Getting banded when you have <100lbs to lose...

mommakatx2 · 08-23-2007, 03:28 PM

I'd love to hear from anyone who has been banded with LESS than 100lbs to lose. I fall in to this category (though barely). I have about 85lbs to lose. I have been heavy my entire life. Fat kid, fat teen, less fat young adult when I starved myself, fat adult. I have done every diet with success of about 25lbs. After 25lbs it's almost as if my body says "nuh-uh, not gonna lose any more". I have severe self-esteem issues related to my weight. I also have physical discomforts such as joint pain, asthma that is getting worse, and very large breasts that cause a lot of neck and shoulder pain.

I am just DONE. Not only is my BMI too "low" (34.4) to qualify in the US, but my insurance wouldn't cover it anyway (Tricare).

I have lots of questions...

What was your process like? Where did you go? Private pay or insurance? Worth it? Do you feel like the LAP-BAND^® was a last-ditch effort to be a normal weight? Did you approach your family practitioner about the LAP-BAND^® and what was their response?

I'm scared to even approach the subject with a family doc. The last time I went to be seen for my weight the doc told me to go on a diet. Well DUH!!! As if I had never thought of it or done it before. I'm afraid a doc will laugh in my face if I ask about the LAP-BAND^® because I only have 85lbs to lose.

Sorry this got so long...thanks for staying with me if you made it this far.

If you had less than 100 to lose, I'd love to hear from you.

sistergirl · 08-23-2007, 03:50 PM

I have referred several friends who have weighed less than 100 lbs to have LAP-BAND^® surgery. One only needed to loose 40 lbs., but it had been the same 40 lbs. she had been carrying around for 15 years. One friend needed to loose 60 lbs. and one needed to loose 55 lbs. I needed to loose 98 lbs. which is what I have lost since my LAP-BAND^® surgery. My insurance would not pay either. It was $15,000 where I live so I went Tijuana and had mine done. I love my band and it has been an awesome experience.

sweethot143 · 08-23-2007, 03:52 PM

hi, I can relate to you somewhat here. I only had 40lbs to lose until my hubby went on his remote to Korea and i gained 60 lbs in that year! so that bumped me to 100lbs to lose. I too have tricare.

We are stationed in Europe so the surgery is much cheaper here, i took out a home equity loan on a home we own in the states. my surgery only cosst 5k, so not too bad and I made sure the dr. uses the american band and he was trained in the states as well.

WASaBubbleButt · 08-23-2007, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommakatx2

What was your process like? Where did you go? Private pay or insurance? Worth it? Do you feel like the LAP-BAND^® was a last-ditch effort to be a normal weight? Did you approach your family practitioner about the LAP-BAND^® and what was their response?

At your BMI you are obese and at a high risk for various problems such as diabetes, etc. So it doesn't really matter if it is 85lbs or 115 lbs.

For your questions...

My process was a piece of cake. After my research and choosing a doctor I scheduled surgery for six days later. Getting surgery is really quite easy if you aren't battling an insurance company.

I went to Dr. Aceves in Mexico. Best thing I ever did. If you go to Mexico please let us know so we can tell you what and how to do your research. It's a very safe process but you still need to know what you are doing every step of the way.

Yes, I felt the LAP-BAND^® was my last ditch effort to lose weight, and it works.

Yep, I approached my family doc about it and I was pretty sure he would be anti-surgery and anti-Mexico. I could not have been more wrong. My doc specializes in sports medicine and family practice. He's quite the athelete himself. He runs daily, works out, sugar wouldn't pass his lips even if he was restrained and force fed the stuff. You know the type I'm talking about.

I thought he would think I was taking the weenie way out and instead he was very supportive. I had to have a back up plan in case of complications since I went to Mexico. He said he would do anything necessary and he has. He's been great. MUCH different from what I expected.

beachgirl · 08-23-2007, 08:35 PM

I am just DONE. Not only is my BMI too "low" (34.4) to qualify in the US, but my insurance wouldn't cover it anyway (Tricare).

I have lots of questions...

What was your process like? Where did you go? Private pay or insurance? Worth it? Do you feel like the LAP-BAND^® was a last-ditch effort to be a normal weight? Did you approach your family practitioner about the LAP-BAND^® and what was their response?

I'm scared to even approach the subject with a family doc. The last time I went to be seen for my weight the doc told me to go on a diet. Well DUH!!! As if I had never thought of it or done it before. I'm afraid a doc will laugh in my face if I ask about the LAP-BAND^® because I only have 85lbs to lose.
Okay, I had 120 to loose so more than you but my bmi was 39.9 and my insurance wouldn't pay a dime. I went to the man who's done more than anyone in the world, Dr. Zapata, Dr. Sanchez in Monterrey, Mexico. It was the best decision of my life. I lost 80 pounds the first 12 months and am still losing. I've been banded 13 months. I love my band. I could never have lost it without the band. I had tried everything. I ask my PCP first and he was all for it. Then I started researching who had done the most and who had done them in major trauma hospitals and not clinics and that's how I made my decision. I paid cash and it was 8000.00 and that including everything. PM me if you have any questions.

This is the best place in the world for info and support.
Welcome,
Hugs,
Sherri Jo

Michee · 08-23-2007, 08:44 PM

Hi There

I have 84 pounds to lose. I was banded one week ago. I live in Ontario Canada, the band here is not covered by any insurance, in any circumstance. I took the 16 thousand out of my line of credit and will be paying it off for the next 2 or 3 years.

TrimKim · 08-24-2007, 11:30 PM

Momma-
You are in the exact same position as me. It was like reading my own post. I too have about 85-90 lbs to loose. I too have Tricare. I too have the same weight history as you. And let me just say... GO FOR IT! If you can self pay you owe it to yourself to fullfill your lifetime desire to feel good about yourself! I will be banded Monday the 27 of August. And I can hardly weight. Keep in touch. Send me a private message if you like. We can talk.

green · 08-25-2007, 11:05 AM

I had about 40-50 lbs to lose when I was banded last September. Well, at my last weigh-in I weighed 147.5 lbs and my BMI was 23.8. I was self-pay and I paid $16,000 Canadian for the surgery and a lifetime of fills.

kacee · 08-25-2007, 11:22 AM

My BMI was about 38.6. I am 5'3" and weighed 218. So I probably had about 78 pounds to lose if I wanted to get to 140. My LAP-BAND^® doc wanted me to 160, which I consider too high, but that would have put me needing to lose only 58 pounds. I have been overweight for 45 years and fought it as a child. I was able to keep it to a dull roar in high school, college, and for a few years after, but by the time I hit 30 those scales were really inching up. The last 20 years I have been obese, last 10 on BP med, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and diabetes gallops in my family and my regular doc has been shaking her finger at me for about 5 years saying I am well on the way to diabetes if I don't cut back. In January of this year they upped my BP meds and I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. That was it. I am single, so I broached the subject with my Mom...I was SHOCKED when she said "I am surprised you haven't brought that up before now. When are you going to do it?" and after that it was fast track. I knew I wouldn't be qualified for insurance because of the weight program you must go through beforehand (and they probably would have denied me at my BMI anyway). I self-paid. I have ZERO regrets. I have dropped HALF of my weight in the first three months and am happy at the weight I am at now but will continue to goal. I have told anyone and everyone and the most negative comment I've gotten from anyone was "Are you sure you feel you need to do this?" (I took no offense at all) to which I said "Not yeah, but HELL yeah!!!" My enthusiasm overshadows anyone being negative about it. I think I bowl people over with my enthusiam because I light up, pump the air with my fist, say "YEAAAAAHHH BABY!!!!!" and all they can do is just go "Wow....that's great!"

kland · 08-25-2007, 11:35 AM

I was banded about 2 months ago and at this point, I think it's one of the best things I could have done for myself. I loooooove my band!

As I understand it, us lower BMI patients lose slower than if we had more weight to lose, but we lose. I've lost 20 pounds in about 2 months, which is awesome. I do know that if I didn't have my band, I would have already given up the fight! Now I KNOW I can do this and I have this wonderful tool to help me keep the pounds off in the future.

I went to Dr. Benavides in the Dallas area and my experience there was fantastic. My recovery was very quick and easy; just a few days of true discomfort. I didn't talk to my regular doctor about the procedure; I found out about the band on my own and did extensive research before committing to having it done.

I did have to pay for the band out of my pocket and believe it to be the best $13,000 I have ever spent! Now I 'm looking forward to spending a bunch of bucks on plastic surgery to reshape my body so that it will match how I feel on the inside!

Best of luck to you!

southerngal_07 · 08-25-2007, 09:37 PM

Hello mommakatx2
I have not been banded yet but plan to in Oct.07 or Nov at the latest. I have about 85-90 pounds to lose. I felt as if I were reading my own post when I read yours. My insurance will not pay one cent so I am going to have to get a loan to pay for it. I have already talked to my regular physician and was afraid he would be less than supportive but to my surprise, he was very supportive. I am anxious to start my journey. I have quite a few things that being obese is not helping. I have asthma, arthritis, high cholesterol &triglicerides. The arthritis has gotten much worse over the past 9 months or so and my rheumatologist told me I have to "lose weight, lose weight, lose weight". So I am planning on getting banded and hopefully put a stop to the weight gain and be healthier.Good luck to you. Hang in there, you will do great.