Some of my friends have suggested that I start writing a blog about my process to get a lap-band, so here goes.

My process started in June. One of my friends is going to have a gastric bypass in December, and I promised here that I would go be with her when her surgery happens. In response, she told me that I should look into getting surgery too and she could come be with me.

Well, I saw my primary care physician and asked him at what point I should seriously start considering surgery, and he was like - now. I called my insurance and found out what they wanted. I then found all of the bariatric surgeons in my part of New York. Sadly, there were not many at all. In fact, the closest one to me is an hour away.

The surgeon who I ultimately went with does not perform gastric bypasses, but is a lap-band guy. I wasn't completely sure what the lap-band was, so I did some investigative work and realized that I really preferred it to the gastric bypass.

I called the surgeon's office and scheduled to go to a day-long meeting in early July. I might add, that I hate waiting. On the day of his seminar, we met his team. The morning consisted of the basic educational overview and the afternoon consisted of meeting with the insurance specialist, talking with the dietitian, meeting with a nurse practitioner, and then meeting with the program director.

The program director said I would have problems with my insurance company because my BMI was too low, but she said she'd double check and call me the next day. Sure enough, my dream of weight loss surgery was quickly dashed against the rocks. I ultimately ended up spending the entire 4th of July weekend annoyed.

On Monday morning, I saw my general practitioner and decided to have them measure. Now, I'm a big boy. I've always said I was 6'4". However, my primary care physician measured me at 6'1" (and no, I did not slouch). I quickly called the insurance specialist and the surgeon's office and told them I was 3 inches shorter than I had told them. By losing those three inches, magically my BMI was above 40. It was the first time in a long time that I was actually excited at being bigger than I thoguht I was.

Now, I have a BMI over 40 and one co-morbidity - high blood pressure. I'm pretty happy and keep crossing my fingers that my insurance company will pay for it all.

After finding how that I could qualify, I started setting up all of my appointments. Now, my insurance company only requrires that I send in a letter from the surgeon explaining the necessity of the surgery. However, the surgeon has a long list of things he wants to see before he will even see me. I admitedly find this process very strange. Here is my laundry list of things I must complete before I can even meet the surgeon:

1) Have Bloodwork

2) Have upper GI x-ray

3) Get clearance from cardiologist

4) Get letter from primary care physician

5) Get a behavioral evaluation

6) Attend two group meetings

7) Have an endoscopy done

8) Meet with the dietician monthly

9) Loose 5% of my body weight(though I think this is only a requirement by the day I actually do pre-op)

10) Watch an online course about the lap-band surgery.

I completely understand why all of this is needed before the surgery, but I'm not completely sure why all of this is necessary before I meet the surgeon. But, like a good little doobie, I've gone through and done everything asked of me. The only thing I'm now waiting on is the endoscopy. I have to go in on Monday to meet the GI guy who will then schedule me for the procedure.

I'm hoping to get the endoscopy in the next couple of weeks and then schedule the meeting with the surgeon. I'm a teacher, so I'm trying to get all of the doctor's appointments out of the way before the beginning of the school year.

Once I see the surgeon, he will then write the big letter that goes to my insurance company, and then I will have to wait. From what his office has told me, they have a pretty good track record with my insurance company. But, I'll believe it the day I finally get my clearance. I'm admittedly a pessimist, so I'm trying not to get overly excited because I don't want to really set myself up to heartache if I get denied.

PS The barium drink for the upper GI was not bad. It's like drinking a flavored water that's a little chalky. I went in thinking it was going to be just horrible tasting, but was realistically plesantly surprised. The Radiologist even turned the monitor towards me so I could watch the liquid going down my esophogus.

I have to disagree on the barium swallow, that was oh so gross and glad that I do not have to do it after surgery like some doc's do. Only other thing on your list i didnt have to do was the endoscopy.