Any other ALABAMA folks out here? I'm so confused by this site! I just stumbled upon this forum - woo hoo! Alabamians!

I am hopefully going to have surgery in Dec 2007 - and NOW BCBS will pay but you have to wait 6 months and go to a physician directed program for that 6 months before they will look at you!

Janie, I hope you're involved in a support group. There are several in Alabama. I go to MCE or as of this Monday it will be St. Vincent's East outside of Birmingham in Roebuck off I59N. Good L:uck. God Bless.
Barbara

I've attended the initial meeting at MCE and went to a lap band support group meeting in June. My surgeon is Dr. Schmidtt - I simply CANNOT wait until December....but what if BC rejects? I've had to wait all this time when I could have self paid? - I guess the $13,900 is worth the wait, huh? LOL - - - - Are you banded? When? how have you done? and why won't anyone answer my question about rice? LOL What does rice do to your lap band?

<p>Hey Season! I was actually at the June 16th meeting -were you there? how have you been?</p>

Dr. Miles did my band June 12 2007. I went to the support meeting this past Saturday, July 21. I have lost 24lbs. I was self-pay. The week of my surgery BC/Bs decided to start paying for lap bands. I just didn't want to wait any longer. All I know about rice is that it's sticky and they say to leave it alone for a while.

Janie, once you go to the nutrition class, you'll have a better idea about what you can/can't eat (or should i say what's recommended?). 'White' products, such as white rice, bread, etc., are processed foods and are higher in carbs. Protein is what you'll want to focus on getting the most of (60 gms/day) and 1/2 cup of rice doesn't have a lot of protein and will fill you up (at least initially) quickly. It won't however tide you over very long because your body is going to convert it to sugar which is going to make you WAY hungry!!! :hungry:

Another thing is some people simply can't eat it...it gets 'stuck'. There are foods you won't be able to eat again because they do that. I found out this weekend one of mine was bbq! I've had some things get stuck at one time and tried them again another time and they were fine. It just sort of depends on how tight your band is at the time you try that food (sometimes the band is tighter than at others, e.g., usually - but not always - in the morning). I don't think I'll be trying the bbq again though, 'cause it made me ill for 2 days!

Read, read, read on this site. You'll find tons of information. Most, if not all, of my questions have been answered here.

Best of luck! :gluck:
Brenda

iI had surgery june19, 2007 paid for by myself went to mexico!! I AM IN PINSON ALABAMA best of luck

Hello to all of you Alabama folks. I was banded by Dr. Touliatos at Trinity hospital on May 31, 2007. I have lost between 25-30lbs(you know how different scales are). Touliatos was wonderful. I have now had my second fill and can feel some restriction for the first time. Glad to know that you're out there. I was also a self-pay and do not regret it at all!!

Hey, I don't check this thread often (I don't ever see anyone local!!)
I'm in Huntsville, AL.. I have BCBS of AL, but even though it does cover the surgery now, my policy excludes all obesity treatments.. I was banded 4/16 by Dr. Freeman in Anniston, AL.. He's a great guy.. the hospital he uses though, I wasn't real excited about.. NE Regional Medical Center.
I am looking to find a fill doctor closer to me though, so if anyone knows of a doctor closer to me than Anniston, let me know :)
The ones actually IN Huntsville, will not fill patients banded by other doctors.

I dont know if this helps but I use Surgical Associates of Marshall County, located in Albertville, AL. You could call them to see if they would do your fill. Dr. Groves or Dr. Britt.

I would like to meet some Alabama folks that have been banded by Miles and Schmidt - anyone out there? I am hoping to be banded in December.

I was banded by Dr. Schmitt on May 8th. What would you like to know?

Anything and everything. I am Janet, BTW - I live in Chelsea.

I went for my consultation in July - the waiting room was PACKED!! I felt really rushed but one of the nurses said it wasn't normally that way. Dr. Schmidtt was nice enough, but like I said, I felt rushed. I met with Naomi, but as far as anything else with their office goes, I'm stuck until I complete my 6 months waiting period with BCBS. Will I meet with him again when I schedule my surgery?

Also, once I have my band in, how do you know when you need a fill?

The waiting room is always packed. They usually get you in and out pretty quickly. Write down your questions next time so if you feel rushed again, you'll be sure to ask everything.

I know how you feel, I felt rushed and confused when I left. Up to the day of the surgery, I felt like someone was going to say 'oh, we confused you w/ someone else and you can't have the surgery!'.

As I recall, you'll first receive an email w/ access information to the 'youremmi.com' video (I may have spelled it wrong). This goes over the actual surgery. It's something you're encouraged to share w/ friends and/or family. You should receive a letter/list from Naomi stating what things you need to have done (e.g., sleep apnea, blood work, etc.). If you don't have that yet, don't wait on it! Go to your doctor ASAP and start your diet monitoring (whatever they call it!). If you've been to the doctor recently, ask them if they have a record of your weight at that time and you might be able to back date your observation to that date.

You'll have to go for a nutrition class there at the hospital. They'll give you a certificate stating you attended the class. Walk this over to the doctor's office before you leave, or take it by personally. Keep track of all your dates (e.g., when your blood work is done, nutrition class, etc.) that way if they say 'we don't have thus and such, you can say that was given/sent to you on this date). The nutrition class is probably the last thing you'll do before you go for your final blood work. They tell you to contact them 2 weeks after that to schedule the surgery. However, if you've gotten everything else in and have hand carried your nutrition class certificate to them and have already gotten your pcp blood work done, I'd start calling them right away. This way you can make sure everything they require has been submitted to them. You'll probably need something in writing from your doctor w/ your weight tracking, etc. Make sure you get that. I'd ask for a copy each time they update it so you'll have it for your own records. I recommend you be extremely pro-active w/ everything you do, otherwise you'll always feel unsure of the situation. Make notes of *every* conversation you have whether it's w/ them or BCBS or whomever. Get names too!

I'm not saying this to scare you...they are very competent at what they do, but don't always share information w/ you. If you keep good notes, you'll feel more in control. Don't rely on them to make you feel that way!

You'll meet w/ Dr. Schmitt once more, that's probably when you go for your blood work right before the surgery. This is your chance to ask him all the questions you'll come up w/ over the next few months. Like I said, make a list.

You won't see him on the day of the surgery (at least I didn't), but Veronica, the nutrition nurse, will come in and see you. She's very nice and her being there made me feel more relaxed. If you have questions you've thought of since you last met w/ Dr. Schmitt, she's the one to ask.

A week after the surgery, you'll go in and have your stitches removed. Lisa, the nurse practitioner does that. You'll need to call the day after your surgery to schedule that appointment. The day you get your stitches out you'll schedule your 1st fill appt. which s/b about 5 weeks after your surgery. After that they'll have you come in about every 4 weeks unless you need an unfill (which I did), in which case they'll get you in right away.

In the meantime, read, read, read on this website. You'll get some wonderful tips and know what to anticipate.

Hope this helps. Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions!
Brenda (in Deatsville)

has anyonr in the annistion area been banded dy black is so what did you think planning on using him my first meeting went well will be a self pay:help::help: