Scribby

I have always been fat. Been on every diet known to man, even as a kid. I have dropped 50 pounds or so a couple times but always returned with friends. I had a friend have the bypass sugery and didnt even consider it for myself after seeing still throw up food 6 months after sugery. I have a cooking and pastry degree and have always been a food snob. I do not like cheap, unexciting bland poorly cooked food. So, needless to say, it was always hard to be on a diet. I never snacked or had much of a sweet tooth, I just always made poor choices and over ate. My boyfriend is very athletic, runs the marine corp marathon and likes the outdoors..I like cosmos, ciggeretts, gossip magazines and MTV. Part of that is because at 288 pounds and 5'8, I am for the first time not able to do the things that I want to do. Plane seatbelts are tight, amusement parks are out of the question, dont want to go the beach, see people I havent seen in a long time, ect ect. I never had a problem getting guys, having tons of friends, going out or thinking I looked pretty good until now. I have become more of a hermit which is totally unlike me. I am horrified about how I look. With all this said, I knew I had to swallow my pride and admit that I needed help. Doing it on my own wasnt going to cut it. I am only 30 so I didnt want to be butcherd with bypass. I battled the insurance company for a year and finally got approved! Surgery is on August 9th!! Thas' my story! Angie

my doc did an upper GI right away beofre I even submitted to insurance to make sure I was cool in the swallowing department. Then I did the 6 month thing. The pcp I saw for that did her own testing for thyroid and diebetes and such but it wasnt required by insurance or my surgeon.

I hear ya sister! I have never had a problem getting a man, I have actually been told that I was "the prettiest fat girl they had ever met"..umm..thanks, I think you dickhead..haha...Fat does out weigh the nice and the ugly...if the ugly chic isnt fat, she would still get more attention. I am not compalining about it as its socoety and I am not out to change the world, I am out to change how the world sees me. Also, I do agree with the scar issue, part of this is so I wont be shy about showing my body to the man I love, but if I look like Frankenstein I will still be bothered by it..its not how he feels when he looks at me, its how I feel when he looks at me..

I went through the first barrium swallow then submitted to Insurance..they came back with thier list of demands (psych eval, 6 month monitored program and meet once with a nutritionist). Ok, first denial, but can deal with it. Got everything done, submitted again, denied again. Claimed they didnt have enough info from my pcp from the 6 month diet..umm..ok? So send in more infoe and submit again, denied. Said there is still not enough documentation to support approval. In the mean time I have mistakenly been told by 2 people I was approved and to go ahead and schedual my pre-ops. Told them I wanted it in writing, letters never cames, called 4 times, finally got who would become my case manager who told me that I wasnt approved, I was just fat enough to be considered...ummm..excuse me, but no shit! I was like, well, what more info can I give you people?? Its not like I am giving them my medical records, my pcp's office is submitting them. Then the hours of conference calls started..back and fourth until it finally was given to a nurse at the insurance company who I guess puts in her two cents...well, she stamed her yes on it and then it went on until i finally got my letter on Friday. WTF? I went to the seminar last August and surgery scheduled for August 9th..a full year...If I was in the position to self pay it may have been an option, but gotta tell you...it was almost an obsession, I couldnt give up after all that. To add to the complications..I have Guardian Health insurance who employs Alliance to decide who gets pre certifications and both companies are owned by United Health Care...sooooo.....I had to go back and forth with three diferent companies who obviously dont communicate very well. Thats my story and Im sticking to it... :faint: Angie August 9th, Reston, VA

Wow..you guys have just totally inspired me to organize my closet between the 4 to 5 size difference piles..I am getting more antsy as time goes by. I have most of my "places I want to eat before I get banded" crossed off and I have made my living will just in case. It dosent wig me out at all to do one, I just happen to be one of theose people that watched in HORROR during the whole Terry Schivo thing.. August 9th- Reston, VA

oh and btw, Im from the east Coast but went out to Ft. Worth for the fourth of july..its no joke ablout those texas girls..when they go out, THEY GO OUT..hahaha

I guess I am one of the vain ones! I am due to be banded on August 9th and the scariest thing for me is the skin issue, scars, drooping ect ect. My bf and I were watching plastic surgery last night and watched a chic have a tummy tuck...its in the cards for me for sure since I am belly heavy. I am extremly modest but only because of my weight..and VERY VERY shy about my belly. I am greatful that I am not single, but I totally agree with NewShoe..just cause he loves me dosent mean I shouldnt look my best for him and myself. I was never one to do the "im happy the way I am"..weight has always been a struggle and I have never thought of it as acceptable for myself...

My program fee was 1000.00, which I was ok with until I spent the entire year dealing with the insurance company myself..now I am a little salty about it. They claim its for the paper work for the insurance submittles, nutritionist and the support groups are free. Dont know yet about my fills, my nurse was new and couldnt answer me! Whack! Guess I will find out soon, since my surgery is on the 9th!

I finally was sent the letter approving me today...a FULL YEAR after after I started...three denials later...DONT GIVE UP! Ask your hr rep who your insurance broker is and call them to see if they can help. Mine was a huge help in knowing the ins and outs of the system. I had to send them records three times, and a bunch of other stuff that made me feel it was all to give me the run around. My doc charges 17k to do the suregery and self pay isnt an option, so it was either keep fighting or not have the band..Surgery date of August 9th!

I am last suppering like no ones business!

Im an assistant property manager for a comercial real estate firm outside of DC..but, have a degree in pastry and cooking..

Im 5'9 and have a dream goal of 164...but would also be really happy at 180..

Im due to be banded on August 9th! Finished my "supervised weight loss" in December and have just now gotten my insurance approval..what a nightmare!! Its been a year of harrassing them! August 9th- Dr. Robert Pinnar- Reston, VA

Im in Northern Va and due to be banded August 9th...having first pre-op on Tuesday!

I am being banded August 9th and I have a lot of fear but its not really with the sugery itself. I am afraid of what I will look like later on. I know that sounds crazy but I am really afraid of the skin issue, of my hair falling out and "sliming" in public or something! As much of a help thei site has been, I am very afraid of the things I hadnt even thought of before like the sliming!! I am afraid that my dear bf wont think I am attractive anymore because he likes bigger girls obviously and maybe if I am all saggy..I know it sounds nuts but I feel like I am scared, excited and 50 other emotions all happening at once. I wouldnt give up my chance to have it for anything (been fighting with insurance company for a year!) but its a huge deal for sure..

Well, my tenative date to be banded is August 9th. I knew it was time to do something serious when for once, my weight was keeping me from doing what I wanted to do. I almost hyperventalate wondering if the airplane seatbelt will fit. I refuse to put on a swimsuit I do not allow myself to be in photos My boyfriend is a marathon runner and am horrified that people are shocked he is with a fat chic I havent worn shorts in at least 5 years I cant go on roller coasters even though they are my favorite I havent tucked in a shirt in prob 10 years I am always afraid a chair will break and ten million more things..I was starting to think I was a psycho..thanks so much for posting this!!!! I dont feel like such a freak eyeing up a bar stool before getting on it!!

Well, of course after telling you about my denials, they are trying to deny me again..told me that the two people who verbally told me it was coverd and I could go ahaead and plan my pre-op appts, were mistaken and they were only telling me I fit the insurance companies definition of morbidly obese. I am so pissed off I cant see straight. I spent a couple hours with the insurance people conferencing them in on my surgeons, pcp and the pre certification department. I am leaving tonight for a short vacation and will find out when I get back what they decided and if I need to cancel everything..I have my pre-op on the 11th so i am sure that will get screwed. The other day the insurance lady was like "I have to run this by 'the approver'"...ummm..she sounds like a demon like figure in a room full of fire with a big red denial stamp, laughing every time she slams down the stamp. The Approver...what a job title!

oh and by the way, when i got the first denial, I sat out in my driveway bawling my eyes out..so if your doing that, I know exactly how that feels!!

I was denied three times before I got approval. It took me a year to get throught the insurance bs. You should find out what they need to appeal it. I only had a certin number of appeals so find out all the info you can before actually doing it. Mine is scheduled for August 9th , but for real, I am still secretly scared that its not approved. I made then send me in writing that I am coverd but havent gotten it yet. I have been stalking the mailbox. Seriously, when you go to appeal, have your surgeon letter and like a reg doctor write one too..anything would help!

Newbie here..have a surgery date of August 9th..just getting through all my pre op stuff. Took almost a year to get insurance approval..grr!...The feeds have answered a lot of questions and I look forward to posting my progress! :wave: