Hi, everyone! I'm a pharmacy student on the brink of making a decision on the Lap-Band. My issue...I'm on school insurance and have an absolute exclusion for anything weight loss related. I think I may be willing to finance it, but of course it's a lot of money. Then again, it's far less than I've spent on cars already in my life (and I'm only 30), and this would last me forever. I had almost gotten the surgery last summer, and a year later I regret not having done it then because I would have been more than a year closer to goal by now. Anyway, would I be a sucker to pay out of pocket? A year from now I'll have graduated and will have real insurance. I'm an intern at Target, and I know their insurance covers it for some patients (I may or may not qualify), and it's likely I'll work for them after graduation. So is it worth the difference in time spent without the band in order to not have to pay out of pocket? If you did have insurance pay, would it have been worth it to you to pay yourself and not have gone through the approval hassle? I'd love any advice you guys have!

Sammysue78, wow, it does sound like our situations are similar. I am assuming that since you just had your band placed and it's September that you had it while you were in school...how did recovery go? If I do it, my surgery will be November 1, but then I'm due on rotations on November 6. Let me know how you felt five days out! My surgeon seems to think it won't be a problem at all, but I also hear I could be really out of it. I can't really afford to miss a rotation as it'd put me a year behind. Did you finance or use a credit card? Thanks for sharing!

Sammysue78, wow, it does sound like our situations are similar. I am assuming that since you just had your band placed and it's September that you had it while you were in school...how did recovery go? If I do it, my surgery will be November 1, but then I'm due on rotations on November 6. Let me know how you felt five days out! My surgeon seems to think it won't be a problem at all, but I also hear I could be really out of it. I can't really afford to miss a rotation as it'd put me a year behind. Did you finance or use a credit card? Thanks for sharing!

Well, I was banded on 9/11 and I really would not have been able to be up on my feet all day for a week. I was able to do a 20 minute walk at the gym yesterday...I wasn't having a lot of belly pain after five-six days (gas) but some port pain for sure. I stopped taking pain meds (the narcotic ones) after two days, went to the occasional children's ibuprofen (chewable). I think you'll be fine, since you don't have to lift people/etc (like a nursing clinical, I never could have done that). If you could just steal a seat every now and then, and ice your port on breaks (it really helps) you'll be fine. I used my credit card, and am paying it back with scholarship payments I get periodically. Worth every penny. Sammysue

Hello just wanted to throw my two cents in since I know exactly where you are coming from. I have terrible insurance to which it completely excludes any type of weight loss surgery. I have taken two years to think about it although I wish I made my decision sooner. I have chosen to do it and self pay. I will have to finance it which is fine but It's a total investment iin my life, health, and future. If you think about the money you have spent either eating out crappy foods, spending countless amounts of money on diet plans and personal trainers as I have. I couldve paid for this surgery 10 times over again. Yes, it is expensive but what is important to you, if you ever need advice just private message me...I know what you are going through....And I have plenty of student loans too but if you work hard enough anything you want in life is possible or else we all wouldnt be here would we??? God Bless

I was also a self pay. I just had the band on the 19th of September. After being denied a year ago from my insurance company, I decided this is crazy...I spend this much on a new car, but not on me? I too have 3 kids to put through college, but with a supportive husband we decided that by me doing this I am extending my life so I can be around to see my kids go to college. I am 32 and have a 13,12, and 10 year old. I am a registered nurse and work 3 days a week so I missed only two days of work to have the surgery. I also am in school for an advanced degree and my instructor and my classmates didn't even know I had it done! (My co-workers did however because I am a nurse in the very operating room where I had my surgery) So not only is the pressure to succeed due to financial sacrifices-I eat lunch everyday with my surgeon. :biggrin1: