Roo101769

All mine is now official and REAL. Surgeon's office called this a.m. She said I had the fastest insurance approval she has ever seen!!! LOL (She submitted around 6pm on Tuesday, before she left for the day. The approval was on her desk when she came in the next day!) I am OFFICIALLY 10/21. I have my EDG scheduled for 10/14 and my pre op surgeon visit 10/17. ( my birthday) I start my liquid diet 10/11. And one day in there I will have my PATs and a class I have to take about the sleeve....Gonna be a busy couple of weeks!

I have it! I have my approval. God was looking out for me and knew I would have a hard time waiting to hear. I called Anthem BC today to verify that the paperwork was indeed submitted, and much to my surprise I was told it was submitted AND approved 9/25! It's a small miracle that I received same day approval because I would have been a basket case waiting! LOL She said I am approved for a 1 day stay from 10/21-10/22. My first question was " this is a two day thing, but only approved one day?" She said it is standard to just submit for one day, then they will add the additional day at the time. Then my wheels turned a little further and thought about the date. I asked her how that day was chosen and she said it was the date my surgeon applied for. So being the ever brilliant detective I am (I say laughing) I deduced that is my surgery date - 10/21. Apparently they have it as a tentative schedule when submitting for approval, but do not tell us until after they have the approval. So I am one up on my surgeon- I know my date! LOL I am a mixture of emotions, which I expected. What I am sort of surprised about is that I am strangely calm too. I am really so very thankful that this is happening. I would have been devastated to get anything but an approval. And the way it has all worked out....Well all I can say is a higher power certainly had to have a hand in it. The date is exactly as I hoped, four days after my birthday. So October will forever be my birthday, and my rebirth day!!! I should be feeling pretty good ( knock wood ) by my daughter's birthday on 11/3, and should be back to my (new) normal by the holidays. I also reap the benefit of having already met my cap out of pocket amount for the year through insurance ( thanks DVT and PE) so this should cost me next to nothing! I am truly, truly happy and thankful and excited. I realize there will be rough patches ahead and will deal with them as they come. But right now I am on cloud nine and will save this feeling for those times...

I just found out this a.m. I am approved too and what my date is! I called my insurance just to verify they received the paperwork. ( I was told it was being submitted yesterday) The lady amazed me by saying it was received and APPROVED 9/25! She then said I am approved for 10/21-10/22. (Standard to get one day approved then add as needed) So I found out my date before my surgeon's office even told me!!! I am so flippin excited. The date is pretty much exactly as I hoped and it couldn't be better..

I am OFFICIALLY an October sleever! Just found out this a.m., kind of by accident. My surgeon's office was supposed to submit the paperwork to my insurance (Anthem BC) yesterday. I called my insurance this morning just to verify the paperwork had been sent. Much to my extreme amazement I was told it was received AND APPROVED 9/25. The lady then proceeded to tell me I am approved for a one night stay 10/21-10/22. ( I questioned..That is standard she said. Get approval for one night then add to it as needed.) Then I realized she just gave me my surgery date, even before I heard it from my surgeon's office!!!! I am so freaking happy it isn't funny!

That is VERY annoying, isn't it? I believe there are just people who are "diet" junkies. Whether they need to lose weight or not. They know there is SOMETHING in their lives that they are not happy with. But for whatever reason they do not try to change that and focus on body image. I blame society in large part for so many people having body image issues. I don't think they are honestly trying to trigger you to be upset, but they are certainly placing their efforts and focus on the wrong thing in their lives. Also, I think when some folks see another being successful at changing what bothers them ( such as weight loss, not matter the method, in a very overweight/obese person) they are jealous. Not having to do anything with whether you look better than them or whatever. More because YOU actually made a change for the better in your life, something they wish they could do! Thing is, you will never be able to change this type of person. No matter what you say, how well you explain how it makes you feel, it won't change. It is stemming from their own personal demons. If you chose to stay friends with these people, I would just chalk it up to what it is and let it go. Otherwise I would avoid them if it really bothers you. Some people who go through extreme weight loss do change their personalities. But I also strongly believe it is others around us who change too, in how they now treat us.

I have had a loving relationship with a heating pad for many years now. My first love was for "girl issues". We spent many, many years together. My HP helped me through so many horrible months of cramps. But, years passed and HP grew cold. So I found a new love. My new HP has warmed my heart and soul. ( and knees, leg and lower back) I can only imagine the comfort it will provide once I am home for surgery and needing that familiar happy warm feeling!

...and I just can't hide it! Just spoke with my surgeon's office. All of my paperwork and clearances have been received and she will be submitting it all to my insurance TOMORROW for approval!! The girl who does it is actually pretty cool and we have chatted a few times, so I don't think she is blowing smoke up my butt. She knows I am very excited so I hope she does follow through...Now I pray ( and yes- stress) for a quick approval. My fear and nerves may start to take over, so I just need to stay focused and positive. If I am this excited about this, imagine how I will be when I get approval!!!! I probably better bring a spare pair of pants with me to work for a while, I may need them!!! LMAO The timing could not be any better. I have been seriously struggling lately. I lost some of my momentum. Like everyone who struggles with weight I have been plagued with doubts and self sabotage. My will power has been turning to "won't" power. I have lost 20lbs since 8/1 and I am very happy and proud about that. But, without the surgery, I don't see much more coming off. I need the restriction. I need that extra "umphf" to get me past my head. I need the surgery. I am just so very, very happy my journey is moving in the right direction!!!

Speaking as a "pre sleever" I think it is sort of normal. With any major life change, even ones that are for your best, there are some bits of grief. It is change, MAJOR change. You had to say good bye to whatever life you had pre op. You will never, ever be the girl with a complete stomach. You will always, from now on, be a bariatric patient. There is bound to be certain emotions and feelings attached to such a huge change. But, as I have read time and again, the good things soon make us forget all about the bad. Just hang in and live your feelings, but stay with it and soon you will forget you ever felt them. ( I would be willing to wager) And btw- you do look great!

Thanks ElginChris..I am right behind you! LOL Before we both know it surgery will be done and we will be living in our new (improved) bodies!!!

I am still pre op and yes, I have days where I feel I have already been sleeved. Not because I have no hunger or appetite. But because my MIND is changing. I think one of the keys to success with this is to commit to it with your whole heart and soul. So, in the mean time, your mind may already be ahead of your reality! It's all good, a few extra lbs gone pre op are not there to lose later!!!!!

I am considered to be a "hard stick" too. Both times I have had DVTs and been hospitalized they blew through so many veins only certain people were allowed to touch me. In fact, the first time I got a PiCC line and was so happy when I did. This last time ( May) they couldn't even get the PiCC line in after THREE attempts!!! But I was told the blood gas stick is a whole different animal. They are drawing from an artery, not a vein. The arteries are harder to get at anyway, so everyone is sort of in the same boat. I was fortunate to get a lady who spent time really searching for the artery and finding a good location, then rechecking before inserting the needle. It is a painful test (somewhat) due to how much further in they have to go. But, when done correctly, that pain can be minimized.

First off I want to express my deep condolences. I am so sorry for the loss of a life you had grown to love in such a short time. I have only had one pregnancy, and that was my miracle. So I am not in the same boat. But I do have a beautiful 4 (almost 5!) year old daughter that makes me so glad God decided to bless me, even if it was just once. Now about the emotional eating. The very fact you acknowledge it and have turned here for support shows you have made progress in your life. You know, in your heart, the food will not change your emotions. What you are feeling won't go away with every extra bite you take. What will happen is you will compound your pain with guilt for eating what you know you really don't want. Do not sabotage yourself, even in this dark emotional time. Grieve, but not through food. And remember that, if and when you are ready to add a member to your family, a healthy body will be a much better place to start from. My heart is with you...stay strong.

Yep- just done on 9/13. And my surgeon has my clearance. Not a fan of blood gas tests, it does hurt. Hopefully you get a good stick. I have to say she did far better than previous folks. And blowing in that tube does get a little ...uh... sucky? LOL Not sure how to put it but I have to say a couple times my lungs sort of hurt. ( like when you get really winded doing something) But all in all it was no big deal. Maybe an hour and a half of time tops.

I have a friend ( more of an acquaintance) who is exactly the same as your BIL. She used my surgeon for her lap band and tried very hard to get me to not use him. She claims he has horrible bed side manners and never really explained to her how to live with her band. Well...first of all I have already met the surgeon. He was quite pleasant and personable in my opinion. Second, in this day and age of technology do you REALLY need your doctor to hold your hand and explain every last detail of what you are doing? To be fair I will say maybe in the older segment of the population, one not as familiar or comfortable with the internet, that may be true. But this girl is younger than I am and is little Miss Social Media, so trust me, she knows how to use a computer!!! But the biggest reason she has failed has been HERSELF. She is about three years out and I would peg her to be at least 250lbs. Granted, she did have a pregnancy in those years and gave birth to twins. But they are over a year old now. She has had time to lose weight. But I have seen how she eats. Went to a social function with her once and, had I not known she was banded, would have never guessed she ever had WLS. She ate nachos, potato skins, poppers etc. Deep fried and full of FAT and CALORIES. And it was the surgeon who failed her? Really?? I think there are just those individuals who believe WLS of any form is the easy way to lose weight. They believe it is magic and they have to do nothing and the pounds will just melt away...Except they are still heavy. The spent all the time and money and went through surgery for nothing. That type of person needs some serious counseling to get right with reality!!! BTW- GOOD FOR YOU! Keep up with working the plan and be a skinny, healthy success!!!

Fabulous!!!! That is what I am looking forward to, knees not hurting!!! LOL Great job and keep up the awesome work you are doing!

Yup- been there and done that. I actually have a blog about my experiences. And from the responses to the blog, we are not alone. The main thing I get out of this is the got us..They know we want this. They know we are excited and anxious. They also know shopping around is not always an option, ( because of insurance) and even if we could switch practices-what guarantee do we have that the new office won't be the same? There is definitely an overwhelming amount of dissatisfaction when it comes to the office procedures of most bariatric facilities. But, at the end of the day, we get there. I think of it in the terms of giving birth...There is a whole lot of pain and suffering that goes on in the "during" stage, but all is forgotten when the end result is so sweet!

My BMI is just under 53. I do have some vascular damage in my leg, which falls under "cardiovascular" for comorbidities. I think that is going to help(?). I also have severe arthritis in both knees. So I do have factors, they just aren't on the top of the list of what is being looked at. I know I won't have to do the diet, that was debated at great length early on due to some misinformation. I am fairly confident I will be approved, I will just be nervous until it is a done deal. I am sure everyone sweats it a little...

My paperwork is being submitted tomorrow..I am so excited and nervous. I have Anthem BC in Ohio. I meet the BMI (and then some!) plus I do have comorbidities. But my "co"s are not the two biggies- diabetes or HBP. That makes me just a little bit nervous about approval. But I am staying positive. I really hope mine is approved in just a matter of days like yourself. I already did the pulmonary evaluation, so once approved I just need the EGD scope and to do some online education thing. ( I am pretty much already an expert on the sleeve from my own research, so the "class" should be a breeze!) And my surgeon requires a 10 day liquid diet too, before surgery. I am really hopeful for an October surgery date. I am excited. Yes, some nerves. But I KNOW this is the best path I can follow! Good luck on your journey...

I will only be taking a week off when I get sleeved. I missed a LOT of work earlier this year due to a DVT. The sleeve is to get my weight down so that history hopefully doesn't repeat itself. My employer is being cool about it, understanding why I need to do this. But at the same time I do not want to push it at all. I have a desk job so I should be ok. I pray for no complications and an easy recovery. ( Easy being relative of course) I hope you do ok today. Just get plenty of rest when you get home!

Inspirational. All I want from this surgery is to FEEL better, looking better will just be a bonus. It is great to see someone who has been there, done that. I cannot wait until I can post these type of results! Very good job!

Amazing! You look great, you look fit and you DO look younger!!! LOL

Congrats!!! That is fabulous. I bet you already feel like a million bucks!! LOL Keep up the awesome work and keep us posted!

Just a suggestion but may be worth a try..Before you go to bed tonight have a little extra something. Maybe a piece of cheese or yogurt or something. I know eating before bed is a no-no. But if you are experiencing low blood sugar in the a.m., perhaps it will help. Best advice though, see your doctor.

On August 1st I started what I call my "pre-op/post-op" diet. It has been totally regulated by ME. I am not required by my surgeon or insurance to do it. I just believed it would be in my best interest to start making changes now, before I am sleeved. My diet is high protein, low fat/calories/carbs. Fairly like what you will eat once you start back on regular foods post op. The only major concession I have made is I am not limiting quantity yet, just changed the quality. I will say the side benefits of the change have actually "shrank" my stomach some, I can no longer eat the amounts I used to. And last week I ate some foods I had cut out. I didn't eat a huge amount, but they were higher in fat/calories/carbs than what I have been eating. Let me tell you, it triggered the CARB MONSTER big time! I now know I am better off limiting carbs. I do not crave as much doing without than eating them in moderation. I spent the weekend being hungry and never being satisfied with anything. ( and wanting vast quatities of JUNK) I am back on track this week and already feel better. That is another effect for me, I feel less sluggish and bloated eating this way. I sleep better, I have better energy. But the best result of it?? I have dropped 20lbs since I started!!! My joints are already reaping the benefits of it. Granted I still have a loooong way to go, but I feel I have a solid start. In addition, during my psych eval the doctor said I was much more likely to be successful once I have the sleeve because I have already committed to making the changes now. So I believe you are on the right track..Good luck and much success!!

My PCP is the culprit of the delayed record share. I received a call back from them yesterday afternoon and the nurse told me they will be sending everything over tomorrow. (Friday) Apparently they have an outside company that comes in a couple times a month that handles these types of requests. She also said only one year of the two required is actually already in a computer file, therefore the earlier records have to be pulled manually. ( And scanned to be sent) To be honest it probably is not a lot of info. I did not have a lot of medical contact in 2012. So my surgeon's office will have everything they need from my PCP tomorrow. I hope the pulmonary evaluation report will be in too. It will be a week since the tests were ran. I may call the pulmonologists' office tomorrow to find out. So if they have all the records and needed clearances by tomorrow I am keeping my fingers ( and toes and eyes) crossed that they will submit them to insurance next week. That will probably be the most nerve wracking time, waiting to see if I am approved. Given I have a BMI in the 50s, (for several years) severe osteoarthritis in my knees, a history of DVTs and PEs and permanent vascular damage in my right leg I SHOULD be approved without problem. But there is a small nagging fear in the back of my mind that says I do not have the "big" co-morbidities of high blood pressure or diabetes. Those are two things that would pretty much guarantee approval with my insurance. I am scared to death that I have set myself on this path, I am determined it is my "salvation" of sorts, and that I could be denied and not get the surgery. That would devastate me to no end. I do not want my health to get worse. I do not want further damage done to my leg to the point I could actually lose it. (worst case scenario of course) I do not want to be the "fat mom" who is unable to be an active part in her child's life. My daughter already has to deal with the fact I am the "old" mom, at least I would like to be the active, highly energetic older mom who is not limited by her body! I have zero doubts that this is the path I need to be on. Yes, I have fear of major surgery. ( You would have to be pretty numb not to) But I have no reservations about what the sleeve means and how it will effect my life. I so hope I end 2013 starting my new life. Nothing else is acceptable now. It is now a waiting game. A very stressful, anxiety ridden, nail biting, difficult wait. My entire future depends on the outcome of the decision made by insurance. Some office flunky will have my life in their hands....