Just starting Lap Band Journey...

Hello everyone. I just started the WLS and Lap Band journey last week. I have learned a lot from this website. I have attending the education class at Southern Surgical here in Greenville and plan on using Dr. Naziri. Has anyone used this group or this Dr.? I also have Empire BC/BS and would appreciate hearing anyone's experiences with them too. Thanks.

Hi Belinda. I'm in Winterville too and just wanted to say hello. I had an RNY with Dr Chapman about 6 weeks ago at Pitt. It was a good experience, he's a great surgeon. I can't speak for Naziri and MacDonald as I didn't use them, but I hear good things about them. Good luck with the process and feel free to email me if you need to talk. Take care. ~Ellen

How were things at Pitt? What insurance steps did you have to go through? Thanks.

I liked Pitt very much, as hospitals go. The staff was very attentive and it was well equipped for morbidly obese patients. My family says that the waiting during surgery was very well thought out. Dr. Chapman is a very experienced surgeon as well, I had/have great confidence in him. All in all, it was a good experience. As far as insurance goes, I have a different company than you do. I had a 6 month doctor supervised diet, I saw my PCP once a month. I had to meet with a nutritionist once a week during that 6 months. I also had to join a gym and provide the insurance company with proof that I'd exercised at least twice a week for 6 months. There was a psych eval and several other tests that had to be done. I was fortunate to have no co-morbidities, so I didn't have to do the sleep apnea study or any further heart tests other than the EKG. I hope all goes smoothly with you. Take care. ~Ellen

Belinda - I just started the Lap-Band journey too. All the paperwork that they've asked for so far is completed and sent in including psych eval. I'm 100lbs overweight and have Type II Diabetes; started insulin last Fall. My first eductaional class at Frye Medical Center in Hickory is Wednesday May 2nd. I have Cigna ins and they require the same routine that Ellen did. What did you learn at the eductaional class? Because I have always regained the weight back after the latest diet (I actually always had to starve to lose weight), I decided on Lap-Band. If I lose weight I don't want to be able to put it back on! just tighten the belt! I read that they are now banding RYN patients. Ellen - I'm curious, did your ins pay for the monthly visits to PCP? My PCP had advised that Cigna may not because it's not routine but she wasn't sure. Was the nutritionist one from your WLS program? Joanna in Boone

Joanna- My insurance paid for the bulk of the monthly visits. The office just had to be careful how they coded it. I don't know enough about the difference in codes to tell you what they did right and wrong, but I do know that they paid for all but one visit after they changed diagnoses. Take care. ~Ellen

Hi Belinda and Joanna, I'm Sheila down in Wilm. and I'm 9 weeks post op for LapBand! I was a self pay and used Dr Bauman in Concord ( his office is EXCELLENT!). I am 27 lbs lighter than Jan and down almost 40 lbs since Thanksgiving. The Band is an absolute blessing for me- love not always feeling hungry or obsessing over my next meal- I now eat simply to provide my body will fuel. It's such an exciting, yet anxious time when you are busy jumping thru all the pre op hoops- but we welcome you to the losser's bench and can't wait to follow your success! Take care, Sheila

Hello......I also started my WLS and Lap Band journey last week. I have attended the infomation session and I'm getting together my required 5 year weight history (BCBS) BMI 49 .I have my first appointment scheduled for May 18. I know it's normal to want things to move quickley! Any idea how long the process start to surgery usually takes?