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I have been wanting to get the lapband surgery but I just found out today from my insurance but I have to jump through hoops and wait for 6 months before I'm able to get my band.

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That is not unusual. Many on here have gone through the same thing. My insurance required three months from me which turned into about 4 months. Go ahead and get started it will go faster than you think.

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Mine also required 6 months and it ended up being 9 months. I was discouraged when I was first told, but it flew by. Just hang in there and jump through those hoops. Before you know it you will be banded. Good luck. :-)

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The only reason I didn't have to do the 6 month wait was apparently since I've seen my Dr a minimum of once very 3 months for the last 6 years and my weight was monitored the whole time for my diabetes and blood pressure.

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I to had to do the pre diet for 6 months...and I almost said the heck with this.....so glad i didnt.....it went by fast...it was exciting...and it sure helped get me ready for the banding life...hang it....its so worth it

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Use the time to learn everything you can about the band. Hang out here, read all the posts and practice the band eating style. It will go soooo fast and you will be very prepared for the band when the time comes.

Good luck to you.

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I too, had to do the 6mths and at the time of being told, I was disappointed.

It was a blessing in disguise. It gave me the time I needed to learn everything I needed to know about the LB. Also gave me time to make a lot of friends here and recieve their support.

The 6mths did go by quickly. I learn to eat like a bandster, dropping bad habits before surgery and if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

Hang in there, its worth it.

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I didnt know that either when i first went fpr my consultation in January. Its a real let down isnt?

Sara

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I too, had to do the 6mths and at the time of being told, I was disappointed.

It was a blessing in disguise. It gave me the time I needed to learn everything I needed to know about the LB. Also gave me time to make a lot of friends here and recieve their support.

The 6mths did go by quickly. I learn to eat like a bandster, dropping bad habits before surgery and if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

Hang in there, its worth it.

she got to meet me in her 6 month and made her life even better :)

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I, too, was disappointed. I was ready to go in April, and couldn't get surgery until November. But, I took that time to get used to eating off smaller plates and my nutritionist helped me by telling me the proper size of meat, cheese, veggies, etc. Use the time wisely, it goes by faster that way. My son, and son-in-law both had to do the 6 month diet. They are both doing really well now! Best wishes. Karen

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I just had my 4th month check in with my doctor...only two more to go. It goes way faster than you think it will and I'm glad for the extra time to help figure everything out. I think the 6 months is giving me a better start to doing this the right way. Best of luck to you and don't let the 6 months discourage you.

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I was discouraged when at my first appointment I learned I had a 4 month waiting period. However for me it was good. It gave me time to really think about whether or not I wanted to do this, if I could do this and come to grips with and say goodbye to the way I had been eating. I finally got to the point that even my favorite foods no longer tasted as good as they used to and no longer gave me pleasure. Right down to the last minute though I still felt a little pressured because if I didn't have my surgery by the end of December, I would have to start the waiting period over and my insurance carrier was changing starting February 1 and I didn't know if the new insurance covered WLS. As it was, I had my surgery 12/31. All that being said, I'm glad I did it. Even on days when I slide a little and eat more than I should, I know I am back in control of this part of my life. Before, I couldn't even lose 5 lbs on my own. At least I'm doing something to improve myself! Even on days when the scale hasn't moved or moved in the wrong direction, I know I'm making an effort and it just makes me that much more determined. Between this forum and the people I have met through the surgery center, I feel like I have more support than I have ever had before. I now have a way to keep in touch with folks who understand where I'm at.

I haven't lost much weight yet, but I have regained a lot of the confidence I had lost over the past several years. Someone can tell me I am fat or need to lose weight, but guess what? I'm already doing something about it!

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Take the 6 months as a blessing not a curse. You have time to learn, read, practice, and prepare for a super huge change in your life.

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I am not sure I would have done well thus far had I not had the 6 months to prepare. I am pretty sure I would have had a hard time not knowing what I learned in the 6 months before the surgery. Good luck :)

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    • Doughgurl

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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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