SookieLei

This past weekend we took the kiddos and went with a LARGE group of people to an amusement park. The first ride I rode, with everyone watching and my fiancé by my side I had to get off of a ride because I couldn't fit securely in the restraints. Of course I hopped off and acted like it didn't bother me, but had you taken my sunglasses off you would have seen my eyes full of tears! It was really embarrassing and reminded me as to why I was doing this. I hated not being able to enjoy myself with my kids, feeling inadequate and such an embarrassment to my family. I also, decided to wear a swimsuit which I NEVER do, but I knew my kids wanted to enjoy the waterpark. Lets just say, I will not be doing that again this year. Insurance can not approve fast enough for me! Any quick response times with Cigna insurance?

I just couldn't stop myself from calling my insurance to see how the process was going for my paperwork that was sent in earlier in the week, and I'm approved! Of course I call my surgeons office to let them know and my case coordinator is on vaca until Monday. I really really needed that good news!

Okay, so I know that my packet was just sent in by my doctors office on Monday, or at least that's what they told me. They also told me they would call me in a few weeks with the approval and to set my date.. BUT... I can't wait that long! I want to know every process that my little packet is going through, every hand it touches, everything. How soon before you started calling the insurance company? Was there an automated system that would just tell me or do I have to talk to a rep? I'm really trying to keep myself calm and just wait it out. But sitting at my desk at work its all I think about!

I was so disappointed a few months ago when the psych doc ordered further therapy, after I had already completed my nutritionist visits. I called just about everyone within 10 mile radius of my home and no one had appts until September! I thought for sure I was going to be waiting forever! I finally found a small practice with openings. My bariatric counselor saw that I was trying so very hard to do everything required and then some and told me that the psych doc will sign off on my surgery now!!! Next it goes to insurance! Cigna, so I'm hoping this is a smooth, quick process!

I went through this whole bariatric process a year ago, lost my job so of course lost insurance. I looked into obamacare and while some states DO cover it, there are a handful who DO NOT. I know its disheartening, I'm sorry.

Two words... Murphy's law!

I feel really upset right now! I was told by my job, that if I need to take time off for a surgery it would need to be before the end of July, other than that for extended time off I will need to wait until Mach-April of next year. According to my insurance timelines I have met all requirements now, the only thing keeping me back is what the psych suggested which sets me back 3-4 months! Definitely not meeting the end of July deadline. And why, all because I'm on an antidepressant??? Seriously, look at me im morbidly obese and my quality of life SUCKS, ya think???

So I finally had my long awaited and dreaded psych eval a few weeks ago. After that was over I thought I could breath easier, after all I only had another NUT apt and that is in a few weeks. I was rather not fond of the guy evaluating me, he asked me a lot of questions about my job history, so much so that I thought I was being interviewed. My last job laid a lot of people off and was in the process of laying off more, my division was one of them. I left that company for another position, higher pay and stability he made it seem as though I should have tried to stay in a position that was ending. We talked very little about what I thought should have been focused on eating habits, coping mechanisms that sort of thing, he asked me NOTHING, about how I got to that decision to be there, if I have changed anything in my lifestyle, or had any plans. Near the end of the interview that went no-where he checked my notes from doctors and noticed I had been put on an antidepressant. The doctor who put me on it suggested I talk to the social worker on staff, she called a month or so after I was referred to her to tell me she was leaving and sent me somewhere else.. They have a 2 month wait to be seen in my area.. End of july is 1st available. He wants me to see the social worker on their staff at the bariatric clinic so she can coincide with my therapist to determine when my best surgery date would be... I know, this is all up to them but I feel upset about this whole thing, I work full time I have 4 kids and a step son we have split custody im extremely over weight and it has effected the way I feel about myself of course im depressed. I was also dealing with thinking i may lose my job at that time.. and I feel like im being punished because I went seeking help, depression runs in my family i didn't want it to get to a point that i couldn't control it. I knew that having a surgery in the summer would work best for me and my family, my kids would be out of school so my oldest could help with my younger twins.. its easier to get time off during the summer months at my job, i planned on my mother coming to help for a week but she wont be able to past July. Not only that but between all of the therapy appts with a therapist, then seeing the social worker on top of that plus my pcp and doing other appts to get ready for surgery i will have missed so much work that I will either a, get fired or b, not be able to proceed! I undersand wanting to make sure someone is prepared, but my regular therapist is for depression issues, not surgery issues. I completely changed my lifestyle to do this, quit soda don't turn to food have made sure i can do this before going into this process..

So in preparing myself for WLS which wont be until the end of the summer I have been revamping my diet gradually. I started out really, really focusing on my chewing how long I was eating. Before I did this I would have told you I didn't eat fast, OH BOY WAS I WRONG! That's helped a lot with portion control as well. I then started weaning myself off of soda, I seriously probably went through 12 diet coke's every couple of days. Now I'm glad to say I have 1-2 a day, and since discovering green tea and adding a little splenda I am confident I will take the soda off the grocery list permanently. I recently started focusing on getting a lot of Protein with little carbs in for at least 2 meals of the day, dinner I am still eating what I make for my family but just eating so, so, so much less and feeling completely satisfied. So my question is, what are you all doing in preparation for your WLS? I have read where a lot of people were required to lose before surgery,however my surgeon said nothing about this. I am an insurance pay so I am positive they will be looking for some weight loss beforehand, which I want to do anyway I have just always had an extremely hard time losing weight in the past and at a very slow pace (hence wls). Was there a certain amount you needed to lose per month? Are you adding in Protein drinks before surgery? Im thinking of doing this, I leave for work very early and undoubtedly feel grabbing a Protein Drink might be a great option for me.

Thanks for the reply! I am going through my insurance for the WLS which requires 3 NUT visits, I have 2 more to go according to the coordinator it looks like an end of June surgery, if all goes smoothly. I have also been an emotional eater, mainly when im tired or feeling blue.. this will also be a major change for me not turning to my beloved mac and cheese for support! But I'm working on it, yesterday my husband bough in donuts and I wasnt even tempted, one step at a time is what i keep telling myself.

I am having my psych evaluation early next month. I have spent a year deciding this is the right direction for me, I am confident in my choice, I'm just not sure I can convice someone I don't know of that. I am not concerned about a test, if that is what is done, for me its more my ability to convey to the other person that I know what I'm talking about. I blame this on years of shielding myself from others due to being so heavy. Tell me, how did your psych eval go? I am so worried I'm somehow going to flunk out of it! I have done my research, Im thinking about taking in my printouts of what I have. Writing down my diet and exercise plans up until surgery, show what I am slowly weaning out and preparing myself for. Also writing down an after surgery diet and exericse plan based on what I know now, until the doctor gives me the "final" plan. Anyone have any suggestions? How did you prepare? Will I know that day if Im approved?

I'm planning to have WLS this summer at Community North in Indy!

Do they really still have that thing on the market??? WOW! I had one several years ago, so not worth it.

I was just thinking about this last night! I was making dinner, and plucking my eyebrows..(lol) I wondered if I could wear makeup, I always hated looking like a hot mess after having my kids... I thought at least this time I would pull myself together a little bit!

So, Ive been lurking on these boards forever reading all of your stories and hoping that one day I would get to share my story as well. I looked into the bypass more than a year ago when my doctor suggested it, I was fed up with my wieght, I dont seem to lose weight anymore I go on diet after diet to no avail and come out heavier than i started. I got diagnosed with pre diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and knew I had to make a change.. Unfortuanately when I started the journey then, I lost insurance and wasnt able to carry through, but I kept believing that one day, maybe, I to, would be a success story. I spent a year researching and making sure this was absolutely the option I wanted to take. Im really excited I have met with a nutritionist, I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, I have my psych eval set up in May and I have called my Cigna insurance spoke with them a couple of times and I have a 3 month waiting period with the dietician. I have always been overwieght since around the age of 10. I remember my doctor talking to my mother about getting me on a diet, and she declined saying it was stress of the loss of grandparents. That stress eating got me to the pleasently plump woman I am today.. The woman who feels like she has gotten to a point of no return. I actually lost a significant amount of weight about 4 years ago, I had gotten tired of it and completely revamped my life I lost 90 lbs! I looked amazing, I loved being alive, I had a whole new love for fittness that I had never thought was possible! I really miss that girl, and Im sure my kids do to. I got pregnant with my twins and the weight came on like no other.. I gained 80 lbs with my twins but actually once i delivered and healed from my vertical c-section them I was only about 30 lbs more than when i started. I of course had a lot of excess skin, something only cosmetic surgery will fix, but I felt good. Unfortunately, the next year and a half of sleepless nights caused my weight to spiral out of control, throw in every stress imaginable with being a mother of 4, working full time, finishing a degree, and LIFE and what do you get, ME! I know that my weight has put a strain on my relationship, I'm to the point that I dont want to leave the house because I feel so ashamed. My kids use to love when I took them on hikes and bike riding, and now it doesnt even seem obtainable. I feel horrible that I have allowed myself to become like this. I always put my children first and did everything for them and their health and making sure they had a good life and everything they could ever want, I just never thought my weight was taking away from them.. but now I know it is. As far as support goes, little to none, but that doesnt stop me I have always been my biggest cheerleader when it comes to getting what I want anyway. My fiance "supports" it but he got angry at me the other day and told me I was being selfish to him and he didnt have anything to look forward to and now i do. I know that when it comes down to it, this decision and my new lifestyle will cause some issues with us, however at this point I feel that I'm doing the right thing for me and my future. I hope that once he sees the changes in me, and starts to see me for the girl I was when he met me, maybe his attitude will change.