nickieb

I'm about 5'0" and 200 lbs. Diets have worked, but I always give up after a couple of weeks and 10 lbs., mostly because it is difficult to make "regular" meals for the family and special meals for me. Not only is it time consuming, but it is hard on the budget as well. I guess b/c I'm not quite 100 lbs over weight, I'm worried I'd be shot down right away (I have trust issues with doctors, as it seems they tend to immediately dismiss my opinions - wrongly so with 2 of my son's pediatricians). I'm not sure if the issue is with me being oversensitive or them being jerks, but to me it feels that doctors (and other people) think that because I'm fat, my opinions aren't important or can't be correct. I think if I were 3 inches taller with the same proportions, I would be 100 overweight (my frame is more medium than small - I think if I weighed 100 lbs I would look skeletal). My questions: What are doctors looking for when deciding whether one qualifies for LB surgery? How much time does it take to get approved for surgery, and then how much time elapses before one actually has the surgery? I have health insurance that I need to look into for coverage, but in case they don't cover it, what can I expect to pay? Thanks in advance, Nic