Hello all my name is heather and i am from Dallas TX. I joined because i am meeting with a Dr. in a couple days about getting the Lap Band. I am 5'6 310 with a BMI of 48. I meet the requirements to get the band with my insurance as long as i do a DR. directed diet plan, my insurance is aetna EPO. I have alot of worries with getting this surgry but my first one is with my insureance. this is the 1st time in over five years i've even had health insurance. I do not have a PCP and I have not gone to the doctor in at least 5 years with one exception. (emergency tooth surgery) i"m worried that even with my weight having been very high all my life i have no recent documation to prove it. Has any one had the surgy that has my similar problem? Any adivce from any one who has aetna would be great.

I've read alot about both gastric bypass, which my mom and sister had with little complications, and the Lap Band, which my boyfriends father had with few complications. I have decided on the Lap band for many reasons man one being i'm less likey to die from it. Another is i want it help me loose weight not make me dump all my wieght in less than a year like my mom and sister did with the bypass. I was wondering though, since u loose so much slower how much do you loose in say a month? I know its differnt person to person i just want to get a general idea. Well i'll go read threw some threads see if i can get answers to the rest of my questions that way, thanks for anyone who reads this time. :tongue_smilie:

Sincerly hopeful and worried

Ps. please excuse my spelling

Welcome Heather. I think it is really neat that you had first hand experience to observe those close to you that had lapband and gastric bypass and are doing your research to make the right decision for you.

Yes, some lose like 20 lbs in the first month with a lapband, others lose less, others lose more. If you go to the Monthly Support Groups section, you could pick maybe the January 2009 bandsters, those who had surgery in January this year, and read the trail of emails that show how much they've lost in this first 5+ months as time went along.

Remember, all things vary by how committed YOU are too!

Good luck.

Welcome to LBT. As far as weight loss per month goes; my doc wants to see you lose 1-2 pounds per week, although some lose more and some lose less. Good luck to you and I hope you get your approval really soon.

Hi Heather,

I was approved on the 3rd of June for lap-band surgery through Aetna PPO. I had no issues with Aetna and they approved in 5 business days. Of course I should mention that the insurance coordinator at my surgeon's office sent all the paperwork and communicated with Aetna. I had to prove that I had a BMI of 40 or greater for the past two years or a BMI of 35 or greater with at least two co-morbidities also for the past two years. I proved my BMI with medical records from my primary care physician. Have you joined any type of weight loss program such as Weight Watchers, where they record your weight? That could be used as a record I suppose. Find out if the physician you are going to see has someone who deals with obtaining insurance approvals. They are more than willing to help!! Good luck and let us know how it goes...