Hi, I am new here and I have a lot of questions and I am hoping some of you can help answer.

#1: Are most of you happy with your band and have you lost weight pretty good with it? I was going to get RYN several years ago and chickened out. Now after loosing and gaining back 100lbs, I am thinking of getting the band. I am too scared to have my guts cut on, but I have to do something.

#2: I am debating on going to Mexico, but I am fearful about aftercare if I do that. I am in NW Florida, so Mexico will be way too far for me to go for a fill, plus my hubby is totally freaked out about me leaving the country for surgery. Oviously he is not overweight and doesn't understand how desperate I am to get this weight off, I feel like it is costing me my life right now. Have any of you found someone to do it in the sates for a reasonable amount of money?

#3: How much did you have to pay for your surgery and what, if any, insurance pays for it?

Thank you for any input :sad:

1. So happy that I'd do it again if I had to! I've lost 80 pounds since Febraury 09. It's slower now, but still going down and that's all I care about!

3. Insurance coverage varies dramatically. I believe the statistics say that approximately 68% of all lap band surgeries are covered by insurance. Understand that every policy is different...even if they are from the same insurer. Why? Because the employer neogiatiates what they can get for what they are willing to pay. CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. There is a phone number on your insurance card. Ask if they cover lap band surgery. Ask what their requirements to approve are. Ask what they need to support your application for coverage (maybe a 5 year weight history? Maybe doctors progress notes that cover discussions about weight loss, documents of attempts, etc?? Ask anything you can think of. AND, get the name of the person you talk to so that if you need to talk to that person again, you know who to ask for.

2. I would not choose Mexico for myself. If you do go that route, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR AFTER CARE LINED UP LOCALLY. Many doctors don't want to take care of you if you had your surgery in Mexico. I had my surgery in Atlanta and paid $15,000 cash. Yeah, Mexico was cheaper, but my doc is less than an hour commute. Priceless.