It seems that my surgeon's office has confidence that if I were to change insurance carriers there'd be an excellent chance of approval for a new band to replace the one removed in April. So I'm going to change effective July 1 (assuming I can talk my bosses into it, which I think I can). I was thinking about doing it anyway, since my docs are dropping out of my current network in August and with an HMO I have no out-of-network benefits. So today I'm going to be talking with my bosses about making the switch.

(Turns out there is one very good thing about being an insurance broker!! I believe in karma, and though I don't love this career I took on in 2000, if I'd done anything else I'm 100% sure I'd still be morbidly obese. In 2003 I was able to take the appeal process to the end because of my inside knowledge of the system, and since then this will be the second time I've changed carriers to follow my doctors.)

Thanks for all your support, and I'll definitely keep y'all updated!! :clap2:

Hi Mrs. P--

I brought this question up with my doctor when we first started talking about it. My band had, I thought, always been tight, with fills being given in tiny increments. I'd also been sensitive to allergies, with hay fever making my band almost unbearably tight from time to time. So when it came time to ask I brought this up, and my doctor immediately mentioned the new AP band.

I'm not qualified to make the decision, so I'm letting my doctor make it. I think as long as he knows all the information I can possibly give him, he'll make the right choice for me.

Good luck!!

Alexandra,

Thanks for the reply! My surgeon mentioned the Vanguard band, but then said it would all depend on how much fat is in the stomach area when he does the surgery.......I don't want to end up with whatever is in the OR at at the time! I have learned all too hard that most of this has to be researched on my own, so I am trying to make sure I find out as much as I can before I do this for the last time.....thanks again!