Louky

Thank you DEA. I'm excited but trying not to think about it in case I run into an insurance snafu. Your story is what I'm hoping for!!

Hello All, This is my first post but, Ive been reading the posts on this site for quite some time. I made my decision to pursue bariatric surgery about 6 weeks ago, but had been considering it for years. I have type 2 diabetes, taking oral meds and insulin. I started the insulin about 2 years ago and picked up 30 lbs in about 6 weeks. Im 43 and could actually retire from my job in 4 years, but I think I will stay for about 13 more years just to keep my daughter on my employer provided insurance until shes 26. We found out in May that she has Crohn's disease and weve been dealing with that. I have realized over the past few months that I have spent my entire life caring for everyone else, but not myself at all. After we found out she was sick, I realized that I have to take care of myself, so I can take care of her. I have gotten my A1c down to 6.9 but just cant lose any weight, which my PA says is because of the insulin. I feel like now is the best time for me to do this, as we will have met our out of pocket maximum by the time I have the surgery. I am just in the beginning stages. My insurance requires that I have physician documented weight loss attempts that were unsuccessful within the previous 6 months and I started discussing this with her on my August appointment and again at my September appointment. Ive been to 2 different seminars by the 2 local hospitals that do bariatric surgery. I have decided on the team I want to go with, Dr. John Oldham at Baptist Health. I sent them my paperwork on 9/8/15. The Bariatric Manager told me it would take about 2 weeks for them to get everything going with insurance and everything and I should hear from them in about 2 weeks, so Im figuring I would hear from them by about September 28thish. I am shooting for Thanksgiving week or Christmas week for my surgery and due to my Diabetes, I am thinking RNYGB but will accept any recommendation from my surgeon. If anybody has any suggestions, tips, questions I should ask, or anything else, good or bad experiences, please do tell me. Im trying to be a sponge at this point. Thanks everybody for all the help up to this point and thanks in advance for your continued support!!

Thanks to all of you for your support! I have a date for my intake appointment which lasts all day. October 13!!!

Thank you all for your input. My intake appointment where I meet the entire team (all 7 people involved including my surgeon) is on the 13th of October. I am trying to have my surgery before the end of the year but I had my first appt with my pcp on August 1 where we discussed my weight and diabetes and that I was wanting to have weight loss surgery. I saw her on September 4 and will be seeing her again on Friday October 2nd. She's on board with me so that's very helpful. My husband is having hip replacement next Monday and with other medical costs that we have had this year, we will be very near our family out of pocket maximum by the time I get to have my surgery so my costs will be minimal. If any of you have any suggestions in helping me to get thru the insurance gauntlet, I'm glad to hear anything!!!

I take this to mean I must have spoken to my dr and had an unsuccessful attempt in the previous 6 months. I do not interpret this as I have to be on a 6 month physician controlled plan. Am I wrong??? Anyone else have similar language?

Thank you very much. Congrats on your surgery. How are you doing?