Planning Your Lap-Band Surgery

You will continue to learn more about the lap-band as you do more background research. Your primary care physician should be able to refer you to a bariatric surgeon who can help you. You can also find lap-band surgeons by going to the lap-band website and typing in your zip code. Many online resources are valuable sources of information. LapBandTalk.com is an online social community that serves as a primary source of information and support for thousands of lap-band patients and potential patients. The more you know about the surgery, the better prepared you be to make informed decisions. A weight loss surgery seminar about the lap-band is an option for reliable information.

Getting Your Team Together

Getting your team together is one of the most important steps you will take as you prepare for lap-band surgery. Your healthcare team prepares you for surgery and affects your success after surgery. The team members are your surgeon, dietitian, mental health professional and possibly a physical therapist.

Choosing a Surgeon and Clinic

Your surgeon is the leader of your team, preparing you for surgery, performing the procedure and directing your aftercare program. You can find lap-band surgeons in your area at lapband.com. Ask potential surgeons about their patients’ average weight loss, as well as how they help patients who are struggling to hit their goals. Also ask about complication rates; often, but not always, experienced surgeons have lower rates of complications. Find out whether the surgeon maintains a complete aftercare program that lasts for at least a year and includes follow-up appointments, medical testing, dietitian counseling and regular group support meetings.

A small clinic may feel more welcoming and easier to navigate, but a larger hospital or bariatric center also has advantages.

• facilities for obese patients, e.g., wider chairs and larger hospital gowns
  
• more experience with lap-band patients, making it more likely that each procedure goes smoothly
  
• a more developed aftercare program to keep you on track
  
• more support staff on site so you can get all of your needs, such as laboratory tests and dietitian appointments, taken care of easily
  

Of course, you might not have many choices of locations or surgeons if your health insurance plan is covering your lap-band procedure.

Additional Team Members

You can increase your chances of success when you surround yourself with healthcare team members who specialize in treating bariatric surgery patients. Dietitians are experts in meal planning to help you lose weight, get the nutrients you need and keep your menus varied and tasty. They help you find foods that you like and that you can tolerate well with the band. Mental health professionals, such as psychiatrists or clinical psychologists, give you psychiatric tests before surgery, to make sure you’re a good candidate, and help monitor for depression afterwards. If you’re lucky, you might get to meet with a physical therapist who will guide you in your exercise program and provide appropriate exercises to try.

Financing the Lap-Band

Yes, it’s expensive! Costs may range from $7,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on where you get the band and whether you need a hospital stay or have complications. Your options are getting it covered with your insurance plan or self-financing the procedure.

Insurance

HMOs and PPOs are the most common health insurance plans in the U.S. if you pay for your own insurance or get it through your employer. The first step whether you have an HMO or PPO is to get the list of benefits to see if bariatric surgery is covered. This can be tricky, and Chapter 5, “Planning Your Lap-Band Surgery,” in The BIG Book on the LAP-BAND has more details about steps to take when you’re not sure if the band is covered. Then you need to get pre-approval – in writing – from the insurance agent. You may need to send an appeals letter if you are denied coverage when you ask for the first time. Again, more details are in the chapter.

Personal Financing

The lap-band is expensive, and you need to weigh the cost of surgery versus the potential savings in food, obesity-related medical care and diet programs. Another factor to consider is the potential gain in quality of life when you lose a lot of weight. A credit card or Care Credit, a national medical care financing system, are options if you do not have cash on hand and want to borrow the money to pay for the lap-band.

Medical Tourism

Increasingly, lap-band patients are going to Mexico for their lap-band surgeries. This can be substantially cheaper, and the main sites are Tijuana, Cancun and Monterrey. Be sure that the surgeon is qualified and that the surgeon and staff speak English. There should be a plan in place for after the surgery; often you can participate in an aftercare program and get your adjustments done with a surgeon who lives near your home. Chapter 5, “Planning Your Lap-Band Surgery,” in The BIG Book on the LAP-BAND has advice on planning for your trip, such as getting your passport in order, what to bring, reducing your risk of foodborne illness and other considerations for medical tourism.