Rena's got this

I know what you mean. I have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, and my doc put me on Metformin. I have a heavy family history of diabetes, with 3 grandparents, mom, and 2 siblings with it. My A1C is 5.9, which is just short of being a full blown diabetic at 6.0 from what I understand. Pre-diabetes however, is not considered a co-morbidity with my insurance. If I have to take diabetes medication, why not just say I have diabetes!

I think it was because for the past 2 or 3 years they had asked him repeatedly to drop 100+ pounds before they could help him. When they checked back on them, he had not been able to lose any. So when they asked for him to lose the 100+ pounds again this time, she already knew what the likelihood of that would be, and she was ready to just wash her hands of the doctors and her husband too.

How did they fix your sleeve? I thought once it was done that it is not reversible.

Well, if you are denied, just appeal, and keep appealing. Get your doc involved too, which seems to help in the appeal. I haven't submitted to my insurance yet, but I'm prepared to go through as many appeals as it takes if I'm denied.

I know....it will help me to prepare. I've already been preparing for nearly a year though. I've totally weaned myself off of any carbonated drinks, when I used to be addicted to diet cokes. I don't drink alcohol....except maybe once every six months or so. I don't really like the way it makes me feel. I only drink water now, but every now and then I'll have lemonade, and rarely, tea. I have found some protein drinks that I like, and I swap them for meals every now and then. The Premier Protein chocolate drinks are exceptionally good. I think my main problem right now is getting in any exercise. I had knee surgery in December, and my knees still bother me to the point where it is difficult to walk, much less walk any length of time. Swimming pools are not an option. I could join a local gym, but the motivation to go just isn't present. THAT is what I need to work on.

Yep, happened to me in the bank. The lady that was assisting me asked me when I was due. I told her flat out that I wasn't pregnant, just fat. She was the embarrassed one....I was just annoyed.

Wow, that was quick! Congratulations! You are going to lose so much weight by the time I get to have my sleeve (Hopefully in December)!

That's pretty good, doing 8000-10000 on your pedometer. Makes me want to get mine out and wear it again, because I'm not getting ANY exercise these days. I have a lot of joint pain. By the way....could you take pity on us older folk and increase the size of your text? I had to pull out my magnifying glasses!!

Has anyone had their gall bladder removed at the same time you were being sleeved? Both my mom and my sister had gall stones and had their gall bladders removed. I haven't ever had gall stones, but I'm worried that I'll get them with the rapid weight loss of the operation, and then I'll have to have a separate operation to remove my gall bladder. I was wondering if my sleeve surgeon would consider removing it at the same time, but he may not want to remove a healthy organ, even if it might get gall stones in it later. I've also read somewhere that there is medication available to prevent your gall bladder from acting up after surgery. I'd like to hear more about this also if anyone has any knowledge of it. BTW...I won't be sleeved for 6 more months due to insurance dietary requirements....so I'm looking at late December 2013 for my surgery.

Well, if he decides not to take it out, I'll ask him to put me on actigall. Thanks for all your responses!

Dang I wish I had your family!

I haven't been sleeved yet. I was wondering though, how your Bosley fibers worked out? Would you buy and use them again?

You are where a lot of us that are playing the waiting game wish we were! Hang in there!

My PCP said yes! She would refer me for the surgery!!! I thought since I was right on the edge (40 BMI) that she would say just to diet and exercise. After all, she is a tall, thin woman who has never ever been overweight in her life. After making me feel pretty low about my pre-diabetes, low thyroid, sleep apnea, heartburn, joint pains and such due to my weight, I asked her how she felt about weight loss surgery. Her eyes flew open and she looked straight at me, paused for a second and said....."well, yes. That would take care of most, if not all of your problems. If you're up for it, I'll refer you." She said that the lap band procedure or the sleeve would work well for me, being that both were reversible if I had problems. I was somewhat surprised that she thought the sleeve was reversible, but she just wasn't that knowledgeable about the procedure itself. I filled her in, and I know that she will go back and research it. But I'm not letting her off the hook....she said Yes! Yay Yay Yay! She also had an in house dietitian who will sponsor me for the 6 month diet requirement. She says the insurance will take the dietitian since she works under the physicians, and the insurance hasn't had a problem with that in the past. I am over the top excited! Hopefully during the Christmas holidays (I get 2 weeks off from my school), I can have it done at that time and not have to worry about hurrying back to work afterwards! Next year this time, I could be a healthy, fit and slender woman who will be ready for the first time in years to hit the beach!

I thought that might be what she was thinking of. Wasn't there also some type of plication where instead of stitching the stomach after folding it into itself, that some sort of band or sleeve would go over it to prevent it from unfolding? I dunno, but I do think she was thinking along those lines.

I checked it out, but the cost seems prohibitive to me. $79.00 per month for 3 items....depending on the 3 items, I could just buy them straight out. Maybe the items are on the upper end, I'm not sure, but I don'g have a lot of discretionary funds available to me at this time. While I am on my way downwards in regards to weight, I'll be hanging out at our local thrift shop!

I have BCBS of Alabama. Under their rules you have to have 40 BMI for the past 3 years, or a 35 BMI with a co-morbidity...again, for the past 3 years. It is confusing to me though. What if I had a 35 BMI but the co-morbidity was just recently diagnosed??? Anyway they also require a 6 month physician monitored diet. For the BMI, they use the date that you weighed in with your surgeon if you've already met with him/her. So even if you lose weight and get under the BMI, it doesn't matter, your BMI was already set with your surgeon's office.

Oh my gosh.... its going to be a busy month. I had my initial consultation with my surgeon and got the ball rolling. I've set up appointments with the nutritionist, the psychologist, with a physician for sleep apnea testing, and had my first weight watcher's meeting, beginning the six month weight loss management requirement (BCBS of Alabama). I felt really guilty during the Weight Watcher's meeting, knowing that I was just going through the motions, but who knows, maybe I'll actually lose more than 9 pounds this time. Looking back on my medical history I actually found that I'd been diagnosed with GERD in 2011, so that is one more co-morbidity that could help my case for getting my insurance to cover this surgery. I still have to get with my primary care physician and get her to monitor my 6 month requirement. She still doesn't know that I want to do this, and I'm afraid she'll try and talk me out of it. She is one of these tall willowy types, never ever been overweight, but she does make comments every now and then about my weight, so maybe....

Well I did have sleep apnea...pretty severe, so I have another co-morbidity. Yay...I guess. I missed my nutritionist appointment. Just totally spaced it and felt terrible, since I had been waiting nearly a month to get it. I'll just have to reschedule in a few more months. I saw my regular doc today, and she said she would refer me to Dr. Turton for weight loss surgery! I am so excited! I thought she would be totally against it, since she is so tall and thin. She just shook her head at me and said that this surgery would probably result in all your problems going away. I was nearly in tears. She set up the 6 month diet with one of her nutritionists and said they would accept it from them because they had in the past. I feel that I'm truly on my way now!!!!

Already addressed, I know, but my pet peeve is the mistake of using loose for lose. You lose weight, then your clothes get loose. You don't "loose" weight!

I did my sleep study on April 16th, and found out I had moderate to severe apnea. That explains part of why I am so tired and sleepy all the time. I went back on April 29 for a titration sleep study, where they fitted me with a cpap machine. I slept incredibly well that time, unlike the first time when I was awake most of the night. Yesterday I got my own cpap machine and slept with it for the first time last night. I felt pretty well today, and that is so encouraging. I'm really hoping to get a lot of my energy and joy of life back with this contraption. Anyway...since I've been diagnosed, I can use this as a co-morbidity for my insurance requirement. My BMI is right on the edge, and I haven't been approved by my insurance yet,

Let us know what happens!

I haven't finished my 6 month diet yet, so I can't submit until that is done. I've heard though, that you can appeal. Just find out first why you were denied. You can even have your surgeon ask for a peer to peer evaluation, which would probably help.

So...its been a while, did you get approved?

Well...I can add one more co-morbidity to my list. I have moderate to severe sleep apnea. I'm not sure if it will count though, since it hasn't been documented for the past 3 years. Anyway, I slept last night with a cpap machine for the first time ever, and I can't remember the last time i slept so deeply. Maybe I'll eventually catch up on all my disturbed sleep and can actually have some energy during the day. So.... 40.9 BMI, GERD, Sleep apnea, pre-diabetic, knee and hip problems. Maybe I've got a chance with the insurance peeps. Now I've got to get my PCP on board and knock out this 6 month diet.