I am so depressed and ANGRY at money and my situation! :angry I refuse to believe that I can't have the band this year! I also refuse to believe that it could be saving me from some kind of complications or other problems. I can accept saving me from financial problems, but saving my life seems to be far more important to me.

I tried one more time with my mom's good credit to get financed and hit a brick wall...AGAIN! That's it! I am so freakin' p o'd, that I want punch a wall or cry blood.

The only thing that is keeping me from doing all that is that I am hoping somehow I can talk to my big boss(president of my company), into changing out insurance policy to approve WLS to save my life. A life of pain and suffering that will some day soon end up in a wheelchair or dead.

I know I would not be able to take out all my saved up 401(k) earnings and still have a job....I know, I know...everyone says it's your money, but the money I have in their is put there tax free and whatever. They wouldn't let me borrow it either. I couldn't pay it back.

So, thanks all for letting me vent again...this really hurts alot and I thought this year was the year that I would be able to do something for me.

Big question though...even if my insurance was changed...I really don't want to go to the doctor in my area because of the non-smoking, dieting, etc. hoops I have to go through, so any suggestions?

Thanks,

Judy

I really don't want to go to the doctor in my area because of the non-smoking, dieting, etc. hoops I have to go through, so any suggestions?

I don't want you to feel like I am attacking you, because I really am not. That said, this statement doesn't make sense to me. It seems like you are saying that you want the band, but you don't want to do the things necessary to be successful with the band. Doctors have these rules for a reason, because they feel you will do best if you follow them. Could you elaborate on the rules they would require you to follow?

Well, I started a couple years ago with THE doctor that does lapband surgeries and had to go to a seminar to basically learn all about the lap band and gastric bypass, then get blood work done, see a nutritionist, then a biotch of a psychiatrist that said the doctor requires a year of non-smoking(that is BS)!. I am sure it isn't quite that long but long enough for other doctors.

I know that doctors have rules for a reason, but sometimes it seems way too strict.

Yes, I am ready to follow the rules to be successful with a future band, but AFTER I am banded should be the real challenge, not before. I know I am healthy enough to be able to be banded now.

Thanks,

Judy

To my understanging, unless you have a different 401k, I was able to cash mine out. They like to work it in a way that "seems" like you can't, but if you insist, they let me but charged me a fee and I had to pay tax out of it. But, the portion I got was still the majority of it. You may want to talk to them again and insist it is for emergency reasons. That is what I had to do once when in an emergency situation. They didn't want to and made it hard, but in the end, it was my money and they gave it to me.

I hope it is the same with your situation so you can pay for your band.

Hi Audree,

Were you able to do that and still keep your job? I had to take money out once for bills and they made it sound like I could lose my job because of it. Not sure why, but it really upset me. Now we are with a different company that keeps out 401k funds and the rules are as strict as they were from what I understand. I will check into it.

Thanks,

Judy

You can't lose your job for taking 401k money. Its yours. You can usually take up to 1/2 of it and pay it back with interest to yourself. I had left a job and still had a 401k with them that I had not rolled over to my new job. I cashed out the whole thing and paid for my surgery and paid off our credit cards. Of course I'm paying taxes out the rear this year (but medical costs are tax deductible).

401k rules are governed by the federal government. They don't want you to take out the money, but ultimately it is your money.

Vickie's right, all of the deferred salary contributions you have made to your 401K is your money, period. Your job is not on the line. (Contributions your employer has made to the fund may not be yours, yet; that depends on your vesting schedule.)

If you withdraw all the money you contributed you'll have to pay income taxes plus a penalty, but no one can tell you it's not your money or that your job hangs in the balance. And you don't have to pay it back if you're willing to take the tax/penalty hit. Talk to your HR person and if they give you any of that line, go to someone else. It's absolutely not true.

Call your 401K provider..... like others have said... YOUR money that YOU put in is yours. You may not be able to take out the money your company has matched or funded unless you are 100% vested.......

Again... call your 401k and ask for an EMERGENCY distribution... give them some sad story why you need the money... (do not say elective surgery) or else they will just think you want new boobs or something.

I've had two employees call and get an emergency distribution (this is NOT a loan) you will have to pay fees and taxes.

Well, I started a couple years ago with THE doctor that does lapband surgeries and had to go to a seminar to basically learn all about the lap band and gastric bypass, then get blood work done, see a nutritionist, then a biotch of a psychiatrist that said the doctor requires a year of non-smoking(that is BS)!. I am sure it isn't quite that long but long enough for other doctors.

I know that doctors have rules for a reason, but sometimes it seems way too strict.

Yes, I am ready to follow the rules to be successful with a future band, but AFTER I am banded should be the real challenge, not before. I know I am healthy enough to be able to be banded now.

Thanks,

Judy

I think the docs reasoning behind this is because most people will quit for surgery then start up again. And/Or the statistics show that if you have quit smoking for a yr your more likely to not smoke again .

I had not option other than self pay , i dont have health insurance and im self employed. If i had to jump through some hoops for a doc I would if it meant I could get my surgery , which i still do not have.

I quit smoking back in september because I knew my doc wouldnt do surgery on me if i smoked. I have least will power of anyone lol I have a friend who told me " I cant quit its too hard " and I tell her " If I can quit anyone can LOL "

Good luck i hope you figure something out . Im still waiting on my surgery money to come in . hopefully soon .

MIndy