoughts about my weight and this procedure to him. Easier sometimes to let it out to a perfect stranger! As for when to get cleared by your PCP, that's at the very end of the line. My entire experience at NYU was very good and I was glad to meet many other people in the recovery area who were upbeat about the surgery and all. Every single step of the way I have nothing but good to say about my NYU experience. Expect however, to have little contact with the physician. These days and I conclude for economic reasons, your health care is pretty much watched by others, so there are nurses, physicians assistants and the like who do much of the stuff, but the doc does do the surgery! Oh, one thing which is worth mentioning - if you go for pre-surgical testing and you're insurance doesn't approve the procedure, you'll be responsible for the pre-surgical testing bill. That can be alot of bucks. So you have to sort of keep your fingers on the insurance approval stuff, and make certain you have that in your hand before getting pre-surgical testing done. If you want the surgery dones asap, then you might play a juggling act between getting pre surgical testing done while awaiting insurance authorization. AsK or tell more! GOOD LUCK. I feel reborn. I know the road ahead will be one that requires my constant attention, but for me this ways all about quality of life issues, so I think i'll be able to work it all through to total success! Enjoy!

First of all, how are you feeling two days post? Are you in a lot of pain? Also, I picked Ren because that's who I was told takes my insurance and I prefer female (I know, silly me, there will be males working on me too!) but I don't know for sure that I am using her over him, I'm just doing whats required for their practice. What do you mean it's all in vain if I don't understand my insurance policy? I called the insurance and they said if I meet all criterion they cover. Do some insurances never cover bariatric surgery? Also, what is the preop testing? Do they ever do it right before surgery? What does it include? I though I had to have physical from my PCP before meeting with the nurse and nutrtionist. Is that not true? Should I cancel my appointment?

I'm feeling fine. They kept me overnight because I have sleep apnea. Well, what I mean about it all being in vain, is that you should have the pre-cert in your hand before doing the pre-surgical testing. Otherwise if the insurance carrier denies the procedure, you'll be responsible for the pre-surgical testing bill. The hospital needs to clear you too. They do an EKG, Chest X-ray and blood work on you 2 weeks prior to surgery and also you are seen by someone from anesthesia. Cancel your appointment? NO. Just get your stuff in order. You need your medical records. Do you have evidence in them that you've been on diets many times? Do you have co morbidities that are well documented? Rhen and Fielding take a bunch of insurances.