Hello,

I am a newbie. I have set up for seminar for lap band. I do not have insurance so it will be self pay. I traveled to Paris 6 years ago with a friend and she had lap band surgery. I wish I had done the surgery with her but I had lost 60 pounds and did not qualify.She has went on to lose 70 pounds since the lap band with no problems. I have lost and regained that 60 pounds now so many times I have lost count. However, over the last year the arthritis in my rt hip has slowed me down so much so that I have gained to 250 at 5ft5. I have difficulty walking at all. I am only 46. I have been told to lose the weight and my hip problem will be better. I have been told with selfpay there will not be a long wait. What tests can I do now to hurry it along? I have been taking meloxican for arthritis, though it does little to help. Will I be able to take anti-inflammatory meds? Thanks in advance for any advice. It is so exciting to read about all of your successes.

Hi, this is my very first post. I too have a seminar scheduled. I am hoping that my insurance will pay for the surgery as I can not afford it as a self-pay. I am wondering if I would qualify for the surgery. It seems as though I have progressively gained about 15 pounds a year for the last 5 years. I am not sure why...other than eating too much. I have hyper tension. I am on blood pressure medicine. My ankles swell and my feet hurt. I am 5'4" and I weigh about 218 lbs. My mom says that I am not "big" enough to take the risk of this surgery. I just know that I have tried to lose weight on my own numerous times and haven't been successful and it is just getting harder and harder to maintain my weight...let alone lose it. I have a seminar scheduled on 3/25. I am excited and hope that I will be able to have the surgery. I never have any energy and I constantly feel out of breath. Good luck on your journey. Hopefully we will both have excellent results and better health. I think that a positive attitude is one of the keys to success.

Tired...what tests you may need and how fast it may go depends entirely on which surgeon you choose! And remember (you probably know this) if you pick a surgeon outside your "home base", you need to make sure you line up local aftercare. If you have an emergency, or even just for fills, most surgeons are very reluctant to take another's patient.

As to NSAIDS..that's dicey, because they can cause stomach erosion. Couple that basic fact with the configuration of the band and pouch...and you are asking for trouble. You'll need to discuss that with your surgeon.

You do need to check with your surgeon. I was self pay too and didn't have to do much before my surgery. I had my initial consulatation on August 13, 2008 and my surgery was scheduled for September 12, 2008 (but had it done on Sept. 19th). All I had to do was have blood work done and an EKG. They did all of that at my surgeon's office. I was put on a 3 week pre-op diet and had my surgery. It was quick and easy!! You will be banded before you know it. Good luck to you!!! Becky

willingtotry.

calculate your BMI, that will help show your mother that the risk is worth it. With your small height, I would guess your BMI is over 40 which makes you a canidate for a lapband. Do the research and show it to your family, also the health risks for a BMI over 40, sleep apnea, hypertension, etc.

Good luck,

k