I hope it all goes perfectly for you, CR! Hopefully your insurance will cover it, have you asked them yet? It might be better to find out now instead of getting your hopes too high up.

I'm in your corner cheering for you! I hope your insurance does cover this and everything goes well for you. Weight issues can be such a difficult, emotional journey.

Do keep us posted on all of this.

((((((((((((((((((chubby rat))))))))))))))))))))

I did ask them...they do pay if it's DR reccomended...whatever that means! I mean...who else would reccomend it?? LOL! There may be certain qualifications that have to be met.I will find out more when I go for the appointment. My back will probably qualify me right off....or maybe just my weight.You have to be at least 100 lbs overweight and I am.Have to have a Body Mass index of 35 or higher...mine's 40.So I think I should be good to go.It takes a while to get everything in order before they will operate,I'm thinking it will be at least 3 to 4 months,maybe longer til they'll even operate.There are government rules on this type of operation too from what I understand from attending the seminar. I have a good feeling that it will go through.Keeping my fingers crossed anyway!

Thanks Mcpeg! I will keep you all updated....I need all the cheers I can get!
I told Larry that if it goes through...I'm saving up for new boobs (the insurance WON'T pay for that) because I'll lose what I do have and they'll be saggy...saggy...saggy! LOL!

i hope everything goes your way! i have a close friend who had a new type of adjustable lapband surgery done this past nov 07. she's in her mid-50's and needed to lose close to 100 lbs to get out of the over-weight category. she had to go to a few months of classes ahead of time, meeting once a week w/ different types of dr's and go to their after surgery support groups once a week to get to know the program. insurance did not cover any part of it, it was over $19K and they took out a home equity loan to pay upfront for it. she just paid the loan off actually.

she has had to completely change her life around this. infact she has changed jobs 3 times now because things about her work schedule could not fit into her new routine. she has to go to their support meetings 1.5 hrs drive away, once a week for the rest of her life, part of her contract w/ the surgery center and to do follow-up medical care. she is working on her regular doc to start ordering some of her tests she has to have done every couple months like blood work to see if insurance will cover it that way. she can not let her insurance co know she has had this surgery done because they will never cover anything associated w/ it or it's effects and can actually drop her for 'hiding' it.

she could not go out to eat until this past thur. we went out to celebrate paying off the home equity loan lol. she can only eat 1/3c portions and has to be extremely careful how food is prepared or she will get very sick, very quickly. she also has to work out for an hour a day doing an aerobic activity. she walks at a fast pace on a treadmill right now until she can build-up to aerobic workout DVD's. she can not ever again have alcohol :-0 it has been alot of work for her but thru going to the support meetings ahead of time she was well prepared for the consequences. she has lost 97 lbs and is 3 lbs away from her goal! she is pretty happy w/ the results but she also had to put in just as much work into it as i have loosing weight w/ weight watchers. now she's anticipating several plastic surgeries for excess skin and lifts lol

good luck i truely hope insurance does cover it but if not find a way to do it or atleast a way to loose the weight. you will be much healthier and happier and most importantly live alot longer. please also find support groups they have been a godsend to her ~ liz

Good luck, CR! A friend of mine had great success with her lap band. I wish you the best in reaching your goal!

Best of luck to you!

The lapband they do here is the same...the new adjustable one.They have a support group right here at the Bariatric Center I will be going to.It's only a 5 min drive for me! Yeah! The seminar explained all the ups and downs to this.I fully realise what all is involved but I'm ready! I have observed my neice and it gets easier as time goes on.If he will do the gastric bypass...I will go that way.It is a quicker weight loss and not as many restrictions as the lapband.(I don't know why)If anyone is interested in reading up on where I'm going...it is Del Sol Bariatric Center...they have a website and Dr. Lara will be my Dr.(he's cute too! That's a plus! LOL!)
Thanks for all the support! I love you guys!

My prayers are with you. Maybe you remember Orchid (Laura). She recently had the surgery and is recovering now. Her insurance would only pay for the gastric bypass surgery. Please let us know how you are doing.

Good luck, CR. One of my friends is considering it also.

There have been about 7 people I know who have had it done...at least two of them have gained some back...The rest are doing great. My friend Jean was heavy all her life as was her daughter. Jean always seem like she was a big person..tall and big. Now that she is thin she doesn't seem big to me anymore. She looks older but she looks good.
She has Rheumatoid Arthritis and has had one of her ankles fused. She was at a point she could not walk around without hanging on to furniture or a walker. Now she goes wherever she wants and rides a motorcycle with her "boyfriend"...

I'll bet your back will feel lots better.

I've alway wanted to have it done...I'm way over the weight requirments..but I'm chicken....and now I think I might be too old.

I'm so glad you are getting to do it...

Now maybe you'll let us meet you !!!!! You'll have to come to one of the KT get togethers and show off new skinny clothes.

patti

I've had a Cousin and two Friends that had the Lapband. They are doing very well.

Then you are going to have to change your name from ChubbyRat to LittleBit.

Gayle

The best of luck to you!

I do remember Orchid! I wish her all good luck on her weight loss journey! I'm so glad to hear of all the people that are doing great with this! Makes me want it to happen faster! LOL!
Patti...you're never to old to feel better...I'm almost 55 and I'm going to try my darnest to make this happen.I WILL make it to a gathering if I get this done.I'm to ashamed now to have any s "strangers" see me or have my pic taken.Even if there is no gathering on the menu at the time...I'll come to your house! Want me for a couple days?? I won't eat much! LOL! Maybe we could talk Agnes into it too??? And Lillie....wouldn't that be a blast? The old chatroom buddies reunion!
Thanks again everyone!
Gayle...I will change my name something that has a CR in it...I've been CR for so long,wouldn't seem right to be someone else.And...we already have a LittleBit on here and she is LITTLE! LOL!
Lynne..let us know if your friend gets it done,I'd love to hear how she does.

Your back will qualify you for the surgery Chubs.
You've had so much trouble with it for so long and being overweight is a big contributor! Your health will increase dramatically when you lose the weight dear. I will be very surprised if your insurance turns it down.

I'm happy for you!
Lapband/bypass isn't a walk in the park but you are up to it I'm sure. You're tough and determined. I don't think there's a weak bone in your body...except when it comes to dogs and I doubt that will physchologically disqualify you.
LOL

You go girl!
We'll just have to get used to calling you SkinnyRat.....

lori

Awww Deb you know we love you just the way you are!!! So heavens don't be scared of meeting someone!!
My DSisIL had some surgery done. I have no idea which one it was tho, she is VERY closed mouth about it. She's lost alot of weight! I swear she is half the size she used to be. I DO know because my DB told me that the doc just wrote down she was having trouble with her knees and it was reccommended?
There is a guy in town that didn't have 100 lbs to lose, he might have needed to lose 50? anyway,somewhere he got the surgery done and I dunno how or why you'd go thru it unless you really needed it.

I hope you get it done and best wishes for you GF!!

CR - I'm so excited for you. I hope it will be covered by insurance and will work out for you. I can tell by your posts how you are really ready for this. I'm thinking good thoughts for you and wishing you the best of determination and luck.

Linda

CR -- Wishing the best for you! You certainly do have the right movitivation and attitude. I think what your insurance company means by "doctor recommended" is that your doc has to tell you that you need to (or should) have the surgery for health reasons. Your insurance company does't want to hear that you want the surgery just to lose weight so you'll look better. They'd consider it a vanity-type of cosmetic surgery if it were done just so you'd look better.

Liz said about a friend of hers, "she can not let her insurance co know she has had this surgery done because they will never cover anything associated w/ it or it's effects and can actually drop her for 'hiding' it."

Not only can they drop her, they can prosecute her for insurance fraud.

CR-I am excited for you too.I have been reading a lot on the lap band surgery and have watched the show on TV with the father and son doctors that do those kinds of surgeries.I so would like to have it done but I know I can't ever afford it.I was more interested in the lap band because it is less invasive than the bypass and can be reversed.There is a Bariatric clinic in Midland,42 miles from me that has a good reputation for doing the surgeries.I am 66 almost 67 so I don't know if there would be a higher risk for me with the surgery or not.I have also been reading/seeing a lot of articles about the surgeries,especially the bypass,curing type 2 diabetes.DH and I have been diagnosed as pre diabetic.I don't know,it's a lot to think about.
You know that I would love for you to come and see me,whether you are overweight or not!LOL But it would be great to have a "Night Owls" get together!Good luck girl.I will pray that it all works out for you.

Good Luck with your surgery...A very good friend of mine had a Gastric Bypass last November and she is down by 100 pounds already and doing great. She studied all the materials and talked to lots of professionals and she decided to go with the Gastric Bypass instead of the band. She said she just felt is was the better of two options for her personally...She actually took out a second mortgage to get it done and she says she never felt better and she has zero regrets even though it hasn't always been wonderful...I am sure you know all the restrictions but she says the weight loss and the way she feels is worth it...and get this...they did it laprosopically and she went home the next day and she said all she felt was a bit sore from the surgery...She looks fabulous...Good Luck..

Good luck with your surgery. A friend in CA that I haven't seen for about 4 years just told me she had gastric bypass about 3 years ago. She was 85 pounds overweight and now weighs less than me. She said from the day of her surgery she hasn't needed her CPAP or her blood pressure or cholesterol meds. She exercises and feels great. I am so happy for her. She was 63 when she had the surgery and her insurance paid for it.

How exciting for you! I sure hope it all works out insurance-wise. And when you're all done, you can change your name to ContentRat, CheerfulRat or ContentRat.

Jodi-

How exciting, CR!

My BIL had it done a year ago. He's had his ups and downs but I think it's because he has not gone to any support groups.

Good luck!

Sheryl

I think you should be CuteRat! I am pulling for you CB and hope it all goes as you want it to. I have a couple of friends who have had the gastric bypass and are doing wonderful and look fantastic.
I have found a way to lose weight, but I don't think you want chemo treatments!

CB should be CR. I'm having eye problems this morning.

Good for you, CR, and I know these positive stories must make you feel better! I hope everything happens just the way you plan. Please keep the cheering section (us) posted!
:-)

Good luck CR! A co-worker had the surgery aound the first of April, and he's now lost about 70-80 pounds. His bad back and bad knees feel much better. He did have one trip to the emergency room a couple of weeks after the surgery. He ate too much at one time and got "compacted". He has dietary limitations like others have mentioned and can't eat much for sweets.

I'm so excited for you! A friend of mine had the gastric bypass done a couple years ago and she looks like a completely different person. She is so happy. She is saving up for surgery to remove excess skin.

Good luck!
Jamie

Don't worry MaryAnn, I wrote "ContentRat twice when I meant CoolRat.

Jodi-

I wish you luck. I hope insurance covers. I know someone, she had to stop smoking and go on liquid diet for about 3 weeks prior.

Good for you CR!! I had the bypass on 05/03/00 and you can bet your boots I'd do it again! Why I waited until I was 55 yrs old to have it-I'll never know.
The best advise I can give you is to have ALL of your ducks in a row. By that I mean for your insurance company. If you have had to go to any type of Dr. for back, feet-whatever ailments that undoubtedly was due to your weight, call them & get a copy of any of your medical records of that visit.
When I turned in my required info for the Ins Co-I added a great cover letter to them...explaining how I needed them to allow me to have this 'tool', to help me get my life back. AND..don't get discouraged if they deny you the surgery? There's an appeal board that will guide you & a great percentage that get approved after that!
I weighed 325 lbs the day I went into sugery and lost 220 lbs by July of the following year! I had 12 lbs of tummy skin removed and literally got down to 105lbs but my surgeon made me put on 25-30lbs. Imagine that! Today, 8 years later, I weigh 134.
I have enclosed a link for you..this is where I did my research, found my surgeon & a zillion other things-even you can see the big list of Insurance Co's that pay for the surgery. This site is a wealth of information as well as before & after pics..message boards, the 'library-full of everything, Q&A's, etc.
If you register into the site? (it's free)..you can go to a list of states & you can find my name under Florida (Largo) and read my profile.
All the best to you sweetie & I'm here if I can help you in any way. ((CR))

Here is a link that might be useful: Obesity Help

My SIL had the gastric bypass several years ago, before any of us knew her. She apparently lost around 140 lbs. She does have to eat very small portions & can't eat too much grease. I hadn't heard the part about alcohol. SIL often has a glass of wine with dinner. She also doesn't exercise on a regular basis, certainly not for an hour a day. She is a nurse, though, & does a lot of walking at the hospital.

We considered this for DH. His ins. specifically excludes gastric surgeries, even if recommended by a doctor. He's trying to lose by cutting back on portions & calories & by exercising more. He's lost several pounds recently.

Best wishes!

Hi. .I mostly lurk here and love reading this board. .this post caught my eye. .I know a lady who had this surgery a year ago and has lost over 70 pounds. She posts regularly on another board BUT she has the neatest blog and is a real hoot with the energy of 10 people. I thought you might like to read her blog for inspiration and a few good laughs. .so here it is. . and the best of luck to you with your surgery. .Debbie

Here is a link that might be useful: Stories from The Road. .