Been working on getting a Lap Band for over a year. My sister got her's about 18 months ago and is doing great so I've been working on getting Banded too. UnitedHealthCare said NO. Said it's got to be IMMEDIATELY LIFE THREATNING condition. I have diabetes, sleep apnea, osteo-arthritis and high colestrol but nothing immediately life threatning so....NO GO. But now I am on Medicare because I'm disabled with arthritis. Several Weight Loss Centers in Tucson and Phoenix have applied to be able to take Medicare but none have been approved yet. So I decided, "to heck with it! I'm tired of waiting. I'm going to fly to Detroit and get the surgery done there." I can get follow-up care from one of the Bariatric centers here in Tucson. Medicare doesn't pay for fills anyway so that would have to be out of my pocket even if I could get the surgery locally.

Is there any info on long-term effects of the Band? I would like to hear from people that have had the Band more that 5 years.

Horsetrainer

Hi Horsetrainer... good luck on getting an answer to your question. I too asked for responses from people who have had a lap band for five years or more and unless I read my responses incorrectly, I had no five year responses. I found this very disheartening and it flew a red flag of concern up. I am completing my requirements for BCBS of Alabama and I keep wanting to good long term stories and which I have yet to read about. I hope it is a case of me missing them because I want lapband surgery because I believe it is a necessary tool to help me extend my life. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Good Luck!:smile:

I'm thinking most likely people 5 years out are busy living their lives and no longer need the help of a support "board". There are medical reports on people 5-years out; you'll have to go to the library to access them but the literature is there.