loseitnow4ever

The insurance company won't answer my questions about coverage & requirements for gastric surgery. Has anyone had to deal with them & were you able to find out their requirements for coverage of the surgery?

I called back & got a very helpful customer service rep. She answered almost all my questions and was really great. What a difference from the last rep!

I'm learning the hard way to stop telling people or talking about it. My sister gave me articles in a Fitness magazine to read yesterday "before I make a decision". She clearly doesn't understand that I've read, researched, & tried everything under the sun to lose this weight. Articles about things I already know about are not going to help me or change my decision. I'm keeping quiet from here on in. My son is the one big supporter of my decision for WLS. He's watched me try diet after diet to get healthy& knows my struggles. He's actually okay with it because he's never seen me at a normal weight & healthy and he wants that for me as much as I do.

If you don't me asking...what did you do for exercises to be able to lose all the fat without having the excess loose skin? I want to be sure to do the same so I can have the same results.

You look fabulous!!! You're an inspiration to me. I want to be able to lose the belly & back fat like you did. Thank you for sharing!!! Now I can't wait for my surgery to be done so I can be on my way to looking like that.

I've been researching weight loss surgery for a few years. I've talked with others who have had bypass surgery. There will always be some people who are uneducated as to what is involved in having WL surgery & what life is like after surgery. Those who say (and there will be some because I've witnessed those who have spoken out about it in my presence) that the person has taken the easy way out have no idea. Ignorance is just that -- INGNORANCE!! Like someone wrote previously...if there was a cure for cancer in the form of a pill & someone chose the pill versus chemo or radiation would people say that they were taking the easy way out? People who have weight issues they've been dealing with (some for years & some all their lives) & haven't been able to get it under control on their own (by trying many of the conventional methods without success) will try the most drastic means (WL surgery) to save their life. None if us wants to die needlessly when there is an option left for us to try to get healthy & fit. I'm not ashamed to admit I need the help that WL surgery can provide. If the people I tell don't like what I'm doing they don't have to. But being judgmental is just them being insensitive to someone else's wishes. They're either being mean, jealous, or they're afraid of surgery. Its all about them & not about me. I've told my closest friends, my kids, my sister & brother-in-law, & my coworkers that I'm starting my journey to having WL surgery because they should know why I'm going to have a lot of appointments in the next few months. I will be letting my supervisor know next week because I'll need to take some time off work in about 2-3 months from now for my surgery. If they can't be supportive then I don't need them in my life. This is a positive thing I'm doing for myself & I don't need negativity around me. Almost everyone I've told is fine with it. My brother-in-law doesn't think I should go to such drastic measures & thinks I just haven't found the right diet yet. He still believes that "calories in / calories out" is the true way to lose the weight. Those of us who have tried every means of losing & keeping the weight off know that hasn't worked for us. If it had we wouldn't be on this site. One of my coworkers asked me why I would want to do this. I answered her as honestly & calmly as I could by telling her that with my weight & health issues are killing me slowly & I want to live long enough to see & enjoy my kids & my future grandkids. She accepted that & moved on. Even if she didn't it wouldn't change the way I feel. Its my decision & my life. I didn't come to this decision lightly. I needed to have as much information & knowledge about the process before making my decision & be prepared to be able to live the lifestyle that comes with it. I'm finally ready to do that!!

What happened with your co-workers that makes you feel like you shouldn't have shared it with them?

I'm hoping for a June or July sleeve surgery. My surgeon will be Dr Michael a Woods & performed at The Obesity Treatment Center at CMC in Manchester NH. Has anyone had their surgery with him. I'd like to hear about your experience.

I had the same problem with my insurance. It really upset me like it did you. It's my insurance & I pay for it so why can't I have some simple questions answered. They will only talk to the doctors office. I don't feel the information should be withheld from me. If they can provide it to my surgeon than they should be able to tell me or send it to me.

Thank you for sharing your journey. I'm at the beginning phase of mine. The sit & wait for my appts. & insurance approval. If all goes as thought the surgeon says I could have my surgery in July. I'm so looking forward to get this ball rolling.

That's amazing!! You're an inspiration.

You look fantastic!! I can't wait until my surgery is a reality. Met with my surgeon now I'm waiting for all my appts (sleep study, psych evaluation, nutritionist, exercise physiologist, etc). The surgeon is estimating my surgery will be in July but I'm hoping for sooner. You are an inspiration!! Thank you for sharing your victory!!

You look fantastic!!! You look years younger & much happier!! The hard work you had to do clearly has paid off for you!

My name by the way is Debbie & I'm 56 years old. I'm as they say vertically challenged at only 4'11" & weighed in at my consultation visit on Monday at 191.6 lbs. That only brings my BMI to 37 which is below the 40 BMI needed by the insurance to cover it automatically. I'll be having a sleep study done because we believe I have it. If that's true then along with my HBP, high cholesterol, hiatal hernia & acid reflux I will qualify. So my appointments will start rolling in very shortly (within 3 weeks). The surgeon is estimating my surgery to take place by July so that makes me feel very hopeful. I'm so glad to hear that you haven't had any pain or complications. I've read somewhere on these boards that many people have trouble losing weight by week 2 after the surgery. I'm hoping that's what you were experiencing when you wrote your reply. Have you lost any weight since then? What do they have you eating & what type of exercise are you doing? If you're drinking protein shakes have you found any particular brand or flavor that tastes better than others to make it easier to get them down? Are you having any issues getting your fluids in each day? Are you having any bad reactions to any foods that you didn't have a problem with before? I have so many questions...I hope you don't mind me asking. I look forward to hearing from you. Keep your eyes on the big prize...losing the weight as well as feeling better & being healthy!!! My name by the way is Debbie & I'm 56 years old. I'm as they say vertically challenged at only 4'11" & weighed in at my consultation visit on Monday at 191.6 lbs. That only brings my BMI to 37 which is below the 40 BMI needed by the insurance to cover it automatically. I'll be having a sleep study done because we believe I have it. If that's true then along with my HBP, high cholesterol, hiatal hernia & acid reflux I will qualify. So my appointments will start rolling in very shortly (within 3 weeks). The surgeon is estimating my surgery to take place by July so that makes me feel very hopeful. I'm so glad to hear that you haven't had any pain or complications. I've read somewhere on these boards that many people have trouble losing weight by week 2 after the surgery. I'm hoping that's what you were experiencing when you wrote your reply. Have you lost any weight since then? What do they have you eating & what type of exercise are you doing? If you're drinking protein shakes have you found any particular brand or flavor that tastes better than others to make it easier to get them down? Are you having any issues getting your fluids in each day? Are you having any bad reactions to any foods that you didn't have a problem with before? I have so many questions...I hope you don't mind me asking. I look forward to hearing from you. Keep your eyes on the big prize...losing the weight as well as feeling better & being healthy!!!

Hi I live in southern NH (Weare, NH) and am at the beginning stages of my journey. I've attended an informational session at Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinic in Concord NH & my consultation with Dr. Woods is tomorrow afternoon. I've been thinking about this for years and finally made up my mind to go forward because I can't lose the weight by any other means. I need to get healthy & fit and this year will be the year!! I would love to hear about your journey so far & hope we can help each other along. Hope to hear from you.