Hello, it's been a while since I've posted on this site, but I have a question or two and would like to know if anyone could answer them. I am 37 years old with a 34 bmi. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol(but not real high). My question is..Can someone like me that has been on a diet since they were 14 be able to get the lalpband if I was self-paying? Also, do you have to have gone to weight watchers, Jenny craig or any of those sites? I haven't done any of those diets just because I've done everything else out there under the sun and seen friends on weight watchers that lose a couple of pounds and gain 10 more back and being on so many diets before with the same end result it's frustrating. In what research I have done so far on the lapband, it seems to have a higher success rate for people to lose and keep off.I'm not looking for an easy solution because I know the band is a tool and just as hard as any other type of weight loss solution but it just seems like it has a higher success rate.

the insurers require a 35 min. BMI with at least 1 co-morbid condition - since you are self pay i would think you could find a doc to do it for you- i've heard of people gaining a few pounds to hit the minimum BMI for insurancee coverage - you should check with your insurance before going the self-pay route - covereage may be easier than you think - if you call them i would just tell them you think your BMI is "around 35". BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!

Yes, you can. My bmi is 28 with no issues. I have about 40 pounds to lose. Dr. Ortiz in Mexico will do 28 and up. If I lose even 1 pound I won't qualify:-) I am on the fence, not fully decided about doing something drastic like this. But then again, people who have 100 pounds to lose must have been at a point where they only had 40 pounds to lose, too. If it were that easy to lose it, no one would end up heavier! Anyway...just call Dr. Ortiz and chat!

You should be able to find a doctor who will do a self-pay lap-band. We are the same age and bmi and pretty much the same length of time fighting with diets. I am scheduled for lap-band surgery december 5th!

If you self pay, you should be able to find a doctor. It is considered an "off-label" use of the band. The way I see it, band me now or band me later. Without the band, I am sure to gain enough weight to qualify (35 BMI). Why not do it when there is only 40lbs to lose. I am 5'6" and 170. My goal weight is 130 (BMI of 21). I have been fighting my weight and yoyo dieting since I was a teenager. It will be very liberating to not fight my weight...food won't have the same power over me as it does now. Good Luck

If you are looking to self-pay you can definitely find a doctor who will band you. Especially considering that the FDA has approved the use of the lap band for BMI of 30 and up. I am self-pay and I am scheduled to have my surgery Feb 16th in Arkansas.

I've struggled all my life with my weight...done every diet under the sun...only to gain the weight back --> EVERY TIME.

Just like what others are saying, I can get the band now or 50-100 lbs down the road. I'd rather take the path of prevention.

I keep coming back to this thread.... yes if you are self-pay I think would be able to get it. I know my clinic in Toronto will do it even if you only have 25lbs to lose. But honestly, I don't know WHY you would do it if you don't have that much. I had 80-100 lbs to lose....if I "only" had 30-40 I doubt I would go this route. It has not been easy at all.

if you have the cash i doubt any doctor is gonna say no.

I keep coming back to this thread.... yes if you are self-pay I think would be able to get it. I know my clinic in Toronto will do it even if you only have 25lbs to lose. But honestly, I don't know WHY you would do it if you don't have that much. I had 80-100 lbs to lose....if I "only" had 30-40 I doubt I would go this route. It has not been easy at all.

Well...this is definitely NOT the first time I have heard that! Let's see, since I have scheduled my lap band surgery I have had folks exclaim, "but you are NOT THAT big?!"...or "jeeze, just go on a diet"...or "but YOU don't need it!" (this last one typically comes from folks that are bigger than me).

*sigh*...deep breath...OK, it took me a minute to think about whether or NOT I should even reply. I mean, come on! I am ashamed that I am unable to diet and KEEP the weight off. I feel like a total failure. Sure, I can diet and I will lose some weight, but then my willpower cracks, I get hungry...and the rest is a history of up and down. If my weight is down, I feel great about myself...but if my weight is up...forget it, I am miserable - God forbid I run into someone I haven't seen in awhile, I just feel like a pile of failure.

Trust me I have tried EVERYTHING! (here is a quick sampling)

* I am a lifetime member of Jenny Craig (bought my membership when I was 21, I just turned 38 yesterday)

* Starvation

* Sensa (that stuff is disgusting, makes me extremely jittery)

* 7-day miracle diet (not what it sounds like, it is a diet where you eat every 2 hours, very low calorie, and quite balanced, however, like I said, VERY low calorie)

* Atkins diet

* Stopped eating dinner (for years...because doctor recommended this in order to lose weight)

* Diet pills (worked great, until you stop taking them...but I was basically high all the time)

* Lots of exercise (I was teaching aerobics twice a day...lost weight, but I wasn't able to spend the time I needed to spend with my daughter, she was 3 at the time)

* Cabbage Soup diet

* Diabetic Diet

* Weight Watchers

* Ali (gross)

* Relicore

So I have made the decision to get the lap band. I am only about 40 lbs away from my goal weight. But I am tired of never reaching my goal. I am tired of never having enough willpower to succeed. I decided on the lap band because of the way it acts like a tool to help you achieve your weight loss goal and most of all maintain it! Yes, I can make the decision to eat only 800 or so calories a day without a lap band...but I already know the outcome if I were to take this on without the lap band. I am choosing to be proactive. I am choosing prevention over reaction. Why would I want to put this off until I am diabetic, or have high cholesterol? Why would I wait until I destroy my knees? I don't think I SHOULD have to wait. I don't think that SOME people are more "deserving" of the lap band than others. It is a personal decision.

I think it is quite thoughtless and flippant to say to someone in my position that since I only want to lose 40 or so LBS that I should just go on a diet. Trust me when I say, I WISH, I really, really WISH it were that easy!

I would quote your post but it's a little long for that.....believe me I understand how hard dieting is. I've been on almost every one you've mentioned and a few that you haven't. I'm not being "thoughtless and flippant". AT ALL. I had to pay for mine as well because it's not covered in Canada. I guess good for you that you are willing to do something now, but I doubt I would have opted for the surgery route when I had 40 lbs to lose. For whatever reason, it seems way more drastic at that weight, than it does with more to lose (IMO, as everything is). Sorry if I offended you, wasn't my intention.

I am in British Columbia, Canada. If you want a lapband you have to have a BMI of 35 it is regulated by the College of Sugeons and we are all self pay too.

My mom was 30 BMI and was self pay, and we both got banded on 2/24. Our surgery was with True Results Austin , costs 9,900 for self pay, and they will take patients at 30 BMI or higher ... They use the allergen lap band with low profile port and have amazing aftercare program.

You can definitely find a surgeon to band you at 34 BMI in the states

US for sure not BC in Canada. Mexico no problem. But in BC the drs wouldnt give you a fill.

I was banded on 3/7 with a bmi of 33 by Dr.Ortiz and I have no illness to go along with my weight I'm just a little chunky and have been struggling my entire life with my weight besides that I am healthy and tired of the roller coaster ride. So I didn't tell anyone because i didnt want to hear judgement and went to Mexico alone and got banded. I did it for me.. You should checkout Dr.Ortiz they were awesome. I hope your journey goes well and I hope you make the best choice for you!!!

Hello....i see that soon2bskinnybitch.....had surgery with dr ortiz. Can u tell me what it is now costing for lapband with dr ortiz. Tks for the info.

Hello....i see that soon2bskinnybitch.....had surgery with dr ortiz. Can u tell me what it is now costing for lapband with dr ortiz. Tks for the info.

Hi there, it was $4995 and that included hotel and round trip transportation to and from the airport.