Wow, you sound just like my husband.  I had the band and love the results that I have had and am looking forward to alot more weightloss.  My husband is trying to do it the non weightloss surgery way and isn't ready yet for a surgery.  I also went through one last weightloss attempt on my one and when that failed, I knew it had to be done because I couldn't do it on my own.  Give it time and when you are ready, you will know it. Good luck, Chrissy

I received my band on the 22 of January, I was so excited, so driven to do well, and I did: until.  Untill the surgery restriction lessened.  Until I could eat what I didn't want with no problem.  I am sad now.  I feel slow.  I feel like i have sabotaged myself again even after spending all this money, healing, facing myself and my family.  I get my first fill tomarrow and cant wait for the feeling of full to be less than two plates of dinner, less than handfulls of empty calories.  I guess I could use someone who has been here to tell me how this is normal.  I need to hear I am one of many in this private battle of mine. 

Well its been one week since my surgery and I have lost 23 pounds in the 1st week...is that too much?  I have lost a total of 35 whi*****ludes right before surgery.  Very happy but thats a lot.

Thanks 
Charlotte

You should personally go through your insurance companies requirements. Alot of insurance companies will one year be ok with something and the next year remove that program. It's all about costs, benefits, and profits with insurance companies. You can have the surgery paid through by yourself through cash or have it financed (there are credit cards and loan programs just for weight loss surgery) but not many people can afford that. Medicaid also provides the surgery but then you have to see if you qualify for that insurance and see if you qualify for their requirements for the surgery. The Obesity Action Coalition has a brochure that discusses appealing an insurance denial: http://www.obesityaction.org/resources/insurance/appealingad eniedclaim.php The website has alot of other good resources. Here is an excerpt from the website that seems to fit your situation:

“Excluded Procedure” Categorization In the event the denial was categorized as an “Excluded Procedure,” once again, make sure the correct codes were used. At this point, make sure all factors of your morbid obesity status have been reported, such as co-morbid conditions that affect you (heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc.). Once you have the correct codes, if they were incorrect, and a letter from your doctor stating your current health condition (including all co-morbid conditions), resubmit (Please click here for a sample letter).

Some insurance providers are limited by the state in which they operate, as to the number of appeals they can accept from patients. If you have reached the maximum number of appeals from your insurance provider, you may be eligible for an external review.

If your state offers external reviews of denials, you have the right to request a review of the HMO’s decision concerning the complaint or appeal within 365 days after receipt of the final decision letter from your insurance provider. For a definition of External Review, please see the Glossary of Health Insurance Provider Terms. Good luck!!!

I had gastric bypass surgery on March 15, 2007. My husband is active duty army and I had my surgery in the military treatment facility (Evans Army Community Hospital). So that makes my story very different from what yours will be. I have attended many support groups with people that are both lap band and gastric bypass and have talked online with many that have had both. Wherever you are considering having your surgery that should have an orientation class that goes over some of the basics of the surgery, the process, and their "norms". You should also be able to ask questions...bring in a list of them, they will be more than happy to answer.  Before my surgery I was information starved...the more I learned the more I wanted to learn. I think that is an awesome attitude to have. "I read that you should avoid carbonated drinks after surgery" Absolutely. Some people will and do drink carbonated drinks sometime after their surgeries...but it is not recommended at all. Carbonation in drinks depletes the body of calcium, other nutrients, and is useless nutritionally. Everything you put in your mouth needs to serve a purpose. You don't have that much room so you need to make what you do get in worth it. "for a major Dt. Coke addict that was a bit of a shock." With gastric bypass we can't have soda or anything with sugar in it at all or we get sick. Some people can tolerate more sugar than others...but I can't have hardly any. Lap banders are a bit more flexible with what they can eat and tolerate after surgery. But you have to go into this surgery with the attitude that you will be giving up your addiction to food. I didn't believe I was addicted to food until after my surgery when I wasn't even hungry and I wanted to eat everything...it was head hunger. If you look at your situation as an improvement in your health that will also result in a better quality of life and emotional happiness...then you might be able to get over some of these small sacrifices. I was addicted to Coke and tons of other foods. If we weren't addicted to food we would never have become obese. These weight loss surgeries are out interventions for our food addictions. The surgery is a shock and it takes some time to get used to. It takes quite a bit longer for lap banders to see the weight loss that gastric bypass patients see...but even for us it takes awhile to see the difference in ourselves...We wake up thinking it's going to melt off immediately...but it takes a few months. In the mean time we don't have our comfort food...our friend for so long. "But at this point there is very little I wouldn't give up to get rid of this weight" You really have to commit to these surgeries. Lap band's can be removed (and even their own website states that lap bands probably need to be replaced at some point...the body rejects foreign objects) but you need to have the mental determination to go through with the process with all the negative aspects. Almost everyone is sucessful with these surgeries and almost everyone is very happy that they did it. "1.) How long did it take you to get in for a consult?" I had an appointment with my primary care physician sometime in December...had my consult in middle of January...had all my appointments, tests, etc done and surgery was scheduled for beggining of March but pushed back to March 15th because someone else needed an emergency surgery (my surgeon is a general surgeon so he treats other problems).
"2.) Were you denied by insurance, and if so why or how did you resolve it?" Different insurance companies require different things. My insurance didn't even approve me...at a military treatment center it is at the discreation of the surgeon as to whether or not we need the surgery. This is helpful for people who are 0.1 under the BMI for the insurance company. I was above and beyond the requirements for the surgeon and the insurance company. Research what your insurance companies requirements are to have the surgery and start getting paperwork to show you qualify. "3.) How long was it between your first consult and the actual surgery?" 3 months. However, alot of civilian insurance companies require 1 year of documented nutrition counseling and dieting attempts before they even start you on the path to surgical intervention. Almost everyone also requires certain testing (gall bladder ultrasounds, blood tests, pysch evals, etc.). Some also require a certain amount of support group attendence. So it will also depend on how determined you are to get all of these appointments completed and paperwork sent back to your doc. "4.) Was there anything that happened after the surgery that you weren't expecting? " I think alot of lap banders don't lose as much weight as they wanted. I've met alot of lap banders that eventually have gastric bypass so they can lose the rest of their weight...it can be really hard for the gradual weight loss while enduring the hardship of not being able to eat what you want. Lap banders lose their weight in 2-3 years (depending on how hard they are working...if they are dieting right...exercising...and lucky with their metabolism). Gastric bypass you lose most of your weight in the first 6 months with most of it gone in 1 year....we also lose more than lap banders. I am not trying to convert you I'm just stating the facts. There have been scientific studies saying that if you are significantly obese that gastric bypass is much more sucessful than lap bands. It seems the more light weight obese patients have lap bands. When I originally started wanting a weight loss surgery I wanted the lap band. But the more I looked into it for my situation I realised that gastric bypass is what I needed. There are many many sucessful people with both surgeries...everyone has to figure out what's best for them...because they are different. I had alot of pain after my surgery...but I had a previous c-section with the same amount of pain. Most gastric bypass patients don't have much pain. Almost all lap band patients are in and out the same day with only mild soreness. Mild depression is common after surgery because we are losing one of our best coping mechanisms...food. It's not one we should have though...but it's the one we were using and it's harder to adjust to that for some people. "5.) What was the process between the first consult, and the surgery itself (like psych testing, having to go through a diet program, what/how long is the pre-op diet, etc.)?" -My psych testing was taking a computer exam saying if I heard voices and talking with a doc for about 30 minutes to make sure I understood the permenent reprecussions and stress of a major surgery. It was easy and quick.  - Had two two-hour nutrition classes detailing how to eat right after surgery. - Had a gall bladder ultrasound to make sure I didn't have any stones...after gastric bypass with such quick massive weight loss you can get stones...if you already have some they just take our your gall bladder during the surgery. - Had some blood work done. - Went to a support group meeting to make sure I knew there was support out there for me before and after surgery. - We had no diet program or pre-surgery diet or anything. - We had an orientation with the surgical nurses going over the surgery and what to expect in the hospital.
"6.) Did you lose any weight between the initial consult and your surgery, and did that affect anything about your surgery?" Some hospitals require that you are under a BMI of 50 so you want to make sure that you are under that mark...I've heard of people being weighed right before surgery and if they had gained a pound they would have cancelled. I imagine you just need to talk to your surgeon or nurse to see what their requirements are. I went from 302 lbs to 298 lbs and it didn't effect anything. But I could drop or gain 10 lbs due to hydration.

Surgery within a few weeks is not normal. Surgery within a few months is lightening fast and not likely. Waiting for surgery for a year happens frequently. I think the average person probably has to wait around 6 months. It is very different for each program and insurance company. I highly suggest going to a support group in your area where you can talk to other people who have been there and done that in your exact situation. Good luck!