Hey ya'll... I'm new & kind of lost...

[TheCloudPainter 0]

Hey ya'll...

I'm new & kind of lost...

I want to get a lap-band, but I have no idea where to start.

I'll be a self-pay, and don't have a clue where to go or how to start.

I was hoping that ya'll could kind of point me down the right path... I'd really appreciate it.

I've heard the nightmare stories about people having to wait forever and jump thru major hoops when dealing with insurance companies. I'm kind of hoping that some of that would be reduced when paying cash.

What approximately is the timeline I'm looking at?

(IE: initial consult thru surgery)

I appreciate any insight ya'll may have for me...

Thank you in advance.

Take care!

TheCloudPainter

PS: Just glancing at the posts in this forum is AMAZING!

Ya'll are incredible!!!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

If it were me...I'd buy a couple books on the lap band (which, in fact, I did) and I'd ask friends and my PCP to recommend bariatic surgeons (although I don't care for the one my PCP recommended, actually; I love the one I did use!) and then go to a couple of seminars. They will tell you the cost during the seminar.

Of course, what you have to pay shouldn't be the deciding factor, but after a couple of seminars you should be able to pick the surgeon with the support staff that best suits you.

Remember some include free fills for a year, etc. AND...I've learned that the post op care is as important (if not moreso) than the surgery. Find out what fills will cost you once any "free" service is used up, and find out what the cost will be if, for example, your port flips or leaks or if you have other post op complications.

That should be a good start. You shouldn't have all the prereqs that insurance requires. How fast will depend on many factors including you, your health, the surgeon you pick and his/her schedule, etc.

[susan1961 0]

Best of luck. I recently had a band placed, and I was self-pay. My total cost was $19K, but that included an overnight hospital stay and my pre-op psych eval and pre- and post-op nutritional counseling. I have heard of folks getting the surgery for as little as $10K. The prior poster is right about the post-op care. While many folks on this site have had success having surgery in Mexico, knowing all the post-op care that is needed I would not be inclined to get in that far from home (though I'd consider doing that for a sleeve, which doesn't need all the adjusting, etc).

The whole process can take as little a a month. Mine took a few only because it was hard to fit the surgery into my schedule.

I'm less than a month out but am thrilled that I did it. Best wishes on your journey.

[TheCloudPainter 0]

Thank you, susan1961 & restless monkey for your quick replies. As I'm sure ya'll were, once I made up my mind to do this, I want to get your feedback and proceed from there... quickly. LOL!

Because I'll be a self pay, of course I want a good financial deal. I'm a little scared of a "procedure done in a clandestine back-alley clinic", of course, but after reading the reports of the people that have had their surgeries in Mexico, that fear has been laid to rest. I had heard that Costa Rico is offering some as well.

After doing some reading, I'm wondering now if the gastric sleeve wouldn't be better for me? I would be worried that the band might slip or something. Does physical activity have much to do with that? I do ride horses, and have been known to take a tumble or three... hehe~ I'd be paranoid that the band would slip.

I have no prior medical conditions, other than weight, so that shouldn't be a problem. It's got to the point now that I feel miserable this way. I don't have mobility, endurance or agility and just get winded walking out to feed my horses.

I'm so excited to find this forum... THANK YOU!

susan - can you feel any difference yet?

restless monkey - how far out are you?

Thank you both again...

I'm taking my first steps towards a new life... *S*

very excited here!

PS: Because I'm new to all this, please forgive, in advance, my stupid questions. Thank you all so much.

Edited January 7, 2009 by TheCloudPainter

[stylist43 0]

i did a lot of research online and through books and decided that this was the right procedure for me as i have been obese pretty much my whole life.

i called my insurance company and they said that they wouldn't cover the surgery because i had an individual plan and not a group plan. nice.

i actually then set up an appt. with the surgeon because i knew there would be a wait to get into one. during that wait i made an appt. with my regular dr. to make sure he would be ok with it. he was and sent a letter of recommendation to the surgeon.

i had my consult with the surgeon on 12.10 and he thought that i was a perfect candidate for it and i didn't have any addtional testing because i had just had an upper endoscopy done the year before for my heartburn and there was no cancer so he didn't think that needed to be done again. he also didn't think an ekg was necessary since i was so young.

since i was self pay the hospital required the entire amount up front for the surgery, over night hospital stay, and dietician visit. that total was $19,650. that includes my first 2 fills and 2 months worth of dietician visits.

my surgery was 12.31 so it only took me 3 weeks start to finish.

hope this helps :thumbup:

[susan1961 0]

It sounds like you're doing all the right reading and research, and none of the questions are stupid! After my reading I too had come to conclusion that sleeve might be better option, but my surgeon (very highly recommended from a friend who is also a surgeon, he has great credentials, and I liked him so I was going to stick with him) said he wouldn't consider it for me because my BMI was only 32 and it isn't reversible. I think immediate complications are higher with the sleeve because of potential for leakage, but long term complications are lower. Definitely talk about it with whatever surgeon you consult.

In terms of how it's going: post-op recovery has been uneventful and I've lost 16lbs so far. I was back in work by day 5 and could have gone back sooner if it wasn't holidays. I was out riding my bike (a road bike for 20+ miles, not a puttering bike) by day 9. I felt 100%, except for some mild port discomfort, by day 10. My goal is 20 lbs by my doctor visit, which is 5 weeks post-op and I'm sure I'll get there. I'm thrilled I did this and wish I'd done it sooner.

Again, best wishes. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

[TheCloudPainter 0]

Hey all...

Wow!

To say I'm completely awestruck and blown away by the passion and compassion I see here is an understatement.

I guess now i have some choices to make to get this ball rolling... *S*

I've always been scared that I'd be told I wasn't heavy enough for this surgery, but unfortunately, I don't think that will be a problem anymore.

(Don't worry, I'm not a size 2 anorexic that gained 5 - 10 lbs over Christmas...)

This has been a lifelong battle that I've beaten a couple times with Ionomin, the first time, then Phen-Phen the second. I managed to keep 100+ lbs off for 11 years (just by taking low doses of Phentermine) until we were in a fatality head on wreck in 2005, and my R leg was severely broken. Since then, while having the necessary surgeries to repair my leg, I've sadly watched the weight creep back on.

I've also been a little apprehensive about the psych eval, as this is a very emotional subject for me and I'm not sure what they are looking for.

Another challenge with me, is that I got engaged to a wonderful guy in 2004, just before our wreck. He's never seen me heavy like this before, even though I was honest upfront and told him about my ongoing battle. He didn't understand that it was NOT just a case of *eat more veggies, exercise more* at first, but I think he's seeing it now. Initially, he was saying this was unnecessary, etc... but when I stopped being able to enjoy our 'intimate' times, I think he's beginning to understand. I guess sometimes, you have to hit a chord they understand... hehe~

Good gawd - I'm so sorry about just letting all this out to ya'll, but for the first time in years, I'm totally comfortable talking about all of this. No fear of saying the wrong things or people thinking I'm just weak and lazy. It's okay to feel the way I do... Thank You ALL!

I've always said I'd NEVER ride a horse whose ass was smaller than mine, and I'm not about to buy a draft horse!

(I raise Foundation Quarter horses and Arabians.)

Well, off to make some calls and see what I can get in the works.

Is anyone here from the Pac NW?

Take care, all and Thanks bunches for the sage advice and words of encouragement.

Good luck to ya'll!

[Lapbandneeded 0]

HI I sent you a private mesaage I am new here as well and working on funds for Lap band. Good luck to you! And me.