My first appt is july 22. Just curious how long the process takes until a surgery date is scheduled?

My first meeting with the surgeon was early Jan and my surgery is Sched for July 11th.

The length depends a lot on whether you are self pay or thru insurance (I am thru Cigna) and what requirements your insurance and surgeon have.

I started with my consultation in March of 2012, and had the surgery in December. The insurance requirements were the hold up; since I needed six months of supervised nutrition guidance to qualify. Some insurance companies are bit more lenient.

Same here. Like Aviva, I have Cigna and had to have three months supervised doctor visits with my PCP where my weight was documented. Include psych evaluation, cardiac and lab tests, you are likely looking at around 6 months. If you are self-pay, it will only takes a few weeks at most based on what self-pay bandsters have written.

I had my initial consultation on February 28 of this year and am being banded on July 10. I got approved in a couple weeks after my consultation and got my first surgery date then (June 21) only because they were booked before that. I could have gotten surgery on June 7 but my birthday was that week and I had a trip booked. My insurance didn't require anything other than a 5 year weight history, no co morbidities, no supervised diets, nothing. So if they had had openings earlier I could have been banded in March/April. Mine ended up getting pushed back a few weeks due to doctor scheduling but the main thing with me that took time was getting the schedule right with school, family commitments, and the fact that I'm moving in August and didn't want to be banded too close to that.

My first appt is july 22. Just curious how long the process takes until a surgery date is scheduled?

My consult was last week, I'm being banded on July 11th. I'm paying cash.

I was covered through my insurance my first "hey what is this about, is this something I can do" appointment was March 13th I was scheduled for Surgery June 20th

I had United Health Care and first appt was early November 12' and surg was December 12'

I have blue cross blue shield and was approved right away. The first consult my surgery day was scheduled for 3 months later in August.

My problem was I had to do so many things which I could not get immediate appoints. Cardiology took a total of 6 weeks. Two weeks for 1st appoint and then one month for results. Sleep study and fitting of CPAP, (that is my Hell story) then nearing the end and hoping for a date in December 12 after 3 months of all this my surgeon found a Hiatal Hernia and this was near the Thanksgiving holiday and sent me to surgeon who had to set appointments for tests and finally after New Years 13 I got my final OK from all the doctors. Insurance had approved several months earlier, but then hospital and doctors' schedules I finally got the band on 2 19 13. Almost 5 months and 60 pounds gone. It was worth the wait.

Mine was two months. I did not have to do any supervised diet.

My first Dr visit was June 3rd and I will have surgery July 15. I have BCBS of IL. They approve quickly after all test are done (psych, esophagus x-ray, radioactive stress test, EKG, blood work.) As I am a teacher I really became my own advocate as I wanted plenty of time before school starts to recoup.