How long did it take before you got surgery date

[Lois 123 0]

Hi I am going to my first orentation tomorrow evening. Just wondering how long from start to finish did it take to get your operation date. I know it different for everyone, just wanted to get a general idea. Thanks in advance Lois

[btrieger 21]

This depends on a whole bunch of different variables. The biggest being which insurance company you have or whether you are paying cash.

It will be less than 5 months for me from start to finish because my insurance company required 3 months supervised dieting.

Use the wait time wisely and do as much research as possible. Too many people think that the lapband is a magic pill. It takes work. The wait give you time to decide if you are ready to change your lifestyle and eating habits for the rest of your life.

[adagray 1]

13 months, but that's mainly because I didn't exactly meet the insurance company's criteria (because my BMI went below 35 two years ago on WW). After my first denial, I thought I'd just wait it out until 2010 (then my 2007 weight wouldn't matter anymore). But, later in the year, I got diagnosed w/more comorbid conditions and decided to fight the denial. I did two appeals and they went pretty fast once I decided to do them.

[heavenly84 0]

:thumbup:Started 6/19/2009 and will be banded 1/5/10 .. it's a process and all worth it... you go thru several task's dieticians, pshcyologist visit's general md's and blood work ultra sounds and x'rays. I suggest taking one day off per month and knock them down. Thay way you don't kill your self with co-pays and bills. During this time your motovation will be your deitican visits and your dreams you have at night.

[Rierie882 0]

My consultation appointment was on November 9 2009 and I will get banded on January 8 2010. It was frustrating at times because I am on a tight timeline, I work at a tax and accounting office and didnt want to get to have to wait until May to get banded.

[Cookee81 0]

I did the pre-op diet for 6 months with my primary doctor before I went to the seminar. I went to the seminar in November '09 and my surgery date is on 1/11/10. My insurance approved it the first try. I would have had a sooner surgery date, but my insurance group faxed the paperwork to the wrong insurance company and it set me back 3 weeks.

[abbylamb 1]

I have great insurance and was very lucky-from seminar to surgery was three months.

[Chele6378 0]

My journey started on 8/24/2009 with a visit to my regular primary care doctor. I met my surgeon on 9/3 and my surgery is scheduled for January 26th!! So it was a smidge over 5 months for me!

[Teacher07 3]

1st visit was on 10/10/08 and i was banded 2/4/08 so a few months for sure!

[DB1119 0]

10 months from seminar until surgery date. It took an extra 3 months because we switched to DH's insurance in order to get the surgery covered.

[kathyNH 0]

went to the seminar on 10/4/09 my surgery is scheduled for 2/9

no hoops to jump thru with my insurance

[BetsyB 9]

My surgeon's introductory seminar was the first week of July, I saw my surgeon for the first time on July 21 (which started the 3-month insurance clock ticking), got my date in early December, and I'll get my band next week.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Seminar Oct. 27, surgery Dec. 16, but I'd been considering it and researching it for years before I decided I could afford it and take the time to focus on me right now (insurance pays a flat $4000 the rest was self pay....single mom, work full time, blah blah blah, all kinds of excuses for putting it off) but once I actually jumped in the pool things went fairly quickly. WISH I'D DONE IT YEARS AGO!!!!!

[dontgoggilme 0]

i went to the seminar today and have an appointment with my pcm (i'm tricare prime) to get a referral to my lapband doc next week. the doc said that tricare goes fast and i can have the surgery in as little as three weeks from the date of my consultation. i have a friend who had it done using tricare prime as well and hers took about one month from consultation date to band date. i hope all goes well with mine. if it does i could be getting banded next month! yay!

[ElfiePoo 109]

Six weeks.

I took several weeks to interview the various bariatric doctors by going to their seminar. I didn't much care for them until the last one.

I called up and they got me into a seminar they were having that day, even though it was technically 'filled', because I said I really wanted to move forward without delay.

I have BCBS of MI and they don't require any of the BS that so many insurance companies do, just the psych eval. That actually took the longest...2 weeks...to get into a shrink for the eval. She had the report to them next day and they scheduled the surgery for 4 weeks later...again because I 'pushed' for it.

I'm not a sit back and let things happen kind of gal. When I want something, I go after it. Same with my fills.

That was actually one of the major points I looked at when choosing a doctor. Do they do fills according to some arbitrary schedule...or do they see me as an individual and will give fills as I need them.

Now 9 weeks postop I am deliriously happy with the bariatric center I chose *and* have been at my sweet stop for a week...instead of the hell some people are still in 3 months after surgery.

.