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I know I have heard that you can feel your port, but can you feel the apparatus inside of you and does this feeling ever go away? Also, is there pain when you swallow right after surgery and how long does this pain last? I said in my first post that I am terrified...just thinking of all of the questions I am wondering about..

I'd love to know exactly how you worked it because they just flat out told me at the clinic I went to that Tricare would only pay if you were 100 # over goal weight WITH co-morbidity or 200# over goal weight with no co-morbidity and this is also on their website for their guidelines. Do you have TriCare Standard or Prime?

Thanks guys! I did get the price from OCC (it's actually on their website with a "special" going on now) and it's a wonderful price indeed! I went to my consultation here in KC today and the place is really nice and everyone was great...the facility beautiful, etc. The doctor himself even came in and talked to me and told me all about the surgery. Then, after the appointment was over, the insurance girl came out and told me that she didn't think my insurance would approve. She said that TriCare Standard (which is what I have) has been denying people right and left lately unless a person is 100# overweight. Per their guidelines, I have a BMI (which Tri-Care doesn't care about) of 38.7 and have 3 co-morbidities (which they again don't care about), but am only 80# overweight! So what do I need to do? Should I gain 20# or put rocks in my pockets to weigh in? (I'm joking, but this is pretty stupid in my opinion)! I am not actually that upset about it because I actually would rather go to OCC now after talking to all of you, but some of the problems I have are getting the money together, having a husband who is not only unsupportive of my having the surgery, but will hit the ceiling if he finds out I am going out of the country, and lastly...there are no fill centers closer than 250 miles from me... :lb12: So...now instead of being scared about the surgery...I have lots of other things to worry about...lol

As I said earlier in my other post, I have my first consult tomorrow and am not sure if my insurance will cover lap band or not. I have pretty much decided that I must have this surgery no matter what, so I was reading through the material that the place that I am going to be going to has online and read that if insurance doesn't cover the cost, their "fully inclusive price" is $17,500. Does that sound like a good deal or like a lot? Would it be cheaper to fly to OCC? I live in the midwest USA so not sure how much my flight would even cost or how long it would take. Any comments would be welcome... Thanks! P.S. I just went to the OCC page and filled out the form to request info on financing. I hadn't seen that before when I wrote this..

I really am excited that I came here and have "met" you guys. I can't believe how much better I feel just in the 24 hours or so since I've met you. I'm really excited about my appointment tomorrow and interestingly, I am not worried at all about being turned down by my insurance company because all of you have had such a wonderful experience with OCC that I almost hope I can go there... I do have a couple of other questions though and thought I'd ask in this thread instead of starting another one. When you guys talk about PBs, are they just like a sudden "upchuck" of food, or do you feel the nausea that you have before you vomit and then have the vomiting? (Sorry to be so stupid and ask such a silly question...but that one is really bothering me because one of the things I hate the most is being nauseated) And, I've been reading a lot of the threads and it seems as if food often gets "stuck" somehow. I imagine this as feeling like you swallowed a chicken bone or something. Is this pretty common? What does your food get stuck on if the band is on the outside of your stomach? After tomorrow I'm sure I won't ask so many silly questions since I will be asking them in my consult...but I do appreciate all of you taking the time to answer.

Wow! You guys are all so great! I know that I'll get through it...God knows I've gotten through stuff before, but I just have fears about my health/anesthesia and of course, the pain. I am allergic to almost every kind of pain medication and can't take vicodin, or anything codeine based. It sucks because I am basically a chicken and imagine that I'll be the lady in the bed "whining"...lol I do remember though that when I had my second C-Section, I knew that if I walked that I would feel better sooner, so I did and felt better. I will be having my surgery in a suburb of the town I live in so it is about 45 minutes away from my home. I imagine I will stay one night. I'm getting a little less worried...you all seem to be doing really well. Thanks so much for the info...it really helps a lot...

Hi Michelle, Nice to meet you and thanks for the nice welcome! I am in Kansas City and will be banded here (unless my insurance says no and then will most likely look into Dr. Ortiz)... Thanks for clearing up what a PB is. I had just read that on another thread and couldn't figure out what it was. It makes sense! I will find out on Wednesday all of the details on how long I'll have to stay in the hospital, what my pre-surgery diet will be, etc. I am a bit confused because I have read that some people have to be on a liquid diet for like 3 weeks before surgery and 3-4 after. What was your experience? Thanks again and I'll be chatting here..

I'm new here...my first post. I have my first appointment on Wednesday of this week to see if I can get LapBand surgery. I am embarassed to admit it, but I am terrified to get the surgery. I am desperate, and I honestly will probably not live 10 more years if I don't get it, but I am so afraid of the pain afterwards. I have heard stories about people having pain all the time and that they throw up everything they eat...I have tried to look for this info on different forums, but thought I'd just ask what you'all had as an experience? I had my gallbladder out a few years ago and had laparoscopic surgery for that, but had a lot of pain afterwards. Can anyone give me some positive info that might make me feel a little more easy? I really appreciate it!