PamRN

Good luck Zoe! How exciting! :banana I hope everything goes well for you, and you end up being a big loser! I also contacted the ILOST website today. I filled out the info and sent it through to see what they have to say. My main concern is aftercare. I'm in Central IL, and found a surgeon here who does the procedure, but I haven't checked yet to see if he'd do aftercare. His fee is $3500 more than rumbaut for the procedure which is substantial since I'm self pay. Here's hoping my ducks start falling into place soon... I can't wait to post a date of my own.

That would be awesome. I'd pick up health alliance at work again in an instant if that happened. I just don't think I'll be waiting that long. I'm ready to start getting my life back now!

Good luck and hang in there. It could be that hubby is a bit afraid that if you lose weight he'll lose you. There are risks to surgery, maybe that scares him. Maybe he just needs some reassurance that you aren't trying to lose weight so that you can find a "better" guy, instead you want it so you can be better for the guy you have. Help him understand that obesity will take you from him sooner than good health will, and hopefully he'll come around. In the mean time thank god for girlfriends!

Hi Jeff, I've been researching Dr Rohrscheib for about a week now, and I haven't found anything negative so far. I haven't actually met him myself, but his receptionist was very informative and friendly. She didn't rush me through my questions, and sent me an info packet very quickly. My husband's insurer is BC/BS of IL. and his particular plan doesn't pay for the lap-band. We just changed to bcbs a couple of months ago, prior to we had health alliance, and they didn't cover lapbands in my plan at work, or his. They can tell you over the phone if you call the 800 number on your ins card. The cpt code rohrscheibs office gave me to check for ins coverage for the lapband is 43659. Congrats on the 50# loss so far, That must feel pretty good! Good luck, and best wishes for insurance coverage

Yes, I did check Inamed, that's where I got Rohrscheib's name. His office is actually a over an hour away, but he also does some work at a clinic that's about half an hour away. He's the closest so I thought I'd check him out. If he does the procedure I'd have him do the aftercare, but I'm not sure if he would do aftercare for me if I have it done somewhere else. It's something I'll have to ask. Thanks again!

I'm still looking in my area, and semi-considering Mexico. No, I don't work for a doctor. I'm a hospital RN, in a medical/telemetry unit. I'm looking into Dr Rohrscheib, but still keeping an eye out. Rohrscheib only includes the band placement, initial fill and a nutrition consult for 14,500. Probably better priced than multiple trips to mexico, but I'm checking around just in case.

I just wanted to send out a great big thank you to all of you in this forum. I've been struggling with weight for about 15 years, and have see-sawed between lap-banding and RNY for a couple of years now. RNY though scary and daunting, is covered by my insurer, banding is self pay. Of all the research I've done on the subject, nothing has helped me know that banding is for me like you all and this site. Your frank details, funny observations, caring support for one another, and great ideas have definitely given me exactly what I needed to know that banding is what I want and need. So thanks for the inspiration & thanks for the real insight. This site has become one of my daily check-ins. Pam RN 39/F 5'8" 267 preband/140 goal

hello all, I've been reading these posts for over a year as I have been researching the best weight loss approach for me. I'm considering going to mexico for the lap-band procedure, and would love some opinions or does and don'ts. Who do you all recommend? I'd like to stay in a hotel, not someone's private home.

Thanks, I too was able to find a surgeon via www.lap-band.com they emailed me a list of surgeons before I'd even completed the registration. I've called Dr. Sidney Rohrscheib for information. Have any of you heard of him, or been a patient of his? The receptionist I talked to seemed very nice, and answered most of my questions without hesitation. My insurance bc/bs of IL wants 1 year of monthly md visits specifically for weight loss...out of my pocket of course. I've done the dr visits for diet, but they've all been a failure over the years, causing me to gain in the end. I've given up on that route long ago.