Update: Going for first consult BUT......

February 1, 2006

Hello everyone

How are you all???

Well have my date for my first consultation 21st of February.....Hooraah

I here you say.

Well yes and no I'm going for a british medical clinic first. Up to Harley Street £50.00 just for that ($100.00), thats not to bad.

I did a sum on BMI mines around 63.6 bad I know.

Ok if I was only around the 50 number it would ONLY cost me £7950.00

($15900.00) but because I'm over the 50 mark it is going to cost me

£8450.00 ($16900.00) which I must say made me feel a little queasey to say the least. I have asked them if I went and had this op done overseas no clinic as they know of would offer me any aftercare so I'm a little bit, excuse the language screwed as the price goes. Yes I can have a loan and with a little help from my family I hope to get the money together but what makes me a little bit mad is how can they justifie such a big price when in other countries it's so much cheaper. Here in the uk we have a very bad problem with over weight people. Yes I know no one was standing over us and force feeding us to make us the way we where, but it gets me so mad knowing people out there, who are so desperate out there to loose weight have no way on earth to afford this knid of operation. We do have the NHS's but the weight for that is terrible. Just wanted to know what you all thought about this.

Sorry for going on

JanetC · February 1, 2006

How long a wait is it for NHS? That's awful! And to "punish" you for being even more in need of the banding? Ewww!!

I will tell you though, I think the money's worth it. Ok, I can't speak personally yet (give me 2 weeks), but I hear others saying that they would do it again in a heartbeat, even if they had to self-pay.

Good luck with your consult & I hope the money comes together for you!

NewSho · February 2, 2006

I'm am VERY sympathetic to your situation, and I hope you are able to successfully complete your LapBand journey.

The price you're quoting seems high but it is not much more than the average LapBand costs here in the States. For cheaper LapBanding many US citizens have to go to Mexico due to the costs.

And I agree that the NHS is just beginning to tackle the overwhelming problem of obesity but believe me that obesity is far more rampant here in the 'States and affects our children at an alarming rate - that obesity rate is higher for the U.S. than it is in any other so-called advanced country.

And finally, as someone who has lived in both the U.K. and the U.S. - trust me when I say mediocre National Health Service beats having NO national health options anyday. We here in the 'States do a crap job of covering our citizens and job-based health insurance is not the long term solution.

I wish you luck and let us know how your banding progresses.

New Sho