I just had my 1st dr. appt today. It went very well, but then we started to talk about my insurance. My dr. was shocked that they are requiring a year supervised weight lost program before I can have my surgery. but I have a very large hernia that has to be taken care of. He is going to call the Medical Director of the insurance and explain my health and hernia. Hopefully the insurance will let me get my lap band first lose my weight then get my hernia fixed or I am going to have to get my hernia fixed twice. I should know something in about 2weeks. so everyone cross their fingers for that the insurance will approve me without the year wls program.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I had a hernia too that the surgeon repaired during my surgery. He also removed my gallbladder. Can't your doctor do both at the same time?

Mine would repair hernia and band but NOT gallbladder and band since gallbladder is viewed as dirty.

Which doctor are you going too? I was banded by Dr. Malley in K.C. Mo. on the 18th!

My hernia is how I "sidestepped" insurance completely. I had a bad hernia so it was submitted to the insurance as a hietal hernia repair. He placed the lap-band during the hernia repair, the suregery center was covered for the hietal hernia repair!! Voila! NO insurance hassle.

My lapband Dr is friends with my mom (he gave her her lapband for free!) and once told her that, "If my patients just asked me for hernia repair I could find a way to do their surgery and get it covered by insurance!" And my surgeon is a well known experienced surgeon! I hope you have all the luck I did with your hernia repair.

PS. I apprently had a really servere hernia that was repaired during surgery. My doc said it was the worst he has ever seen. My recovery was much tougher than the usual. I hope yours isn't so bad!

mine is also from surgeries and it is the worst he has seen and this will be my 3rd repair. Mine is about the size of a basketball. Very painful at times. This does give me some hope. i will know in 2 weeks.