picardy3

I've been up since 5 am for a 9 am appointment. I'm not sure I even slept last night. And this is only an informative pre-op appt.! :omg: What ever will I be like the night before the hospital pre-op and the surgery??? :notagree *wish I was sleeping right now Audra

amourette, My first pre-op is Friday. This one is at the Dr.'s office. My second pre-op where they run all of the tests is Thursday, March 30, and then the big day is April 3!!!!!!! I'm trying to start the pre-op diet this last half of my spring break so that I can get the "crankies" out of my system and not take them out on my students. One of my biggest problems is that when I get hungry, I get CRANKY!!!! My mother is the same way. When we spend a lot of time together we can usually tell when one of us needs to eat something. And believe me, we start looking for something to eat. I will definitely keep you updated with what happens on Friday. Audra

Wow! Such interesting occupations. I'm currently in my 16th year of teaching elementary music in TX. I'm certified in other areas but have always taught music. Most of the time it's fantastic, but every now and then dealing with close to 600 personalities will take its toll. I'm also working on my Masters in Education through an online program at Grand Canyon University. It's definitely been an interesting experience learning and not being in a real classroom. I'm finding out just how self motivated I can be to get things done. Audra

Things are really beginning to pick up for our little group. My first pre-op appointment is this Friday. We get to discuss all the do's and don'ts of the surgery and pre-op/post-op diet restrictions. They also want to see all of my medications. I'm guessing to see how big the pills are and if I will be able to swallow them. I sure hope so since I just refilled all of them and had to get a three month supply. I haven't decided if I'm more nervous, scared, excited, or happy about the whole situation. Audra

I am so in the same boat as everybody else right now. I have my first pre-op appointment on Friday and my letter states that I need to start following a high Protein, low carb diet today (the letter came on Tues.) This includes meat, chicken, fish, cheese, and veggies only. NO FRIED FOODS, fruits, or starches (bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, alcoholic beverages, etc.) Of course I had just ordered a pizza before I checked the mail since I'm in the middle of spring break. So I'm starting this evening or at least trying to. Boy, won't I be a fun teacher when school starts back on Monday! Audra

I'm in Texas and I am soooooo looking forward to this. :biggrin1: Pre-op is just short for pre-operative meeting, the details before the actual operation. (correct me if I'm wrong) It also looks like I'll be the first one in April. Wow, that's coming up soon! :clap2: I'm excited, nervous, scared, etc. all at the same time. Audra

:confused: Fiona, I'll be a bandit with you! :wow2: I just got my surgery date on Friday and I'm going in (under?) on April 3. Pre-op on March 17 with Dr. and March 30 with hospital then surgery on the 3rd. Whoo Hoo!!!! I can't believe it's about to happen. I've been carrying my approval letter around for a week because it doesn't all seem real. :eek: Audra :peace:

Yea Chriselda!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I know the feeling. I've been carrying my approval letter around in my purse for a week because it just didn't seem real and today I got my surgery date. Yea for both of us!!!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Audra

I've only told three people at work and will probably tell my boss when I'm turning in the form for the days off that I will need, though maybe not. My mother knows and one of my uncles knows. His wife had the RNY several years ago and he's already called to let me know that they are totally supportive of what I'm doing. Mom and I have not told my dad yet because he tends to worry over things excessively. We will tell him when it gets closer to the date or when I see him over spring break. Mostly I just don't want to work in a fishbowl and have everybody asking me lots of questions. We're a small faculty, so it will be noticed when I'm not there for over a week. Audra

Roni and Leener, Good luck on Monday. I'll definitely be thinking of you and sending good vibes your way. Audra

In my weekly phone call to the insurance company I got a verbal confirmation of approval for surgery. She said my letter will arrive in the mail in 7 - 10 days as well as the one to the surgeon's office. :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I'm now one step closer to Band Land!!!!!!! :confused: :) :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: Doing the Happy Dance here. Audra

:biggrin1: The scheduling nurse called today and I now have a date for surgery. :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: April 3, 2006 :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: My pre-op and post-op appointments are also set. Now all I have to do is get my act together at home and work. YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Audra :biggrin1:

If you have a lovely commute to work like I do, then you know that at times your mind tends to wander. Mine decided to take a strange trip this morning and I realized that it's been 20 years since I started the battle, struggle, etc. in my weight loss. :faint: :faint: :faint: It all started at the age of 17 when my then PCP decided to help me lose weight by starting me on diet pills, Adipex P (speed). What a wonderful way for a 17 yr. old to finish up her Senior year in high school. :rolleyes :rolleyes :mad: Here's looking the end of this battle. Audra

Kat, Unfortunately, the weight gain all started around 4th grade. It wasn't until I was 17 that the doctor thought maybe we should try something. Geeez, ya think????:faint: Audra

My PCP and his nurse both support my decision as well as my CDE (certified diabetes educator). I had gone in for a diabetes check up and was asking for my 5 yr medical history, so I figured I might as well mention to him what I was planning on doing. He looked at me and said, "I think it will be very good for you. My wife has been looking into the same thing." He's a wonderful doctor and works well with me in a partnership in all of my health matters. And people ask me why I drive an hour to go and see him??? Audra *currently waiting on a surgery date

Hang in there Dana! :gluck: :gluck: :gluck: Just keep after them. I swear some times they just want to make life difficult. :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: Audra sending you a big hug and the good luck that I had

I've never been so happy to check the mail before. THE official letter from BCBS arrived today!!!!!! :biggrin1: :biggrin1: :biggrin1: :biggrin1: :biggrin1: So, do I call the surgeon's office or do they call me??????:confused: :confused: :confused: Time for the happy dance!!!!! :) B) :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: :Banane09: Audra

1. How long did it take to get approval? First consult in Dec. 05, everything submitted in Jan/Feb 06, verbal confirmation Mar 2, still waiting on official letter If not approved how long have you been working to get approved? 2. Did they require a psyche eval? yes Nutritionist consult? yes sleep Study? no 3. How many months supervised weight loss did you have before approval? I see my doctor every three months for blood work and follow up due to diabetes and high blood pressure. I have been on a recommended diet from CDE since Mar. 04 and saw a personal trainer for 8 months in 05 4. Did you have to call them constantly? called once a week once I found out my information was submitted 5. Were you denied the first time? They did tell me on my second phone call that they were denying since I did not have my psych eval, but I had done that and resubmitted the info Did you have to appeal? 6. Any recommendations for people trying to get approved? Call, Call, Call and be extremely sweet, polite, etc. Be the sqeaky wheel 7. What plan are you on (1, 2, or 3) and what was your total out of pocket? I'm on plan 2 and have spent about $300 or so as of now. I've just been lucky so far with my approval process since so many of the things that they were asking for I have already been doing for the past two years due to the Diabetes diagnosis in 04 and the high blood pressure issues. If I had not already been seeing the doctor for the following issues and had not seen a personal trainer whose notes I had included in my medical file, I would most likely still be on the six month supervised diet and waiting for approval. Audra

Martha, I'm using Dr. Adam Smith in Ft. Worth. He and his staff have been extremely helpful and supportive. I read and researched a lot of the doctors in the area. I went to the info seminar that he gave in Hurst and really liked what he had to say. He didn't sugar coat anything and he himself has been banded. That also helped with my decision because I know that he understands what it's like to be obese. Everyone in the office that I have dealt with has been super nice and very supportive. They have responded quickly to emails and phone calls. The nurse that I saw on my first consultation with Dr. Smith had very good things to say about him and she knew him before he was banded. Good luck with your decision. Audra

I'm not exactly sure when all of my paperwork was submitted, but I think it was about 2 weeks ago. I'm going to call my dr.'s office tomorrow and find out for sure, but I'm curious as to who I might call at the insurance company so that I can be the squeaky wheel. Lucky me, I've got BCBS of TX. It's not like they didn't ask for my entire life history anyway, now I have to wait for them to decide if I'm worthy of something that will help everybody in the end. Just wondered if anybody had any ideas???? Audra

:update: In my weekly phone call to the insurance company, I got a verbal confirmation of approval. My letter should arrive in the next 7 - 10 days. Time to do the Happy Dance. :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :confused: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: :Banane05: Audra

I understand your frustration. I'm also playing the waiting game with my insurance company. I get to make my weekly phone call tomorrow. Last week when I called they had "conveniently" lost my psych evaluation. Can't wait to see what the problem is this time. Good luck and be persistent. Pretty soon the honey from my voice will start dripping through their phone lines. Audra

Dana, Was this your first call to the insurance agency? I called last week to check on mine and they said they had everything and that if anything was missing it would have been kicked back to the surgeon's office. When I called yesterday my psych eval was mysteriously missing. :confused: Makes you wonder what they actually do to see just how bad we want this procedure??????? Good luck in your wait. I'm right there with ya'. Audra :confused:

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Thanks to the lovely people at my surgeon's office, my psych eval has now been taken care of. Wonder what BCBS will try to lose next to discourage me????? :confused: :confused: TOO BAD!!!! I will fight them tooth and nail for this. :heh: :heh: Audra