minnieb

...is what I told the psychiatrist the other day when I had my consult. I had been thinking about the band for a couple of years and finally decided I was ready. I did a happy dance (literally) in the insurance coordinator's office when I found out Aetna covered the procedure. I was completely prepared to tap out my Pension and 401K to pay for it. Imagine my excitement when I found out I'll only pay about 1K! I am a female, age 35, height 5'3 and weight 254lbs. My BMI is 45. For the first time in my life, I was thankful for my weight...no problem qualifying for the procedure! I've had a weight problem all my life. Most of my family is overweight. I think I went on my first (self-imposed) diet in 3rd grade...I hated the fact that my thighs rubbed together when I walked. I have been unsuccessful in controlling my weight since then, with the exception of one short-lived stint in Weight Watchers. I am cautiously excited about having the band surgery. I am thankful to have found this site and some of the great blogs out there, they give me hope that this will be the solution that will finally work for me. It had better...it's my last chance at thinness!

Dana, we're practically on the same schedule. I had my first of four visits with the nutritionist on June 1st! I know what you mean about the wait. Once I made the decision to have the surgery, I wanted to have it done that day. I could have scheduled it for the following day if I was self-pay but figured a 3 month wait was reasonable if Aetna will cover it. The clinic said they checked with Aetna and it's covered but I'm still not 100% convinced because my employer is self-insured. If I wait 3 months and they deny me I'm going to be sooooo upset. We should keep in touch...perhaps our surgery dates will be close. (BTW, I used to live in Grapevine, TX)

Good luck to you! I guess I'm like a super-newbie. I just decided to have Lap Band surgery. Had my first consult with the surgeon and got the go ahead from the clinic. I still have to do 3 months of supervised diet & exercise to satisfy the insurance requirements. Please keep posting so we can celebrate your accomplishments!