Newbie from Washington State

[saraleerod2005 1]

My name is Sara and I am 24 years old and I have been looking into Lap Band for a two years now and I am really thinking about getting, however, I have medical inc. it is medicaid I dont know if they will pay for the Lap Band and I might have to do financing. I am not a very big girl my wieght is between 225-230 and my BMI is 38-39 and I really dont know if I can get the Lap Band but I am so tired of being over wieght and I have always been a chucky girl while growing up but when I got pregnant with my first child in high school in 2004 some of the wieght that I gained came off but by the time I got pregnant with my son in 2006 I gain a lot of wieght. After my son was born in 2007 I did loss some but I gain it all back plue some more. What got to my breaking point was when I wanted to get pregnant with my third child I could for three years due to my weight so I lost some got pregnant in 2009 6 weeks later I lost that baby I dont know why but it happened but I got so lucky because I got pregnant again 2 months later and when I had her in 2010 I was at my heavies at 230 and I was sad, angery at my self and I really dont like to out no more. I want this for my health and I dont want to get way way over wieght like the rest of my family, I dont want to get all the health problems that comes with being over wieght like the rest of my family. I would love to play with my children without getting so tired. I have already had one knee surgery and I really have to loss a lot of wieght so that I dont have another for the same knee and ther other knee, I have heartburn so bad its not funny, I have a weak bladder due to having kids and of my wieght. Its like I have pain all over the place on my body, so tired, arthritis and I am only 24 its so sad because I know I did this to my self and now its so hard to get it off.

I dont know what to do to get started, what it is going to be like, will I get approved with them because I am not very big. I am kinda scared to call because of the fact I dont know what will happen and my family dont think I need this they told me it is a waste of money but I dont think it is as long as I am happy and healthy. If any body can give me some advise I would be so happy.

[Dave_NW 92]

My name is Sara and I am 24 years old.

Hi Sara,

Welcome to the Forum. You are absolutely in the right place. There are several people currently posting here who are from Washington as well. Whereabouts in the state are you? If you're near Seattle, you have a number of choices available to you to find out more about whether you are a band candidate. There are options in other parts of the state, but most are in the Seattle-Tacoma area.

For starters, I'd suggest contacting your insurance company and ask them whether they pay for band surgery, and what their requirements are. Be very clear with them, and tell them that you want to know about deductible amounts, co-pays, followup appointments, fills, and the other aspects of living with a band. Who pays for what, and how much? As I'm sure you know, just having the surgery is only the beginning. There is ongoing cost and effort required to be successful with a band.

If you learn they will pay for the band, be sure to ask about how you go about the process to meet their requirements. It's easy to find a place to have surgery done, but not always easy to find a good surgeon who accepts your kind of insurance. Ask them who they recommend you should go see for an evaluation. If you find you have a choice of surgeons, do some research. Where band surgery is concerned, there is no substitute for experience. Find a surgeon who has a good track record, and who is dedicated to the work at hand. (I used Dr. Ross McMahon at Swedish, and I'm completely satisfied. I highly recommend him and his staff.)

Once you know who to see, call that surgeon's office and introduce yourself, explaining how you came to be contacting them, and make an appointment. They may ask you to attend a free seminar first, which is what Swedish Hospital in Seattle required me to do. I learned a lot at the seminar, then I made the appointment for an in-office evaluation.

At the in-office appointment, you can discuss your questions and specific issues. If you suffer from severe acid reflux, it's possible you have a hiatal hernia, which they can repair during the band surgery. I had one, which they repaired for me, and I've not had any heartburn or reflux since.

Keep plugging away, keep doing your research, and move forward at a pace that's comfortable for you. If you really want this surgery, there are ways to get it done. Keep in mind that it's not a magic bullet, and if you get the surgery, you need to do your part to get the most from it. If you want to succeed, you will.

Good luck!

Dave

[saraleerod2005 1]

I live in Spokane

[Dave_NW 92]

I live in Spokane

Ok. I think there are band surgeons in Spokane. The rest of what I posted still applies.

Good luck!

Dave