NewDay

Hi all. Just like Maggie, I got denied twice and went ahead and self-paid. I hired Gary Viscio to appeal for the third time and just found out recently that the insurance company was overturned. YEAH!!! They have to reimburse my costs. I started the process in March, had the LapBand in August. It was worth it every step of the way. I didn't care if I had to pay or not, I wanted and needed the LapBand. I'm just so happy the insurance denial was overturned. They shouldn't make it so miserable! My advice to all, hang in there and keep the appeal process going to the end.

The people who make Effexor said it could be opened and put in a spoonful of applesauce. Call them if you need to check. They all publish customer service phone numbers.

Hello Caroline, We must have seen each other on the 4th cause I was banded by Dr Haag first thing that morning. I feel the same as you with regard to the shakes. I actually think like vomiting if i even smell one of those things again. My sister thinks I'm nuts, but I can smell them in my head and could literally gag! I haven't tried anything radical yet but did have some tuna fish yesterday. Didn't sit well in my intestines! I went golfing with hubby and had a couple of sips of his beer. I have a noticeable increase in how much i can eat and don't like it one bit. I can't give you any advice. I just feel that I know what's good and bad and I really do try to watch out. I walked the treadmill for 20 minutes and will do so again today. I love my port and try to get hubby to love it too. I make him feel it all the time like when i was pregnant. It must be my new baby. Good luck to you and hope to meet you someday.

I was banded on the 4th at Baystate in Massachusetts by Dr Haag. I'm still sore today but definitely feeling much better. My abs feel like a muscle tear and are still hurting but very manageable. No more pain meds for me. I hate the liquid pain stuff anyhow. As a matter of fact, there isn't much at this liquid stage i can take much longer. I hate the taste and smell of the protein drinks. I long for something that isn't sweet or chocolate,vanilla, or strawberry flavored. I had some V-8 juice last night and felt good. Maybe it's the mind thing realizing I was actually consuming some veg. It's hard now to watch the hubby and son eating real food and snacking! Either they only eat at the kitchen table, or I have to leave the room. It's head hunger cuz I'm definitely not feeling stomach hunger yet.' Hope everyone's feeling good and good luck to all who are right around the corner.

You bandsters rock! I am 3 days postop and wouldn't go back to work. My port area and abs are extremely sore. I still need help getting out of bed and off the couch. I'm only taking percocet at bedtime now. I get up to walk around frequently and went out for a drive with my hubby. I'm on liquids only for a week. Unjury for me. all the rest are gross. I hope this pain goes away soon. I could use some good hot creamy soup.

Hi all in western mass. I am waiting to hear from the OPM in my final appeal (been denied twice by insurance). I hired Attorney Gary Viscio to handle this part of it. Since this process is entirely too stressful, I went ahead and scheduled my surgery. Right now I am considered self pay and will have that changed if the appeal is processed and is sucessful. No, i really don't want to be out of pocket all that money, but I just can't wait anymore. I stopped smoking and gained another 12 pounds! I can't wait to start my new chapter!

Everyone at Baystate was fantastic. Dr Haag did a wonderful job. I'm so happy to be in Bandland finally. I'm still waiting to find out if my final appeal was accepted. I self paid because I just kept getting more and more distraught waiting. It was worth it just to say the hell with the Insurance. If it comes through now, they are supposed to reimburse me. If not, at least I won't be bummed out again. Good luck to all.

Hello all. I'm banded finally and feel good. Went into surgery yesterday at 7:30 and was home around 6:30. Hubby went and got my prescription for percocet filled and I really do need that today. I'm getting around well, but still have pain. Nothing unbearable though. Dr Haag was great and everyone at Baystate was wonderful.

I'm banded. I went in for surgery yesterday at 7:30 am and got back home aroung 6:30 last night. Everything was extremely easy. Today I'm sore and needed a percocet. I've been walking around a lot and drinking plenty of fluids. My husband is amazed with me!

Friday August 4th bright and early for me. YIIIIPPPPPEEEEE!!!!

For anyone interested in self pay cost, just want to let you know that Baystate is $11000, the surgeon is around $4500 and the anesthesiologist(sp?) is around $1500. I'm still hoping the appeal will be overturned and the insurance will reimburse me but I'm scheduled for Aug 4th and looking forward to the day. Not waiting anymore to hear on the appeal (3rd one) was the best thing I did. I didn't realize what an effect all the paperwork and waiting had on my mood. When I had enough and booked the surgery, all the anger, anxiety and depression that built up from all the delays and "denied" ended. They have no idea how they affected me once I finally made the decision to be banded. They(Insurance) caused me a great deal of stress and my health, both physical and mental, went straight to hell. I came right back when I booked the sugery as a self pay and my mood is upbeat and happy again. My headaches and heartaches are gone and I am looking forward to a healthy future.

Why can't any of this go smoothly? The OPM is not responding to any calls for an update on the insurance appeal. They took forever to log it into the system and were supposed to give me a control number within 5 days. Have I even gotten that yet? Noooo! I had to come up with $17000 because I am scheduled for surgery onAugust 4th. I guess I could have waited to hear from the OPM and their decision on the appeal, but I have been slogging through the insurance procedure since March and made the decision to not wait any longer. I am at the edge of my patience and extremely nervous about everything.

Hi everyone. I am scheduled for surgery on August 4th and have 2 weeks out of work for vacation scheduled. I am wondering about going back to work. I have intermittent heavy lifting to do. I work on a loading dock and have to open and close tractor trailer doors intermittently throughout the shift. I don't want to go back on restricted limitations because a) i really don't want anyone to know b)they can send me home without any pay So, for those of you who are experienced, do you think i could do my job?

My band date is August 4th and I'm so happy. I'm still awaiting insurance answer to my 3rd request but I'm self paying unless i hear from them. I just couldn't wait any longer. I have time off of work in August and just want to get on with it. I am so looking forward to the other side of surgery and a new start.

Effexor was the only thing to keep my panic attacks at bay. I cannot stop taking them, but i have gained an enormous amount of weight that i contribute entirely to the drug. nothing else has changed for me in the 3 years i have been on the effexor. in the beginning, i lost about 30 pounds,but rebounded and put it and a lot more weight on. My PCP isn't convinced it's the medication, but really all he has to do is look at my chart.

Hi everyone, I have been denied lapband for "non-medical necessity". Even though, I will be having the lap band even if I self pay it. I will appeal the denial. I'm sure you all know how it feels for the insurance company to pass illogical judgement. One of the things they say is I have to be on a medically supervised diet for 6 months. Are they kidding? I have been on every diet! Loss lots of pounds and put them and more back on. anyhow, do any of you know how much this is going to cost me? I'm a patient of Dr Haag in Springfield Ma. Connecticare Insurance denied me. My BMI is 42 with no co-morbidities except GERD, depression, social anxiety, and overweight since I was a kid.

Amy, Thanks for the post. Was your lawyer local? Re: Dr Haag's staff, several people have told me that i should tell him also. Maybe if he knew about this site, his staff would just knock it off and become reasonable and more professional. By the way, my sister had her band yesterday and is doing great. sore but great. Dr. Fiallo was terrific. He was a busy doctor yesterday.

Hello massachusetts lapbanders, Because my insurance has denied me, I'm considering Mexico for my lap band. Anyone else from MA have their surgery in MX? Who do you see for fills? Any local bariatric doctors around here happy to treat you even if they don't do your surgery?

I'm denied for not being medically necessary. I will self pay if the appeal is denied. Anyone out there self pay with Dr Haag? Please tell me how much and what's included(like fills at a discount). Also, how does a self pay affect your insurance? P.S. even though I'm a 42 BMI, they say I have no co-morbidities and haven't been on a supervised weight loss program for 6 months. Give me a break! I've been on every diet out there, loss lots of weight, put it back on and more. I'm tired of this already. But, will have the band!

Help me please! I've been denied based on medical necessity. I have to write an appeal. Does anyone know what the insurance company needs to know for a successful appeal. I can write a life story book, but really only want to let them know what they're looking for. What does an appeal look like? Thanks DisneyNut. I know you're talking about me. Love you too!

Hi Hazel, Insurance company will only tell me that they contacted Missy last week requesting additional information and she has not responded. They won't tell me what they are looking for or allow me the opportunity to provide it myself. I called but can't get a response. Oh well, maybe this week. On a positive note, my sister started this journey with me and she's scheduled for surgery early in April. She went with Dr Fiallo and no problems!

Hazel, I understand what you mean with Dr Haag's office. My sister and I started together. She has Dr Fiallo. Her surgery is in 2 weeks. I keep calling for an udate to no avail. Nobody calls me back and I have no idea what's happened with my paperwork.

Hi All, Same thing with this doctor's office. I've called repeatedly to no avail. I can't even find out what's been done with the paperwork. I'm ready to just go to Mexico and self pay!