Mystyblu

Hey mousecrazy, I have not been banneded yet. I just started my 6 months of Dr supervised weight loss program (ins requirment) so I am looking to get banded in January. Dr Powell will be doing my surgery when I get to that point. I cant wait.

Congrats Cyndel sending lots of good wishes your way.

Justin here, just south of Denton.

vamaid I had the same question. My insurance company requires that I have documtation of f Dr. supervised weight lose program for 6 months, which I start monday. l Alexandra posted a great responce to my question. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7512 The insurance company wants to see that you have tried other mothods of losing weight befor going to surgery. Don't be discouraged. Talk to your PCP it may be as simple as he/she develops a menu and exercsie plan to follow for a few months and visit once a month to take your weight and make notes. I have read other posts here that said Weight Watchers program was acceptable. You will need to talk with your Dr to see exactly what is to get your surgery approved. Good luck

My ins co (Atena) is requiring the 6 months of Dr supervidsed diet & exercise plan. If all goes well and there are no additional requirments that will put my surgery in Jan or Feb of next year. What a way to start out the new year !!!

Keri, I called the Dr's office yesterday and the ins co-ordinater said that withouth the 6 months supervision that Atena would 100% deny it but if I wanted she would submit the packet anyway. Congrats on your surgery date, I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Who is your Dr.??

Just got the insurance requirments for lap band surgery. I have all of the required documentation except the 6 months of doctor supervised weight loss. That seems to be Aetna's sticking point. It is so frustrating. I am all geard up and excited about beginning my jurney to band land and I find out I have to wait 6 months. Question What happens if I follow the weight loss program and happen to loose too much weight?? :cry

Lots of good luck to you Mandy, I would have never thougth about getting the Union envolved but it did the trick. let us know what happens.

Hello everyone My name is Stephani. I am married to a wonderful and supportive man for 8 years. Age: 37 Height: 5'5" Weight: 245 BMI 40.3 Like many of you hear my story is much the same. I started out as a cubby child, then grew into an overweight teenager and then into MO adult. My mother (gawd bless her) since the time I can remember put me on one diet or another thought out my growing years. If a new diet was printed in a magazine, a book, or heard of from a neighbor down the street I was put on it. I remember as a child thinking that if I see one more boiled egg and piece of dry toast for Breakfast I was going to scream. Needless to say diets have not been my friend throughout my life. About a year and a half ago I came across an ad for Lap-Band surgery in the news paper and started researching it. I felt that urge to scream again except for this time I wanted to say. "Why didn't someone tell me about this before now!!?” I read every article and posting I could find on the subject and found a local health organization that was giving a seminar on the procedure and I scheduled myself to go. Still had not informed my wonderful husband on my discovery. I went to the seminar and heard everything they had to say and was so excited I could hardly keep still. Where do I sign up?? Can we do it tonight?? I am ready to go. The next day I called the clinic to make an appointment to get the ball rolling. Next came blood tests, sleep studies, stress tests, more blood test, meeting with nutritionist who was not very helpful at all. Just said take a daily Vitamin and eat more meat and vegetables. I became very discouraged. Every time I meet with the Dr. It was a very negative experience. "Your not going to make it to your 47 birthday”, “The first stroke may not kill you but the second one defiantly will" (his exact words) "This lap-band will defiantly save your life" Gee thanks, as if that scare didn’t help push me to the edge. With every visit it became more and more difficult for me. My excitement began to slip away. What ever improvement I had accomplished on my diet it was not good enough. "that’s good but you need to do better" GGggggrrrrrrr. I stopped going to that Dr and gave up the idea of getting banded. It was too frustrating and I couldn’t take the constant negative feedback. A couple months ago I found LBT and started reading all the great posts and I began to feel that there is hope for me yet. So I have set myself out on the journey again this time with my wonderful husbands support. I had my first visit to American Institute of Gastric Banding in Richardson TX and Wednesday I go in for my psych eval. and blood tests. I am afraid of the possible negative experience I had with my first attempt. I am just more afraid that the first Dr was correct that if I don't get banded I will miss out on my best years yet. Oh Gosh, I didn't mean to write a novel, thanks for letting me babble on. Wish me luck

Thank you Alexandra<O:p</O:p <O:p That explanation actually makes sense to me. Now that I know the reasoning behind it I don't hate the idea as badly. If the ins co want to see some dedication I am willing to show it to them. <O:p</O:p<O:p I am 5'5” @ 245lbs with a BMI of 40.3 and several co-morbidities. I don't think that the loss of about 20lbs is going to knock me off the journey. To look on the bright side of it after the 6 months that will place my surgery in January or February, what a great way to start out the new year.<O:p</O:p

I have an appointment to see my PCP next monday. Its just waiting for the 6 months to pass is going to be frustrating.

congrats, WoooHooo

Welcome Charlie You will find lots of help and support here. I have just started on my road to bandland. Psych evaluation and blood work scheduled tomorrow. I am always egger to hear everyone’s banding stories. The excitement here is contagious.

Try looking into this web site. They have a large list of Dr's that do lap band surger in the state of TX http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeons+in+texas.html hope this helps

Hello everyone I just wanted to pop in and let you all know I have taken my first real step towards my banding. I had my first visit to American Institute of Gastric Banding in Richardson. The next step besides the blood work is a psychological evaluation. Did any of you have to have a psych exam?? Anyone know what I can expect from this exam?? Just curious

Hello everyone. This is my first post to this group. I nave not been banded yet. I am still in the process of finding a Dr in the area. Any assistance you can provide in recommending a local Dr that performs this type of surgery would be appreciated. I live in Justin, TX, next to the Texas Motor Speedway, Between Denton and Ft. Worth.