Hello everyone!

My name is Bente and I'm just beginning this journey. I am 29 years old, a mother of three, a wife of a soldier, and a registered nurse.

I am not morbidly obese...I am just obese *enough* to not qualify for most surgical centers here in the US. Even if I did qualify, my insurance does not cover lap-band (tricare).

My current weight is 226--my highest ever not being pregnant. I am 5'8". I know that doesn't seem like much but on me it is a different story. I have been heavy MY ENTIRE LIFE. I was a fat kid, a fat teenager, a fat young adult. As I get older, I'm finding it's getting harder on my body. My hips ache, my knees hurt, my asthma acts up. I am tired and winded and depressed. I'm scared to watch the weight continue to creep on--I want to be the active wife and mother for my family and myself. I have been on every diet in the book...you name it. At most I lose about 25lbs before reaching a plateau and then gaining it all and then some.

The only thing holding me back from this wonderful weightloss tool is money. If I had the money today I would have it done tomorrow. For now I just have to wait and watch and see what happens...

Anyone else here hindered by the financial aspects of the lap-band?

Hi Bente and welcome to LBT. There are a lot of us who had to pay for our bands. And there are lots of ways people have managed it. I took out a new low interest credit card and had my surgery done in Mexico. It took me a year to pay it off butt I still consider it to be the best money spent.

Good luck with your plans.

It is totally worth it. If you really want it, you can find the money somewhere and make it a priority to take care of your health. I am almost 31 and am sick of putting my life on hold till after I magically get skinny. I think its good to take control of your health and go for it!!

Hello Bente! Welcome to the forum! I am a self pay patient. I put the cost of the surgery all on my credit card (and earned a heck of a lot of airline miles in the process). It's the best charge I have put on my card. I was sick of the fat, sick of all the things that came with being obese (asthma, high blood pressure, joint problems...ect.). I knew if I didn't do something now, I was not getting any better. It's going to take some time to pay it off but it's just something I had to do! Good luck with your journey and hope it pans out for you!

I feel the same way. If this really makes us thin, it is so worth it. It would be worth a million dollars to be thin!! I am sick of putting my life on hold because I am fat. I actually have a pretty great life, good friends, good career, I just need to take care of my weight. For vanity reasons (dating) but also just so I stay healthy. I agree with you that it is so worth it to self pay. If you are committed to this, you can find a way to pay.

Hello Bente! Welcome to the forum! I am a self pay patient. I put the cost of the surgery all on my credit card (and earned a heck of a lot of airline miles in the process). It's the best charge I have put on my card. I was sick of the fat, sick of all the things that came with being obese (asthma, high blood pressure, joint problems...ect.). I knew if I didn't do something now, I was not getting any better. It's going to take some time to pay it off but it's just something I had to do! Good luck with your journey and hope it pans out for you!

Hi..........I'm self pay, too. I understand and agree with all your statements. I'm 52 and have many health problems (HTN, sleep Apnea, 2 Liver Diseases, High Cholesterol, etc). Wish the Lap Band was available when I was in my 20's or 30's or 40's ! Good for you all taking charge of your life and health! :clap2:

My surgery is a week from today, 8.31.07, and costs $17,000.

My brother thinks it's an outrageous amt...........it is, but my life is worth it.

im right there. im 23 and my husband is the only one with a job. I am currently a full time student. My husband only makes 20k a year so i cant afford plus my stupid ins wont cover.

It will be so worth it for you because I bet it will get rid of many of your obestity-related health problems. That is priceless! Mine is about $15,000 which is cheap in NY. I am doing some kind of study so they are taking $10,000 off the $25,000 it is supposed to be. I thought it was nice that they let me do the study so it is a bit cheaper. I really do think its good I am doing it now. I wish I did it 10 years ago. Its almost my 31st b-day and Im not married and dont have kids and I do date and get guys but I think the quality of them will go up when I get thin. Even tho a lot of my thin friends have a hard time finding a good guy!! I actually think I am pretty but I know the outside world judges you when you are obese and I am sick of people looking at me like I am less of a person because I am fat. Honestly, I am the same person whether I weigh 220 or 120, but people treat you like you are an entirely worse person. It is so not fair.

Hi..........I'm self pay, too. I understand and agree with all your statements. I'm 52 and have many health problems (HTN, sleep Apnea, 2 Liver Diseases, High Cholesterol, etc). Wish the Lap Band was available when I was in my 20's or 30's or 40's ! Good for you all taking charge of your life and health! :clap2:

My surgery is a week from today, 8.31.07, and costs $17,000.

My brother thinks it's an outrageous amt...........it is, but my life is worth it.