wahooooo!!!! lap band lowered its weight guidelines

my dh and i were chit-chatting when by the corner of my ear, i heard on the news that wls lapband is lowering its weight standards.
now u can be between 50 and 75 pds over weight to be able to have the surgery . i think this is freakin-fan-tastic . will wls double in numbers now?
what are your thoughts ??????

Yes - I heard they were thinking about it.  Yes, I think it will allow more people to have the surgery - but will the insurance companies change their requirements?

I think it's great that lap-band has lowered it's requirements.  I don't think insurance companies will be jumping on that band wagon anytime soon and many surgeons may take time to accept patients with the lower BMI's.  It will be interesting to see how the medical communitiy handles this.

 I actually think it's a band aid for weight loss patients...and an easy out for insurance companies.
The band is much riskier than other WLS...it has failure rates..it often needs to come out...it can do damage to our stomachs...it's easier because it can be done outpatient and does not require overnight stay...in the long run it will be bad...there will be lawsuits and problems...if insurance companies really cared about their patients they would use a safer method and give us the surgeries we require at lower weights entirely and pay for the overnight in the hospital...it is just like when they first introduced the breast implants...after leaks and infections and deaths they realized that they had to put more time and money into it and do it right...that's ONLY my opinion...there was a time when I wanted the band and would have been thrilled to learn that the band was available...I also self paid so I was NOT at the mercy of insurance companies...this is a a problem because we are all desperate to lose weight and will get lap bands when it may not be the best treatment...I am not saying this to disparage those with lap bands who have been succesful . I just worry about the reasoning of the insurance companies which is always finacially driven not necessarily in the best interest of the patient...now that many people are able to pay themselves for the surgery the insurance companies want in on it...to make money and overcharge...why don't they just lower the standards for all WLS...because the others require hospital stays...and on and on and on..
SEAVIEW

 I thinks its great it that's what you decide to do! I'm very happy to have had my lap band almost 6 months ago... i know many ppl don't think lap bands work.. but all i knw is with my drs and the way they run things its very successful 
another thing, i stayed over in the hospital, they didn't just have u leave .. i see my Dr every month to see how I'm doing.. for me if i wanted to have the rny i would have had to wait a few months until i lost a few pounds on my own !! i was at first going to do that but then said umm hello if I'm going to wait more time then whats the point so i went and never looked back! 
as with anything of course you have to do your homework and do whats best for you!! 

i also never knew there was so many different types of WLS  wow!! i think my drs only do the RNY and Lap Band.. but again i don't know i would have to ask just so i know... 


i wish everyone well success with what ever they chose as we r all here for the same reason !! 
Deborah 

My prediction is that in 2 years insurance will be refusing to pay for bands due to such high failure rates and complication rates. I am super happy for anyone the band is working for, I am just baseing this on the overwhelming failure rates . I think LapBand is being forced to do this now that docs are suggesting the band less and less often. My last support group meeting had FOUR failed bands going for sleeve revisions (2already had it and were at goal!) and there were no band preops.