miss meliss

I got a message today........ I Got APPROVED!!! I got the call from LBS (Dr. Ferrara) today, but, only received their message after the office had closed. I will call tomorrow to schedule a date! I can't believe it!! I don't know when, but..... someday soon I will not be diabetic, I will not have foot pain, I will not have various body parts go numb while I sleep, I will be able to keep up with my boys and I will not worry about being seated in a Booth, etc..... I guess I could go on forever! ( I was getting a little carried away there):crying:

I have just hit a snag I didn't see coming. I have completed my 90 day plan and my doctor sent in all my records over a week ago to Aetna. I call Aetna for my statis and I was told it never came. They said it probably was sent to the regular Aetna office and that it would eventually get to them, however, it would dramatically slow down the process. They also suggested asking my doctor to resend my information to a new number. I sure in the long run this is going to work out, however, I want the short run!!! Has anyone ever hit this snag before? Are there any other Lockheed Total Health people out there and what is your experience?

Nevermind! I got approved!!

I just found out..... I got APPROVED! I got the message after the doctors office had closed so I will call tomorrow and find out a date!!! I so excited & happy!

Congrats Melanie!! Nearly 50 pounds in 2 months,wow!!

Thanks for the information! 10 days sounds great!! I finally got a fax number that I could pass on to my Doctors office. I hope they fax my stuff today!!

Mamrazik, I appreciate you sharing you experience. I am so happy for you! What it the name of the new Office Manager? Nancy (insurance guru) sent my approval papers to the wrong Aetna group. I am with a new Aetna policy group created for my husband's employer. I have sent an email and tried contacting her on the phone. No LUck!! I know I am probably over eager to have this proceedure, however, I have asked for a response so that I know when the information gets to the proper place. That being said..... I am very happy with LBS and can't wait to join your group of LOSERS (ha ha)!!

:rolleyes2::laugh::scared2::laugh::tongue2::laugh::thumbup::laugh::thumbup::laugh::tongue::laugh: 140 = about 10 Paris Hiltons! You have had me chuckling about this all day! Very clever!! I need to lose about 9 Paris Hiltons, but, I would be happy to lose 8 Paris Hiltons. Thanks for the laugh! Having a sense of humor is a blessing, you'll make it to your goal!!

Thanks for the advice NeNe. I have just finished typing up an email to the insurance cooridinator explaining my phone call. I will follow it up with a call on monday.

Phyl, Way to go girl!! That is a lot in a short time. It is very inspirational to hear your weight loss. Have you been doing anything special? What do you think has be the main reason (other than the band) for your success so far? Thanks for sharing, it is good to hear about someone in your own age group doing so well!

Have any of y'all had this problem...... While stalking the progress of my pre-approval. I had one operator (earlier this week) tell me they see me in the computer but I am not approved yet and just now another different operator say that I am NOT showing up and therefore my doctor has sent me to the wrong department. Has this ever happened to you? What did you about it....did you reappear magically or have to resubmit?

Thanks for the info Butterflylady! When and where do you guys meet?

Hey DFWers! I have just had my papers sent in to Aetna (April 10th). I hope to be on an operating table with Dr. Ferrara in early May. Has any of y'all had surgery with him? Was it a good experience? I would love to hear your feed back. I can not wait!! If I could have jumped on a gurney, to have surgery, the evening on my "Free Seminar" I would have. Cross your fingers I hear from my insurance soon!

Hey Guys!, My doctor submitted my paper work as of April 10th!! Please keep your fingers crossed for me. When y'all call for a status of your approval... who did you ask to speak to? I am anxious but I think I have everything I need to get approved (BMI of 45, Blood pressure medicine & Diabets). I am so ready for this!

I have had mrsa 3 times (lucky me). It is a staph infection closely related to impentigo (I have no idea how to spell this word), a common infection with kids. Mine started with what looked like a small pimple on my leg (how attractive) but it hurt if touched. Within 3 days I had to go to the emergency room and my leg was turning colors!! MRSA is resistant to most antibotics and very contigeous. I have no idea how I caught it. However, my son did have impentigo (bad spelling) earlier that month and I had strep throat many times that year and was takng a lot of antibotics. There is a special liquid soap I bough at Walgreens (per my surgens orders). It was in a blue bottle and in the disinfectant/medical area near neosporen, not bath soap. Also, I was told to wash with an antibaterial soap, like Dail. Hope this helps!

I am going to a WLS Doctor. According to my Aetna plan..... 6 months with a Primary Care Dr. or 90 days with a WLS Dr. You need to see a dietian once a month, have a psychogical evaluation and have 2 co-morbidities. I have taken the shorter trip and I hope to turn in my paper work April 14th!! I hope my turn around is as short as yours!!! Congratulations Reductionist!!!! I really hope my reply goes as fast!

Congratulations! Let us all know how it goes!!

Good Questions! Great Advice!! I am also 46 and a little taller and heavier that you ladies. I hope to have my surgry 1st week of May (some school holidays that week and I teach). I have my last dietian visit next week. I do look towards this 40's site for some reasonable goals and advice. I know I will not lose like a 24 year old man. Steph C you are an inspirations!! :scared2:

Wow! Wow! :tongue_smilie: I am so happy for you!! I have the exact same insurance and I will be turning everything in, in about 3 weeks. Not counting on having the same turn over as you, but, one can hope and dream . Again..... Wow and congratulations!

I'm so happy for you NeNe! It is so fun and incouraging to watch all of y'all finally make it to the next step!! Tell us how it goes! ... Meliss

I am so happy you finally got your approval!! Let those of us still waiting to hear how it goes and what it is like to be banded. I got comfort hearing that you did not loose much wait during the 90 days. I have lost a few pounds but not much and this has worried me a bit. My doctors office said not to worry, some people actually gain from nervous eating or farewell eating. So it is good to hear it from a actual approved person. Congrats again...l know you have been waiting to hear this good news! .. Meliss

Congratulations Lone Star!

Lonestar... I can tell by your name and doctor that we are from the same neck of the woods, DFW. I'm in Burleson. Do you mind telling me the employer your working with. I just need to know if I will be having the same painful, needlessly long wait. I will be sending in my paperwork 1st week of April. I have Aetna thru Lockheed. Don't feel like a web stalker. I am very interested and how things go for you and the other Aetna people on this site. ... Miss Meliss

Here Here Ceradad! If I wasn't able to talk to a co-worker about their band experience I might not have explored this option. She seemed normal, happy and and much slimmer. It gave me a chance to ask about her experience and I feel much better about it. I was one of those who use to think this was cheating. But then I realized I am losing the race and I need help. This isn't cheating anymore than getting braces for your teeth, duh. I will submit for approval in early April and I don't plan of shouting from the roof tops but if asked I will talk their ear off. I would feel bad telling them I had just decided to eat better and the pound fell-off. If that worked for everyone then I would not need this surgry. I am thankful someone was willing to open up and talk to me about this option. Now, I'm off my soap box! ... Miss Meliss

I would think that during the liquid diet and only during the liquid diet that you should give up the cooking shows. What torture!! Maybe you can tape or Tevo your favorite shows. It is hard to watch those show on an empty stomach let alone an empty stomach with no hope of filling it soon! Stop the torture!!