WendySoCal Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Hello Everyone. Well first and foremost, my name is Wendy. I'm 23 years old, married for close to 6 years, and I am a mother to 3 little boys. I had my first son when I was 17. I have been 5'4 since I was 13, and I was always heavier than most girls my age. At 13 I was often mistaken for a 16-17 year old. Just before getting pregnant with my first son, I weighed about 165. I didn't mind my weight...I was actually very comfortable in my skin. After giving birth, I walked out of the hospital in my prepregnancy jeans, and I was 160 at my 6 weeks check up. My husband was in the military so we soon moved up to Washington. Depression kicked in, along with a miscarriage, and I began to gain weight. I got pregnant with my second son, and when I delivered him in December of 2002, I was teeter-tottering 200 lbs. I realized I needed to take action and get my self-esteem back up and beat my depression, so I went back to school, got my diploma in May of 2003, and started working out. My husband and I decided we would not have anymore children until both of our boys were in school. SO I got on birthcontrol. The hormones made it difficult to nearly impossible for me to lose weight, but I kept going to the gym. I became sick in early July and after a visit to the ER we found out our birthcontrol failed, and we were expecting again. Depression hit again *I had plans to go to college full time, get a job, and on top of that I hadn't lost a pound from my second pregnancy*. By the time I gave birth to my third son in 2003, I weighed 260. He is now 2 and half years old, and I am stuck on a roller-coaster weighing betwen 220 and 230. I go for walks, I go swimming, I'm not big on carbs, so I don't understand why I'm not at least under 200 pounds. I don't want to do something as drastic as the gastric bypass surgery. I just don't feel it is something for me. I was talking to my husband, and although he feels I don't need surgery to solve my weight problem, he told me about the lap-band procedure. I didn't even know such a procedure existed, so I just have a few questions. What are the qualifications for possible candidates? Weight qualifications? Age qualifications? How much does the lap-band procedure cose without medical insurance? If I do obtain medical insurance, how do I go about getting coverage for this kind of surgery? Do you prefer gastric bypass or lap-band? How satisified are you with your results? I'm from Southern California...do you know of any good and trustworthy doctors in my area? Umm..I suppose that is all...for now...lol... Thank you to you all. I didn't mean to write so much, I just wanted to give you all a general background on me and stuff. Please feel free to email me at sweetaingel@hotmail.com but I will check in on here often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleo6666 Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Hi Wendy, I can try to answer a few of your questions.... What are the qualifications for possible candidates? *You need to have a BMI of a minimum of 30 and need to loose at least 50lbs. Weight qualifications? *See above Age qualifications? *I don't think you will need one because you are over 18 How much does the lap-band procedure cose without medical insurance? *My surgery was $8500 which included the procedure and the hotel stay plus a ride to and from the airport and to and from the clinic. I paid for my ticket by air from Seattle to San Diego which I got a great deal on. Of course it will depend on where you fly from. If I do obtain medical insurance, how do I go about getting coverage for this kind of surgery? *I don't know if you can get lap-band surgery in the US unless your BMI is over 40 and you have other medical conditions. I had a low BMI and I knew surgery would not cover it for me so I had to pay out of pocket. Do you prefer gastric bypass or lap-band? * N/A for me, lap-band was the only choice How satisified are you with your results? *I am about to enter my 6th week since surgery. I have no restriction and I can't wait till my first fill. Since I know right now that I can eat...it's much like dieting and having to resist temptation. The lap-band isn't a quick fix. It's just a tool. Since I got my band, I am getting to know my body and my food intake better. I am learning how to eat well for the first time. Don't get me wrong, I have my weak moments, but if I didn't....well I would have never chose the lap-band in the first place. Good luck with your decision. Most of the information you need is on this website. My advice...if you decide to go to TJ/Mexico...don't go to anyone but Dr. Ortiz Take Care. Michele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendySoCal Posted August 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I really found them to be helpful. I actually just googled "lap band surgery" and this forum was the first link. I know surgery isn't a quick fix to being overweight, and that it actually takes a lot of self-discipline to get resultsand maintain those results. I just believe the lap band will give me that helping hand to keep my motivation up, and reach my goal quicker. Regular dieting and working out feels like a disappointment each time I get on the scale *every 2 weeks* and realize I've barely lost a pound or two. I checked online and my BMI is 39.9. You mentioned I will have to lose 50 pounds. Is this prior to my meeting with a doctor or will I be instructed to lose the 50 prior to the surgery? I live in Southern California, just a few hours from San Diego, actually...so I'm guessing I won't have to pay as much out of pocket as those who have to fly into the area. I never considered having it done in Tijuana. It seems scary, however, I noticed Dr. Ortiz is mentioned quite often, so it's safe to assume everyone is satisfied with his work. I am really going to look into this. Hopefully I can really get the ball rolling by the end of the year. Thank you again! Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleroo27 Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 How much does the lap-band procedure cose without medical insurance? This varied depending on where you go. Dr. Ortiz is currently around $9,700. This does include free fills for life. Scripps Weight Management Clinic (La Jolla, CA) charges somewhere around $18,000 for the procedure, plus $500 for each fill or de-fill. There is a clinic in Kansas City that I checked out that was less then $1,000 less then Scripps, but it was fairly similar overall. If I do obtain medical insurance, how do I go about getting coverage for this kind of surgery? This varies widly depending on your insurance. My insurance through work doesn't cover the surgery regardless of medical necessities, co-morbidities (other problems related to the weight), etc. So I am going through this as a self-pay. Some insurance companies require 6 months of documented weight loss attempts before they will agree to pay. Some want one month of strict dietary restriction to make sure you can stick with the program before they will agree. Lots of companies have their own little hoops. Do you prefer gastric bypass or lap-band? I think everyone here would say lap-band, because this is a lap-band only support group. For me it was several factors. One, the risk factors for the GBS are just too high. Not only is there a prolonged recovery period, but there can be a lot of changes to your digestion post-op that are a real pain in the rear end. Plus, I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), so bypassing some of my intestine was just not an option as it would have made my symptoms that much worse. How satisified are you with your results? I'm still pre-op. I'm going down to meet Dr. Ortiz and see the clinic on Sept 4. I'm very excited! Beth in San Diego Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kepola Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Wendy, I believe the 50 pounds is post-op. You have to need to loose at least 50 pounds to qualify. If you decided to look further into the lap band, you might want to purchased Dr. Ortiz's Book on Lap Band for Life. It has all the information you would ever want to know about the lap band procedure and what you might expect. It has been very helpful for me and if I had to do it all over again I would not hesitate. I was self pay so I paid out of pocket and so glad I have done it. Good luck and be sure to ask any questions you may have here at this forum because the people her are great and very helpful. Take care, Deb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleroo27 Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 I will be posting something on the boards either Monday night or Tuesday regarding my visit Monday afternoon. I've never been down there, but have heard nothing but wonderful things about Dr. Ortiz and the clinic itself. I have read his book and it is wonderful - I really recomend it no matter what doctor you go with. Hello Everyone. Well first and foremost, my name is Wendy. I'm 23 years old, married for close to 6 years, and I am a mother to 3 little boys. I had my first son when I was 17. I have been 5'4 since I was 13, and I was always heavier than most girls my age. At 13 I was often mistaken for a 16-17 year old. Just before getting pregnant with my first son, I weighed about 165. I didn't mind my weight...I was actually very comfortable in my skin. After giving birth, I walked out of the hospital in my prepregnancy jeans, and I was 160 at my 6 weeks check up. My husband was in the military so we soon moved up to Washington. Depression kicked in, along with a miscarriage, and I began to gain weight. I got pregnant with my second son, and when I delivered him in December of 2002, I was teeter-tottering 200 lbs. I realized I needed to take action and get my self-esteem back up and beat my depression, so I went back to school, got my diploma in May of 2003, and started working out. My husband and I decided we would not have anymore children until both of our boys were in school. SO I got on birthcontrol. The hormones made it difficult to nearly impossible for me to lose weight, but I kept going to the gym. I became sick in early July and after a visit to the ER we found out our birthcontrol failed, and we were expecting again. Depression hit again *I had plans to go to college full time, get a job, and on top of that I hadn't lost a pound from my second pregnancy*. By the time I gave birth to my third son in 2003, I weighed 260. He is now 2 and half years old, and I am stuck on a roller-coaster weighing betwen 220 and 230. I go for walks, I go swimming, I'm not big on carbs, so I don't understand why I'm not at least under 200 pounds. I don't want to do something as drastic as the gastric bypass surgery. I just don't feel it is something for me. I was talking to my husband, and although he feels I don't need surgery to solve my weight problem, he told me about the lap-band procedure. I didn't even know such a procedure existed, so I just have a few questions. What are the qualifications for possible candidates? Weight qualifications? Age qualifications? How much does the lap-band procedure cose without medical insurance? If I do obtain medical insurance, how do I go about getting coverage for this kind of surgery? Do you prefer gastric bypass or lap-band? How satisified are you with your results? I'm from Southern California...do you know of any good and trustworthy doctors in my area? Umm..I suppose that is all...for now...lol... Thank you to you all. I didn't mean to write so much, I just wanted to give you all a general background on me and stuff. Please feel free to email me at sweetaingel@hotmail.com but I will check in on here often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendySoCal Posted August 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Thank you Everyone. I am very familiar with TJ. Being born and raised in SoCal, and my grandparents having a vacation house in Ensenada...I visited TJ, Rosarito, etc very often. And I emphasize on often. I'm going to purchase Dr. Ortiz's book. I'm assuming I can pick it up at a Barnes & Nobles? I've already sat down and talked to my husband and parents this past weekend. It's really something I want, and need, to do. I've always been a health fanatic, especially when it comes to my children, so I know I have to take action into a healthy lifestyle. Thank you again. I'll be dropping in here more often after I read the book, and I really get the train going on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriBecky Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Hi Wendy, Aren't the other bandsters great! If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me, I'd be happy to speak with you about Lap-Band surgery with Dr. Ortiz Currently we are out of stock on the book by Dr. Ortiz, but we are in talks with a new publisher about getting it re-printed. I promise I'll post to the forum as soon as it becomes available! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rid Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Wendy, I agree with most of what has been posted so far. I have a little more info on costs and doctors after my experience. Dr. Ortiz is VERY well regarded, and if you are comfortable going to Mexico, he is a good option for you. I found a doctor in Thousand Oaks, which is about an hour and half west of you along the 101 freeway. His name is Dr. Donald Waldrep. He has done a lot of bariatric surgeries in Sacramento, and is expanding his practice in so cal. He is currently offering a cash price discount for so cal patients in the amount of $11,011. That covers surgery, and the pre-op appointment. Pre-op labs, consults with a nutritionist and psychologist, and fills are all extra. I also had my regular doctor do a pre-op clearance. He does the surgery at the Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital, which is REALLY nice. Feel free to respond back, or send a personal message if you want. I can't say enough good things about Dr. Waldrep. I'll be a week post op tomorrow, and have already lost 30 pounds from the pre-op diet and since the surgery. I'm VERY glad I did this. You can also check out my more detailed postings about my exerience on my newly banded thread: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=657 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendySoCal Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Yes, everyone has been very welcoming and extremely helpful. I'm so excited about the possibility of having this procedure done. I am really looking into medical insurance. As I mentioned, my husband was in the Army, but since his discharge our medical insurance only covers a percentage of medical appointments and prescriptions. I'm terrible at going to the doctor, for check ups and everything...so since my husband got out, I haven't gone to see a doctor. I don't even have a regular doctor right now. So, I will probably give them a call, and find out what their coverage is on these procedures, and if they have certain guidelines *someone mentioned that 6 months of documented attempts of weightloss are sometimes required, etc* in order to cover these procedures. I know that military insurance does cover weightloss surgery. My mother's co-worker was telling me that her daughter (also a military wife) had battled with weight all her life, and she found a loop-hole through the military insurance and got coverage for the gastric bypass. So I'm confident I will find something for the lap-band. If I have to sacrifice 6 months of constant visits to the doctor about my weight, then so be it. Even if the procedure isn't fully covered, the less I have to pay out of pocket, the better Thank you again everyone Hopefully a Future Bandster, Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyrkr Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Hello, I live in Washington now, where were you stationed? I have three little ones at home too. I have done Weight Watchers for 3 years, net lose....0. I had surgery 4 days ago, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It is so noninvasive, with such great results. You can get Dr. Ortiz book, which I also highly recommend, at Amazon.com. It is a must for anyone considering surgery. I am so glad that I did this, even though I am at a hard stage right now. For the first, time, I know I can lose 100 pounds, and keep it gone. Feel free to email me if you want also. Or check my post, banded on August 28th under testimonials. It tells more about my decision and journey. Becki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendySoCal Posted September 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hello, I live in Washington now, where were you stationed? I have three little ones at home too. I have done Weight Watchers for 3 years, net lose....0. I had surgery 4 days ago, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It is so noninvasive, with such great results. You can get Dr. Ortiz book, which I also highly recommend, at Amazon.com. It is a must for anyone considering surgery. I am so glad that I did this, even though I am at a hard stage right now. For the first, time, I know I can lose 100 pounds, and keep it gone. Feel free to email me if you want also. Or check my post, banded on August 28th under testimonials. It tells more about my decision and journey. Becki He was stationed at Fort Lewis from January of 2001 to January of 2003. However, the base housing waiting list was really long, so we lived in Lakewood, just off the 5. I noticed you live in Tacoma...I loved it there. We would always visit the pier near Stadium High School. We even visited Stadium High and took pictures...lol...such tourists...but it was kinda sentimental since our first date (without any friends) was when we went to see 10 Things I Hate About You. LoL! When we found out how close by the school was...we HAD to go. Beautiful views. Gorgeous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelley Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 I purchased my copy of Lap Band for Life by Dr. Ortiz from amazon.com. As of this morning, they still have issues both new and used. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/104-9...p+Band+For+Life Chelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriBecky Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Hi, Amazon is out of copies, as is our office. Dr. Ortiz is currently looking for a new publisher, so hopefully, we'll have new books in soon. I'm investigating "digital books" so you can buy it online or DVD and read it on your computer or print important pages, that way we can get it to you sooner! I'll keep you posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelley Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Hi, Amazon is out of copies, as is our office. Dr. Ortiz is currently looking for a new publisher, so hopefully, we'll have new books in soon. I'm investigating "digital books" so you can buy it online or DVD and read it on your computer or print important pages, that way we can get it to you sooner! I'll keep you posted. Actually they still have it according the web link I gave in my earlier post. New price is $19.95. There are also a few used copies for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerF Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 I ordered the book from Amazon on 8/17. It stated an estimated shipping date of 9/5 so I thought they might be out, but it went out right away and I got it on 8/29. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula Bee Posted May 8, 2008 Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 I agree with everything said so far. You are in Southern California... there would no question for me. Dr. Ortiz would be my only choice. Lapband seems to be the best choice for you, in my opinion. Good luck with your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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