hey everyone i just registered on lapbandtalk.com today, therefore this is my first post! let me introduce myself: I am Tara, 22 years old, 5'5" and weighs 305lbs. I have JUST begun my journey, well actually I haven't even began it yet.

Tomorrow is my first appointment with a weight loss doctor to start my 6 months of medically supervised weight loss. I am very excited about meeting my doctor and when I go tomorrow I am going to let him know that I am interested in the lap band surgery. I currently have a BMI of 50, and with my insurance you have to have a BMI of 40 or BMI of 35 + a comorbid disorder.

Feasibly, I don't see me getting down from 305 to 240 (a 40 BMI) in six months. Does anybody else? So hopefully, after 6 months, I will still be eligble for the lapband.

I've made a seminar date, though, already for the lapband procedure on June 18th.

Wish me luck!

And good luck to all those waiting your surgery and congrats to all of those who have already lost weight!

Hey congrats and welcome! For me, 60 pounds in six months preband was a dream boat I was never going to get on. After band- sure, I'll push for that!

Good luck!

i thought so too! good to know i'm not selling myself short - 65 lbs in 6 months is almost unachievable pre-banded :eek:

:sleep:

Hello! I am new to this whole process as well. I've thought about the lap band for a long time, but never really had to courage to talk to my husband about it...now I have and he is a little hesitant about it, but is being supportive of my looking into it. I have a doctor's appt. tomorrow with my primary care physician and I plan to bring up the lap band. Hopefully she'll be supportive. I haven't met her before because I am on a different insurance than I used to be.

I have Cigna insurance and have read up on the requirements for approval of surgery. I currently weigh about 243 and have a BMI of 40 or a little above. I know Cigna says they need proof of having a BMI of 40 for 24 months...but I've bounced around in weight the last few years and don't know how it's going to work out. In April 2005 I weighed 255, then lost weight down to 209. Then I got pregnant, had a baby, and now am back up to the 240s. I called the weight loss center I went to back a couple of years ago to see if they can pull my records to show I was in the 40 BMI range back then and hope that will show I've been up there in weight for a long time. I have no health issues that would be considered "co-morbidity." But I am tired all of the time, my legs hurt when I try to exercise, and I just feel bad about myself. A couple of years ago a doctor even tried to diagnose me with depression and offered me antidepressants - but I refused them. Doping me up with medication is not the answer to my problem.

So I will start this journey officially tomorrow at my first Dr.'s appt and go from there. I know I will have to go through 6 months of supervised dieting to help get insurance approval...so let's hope I'll fit in with all the other categories that insurance requires!

well we basically are starting our journey at the same time! we'll have to keep each other posted!

Hi GO, I am from Huntsville and wish you all the luck. My Dr is John Groves in Albertville. I love him to death. He also has the band. I can't tell you about insurance because I am self pay. I did't feel like haseling with insuarnce so I used the money from my inheretence. Some people thought it was a bad idea to use it for that when I could have done the insurance, but I didn't trust something this big to them to maybe refuse me. But usually that is not the case. It was my own paranioa (sp). I was banded last week and don't regret anything. I have already started buying 2 size smaller clothes. Just a couple of things That way I have some when I get to that size!

Welcome Bethany and Tara! This is a great place to find information and support as you start the process.

Tara, most surgeon's use a patient's weight from their first visit when they submit to insurance, so even if by some miracle you did manage to lose 65 pounds in 6 months, it shouldn't matter because they would go by your weight now.

Bethany, try to educate your DH as much as possible. Mine was also hesitant about the idea of me having WLS at first. I took him to my first surgeon's appointment with me and let him talk to the PA, ask his questions, and learn all he could. By the time we left, he was all on board with the idea. Of course, the thought of surgery in itself makes him uncomfortable for me, but he better understands the procedure and why I want it now.

Good luck to both of you! Let us know what those doctors say tomorrow!

Hi GO, I am from Huntsville and wish you all the luck. My Dr is John Groves in Albertville. I love him to death. He also has the band. I can't tell you about insurance because I am self pay. I did't feel like haseling with insuarnce so I used the money from my inheretence. Some people thought it was a bad idea to use it for that when I could have done the insurance, but I didn't trust something this big to them to maybe refuse me. But usually that is not the case. It was my own paranioa (sp). I was banded last week and don't regret anything. I have already started buying 2 size smaller clothes. Just a couple of things That way I have some when I get to that size!

Hi G4E! How are you feeling? What is your post-op diet like?

Hi GO, I am from Huntsville and wish you all the luck. My Dr is John Groves in Albertville. I love him to death. He also has the band. I can't tell you about insurance because I am self pay. I did't feel like haseling with insuarnce so I used the money from my inheretence. Some people thought it was a bad idea to use it for that when I could have done the insurance, but I didn't trust something this big to them to maybe refuse me. But usually that is not the case. It was my own paranioa (sp). I was banded last week and don't regret anything. I have already started buying 2 size smaller clothes. Just a couple of things That way I have some when I get to that size!

hey there :eek: huntstville isn't that far away from me, only like 1 1/2 hours. it's your money, use it how you want it! keep me updated on your progress :sleep: i am so happy for you!

Welcome Bethany and Tara! This is a great place to find information and support as you start the process.

Tara, most surgeon's use a patient's weight from their first visit when they submit to insurance, so even if by some miracle you did manage to lose 65 pounds in 6 months, it shouldn't matter because they would go by your weight now.

Good luck to both of you! Let us know what those doctors say tomorrow!

I am excited to start my journey. i am not exactly sure what weight will count, because i actually haven't talked face to face with a doctor. tomorrow i'll know more and i will definitely UPDATE everybody :eek:

thanks for everybody being so encouraging!

My nutritionist said if I keep up losing like I am I might lose over 50 pounds in my 6 months but I am lots heavier lol.

My bmi is 60 used to be 61 so yeah. But I have my 3rd nutritional appt june 4th then I'll have 9 more after that and I should be done with it in october!

I wish all of you guys just beginning your process luck. I hope to hear more about your journeys.

My nutritionist said if I keep up losing like I am I might lose over 50 pounds in my 6 months but I am lots heavier lol.

My bmi is 60 used to be 61 so yeah. But I have my 3rd nutritional appt june 4th then I'll have 9 more after that and I should be done with it in october!

I wish all of you guys just beginning your process luck. I hope to hear more about your journeys.

well good luck to you, too i'm very excited about my dr.'s appt tomorrow... i can't wait to see what he says...

Well, the weight loss center I went to two years ago has shredded my records since they were old. So now I have no formal records of my weight two years ago. Grr! How does one show "proof" that they've had a BMI of a certain range for 2 years if they don't have doctor's records or weight loss center records? I wonder if I just chronicle a detailed account of everything I've done and maybe find bank records to prove I was paying for the program if that would work? What do you guys think?

Tara...do you have to have proof for your insurance that you've had a BMI of 40 for 24 months?

Tara...do you have to have proof for your insurance that you've had a BMI of 40 for 24 months?

yes, my insurance company requires actually 3 years proof of having a BMI of 40. so i basically just called my primary care doctor and asked him to get all my records together for the past 3 years where my weight is apparent on my charts. it doesn't have to be a weight loss doctor or anything, it just has to be a doctor's chart proving my weight was atleast that of a 40BMI. Try your PCP, i think they have to keep records for atleast 5 years...

Well, I think all my doctor's visits that I have had will have my BMI under 40, because that's when I started losing weight from my diet program. Hmmm...this could be a hinderence.

Well, I think all my doctor's visits that I have had will have my BMI under 40, because that's when I started losing weight from my diet program. Hmmm...this could be a hinderence.

well i definitely hope not. also with my insurance if you haave a BMI of 35 plus a co-morbid condition (pulmonary hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, etc.)... i am almost postive i have sleep apnea, so i'm also bringing up a sleep study tomorrow with my doctor. this way, i'll have that extra cush in case i don't meet requirements after weight loss.. idk. anyway..

does ur insurance have the comorbid condition clause? and if so, do u think u need to be checked for any of those conditions? let's be hopeful :tongue: