Howdy from seattle

Hi Ladies and Gents!!! i just have to say this is AWSOME!!! not only to be going through the surgery soon.. but now to have the GLBT folks with their own Forum!! WHOOT!!!! My name is David and i live in seattle.. i'm a 37 yO man who is getting ready to go through Lap Banding. My surgery date is not set yet but i've been approved and my tests have all been done.. i'm just waiting on my coordinator to schedule the surgery date. She said this morning it might be as early as January!! im Totally Stoked! I've heard alot of good AND bad about the lap band. Its the only one that my insurance will allow me to get. So i plan on getting it in hopes that i can make a serious Perminent change in my life. and Dedicate myself to Eating right, Exercise, and to my religion. anyways.. just wanted to give an Intro!! thanks.. David (A.K.A FuzzyWuzzy)

WELCOME !!!! ANOTHER BANDER .....wooh hoo ! I am almost 2 months out...and it has gonging well...I have had a couple of bad days...but getting back on track....It has been the best thing I have done for myself.......Sean

Hey Sean!! ok.. just have to say WOOF! ANYWAY.. well its nice to have somene whos going through what i'm going through.. How goes the eating and NOT DRINKING for an hour or so afterwards? that seems like its going to be a Killer for me.. also.. did they fill your band a week after your surgery? or did they fill it once it was in? how long did you have to wait? are you able to stay full and not Snack in between meals? OK.. so i have alot of questions.. and since your so Newly banded.. your a good source.. thanks..

Hi David and welcome! I am 3 1/2 month out (lap-band), and like Sean, am so thankful I made this decision. The restrictions seem impossible, but like anyhting, you get used to it and it becomes part of your routine. I received my fill 4 weeks out and my second fill, 3 weeks after that. I've had great restriction since 9/20 and am steadily losing 2 pounds per week. I do snack in between meals, but in moderation. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. John

Hi David, Welcome to the board. I am an RNY'r, but proud of any one that has surgery. It will be fine and you will be on the losers bench soon enough. Tommy

Welcome to the board. I am a DS'er--my insurance wouldn't pay for any surgery so I self-payed. I really like the DS because it allows me to eat normal amounts of food (after the first few months) and has the best long-term results. If you aren't aware of this option, you should at least look at it. There is a DS forum here on OH.

ya i have a coworker/close friend who frequents the ds board quite a lot. our insurance at work pays for rny and i "think" her husband's insurance might pay for the band but neither pays for ds so she's considering a surgeon in marietta, another one who's "supposedly" moving back to tennessee soon AND ALSO considering self-paying for ds in mexico, lol! gosh i hope everything works out for her!! it scares me to think about the whole self-pay thing and that insurance probably wouldn't cover any complications i know the ds is what she wants and i'm sure that she'll do FABULOUSLY with it but i know that complications can happen with ANY surgery and i don't want her to be put in the same financial hell that i'm in now because of MY complications that were (thankfully!!!) 85% covered i wish insurance companies would quit trying to dictate our health options!!!!

If the insurance policy pays for any weight-loss surgeries they can be made to pay for the DS--lots and lots of people have won that battle on appeal--Medicare now covers the DS so it is no longer considered experimental. I know exactly which Dr's your friend is considering--I recommend the Marietta one (Dr. Dennis Smith--also my surgeon--giggle). The one moving back to TN, Dr. Husted, has been in 4 different practices in the last 2 years and is now using his cell phone for an office number (shudder).

well THAT'S good to know then. hopefully she knows this too and won't give up until the insurance ok's it! and are you kidding me?? a cell phone?? GEEZ!!!! btw: sorry david for hijacking your thread, lols!! hi and welcome! (i used to know a david griffin, but that was in atlanta and he's in his mid-late twenties, maybe 30 right now.)

Welcome David! You will find lots of info and encouragement here. I didn't realize we had so many banders here. I just had RNY in August. Good luck to you and keep us posted when you get a date! Barbara