I am considering lapband surgery and am worried it will be another failed attempt at gaining control of my weight. I am afraid that I won't be able to take another failure. With my need to lose 45 pounds I am also worried that the local lapband clinic wont help me and that will be more devastating that actually trying to do it. Is there anyone else out there that is in my situation? Will I be able to get the proceedure when I'm not considered obese? Should I even try? Help!!!:help:

Hi,

Perhaps the insurance will not pay for the procedure as you do not have 100 pounds to loose. It was my last attempt at loosing and after 7 months and 88 pounds down I am glad I did it. I was a self pay. Be well and good luck.

Fran

Thank you for your reply. I too am going to self pay and that is not my worry so much as being turned down. I think I am going to make an appointment for a consoltation and hope and pray that they will take me on. I have alot of heart disease in my family due to weight and am terrified that I will follow in the same steps as my family members. Hopefully the medical profession will take pity on me.

Jojo, the thing about weight-loss surgery is that MOST people will lose in the neighborhood of 50% of their excess weight. Many lose more, some lose less, but a loss of 50% is considered a success. Now, if you lose 75% of your excess weight, you're looking at a loss of 30 lbs. Are you willing to pay all that money and go through all the challenges and changes for a loss of 30 lbs?

There are very good reasons the AMA doesn't recommend bariatric surgery for people with relatively little to lose. The cost-benefit analysis generally comes out against it.

Good luck with your decision!

I agree with Alexandra. I also think a lot of doctors in the US prefer high BMIs. You can always go to Mexico to have it done otherwise.

If I were to add up all of the weight I have lost and gained...And all of the money I have spent getting HEALTHY.. I would have paid the the lap band 3 times over!

There so many going thru such a battle to get some insurance help. Like being in this state isnt hard enough! I ended up being private pay. Luckly I have for the Best Doctor in the world! He is sooo affordable!

I was having trouble Getting my surgery and financing also. But I found an awsome Dr. and my lapband only cost 5500. my surgery date is 5/19/09. Email me if you need and awesome Dr. for pivate pay. experiance.success.leah@gmail.com

we bandsters have to stick together!