I am sooo excited. I went to the seminar last week and it confirmed my thoughts to get this done. I have tried everything and I am tired of being fat. I am now waiting for the insurance to approve it. I would love to get banded this month!!!:wink2::laugh:

Welcome and good luck! Did they tell you it could happen that fast for you? If so, WOW! :wink2:

Congratulations on deciding to commit to being banded! I was equally excited after attending the seminar. I would like to temper your expectations regarding the timing though.

I went from seminar to surgery in "light speed", as compared to many, but it still took 3 months, and it wouldn't have happened that quickly without lucky cancellations by others, and the fact that my insurer didn't require the 6 month medically supervised diet.

I called my surgeon's office the morning after the seminar and thanks to the first "lucky cancellation" I was able to get my consultation on the next morning. I then found out that I didn't need to complete the 6 month diet, as many insurers require. After that I had a delay in getting prior med records from previous doctors, a 3 week waiting period before my insurance company denied the procedure, another 3 weeks before they figured out that I was eligible for surgery, 2 more weeks of paper work catching up with the approval.

Finally, at the beginning of August, I got all of the paperwork and called to scheduled my banding. "Lucky Cancellation" number 2 kicked in at that moment, since the my Surgeon had canceled his attendance at a symposium and there was one more surgery appointment available on Aug 26. Without the cancellation, I would have had to wait until October for the banding.

I got lucky with the timing and got through the whole thing quickly, but for many, it can take 6 to 8 months (or longer) from the time that you attend the seminar, until you have the procedure.

Stay excited and stay enthusiastic about taking control of your weight, but don't too disappointed by how long it may take to finally get banded!

Bryan

My surgery was 1 month after the seminar...7/10 seminar, 8/11 surgery. However even after a 3 week preop loss of 15 pounds my liver was still fatty so I got the band 8/29, which comes to .... just over 7 weeks total. Self pay people could probably have gotten in a little more quickly...so I guess this month is feasible if they told you it could happen that quickly! My doc's office told us at the seminar the fastest they could make it happen with all the preop tests etc would be 2 weeks. I guess it depends on your locale, surgeon, and situation!

I am paying myself and I could have had my band placed by next week (which would have been three weeks from consult to surgery). But yeah, insurance is a process requiring a LOT of patience.

Congratulations on your new resolve and good luck!

GEE I feel like you just wrote my feelings. I too just went to my seminar on the 14th. And I am so ready for this to happen. I am now working with my insurance and I may not get to have it with the surgeon that I want. I may have to go to a center of excellance to get it done so my insurace will pay. But I might also wait it out for a couple of months til my surgeon gets his center of excellance label. I just know that I'm so ready for this new way of living.:wink2:

I'm so jealous! I'm still on month one of my supervised diet!!! 5 and a half more months to go!