Questions for a newbie considering lapband

Hi everyone, I am new to these boards and have been researching lap band surgery for a few months.  I have not been to any seminars and haven't even talked to my PCP about it yet. A little nervous about it.  I have a few questions for you all though since you all seem very helpful! 1.  How did your fmaily respond to you wanting the surgery?  My sister, who is also my best friend thinks it is taking the easy way out and I am crazy for even thinking about it.  And yes she is over weight too. 2.  Does having 2 c-section and one laproscopic surgery effect me maybe having the surgery? 3.  I have check with my insurance and they have NO criteria to meet other then a BMI over 40. And my co-pay says $500 for the stay or something? I have read on here some people had to be overweight for 5 years before having the surgery.  Was this your doctors criteria or insurance?  4.  My insurance did say that the doctor had to be on some list called INAMED/bio-Enterics training program for lapband, how do I find out if the doctor is on the list? 5.  How long did it take you from start to finish to get a surgery date?  I know every insurance and doctor is different, but my insurance sure made it sound easy that as long as you qualify from the doctor it would only take a few days for approval. Thanks for any information you have! Leanne

Welcome to our board! Even though I didn't have a Lap-Band I hope someone else can respond to you quickly. My family had mixed emotions when I told them I wanted to have weight loss surgery. Originally they all wanted me to try the band. I wanted the RNY because I wanted quicker weight loss and my BMI was too high for a band to be AS successful as it could be for someone who is a "lightweight". I don't know if having the previous surgeries will effect you being able to have the surgery, it may make it tougher to do your surgery laproscopically. Again that depends on your surgeon also. My insurance only required that I be morbidly obese and it be medically necessary. My doctor asked for documentation of my having been obese for 5 years etc etc, just to have it in case insurance wanted it. I could only produce 3 years though because my old doctor when I lived in KY wasn't practicing and we couldn't come up with it I am not sure about the INAMED/Bio-Enterics training thing but maybe you can call your insurance and ask them to recommend someone. My group/first consult with my surgeon was May 21st. Psych eval was June 4, Preop testing and classes were the last couple weeks of July and my surgery was scheduled for Aug 1 but they bumped it up to July 31. Sooo just a little over 2 months. Hope this helps some!!!

 Hi Leanne, I had Lap Band in '05, and it was the best choice I have ever made! I didn't want to go with RNY, because I was aprehensive about having my 'furniture' re-arranged inside my gut  and I liked the idea of controling it even the littlest bit. 1 - My immediate family (DH & kids) were very supportive of my choice, I was facing borderline everything and after having back surgery (in '03) I needed something permenant to keep my weight down. My folks were away till after I had it already done, surprised I did it - but very supportive! 2- I had 1 C-session, Back surgery, Carpel tunnel surgery, and a hysterectomy and that didn't stop me. I don't think you will have to worry about that. I just have 3 tiny 'dots' on my belly and 1 inch or so scar that's it. 3- Check with your ins for sure, and make sure you jump through all the hoops they want so you get the coverage you need. Mine didn't cover - no ifs or buts - so I paid out of pocket, IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! My team worked with me on a payment plan, so teams do so check if you need to. 4- I did the first consultation with them in march to see if that's what I wanted, had the surgery end of May, quick because I paid on my own, sometimes you have to wait and 'jump' for the ins to cover. Once I decided that's what I wanted, it was just a week or so and it was done. **I was in the hospital one night, and back to work the next day (I just sat at the desk registering campers and answering the phones). You may need a week off or more if  you have a more physical job. Really only had a little tenderness around the scars, and a little sore where they placed the port. The hardest thing to train myself on was eating very slowly, but since I hate to puke, I was extra careful!** I hope that answered some of  your questions, feel free to ask me more if you like. check my bio and contact me. Take care, and I'm glad you're checking things out...it's a step in the right direction. Don't let anyone tell you it's the easy way out, making this 'diet' choice is a 'lifestyle change' and not one to be taken lightly. You are in it for the long haul, not just another yo-yo diet, this is for life, and a healthy one too! God Bless! Hope

Thanks for your information.  I did call one doctors office today and they said you had to be overweight for 5 years.  My insurance said that does not matter to them.  My problem with this, is I didn't not even have a doctor until last year.  I supposed my OB-GYN would have my once a year weight at their office, but thats it.   Is there a doctor out there that does not require you to be overweight for 5 years?  I had my first son in 2002 and weighed 236 when I delivered, and have pretty much stayed that weight ever since.  With a few diets here and there losing it and then gaining it all right back.  But I do not have any medical history from a doctor that would show my continuous weight except my OB-GYN. I really want this, but am getting discouraged already from even looking into with a doctor.  Not to mention that whole list they want the doctor to be, the lady at the office I called had no idea what I was even talking about!

Being in Northern Indiana, I'm not familiar with the WLS centers in the Indy area, I would check out all you options there, go and see if you can get a 'free consultation' some of the centers do that, mine did. Having worked in a Drs office, sometimes the front desk doesn't have a clue about what the docs really needor what the ins really need, so your best bet would be to try and actually get a consultation. My team didn't ask me about the '5 yrs', but I have struggled with my weight since I was a kid, so that may be why. Plus, I only have lived in Indiana for a few yrs and they never asked my previous dr. Don't get discouraged, keep searching, the reight team for you is out there! Hope

Hi Leeanne There is nothing easy about losing weight, by having lap band or gastric bypass is a lifetime job.  It is a tool to assist you, not a miracle.   My family was very supportive, my husband which weighs maybe 160 lbs and is 6 foot tall, he told Dr Huse at our semiar that if he could go through the surgery with me then he would, so he would know what I was going through.   About the C-section and other surgeries, I would advice to speak to your PCP or contact a surgeon office and ask them.  The obesity for 5 years or more is something that comes from the insurance companies. The list of doctors should be something that you can obtain from your insurance company, or their website. You are right about taking different times because of insurance.  It took me about 9 months, because the insurance company we had when I first started checking into the gastric bypass surgery had all these criteria that had to be met, I was denied and I appealed, I was denied again, and I decide to wait, because my company was switching health coverage at the first of the year.  On January 4, 2006 I contacted United Health and they told me what their criteria was, which I already met, I contact Dr Huses office gave them my new insurance inforamtion and asked them to submit the forms to my new insurance, in least then 2 weeks I was approved and had my surgery date.   I hope this helps.   Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

My insurance is also United Health Care, and they said the only criteria was a BMI of 40 or higher, nothing else.. I asked more then once just to make sure I was hearing it right! I will ask them about this list they are talking about though and see what I can find out!

I was also surprise when I contacted them, they are a wonderful insurance company.  When I contacted them we had only had health insurance with them for 4 days, they also told me that about the BMI and they also told me that I had to 18 years of age.  Let me know if there is anything I can do to helP.  Merry Christmas

I'm 3 weeks out from my lap-band and loving it.  I spent one night in the hospital, less than 24 hours, and one week off from work.  That was plenty.  I feel great, no pain now for one week, and my energy is already improving.  So far I'm lucky in that I feel some restriction without a fill. To try to answer your questions: 1.  My family and friends are all very supportive.  They've seen me struggle with my weight for years, and once I explained that I was only enlisting the help of this tool and the team that comes with it (surgeon, nutritionists, support groups and this board) they were understanding.  I've tried weigh****chers, diet and exercise for years and failed.  I'd be insane to keep trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. 2.  Prior surgeries should not be a problem, unless for some reason you had extensive scar tissue inside, and there's no way to know that until the time of surgery.  Don't worry about it. 3.  Sounds like a good deal with your insurance company.  Make sure you know your out-of-pocket maximum for the year ... the $500 may be for the hospital stay, but there's also the surgeons fee, the pre-op testing, and the fills in the office later.  By the way, most insurance companies do NOT cover the fills, so ask about this, ask whatever surgeon you eventually choose what they charge for a fill, and put aside extra money into a health savings account if possible.  My surgeon's criteria was BMI > 40, pass the psych eval, and willing to commit to the program.  Nothing about 5 years. 4.  I'm guessing the training program is just to make sure the surgeon is experienced in lap-band.  As you choose a surgeon, that's something you can specifically ask of their office. 5.  My first pre-op seminar and meeting with surgeon was 8/16, I had the psych eval the next week, and was approved by insurance exactly 4 weeks later.  I could have chosen an earlier surgery date by a few weeks, but I needed time to get work schedule rearranged, so I had surgery on 11/30.  I think your next step is to attend a bariatric surgery seminar.  All the major hospitals offer them for free, a group meeting where you can learn about the two main surgical choices, and then if you choose you can have a one-on-one consult with the surgeon (this part is not free).  You can go through as many seminars as you want, to meet with different surgeons.  Each seminar is hosted by one surgeon at a time, the centers can tell you who's doing them when.  Depending on where in town you live, I'd suggest either St. Vincent Carmel, Clarian North or St. Francis.  You can go to their web sites or call the hospital operators to ask for more info on the seminars.  Of course, I highly recommend my surgeon, he does a lot of lap-bands and he's very personable.  He's busy, and I hear right now his surgery schedule is out to April.  But he's worth the wait. Feel free to send me a message if any questions.