Bozzj

i'm in the learning/consult process...and i will not tell anyone except people i really trust (i.e husband, parents, brother, my fav aunt and grandparents). that's all on one side of my family..the other will judge me. my in laws aren't the nicest so i'll never tell them. reality is you'll have to diet and excercise to be successful so that's what i plan to say.

not to scare you, but when i went to my seminar this week they had stat's that said valley hospital had a high complication rate. is it possible to get it done in hackensack? Maybe i heard this wrong--ask Tracey on here she was at the seminar...but i think that wing is closing in valley hospital too sometime soon. that might leave you stranded down the road. again, just look into it..i could be wrong.

update: i called the lapteam and they said they provide the 6 month dietplan. I'm going on 2/19 and on 3/3 for the consult. Kind of backwards, i know, but i need to get this ball rolling. I'm just so confused on what the insurance wants..they won't tell mand and the lapteam said 6 months.

Hi All, Tracey and I met yesterday at the same seminar. Tracey--I called BCBS and they would not confirm/deny the 6 month wait. I wanted to scream! I did make an appt. with my primary for next week to start this 6month thing...but now i'm thinking I should call the lap team to see if they can do it. I mean they would know what to write- worth a shot i guess. I'll report back..and if not go to the primary. I'm very disappointed because i was talking to my parents giving them the scoop from the seminar and i said, "the doc will have to write a note at the end of the 6 months to say it didn't work and provide all of the details so i can get the surgery." My mom got furious saying i'm not taking this serious and should try to "Make it work." THIS is why i didn't want to tell people...they live in FL they'd never know anyway...and i was hoping she'd be more supportive like before. I'm blue.

Hi All, need to vent...and i know in a few days i'll think more positively, but i went to my first seminar yesterday --and met tracey from here :-) --and everything was really good. THEN they say that Horizon BCBS requires you go to 6 months of supervised diet. I knew there was a chance of this..and i know it's a step in the right direction, but i really wanted it now! I know i'm being a baby, but i'm disappointed. I have my first consult in two weeks and i guess i'll ask them how i go about this 6 months thing..and if we start any of the testing prior to then. I was so sad last night that i was thinking of self-pay (which i know is stupid if my insurance will cover it...but i wasn't rational at that point) and to get it done in hackensack hospital it's 25k-32k!!! It's 15k in a smaller outpatient facility. Anyone go through the 6 month diet? Do you go to your lap doctor for that? I'm not sure if that's possible, but i'm afraid if i go to my regular doc and he doesn't write the right thing i'll get denied. ALso, do you start all that testing AFTER 6 months months or do they start some of it during the waiting period? I'm confused. The seminar was packed and I'll ask him all this as well in the consult, but i'd appreciate your experiences. I guess what is the most annoying is i diet all the time and i didn't doctument it with a doctor. AND if i could diet and not be starving all and and end up giving up...then i i wouldn't be getting the surgery in the first place. :cursing:

good question. I'm so excited to go tonight (tracey and I are going to the same seminar) YAY.

me too! I'm from north nj...attending a seminar on weds (tomorrow). Good luck to you!

hi all, ok so i'm sitting here reading the board and i had a slight panic. i'm going to my first seminar on weds. and will then make the consult apt. etc afterwards...but i was sitting here thinking 'will they approve me (insurance) if i haven't had a physical in a couple of years?' Is this a weird freak out? I go to doctors often because of some other issues, but i haven't had a physical in forever. does that matter? also, someone was just telling me that if i haven't went to "paid" diet plan (such as jennry craig)in the last year i won't qualify (now she never had the surgery so who knows if that's true). Does that sound right though? I mean i'm a lifetime member of J.C and been to weight watchers a million times, but in the last year i've been attempting to diet alone. sorry for the long rant..

Really? Are you in NJ? Definetly report back...hopefully it goes well!!

I got the same info from Horizon BCBS (NJ). So, what i did was researched doctors in my area and signed up for a seminar this wednesday. The doctors at this practice accept BCBS so i figure that's a step in the right direction. I've made up my mind that i'm getting the band whether or not insurance covers it, but i'm going to do whatever they say if they'll cover it. I have a high enough bmi (almost 49). It's so weird...normally i'd hide my bmi..on this site it's ok to shout it out, hehe. I'll let you know how the seminar goes...

I got the same info from Horizon BCBS (NJ). So, what i did was researched doctors in my area and signed up for a seminar this wednesday. The doctors at this practice accept BCBS so i figure that's a step in the right direction. I've made up my mind that i'm getting the band whether or not insurance covers it, but i'm going to do whatever they say if they'll cover it. I have a high enough bmi (almost 49). It's so weird...normally i'd hide my bmi..on this site it's ok to shout it out, hehe. I'll let you know how the seminar goes...

thank you so much for you responses...the visuals really helped!!

Sorry for all the questions, but i was wondering how fast people typically lose ( i know it may be different for everyone). I have 150 or more to lose and was trying to get a range of how long it may take to lose if i get banded. thanks

I'm new here and i looked in the fill thread, but i'm a little confused on how a doctor fills you. I seem to be overlooking that... Do you just walk in and are able to walk out shortly after? i'm having a hard time picturing this...

I'm going to my first seminar next week and these doctors are presenting: Dr. SCHMIDT, Dr. TRIVEDI & Dr. EWING . Has anyone used them? Any info. I'm new to this site and the information here has been helpful. If anyone used a doctor in North Jersey and would recommend them i'd love to hear about it. Thanks,

Hi, I enrolled today in a seminar (on feb. 13th) in NJ to get more info on the lapband. I'm very over weight and too young to be feeling this way. I'm 28 and weigh about 290 (5'5) and i really need to do something. Any advice you may be able to give would be wonderful. Thanks