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That's just it - there are no other surgeons in my area. The next closest place is 2.5 hours away. I'm checking to see if that would work out.

I have BCBS MI and I called today - I'm covered. I have a PPO Flexible Blue plan - I believe its only the individual coverage that was changed. I know there was something in the legislature regarding individual coverage premiums and what the policies would cover changing

Thanks! best of luck to you as well! I hope everything works out well for you!

Its not an embarrassment issue, its a hassle and harassment issue, really. I don't want to be hassled all the time by size 2 people wondering if I can help them lose those last 2 lbs they've been dying over and I don't want to be harassed by people who think I'm being lazy. Did I make some poor choices that helped me get to where I am? You bet I did. Now I'm making a wise choice to get myself out of this situation. Someone who hasn't been in my situation can't really tell me what I need to do with my life and health. Its no different than me trying to tell my sister how to potty train her kid just because I'm great at housebreaking dogs.

just from other experiences, I would have to say that your hair loss is a vitamin deficiency. I would up the vitamin B if you can - talk to your doctor about it as well - maybe a prenatal vitamin? I know that there are a lot of people that take those after bypass surgery.

You'd be surprised at how little other people pay attention to what you're eating - even when you're dining with them. We worry about it because we're hyperfocused on food - others simply aren't. I usually don't lunch with others and even if I did, a simply "not all that hungry" works for me :glare:

My husband knows I have considered this, as does one of my sisters. No one, and I mean no one knows. I'll keep it that way as long as I can. I do have some nosey relatives that work at the hospital (thank god for HIPPA - they won't know I'm there) I'm hoping i can get this done while they're on vacation so it won't be a concern anyway. I'm not ashamed of being banded. I don't want to hear the whining from my mother because she keeps failing to follow the doctor's orders to get her WLS. I'm tired of hearing her compare herself to me -that we're the same. I'm not the same as her. I didn't choose to get sick. Sure, I didn't make the best choices, but I certainly didn't choose to have that all land on my head. I'm just ready to be me again, and i can't do that how I am now. I'll have a short vacation from work and just have it done. If people ask and are genuine people, I'll tell them. I just don't feel that I need to volunteer the information - UNLESS I feel it can help someone else.

Thanks for your story. You really give me the extra bit of evidence that I need to tell me that I CAN and WILL do this :glare:

Thanks :glare: it looks like you're off to a great start I hope I do as well as you

I got an email from my doctor yesterday - she has submitted to my insurance company for my approval. Now I'm just waiting to hear what the decision is. I can't imagine that I'd be denied. My BMI by the insurance company scale is 54.9, which hopefully will be considered 55 (never thought I'd be happy about that) - just means I can go right to surgery.

I got an email from my doctor yesterday - she has submitted to my insurance company for my approval. Now I'm just waiting to hear what the decision is. I can't imagine that I'd be denied. My BMI by the insurance company scale is 54.9, which hopefully will be considered 55 (never thought I'd be happy about that) - just means I can go right to surgery.

I'm gathering a positive attitude. I've gotten so much taken care of, I'm off the steroids, I'm only on the necessary medications now. I feel a sense of relief knowing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. My doctor has submitted for my approval for the surgery. Waiting on the insurance company now. After that, I get referred to the surgeon. I'm excited to get this going. I don't want to get my hopes up too far, but my BMI is high enough that I should be able to just go have the surgery done (never thought I'd be happy to have a high BMI). I wasn't going to have the surgery done locally because I live in a small town and there are a lot of nosey people around here. But I'm going to. Unfortunately, they don't do the surgery outpatient here yet. Though I might ask for it to be. We'll see. For as heavy and unhealthy as I am, I'm still pretty agile and strong. I don't have issues with breathing, no real co-morbities other than the ones my medications caused. I'm looking forward to this. To getting my life back. To strapping on a pair of running shoes and actually running again. I even bought a new pair. They're waiting for me.

I'm gathering a positive attitude. I've gotten so much taken care of, I'm off the steroids, I'm only on the necessary medications now. I feel a sense of relief knowing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. My doctor has submitted for my approval for the surgery. Waiting on the insurance company now. After that, I get referred to the surgeon. I'm excited to get this going. I don't want to get my hopes up too far, but my BMI is high enough that I should be able to just go have the surgery done (never thought I'd be happy to have a high BMI). I wasn't going to have the surgery done locally because I live in a small town and there are a lot of nosey people around here. But I'm going to. Unfortunately, they don't do the surgery outpatient here yet. Though I might ask for it to be. We'll see. For as heavy and unhealthy as I am, I'm still pretty agile and strong. I don't have issues with breathing, no real co-morbities other than the ones my medications caused. I'm looking forward to this. To getting my life back. To strapping on a pair of running shoes and actually running again. I even bought a new pair. They're waiting for me.

Just wondering - does GT Surgery do outpatient lap bands? I really don't want to stay at the hospital, or even have the surgery at the hospital - I would prefer the surgical center. I just know too many really nosey and gossipy people that work at munson - and you can quote HIPPA all you want, some people still shoot their mouths off and I don't want people to know my business.

So I'm starting to go through the steps again. Starting to get everything together to get this done and I keep wondering to myself: Can I do this without the band? I haven't answered that question yet. I think I need to.

I'm trying again. I've gained more and more weight from steroids, complete exhaustion and pain. My illness has gotten worse - so all the crap they've put me through to make me "healthy" hasn't gotten me any better. Thanks to the insurance company refusing certain treamtents, I've not been able to get better. Now not only am I still ill, now I'm morbidly obese. Thanks insurance company! Well, now i have a different insurance company, live in a different state, and I HOPE since my condition has worsened even further, I'll have better luck. Yes, in just under 2 years, I've gained 130 lbs. Fun, huh? Thank you, Aetna. You're da bomb! I now have priority health. My BMI is over 45, and I do have a comorbidity - which, according to their stipulations, isn't even required. I have to start seeing a local doctor for this - so I'm going to find one that will green-light me to have the surgery as soon as possible. My specialist has okayed it - it won't affect my treatment since I can just continue with my injections and any pills I have to take can be crushed. So cheers to yall who have managed to get where you need to be, good luck to those of you who are trying to get there - and wish me luck to stay in this fed-up frame of mind and make this happen :thumbup:

Has anyone heard of this band? its supposed to be inflated to a certain restriction with a machine - no port, no needles, no injections to fill or unfill - uses air or something... anyone know anything about this?

i'm starting over with my journey to have this surgery done. I thought maybe I could do it without -but I'm so heavy now, I don't even know where to start. I'm so lost in a sea of fat, that I can't find my way out by myself. I'm angry. At myself, at the insurance company, at doctors, at the people that screwed up the first time around and I wasn't able to have the surgery...but its a new day and I'm setting that anger into action to get things done better this time. I have a new insurance company (I have 2 of them, in fact!) So one way or another, I'm going to get my life back. It wasn't that long ago that I was happy and healthy. I need to be that person again.

i'm starting over with my journey to have this surgery done. I thought maybe I could do it without -but I'm so heavy now, I don't even know where to start. I'm so lost in a sea of fat, that I can't find my way out by myself. I'm angry. At myself, at the insurance company, at doctors, at the people that screwed up the first time around and I wasn't able to have the surgery...but its a new day and I'm setting that anger into action to get things done better this time. I have a new insurance company (I have 2 of them, in fact!) So one way or another, I'm going to get my life back. It wasn't that long ago that I was happy and healthy. I need to be that person again.

Its not a political issue - its an issue directly affecting you. You're not a political issue to be played with. Something's gotta give. I won't get into my political viewpoints but DAMN - something really has to give. I pay good money for my private insurance and I couldn't get a procedure done that would LOWER my insurance company's costs for me - because it wasn't the standard treatment for my condition (a condition that, mind you, only 30,000 people in the ENTIRE WORLD have been diagnosed with - so yeah... I'm sure they have a "standard treatment" - anyway - I'm allergic to the typical treatment, so we went the old school way - which they did readily - well, that's not working so well. In fact, its not working AT ALL. but they wouldn't do any other treatments that are available - so instead, they're willing to let me suffer, go into liver failure, then I can have a liver transplant. Yeah. I'm quite glad i don't have them for an insurance company anymore. Fortunately, because my coverage never lapsed, I don't have to deal with pre-existing condition issues and as of next week, I'll be double covered with BCBS and Priority Health. YAY! One way or another, I'm getting this friggin surgery done AND getting my other surgery done so I don't have to worry about it anymore. ....and not to rant but I wouldn't NEED the lapband surgery if they had realized that after 6 months of the old school treatment, that I was getting worse and just done what they should have done, I wouldn't have this problem. I wouldn't have gained all this weight. I would be FINE.

holy crap that was fast lol.

Its hard to believe what any insurance company says. BCBS of Alabama didn't pay for birth control pills because "it is not a proven safe and effective method - it is still considered experimental" - yes, that's what they told me. The pill has been around longer than *I* have. Companies CHOOSE to include or exclude WLS from their policies. I'm someone who, 3 years ago, heck even 2 years ago would tell you to just back away from the table to lose weight and get on the treadmill and off the sofa. Yeah. That was until I got sick. They put me on steroids, and I have now gained 130 lbs. My body weight has almost DOUBLED. I try to get off the couch, but I can't. I'm too weak, tired and sore. Its not as easy as just putting down the junk food - I don't really even eat it. But I realize how much work it takes to be fit, and that sometimes, the physical activity needed isn't POSSIBLE. So yeah - now I'm fat, still not healthy from the illness I had - in fact, its gotten WORSE - and now I'm 300 lbs to boot. Thanks insurance company for your CHOICE in my treatment options. Arseholes.

Well, unless i can come up with the funds to cobra my insurance, I'm done with Aetna and probably done with attempting to get the surgery. We'll see what happens (I was fired from my job because it was found out that I was going to be reporting sexual harassment - yes, I'm looking into a suit)

I'm starting completely over because the surgery center messed up on my first submission, messed up both of my appeals and now i'm going elsewhere to try again with the comprehensive presurgery preparatory diet and exercise program. So 6 months after starting the procedure, I'm starting over.Fun.

Welp. I got denied on my appeal. My doctor's notes weren't thorough enough. I'm trying to see if he'll add additional notes, as they said they would take those. We'll see.