Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum but I've been lurking for about a week now. I've noticed alot of you have researched and browsed the forums for months prior to being banded. Is it too soon for me to feel that I believe the lapband can truly help me? I've seen the commercial on tv several times and ever since I found this forum I have been glued to my computer reading all of your posts. I sat with my husband to watch a movie the other night and stared at the tv but thought about the lapband the entire time. I didn't even know what the movie was about. I can't stop thinking about it and I get excited thinking about it. I've done Atkins, lost and gained back 30lbs. I've done weight watchers, lost and gained back 25lbs. I've been a member of 3 different gyms and I'm currently going to one which I do enjoy going to but it helps me maintain mostly.

I am turning 29 on the 21st this month and I am 5'8", 282. With the turning of 2007 this will be my 11th year of being severly overweight. My asthma has gotten worse, spider veins, blood pressure, depression and now im developing foot problems which i think is planta facitis (sp).

Anyhow... I really feel like this procedure can provide me with the dicipline I need to restrict my binge eating. I believe through this restriction I can learn what it feels like to eat for necessity and not comfort. I want to enjoy some of my younger years looking better than I have and feeling better that i have.

On another note I believe, If I read correctly that my insurance covers alot of this. Please tell me if Im reading this wrong.

I have BCBS Federal Employees Health Benefits and live in Wisconsin.

My manual says:

Gastric restrictive procedures, gastric malabsorptive procedures, and combination restrictive and malabsorptive procedures to treat morbid obesity - a condition in which an individual has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or an individual with a BMI of 35 or more with co-morbidities who has failed conservative treatment; eligible members must be over 18. Benefits are also available for diagnostic studies and a psychological examination performed prior to the procedure to determine if the patient is a candidate for the procedure.

I pay:

Preferred: 10% of the plan allowance

Participating: 25% of the plan allowance

Non-participating: 25% of the plan allowance, plus any difference between our allowance and the billed amount.

Not too soon to feel confident at all. I came here knowing this was right for me. I joined in feb and was banded the following july after a huge ins battle. Good luck to you, and welcome to lbt. ~Mandy

Hi Madam,

Welcome to the board! This is such a great site isn't it? I have not been banded yet, but am in the process.

Madam, if this is what you want, go for it. The process takes a while from your first visit with the Weight Loss Ctr., so you absolutely will not be rushed into anything. From what I have read on the board and from my experience with my Weight Management Clinic they make sure you are really, really informed. They will no push you, that is your decision to make.

I initially went to my first meeting last August and it actually seems like yesterday. I let about 5 months go by, holidays, etc. Now I wish I had taken the step sooner.

Good luck with your decision!

This site actually really, really helped me decide this was the right decision for me and I can't wait to get this "lap dance" going!

I am 52 and my spider veins went away for the most part after surgery. I had a whole area above my ankle. I am not loosing fast but I am not gaining and very happy to have a new chance at being a normal size. I am even thinking about one year from now and how good I am going to look. I was obsessed about it before hand watching every show about it and reading everything. Once you want it it seems you get driven. Good Luck and enjoy your life.

Sewingloss,

That is so true what you said. You really do become "driven" once you make the decision to make the plunge.

Sewing, I am looking a year ahead too..My daughter is getting married..that is enough to get me into gear! I dread the way in look now in photos! Good Grief!!

MadamBomb....go ahead and find some places in your area and go to seminars. They wont let you do anything until you do that. Most places..the person that does insurance can tell you of their experiences with your particular company. They will also be able to tell you the criteria that insurance company requires. I have been addicted to this site ever since I found it, and have learned sooo much here. I am not banded yet but am in the process of taking care of all the preliminary stuff.

Madam I feel like you and I are kind of in the same boat. I said when I turned 29 that If I hadn't lost the weight by the time I was 30, I was having the procedure. I turned 30 on Jan 31 and had my band done Friday Feb 16th. It is a tumultous process. The liquid diet is hell. You get depressed, you get angry, you give up things that you don't really want to (like beer and soda) but the bottom line is I want to feel good and look good more than I want to drink a Dr. Pepper. My eating habits were terrible and this whole process has made me take a good hard long look at myself. This is also going to help my family, I have a son that is overweight and now there is a whole new "food" perspective in my house. I was having asthma and problems so now I can look forward to a new me. Good luck in your decision!

Thanks everyone for replying and for your words of encouragement. I have scheduled to attend a seminar on March 22nd. I just missed one on my birthday 2 days from now so I guess I will go stir crazy until then. I spent what felt like hours looking through the entire before and after pictures thread on this forum yesterday and I was smiling ear to ear for all of you. Such beautiful changes, it makes me want that so bad. I have to see my regular doctor in a few days and tell her what I've been considering and I'm kind of nervous about what she'll say. Anyone else have trouble tackling this issue? Did they try to talk you out of it?

My primary care doctor didn't stand behind my decision, she actually told e if I had the surgery she would drop me as a patient. Well I dropped her as a doctor and see a wonderful supportive doctor that knows about weightloss surgery and was happy to have me as a patient. ~Mandy

Madam Bomb: HOLD ON YOUR IN FOR A RIDE!!!!!!!

1st WELCOME:biggrin1:

2nd AWESOME YOUR INSURANCE COVERS IT! (this is the biggest battle)

3rd WHOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO Your insurance covers it!:clap2:

OK.. this is your policy coverage:

Gastric restrictive procedures, gastric malabsorptive procedures, and combination restrictive and malabsorptive procedures to treat morbid obesity - a condition in which an individual has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or an individual with a BMI of 35 or more with co-morbidities who has failed conservative treatment; eligible members must be over 18. Benefits are also available for diagnostic studies and a psychological examination performed prior to the procedure to determine if the patient is a candidate for the procedure.

a)Gastric Restrictive Procedures = LapBand procedure code: 43770

b)BMI of 40 or More = You meet this without any co-morbidities

c)Failed with convservative treatment = Diet & Exercise, Pills (Make a list, get reports from weight watchers, any old weight charts you used while dieting on atkins, ww (I had a weight chart dating back to 2003 complete with pics) ALSO.. get copies of proof from those GYM memberships...

d)You are over 18

e) sounds like you will have to do a psych eval (don't be suprised if you have to do a nutritional eval as well.

Check out several local docs that take your insurance, each one may have different requirements......

KEEP US POSTED!

I have BCBS of Illinois and had to do a six month physician supervised diet, which my doctor basically just said "come in and weigh, and provide me with a food diary". I was disappointed that I had to wait that additional six months, but was thrilled when the insurance approval came through in 2 weeks.

My doctor was supportive of me doing this - if your doctor isn't, find a new one.

Hi Madam!

We're around the same age, woohoo! I was just banded on the 12th of this month and i am very glad i made this decision. My PCP was very supportive of my decision. I needed her refferal and she was more than happy to push things forward.

And don't be afraid to call the hospital and ask that they send you an application. You can do that prior to attending the seminars.. I know i did! It kept things on the ball and i got a call back a couple of days later from the nurse giving me lots of info.

Good luck :mad:

Hi Madam Bomb. Welcome, I am 34 and having my banding done on 3/14/07 and I also had a six month process of supervised weight loss. Had to lose 10% prior to surgery that was 21 Lbs, and many other exams for clearance, but was approved in less than a week. Best of Luck.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes, its nice to learn we are simliar in alot of ways. Tracy i was a little worried when you mentioned the evidence of my past weight loss attempts. I did find an old WW weigh in card from 2002 but it only shows 2 months worth of weigh ins. I through alot of that stuff away because it reminded me of my failed attempts. I was going to the Y that same year, I wonder how long they keep contracts on file for. Atkins I did on my own so I dont have proof of that. I belong to a gym now but my husband and I only just signed up in January.

Well I called to schedule a consultation today (April 10th) and learned that my insurance requires a 6 month supervised diet. YUCK...... I'm not sure how that is going to work now. Im 5'8 and weight 284, my BMI is 43 which qualifies me now. If I lose 19 lbs within those 6 months that brings my BMI to 40. If I lose more than that are they going to deny me? Do I eat healthy but throw in the occasional secret sabbataging item to prevent this from happening. Just don't know what to do.

my doctor told me noe to loose much during that time because of that fact