lyndeeboo

I hadn't even thought about having to go back if they determine I have sleep apnea---ugh! Thank you for the advice and info...hadn't even thought about possibly being tired from not sleeping! Good luck on getting fitted, hope that goes nice and smooth!

You are NOT screwed up!!! I have the same thoughts from time to time. I worry that I want this surgery and new lifestyle so bad - NOW - but what if after having it for a year or two I 'fall off the wagon' so to speak as I've done a hundred times before and this entire process is a complete waste. Right now I can say that won't happen, but I've said that before when successful at a diet and I always end up in the same place. It's scary, but one thing I know for sure is that if I continue down the path I'm on now I won't be here to watch my kids grow up. I just wanted you to know that you're not alone. This isn't a fun journey, but when I look at success pictures of other members I know that it's possible and I know I can do it. And, you can too

So cool that we're on the same timeline, I've wanted someone to keep up with! If you don't mind me asking, where do you live? I'm assuming you're insurance, who is your insurance through? I live in north East Texas and have insurance through Aetna. I'm also super nervous about the sleep study. I have a hard time falling to sleep at night (lay in bed thinking of the gazillion things I didn't get done for the day) and I also sleep with my mouth open at night and sometimes drool - - the thought of someone possibly watching me is not cool!!! Keep me posted on your stuff! I'm going to go add you as a friend right now

In the whole grand-scheme of things this really isn't a big deal, but for me it is confirmation that I am on my way to changing my life. My sleep study has been scheduled and will be tomorrow night! I also will have my 2nd (of 4) nutrition appointment next week. When that one is done I'm halfway to meeting the insurance requirements! Woooohoooo!!! if things keep going on track, I'm shooting for the end of June for my surgery (that's giving insurance 2-3 weeks for approval).

For the past few years I've wanted to get banded. I go to Church with a woman who was very successful and she inspired me. My insurance doesn't cover any procedures so after I was done having kiddos my husband added me to his insurance policy. I officially became covered January 1st, so on Jan 3rd I had a consultation with two surgeons, Dr. Nicholson at the Nicholson clinic and then I had an appointment at True Results, Dallas. During my first appt Dr. Nicholson suggested I consider the sleeve procedure and for a few seconds I considered it...until I walked in to True Results and they told me how dangerous it was, how it hadn't been on the market long enough, etc. etc. I guess since I'd wanted the band for so long they told me everything I wanted to hear. I continued going to True Results for two more months, but in the back of my mind I kept going back to what Dr. Nicholson had said. He told me about problems with the band that were just developing and told me that since I lived so far away from a bariatric facility (I have a 3 hr drive, one way) that the band was more than likely not the route I would want to go. He always maintained that if I wanted it he would gladly give me one, but that he just didn't think it was the perfect fit. I continued to have thoughts that the band probably wasn't the best thing for me, but once i started visiting True Results I felt "stuck" in the sense that I didn't want to waste all of the time I'd already invested. I asked True Results if they offered the sleeve and they said they did, but that their surgeon didn't do as many of them because the band was "better". About a month ago I started really researching the band vs the sleeve and kept coming across numerous people who had the band, then had problems and revised to the sleeve. I didn't want to be one of those people. I want whatever I choose to work for life and i want to be happy with my decision forever. I also didn't want the surgeon that performed my surgery to do them every once in awhile, I wanted my surgeon to be the best of the best. I prayed about my decision and asked God to lead me in the right direction, whatever that direction was. The same day I was searching a forum who specifically pointed out True Results and the surgeon that I would have had and said if you're considering him/that clinic to run as fast away as possible. She wasn't speaking to me, but I felt as though she was if that makes sense. I then decided to contact Dr. Nicholson's clinic and see if they would even take me back. I'd only gone to one appointment and then had "chosen" another doctor, so for all I knew they would tell me tough nuggets. Nope. They said that they loved it when patients researched other doctors and that they were happy that I had "shopped around" and then returned to them. Lastly, I had been upset that the 2 months worth of nutritional appointments would be wasted in a sense, but had decided that in the long run, what was 2 months of my life, if it meant my life and happieness? Just for the heck of it I thought I would ask the Nicholson clinic if there was any way they would give me credit for the nutrition appointments and sure enough they will! Everything is falling in to place and I really couldn't be happier and more excited about getting the sleeve. I'm ready to change my life for the better and looking forward to this journey! Now if I can just jump through the flaming hoops for insurance and get my surgery scheduled

My entire life I have been overweight. Even back when I was in Kindergarten I was the "big" kid in class. The one that was always MUCH larger than anyone else. This trend continued my entire life. I can remember being in the 3rd grade, weighing 120 pounds and having a group of my friends start taking about their weight and one of them made the comment that I was so much bigger than them and probably weighed 85 pounds i was so big! Oh if only I weighed 85 pounds! Right then is when I truly realized just how much bigger I was than everyone else my age. Even at a young age I was always on a diet and watching what I was eating, but it was more like, watching everything I was eating go right in to my mouth, not really controlling what I was eating. MY parents put me in soccer and softball, but the weight never stayed off. I was always an active child but nothing really would help. In college I actually lost weight. I got down to 200 pounds and felt great. I know - - 200 pounds was SKINNY for me - - that is sad But the weight came right back. I've gone back and forth with wanting to lose weight on my own versus needing help and I've finally come to the conclusion, I can't won't do this on my own. I need that little something that will assist me in restricting what goes in to my mouth. I overeat. I can't control myself at times. I eat when I'm happy, when I'm sad. I eat to celebrate and I eat when I'm pissed off. I have such a strong desire to become a runner. I want to compete in marathons, yet I can't walk from my house to my barn without gasping for air. I hope and pray that this is the answer to my prayers because I need to become a healthier person, both for myself and for my kids.

Thank you SO much!!!

I'm in the Mt. Pleasant area and looking for a surgeon. Any way you can get me his contact info to see if my insurance is in network?

Oh Jen I seriously feel like you took most of your words right out of my brain. My Hubbs is super supportive, other than that, EVERYONE has told me what a bad idea this is, and that I should just 'try harder to lose the weight'. I just want to scream DO YOU NOT THINK IF I COULD DO THAT I WOULD DO THAT AND SAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS & GOING UNDER THE KNIFE???? I don't *want* to have surgery. I don't *want* to be teh chubby-bunny that is so lazy and unmotivated that I can't lose weight on my own. I don't *want* to miss out on bread for the rest of my life, but darn it, more than that I don't *want* to DIE of a heart attack!!! I don't want to be the mommy that my kids are ashamed of. I don't want to be the frumpy woman too tired and worn out to play with my kids. I WANT to be in shape, happy and healthy. At this point I feel like this is my only shot at it. I just wish if people couldn't be supportive they could mind their own business!!! Hugs to you!!! I promise I at least will have your back :thumbup:

I work in an office and am in the early stages of planning to do the band. My insurance won't cover it, but Hubbs insurance will...and lucky for me this is open enrollement, so he's adding me this week..YAY! Anyway, until I know for SURE that I qualify and WILL be banded I don't want to tell my work about it at all...people like to talk if ya' know what I mean Just so I have an idea, how long are you typically off work, from the time you go in for surgery, until the time you are back in your chair at work? Has anyone ever done it and NOT told an employer? You know, pretended to be on 'vacation' for the procedure and then returned after recovery magically losing weight? How often do you get 'sick' when you're first banded? How much warning do you have before you need to hang yourself over a toilett....or do you have to upchuck in a trash can? I know...random questions! I just want to mentally prepare for what lies ahead and want to be sure I will have enough time to get from my desk to the restroom (I'm about 30' from it)! Thank you :wub:

Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate all of you! You've definetely given me some great information. My hubby's open enrollment is about to begin with his employer. I think I will check into his insurance and *IF* they cover the procedure it may be worth the extra money to add me to his insurance. Now another question: Since his insurance will be my secondary insurance...anyone ever had to go through that fight?!?! Will the secondary insurance cover me, or is that automatically a good reason to deny coverage?

I hate to be a whiner, and normally I accept when I'm defeated, but before I give up before I've even began I want to be SURE this is the end of the road with my thoughts of having LB done. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. I just made a quick call to see what my coverage would be with lapband and was told point blank, (in a nice way!) that the procedure, nor any other obesity or morbid obesity treatment would never, ever be covered, at all. :thumbup: So is that it? Is there any way to protest when it's not that I was denied a particular procedure, but that they don't cover it, ever? I'm just so sad and deflated. Does anyone know what the procedure costs out of pocket? Would insurance EVER cover refills and adjustments if I paid for the procedure out of pocket, or would those too be out of pocket?

Nevermind After a quick call to my insurance, the lovely Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, I've been informed they cover nothing relating to obesity or morbid obesity, which includes any and all surgeries. Bummer. Guess that makes my decision pretty easy. :thumbup:

Hey Ya'll! I'm brand new here and looking for answers before I dive in too deep, only to not really be a 'match' for lap band. My main two concerns are A) if my weight issues can be helped by lap band and :thumbup: If my insurance will cover the procedure. A little bit about me: I'm 28 and I've been over weight my entire life. I currently weigh 240 lbs, even though when I look in the mirror I don't see that much weight packed on my body! I *know* how to eat healthy and that I should exercise, but somehow whenever I go to sit down I can't STOP myself from gorging. I always tell myself: Next meal I won't eat as much. Tomorrow I will exercise. problem is, the 'next meal' and 'tomorrow' I long for never seem to come. When I do diet, I can lose about 10 pounds, but can only stick with ANY diet for about 2-3 weeks. After that i fall off the wagon, so to speak. I eat when I'm happy, sad, bored, mad...you name it, food is my comfort. I don't want to do a procedure if I will have the same results as with any other diet program. i want to do this to change my life and so I can be around to raise my kiddos. I just want to be able to have the energy to be a good Wife and Mom and right now the only time I have energy is when it's shoving food into my mouth My other concern is insurance. Do insurances typically cover any part of the procedure, or is it all out of pocket? What does a procedure cost? Thank you in advance for any and all advice!

Bob, thank you for this post. I am in the beginning stages of deciding if this is the right choice for me, and your post makes me feel a little less scared. I DO NOT want to have surgery, however, when it comes to eating I can't seem to stop. More than not wanting to have surgery, I want to LIVE to watch my children grow up. thank you for this positive message and post.