Hey everyone! I am Apples I shouldv'e did this first before I started asking any other questions. But I have just recently become serious about lap band surgery. I had thought about it for a while but I would always change my mind. But after 450 dollars, hypnosis, and 20 pounds heavier later I have to do this now. I went to the gyn a few days ago and my cycle is so screwy because of my weight it's becoming a fertility issue. Yes I have become that fat!!! I am 323!! I am kinda embarrassed to say that but oh well. We are all in the same boat here anyway. But I can't have that me and my husband are young and we want children really bad!! And I don't want to be able not to have them just because I made the choice to be fat my whole life. So I am going with the lap band!!! I had my consultation on 10/31/2007 my doctor is now sending me for lab work, sleep apnea test, lung test, and 6 month supervised diet so :confused: I hope that this whole situation doesn't take too long. You know the whole pre surgery anxiousness!! LOL I am totally feeling it. And my husband me be going to IRAQ for 15months and when my baby comes home I want him to have a bombshell for a wife!!! Cause my husband is so fit and nice big arms, flat tight abs, nice chest ohhh he is gorgeous!! But I would be too if I had to run 5 miles a day LOL!! But I am just looking for friends and support!! So everyone please show me some love. I just hope that I don't have to end up paying for this myself cause I don't have it like that right now. But I work for a very big company Mckesson Corporation! And I have Aetna POS II so hopefully they will approve me!! Anyone one out there on the 6 month supervised diet like I am? DOes it really suck. And what if I lose weight will they than tell me NO that I can't have the surgery?? MY BMI IS 48!!! But get back to me I am spinning with anticipation :faint:

Welcome applesmith1226! I too am on the 6 month supervised diet. I hate it because I've done this before. Oh, well, I will do whatever it takes to get the weight off. Keep reading the other posts. They are a great inspiration to me! You will also learn a lot here. I know I did. Good luck!

Hi....You need to do this. The fertility issue will go away if you loose the weight. My sister waited 15 years and finally lost weight and with the help of her dr. and glucophage and loosinfg weight she now has 3 beautiful children. I think you will not have a problem being aproved.

I am on day 3 post banded and it took around 5 months to get here with all the tests and red tape. But Im all ready down 11 pounds!! OMG !! You have to continue on this path!! It will save your life!! I hope you get on glucophage if needed and get started on the weight off and have the surgery!! Good Luck!!

Hello and welcome!!!!!!

Tell your husband THANK YOU for all he does!! I dont agree with this war but I support my armed forces.

I have just started this journey myself after about a year of research and changing my mind back and forth. I saw the nutrionist, did my seminars already, and my appt with the surgeon is Dec 7, appt with my PCP is next week, my psych eval is coming up soon( i know im doing this out of order, lol).

Unfortunately, I have to wait the 6 months for my insurance(HEALTHNET) as well. Im actually hoping that I wont have to wait the complete 6 months because my doctor has been telling me to lose weight for years now. Hopefully he has made some good notes about all the programs I have tried and failed at miserably.

Hi Apples, it seems we may be at the same point in our banding, the very beginning :-)

What exactly is the 6 month supervised diet? I am a little confused. I see some women apply and have the surgery in a few weeks, others talk about months and months? Is it all your insurance issues?

Hi Lana and welcome! The 6 month supervised diet is a BCBS of IL insurance requirement. I must go to the Dr's office once a month for 6 months to weigh-in and talk about what I'm eating and what exercise I'm getting so that it can be documented for the insurance company.They want to see that you will follow your Dr. instructions after the surgery. They also needed 5 years of medical history that show weight. Psych evaluation, cardiologist and pulmonologist consult. Every insurance company has its own set of requirements that you must have before they give an approval. I wish it were easy, but it's not.

Thanks Carol. I called my ins., I didn't know enough to ask all the right questions. All I was told was that they covered it 80% with 40+ BMI or 35-40 with co-morbid. I have heart disease, diabetes in my family. My mother, father and sister are all obese. And, I due to digenerative disk I had to have a fusion earlier this year. I got NO relief in my back. I am hoping that losing about 70 pounds will help. :-)

Thanks everyone for your love and responses!!:kiss2: But I have another question!! Has the isurance company every made anyone do the whole 6 month diet thing and than still didn't approve them?? And also is it better to have your self pay surgery in Mexico?? Do they make you pay it all in one big lump sum. Or do you have to pay it in pieces. Because I just got done looking at before and after photos and if the insurance company is going to play games with me than I may have to self pay if I could do it in installments. If it's anyone out the who knows what's up please lemme know:help: Thanks!! Still anxious for surgery!!

Welcome! It took me two years to get my done (banded on 10/30/07) Some of that was because I was not sure and some because I had to wait to hear from my insurance company. In the end they paid all except for $500. The more your Dr. can connect problems of health to your weight the better your chances of getting approved. I did not have to do 6 months of diers because I already proved that I had tried to lose weight and would but kept putting it back on! I did have to lose 10 lbs before the surgery (makes it easier to work around the liver).

Good luck and hang in there it will happen before you know it:clap2:!

Well I definetely don't want to wait out 2 years!! I am afraid how big I would be by than!!! I hate the fact that I am huge ... I just want it to go away. I wish I had a magical knife to just slice all of the fat off! But I am hoping this all goes kinda speedy I exercise now and I love it but I am an over eater! And from my research (correct me if i'm wrong please) the band will prevent me from over eating! That's my only problem the eating. I work out 3 days a week and love it! I am still young and I just wanna lose this weight. I have been overweight since a little girl! And I have never had a chance to be the pretty skinny girl. Alot of ladies out her have. Or you wanna get back to your pre-baby weight. I have never been thin. And I don't even wanna be thin I would be happy with 200 or 180! I dont wanna be a 2!!! I would be fine with 12!!! I just wanna be healthy. I wanna run and play LOL and dance. Or walk to the store and not be out of breath LOL.

Just like the four-letter words we are told not to say growing up. Keep a positive attitude and look at those 6 months as a lifestyle change and not a diet. When it comes to weight loss and your success with the surgery your mind will play a major factor in your achieving your fat loss goals.