Hello to everyone. I'm newly registered here (although I've been lurking for a month or so) and wanted to say hello. I've made the decision to go with the lap band and am submitting all the required forms to my doctor tomorrow.

There's lots of inspirational info and a great deal of support here. I look forward to getting to know everyone as I start what I hope will be a life-changing process.

Are you in Carolina? I'm in Holly Springs, right outside of Raleigh. There's another gal right up the street, another in Cary, another in Greenville, Goldsboro, and Hickory that I know of. I'm sure there are many, many more.

What surgeon are you considering? I'm being done by Dr. Joseph Moran in Raleigh on the 28th.

Lanakila

Hi! I'm in the Triad area, just between High Point and Greensboro. I'm glad to see that there are other NC gals here on the board.

I'm planning to go with Dr. Kristin Earl at Central Carolina Surgery in Greensboro. I'm just getting the process started, so I haven't yet had my first doctor's appointment. Not sure how quickly I'll be able to have the surgery, but I'm hoping it will be by the end of the year.

Good luck with yours later this month!!! I'd love to know about your experience thus far with the preparations...have you had to do a pre-op diet, jump through insurance company hoops...wait forever, etc. Any info would be appreciated.

Hi everyone, I am dietbuddy42(not my age, the year I was born.) I had the lapband in Jan. and I am doing well, but can use support and to hear from other members. :w00t:

Hey Gypsy,

I hope that your stuff goes as quickly as mine did. I had my first meeting with the surgeon on June 23rd. I got my psych, xray, nutrition, labs done by July 11th, and had approval from insurance a week later. I'm on the BCBS State Health Plan (work for the state) and was shocked at how efficient they were!

Welcome DietBuddy,

You might be an online virgin, but you're a lucky bandland resident! I hope you enjoy the boards and come back to post often.

Lanakila,

Wow, that is quick. And good to know as I have BCBS too, but a different plan. The bariatric coordinator at my doc's office told me that BCBS usually approves within 14 days, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the whole process goes quickly.

Katrina

hi. welcome to LBT. best of luck to you.

ncgypsygirl, I hope you'll share any experience you've had or will have with Central Carolina. I am currently in the process of going through the six months of MD-supervised "weight loss" required by my insurance before being approved for the band. My insurance restricts me to who I can see because of my employer, and I think Central Carolina is all that works (unless there's someone else that I don't know about who perform surgeries at a Moses Cone hospital). Last year I had gone through the seminar, and I was quite displeased with the waiting time and the less-than-stellar responses I would get from the office coordinator. I had been to a few seminars in Phoenix before I moved here, and they were all so much better. However, a few months ago I received an e-mail from a new coordinator, and she seems soooooo much better, so I'm feeling a little better about Central Carolina. But I do hope to learn more about them from people who have used them!