arabrab

I've gone thru a year of weight management and now I'm only a few steps away from having surgery, I grow more concerned with my decision to have lap band to rid me my medical problems. I have PCOS, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre diabetic, knee and back pain and sleep apnea. I've been told my best surgery option would be gastric sleeve or bypass and the lap band might work for me but time will tell. How many of you had this told to you and what was the outcome? Did your medical problems go away?

I went to a seminar this weekend and was shocked when the doctor said in the next 5 years he thought the gastric sleeve would replace lap band. He said in their studies the gastric sleeve has already grown and the lap band had decreased. Has anyone else heard this? I've been looking into have the lap band for over a year now but Im a little concerned. If this is true what happens to everyone who has the lap band? Will doctors stop servicing us in a few years? will be limited to where we can go?

Hello I'm 35, single, no children (unless you count my cats and dogs). i live in central CA. I will be banded later this year, I thought I had done everything right the first time, but my insurance said I had to start my 6 months over again. But I hear its worth it so I'm doing it. This seems like a great place to meet someone who will understand what I'm doing. I'm open to meeting for friends, support or more.

Thanks for sharing. I called the surgeon's office back and told them about the letter from Sante...they didn't care. They said I would still have to do the 6-month supervised diet, based on the insurance that I have. When you say your doctor's office submitted the paperwork and got approval in 5 days, do you mean your surgeon office? I can't get the surgeon to even make an appt to try. But I've had to see my GP last month and this month for other reasons and she's like..fine we'll start your supervised diet from Aug. but I still have to wait til Jan. I'm sure I can wait, but my insurance will be changing soon and i was hoping to get it all approved now. Thanks again. How are things going for you?

I found out I had PCOS when I was 22. Until about a year ago I was only taking medication aka birth control, and I wasn't very faithful with it. I had one ultrasound done at the beginning and it was meds after that. About a year ago I started having side pain and very, VERY heavy bleeding that started in Aug and lasted until Feb, when they put me on Yaz. During this time I had two ultra sounds done...fun. This is when they notice two cysts on both sides. When the meds didn't reduce the size of the cysts the only option was surgery. I had my right cysts removed in April (it was the size of a large grapefruit) and the left cysts was gone? Even though the cysts on the left was half the size of the right it was most likely an ovulating cysts and nothing to worry about. i haven't had any problems. They estimated the cysts grew within 6-8 months The funny thing is that the bleeding and pain were two different issues, but if I didn't have one problem i may have never got the cysts removed. I don't know if this helps. but taking the birth control is important so what happen to me doesn't happen to you. Do they have you on metformin? I take metformin for blood sugar and body hair issues. this is a common med for PCOS patients. I'm 34, 272 lbs. I haven't had lap band yet but I hoping it helps. I know if my weight is reduced I won't have to take the either of these pills. And since I'm 8 different meds if would be nice to get RID of the them!! Good Luck.

My doctor referred me to a surgeon. When I signed up for the seminar with the surgeons office they said because of my insurance, Blue Shield HMO Sante, I would have to do a 6-month weight management program before they would see me and I can still go to the seminar because its good for a year. But then I got a letter from Sante stating my medical file had been reviewed and it was approved form me to see the surgeon. I've called Sante and they said I can make the appt. I called Blue Shield they said I have to do the 6-month weight management program. i called my GP's office and asked them to make the appt, but I don't want to go and find out that is was just for them to tell me I have to do the 6 month program, which I will start on the 7th. Has anyone else gone thru this? Any advice? should I call the surgeons office back and ask them-they deal with insurance all the time. :biggrin:

Thank you for the information. I tried talking to my insurance company but the rep on the phone didn't understand what I was talking about, so I barely got any info out of her. Funny thing is I work for an insurance agency. What web sites did you use for research? WOW! 8/26 is around the corner. Good Luck to you!!! Thanks fagain.

Hello everyone. I'm looking into having LAP-BAND® surgery and I'm using this site to see real results good and bad. I've read somethings that have triggered questions. Hope you can help. I'm 5'7 280 lbs - I carrier most of my weight in my stomach. If the surgery works I'm worried I will have a bunch of hanging skin. How many of you have gotten a tummy tuck and did your insurance cover the surgery? Also some people said they were disbanded due to erosion. How long does the band work? and does insurance cover the cost to remove or replace the band? Thank you for your time.