carebirdy

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I'm beginning to seriously research lap band. I've been certain for over a year that lap band is the right step for me but because of lack of insurance I haven't perused it. I've decided to begin to save for the surgery on my own. I've been searching for prices in the US and have found everything from $10000 to $30000. My partner is a little uncertain about the surgery and made me promise to stay state side to have the surgery done rather than going to Mexico. I currently live in California on the Central Coast. I'm willing to travel in the US for my surgery. I've tried diets and exercise and have been disappointed with the results. Even when I've gained muscle and endurance I don't seem to loose weight. Many of the women and some of the men in my family have suffered from obesity throughout their lives. I don't want to spend my whole life dealing with obesity, the health problems associated with it, and some of the embarrassment that comes from being a "fat" person. I'm ready for a change and excited about taking the first steps towards it. Birdy

This is good information and why I'm here. There was a time not so long ago when I had outstanding insurance and I really wish I'd just done the surgery then, but I wasn't ready at that time. Part of what appeals to me about the lap band is that it can be adjusted. I've heard of people having bad experiences with gastric bypass and then there is very little that they can do about it - they are stuck with a problem that is very difficult to fix. Of course, getting lap band isn't as easy as changing a hairstyle but I like that it is adjustable. I also like that if I want to have children the band can be adjusted so I can take more nutrition in while pregnant. I'm currently working on a license where I have to do 3000 hrs of internship. I'm lucky I found a paying internship but the pay is pretty, well, ucky. I'm fairly frugal and have been known to save money quickly in the past but it may be that lap band is just not feasible for me at this point of my life. That's a bit depressing but it might be the truth. My weight is a sensitive subject for me. I feel I've done well in so many areas of my life. I've persevered and accomplished things I'm proud of, but when it comes to my weight I continue to struggle without gain.

I'm seeing lots of surgeons including fills, but if I get the surgery out of the area I'll likely need to get fills done locally and need to pay out of pocket. Unfortunately, one of the reasons I don't have insurance is because of my weight. I'm wondering how others have worked to do this feasibly without insurance and were able to get all the care they needed. I saw their is a forum dedicated to that specifically but I thought I'd go ahead and introduce myself here. Birdy

I have looked into hypnosis but I've had trouble finding local practitioners who specialize in weight loss. I haven't looked in a while so I should likely look again. I'm an MFT intern and I know that so many of the changes I need to make are mental. I've never heard the term "virtual lap band surgery" so it is something to look into more. Thanks for the suggestion. Birdy

I'm seeing lots of quotes in the 10k neighborhood. Unfortunately, in California it seems like most surgeons charge closer to $17,000 - $25,000. For that reason I'd strongly consider going out of state to Arizona or Colorado where it seems to be cheaper and then getting fills in CA. Thanks for your feedback. Birdy