Hello, I'm new to this board. I had a date for the RNY and cancelled it.....I did feel a bit sad, as it is all that my insurance will pay for, but I feel I need the nutrition and could never equate RNY to = health. Thinness - yes, Health - no. My surgeon hates the band, and although he does both, is not happy with my indecision problem as he puts it. So, he is sending me back to the shrink to find out what my problems are! I need a very good band doctor in Sacramento, who will deal with a self pay as it looks as if Blue Cross pers choice is out of the question here for paying. If anyone can help, I thankyou so much.

Jacqui5150

Michelle, I'm going to burn up my phone lines on Monday calling all the Los Angeles doctors. Like I said in another post, by the time I pay for travel, parking, taxis, and hotels in Mexico, maybe it would be equivalent to California. Let's cross our fingers till then.

A flight to San Diego was $144. We spent about $100 on gas & parking. Two of us went so only saved $88 bucks and had the longest ride of our life going home. Five hours there, nine hours going home.

Lisa, please don't beat yourself up, thinking, "I should have done..." You did what you thought was right at the time. You did have some set backs, but hopefully that's fixed, and it's "clear sailing ahead". You've also already lost a big chunk of weight. You wouldn't have done that if you were waiting and fighting with your insurance company.

I did fight out my insurance company. It took eight months! I keep thinking how much better I'd be doing at exercising if this had been done back in October, 2003. (It is so hot and humid here. I know I've lost a couple of pounds just in sweat.) But it wasn't. So hopefully, I'll be doing much better come this time in October, 2004.

Now that you have a fill, you'll really take off! You're doing great!

Thanks, Jeanie, I needed that. You think I can force my insurance to pay my credit card bill from the surgery? Like that would happen!

Jacqui, it doesn't sound like you need to go back to the shrink! It sounds like your dr. makes more $$ off of bypass, so he's pushing that. Just keep doing your homework. Makes you wonder how many other patients he's pushed into bypass. Best of luck!

Lisa, probably no go on the insurance repaying you. But maybe you can collect "frequent flyer miles" to San Diego.

Jeanie, can I collect frequent driver miles, too?

Hey, as far as bypass vs. lapband, I learned tons through this seminar in Vegas.

When I first wanted a band, I called Dr. Fisher here in Vegas. Their policy is that you have to sit through this boring 3 hour seminar before they'll even make an appointment for a consultation. Boring, yes, but very informative. The seminar weighed the pros and cons of bypass vs. lap band. Maybe you can call Dr. Fisher in Las Vegas and ask if they have the seminar materials in written form since you don't live here.

Dr. Fisher works with another band surgeon, either Atkins or Atkinson? Fisher prefers doing band surgeries while his partner prefers doing bypass, and both procedures were about the same price (maybe a $1500 difference between the surgeries) but they were very clear that WE have to make the choice. Many people approached the doctors after the surgery to tell their special circumstances and see which method the doctors suggested, but the doctors refuse to suggest anything and leave it up to the patient to make the final decion.

So be very careful listening to one doctor. The best advice anyone ever gave me was to call as many surgeons as you can and get multiple opinions. It's hard to know who is being honest and who just wants your money.