MelissaAnd

Well, I have had a little food over the week. Just make good choices and eat small amounts of high Protein foods. That's what I did. I really think most of my weight loss has been Water. I am drinking a ton of water! How exciting to have a surgery buddy! I will keep you posted on my progress! Good luck on Monday:)!

By the way, I am on the opposite side of the state. I am in far Northern California. I live about 45 mins from the Oregon border! That is why my options are very limited. The next closet place for me is Sacramento, which is 4 hours away!

Be sure to also talk to the hospital about their anticipated fees. I am hoping that mine will be less than what they anticipate. The program fee was the biggest chunk! I had to apply for CareCredit in order to do it, even though I am anti-credit right now! However, the surgeon I am seeing is the closest one to where I live and is 130 miles away. I don't have a lot of options. Besides, my health is worth it and my family supports it. Definetly do your research and talk to every facility and doctor that you will see. Your surgeon will be your best resource. I hope that you are able to find a way to do the procedure! Even though I am now in the poor house for awhile, I am still glad that I am able to find ways to get it taken care of. My surgery in Monday, Feb 28. Good luck and keep me posted!

I live in very far northern California and I have Anthem Blue Cross. The closest surgeon to me in 130 miles away in Chico, Ca. I chose to go with North Valley Surgical Associates: Dr. Ludwig. They have a program fee which is very high, but considering how far I have to travel, it is worth it. I hope you have success with the surgeon you found. It sounds like it! Best of luck!

I have been on the liquid diet for 1 week. I have lost 20 pounds. It is very hard to stay on it, but I am trying my best. I have had a few things to eat here and there, but very very little! I see my dr tomorrow for pre-op. Surgery is Monday, Feb 28! Good luck and the really hard days seem to be Days 1 through 4. After that, it is a little easier!

I have a large amount of out of pocket even with insurance. The surgeon I am going to requires a program fee of $3500. The hospital is anticipating their costs to be about $3000. The labwork, xrays, and EKG that was required are still being processed. So, it almost feels like I don't even have insurance with how much they expected me to pay! Every plan is different. I thought we had decent insurance, but I am finding out through all of this that it is a horrible plan and I probably would have been better off as a self-pay patient! I have Anthem Blue Cross California. My husband works for the state, so it is the Large Pers Group Plan. It is expensive and covers so little, so it seems!

I had to jump through a few hoops because my insurance company did not want to accept my condition of sleep apnea as a comorbitiy. My BMI was only 38. That was in December. First denial came 12/14/2010. The doctor told me I could just add 10 pounds and then I should have no problems. So, I enjoyed my holidays thoroughly and ate whatever I wanted and as much as I wanted. I started eat all the things that I know are not good for me in hopes that I would gain those extra pounds. It sounds silly to gain weight to have weight loss surgery and I have been criticized tremendously by family, friends and strangers! However, they do not have to sleep with a CPAP every night so that they won't stop breathing, they are able to enjoy all the activities that I miss out on due to my asthma and weight, and they are all so quick to say, "You don't look 100 pounds over-weight. You aren't big enough for surgery. You should just go on a diet!" HA! I have tried every diet out there and I do loose on them, but only about 25 pounds and then nothing for months! I went to my doctor this week and weighed in after drinking about 3/4 of a gallon of Water and wearing my heaviest clothes. I was so happy when I was over by 3 pounds of the required weight that my insurance company set! The doctor's office submitted my paperwork yesterday and they called me today to say that insurance APPROVE ME! My surgery date is very quick. I am set to be sleeved on Monday, February 28, 2011 by Dr. Ludwig in Chico, CA. I am so excited! And I can't wait for day that will change the rest of my life forever! I couldn't be happier!

A girlfriend of mine also had surgery near the end of September, only she had the roux-en-y procedure. She said her holidays were pretty much like what you explained. We joked about it and I told her that I would eat all the "bad" stuff for her! We had a lot of fun with that. She said it helped make her stay more focused because she hated to see me have to go through all of that. It was very comforting! My family asked me who was going to cook next year, as I always make Christmas dinner. I told them that even though I will be limited on what I can eat and how much, that I still plan to make their dinner as special as always! I just might add a few items that I can have. So funny how people worry so much about food! I was one of them! The date is definetly coming up VERY fast! I am so excitied! Thank you and I wish you continued success with your weight-loss:)!

It is pretty ironic to have to put on weight or maintain an adequate weight in order to qualify for weight loss surgery. All of the doctors that I see, who supported my decision 100% and wrote letters in support of my choice, were all surprised that the insurance company didn't accept my sleep apnea as a comorbid condition for the lower BMI, even though it is clearly listed in the policy as an acceptable condition. Their response was that it was not severe enough! My sleep doctor said, "How much worse do you have to be? You are already using a CPAP machine with a moderate pressure to maintain an open airway during sleep!" He, too, is fighting the same insurance company on different issues. Now, I just have to sit and wait until my surgery, which is not too long, and hope that I don't loose much weight in the meantime! I know that it will be so worth it in the end. So, I continue to stay positive and focus on my outcome! Thank you for the support and for sharing your struggles, as well! The best of luck to you, as well:)!

It is so easy for others to criticize when they are not in the same shoes as one of us! I have gotten to the point where I don't say a whole lot to anyone about what is going on, other than my friends who do support me as well as the few family members that show support. People who are ignorant to what this surgery provides, which is a weight-loss tool, are too quick to say that it is an easy way out. HA! I am fully aware of the commitment that is takes to have this done and that it will entail my entire life to use the tool successfully to get to the healthy weight that I need to be. It is not an easy fix and it definetly is not the easy way out! My doctor was great about the whole thing! He also has a good bedside manner and was open with me from the beginning. He predicted that the insurance company would hassle me as this particular company tries to get out of anything that they can. He also told me that now until surgery to follow the liquid diet beginning next Friday, but to be careful not to loose a large amount of weight. In other words, he was telling me to cheat a little so it won't be so obvious! I love a great sense of humor!

I couldn't agree with you more about the insurance company! We have been with the same insurance for over 10 years. You would think that they know we are loyal customers of their coverage and that we are not going to skip out on their policy after the surgery! They are all about making money off of their policyholders that their quality of customer care is really going down the drain! We pay a large amount each month, of which some is reimbursed by my husband's employer, but it still leaves us a considerable payment. It was a struggle, but at least it wasn't too long. I have friends that have fought the same company, Anthem Blue Cross for months or even over a year! I feel lucky and fortunate to have been able to "tweak" their system to get the surgery that I do need! Thank you for your support:)!