legnarevocrednu

Thank you! I'm really praying that this is the right thing for me.

I'm freaking out. My insurance coordinator just called to tell me that my insurance will not cover the sleeve unless I have a BMI of 50 or higher...which I do not! I'm scheduled for surgery on the 21st! She said it will cover lapband. I need advice PLEASE!!! I have to call her back and tell her what I decide to do. Have any of you been through something like this? Is it worth appealing? Should I just get the lapband so the last 6 months weren't for nothing? I'm so upset! I have no idea what to do but my doctors office has sure done a good job at scaring me off the band because I'm shaking at the idea of it. I just don't know what else to do! Opinions or ideas would be much appreaciated...I have to call her back in a bit with my decision.

Does anyone know how to appeal it? Or how long it would take?

Thanks for responding! I actually started the process wanting the lap band. That was before I learned about the sleeve. Now I've spent the last 6 months researching the sleeve, and the last 3 months on the verticalsleevetalk.com board. Now all of a sudden I have to flip back to my original choice. I'm glad to hear that it's worked for all of you. I just have to believe this happened for a reason! I'm glad that now I will be losing weight more slowly with the band...that's a good thing at least. Do you still experience hunger after getting the lap band? Just curious. Thanks!

Thank you. I just talked to my coordinator again and she said that I could make a member appeal but that it would take a while. I don't have any co-morbidities at all (sucks that I feel bad about that). During the pre op class and nutrition classes, I have heard so many bad things about the band. I can't believe I'm going in that direction now but I feel backed into a corner. I just told her I would do the band :*(

Today I feel happy and excited! Two of my close friends cleared their schedules for me last minute last night to go out to dinner with me. They knew it would be a while before I would be able to go out, as I start my pre op diet tomorrow. Also, one of my friends is doing the pre op diet with me. I feel like I have an awesome support system in place! I am having zero doubts about getting this surgery and am 100% confident in my choice to do it. I have a feeling the next 10 days will zoom by!

Not EVERYONE looks at it negatively. Surprisingly, everyone I've told has been amazingly supportive. If they truley care about you, they will support you. That being said, there are a few people I would like to tell that I haven't because I believe their reactions would be negative. I figured I'd wait until after surgery and see how they respond to my losing weight. I have a feeling I'll just tell them I'm dieting, seeing a nutritionist, exercising...which will all be the truth. I have told a lot of people, even people I'm not close to because I felt like they could benefit from the information. It's funny, one of my friends is even doing the pre op diet with me to show support! She hopes to lose weight too, but I'm so grateful and happy to have friends like that. You definitely need a support system to help you through this. Just trust your gut on who can handle the truth and who can't. Good luck!

It was not a requirement for me to lose weight before surgery. However, with the pre op diet, it is expected I lose some anyway. Also, the nutritionist said that although it may not be a requirement to LOSE weight, insurance companies do not want to see anyone GAINING weight throughout the process. Also, she said you risk being denied if you weigh more at the end than you did at the beginning.

I agree about the not dieting part. However, I don't think it would hurt to take walks and do a light exercise regimen.

Today I had my final nutrition class! These past 6 months have flew by! The classes were really helpful and I intend to apply all I learned there to help my weight loss after surgery. Tonight I am going out with a couple of friends to Olive Garden. I start my pre op diet Friday, and I know I won't be able to eat normally for a couple of months. I figured I'd take the opportunity to enjoy some OG! I'm excited! For those of you that read this and have been through surgery already, I had a quick question about the hair loss situation. I've been trying to prepare myself for it and I'll be able to handle my hair "thinning out". However, does it get so bad that bald spots start showing up? The idea is freaking me out :/ Thanks to this board, I now know that Biotin, MSM, and keeping my protein up may slow it down. I'm just wondering how it worked for others. Thanks!

Just a question. I have prepared myself for the hair loss, but is it bad enough to cause bald spots? I can handle it thinning out, but the idea of bald spots causes anxiety. Just wondering...

I don't think there is a way to delete what you have already read. I pretty much do what you do. I'll go to the right where it says new topics and read those. I also read some blogs as well and if you scroll down further, the new blogs will show up there on the right. I find there is always something new to read.

Umm...legally, she can't do that. I work at a bank, and I'd be fired if I ever told someone they couldn't do something with their own money! My goodness! That's unethical!

So yesterday I was asked to be in a wedding that's happening in January. I'm excited because I'm hoping that I will have lost at least 50 pounds by then. I want to look good. This will be the 3rd wedding I'm in, and I've always felt like a stuffed sausage in the bridesmaid dresses. Hopefully, this time, it will be different. Plus, it's a black dress so even better! Do you think 50 pounds is realistic? I begin my pre op diet this Friday and am on it for 10 days. It seems the average is 20 pounds on the pre op. I have surgery on the 21st, so that gives me almost 2 months (the wedding is January 18th) to lose even more. I'm hoping to start exercising ASAP after the surgery to kick my weightloss up to over average. This is the first time I'm actually excited to be in a wedding. Haha. I have the appointment with my primary care doctor in an hour to get the approval for surgery. Hopefully I'll be in and out. I really don't like him. The only things I have left to do after today is my last nutrition class on Wednesday, start my pre op diet on Friday, go do that pre surgery stuff, then it's the main event! It's so hard to believe I've come this far! Can't wait to become healthier and happier with my new self!

I've seen a few people use a poll in their posts. How do they do this? I wanted to do one myself, but can't figure it out. Thanks!

I'm not sure which one offers the MOST, but the doctors office gave me a list of recommended protein shakes so I'm pretty sure they have the mandatory amount of protein in them. The list is: Bartiatric Advantage, Bartiatric Fusion, Unjury, and GNC 100% Whey. I believe the first 3 you can only get online (I could be wrong) and of course, the last, at a GNC store. Good luck!

Hey! So I've had the same problems but have figured it out! To comment on someones blog, there is a box at the bottom of the blog. You just click in it, and start typing. I have also had the problem when typing out a blog. It may have something to do with timing out. What I do to get around this is after I'm finished writing, I highlight everthing, press Ctrl C (which copies it) then press publish which of course, everything goes away. I then press Ctrl V (which pastes it), everything comes back and I publish right away and it works. See if that helps!

You may want to think about applying for a personal loan in your own name. Combined debt to income has to be at 40% or lower, and with two people in the mix, that's harder to do. Maybe with just one person, you may have a better chance. Also, like the poster said above me, you may want to go to www.kellybluebook.com and see how much you could get for your car. You mentioned it was old, so not sure if it would be near enough. Maybe a small, part time job? You can keep all the money in a jar or separate account, and use it to save for the surgery. Just some ideas! I work at a bank as a Customer Service Rep and deal with loans on a daily basis so I know how difficult it can be. I'm sorry for your troubles. I'm sure it will work out somehow. Congrats also on your sons wedding.

Really great post! Thanks for sharing that! It's extremely encouraging to read how successful you have been!

So, yesterday was my last appointment with the surgeon before surgery (see previous blog). I basically met with the surgeon, he had me sign some papers, explained a few things, told me I did NOT need an endoscopy (yay!), and took me off to see the insurance coordinator. That's when I had my little scare. First she tells me that I will will have to go in for pre op 3 to 4 days before surgery, and that they will call me the Friday before to tell me what time I have to be at the hospital for surgery. THEN she tells me that I have to front 20% of the surgeons fee before the surgery. I'm thinking 1,000's of dollars and I start to freak out on the inside. I just stared at her until I finally stuttered that I didn't think I could come up with 1,000's of dollars in two weeks. She then told me it was only going to be around 250. Thank God!! I almost hyperventilated and felt soooo much relief when she told me that. Not that I enjoy paying 250 either, but it's certainly better than what I thought and better than what a lot of other people have to pay. Other than that, everything seems to be going smoothly. She said that once I'm finished with my last Nutrition class (on the 9th) that she will send everything to the insurance. She said she may also call them ahead of time just to make sure everything is on track. Hopefully THAT goes well. I asked her before if she thought I'd get approved and she said she was almost positive I would. However, still fearful after reading the stories on here. I'm praying hard that the last 6 months don't end up being a waste of time and money!! After speaking with her, I stopped in to see the nutritionist as I wasn't sure which protein shakes I could have. I have a choice between four: Bariatric Advantage, Bariatric Fusion, Unjury or GNC 100% Whey. I need to have 6 servings a day for 9 days. As of right now (unless suggested otherwise) I think I'm going to go with GNC. It seems to be the cheapest out of the 4, plus more convenient as there is a store right down the street and I won't have to pay for shipping. Even as the cheapest it's going to cost almost 60 bucks because I need the 5lb jug to get me through the pre op. I also made my appointment with my primary care doctor for Monday to receive his approval. The insurance coordinator made me feel a little better because she said that they have faxed over all my stuff to him, so I know he knows I'm getting this surgery. It shouldn't be a problem receiving the approval thank goodness. p.s. While waiting the surgeon, the nurse who took my blood pressure was telling me that she saw a segment about the Sleeve on Goodmorning America that morning! She said it was all positive things. She also said that I was lucky because I'm young, that my skin should bounce back to shape while losing the weight. I know however, that it also depends on genetics, but a girl can hope!! Haha. She also stated that she was going to call in all the medicines I will need to my pharmacy so I won't have to wait for them, just go pick them up. Very nice lady and I'm loving my experience at the center I'm going to! Seriously excited! Only 16 days away!!

Hey there! I haven't been sleeved yet so I can only answer part of your question. I told based on instincts. There were some people I just KNEW would not understand or would be negative about it so I haven't told them. That being said, I felt comfortable telling my immediate family, most of my close friends, and all of my coworkers (except my boss). Everyone I HAVE told, has been extremely supportive and excited for me. There are only about 3 people that I haven't, because I just feel like they wouldn't understand. So my point is, follow your instincts. If you feel like they wouldn't understand, they most likely won't. As for after surgery, if the people I haven't told ask me how I've lost the weight, I'll either tell them the truth (depending on how I feel they will react) or allude to the truth like your father did. I also told people at levels...worked my way up to it. And sometimes, the conversation came up about weight loss or surgery which opened the door for me to tell them. Good luck!