Hello out there. My name is Rebecca and I am in the early stages of getting the Lap Band. I sent all my paperwork in and got a call from the office saying that my packet was incomplete.....I need 5 years of doctor documented and supervised weight loss attempts. This is very discouraging to me as I moved so much during my life...OH, NY, CT, RI, and three cities in NC. I have been pregnant for the past four years. My weight loss attempts are scattered about time and states. I don't know where to begin calling for records....who has tried to help me and who has given me the whole "just diet and exercise" bit. I'm feeling like I should give up the insurance battle and begin planning on getting a loan for self-pay. It's so discouraging to think of more debt....but I really want this...I really NEED this.

If you're a self-payer....can you talk to me about the steps you took??

Well once I decided that this was for me... and I knew that my insurance did not approve weight loss surgery, I researched doctors. After I found the doctor I liked, I applied for loans.

Good luck!

Wow! 5 Years??? That's a lot to ask. Sounds like your insurance wants to make it extra hard to get approved for the band.

If you do decide to go self-pay remember that paying for the band sometimes isn't as hard as it initially sounds. For example, I got a 5-year loan from the bank and took out an extra $1,500 to pay off my car (there goes my monthly car payment), I eat less than half of what I used to so there goes about another $150. So in the end, my monthly payments are $360, but in reality I'm only paying about $80 more a month than what I would have spent before on car payments and food.