Self pay Lap-Banders- HELP!!!

[bandster_1007 1]

Hi everyone! I just joined this forum a couple of days ago and it has been extremely helpful.

I work in finance and i know that a lot of people consider their financial situation very personal. i am younger and i don't really feel that way, but i am learning.

My problem is this, my insurance has a written exclusion and i am a self pay. For those of you who were a self pay did you notice a decrease in the amount of food purchased and the amount of medical problems to "pad" the monthly payment?

We haven't been married very long and we have a child in private school due to horrible public schools in arkansas. it's scary taking on such a big financial obligation for something that is just for one person in the household.

Was it worth what it cost and would you do it again?

Your opinions will really help and I am having a lot of anxiety about all of it. :rose:

[Daisalana 33]

I haven't saved any money yet.

Self-Pay pre-op consultation: $100

Self-Pay Surgery (everything included): $15,000

Anesthesia billing me more even though it wasn't agreed on: $300

---

Self-Pay Port Revision: $1,500

Pre-pay port replacement: $596 (I'm told I'll get this back)

Anesthesia bill: $TBD

I still have to buy same amount of groceries, so my DH can eat what he wants.. and then I get my own special things.. SF puddings, grits, oatmeal, etc. A good thing about that, is my food lasts a bit longer if it's something he won't eat (like any SF items). I still cook normal sized meals, we just have left-overs. And we're wishy washy with left overs, he won't eat them and I will only eat them 1/3 times.

I'm spending money on buying new clothes once a month.

I keep buying nutritional/protein/supplement etc. stuff, trying to find one I like.. then throwing them away.

I don't think I'm technically saving money anywhere.. yet.

Maybe one day when I get to where I'm going :rose:

[bandster_1007 1]

So for you the surgery has actually been more costly. We are going to have to follow a tight budget which we haven't really done before. they didn't tell you that you would have to pay the anesthesia bill? Actually, my doctor didn't tell me either. I better check on that.

My cost is $16,275 which include pre op consult and one year of fills and post op care. they are normally outpatient but i may be staying the night in the hospital due to a late procedure and that is not supposed to cost extra.

[bandster_1007 1]

one more thing, why did you have to have a port revision?

[bandster_1007 1]

another thing :rose: ..i do not know what Protein Drinks that we "have" to have yet, but Curves sells their own Protein Drink and it tastes awesome, especially the chocolate.< /p>

[DrewsLou 3]

For me, I spent:

$9950.00 to be banded

$0 for my port replacement

I actually spend MORE on groceries now because I only buy high quality organic meats and veggies. But I save a bunch on perscriptions for high blood pressure that I no longer need!

[Daisalana 33]

I was told anesthesia was included, somehow the hospital jerked me around and took more money.. I tried to fight it, but they said it took longer than they expected (but according to the doctor it didn't).

They thought my port was leaking, so I had port revision surgery last Friday.. ends up it wasn't leaking, it had just completely flipped backward. So they moved it and stitched it somewhere else.. they said they'll reimburse me the $596, but of course wouldn't do it while we were there.. so now I'm waiting to see if they reimburse me, and what they're going to charge for anesthesia (they couldn't pre-determine the cost this time).

And yea, I spend more money on my 'special' foods now. I buy more fruits & veggies, which go bad quickly, so have to rebuy more.

'Back in the day' (hehe) I went el cheapo.. lots of frozen stuff, fast food dollar menus, etc.

[bandster_1007 1]

that is a lot of what we eat now (as a family) i do keep the fruit and veggies around as my dh and son are both healthy, and love fruits and veggies but i always tend to opt for the bad stuff or nothing at all. i need to buy organic fruit because i cannot stand the taste of pesticide on my apples..yuck!! i wash them really well and i swear i can still tast it.

i've ready that a LOT of people cannot tolerate beef very well, and that will suck if that is the case for me, because that is what we eat the most. my dh is definately and steak and potatoes man (and as fit as he can be)

i hope to save money on prescriptions and i was recently diagnosed with chronic pain. also, i tend to miss work once a week for being ill (migraines, pains, etc), hopefully weight loss will help with that problem

So would both of you go through it and do it again? It was worth the cost?

[Daisalana 33]

I'd definitely do it again. Long term, this should save me money. I was having to get cortisone back injections for back problems due to weight.. But it's not about the money to me, it's about my weight and my health. It was worth every penny, I just wish the hospital wasn't full of idiots. I wish my doctor would come to my local hospital where people are competent.

You should save money on meds if you're on them for anything weight related. More importantly, you can get rid of medical problems that are weight related

[bandster_1007 1]

thanks. you are very encouraging. i've noticed these weight goals for most people. does your doctor set those or are they personal? my ideal weight is 115. i weight 225 now. i'd kind of like to get down to 105 or 108. (i'm 5'2" and small framed)

[kacee 3]

I don't go to the store nearly as much, but I only have to buy for me. I also find that I now cook something, I must divide it up and freeze it because there is NO WAY I will eat the food I fix within a short period of time. I eat a lot at work and I am trying to get over the hurdle that my eyes are WAY bigger than my stomach is now. I find myself tossing out food I can't eat, which is terrible (most of it doesn't make for good leftovers), so I am now trying to be very aware when I purchase food....like today I bought 2 egg rolls for lunch. The minute I took the first bite of the first one I KNEW that one egg roll was going to be it, and I gave the second one away. I need to get to the point where I recognize that I don't need to buy that extra egg roll or (insert any other food name here)....

[ras141414 0]

I did it for me.. Family is important but your important also

My husband understood

[bandster_1007 1]

Wow if i am reading your ticker right, you have lost more than 50% of your needed weight in only 4 months!!! That is incredible.

[bethgrove 1]

Hi everyone! I just joined this forum a couple of days ago and it has been extremely helpful.

I work in finance and i know that a lot of people consider their financial situation very personal. i am younger and i don't really feel that way, but i am learning.

My problem is this, my insurance has a written exclusion and i am a self pay. For those of you who were a self pay did you notice a decrease in the amount of food purchased and the amount of medical problems to "pad" the monthly payment?

We haven't been married very long and we have a child in private school due to horrible public schools in arkansas. it's scary taking on such a big financial obligation for something that is just for one person in the household.

Was it worth what it cost and would you do it again?

Your opinions will really help and I am having a lot of anxiety about all of it.

Well I was self pay. It was only to be 13,800 but that doesn't include the preop. No my grocery bill has not gone down but our eating out has which is an average saving of 200.00 a month. We would eat atleast two meals out a week now maybe one and i share with my kids. We are a family of 5 so mcdonald's cost 20.00 atleast. We now all are eating healthy and spending the same on groceries.

good luck. I would take on the payment again anyday.

beth

[Daisalana 33]

My weight goal is something I made up.

My doctor didn't give me a goal.. I am 6'0 and from 'charts', it looks like 150-190 is healthy for a woman this height. I don't want to be skinny skinny, I like hips/boobs/butts hehe.. so I'm making myself a more realistic goal, the highside of my 'ideal'.

If I get to 200, frankly.. I'd be ecstatic.

I'm also open to the fact that my 'goal' may change as I lose more weight. So my 180 isn't set in stone.