Lady Lap Band

Hi Ginger!!! Congrats on your decision!!! I had looked into the surgery about 2 years before I actually got it done. Then I put it on the back burner and finally decided to go for it like you!! It's the BEST thing I've ever done. I dont think you'll be sorry!! Let me know how everything goes! Wishing you the best!

Most insurances cover for BMI's over 40. I started with a BMI of 41 as well and my surgery was covered 100%. Of course it all depends on your plan. Take a peak at your insurance companies website....it will probably give you all the requirments needed in order to qualify! Good luck hun!

I can feel mine, cant see it. I've heard of people who have hit their goal and the port sticks out alot. I've heard of people getting port revisions because of this.

I had my first fill 4 weeks after my surgery. I got 2.5cc's put in the first time....my whole fill timeline is listed on my blog if you wanna see. That might give you a good idea.

It's because of all the crap that is in them. Sugar ect, it breaks down the second it hits your stomach and becomes a slider food essentially. It was a difficult thing for me to figure out, had the ask the doc. I was like "Why Can I eat junk so easily but I can't eat chicken" lol that was the reason I was given. Hope that helps!

Yess!!! What if your are a really short woman! If you're 4'11 and weigh 200lbs then your BMI is over 40.0 and you meet the requirments for Lapband....but in general I think people know if they are never going to be able to get this weight off by themselves then they should be able to get the surg if they want to.

i have heard that for your unborn baby one only needs to consume 300 more calories a day and that seems doable without a complete unfill!!

At times I do feel this way. I just passed my one year and I found the more time goes by the less frustrating it is. Also as you loose more weight you'll probably have less restriction as the band moves around. You should talk to your doc about it and see what she/he suggests! Good Luck Hun!

I am totally in agreement with you that the low cal diet on your own probably won't work! It didn't for me! When I went for my consultation I weighed 250lbs....They wanted me to loose like 10-15% of my body weight before the surgery which was 6 months later....but instead I gained 2lbs! If I had to suggest I would say do the Opti Fast. The only reason I say that is bc I am pretty sure it is what my doc's office gave to some patients who were really struggling and it was really imperative that they loose weight prior to surgery. Might I also suggest Isopure???? I used them after surgery when I could not eat but they have 30g of Protein per bottle, it's like a juice and I lose 13lbs the week after surgery just drinking them, it would work for you before!!! Don't hesitate to email me or private message me with any questions I am all ears!! =)

Hi There!! I don't know a lot about insurance sorry! But I live in MA and I know they have Mass Health at a discounted rate I believe for those who don't have insurance or have trouble affording it. Maybe you should look into something that your state might offer?? Good Luck!

Your vacation sounds so fun!!! I am going on a cruise in May and I can't wait!!! Well 3 months post op I had lost 35lbs and I pretty much didn't exercise at all so if you eat right and exercise I'm sure you'll do even better than that!!!! Good Luck!!!!

My husband was the same way. Not trying to talk me out of it but willing to let me so what I wanted to do. I find that my hubby just doesn't get the whole thing. He is not interested in weight loss surgery, in his mind its not an option. Stick it out he will come around. He'll probably never jump for joy over it but I'm sure he'll be supportive. My husband was like that mainly bc he was nervous about surgery in general I think.

Personally I had pretty bad hearburn before surgery and never had it again afterwards.

I hear you! That is the reason I decided not to tell anyone. I knew I would get that reaction. I only told my mom, dad and husband. I would stop telling people if I were you, it will make life easier I think.

Well you got the first step right with the seminar. It wouldn't be a bad idea in the mean time to call your insurance and see if Lap Band is covered by them. That way if it isn't you can decided if its too much money and you can't go through with it or you can try and find another way to fund it. If its covered dont worry about a thing your docs office will take care of submitting all the paperwork when the time comes!! Good luck I hope it works out for you! Best decision of my life!!

Ironically I got this info today via email from Allergan today...hopefully it helps you out!! ______________________________________ Dear LAP-BAND® System Patient Advocacy Council Members, I hope that everyone enjoyed a relaxing holiday weekend with friends and family. My plans are to send you monthly information with the hopes that you share it with others for their education. I truly believe that together we can make a difference in the lives of many. Did you know that most LAP BAND® cases are covered by insurance? The reason for the question is it’s one of the biggest concerns that we hear from people who are thinking about the LAP BAND® and it can be a deciding factor in moving forward with the procedure. Perhaps you’ve seen our television commercial that addresses this very subject. “Think the LAP BAND® procedure is too expensive? Well, that’s what many others have thought - before they found out that insurance covered it.” That’s right. Many insurance companies do cover the procedure and you can find out if yours is one of them fairly easily. So how do you find out if your insurance company will cover it and if you qualify for the procedure? As always, it’s best to verify your coverage directly with your health plan carrier. So, call them today and ask. Otherwise, as part of our website, and once enrolled in My Lap Band Journey, you’ll have access to an online tool that will do a preliminary screen to help you determine whether your insurance will cover the surgery. To check out the new insurance tool, please visit http://lapband.com/en/lapband_is_for_you/costs_payment_options/financing_surgery/. Additionally, the LAP-BAND® Reimbursement Hotline [1-800-LAP-BAND (527-2263), Option 3] is a great option that letsyou speak live with an experienced professional about insurance verification related to the surgery. Hotline hours are Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 5 PM PST (9 AM to 8 PM EST). What if they don’t cover it? What can you do then? One option is to appeal your case. If your request for prior authorization for the LAP-BAND® System surgery is denied by your insurance company, you may have the opportunity for a limited number of appeals of this decision. The process varies according to the plan, so be sure to check your insurance company's specific appeal policy. Generally, you can appeal if your denial is based on the following reasons: The LAP-BAND® System is investigational, The LAP-BAND® System is experimental, or the insurance company has no previous knowledge of the LAP-BAND® System. The LAP-BAND® website has several downloadable resources to help you with your appeal, including: a patient guide to insurance appeals and a sample letter of medical necessity. These documents can be found at http://lapband.com/en/resource_center/. Another option is to finance the procedure. If your doctor is a participant in the LAP-BAND® System Patient Finance Program, you are eligible to apply for CareCredit®, which is the nation’s leading patient financing program. If your doctor is not a participant, he/she can easily enroll in this program by contacting his or her LAP-BAND® System Account Manager. CareCredit® provides a choice of convenient monthly payment plans designed to help patients pay for healthcare expenses not covered by insurance, including co-payments, deductibles, and elective treatment. Upon request and approval, CareCredit® can help cover medical fees. Patients can choose from two types of payment plans: Low-Interest Payment Plans or No-Interest Payment Plans. To learn more about the CareCredit® program for LAP-BAND®, please visit http://lapband.com/en/lapband_is_for_you/costs_payment_options/financing_surgery/. As always, we welcome your feedback and look forward to hearing if you and your readers found this information helpful.

I just wanted to share a little of my 1 Year story with you all. I was banded last year on June 19, 2009 so I just hit one year! Yay!! I was super super fast and aggressive with fills and dropped 35lbs in 4 months and I was on top of the world! Then I got some food stuck and had to go to the ER. Not fun!! I had all my Fluid taken out!!!! I had to go back to the Doctor's practically every 2 weeks and just get a really tiny fill. Guess how long it took me to get restriction back??? 6 months!!! Oh and guess how much weight I lost during that time, nothing!! Bummer I know but I learned my lesson, go really slow with fills!!! Getting stuck was so painful and I would HATE to see that happen to anyone else!!! I am happy to report that I just had a fill last week and at last I feel like I am at the same place I was before I got the fill that made me get stuck and I feel wonderful!!! Onederland here I come!!!! =)

So I wanted to get some people's opinions on my situation..here it is.... They say I have sleep apnea lol I refuse to believe it. It's very minor is is caused by my weight. I have just recently developed it and even the pulmonologist said loose the weight and it will go away. So I absolutely hate things on my face and WILL NOT use the cpap machine no matter what anyone says I will not use it. Plus I am just embarassed and will not let ANYONE see me with that horrid thing on. I got it through UPS the other day and it's still in its box, I have already addressed it to go back to where it came from. I intend to ship it back on the day of my surgery. The only reason I got it in the first place is because my doctor requires you to use it for 3 weeks prior to surgery. I intend to keep it a seret that I am not using it. So I guess my questions is.....did anyone else not use their machine prior to surgery or have a similar situation? I'd like comments to on what you think! Thanks!

So I just thought I would update everyone!! Last year when I had the whol CPAP fiasco lol Nothing really came of it....I never wore it I brought it to the surgery and no one ever put it on me and I shipped it back to the place it came from when I got home. It was no biggie no one really cared even though they made it seem that way.....Thanks for all your comments on the post!

Hmm I think i joined this earlier this year but I dont wanna sift through all the post to check lol so here is it now! Name************Starting**********Current**********Goal Lady Lap Band..........252.....................209.......... .........150 (by the end of 2010)

There is an awsome group on here I am pretty sure its called the Clothing Exchange, I would definetly talk with them!! Also if you need any size like 18/20 or 14/16 I have some that I would send to you if you wanted to just cover the shipping cost. Let me know!

I just wanted to share a little of my 1 Year story with you all. I was banded last year on June 19, 2009 so I just hit one year! Yay!! I was super super fast and aggressive with fills and dropped 35lbs in 4 months and I was on top of the world! Then I got some food stuck and had to go to the ER. Not fun!! I had all my Fluid taken out!!!! I had to go back to the Doctor's practically every 2 weeks and just get a really tiny fill. Guess how long it took me to get restriction back??? 6 months!!! Oh and guess how much weight I lost during that time, nothing!! Bummer I know but I learned my lesson, go really slow with fills!!! Getting stuck was so painful and I would HATE to see that happen to anyone else!!! I am happy to report that I just had a fill last week and at last I feel like I am at the same place I was before I got the fill that made me get stuck and I feel wonderful!!! Onederland here I come!!!! =)

I just got my date! June 19th! Where are all the June Bandsters at? ps. what do you think of the name JUNE JOURNEYS ???