Hi. I'm 17 years old and I've been trying to get approved by my insurance for the surgery since age 15. I have been approved once or twice but the hospitals for adolescent lap band surgeries are limited and so far away. I decided to wait till I'm 18, next May but I have heard it's a long process and wondered if I should and if I could start now. Could someone give me an idea of how long the process will take and where to start? My doctor approves of it and I know of some hospitals near me that perform the surgery but I have no idea where to begin. My parents support my decision but I basically have set appts., find hosptials, etc. on my own. Some information about starting out would be helpful. Thank you.