My surgeon says that nowadays, he is letting patients go after the procedure, but still turns it in to insurance as an overnight stay in case I would need to. This would definitely cost me more right? How many of you went home and wish you would have stayed in the hospital for one night? How many stayed but would have been fine at home. I have low pain tolerance and would like the available medications to help with this in the hospital...I am just wondering how much it would cost to stay overnight versus going home.

i would have preferred to stay overnight, but not for obvious reasons. i was banded the same day as my husband, and of course his pain was MUCH more worse than mine. i would have preferred a quiet room w/out a big baby moaning all night:wink::confused:

my dr. does the lapband as day surgery - as self pay, as i was - i would have paid an extra amt for down time 24hrs afterwards.

OMG - I can see why you would have wanted to stay overnight!!!!! If he is anything like my husband...I feel for ya! If I say my elbow hurts...he ALWAYS one-ups me by saying "ya know...my elbow and fourth toe have been kinda hurting me these past few days" and I am like "can I just have a pain that is ALL MINE......!!!!!!!!! LOL

OMG - I can see why you would have wanted to stay overnight!!!!! If he is anything like my husband...I feel for ya! If I say my elbow hurts...he ALWAYS one-ups me by saying "ya know...my elbow and fourth toe have been kinda hurting me these past few days" and I am like "can I just have a pain that is ALL MINE......!!!!!!!!! LOL

he IS that bad, wont' go have a fill w/out me - hates needles. and if a cold arises - well call out the national guard. me i like to be ALONE when sick or recovering.....he'd prefer i hold his hand...:confused:

I went home same day, because I was a self pay. I made it thru ok, but I had a lot of gas pain and nausea and would have been more at ease in a hospital....My daughter just had her surgery last week, and stayed overnight (insurance covered her). She was ready to come home by that same evening. I would say, if your insurance is paying, then spend the night. The difference for me, as a self-pay, to have stayed the night would have been about five thousand dollars....not worth it.

My cost would have been the same regardless if I went home or stayed overnight. I only had an out-patient surgery (23 hours or less)co-pay of $40. I did stay the night, but only because of an early morning swallowing eval. I could have made it fine not spending the night, though.

i am having mine covered through insurance and am staying overnight. i may be having a little bit later surgery as of right now im supposed to go in at 3:30 pm but chances are it will be moved up.

i just like the idea of having professionals there if i need it and pain meds administered when i need it.

I went home the same day. I can rest better in my own bed and house than in the hospital. My hubby was a big help also. I was banded the 22nd of Aug. and hubby will be banded Oct. 6th.

I am scheduled for same day release, but they told me to come prepared to stay at least 23 hours. If your insurance pays for the procedure, it really depends on your policy as to whether you would pay extra for the overnight stay. My policy, for example, pays the hospital charges 100% regardless of whether I only stay for the day or if I stay overnight. The only time they don't pay, in my case, is if the doctor doesn't call for authorization within 48 hours of admitting me. You might want to look at your policy paperwork to see what is shows for in network hospital stays. If you can't find it, call your insurance company at the number that should be on the back of your card. You can ask them to not only tell you over the phone how it is covered (I would write down names, dates, and times), but they can send you a hard copy of what you asked about. I hope this helps.

My surgery was at 10:30AM and I was home by 2:00. Wouldn't have it any other way, hospitals are full of sick people. :crying:

Alta Bates in Oakland requires an over night stay for lap-band. I am okay with that. :crying:

I was glad to be at the hospital. I felt better not to be rushed home. Plus it was good to know if any complication arose I would already be there.

After staying overnight, did the hosptial require you to have someone drive you home?

I'm planning on driving myself there and back but someone was saying that the hospital might not release me if I'm driving myself! (I was thinking, "What are they going to do--handcuff me?")

Anyway, what was your experience?

You would want someone to drive you home it takes a while for the anthesia to wear off.

I agree, you do not want to drive! No hospital should allow that!

my surgeon required someone else to drive - we were released the same day. since we live over an hr away, hubby got a limo service. sounds crazy - and our dr still thinks we're his first to take a limo for a lapband...but he made sure someone would be at our home to take care of us after our release.