New in MN

[Hoping4LB 0]

Hi everyone! I've lurked here for a while and thought I'd post my "story."

About 2 years ago, I went through all of the pre-approval stuff for the LapBand and I didn't do it. I think it was a combination of being scared and the success I had on my pre-approval diet. I thought "Surely I can do this without surgery!" I lost about 25 pounds and regained about 35. This puts me at my highest weight EVER! :scared2: I keep thinking, what if I'd done it then? I might be at goal weight now!!!

So, here I am, pursuing the LapBand again. The difference is, this time I'm doing it! I've done my seminar and my initial consultation with the Fairview Southdale Weight Loss Clinic. I need to do a 6 month supervised diet before I can be approved. Initially this annoyed me, but now I'm just using it as a time to get my thoughts in order and to practice eating the way I will have to eat after surgery.

I've gotten a lot of great information from this site, so thank you to everyone for that! :drool:

[plain 12]

Welcome to lapbandtalk, hoping! It sounds like you are on your way. Good luck!

[jctengles 0]

welcome, I too am in MN. I have just started jumping through the hoops for insurance. I have already done three of the six month supervised diet with my PCP and then he reffered me to the surgeon for the LB. I attended the seminar, but now having a hard time even getting an initial appt with the surgeon. My BMI is only 38 and with none of the listed co-morbidities ( I am borderline), the insurance staff for the surgeon will not schedule an appt. I am in the process of getting previous medical history of my weight for her to show that my BMI has been over 35 for two years. I have other medical conditions that my PCP and the BCBS nurse said may make me eligible for WLS, but I need to see the surgeon. How can I see the surgeon when the insurance specialist for the clinic will not schedule me? I explained to her that I had called and talked to a nurse at BCBS and explained about my health history and was adivised by BCBS to see the LB surgeon. So this is a real turn around to have to jump through hoops for the surgeon's office, and not the insurance company.

[Hoping4LB 0]

Which clinic are you going through? Could you try another one??

[jctengles 0]

I was going to go through the clinic in Sartell. But after talking with them again today I decided to go back to my PCP to continue my diet and for all my testing I need done and then to find a surgeon in the cities. The lady told me today that it is a waste of time to schedule with the surgeon if I do not meet their WLS requirements or have the major co-morbities to go with my BMI of 38 . I explained I had been talking to the BCBS access nurse and they told me to start with the surgeon, but this clinic just keeps telling me that it's a waste of time. So I said that I will just go back to my PCP and get a refferral for a different surgeon and she agreed that would be a good idea. I am really frustrated with the clinic here. So now I am up for any suggestions for a great WLS surgeon in the Minneapolis/ north metro area.