This has been one of the hardest decisions that I have made in my life, to have the lap band. I have been thinking about this for at least 5-6 years and finally decided that I want to do it. My problem is my parents. Although they know that I have been wanting to do this for years, my dad (who wont say it directly to me) told my mom that he hasn’t seen any real effort on my part to want to lose weight consistently for 6 months. I don’t live with them, but I do go over to their house. My mom agrees with him, but she wants me to be healthy. She is very negative in doing so, but I know ultimately she wants me to be thin and healthy.

I live in an apartment, don’t have any collateral worth the amount of the surgery, my financing options are very slim. My mom dosent want to cosign with me because she dosent want to see in five years I am back to where I was, and nothing to show for it.

I am a self pay because I work for the insurance company who denies the procedure. My boss flat out told me I can try to appeal it but it probably wont work. Tomorrow I am going to the doctor, and depressed before Im even setting foot in the door. Its making me question if this is what I really want.

Know of any good places to look for financing with not a HUGE APR?

:help::faint::help::faint:

OMG don't let your folks do this to you!!! You can and will find a way to have the band--they are critical fat--they will be critical thin....do what is best for you and do it NOW...my only regret is that I did not do it sooner ....best of luck to you!!!

Maizenut, welcome to LBT. Sorry things seem so bleak at this time. Have you decided where you want the surgery done? Just getting an idea of that will give you an idea of cost. There are several credit companies who give medical loans...Citibank does I believe. Not sure on rates, it will depend on your credit history. But keep in mind, if you do get it, and maintain good standing with your payments to them and other creditors over the next year or so, you could switch the balance at that time to a lower APR.

Do you have a medical FSA at your job you could use?

My suggestion would be to see your Dr, tomorrown, and treat the depression, then as you begin to feel a bit more hopeful, work on getting financed. It is often a struggle for us to finance this surgery, and doing so, while knowing you are currently depressed, is going to be even harder. Take it one step at a time, and feel free to hang out, chat with us about our bands, and the trials and tribulations, as compared to our lives with obesity. Learn all you can. Research it thoroughly, then when you have a more positive outlook, take the next step.

Parents really do want what is best, and of course safest for us. Unfortunately, unless someone is wanting the band, they seldom know much about it, and judge it harshly, and unfairly.

Maybe suggest Mom check out LBT....?

Welcome to our little group, and please look around, get some ideas of life with the band, and make an informed decision, when you feel better about making it. Good Luck with the depression.

(((hugs))))

Kat

Seriously---Get the band. Best thing i ever did. 32 Years old and i would yo yo diet all the time. The band works!

My doc has ways to help you fiance it at his office

too bad about your parents, i agree a big part of it is that they are not informed....any friends(friends are just like family!), husband, etc. that you could go to for support? if you are a patient person, my doc's office does a payment plan to the hospital, you just have to have it paid off before the procedure...maybe your does something similar...good luck in your journey, I would try to appeal your insurance company too, even though your boss discourages it, it never hurts to try!!

Carecredit offers 11.9 % financing for up to 5 years financing. Its basically just a credit card for medical procedures. You may not even have to have someone cosign. Good luck!

CareCredit Patient Financing Payment Plans for LASIK, Dental and Vision Financing

I was just going to suggest Care Credit. That's how I paid for a lot of expensive dental work I needed a few years ago.

As for family, my parents said NO to RNY years ago, and though I didn't *have* to have their approval, I wanted it. So I dismissed RNY.. and I kept gaining weight, and this year I said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I am DOING it. So I researched.. and found the band. And the band made me more happy with my decision, because RNY scared me as much as it scared them.. but something had to be done.

When I went to present the information to them, they had recently seen a Dateline or 20/20 program on the lap-band, and were gung ho about it. That was just lucky on my part. My insurance policy won't cover it, but I was able to get help from my parents after I changed from RNY to Lap-Band.

Maybe try to find a program, or a PBS special (I know there was one), on tape for them to watch, so they can be educated. I was preparing a big speech with facts and statistics, and where I WAS going (I was pre-diabetic, had ruptured disks, back problems that crippled me in early 20's etc.. all due to being overweight).. I ended up not needing it due to them watching that tv show.. but I was going to be prepared to sway them my direction!

Good luck to you

Yeah, my DH was very leary about it at first but then he saw Kahlia Ali (Muhammad Ali's oldest daughter) who has a band on a Fox news show and now he is all for it. When we watch Big Medicine on the discovery channel, he always says (about the ones getting gastic bypass) "why don't they just get the lapband"? LOL It's cute.

Do you have a 401K you could get a loan from?

I got a line of credit from the bank at 6.25%. Check with several banks to get the bast rate.

You will feel better that you didn't need your parents help

they may feel that there help is a ticket to meddle and comment about your weight. Good Luck you will not regret your band

Capital one health care financing has good terms if your credit score is good. One of our patients got an interest rate of 1.9% recently. Another one got a loan with an interest rate of 10.99%, so it all depends on your credit score. I don't know the link off the top of my head, but I think we have a link in our website which is in my signature below.

Hello, Try Capital One. I am using them to finance my band. They have reasonable rates. I think from 1.3% for short term fnancing and up to 9.99% for 5 year financing.

Parents really do want what is best, and of course safest for us. Unfortunately, unless someone is wanting the band, they seldom know much about it, and judge it harshly, and unfairly.

Maybe suggest Mom check out LBT....?

Kat

I agree with Kat you might suggest to your parents to come here and READ not just skim a couple of posts. Explain to them that you are serious and you want them to be as well informed as you are. If they get informed and see here just how many people have had successful lapbands. They MIGHT change their attitudes.

I guess I am lucky my family is super supportive. And my sister in law is considering it herself now. Her daughter had the bypass and is NOT happy with it.

She got pregnant soon after she had her bypass and has never been able to get much weight loss at all with it.

And now she's considering the band. :cool: