My last @%$!^# effort.. EPIC FAIL.

[three sixty six 1]

why on earth does everyone jump down my throat for having an honest opinion the rants and raves area?!

I see now why so many people leave this board. Too many attacks!

[want_so_bad 0]

i dont think anyone was jumping down your thoat. we were just expressing our opinion of your post. and this is rant and raves, what did you expect? if you were wanting people to pat you on the back with a here, here and agree with you 100% this was not the place to post it. especially when you come here saying you deserve this surgery more then someone else! come on now!

and i dont want to seem insensitive to you plight....i was self pay and i understand where you are coming from. check into doctors in Mexico, it was amazing the difference in price. there is an excellent post about researching mexican doctors, that would be a good place for you to start.

[luluc 6]

why on earth does everyone jump down my throat for having an honest opinion the rants and raves area?!

I see now why so many people leave this board. Too many attacks!

but if you can rant - why can't we rave?

if you wanted support - there are other forums, if you wanted to b&^%h - you came to the right place. maybe you weren't prepared for honest feedback??

[Daisalana 33]

Ah crap, are we gonna get flamed for being annoying fat people again? :crying:

[want_so_bad 0]

Ah crap, are we gonna get flamed for being annoying fat people again? :crying:

careful, you will get toasted if you arent fat enough too! dont want to discriminate on size around here!

[Shalee04 7]

careful, you will get toasted if you arent fat enough too! dont want to discriminate on size around here!

Does this mean I have to regain some weight?:crying:

[green 6]

I can understand the opening poster's frustration. She is a young working woman with a very, very high BMI. Because she is seriously obese she feels that her health issues should be fixed and that this should be covered by her health insurance plan. Because she is supporting herself by working and is also paying into a health plan she feels that she is behaving in a responsible and adult manner and should be able to benefit from this health plan. I agree with her.

I paid for my own Lap Band surgery (up here where I live our provincial plan does not cover band surgery) and I was 200 lbs when I arranged to have it done. I am 5'6" and so didn't look all that big compared to some of the other women who were sharing the waiting room with me. This made me feel a little bit embarrassed initially but my weight gain, however, had been a steady post-menopausal gain and I was on a one-way street if I didn't have the surgery. This is a fact that perhaps the opening poster did not understand until she had it explained to her. I think that the other lower BMI folks who have posted on this thread have done a fine job of providing explanations as to why they, too, needed the surgery. I also think that the opening poster has indicated that she understands this and thus it is time to stop flaming her for her initial remarks. It's time to show her the sympathy and support that we all deserve.

[Ang1982 4]

Sorry I don't mean to be a bitch but to say that someone needs the surgery less than you if they only weigh 225 lbs sounds like you have some entitlement issues as well. You don't know those people, you don't know if they have co-morbidities and you don't know their life and their situations (health wise or financially) and that doesn't really give you the right to say that you deserve and would put it to better use than they would.

I know you are frustrated and I am sorry to hear that your insurance has the exclusion policy. I know forking out the money sucks (I'm self pay too) but in the end it will all be worth it. Like fluffycat said there are alternative places to go to to pay less money like Mexico or to Dr.Kirschenbaum in Denver ($9000-something with him) as long as you get your aftercare lined up where you live why not consider something like that.

I wish you the best of luck in your journey and I hope you are able to get things figured out so you can get the surgery underway. Hang in there, it will all be worth it in the end.

I stick with my original post and hope that it did not come off as a "flame" as it was more to point out that things may not be as cut and dry as they seem. I AM also very sincere when I say that I wish you the best of luck in your journey and that I hope everything works out for you. Getting the process started can be disheartening and frustrating and I truly do hope that you are able to get things worked out and get your band.

I can understand the opening poster's frustration. She is a young working woman with a very, very high BMI. Because she is seriously obese she feels that her health issues should be fixed and that this should be covered by her health insurance plan. Because she is supporting herself by working and is also paying into a health plan she feels that she is behaving in a responsible and adult manner and should be able to benefit from this health plan. I agree with her.

I paid for my own Lap Band surgery (up here where I live our provincial plan does not cover band surgery) and I was 200 lbs when I arranged to have it done. I am 5'6" and so didn't look all that big compared to some of the other women who were sharing the waiting room with me. This made me feel a little bit embarrassed initially but my weight gain, however, had been a steady post-menopausal gain and I was on a one-way street if I didn't have the surgery. This is a fact that perhaps the opening poster did not understand until she had it explained to her. I think that the other lower BMI folks who have posted on this thread have done a fine job of providing explanations as to why they, too, needed the surgery. I also think that the opening poster has indicated that she understands this and thus it is time to stop flaming her for her initial remarks. It's time to show her the sympathy and support that we all deserve.

And like I said above, I stick with my original post - I too am a young working woman who is self pay (I am the same age as the OP) with a starting BMI of 50. And I STILL do not think that her original assement of lesser weight people is correct. Like you Green, I also live in Canada and do not have it covered by provincial health care BUT I also pay into extended health care and it was not covered (exclusion policy) by them either - so I self paid. And yah it sucks.

HOWEVER, those points said - I agree with the statement to stop flaming her. While she may have posted in a Rants & Raves and didn't expect the response she got (as opposed to posting in a different forum section) there is no reason to flame. Like Green said - let's give her the sympathy and support we all deserve. Come on everyone - GROUP HUGS.

three sixty six, no one here wants you to not have the band. I am sure that we are all hoping for nothing but the best on you getting the band and having a successful surgery.

[luluc 6]

ah green, so great to see you posting - hope your doing well.!!.

the OP's frustration and anger is easily recognizable & understandable. it is however unfortunate to say one person is more deserving than others - not knowing the frustration of many self payers who tried to go the insurance route first...

personally, i think it's great lower bmi individuals are getting the Lap Band, because they are preventing the likely outcome of diseases that come with obesity. and if they can get insurance to pay for it = FANTASTIC!!!

hug away~~

[Daisalana 33]

I agree, it has absolutely nothing to do with my situation, but I know plenty of people who were normal BMI, and slowly but surely are creeping up. If I was in their shoes, I would love to get banded as a preventative measure. Adding to that however, all these people I know would never consider a bariatric surgery. Maybe one day they would, who knows.. but now they just keep saying they need to stick to a diet. I can't relate to them, just like they don't seem to relate to me.

With the portion sizes, and fat/calories in food these days, and so few people cooking, etc.. Obesity rate in America is grossly high, which I'm sure I don't need to point out, we've all seen the studies and epidemic cries.

[MrsFlipFlops 2]

I think a lot of people did attack her. But I put her thoughts in the same category of someone who WANTS to get pregnant but can't. When you're in that situation, you're looking around at a world full of pregnant happy women and thinking "Certainly I could provide a happier home than some of these women." It's that same mentality. When you want something that's currently out of grasp and you're (dare I say) yearning for it, it makes it more difficult.

I think it's fine you said what you said. You shouldn't have to apologize for your feelings. I do, however, think this board has WAY too sensitive people (not everyone, some). I can't imagine getting all upset over every little thing like some people do. Too much drama.

[anonemouse 1]

I agree, it has absolutely nothing to do with my situation, but I know plenty of people who were normal BMI, and slowly but surely are creeping up. If I was in their shoes, I would love to get banded as a preventative measure. Adding to that however, all these people I know would never consider a bariatric surgery. Maybe one day they would, who knows.. but now they just keep saying they need to stick to a diet. I can't relate to them, just like they don't seem to relate to me.

With the portion sizes, and fat/calories in food these days, and so few people cooking, etc.. Obesity rate in America is grossly high, which I'm sure I don't need to point out, we've all seen the studies and epidemic cries.

Yep, that's why I got banded. According to my doc's scale, I was 225 pounds, which put me at a BMI of 40. According to my scale, I was 222 and had a BMI of 39+ (I like mine better). I didn't have full-blown diabetes, but I did have insulin resistance. I also had PCOS, asthma, very high cholesterol, etc. I have extremely strong family histories of diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, strokes, etc., so I knew that if I didn't take care of my obesity problem now, I'd just wind up with more problems later on. I'm sure not going to apologize because my insurance paid for my surgery. (Mostly, anyway. I still paid about $8,000 out of pocket.) That's because I DID need surgery. I've been through enough diets and crap in the past that I knew myself enough to know that I was never going to lose that extra weight, and that I'd eventually be massive if I kept on like I was. Just because someone is smaller than you, doesn't mean that they don't need the surgery just as much as you do.

So yes, we will support you in your search to find a surgeon and have this surgery. We can point the way to a lot of very good surgeons that offer good self-pay deals, even if that means going out of the country for surgery, and we can suggest ideas about diets and aftercare. But all we ask in return is that you also support US, no matter what our pre-surgery size.

[mstars 0]

well I would not have done it but plenty of people go to mexico and do it for $6800 plus airfare. I got it done in TX for 11,900 total.

[green 6]

Yep, that's why I got banded. According to my doc's scale, I was 225 pounds, which put me at a BMI of 40. According to my scale, I was 222 and had a BMI of 39+ (I like mine better). I didn't have full-blown diabetes, but I did have insulin resistance. I also had PCOS, asthma, very high cholesterol, etc. I have extremely strong family histories of diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, strokes, etc., so I knew that if I didn't take care of my obesity problem now, I'd just wind up with more problems later on. I'm sure not going to apologize because my insurance paid for my surgery. (Mostly, anyway. I still paid about $8,000 out of pocket.) That's because I DID need surgery. I've been through enough diets and crap in the past that I knew myself enough to know that I was never going to lose that extra weight, and that I'd eventually be massive if I kept on like I was. Just because someone is smaller than you, doesn't mean that they don't need the surgery just as much as you do.

So yes, we will support you in your search to find a surgeon and have this surgery. We can point the way to a lot of very good surgeons that offer good self-pay deals, even if that means going out of the country for surgery, and we can suggest ideas about diets and aftercare. But all we ask in return is that you also support US, no matter what our pre-surgery size.

Great response.

[snuffy65 1]

why on earth does everyone jump down my throat for having an honest opinion the rants and raves area?!

I see now why so many people leave this board. Too many attacks!

1. your in rants and raves (anything goes!).

2. You attacked lower bmi people, like they aren't deserving enough.

3. Lastly, you tell people not to post any help. You left everyone else in no other choices on a response.

Now for my rant. It's nobodys fault you didn;t get covered. Your insurance can cover it unless your company says so. Your company doesn't want to pay the rider. You don't want to pay anything.

Yes some people get lucky and some people don't. However in my personal opinion. If you don't want to spend the $17,500.00 or research any other alternatives then maybe the band is not for you.

The band takes alot of effort, and if your giving up already then you won't put the effort in the band.

One last thing. Other then "rants and raves" forum I almost never seen a hostile or belittleing post. And if there was one it gets moved or removed pretty fast.

Edited April 16, 2008 by snuffy65