Time Frame...?

[MissD 0]

Hi All~

I'm a newbie and just starting my "journey." :drool: Nothing I've tried in the past has worked so I'm considering banding. So far... I'm in! I'm nervous, but I'm in!

What I'm wondering is...

From the time that one makes the decision to "go for it," how long till you actually get banded? Days? Weeks? Months?

I called and talked to the place I'll go if I "go for it," and they made it sound like it could be within a week or 2... not that I have a problem with this- but is that a realistic time frame?

I'm going to an "information session" a week from tomorrow, and they told me I can schedule my "consult" at the session. After the consult, if all goes well, they schedule banding. Could it really happen that quick?

Any info any one is willing to share will be greatly appreciated.

[Brockbabe82 0]

I think it really depends. My surgeons time line was about 3-9 months depending on how fast I did all my requirements. I had to attend 2 support meetings, to psych evals, 2 nutritionists, get some blood work done, take and online test. etc. Then you have insurance approval times, which vary. My process was from June-November, so 5 months. I think it really just depends. I hope your process speeds by though. Good luck.

[gone 4 ever 6]

Are you self pay? that makes a big difference. Mine was done within 2 weeks of initial consult. With insurance it is a whole different ball game.

[mary on a mission 0]

I think it's all over the page, depending on where you are, your payment situation, etc. I am in Greensboro NC, and I started the process in November 08. My surgery date is 7/7/09. I felt like it took forever. Even after all the requirements were met, the surgeon's office has a 2 month backup. I was bummed when I saw here that some were banded within a couple of weeks or a month, but I know everything happens for a reason, and July is almost here!

[mary on a mission 0]

I think it's all over the page, depending on where you are, your payment situation, etc. I am in Greensboro NC, and I started the process in November 08. My surgery date is 7/7/09. I felt like it took forever. Even after all the requirements were met, the surgeon's office has a 2 month backup. I was bummed when I saw here that some were banded within a couple of weeks or a month, but I know everything happens for a reason, and July is almost here!

[mary on a mission 0]

I think it's all over the page, depending on where you are, your payment situation, etc. I am in Greensboro NC, and I started the process in November 08. My surgery date is 7/7/09. I felt like it took forever. Even after all the requirements were met, the surgeon's office has a 2 month backup. I was bummed when I saw here that some were banded within a couple of weeks or a month, but I know everything happens for a reason, and July is almost here!:tongue_smilie:

[maclynn 0]

My decision to have the lapband was because I have never been sucessful keeping weight off that I've lost in the past. At one point, I thought I'd done it. I kept 50# off for 7 years but then in the course of less than 2 years gained it all back. When the scale hit my starting weight I knew that I would be headed even further up so I finally asked my PCP if a lapband was right for me after my daughter spoke of a co-worker having the procedure.

Because of insurance requirements, it took me a little over 10 months from the time I asked my PCP about it until I was banded. One month was getting into the seminar, six months for the diet required by my insurance company and then the rest was timing of getting into my surgeon's office, pre-surgery and then a delay of a month because of work obligations.

I am now a little over one month post surgery and in 'bandsters hell', which means that I do not yet have the restriction to keep my eating to about a 1/2 cup of food three times a day so it's mostly dieting and exercise. The band right now keeps me from overeating but I get hungry in about three hours instead of five.

Good luck with your journey. I think it was one of the best decisions I've every made.

[TopTier 0]

Yes, I think self-pay makes a huge difference. I was rejected by my insurance company (our police doesn't cover any Weight Loss Surgery at all) in early June and after liquidating some assets to get the money, my surgery is scheduled from June 24.

[Who'sThere 331]

Well, by the time I have my surgery (July 7) my journey will have taken 13 months. I went to my PCP last June. He said he thought I would be a "great candidate" which really surprised me since he is usually very conservative. He said he needed to do some bloodwork, though, before he could write my referral. He said I would need this for the surgeon. Well, I found out that I need thyroid meds. It took two months from that point to get my thyroid under control with medicine. So, it was August before I got my referral. I didn't hear back from the surgeon's office for several weeks, and during that time, I did some homework on the surgeons in my area. My initial appointment was in October with a surgeon in Kingsport (about 30 miles away). However, I didn't even end up going to that appointment. I talked to some people in the office and between their evasiveness and the surgeon's required program fee (which is bull in my opinion) I decided he was NOT the surgeon for me. I chose to go with Dr. Hodge in Johnson City (about 45 miles away) but I couldn't get in to see him until December. I took him being so busy as a good sign, and I decided it would pay me to be patient. At that appointment, I found out I would have to do a 6mo. doctor supervised diet for both my insurance and the surgeon. He wants to know that his patients are willing to follow instructions before committing to the surgery. The wait has really been a good thing, though, I think.

During the time between my first consult with my PCP and my first appointment with the surgeon, I did a lot of research about the band and surgeons in the area. During my six month diet time, I did all the required "homework" for my surgeon. That consisted of a psych evaluation, two support group meetings, a nutritionist appointment, getting five years of weight records from my PCP, writing a letter from myself to the surgeon, and getting a letter from my PCP recommending the surgery. (I would also have had to have an X-Ray of my gall bladder if I still had one.)

Since my approval (Friday) I received a packet of information about what all I will need to do in the next few weeks. I have to have several other blood tests, and EKG, a chest XR, uranalysis, and even a MRSA nasal swab. However, these are all scheduled for the same day, so it should go pretty smoothly.

Other than waiting to see the surgeon, it would take at least six months from start to surgery with my particular surgeon because he requires the 6mo. pre surgery diet of everyone, self pay or not. However, that does vary greatly depending on your surgeon.

Good luck, and don't get discouraged if it isn't speedy. Just take that as a time to get mentally and physically prepared.:tongue_smilie: