I am just getting started. I am 43 with a BMI of 35. A Little History....I have dieted since I was 18 years old. I will not boar you with the multiple kinds..you know what they are. I had some success with Weight Watchers only to be rewarded with Fallen Arches. After 14 months of trying different non surgical routes i had surgery this past year. I am sorry to say it is still quite painful to do exercises that require being on my feet (my exercise of choice). I had an MRI because my back pain had been intolerable with out pain medication...it showed bulging discs. In addition to the above mentioned I also have painful Reflux, an very low active thyroid, and suffer from depression...I am teated with meds for these. I am a teacher in the fall and winter and wait on tables for the summer. Waiting tables is a nightmare, but due to financial constraints I have no choice. My question to anyone that has input or advice is....do you think I would be approved for a lap band? I have an appointment with a Nero Surgeon next week and will follow up with my GP. Where do I begin?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

The first step is to twofold. Contact your insurance company and have them mail you a copy of their policy of WLS. Also, see if you can find a surgeon in your area who has seminars. They are great to go to to get more information. My insurance company requires that if you have a BMI of 35 you have to have one of the following commorbidities:

The obsesity interferes with daily functions to the extent performance is severely curtaled (impending job loss)

The obseity causes incapacitating physical trauma as documented by medical history and x rays.

Speep Apnea

Circulatory insufficiency

Documentation of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, etc requiring drug treatment.

So the reflux and the pain might help.

The catch also for mine is that you must have been at this BMI for 4 of the last 5 years. If you have successful dieting that brought down your BMI, you might not qualify. Every insurance is different though.

Good luck.