Looking To Having Surgery Soon

Hi, I had my first appointment with Dr. Schwartz on Friday here in Tucson . I am paying out of pocket and hope to have the Lap Band surgery within the next 6 weeks. My insurance Aetna will pay for Gastric Bypass but will not pay for Lap Band. Been reading lots of info on the net and have watched a number of surgeries and feel that (Lap Band) is the right choice for me. I have been heavy nearly my entire adult life. Many of my friends are surprise that I am going to have surgery as they never thought of me of being obese, just a big strong hulky guy, but the last few years the weight has caught up with me, just getting up and moving has become a challenge due to the knee pain. Currently I weigh 375 lbs. on a 6’2” frame having a BMI #48.1.

  My left knee is bone to bone from an old football injury back in 1978 that the surgery resulted in my meniscus being removed. I have been told that I need a knee replacement by Dr. Murray Robertson at Tucson Orthopedic Ins.  Dr. Schwartz advised me to hold off of the knee surgery until I have dropped weight and with the weight loss may help in the left knee pain. I am a walking billboard for surgeries. I have had back surgery for rupturing #4 and 5 disc, ruptured appendix, 4 knee surgeries and a number of bumps and bruises over the years.

  I really look forward of this next chapter of my life and hope to share my up and downs with fellow banders…

Hey Viper, Welcome to the AZ board.  I live in Tucson, and am going to have lap rny in Phoenix.  I will need to find a Tucson support group, as I can't see myself schleping back and forth for that. I will, if I have to, don't get me wrong.  It would be nice to know someone in Tucson though. I think there are meetings at St Joseph's Hospital, but then I lost that info. Keep in touch.

Hi Reggie, Here is the schedule for the support groups,

Support Group Dates 2008 

Evening-St. Joseph’s Auditorium: 6:30p-8:30p 01/8/08 - RNY

02/5/08 - LAPBAND

03/4/08 - RNY

04/1/08 - LAPBAND

05/6/08 - RNY

06/3/08 - LAPBAND

07/1/08 - RNY

08/5/08 - LAPBAND

09/2/08 - RNY

10/7/08 - LAPBAND

11/4/08 - RNY

12/2/08 – BOTH

Saturday-St. Joseph’s Auditorium: 10:00am-12:00pm

01/26/08- LAPBAND

02/23/08- RNY

03/29/08- LAPBAND

04/26/08- RNY

05/31/08- LAPBAND

06/28/08- RNY

07/26/08- LAPBAND

08/30/08- RNY

09/27/08- LAPBAND

10/25/08- RNY

11/29/08- LAPBAND

12/20/2008- BOTH ( Holiday Gathering)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reggie

I too am from Tucson and had Lap RNY with Dr. J on 20 Sep 06.  Check out the Tucson Group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TUSWLS/.  They meet at NW Hospital and at a church on Camino Seco and Broadway.  They also have a meeting on the last Thursday of the month and next week there will be a Plastic Surgeon speaking.  I do not attend the group meeting with them anymore for personal reasons, but they were very helpful to me as a pre-op and new post-op.

~Becky

Hey, Thanks for the info!