JennyBeth

Obesity definitely causes infertility! Hopefully losing the weight will be what it takes to get pregnant. I personally would not spend $ to try IVF if your wife is still obese! I would get sleeved and lose the weight then you probably won't even need IVF. Being pregnant and obese has so many complications associated with it.

You should call your insurance company. They need your group number to know exactly what your employer's plan covers. Every group under the same insurance is different. I called on 4 different occasions just to make sure I was given the same info each time! Because I have a H M O I knew I would need to start with my PCP. I researched doctors in my area, but it was sort of a waste of time because when I saw my PCP she was able to tell me exactly where my insurance would send me. (The hospital that my PCP goes thru does not have a bariatric program so technically I'm sent to an out of network hospital/bariatric program.) I had the choice between 2 hospitals in Chicago so then I researched between the 2 of them and chose one. My insurance required some things before I could even get the approval to see the surgeon for a consult so I was glad I started with my PCP. Good luck! I also was on this site and attending webinars for almost 2 months before I even went to my first dr. appt!

So I know I probably sound like a big whiner, but I am feeling really frustrated at the moment! A week and a half ago I got the call that I was approved (this was a Friday). I was so excited! On Monday I went to my PCP to pick-up the original referral (I have *** insurance) and noticed that the referral was just for the consult appt! Talk about the wind getting knocked out of my sails! Then there was some run-around with the surgeon's office and my PCP regarding the referral. The bariatric program that I am using normally has you see the surgeon, bariatician, nutritionist and psychologist all in the 1st appt. so since my referral was just for the surgeon my insurance required a letter from the surgeon's office stating how exactly their program works. OK fine. I called yesterday to verify and I have a referral for the surgeon and an EGD to be done. I guess I have to complete all of the "clearance tests" and then if the surgeon recommends that I'm a candidate for surgery then my insurance will approve me for the surgery and refer me to see the other specialists. I know this is all formalities, but I'm frustrated because I am afraid I could be denied. Thinking I was approved already was such a great feeling and now I feel like I am in limbo! I feel very fortunate that my insurance covers WLS and I will jump through whatever "hoop" they tell me to, but it just stinks when you're so excited and then you feel discouraged! I am just so scared that something will go wrong and I won't be able to have the surgery. Financially I can't afford to go to Mexico or be a self-pay.

That's my issue, too. CONTROL! I like to know exactly what I need to do and then do it. I don't like feeling like I have to hand over that control to others because it's not as important to anyone else as it is to me. If there are mistakes made I'd rather they were my mistakes and not someone else's (although who am I kidding? I don't make mistakes! Just like you I also don't like not having dates set and feeling like I'm in limbo! Deep breaths! I just need to RELAX and let go! (Unfortunately easier said than done!)

Mine will be done by the surgeon. I guess he prefers to do it himself instead of reading a report from it being done by someone else. Better safe than sorry I guess! I guess I shouldn't have any huge issues that would prevent surgery or I'd be having issues/symptoms of something.

So I just found out when I called to check on the status of my referral with the insurance that I also have a referral for an EGD to be done by my surgeon prior to approval for surgery. I didn't know they did these before surgery. I had one years ago and it's a whole procedure in itself! When I had mine done I was already admitted in the hospital so I don't remember too much about how I felt afterwards. Would I be able to have it done in the morning and go into work later that afternoon or would I be too out of it for the remainder of the day? I was hoping to get all my "clearance tests" completed during the month of February and have surgery in March, but it looks like it might possibly be later than that!

What exactly are they looking for? I had one years ago because I suffer from GERD. Although I haven't had too many issues with it I'm afraid they will find something that could prevent me from getting the sleeve!

I know . . . quit my bitching, right?

That should read H M O not *** insurance!

At first when I brought up the subject to my mom and husband at the same time (probably 5 months ago) my husband thought I lost my mind! He said it was the craziest thing he EVER heard! He kept telling me that it would be like him (when he was trying to quit smoking) to go to the doctor and have them cut off his hands so he could never smoke again. He felt that if I tried hard enough I could lose the weight. Both my mom and husband have never struggled a day in their life with their weight so I expected those reactions and having to "convince" them. My mom was surprisingly more supportive than I expected. I told my husband I was serious about it and was going to find a way to make it happen and I wasn't asking for his permission and I wouldn't discuss it with him anymore since he couldn't be supportive. My husband knows me well enough to know when I make my mind up about something there's not much to do to change it. He has grown to be supportive, but what really helped was bringing him with to the informational seminar. I had already completed a few on-line ones, but I wanted him to hear the facts from the doctors and he was able to ask the surgeon questions afterwards which helped a lot! He now understands my struggle more and why I need to do this. Both my mom and husband are still concerned/nervous, but I would probably think there's something wrong if the weren't!

Maybe the surgeon can also write a letter of medical necessity or your doctor could write a more clear letter stating exactly how the surgery will benefit you.

Just tell them right away that you want a pain med other than morphine. I also had a reaction similar to that for one surgery when I was given morphine and I always tell them beforehand I want a different medication. I've never had a reaction to anything else-just morphine!

I will tell people the truth once I start losing the weight. It's not that I enjoy lying to people, honestly I prefer to be honest right from the start, however there is so much negativity attributed with WLS. Even from those that I have told I still feel they have their "doubts" that this time will be different from all the stuff I've tried over the years and that I'll actually be successful this time. Once I am proving I can be successful with this "tool" then I will feel more comfortable being honest about it. I would never feel right if someone ever asked "did you have WLS?" saying no and denying it. I feel like being honest could help someone else in a similar situation-I just want to get comfortable with my sleeve before I feel everyone's judging me!

I have told only 4 people so far (husband, mom, boss and 1 co-worker) I plan on just telling everyone else at work I'm having my gall bladder removed and once I start losing weight I will tell people the truth. I don't have a problem telling people I just don't want to deal with their judgement beforehand. My co-worker that I told has been nothing but judgmental saying things like "you don't look THAT big to be getting surgery" or "you'll never be able to drink/eat at the same time-that's INSANE and doesn't sound healthy". I'm 5' 4" and 220 lbs and I want to lose 80-90 pounds. I am THAT big and the eating/drinking is a small sacrifice to regain my health/weight loss. I figure it's the same thing as telling everyone what you plan on naming your baby before you deliver-people think it's perfectly fine to say things like "I once knew a person named so-and-so and I hate that name!" but no one would dare say that after you actually named the baby that. It's the same before the surgery-people think it's acceptable to give you their unsolicited advice/thoughts. Once you're losing the weight there might be some who give you a negative response, but it'll be much less than beforehand.

I hope to have mine during the month of March. My consult with the surgeon, bariatician, and nutritionist is on 1-31 and as long as I pass all of their medical tests they'll give me my date. Hopefully I can get everything accomplished during the month of feb. so a march date is possible. I do not have a supervised diet with my insurance-I just have to pass their required tests (x-rays, upper gi, etc.) first. What is the upper GI like for those of you that have gone thru it? Is it an x-ray or do they go into your stomach with a scope? I thought I had an upper gi years ago, but it turns out that it must've been an upper endoscopy because they twilighted me for the procedure.

Not to be a downer, but it sounds like the insurance coordinator is trying to appeal just so she doesn't have to admit she never verified to begin with. I don't see how she can appeal an excluded benefit. If they bent the rules for one they'd have to for everyone and unfortunately insurance companies don't work that way. Maybe you could show the research to your company's HR department in hopes of making it a covered benefit in the future.

Good luck!

I don't think you can appeal if it is not a covered benefit under your plan. It doesn't matter what your BMI or co-morbidities are, if it's not a covered benefit the insurance is not going to pay for it. I was supposed to change to my husband's insurance in jan. (Cigna) but bariatric surgery (of any kind) was not covered for any reason under their plan. I elected to remain on my own insurance (which is much more expensive) because mine covered it. I could never afford to pay out of pocket for the whole surgery.

I will agree with everything everyone else has said-if you're not doing this for yourself then DON'T do it! It's like dealing with any other addiction-if you try to give it up for someone else you'll relapse. food is an addiction just like cigarettes, drugs, alcohol. You might lose the weight that your parents want you to lose, but you are going to start harboring a lot of resentment once you are going thru the physical pain, restrictions, and mental process of what the sleeve brings. I have not been sleeved yet, but by what everyone says you have to be mentally prepared with what you'll be faced with. I am ready 100% for the surgery (I had to convince others that this was the best choice for me), but I still have worries/fears. It's natural to have fears, but if you're doing it just to get other people off your back, I'm afraid for you! You're an adult and I completely agree that your weight should not be open for discussion. You need to make that very clear to your parents. The boundary lines seem very blurred and even if you do this they'll probably just focus on something else. Good luck with whatever you decide!

I'm sorry you were denied! You definitely have the right attitude about it! What insurance do you have?

What's the shot of Heprin for? A blood thinner?

I had the Mirena and I loved it! My periods stopped which was great! My doctor said it was fine to not get periods. Tell that dr. To screw off!

Mine had questions like, "how long do you have to stay at the hospital?" (I've only spent 1 night away from them for a business trip and obviously I spent a few days in the hospital when I had my youngest, but my older son was only 3 and obviously doesn't remember much) "who will stay with us and take us to school?" (I told them daddy and grandma) "If grandma is at our house who will feed her dog?" The operation itself doesn't seem to worry them right now just the logistics of everything else. Once we talked about it and I explained everything they were fine. I know they'll have more questions/concerns as the day gets closer (I don't have a date yet I just know it'll be Feb/March timeframe) I just believe being honest is the best way to handle it. I don't want them to feel like I'm keeping stuff from them because that is much scarier to a child. When I was young my mom was very sick with cancer and my parents tried to "protect" my sister and I and it just made my anxiety/fear much worse!

Holy moly! I'm approved! I just feel like I won the lottery! In a way I guess I did . . . The lottery to a better/healthier life! I just have to wait for my PCP to send the approval over to the surgeon to make my first appointment! The WAITING is the hardest part in all of this!!! All I know is I will definitely be sleeved sometime between now and 4-7-13! The sooner the better!

Thanks guys!