Hi - I'm Trish - I'm just in the beginning stages of this journey. I attended a seminar last week and have my first appointment next week. I have United Healthcare and am very nervous about getting approved. Any suggestions would be greatly appreicated. My BMI is 37-39.. depending on the scale! LOL I need to lose no less than 80 pounds and am hoping to get off of most of the meds I have to take.

Wake up now.. I'm through!

Texasgirl...greetings from the top of Texas. The doctors at the seminars I attended all said UHC is the easiest company to get approval from.

Gretta.....I did a lot of doctor shopping and research on the drs in DFW.....so far have had a great experience with the ones I chose. I did all my pre-op testing with Dr. Maese, a cardiologist who specializes in wls patients....has been in it longer than most people. His office did all the paperwork and submitted it. He also does my fills and charges just the co-pay. He uses floroscope each time and it is totally painless. The surgery was with Dr. Richard Benavidez, a very experienced lapband surgeon. As I have said before, I've had haircuts that were more traumatic......no problems at all, not even a gas pain. My surgery was at Wise Health Center in Decatur (my insurance requirement....they are very experienced there).

There are a number of good DFW surgeons but that is just my personal experience. Your success will depend largely on your own behavior after the surgery.....most people don't realize you have a lot of restrictions regarding foods afterward. It's not the 'easy way out'.

Best wishes.....

Welcome. I am relatively new to this community, too. I also have UHC, but all weight-loss surgery is excluded from my company's policy. So, I am going the self-pay route. I started investigating the lap band back in 2001 right after it was approved by the FDA. Now, five years later, I'm finally doing it!

I have an Upper GI tomorrow and hopefully, if all goes well, my date for surgery is Aug. 2 with Dr. Spivak.

I wish you luck in fighting the insurance battle.

I will be doing the Mexico trip. I hate spending the money, but just don't want to wait for insurance to consider it. I will need someone to do fills for me once I return and can be filled. I understand they want you to wait 6-8 weeks for fills. Would you ask Dr. Wilkenfeld if he will do fills for someone that has gone to Dr. Ortiz? What will it cost? I am spending all my extra money in the world on the surgery and have no idea how I am going to afford the fills. I know I will do it, but sure would appreciate knowing who can and will do the fills and the cost of it.

Thanks........Wild.

Hi Wild - I have high blood pressure, pre-diabetic, sleep apnea, arthritis... boy if I was a horse - I'd been shot! LOL I had carpel tunnel surgery done last year and little did I know that condition is aggrivated by being overweight. From what I understand (and we'll find out) the blood pressure and pre-diabetic issue should do it for UHC. I've had a friend who went to Mexico for dental work and she was very pleased, I've just been a real chicken about going there. My appointment is with Dr. Wilkenfeld in Conroe next Thursday. Lapband of Texas. If you need his number - let me know!

Gretta - try doing a search for Lapband of Texas - they say they have offices in Dallas/Fort Worth. Best of luck. I'm going to my first appointment tomorrow - I'm so nervous!!

Hello texasgirl! Welcome to LBT! Just thought you might be interested in our LBT cruise get together leaving out of Galveston. So many of you Texans on here, it is sure to be a success!!!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=20582

Good luck with the insurance approval!

Jenna - thank you so much for thinking of me! My family and I just got back from a few days in Galveston!! Wish I could go this year - but no time available with my job! YUCK!! I'll keep this one in mind for next year - that would be so much fun! Hope ya'll have a great time!!!!!! Thanks again!!