kmt1973

I am at the low end of the bmi but, I do understand how you feel and didn't take offence at your post. Just remember, people at the low end still have suffered through being overweight. Have still hated being uncomfortable, hated being the fat kid, hated trying on clothes, hated having the health issues that go along w extra weight carried around on our bodies...etc...etc.

Dagmar68, YAY, FOR US!

Thank you all so much. It was the insurance. First, they denied bc I didn't have every weight listed from every dr visit from the past 3 yrs. So I got them. Then they said obesity is pre-existing so they won't cover. Even though I've never been treated for it. Finally, when the year was up and everything was resubmitted they said I had no comorbidities. Which I have 2. Resent all that and wa-la, they approved. My surgeons office is amazing. They are Dr. Turton & staff in Lagrange, Ga.

After 1 year and three rejections, I am finally approved for lapband surgery! WooHoo, Yippee, Yeehaw, March 19th for me!

A few years ago I lost over 60lbs. My sex drive increased, but my mans didn't. And he said something to me when I was all hurt about it....he said, "you are no more beautiful to me now, than you've always been." That made me feel so so so much better. He also told me recently while I'm waiting on approval for wls..."after you have surgery, I might have to leave for a week here & there, cause you are going to kill me. (apparently, he's remembering back) So don't be too hurt that he can't keep up, your feelings are changing, his are still the same. And that might not be a bad thing.

I don't think I would complain, bc yes all dr's overcharge. But, if you only paid around $5000 for a very expensive surgery that your insurance does not cover, I would be so so thankful. I am currently waiting on approval and if I am denied I will have to pay about $15,000 to have it done. And thats just to the dr. It sounds like your dr's office just switched around the numbers so your insurance would absorb most of the cost.

My bmi is 37. Starting last march with my first dr visit, I did EVERYTHING the insurance requested. I was denied in sept bc they said my obesity is pre-existing. Well duh. So I had to wait for feb to resubmit everything when the required year wait for pre-existing was up. I just had to send in drs notes, one for 08, 09 & 10. Showing my height & weight plus my cholesterol & diabetes treatment. So now just waiting. Thank you everyone that took the time to respond. Its very useful and appreciated. If this is what my God wants. Then it will be.

I was denied bc they said my bmi is too low, with no comorbidities. I have diabetes and colesterol. Aren't those comorbidities? Should I appeal?

I agree w Monique. Congratulations! I can't wait till I'm banded, hopefully next month!

No, its by Dr Turton in Lagrange, Ga. I live on the Al border, its like 30 min from my house. How about you, in al? Where are you at on your journey?

No, its by Dr Turton in Lagrange, Ga. I live on the Al border, its like 30 min from my house. How about you, in al? Where are you at on your journey?

Mrs.Brown, I'm in Alabama.

Mrs.Brown, I'm in Alabama.

Will be getting the lap-band, hopefully in Feb- in LaGrange by Dr. Turton. Is there anyone on here in that area getting it or has gotten it? Any support groups that anyone knows of?

Is there an app for your phone to help document your progress with the lapband?

I will be banded in Feb., if all goes well w the insurance. Hoping to have it done by the 21st, which is our 20th wedding anniversary.

Thats normal, just be patient. I'm in your shoes now. I was originally scheduled for last Sept, and after doing everything I was told to do, the insurance said my obesity was pre-existing. Now I'm waiting for Feb, when my year is up. Hopefully I will be approved. Good Luck to you.

UPDATE: I won't be getting my surgery till Feb. 2012. Insurance won't pay until I've had them a year. You know obesity is a pre-existing disease and duh, I've has this prior to getting my insurance. Oh well, the funny thing is, I'm ok with it. I've waited through the 6months dr visits, I can wait for this too.

It is bcbs of Alabama. Good Luck with yours. And thanks for the advice about talking to the person at work. I hope it helps.

I am so frustrated. My first time was denied. They said I needed to send them my weights for the last 3 years. So, of course I did. Now they said, "I'm not saying you're denied BUT.........Even if we approve you, we will not cover your surgery until January 2012. Because even though you have never been seen for your obesity, the weights you submitted show that it was pre-existing." What the heck, when I started this in March, why in the heck didn't they tell me this before I started jumping through hoops for them!!!!!!!!!

I was denied All bc when I went for my final visit it was on July 29th instead of August 1st and I have to go for 6 CONSECUTIVE months and I went twice in July. Once on July 1st and the last the 29th. RIDICULOUS! Well I went in August for my 2nd 6th month visit. Waiting on Approval once again. Tentative surgery date is still Sept 14th. So excited and nervous

Wow, CONGRATULATIONS! I'm still waiting o_0

The six months diet is something your surgeons office should have told you. I had to go to my family dr, for a supervised six month diet. He told me they dont expect you to lose much weight, they just want you to stick with seeing the dr and following his plan. Its their way of weeding out the ones whos aren't serious. Check with the person in your sugeons office to find out ALL the requirements of your insurance company. Good luck!

Thanks everyone, I am so glad I am not alone. My hub is very supportive but he doesn't know what this is like. I hope we all get approved too.

Thank you for taking the time to post this, I found it very informative. This is something I recently posted to someone researching. I would say that there are three regularly occurring post-op posts that you should be aware of as you prepare. Being aware will help you deal with the psychological aspect of the band in the weeks and months following surgery. 1. Be aware: You may experience a lot of discomfort after surgery that is pain related. People vary so much on this and of course everyone hopes to be one of the "bounce right back" folks, but be prepared to be in a lot of discomfort for up to a week or even more. It is NORMAL to be depressed and/or regret having the surgery immediately post-op. 2. Be aware: It is very likely that your weight loss will stall or even reverse (meaning actual gains) during the first weeks to month after surgery. This is counter-intuitive to people, because they just had weight loss surgery AND they are on a liquid diet and not eating. But it is NORMAL to plateau or even gain Water weight while your body is recovering from the stress of surgery. Try not to despair. If you keep at it, you will begin to lose weight soon enough. 3. Be aware: A lot of people feel very hungry and ready to eat eat eat almost immediately after surgery. For a lot of people, the band alone doesn't do anything for weeks to month until it is filled. This is what people refer to as Bandster Hell. A smaller subset of people do feel a reduction in hunger right away-- but if you don't go in automatically expecting you'll be a lucky one, then you won't be as baffled and disappointed if you aren't. It is NORMAL to feel hungry and frustrated until you reach the appropriate fill for your body, and that may take weeks to months. Knowing these things and expecting them will help tremendously with your emotional reaction to the band. If any of these things happen to you, you are in good and prolific company. Don't despair! Figure out before your surgery how you might cope with them when they come up and odds are, they won't be a problem for you. Knowledge is the key. I would add the following to that list: 1. The average loss at 2 years with the band is 60% of excess weight, according to band literature. So if you need to lose 100 lbs to be in a "healthy BMI", then the average person will have lost 60lbs by the end of year 2. This is the average, which means that there are going to be a few people who lose 0 lbs in 2 years and an equally few people who lose 100+ lbs in 2 years. Most people are going to be right around that 60% mark (I wish I knew what the standard deviation is, that would be even more helpful). 2. Weight loss is not constant and linear for most people, even if they are very very consistent with their eating behavior and activity level. It seems like it should be-- calories in/calories out-- but there are a lot of people that tend to lose in cycles and you may be one of them. For me, I lose weight in chunks, then I "plateau" for a few weeks, then I drop another bunch of pounds within three days, then "plateau" again. You may also be one of those people-- don't let it worry you. 3. Exercise may temporarily stall your weight loss or even make you gain, especially if you are starting or intensifying your program. I have been working out consistently for the past two weeks after about 10 years of nothing. I have GAINED weight even though my eating hasn't changed and I'm burning more calories. That's normal. I know if I keep at it, I will drop that plus some more and have a healthier heart and more stamina to boot. 4. This is hard work, even though the band DOES make it easier if you let it. I get full on small amounts of food-- not "stuffed" full like I was used to, but "ok, I've had enough and my body doesn't need more" full. This is REALLY hard to get used to. Full is never again going to feel like full has felt in the past. But, I can still eat past the point where my band says "eh, you've fed your body as much as it needs" and very very often my brain says "do it, you know you want to, mmmmm it tastes so good, just one more bite!". It is a real struggle sometimes to listen to my band and not my head hunger. I actually have a little mantra when I'm eating and being mindful. I say "if I'm not going to listen to the band when it says stop, then why did I bother with this surgery in the first place?" That tends to turn down the volume of the head hunger. I think people naturally go into this surgery very optimistically. They go to the seminar and the surgeon and the carefully selected successful patients of that surgeon talk about how amazing it is. They come on this board and look at the success story forum, and the "I lost 100 lbs" forum, and the "before and after" picture gallery. They see people's tickers (like mine) who have lost huge amounts in months, not years and they expect only the best , most luckiest results, and ignore the fact that the average expected loss in 60% of excess weight at two years. I understand this because I did it too, and I fully believe that I have been incredibly LUCKY so far and that it's "easy" for me to say this but I do think that bandsters who are really in touch with reality and not overly optimistic are going to be able to emotionally adjust to banded life better. Do not get the band if you expect it to work like bypass. If you want super fast results, and you want malabsorption, then get the bypass. With the "plusses" of the band, including its adjustability and its reversibility, come some costs and one cost is that it requires adjustment which is unpredictable in some ways, and it's associated with a slower rate of loss.