OK - So it's only been a week since I submitted my paperwork to the Dr.s office to get this process started, but I am starting to get antsy to get the process going.

I need to lose about 50 lbs before surgery, so I have started eating better and exercising. I also know I need a psyc eval and insurance approval. All things considered, I am probably six-seven months out from surgery. (A rough guess, hopefully not much longer than that!)

How long did everyone else have to wait? Any tips for to shorten the process and or to keep me on track?

John

John, Take this time to concentrate on yourself. Right now that is all that matters. You need to take care of yourself first. I told my family that no matter what, I was doing this and it came first in my life. If I had a doctor's appointment and something came up and they needed me, they were just going to have to wait. I took this time to also get some things straight in my head. That I was going to have to change. Bad habits were going to have to be broken and new good habits were going to take their place. If you do all of this time will pass by quickly. It was a long struggle but by doing the things I needed to do helped it go by faster. Hang in there. It's so worth it.

Good Luck to you.

I started the process toward lap-band in June 2007. I have still not been able to schedule a surgery date! Looks like I'll be a year our or more before I get my band. Boy, am I ready!

Wow - that is tough! What is the hangup, insurance?

I am starting to make steady progress, I have 2 out of 5 approvals so far and am slated to have most of the approvals wrapped up in early May.

It does seem like this process is designed to weed out those who really are not committed.

Keep plugging away!

John

Thank you for the encouragement John P from KC. Here's how it's going for me.

Within the first two months after my insurance said I could begin the process, I finished things like "The Doctor's Talk" and the "Nutrition Talk" and attended a support group meeting that was all bypass patients. I had to have Nutritional counseling (a condition of my insurance) and this paperwork didn't get to the surgeon. Then I had to have an upper GI which took forever to schedule. Then I had to get clearance from the Cardiologist and he won't approve until I have had a stress test. That is scheduled for this Friday. After this I am still one more test away from scheduling a date and there is some conflict there between the surgeon and my insurance. Oh, the holidays were nestled in there somewhere. Nothing happened in December at all.

One thing is for sure, I am committed and I will not give up. Best of luck to you on your journey.

To all of you who are still experiencing the delays and frustrations of insurance companies and dr. visits, etc. Hang in there! I finally had my surgery on May 19, 2008 and I am so glad I stuck to my resolve through all the the preliminaries. I have now lost 50 pounds and feel so much better. My mobility is improving little by little and three months out now I can really see a difference. I can't say that post op was a breeze, but it gets better quickly. Aside from some anxiety caused by my inability to eat anything and everything I want, I am doing great.

Stick it out through all the pre-surgery requirements. I think you will be happy in the long run.

I started seriously investigating it over 2 years ago and discovered that my company had an exclusion. I had to convince them to get rid of it, then wait for the new policy year to start. In the meantime I started my 6 month doctor supervised diet required the insurance. I was banded May 6, 2008. It was long process!

Edited August 25, 200817 yr by tricia-j