Lissa.Shrinks

Good luck! Let us know if you feel better!

Hi there! I'm brand new to this whole thing, and wanted to join this site for support and conversation through my journey. I have looked into surgery twice before but didn't have insurance coverage, and am now looking into it again since I have a fantastic employer with wonderful benefits. I have met with a surgeon and medically qualify, and am now jumping through the hoops to apply for authorization. I'd love to chat with people and hear about everyone's paths to surgery and after surgery, and am so excited to join this site!

I'm actually looking forward to the liquid diet before surgery. Not so much actually doing it, but really seeing what it will be like immediately after. I've been toying with the idea of going liquid for a couple of days while I'm home over the holidays so I have a better sense of what Protein powder is like.

That's awesome, congrats! I wish I could afford to self pay.

I'm looking at May or June, I think.

Thanks Kristy! I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I start launching questions at everyone like I'm playing Angry Birds...

Hi Fred, that sucks that you're doing self pay, but that's awesome that you're dedicated enough to do that! Good luck!

Hi Dawn, thanks so much for replying! What hoops do you still have to jump through? I have three more months of doc visits and five more months of nutritionist before I can get approved. Then I have a cardiac assessment, sleep apnea exam, venous doppler and something else before surgery. Sure seems like a lot.

Hi Kat, so nice to meet you, and thanks for the reply! Good luck with the insurance approval - keep me updated!

Great to hear that you're done jumping through all the hoops. I keep going back to the fact that medically, I meet all the requirements, so if they don't approve it means there is something else wrong, rather than me not meeting their standards. I'm trying to keep out of the "there's something wrong with me" mentality and putting it back on the insurance company. Good luck!

I love that - "choosing a surgery is like joining a gang". I had a similar experience with a friend of mine, and couldn't explain to my husand why it was such a big deal. I love the way you summed it up!