Ruby3901

Hello to everyone. I wanted to update my last message to let everyone know what has been going on with my weight loss program. I completed the six month diet program, did all the testing (nine months worth) and had the doctors office submit for my surgery. My doctor had wanted to do a RNY and I wouldnt consider it since my mom had it done several years ago and had to be flown to Nashville for an emergency re hook up. Her friend that had worked with her passed away due to complications with the RNY. My doctor said he would not consider a lap band because I have a BMI in the fortys. He did however tell me he woud do the gastric sleeve. I said yes to the sleeve and had contacted the doctors office many times with information from the message boards as to billing codes etc thinking I was hekping. They always would tell me that they had submitted many of these and would probably be rejected the first time but they would get the approval through using an appeal. Well after all the testing and six months of a diet plan they submitted I was denied and then they appealed and the insurance company said they wouldnt approve anything but the RNY. So after all this I'm right back where I started. I will not consider the RNY so the doctor and I have parted ways. All of this was a waste for me. My out of pocket for the co-pays was somewhere between $3700.00 and $4200.00 I have nothing but bad feelings about the whole mess.

Aceduce, How long were you off work after the surgery? I appreciate your sharing your experience and sharing information. I'm hopefully going to have the sleeve surgery but going through a six month physician approved diet before the insurance company will agree to any surgery. I know lots of people decide to keep the surgery to themselves, did you let people at work or friends know about your surgery?

I'm not quite sure why anyone would object to your posts Aceduece but I personally want to thanks you for doing so. Afterall we all are looking for help and support in our weight loss surgery. 73 lbs in basically two months is great, bet your having to change clothes sizes pretty fast. Do you have any hunger now? Are you following a specific diet or just small portions of the foods you ate previously? How often do you need to eat? I'm guessing since the portions are smaller your goal is to eat proteins. Where did you have it and did insurance pay anything? Right now I'm wondering if the insurance does not pay if I should get a loan and finance it myself.I was wondering other than tissue removal how is the sleeve any different than the "stomache stapling" of the past? Is it necessary to wear a medic alert bracelet in case you are needing to be tubed in an emergency? Also is it possible for the stomache to stretch? I'm in my mid fortys and was wondering if age would have anything to do with either how fast you loose weight or perhaps the plateau people can hit and no longer loose weight? I had read a couple of books on the lap band and was wondering if anyone could suggest any books for the gastric sleeve? My doctors office is going to speak to the insurance company and do their best to convience them that the sleeve would be a better surgery for me.....I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Yes the six month diet is a pain in the rear. My insurance company BCBS of Illnois will not consider any surgery until my six months are up. I have paperwork for the last ten years of dieting but they insist on a physicians weight loss program. So I'm jumping through the hoops and taking just about every medical test imageable. I didnt know whta PB's were either until I read one of the band books, they are when you get food caught up and the person throughs up a froth or slimy sunstance until the food gets dislodged. (Sorry for the graphical description but didnt know how to describe it in any other way.) I had sommone suggest looking at U Tube and dont ya know you can see a video on it. Had no idea that site could show you just about everything imagineable! Sorry for all the questions but I have been looking for someone to ask and hadnt found anyone until now. Have a great day.........................

It is great to actually be able to hear from someone whom has had the sleeve. I'm hoping to get the sleeve sometime in October or November. I initially began my research on the lap band then after talking to my doctor he was wanting me to have the Roux n y surgery. Honestly I have had family members and friends that had the surgery and was fine until a couple years down the road. The doctor has talked me into considering the sleeve but was hoping to have someone let me know how they are doing and any problems they may have had. My insurance company has a manditory 6 month physician diet program as a prerequisit so I'm in that process now. Seems as though not to many places on the internet for the sleeve. I'm told its because its still kind of new. Is that correct? Or can anyone give me any additional sites to go to? How much weight have you lost now? Do you have any dumping or PB's with the sleeve?

M Taylor Thanks so much I see my PCP tomorrow and want to have a list of the info I will need. Congratulations on the 45 pounds lost. Keep up the good work!!!

I too am begining my lab band journey. I see the surgeon on April 9. I have BCBS of IL and have a question concerning the diet and the six month span. When I phoned the insurance company I was told if I had been on a physician supervised diet within the last two years then that would be all I needed. Do you know if this is true?