im not banded and am just starting the process to get my insurance. I presently go to SoCal Kaiser and spoke with my primary doc yesterday. He said the lapband is not done by Kaiser, and when i disagreed, he told me the same thing again, saying I will need to get the bariatric surgery if im a good candidate. Presently im at 53 BMI. Ive tried many diets over and over again. I get tired walking down the hall. I have trouble climbing the stairs at work without heavy breathing afterwards and I have some back pain issues. Should I just start with this, go to the appt for Orientation for Bariatric Surgery and the Orientation Weight Management? Should I get another primary?

Please assist.:tt1:

Try checking with an administrator for your insurance. I don't know how Kaiser works, but many insurance plans have special provisions for weight loss surgery that an employer can choose to cover or not. WLS could be specifically not covered by your particular insurance plan.

Good luck! I hope your doctor's misinformed about coverage.

And, lapband surgery IS bariatric surgery. Any surgery with the goal of providing weight loss (except maybe lipo, and it's more sculpting than loss) is bariatric surgery. Good grief.

Do you have to have a referral? My BMI was way higher than yours and I'm not even DOWN to yours yet but I love my band and wouldn't have ever had bypass no matter how much some doc told me to.

Hi!

I just started too and I think that the orientation was SO helpful. They had people there who gave me questions to ask my insurance. If you are able to go, I would totally suggest it!

I have So Cal Kaiser and I'm in their 6 month Options program which is required before any bariatric surgery can be approved. They used to offer the LapBand until just a few weeks ago...too many complications so they stopped.

They still do the RNY (bypass) and the Gastric Sleeve, which is what I plan to get. I was told last week that my surgery will be performed at the West Los Angeles Kaiser hospital.

During the Options classes you must lose 10% of your body weight. At first I thought the class part was stupid, but now I realize how well it's prepared me for my surgery and how to eat. I've been able to lose 27 lbs so far, and honestly sometimes I think maybe I don't need the surgery and that I can continue losing on my own. I first went in to get the LapBand, but once I learned about the Sleeve, I decided it to be a better choice for me. I highly recommend you go through the program at Kaiser.

I have So Cal Kaiser and I'm in their 6 month Options program which is required before any bariatric surgery can be approved. They used to offer the LapBand until just a few weeks ago...too many complications so they stopped.

I don't understand why they had too many complications. Were the surgeons that performed the proceedure not knowledgeable or didn't the patient follow the doctors orders. Sure there are possible complications with this surgery as with any but I've never heard this.

You must do research not only on the lapband/realize band proceedure but also on your surgeon. Not every doctor/surgeon that does this proceedure is qualified to do so. Make sure your surgeon is a bariatric surgeon who has done multiple surgeries. Not only that but not every hospital is equiped with qualified medical professionals to handle complications that may show up. Make sure your hospital that you go to has been designated as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence.

My doctor uses the Realize Band. On that site and this site you can search for a qualified doctor in your area.

Ok, I'm done.....Good Luck to everyone. :thumbup: