Fusilli66

You look so great! What an amazing transformation. You should be so proud of yourself. Enjoy your new body!

The truth is she gave me some good advice and she really seemed to know what she was talking about. I guess I could look at it more as a "do as i say, not as I do" kinda thing, but I don't know. I'll see if I go back to her after the surgery. As far as feeling sorry for, of course I feel bad for anyone who is so overweight and struggling, like myself, but I am a paying customer basically and not her friend. I don't know, I just don't want to feel sorry for someone for being obese because then i would have to feel sorry for myself and I refuse to do that anymore.

Good luck to you. The waiting is torture, I know, but hopefully it won't be too long. I am almost done with all my pre-op evals and then they are submitting probably by the end of the month. But the way my insurance works is I have to have a surgery date, then they submit with that date and it takes about 5 weeks to get approved. So basically I will have a surgery date of about 6 weeks from when they submit, but I won't know if I'm approved until about a week before surgery. So that will be pure torture! But it is what it is...right! Good luck to you, I here some insurance companies approve within days so I hope yours is one of them.

So I am starting to get a little anxious with all of this pre-op evaluations. They seem neverending to me because everytime I do something, I have to go back again for something else. For example, went for Cardio clearance and everything looked great but he can't clear me without an echocardiogram and stress test so I have to go back for that this Thursday. Same with Gastro, went for that, went for Endoscopy and have to go back for results (which really can be done with a phone call, but phone calls don't give them co-pays). Sorry, I'm just venting frustrations. But I am in the home stretch of all of these things - Thursday I have 2 appointments, Friday is final gastro appointment, Saturday Bloodwork and then I'm done. I just called my surgeons office and spoke to the person who handles all of this there (sooo nice & helpful she is!) and she made me feel so much better about all of this. She told me what she had already received and what she still needed and I gave her all the dates of my upcoming appointments. She said that by the last week of August she should have everything and then she gives the complete file to my surgeon who will review it all and sign off his approval. Then she will call me and we will decide on a surgery date, which will be at least 6-7 weeks from that day (because of my insurance company). Then she will submit that to my insurance company (GHI-CBP in New York) and they take about 5-6 weeks to give approval. She said that's how my insurance company does it, they require a surgery date for the approval process. So basically I will have a surgery date before I have actual insurance approval (which will be very nerve wracking to me!). But it is what it is. She also said that GHI has been very good about approving surgery. I also told her that I have a deadline in my head of November 7th, otherwise I am waiting until January. I asked her if she thought I was being unrealistic but she said I am very realistic and so long as she gets everything as expected, realistically I can have it done by the end of October!!!! So that made me very happy. The reason I want it before the 7th is that I don't want to run into the holidays while still on the liquid diet. I realize I won't be eating a hell of a lot at Thanksgiving no matter what, but I really don't want to have to explain to anybody why I'm drinking a Protein shake instead of eating dinner. So that's my update. I started my day very anxious about all of this and now I feel like I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. The light is still a small dot, but I can at least see it now.

I have chosen not to tell too many people for that very reason. I have done my research, I have thought about it extensively, I have made my decision for myself and i don't really want to hear what anyone else thinks about it. My mother is concerned, but she has still being positive with me. I'm sure she is not saying what she really feels about it. But this is a woman who still makes me call when I get home from leaving her house, and i'm 45 years old with two grown kids! Lol. So that is natural concern from a parent. So my advice, for what its worth, is to do your own research and search yourself for what you really want, then make a decision and stick to it. Tell you Aunt that you thank her for her concern but that you have done your research and you feel the risks, however small they are, are worth it (if that is what you decide). Good luck to you!

It does sound like a mistake in the doctors office, but that technically you do owe that amount. First thing I would do would be to call the insurance company and find out what the costs were, what they paid, and what the insurance company says that you owe the doctor. If it is indeed $1340 then I would call the doctors office and tell them that this was not explained correctly, you were told you were paid in full and therefore don't feel like you should have to pay for there mistake. Then I would negotiate a settlement with them. If they do accept other insurances in network, then why should you pay out of pocket more than an insurance company would pay them for something else. That has always pissed me off. They will charge $100 for whatever - Joe's insurance pays them $10 and they accept that in network, but you are out of network so you have to pay the full $100 for the same service that Joe got for $10. Threaten to not pay and let it go to a collection company, they will for sure settle with you because if it goes to collection the doctor will have to pay the collection company a portion of whatever they collect. I recently did that with my original bariatric surgeon. He was out of network, but he does take plenty of other insurance in network. I got a bill for $1400 for 3 visits - 1 consultation with the doctor (all of 15 minutes) and two visits with a Physicians Assistant or Nurse (not sure which) where they weighed me and I left. This was worth $1400???? I ended up negotiating it down to what the insurance company would have paid and the whole thing cost me $260. Try that.

I agree, they are annoying. But if they weren't there these message boards wouldn't be free. Something has to pay to keep these boards up and running. So I'll put up with the ads, if it means having a great board like this to go.

I was diagnosed with sleep Apnea in 2004. I never got the CPAP because when I went back for the second study, one with the CPAP, I had so much trouble with it that I never bothered to get one. Here we are 7 years later, and I had even forgotten that I had sleep apnea, until I saw my Bariatric Surgeon recently for the first time and because my BMI is just under 40, he was asking me questions about other conditions and mentioned sleep apnea and I was like "oh yeah I got that". Lol. So that was the only co-morbidity I needed to qualify. I was lucky that I was able to get in touch with the Sleep Center where I did my study so many years ago, and they were able to find my reports in the computer and they emailed them to me. When I went for my Pulmonary clearance I brought the studies with me and luckily I didn't have to redo the studies even though they were so old. But he did say I had to get a CPAP. He said that my insurance company will insist I get one before they approve surgery so I might as well get one now this way I have it before then. Long story short, my insurance company called this morning to set up an appointment to set up my CPAP and they are coming on 8/22. I was like ok, whatever, because I know I'm not going to use it and I'm just getting it because I have to. But after reading this, I may just give it a good try before dismissing it. Truth is I could really use a good nights sleep, I always wake up tired and am generally lethargic throughout the day. I always assumed that was because of my weight, but probably its also because of the sleep apnea (which is also probably because of my weight). Interesting circle that it. Anyway, good luck to you! I hope it works for you!

So I went to my general practitioner doctor today for bloodwork and I told her that I was having weight loss surgery. And she said "you're having the bypass?" so I said no and she said "oh so the lap band" and I said no I'm having the sleeve. And she said "the what". So I explained to her what it was and she never heard of it. I realize she is just a general practitioner but I was surprised and I'm not sure how I feel now. Lol. But I'm seeing her again in a few weeks for a physical so I think I will print out some information about it and bring it with me just so she can see what it is. Is that weird or is this surgery so new that not everyone knows about it. It seems everyone I speak to knows the bypass and the lapband but i always have to explain this surgery.

I have to say, considering weight loss surgery the "easy way out" really pisses me off. I can't speak for everyone, but I know for myself, weight loss surgery is anything but an easy solution. It took a very very long time for me to make the decision, after years of trying to lose weight and failing. And the process to get approved for weight loss surgery is anything but easy. So I don't consider it an easy way out but an option that works better for some people. I give a lot of credit to those who have lost significant amounts of weight without it, but doing it this way doesn't make it any less natural or easy. I am at the beginning of my pursuit to have the surgery, and quite frankly I have been waiting for someone to have some sort of comment like that. So far so good, all positive reactions, but I'm sure some doctor, some tech, some person will say something to piss me off, and I'm all ready for them!

Thanks all. When I gave a brief explanation about the procedure she was good with it. But she has been very supportive of me having the surgery. So I think I will bring her info next time I go.

Hi everyone. I've been a lurker now for a while and given the events of the last few days I felt it was time to come out from the shadows and introduce myself. Reading these forums has given me inspiration and convictions that I am making the right decision to do this for myself finally. So here is my story.... I am a 44 year old woman from New York. Married, mother of 2 almost grown kids (young adult and older teen). I have been overweight for about 20 years, which has gotten to its worst in the past 8 years. At my highest my BMI was just over 40 and it is currently at 39.8. I have sleep apnea and I have a degenerative back disease (osteoarthritis) as co-morbidities. I have played around with 20 lbs for 8 years now - lost gain lost gain, but haven't lost any significant weight in a long time. Five years ago I looked into surgery, but it wasn't covered by my insurance then. A year ago I found out that it is covered now and I began the process then. I went to a seminar, a support group, met with a surgeon once and then started on the list of doctors I needed to see. From the list I chose to go to the psychologist first. When I went to see her and she evaluated me she told me that I didn't seem like I really wanted the surgery and wasn't ready for it. She was 100% correct. I went to her first because I wanted to be talked out of it. So I went into therapy for the past year. I have made some interesting discoveries about myself, my relationship with food and everything else. It was a great learning experience. Over the course of the year I have completely given up fast food, and even the desire to eat fast food. I do still overeat at times and don't always make the right choices, but I makes the right choices more times than not. My outlook towards food has changed. But I am still hungry all the time. So now a year later I have decided that I am now ready for this surgery. I decided on a different surgeon than the one I had originally chose, mainly because this one takes my insurance in full and the other one was "out of network". I met with him yesterday and I couldn't have had a better experience. He was friendly, easy to speak to, answered so many questions, explained everything so well and truthfully really made me feel comfortable. His office was very nice and friendly also. He gave me a list of doctors to see and I don't have to see him again until I have clearance from all the doctors. Last year when I was given this list from the other doctor I felt like ugh, I don't really want to do this. And now I feel like, okay if this is what I need to do then I'll get it done. I spent most of yesterday scheduling appointments and I have everything scheduled for the next 3 weeks. My insurance requires 6 months of weight tracking but my psychologist has tracked me for a year and the doctor said that will suffice so thankfully I don't have to wait another 6 months. But I imagine the process between all the doctors and then submitting for approval and then scheduling surgery will take a few months anyway. I am truly okay with that. Last year I was so freaked out and nervous about the whole thing and yesterday and still today I am just so excited about it. Just the thought of finally being able to get to a healthy weight where I can feel comfortable makes me so happy. I am so glad I decided to do this and so glad I found this forum. By the way, I chose VSG over the lapband because I just don't think lapband would be good for me. The idea of fill ups and unfills and all that nonsense seems like to much of a bother to me, plus I really don't want a foreign object in my body. The whole grehlin enzyme removing area is also a main reason I like this surgery. The only thing that worries me out of all of the possibilities of things that can happen is one thing he said- if for some reason something goes wrong with the size of the stomach and they can't make the pouch the right size for whatever reason, they will have to convert it then and there to a bypass. I soooo don't want a bypass and never ever even considered that surgery. He said he has never had that happen to him, but it is one of those things that he has to make me aware of. But beyond that little thought in the back of my head, the rest I am so excited about and I just can't wait to get it done! Thanks for reading! Gee

Congratulations to you on making this choice. Never feel guilty about doing something for yourself. It took me a long time to realize that I would stop at nothing to do something for anyone in my family, but not so much for myself. It's about time that we realize that we are important. Good luck to you! I'm sure you'll do great.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my story and for providing me inspiration. What I have found amazing about these boards is that everyone is so positive. I don't get any negative energy here at all and I love that! It seems like everyone loves there sleeve and I can't wait to love mine too!