TristanNicole

I was approved on Tuesday 9/22, they submitted to UHC on 9/8 I believe. I called a few times, just to check on it. Both times they gave me the option to "elevate" the authorization... which I believe means puts a red flag on the case, or moves it to the "top of the pile". My surgery date is also October 19th.

I have united healthcare and I was approved for bypass this week, I did have to do a 6 month supervised diet (6 months=6 visits). From my experience and what I had researched at the beginning, it depends on what package your employer signed up for. I have united healthcare choice plus for railroad employees, however if you also have the choice plus plan with a different employer coverage may be different. I know this probably isn't helpful, just sharing my experience.

It's nice to know there are others my age having the surgery! It will be nice to stay in touch! How is the Facebook group going? I think I'd like to join.

Hey everyone. I just turned 25 July 24th, I have surgery tentatively scheduled for October 19th. I'm from Post Falls, ID, near Spokane, WA.

I'm tentatively schedule for October 19th, pre op 9/17 and 10/5.

I believe the letter of medical necessity is what the surgeons office supplies when they send in all the paperwork. I think that request is probably just generic and they are accounting for people who have a BMI <40 and do have to have co-morbidities to qualify for the surgery.

I had my first consult appointment with my surgeon on Tuesday 3/24/15. I thought it went really well and I'm looking forward to starting the process. My insurance requires a 6 month physician supervise diet and I start that April 1st. Has anyone else had their surgeon tell them that for your age (20's) that they would choose sleeve? My surgeon said if he were my age he would choose sleeve, I however was leaning towards bypass because of the amount of weight I have to loose and from what I've researched. He said I can't pick a wrong surgery and he supports me with either one. Also he said I have a heart murmur, which I've never had anyone say before. Anyone else my age have a heart murmur, what was the cause? He would like me to have an echocardiogram but that wont be for a few more months.

I'm there with you, however I'm already half way through my supervised diet (it does go faster than you think). I'd focus on one thing at a time with dieting, that's how my diet program works at my surgeons office. I meet with him once a month and he gives me one thing in 3 categories to focus on that month, and hopefully roll over to the next month. Things such as decreasing liquid calories (soda, energy drinks, sugary coffee) and increasing water intake. Becoming more active, taking at least 30 mins three times a week to do something to increase my heart rate and make me sweat (I have a push lawn mower and mow my lawn once a week, it makes me sweat!). The last topic is behaviors, like how fast do you eat, focus on the favor, texture of the food, put your fork down between bites, meal planning/meal diary. There is an app I was recommended by the office and I really like it. It is called "Lose it" and you can keep a meal diary and add your exercise to it as well, to track and see how you are doing. I haven't been trying too hard but Ive lost 10 lbs. I find busying myself with tasks like meal diary and planning out workouts keeps me preoccupied from thinking about it too much. Good luck!

Being cool and fitting in with you friends in college by drinking is only going to last for so long, until the end of the year when you graduate. Having bariatric surgery to help you lose weight and be healthy will last forever. I'm 24 and I kind of find it crazy that someone would rather drink in excess than follow the precautions that set you up to succeed with weight loss. If all you are proud of in college is how much you can drink you've got a wake up call coming when the real world starts.

I have United Healthcare Choice Plus (Railroad). I'm doing the 6 month supervised diet currently. I've had 3 appointments so far, and I'm seeing the surgeon for this (they didn't want to risk my insurance not approving because I saw the nurse practitioner or someone else... also my insurance doesn't cover nutritionist). At very visit they have taken my height, weight and vital signs and then we talk about the previous month and how I felt I did, if i struggled with anything. I'm not required to lose an amount, just show I'm trying, I've lost 7lbs so far but that wasn't trying too hard. Then at the end he gives me goals or things to think about for the next month. We always focus on three topics, nutrition, behavior and exercise. Nutrition topics have been Protein, fruits and veg, behaviors like paying attention to how fast I eat, drinking Water, meal planning/food diary, and exercise is always the same, at least 30 mins three times a week. To get through it... just one step at a time, day by day. It honestly does go faster then you think.

Might be due to the kidney stone moving and causing some bleeding. Give you PCP a call and ask if they have any thoughts/opinions, they might have you go in for a UA or something to check on it.

That is absolutely awful, so sorry you had that experience, hopefully you will recover quickly and your WLS will have a positive outcome! They aren't even suppose to cut your stomach from your esophagus are they?

Ive never really be happy with my weight, I have honestly been overweight my entire life, Ive lost weight and come close to being considered "healthy weight" but never actually gotten there, just to gain back more than I was in the first place. I've been on and off dieting since I was probably in 8th grade. I think my weight is taking opportunities away from me, I have alot id like to do but not sure I can at this weight. I'm a RN and had one of the highest GPA on graduation but was one of the few that went to interview after interview and not get called back, I now work in a clinic which isn't my ideal job, but they were the first to finally offer me a job. I'll be interested to see how I'm perceived after WLS. Also I have hypertension and I'm terrified I'm going to develop type II diabetes.

Can you do a 6 month supervised weight loss and be approved? That is what I'm currently doing right now, if thats all you need to do I think it would be worth it. And nutrisystem invoices don't count, I was on nutrisystem for probably 7-8 months and I asked about it and they said I had to have formal "weigh ins" like what they do at weight watchers.

I'm starting the process for surgery. I have United healthcare choice plus for railroad employees (BNSF to be specific). I'm wondering if anyone else has the same insurance and has been through the process. I've read so many different posts I'm not sure what to expect when I go for my consult. Some places I have read you need a 6 month doctor monitored weight loss and others have said you don’t need that. Just looking for some advice if anyone knows more about my type of insurance and bariatric surgery. Thanks!

I don't know how old you are, and I'm not a vet but my surgeon told me that for my age (mid 20s) that if it were him he would have a sleeve, I think this pertains more to you since your BMI isn't as high (at least in the WLS community), you dont have as much to lose and you will have less nutritional problems in the future. I personally am going with bypass but my BMI is also around 50 so I have lots and lots to lose.

Good luck, it sounds like most people get approved after the peer to peer. I should be approved after I go through all the hoops, 6 month diet, psych eval, labs, ect.

Are you allowed any medication? When I "get off" caffeine I usually supplement a few days after with Excedrin which has some caffeine in it... usually I only have to take it the day after I stop to get me through the awful headaches I get from withdrawal. Increase fluids should help as well.

My plan does require a 6 month supervised diet plan. I believe its specific to your employer and even if you have the same plan it could be different depending on what the employer chose when setting up the "package" deal.

Hello Kiasha, You replied to my "First Consult" post but I thought Id pop in here and say hello. I am 24 and from North Idaho/Eastern Washington area. That is very unfortunate to not have any "in network" doctors in your area, hopefully you can find a fix! Look forward to hearing everyone's success, well wishes to those who just had surgery or are due to have surgery soon.

Thanks for all the thoughts and opinions everyone. I've thought more about it and I think I still want to do the bypass, just because I don't want to get surgery and say have the sleeve and then regret I didn't do the bypass. I know people can lose just as much weight with sleeve as bypass but at least by the statistic you will probably lose more with bypass... and I have alot to lose. For those who have 6 month supervised diet, is your doctor recommending you lose a specific amount or let you know what you should/shouldn't eat? I had my first monthly appt on April 1st and we talked about nutrition, behaviors and exercise. Nutrition he told me to start paying attention to Protein and look into supplements, behaviors he said to slow down when I eat and exercise to have 3 days of 30 min exercise every week. So... how is your 6 mo supervised diet going?

This is something I'm so afraid of for when I finally have my surgery. I think my parents both think that I can do it without the surgery... which is encouraging and I know they believe in me, but I guess they don't realize that I've tried almost every diet out there with very minimal, short term success, I do think they will both support me through. I feel like my mom has made a big deal about the costs (my insurance does cover after going through the hoops) and it makes me wonder if it is her trying to convince me not to go forward. My mom is also the first person to tell friends/family things about me. I'm not shy but I am modest and don't usually tell people things unless they ask. Here is hoping she will understand that I don’t want everyone to know.

I have United Healthcare and I had to sign up for there bariatric program and I scheduled a call with a nurse and they sent me a packet of information in the mail about surgery. I thought my experience was good, the information the sent was helpful and informative and the nurse I talked with sounded like she was there to help with anything if I needed it, went over some things with me, asked if I knew what surgery I wanted, told me the requirements. I don't remember really sharing any personal information with her, only what applied to the surgery regarding requirements.

I'm in Spokane as well. No surgery date as I have a 6 mo supervised diet.

I am still pre procedure but I've felt confused about makeup also, at 24 I think I have finally got a hang of it, but who knows, that just my opinion . What I have found helpful is YouTube. There are tons and tons of makeup channels where you can find tutorials and try them out yourself. I would sit with my makeup and my computer and watch, pause and do that step and then move on. It has taken some experimenting and lots of practice but I think its worth it... and I have fun with it now too. I remember the first 10 times I tried to do winged eye liner I ended up wiping it off because I thought it looked stupid, but i stuck with it and now wear it like that almost every day. One of my favorite makeup channels is Julia Graf. She has also recently lost quite a bit of weight and does videos on healthy recipes, fitness, ect.