Hi, my mother and I have decided to go ahead with getting the lap band surgery.

Our health insurance requires a one year waiting period until we can get the surgery, which means it can be done July 2014.

Now my question is, how long do all the pre op appointments take to get done? My mum wants to start them all in Jan 2014 so it's just "6 months and it's all over", but I'm thinking maybe getting the appointments over and done with sooner rather later would be the smarter option because you can't be approved until all the appointments are done right?

I'd hate to wait until January and get them all done by July only to be approved and have to wait even longer for a surgery date to be set!

I would call your insurance company. For me I had a 6 month waiting period and I completed all the requirements during that time. Your surgeon may have his or her own requirements in addition. Everyone is different. Good luck!

If they require a year waiting period, they have to know when the start date of your doctor supervised time begins. ??

The insurance policy we were on didn't cover lap band surgery, so we had to upgrade the insurance, and it's one year from that day until the lap band is covered.. If that makes more sense.

My mum already went to one appointment and soon they want to do blood tests, I'm pretty sure the doctor told her that we can do all the appointments before the one year and that he would book us in for surgery on the exact day that the insurance wait is over.

I'll just speak with my mum and tell her to get everything organised for me now I guess. Better safe than sorry, I'm just excited!

Also, I'm in Australia if that makes any difference.. Insurance varies everywhere.

Good luck with your new journey. Because of my age and my local hospital being taken over by a big Boston one, from my first appointment until my banding was 10 months. I survived. I went to all the monthly meetings and still do go to them. They are very helpful and you learn from other WLS people.

Also, I have seen on this site that people do not go to their doctor's as much as they should. That is very important.

Good luck to you and your mother.

Arlene

I had required 3 month physician supervised nutrition classes before I could be approved by insurance. Within that time, the bariatric clinic required blood work, EEG, EKG, sleep study, nutrition classes (which I was already doing) psychological eval, physical therapy eval, nurse practitioner eval and of course the surgeon. I got it all done within 3 weeks. I could get like 3 appointments done at a time though so that was nice. Best of luck!

Hi I also have to wait one year ,actually till June 2014, but I've started my process already . I just went to my second visit. I'm not doing my eval until January so that anything that I put in will go towards my deductible but I've started my nut . Visits . After January I will start my eval, EKG , blood work.. I'm being very patient and learning in the mean while. I'm glad I'm not the only one having to wait. Oh one more thing is my insurance advocate told me that every year the insurance changes and in January if something chances and says that we only need 3 visits instead of six , then I would be thru . Anyway anything can chance. But as of now it don't look like I'll get a surgery dat till next July . And that's if my insurance approves it. I'm very positive . I've got my 5 years of medical records of being over weight. I think that was the hardest . I didn't think I could get proof but I did. Now I'm just taking day by day and trying to learn ,change some of my eating habits . Good luck with ur journey we may be going thru this at the same time.

Hi I also have to wait one year ,actually till June 2014, but I've started my process already . I just went to my second visit. I'm not doing my eval until January so that anything that I put in will go towards my deductible but I've started my nut . Visits . After January I will start my eval, EKG , blood work.. I'm being very patient and learning in the mean while. I'm glad I'm not the only one having to wait. Oh one more thing is my insurance advocate told me that every year the insurance changes and in January if something chances and says that we only need 3 visits instead of six , then I would be thru . Anyway anything can chance. But as of now it don't look like I'll get a surgery dat till next July . And that's if my insurance approves it. I'm very positive . I've got my 5 years of medical records of being over weight. I think that was the hardest . I didn't think I could get proof but I did. Now I'm just taking day by day and trying to learn ,change some of my eating habits . Good luck with ur journey we may be going thru this at the same time.

Well good luck to everybody! I'm excited, and thank you!

Got my first consult today just need to get the money then it's all go eekkk