Waiting for insurance approval

tlk92658 · January 21, 2005

Hello iam new here and waiting for insurance approval. My name is Trina iam 46 years old married with 2 kids and 3 beautiful grand children. My husband supports me with this surgery and wants me to have it so I can feel better. I have sleep apnea, high blood pressure,arthritis and borderline diabetic. I need this lapband real bad. Have been trying for a year with old insurance company we used to have at my work but they always said no. ( by the way the insurance company was carlink HMO). Now we have a new insurance company and it is covered if it is medically nessary. So I just hope I quilify. Waiting is the hardest. I am having it done in Michigan at the Cori center with Dr kole. If any has any info on him I would like to hear it. I live in West Virginia my mother and sister are in Michigan and it was were I was born and raised so it is comfortable there. West Virginia doctor don't do lapband yet. Well any suggestions on how long I will be in the hospital , how often will I have my band filled and does it hurt real bad? I can tolerate pain but I am not real good at walking right now. I weight 370 and hoping to loose 225 . That is my goal.

La_madam · January 21, 2005

Hi Welcome

Your hospital stay should not be more then a day ..2 at the most, some hospitals are doing it as an outpatient service now. There is no set date or ammount of times you will have your band filled. Everyone is so different. I have had mine filled 3 times , I just had my 3rd fill on Monday and I feel that I will get to goal with this fill, Im 25 lbs from goal weight. I had my surgery done in Mexico where they are more agressive with their fills. American Dr's are very conservative with their fills, so you could possibly need more fills then a patient banded in Mexico...fills are not painful at all, just a little prick when the access your port but thats it. Good Luck to you, the band is a wonderful thing and it has changed my life in such a good way..I hope the same for you