Over the last 2 weeks I've gotten to know some REALLY nice folks here on the site, and the support here is just fantastic. I would love to meet some locals to the Orange County area .... Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Costa Mesa etc. I have not received my band.... I'm still in the approval stages but I thought there must be someone out here in Southern California that has been banded and wants to share their story and their wisdom to someone closer to home. Here's hoping, :)

Congrats! I'm in Garden Grove. Would love to chat more. Email me if you want, i'm at hbjester_98@yahoo.com

Lets chat!

I am in Huntington Beach and have a group that we have going from individuals off of this site and word of mouth. We meet about once a month at each others house or last time at a park for a picnic. If anyone in Orange County would be interested in coming to one of our meet ups just send me an email. It is so nice to talk to other bandsters and it isn't like the Dr. support groups so we can chat with each other when we meet and just bounce things off each other for tips and advice. We were all banded by different doctors some here and some from Mexico so we all have different dates we were banded. Support is key to making your band a success. You can talk and talk to your family and friends about different things but they have no clue how it feels physically or mentally to have a lap band. Email me if your interested in getting together. Vikki4mymail@yahoo.com

Hello Autumn, I have been hearing so much about Fountain Valley over this forum that I have decided to go to Fountain Valley for the Lap band. May i ask which doctor you are going to?

hahahah Bobbie, you are so right! I was thinking the same thing. I go in on Weds. to discuss with my doctor that I want her blessing to get the lap band. If I get her pre-auth the procedure is done for almost free. If not, I have to shell out $6K to Dr. Oliak in Orange. But if I get approved I am going to Fountain Valley! I am excited and have 48 left to discuss with my doctor. My fingers are crossed and I wish you the best of luck as well.

You don't get to decide what doctor to have your procedure done, you will have to go with who your PCP is affiliated with. I have edinger Medical Group and they only use Dr. Khalili in West Hollywood at Cedar Sinai.

I just got my bill in and with Anthem Blue Cross, it cost me $100.00 on the day I was checked in for surgery and all my co pays for the testings. The total cost for the surgery was 55,000.00.

I had to keep up my Cobra insurance since being laid off, that total was $900.00 for 3 months worth.

My portion was a small price to pay when compared to what the insurance paid.

BTW, cash pay for the adjustments at Cedar Sinai is $800.00! I wil need insurance to pay that kind of money!

Hi OC bandsters. I was banded on Feb 19th by Dr Francis. She works out of Orange Coast Memorial Hospital. I live in Whittier and work in Brea.

HI,

I was banded by Dr. Francis also. It has been 2 years and I am down 100 pounds. Still have more to go, have been having a real problem stickingwith it the last few month. ALL MY FAULT--BAD CHOICES. I just wish there was a support group closer. I live in La Mirada. gOOD LUCK

I am in Lakewood banded since 01/2005 if anyone needs someone to talk to I work in Fullerton.

Yeah!! I met with my medical doctor today and she approved the lap band. She will put in the referral. May I ask what is the next step? Will I hear from the insurance company or call the LapBand facility first. I know I want to go to Fountain Valley Regional or Chapman Medical. Any clue on what to expect now and time from now to actual surgery would be greatly appreciated.:thumbs_up:

Hello Autumn, You mentioned Fountain Valley. Is your doctor a part of Dr. LePorts office? I just completed my orientation and working my way through the rest of the process. My psych eval is tomorrow. My orientation is done my doctor visit is July 17 and my diet class is August 4th. So hopefully after that all is well. I will join the Long Beach or Corona Support group because I live in Fullerton but work in Cerritos so after work I could do either. Hope for more discussions with you and maybe we can set up a north o.c. support group.

Hi All! I live in Anaheim Hills and will be banded on 7/7. I would love to join your group.

Chris

I've been approved for Surgery from my insurance, (only nine months after I started this process), and I got a call from Dr. LePorts office, I'm hoping to have Dr. Francis do my surgery. They said they were sending me over to the scheduling department and I should hear from them with in 10 days. Just a little anxious here! Have waited a long time. Has anyone been banded by Dr. LePorts office, and how quick can they schedule a surgery? Weeks, months? Please let me know your experience, I'm dying for information. What's next?

Hi Cakegal,

I'm being banded by Dr. Leport's office. I was approved by my insurance at the beginning of February and they scheduled my surgery for June 2nd. Just before the surgery, my PCP decided I needed to see an endocrinologist before she would sign off on the medical clearance. By the time I got that finished, it was June 20th. At that point, I got back on Dr. Leport's schedule and am now scheduled for August 6th. When they set up the first surgery, she said that Dr. Leport's schedule took a little longer that the other doctor's, but only about another week.

So the moral is to plan on it taking several months to get on the schedule, but know that if anything happens, they will do everything they can to get you rescheduled as quick as possible. And who knows, maybe things are a little slower and you can get on quicker. And that could be a happy surprise.

Thanks, not really what I wanted to hear, and yet I'm okay with that. Thanks for responding, I think knowing what to expect is easier than getting my hopes up (again) and then being disappointed. This way I stay Positive.

Thanks again!

Hey There O.C. peeps...happy to say I was FINALLY banded on 6/30 by Dr. Braverman from the N.E.W. Program and all went well. Would love to know if and when a group is getting together for chit chat and support. I'm really looking forward to being a few more weeks down the line to have a better idea of just what I've gotten myself into but I feel confident that everything will work out just fine!! Thanks and I hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July!! ~ Tai

Hi, I'm new to this support stuff, although not that new to the band. I was banded on Dec. 12, 2007. Dr. Francis is my Dr. Good choice. I live in Buena Park. Side note: my daughter had the surgery on the same day, same Dr. We are both doing well. I have lost 66 lbs. and my daughter has lost 60 lbs. We have only attended 1 support group meeting, as they are inconvienent. The Fountain Valley meetings during the week would get us home around 7:30 pm and since my husband works very early in the morning, I would not be able to see him prior to his going to bed. The Saturday meetings are in Corona/Norco area. Way too far. I made the trip once. If there are more of you out there that woudl be interested in starting a group in OC, let's get together and just do it. As for Cakegal, congratulations on taking the first step to a new you! You won't regret it.