Lulu5

Keep us posted about what the Ins Co says. I too have BCBS Fed and was told by my surgeons office that I only needed 3 visits as long as I discuss weight loss/exercise at those 3 visits. My first appt was June 25, second was July 25, and final will be Aug 26. I've met all my other requirements so as soon as I'm done with the the Aug 25 appt my surgeon's office will submit to the ins co.

My sleep study last night was terrible too! I didn't sleep much at all!!! I maybe got 3 hours at the most. And they never hooked me up to the cpap machine so I'm assuming I don't have apnea.... but the tech couldn't say. I guess I'll have my results within the next week or so. I'm exhausted today!

You are very welcome! I've been dealing with LI for about 3 years now (I've only been aware that I have it for about 2 years). It sucks! And it seems like mine is pretty bad because I have friends who are LI and they can tolerate a lot of things I can't (yogurt, cottage cheese, etc).

It's funny you say that about the lunch meat, because it contains casein (almost all lunch meats contain this) and if you're LI, you can't tolerate casein either because it contains the same Proteins that are found in milk! For the longest time I couldn't eat canned tuna because almost all canned tuna contains casein, but I found that Bumble Bee doesn't use this ingredient and I don't have a reaction when I eat it. I just avoid almost all lunch meat now. Almost all the Boar's Head meats are casein free so I eat those sometimes.

Twins, it doesn't sound like what you have is 'dumping'. It sounds like you're lactose intollerant. I haven't been sleeved yet, but I'm LI and I have the same problem if I eat something with dairy. And sometimes (very seldom) trace amounts of dairy are in my food and it doesn't bother me. But the very next time I eat the same food, I get really sick. I just avoid all dairy now. It stinks.

I had the inital consult on Monday and the dr said she thinks it's worth doing the sleep study especially since it is very important for the anesthesiologist to know prior to surgery if I have apnea. She did say if I had it, she thinks it is mild but we won't really know unless I have the study. Hopefull you won't have to have the actual study done. I heard it isn't too bad. But I guess I will see first hand soon!

I only have one more supervised diet appoitnment with my pcp (the end of August), my psyc eval (next week) and my sleep study (this weekend) and we can submit to insurance! I'm so nervous/excited/anxious!!! The reality that this could happen in the next 2 months is sinking in! Anyone else have a sleep study? They suspect I may have mild apnea. I'm hoping it's mild enough to count as a main co-morbidity for me but not bad enough for me to use a cpap machine. I have lots of co-morbidities, but as of now, none of the main 3 my insurance looks for (high bp, diabetes, apnea).

Jessie: You look AMAZING!!! We have almost the same stats (I'm 5'4 1/2" and 220 lbs). I should be sleeved in September and I hope and pray I have the success you have had in such a short amount of time! Keep us posted on your progress!

Did you have an anti-nausea patch behind your ear? If so, you may have touched it and then touched your eyes and this will cause dilated pupils and blurry vision.

I'm getting anxious/excited! My surgeon says I don't have to do a pre-op diet, so I'm thankful for that. However, I do plan to do very low carb/high Protein the week prior to help with shrinking my liver. I've got 2 more supervised diet appointments and I'm supposed to see a sleep specialist to determine if I need a sleep study.

Thanks, Light_Lady and Michellemo! I hope and pray mine gets better! It's not really bad most of the time. But I think the stress of jumping through all the hoops to get insurance approval and the thought of surgery has triggered mine to be bad. I go from diarrhea to being constipated. It sucks. I'm also lactose intolerant and that doesn't help matters. Ugh! I just hope for improvement (or remission!). Cheer moma, I sympathize with your hubby. Stress is my biggest trigger.

I was told by my surgeon's office that I do not need one from my PCP. They said the surgeon would write one.

For BCBS Federal, has anyone had a BMI of 40, but during your two year history, you had a BMI of less than 40 but greater than 35? If so, did bcbs require a comorbidity?

That's great! I plan on taking at least one week off, maybe 2. Sounds like you did very well for only 6 days post-op!

I hope my surgery is in September. My final medically supervised diet appointment is the end of August and from what I hear, my insurance is pretty quick at approvals. I've completed all other requirements and my psyc appointment Aug 5th. I really hope the surgery happens the middle or end of September. My surgeon said as soon as we have insurance approval I will be put on the schedule for surgery pretty quick! I'm starting to get nervous/anxious but I made myself a list of all the reasons why I'm doing this and I have to keep reminding myself of these things.

Thanks! I'm curious because I'm usually a BMI of 38 but I'm now 40. And I have a bunch of 'minor' comorbidities, and not the common ones- high bp, diabetes, sleep apnea. However, my surgeon wants me to be tested for apnea. I have pre-hypertension, but not full blown high bp. I'm just nervous about approval, but I have a lot of health issues related to being overweight.

You should be proud of your success, and they, as health care professionals, should be proud of you too and want to encourage you! I really think weight loss causes most people to be jealous. Especially if they see you doing well. Most people want to see others fail at trying to lose weight. The dietician at my surgeons office told me that only a small percentage of people in their practice have gained 'some' weight back. And have an on-going study over the past few years to deterimine why that small group gains some weight back. They don't have all the results yet, but it boils down to them eating all the 'wrong' foods (high fat/calories) and enough of that, even in small quantities, will cause weight gain.

Hi! I'm new to this entire process. I've been doing lots of research on the VSG and I feel it is my best long-term, weight loss option. I have BCBS Federal and I am required to have at least one co-morbidity since my BMI is less than 40, but greater than 35. My BMI is currently 35.5. I called BCBS to ask them what co-morbidities they count as significant for approval and they said: high blood pressure diabetes sleep apnea I don't have any of these things. But I do have: migraines prehypertension osteoarthritis in my spine and hips scoliosis knee/joint pain BCBS did tell me that since I do not have any of the 'major' comorbids, that I higher level supervisor would have to review my case and make the decision. My question is, did any of you get approved for your surgery through BCBS and you did not have high blood pressure/diabetes/sleep apnea? And if you did get approved, what were your comorbidities? Thank you!!!

I have basic. And the surgery was this year (2013). I am thinking since it was outpatient, that I had to pay the 30% of drug charges. BUT, the wording in the benefit plan is ambiguous because one section says anesthetics (drugs) and anesthesia services are 100% reimbursable. But then another area says that I am responsible for 30%. The actual anesthesia services (the anesthesiologist) was covered 100%. I'm still fighting it and trying to get it worked out.

Thanks for the info. I'm asking because a while back, I had a laproscopic outpatient surgery and the insurance company only paid 30% of the anesthesia drug charges, leaving me with a bill of $700 to pay for my anesthesia! I've been battleing with bcbs for months now because they told me 3x before my surgery (and many, many times after the surgery) that anesthesia is covered 100% under my plan. I just don't want any surprises. I will talk to bcbs prior to my sleeve surgery and get it in writing that they will cover my anesthesia 100%.

How much was your surgery (hospital copay and surgeon copay)? Did you have to pay 30% of your drug costs for the anesthesia used during your surgery? Sorry for so many questions. I just don't want to be blind-sided by FEP blue. Thanks!

I haven't been sleeved yet, but I'm curious about this too since I enjoy the body by vi shakes. I'm lactose-intolerant so the Vi shakes agree with me well since I mix them with lactaid milk.

I found out today that I am 5'5" instead of 5'6" so that gives me a higher bmi, which helps. My surgeons office said I may need a sleep study and my Pcp is testing me for a metabolic disorder too.

I have BCBS Federal. I am required to have 3 months of a monitored diet, which I will do with my surgeons dietician, before my surgery. My question is, if I lose weight during that 3 month window, prior to the surgery and my BMI falls below 35 (which it will if I lose more than 5 pounds) will that prevent my insurance co from approving my surgery? Or does the only weight that matters is the weight I start at when I first started seeing the surgeon and my weight during the 2 years prior to the surgery? Thanks!