nicolemm

They won't schedule my surgery until insurance approves it!

Hopefully all of our insurance are quick with approvals! My dr is saying November for surgery! I'm so nervous about being approved. I have a high bmi but no co-morbidities unless my sleep test tonight shows slight apnea. My aprn says insurance will approve because my bmi is high. I am only 27 so I want to have this surgery before the co-morbids begin to creep up on me!

Me too! Did my psych today and nutritionist next Thursday! Last appt with the surgeons office oct 15 then paperwork submitted! Can't wait!

Had my psych consultation today and in his words he was giving me the "full steam ahead" to go ahead with surgery. I have my sleep study tomorrow night and my last nutrition appointment next Thursday! Then it's a go to submit to insurance! My surgeon is saying early November for surgery. Now that all these appointments are winding down I'm getting excited/nervous/so ready. I can't wait to start this journey from the other side!!

I had my psychologist appointment last week and it was two hours long. My surgeons office referred me to this guy because he was the only one in my area that takes my insurance. It was an hour of questions from him and then a ridiculous computer test which asked 165 true or false questions. They all were to gauge mental competence I assume. It was weird though since I'd never seen a psychologist. Now on Thursday I'll have a follow-up with him where he'll show me exactly what he is submitting to my surgeon. Good luck!

Hi! I'm 27 and decided about two months ago to get the lap band surgery. I am in the pre-op stages right now and cannot wait for surgery! I have most of my pre-op appointments in the next two weeks (nutritionist, psychologist, pulmonologist and second follow up with my surgeon). Id love to hear some of your success stories! While I'm 100% committed to the surgery and am considered a good candidate by my surgeon, my primary care doctor has concerns and doubts about the success rate of surgery. My appointment with him was very discouraging so I'd love to hear your stories!

The nutritionist has been a requirement for me through Cigna since I started. I had my first nutrition appt Monday and go again on sept 27th. Last update i got was that if all goes well I should be having surgery beginning of November which is about 3.5 months since the start

I did my first nutrition appointment yesterday and was given a somewhat supervised diet. The nutritionist was very clear that it was not to make me lose weight but to get me on track for after surgery. She also didn't indicate anything about 6 months or even 3. That said I meet with her again in exactly one month. She mentioned nothing about this being Cigna's policy though.... I think it is just the process my surgeon uses. So we'll see, I have an appt with my surgeon on sept 11th where I expect to get my surgery date. I have had no push-back from Cigna about three or six months so I'm thinking surgery is going to be late October or early Nov.

I'm pretty new in the process. I had my first consult with my surgeon July 27th. Then did my upper GI test and bloodwork August 3rd and met with my primary care to follow up with that. Now my first nutrition appt is Monday with my pulmonary and psychology appts the next week and a follow up at the surgeons office Sept 11th. What is the typical time frame from the initial surgical consult to surgery date? I don't have a "waiting period" with my insurance. Also I'd like to get some other perspectives on pre-op appts and what other people's requirements were!

Hi all! I just got off the phone with my dr regarding the results of my upper GI and may have a small ulcer in the part of my stomach called the antum. I've experienced zero ulcer symptoms so this is new to me! Anyway, they scheduled an endoscopy for sept 10th. Did anyone else have this problem? And if so did it effect surgery at all? I'm hoping the endoscopy shows nothing as the upper GI was not even conclusive. But just in case....

I did the h. Pylori tests but the results havent come back yet (I just did it yesterday) but my PCP said after speaking to my physician they decided it's best to just go ahead with the endoscopy and biopsy regardless of the results to be sure nothing is going on! I knew that the process would not be easy for the band but I'm growing not so fond of going to the dr and I would hate for something like an ulcer to push back surgery!

I'm not sure if my plan is different or not but according to my surgeons office Cigna recently (and by recently I think in the last month or two) dropped the six-month waiting period. The insurance/billing woman at my surgeon said she attended a conference where this was announced, apparently bc the six-month waiting period wasn't beneficial to many people. I have spoken to Cigna about costs, etc. only since I'm still in the process of getting all my pre-op appts done and during that time none of the Cigna reps have mentioned the six month period. Good luck!

Wow that's quick. When I asked for a time frame the nurse at the surgeons said around 4 months...taking me into November for surgery. Crossing my fingers all goes smoothly now!

How many nutrition appts did you all have before surgery? I am going to be having three (first one is Monday) which is really the last step in the appts I have to have before scheduling a date. Were your nutrition appointments spread out over a long time? I am getting antsy for a surgery date because I will have completed all required appts (except nutrition) by the first week in September!

I hope the first appointment goes well! I actually live in CT! What part are you in?

I live in CT! What part are you in? I am the most nervous for the psychologist for some reason! I've never seen one and it freaks me out lol! I also had to do an upper GI test and then meet with a pulmonologist to see if I have sleep apnea...lots of doctors but hopefully very worth it in the end!

Hi! I'm new to this! I'm 27 and in the pre-op stages of surgery. I have my first pre-op nutritionist appt Monday, followed by my psychology appt and a pulmonology appointment the week after. . I had to visit my primary care physician today and he was very discouraging about the surgery. He said studies show only a slight weight loss (he kept mentioning 30-40lbs) with lap band. I am 100% commited to getting surgery but his discouraging visit made me very nervous! My surgeon of course says otherwise but did anyone else find that their Primary care dr was less than encouraging?

Thanks so much! Every bit of research I've done has made me realize this is the right thing for me and I am committed to this decision. Plus I have an amazing support system with my family and friends. I think just the fact that he is a physician being so discouraging was really getting to me. So much I decided to join this forum. So thanks again!

I hadn't involved him originally because my insurance doesn't require a referral from a pcp to a specialist but they found when I went for my pre-op upper GI that I may have a small ulcer forming so I had to make an appt with him to get that fixed. I'm 27 and have been overweight my entire life and he has been my doctor forever so I'm not sure why he wouldn't encourage me. I definitely have more than 30 lbs to lose so he was talking gastric bypass which I am not interested in. It would have been a lot easier on my nerves had I not had to see him Today!

Hi Emily! I'm 27 also and just starting the process. I'm curious to know when you had our first consultation with youlr surgeon? I have the same problem with the "never-ending" stomach. I've tried what seems like everything and am soo excited about surgery! I had my first appt July 27th and am having my first nutrition appt Monday followed by the psychology appt. how long have you been in the pre-op process? I feel like it's taking forever for me!