juliansmom2003

I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this, now of all times when you should be celebrating this big step in your life. I will keep you in my prayers that you find a drug that works quickly and you get that date rescheduled ASAP! Keep us posted!!!

Woohoo! Happy Friday! I got my insurance approval yesterday afternoon (was home sick yesterday and didn't have my laptop with me)!! This was submitted on Monday morning, so I am really happy I got it back this soon!! The weird thing is, it would have been in the next day, but the pre-cert nurse needed to talk to my surgeon to ask a few questions, but it's all good! Keystone Health Plan East ROCKS!!!! Next step--pre-op appointment on Oct 9 (could have been on Tuesday, but of course I have a very expensive class that day that my company is paying for and I can't miss) and from there I get my surgery date! The surgeon's office mentioned they are booking at the end of October, and they only do surgeries on Wednesdays, so I'm thinking that I might be looking at Oct 28 or Nov 4!!! I hope the time doesn't drag until next Friday! I know I've waited this long, but I am just so, SO ready! Good luck to everyone else waiting for approval!!!

Hmmm that's interesting. I am wondering if the surgeon submitted the forms to request that it be inpatient. With any surgery, it should be an option so they can keep an eye on you for any immediate complications. When I got my approval yesterday, they didn't mention that specific to me, although my surgeon does specifically request that his patients stay one night for post-op observation. Did you receive an approval letter or did they tell you this over the phone? I mean, they do say it's easy enough to be an outpatient surgery, but they should at least allow for the option for the surgeon to use his judgment on whether or not you should stay over. I am wondering if your surgeon can call your ins company to get clarification on that for you. Sorry I wasn't much help! Please let me know what happens! Congrats on your approval!!! :scared2:

OMG, that was sooo fast! Congrats to you!!! My insurance co. has all my info and my claim is still listed as 'pending' (yes, I'm stalking them already LOL), so hopefully I will hear soon. They did also say 2 to 3 days, so hopefully I'm right behind you with an approval! I'm trying not to think about it, but how is that even possible? LOL Congrats again! Keep us posted on your surgery date!

I think I'm looking at an October date (TBD). My insurance company already has the paperwork, so once I get the approval, I go in to meet with my surgeon, so I'm hoping it will be before 10/21. Can't wait to post my 'real' date soon!!!

Congrats on your approval! Hoping you hear soon about a surgery date!!

Well, everything is finally submitted to my surgeon and I was told that it would be submitted to my insurance company this morning. Fingers crossed that I get an approval back soon. I am ready to rock and roll! Praying this will be a good week!!! Up until now, I feel like things have moved quickly, but today it just seems like it's been forever (and I know I'm just being a brat and I have had to go through far LESS than most of the people here, so I should just shut up LOL). Sending positive thoughts everyone's way that we all have the strength and patience as we work through the process.....

Congratulations!! Here's to hoping you get a surgery date as soon as possible! I hope to be celebrating with you, as my paperwork was submitted to insurance this morning!!!

Good luck to you on your quickly approaching surgery date!!! It will be here before you know it! My husband and friends keep asking if I still need the surgery because I've lost 17 lbs just following a 1500 calorie per day/42 fat grams per day diet, but I keep telling them with the band, I'm going down to 1100 cals per day and I will be freaking starving if my stomach were the same size and that's where the band comes in LOL!

Elgrad, thanks for posting this. I wish you a TON of luck on Wednesday!!

Hang in there, Dana. I actually just posted that my stuff got submitted today too. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you hear something soon. Let's hope we BOTH hear something this week (maybe overly optimistic, but let's think positive LOL)

So, I am seriously ready to physically GO to the pulmonologist's office to sit and wait for my clearance letter! First, my sleep apnea results sat until I called to ask for them to be faxed to the surgeon, now the ONLY thing outstanding on my pre-op checklist is to get clearance from the pulmonologist for surgery. Both my surgeon's office and myself called them on TUESDAY to ask for this info! I just called today to check the status and I hear "uh... I have a note to remind myself for the transcriber to get that done this afternoon". WTH?!? Not to mention, she is such a rude lady. I mean, aren't THEY working for US? I really don't care--I'm going to continue to harrass her until that freaking letter gets sent. They should have done it TWO WEEKS AGO when I was in their office!!! My surgeon isn't back in the office until tomorrow to sign off on my checklist so his assistant can submit to insurance, but I'm so worried this letter won't get in before then to submit and I've already lost almost a week getting this submitted. The upside is that I called Keystone HPE (BCBS PPO) and they said it typically takes 48 hours to approve, which is awesome! But, I'm just so frustrated that I'm stalled because of this witch. She is the only thing holding the submission process up and it really is just soooo disappointing. I have been really upbeat all week despite the delay, but now it's just getting harder and harder to stay positive--I feel like I'm going to be waiting forever. I just want a stinking surgery date already!!!!!!! Thanks for listening....

Awesome! Congrats on getting a date!!! It will fly by I'm sure!!! Wishing you lots of luck on the surgery and beyond!!!

So, I had my last required pre-op test before my surgeon would submit for insurance approval (sleep apnea) and my case worker from my diet/nutrition program submitted my charts as being good to go, lost the 10 lbs (+) they required, but I have NO idea when the sleep apnea results are going to be faxed to the surgeon!!!!!!!! I know they say it typically takes about 2 weeks (had the test on the 3rd), but I called the Sleep Center, they told me to call the pulmonologist, called the pulmonologist, they told me to call the sleep center. I am just going nuts praying these results come in soon so they can submit everything to BCBS!!!! I am so eager to get this surgery done I can't even stand it! And just when I feel like I'm close to the finish line, it seems to be further and further away.... Anyway, sorry to whine everyone. I just needed to vent. Please keep your fingers crossed that they send those blasted test results into my surgeon ASAP!!! :thumbdown:

After waiting most of the day yesterday, I called the pulmonologist's office and sure enough, my results were sitting in a big stack of papers all day :-( ! They ended up faxing my sleep apnea results to the surgeon and of course they never did the pulm. clearance letter, so now that's in process and probably won't happen today. What stinks is the surgeon isn't in the office tomorrow or Thursday, so he won't be able to sign off on receiving it until Friday. Looks like Friday will be the day they submit to insurance for approval. I know it's only two days, but I am sure you can all relate with the timing of everything on this journey--sometimes a day can feel like years!!! Thanks again for letting me whine.

Congrats on getting a surgery date! I have no tips on before or after, as I'm sitting here waiting for test results to be sent to the surgeon so they can submit for approval Congrats on getting the date and lots of luck to you!!!

Welcome to the board, Abigail. Actually, I think the 6-month diet needs to be a supervised one through a dietician/nutritionist program. You may want to check. I have BCBS (Keystone PPO Plan), and they require a 3-month supervised one, so I had to join a program that works with my surgeon. They actually tell you the number of calories you're allowed based on your weight in a diet script. Typically, they say if you follow the calories/fat grams each day, you should lose approx 1-2 lbs per week. I have to say, it worked for me! I have maintained a 1500 cal/42 fat gram per day diet, and have lost 14 lbs since 7/23. Did you go to the lap band orientation with the surgeon you are thinking about using? If so, you might want to ask the surgeon you've about their pre-op requirements. I hope this helps. Good luck with your journey!!!

CONGRATS!!! How wonderful!

Welcome! Congrats on having the support of your family--it's so important to have people in your corner with something as life altering as this (which is why I love this board so much). I hope you enjoy the seminar. Lots of luck to you on your journey!!!

Good luck, mamacita. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get quick approval. I am praying that my sleep apnea results come in soon--that's all I'm waiting for and my surgeon can submit too! It feels so surreal! Lots of luck! Keep us posted!

I agree with plain. That and LOTS of cardio!!!!

Congrats on your approval! I am hoping that I'm just around the corner in joining you in your happy dance :-)! Keep us posted on your surgery date!!!

shahsosweet, From my experience, my surgeon didn't determine what the ideal loss for me would be. When I got on the Tanita scale, it gives you an idea of what your weight may be, but they haven't set anything in stone for me. When I went to my behavioral therapy appt., she flat out asked me where I'd like to be (I'm currently 220 lbs, 5 ft 1 1/2 in) and I told her like 150 or 160 even though that is still considered overweight. She said she thought it was a healthy goal and her weight, even though ideal for her, is still listed as overweight. Who makes up the stinking criteria for overweight, obese, etc. anyway LOL I hope this helped somewhat. Sorry to ramble!

MyVinnie, Where were you in July when I was agonizing over spending $1,450 for this program? LOL So glad you found a better alternative that didn't cost you bucks! U of P is awesome--I work close to there and I've had friends that continually sing their praises!

Hi Belkita, I can't find the literature they gave me for that back in July. I do know that the doc heading up that group is Dr. Deibler. Dr. Goldstein has just started working with her as well, so that is an alternative to the New Beginnings program. I believe she is out of Lourdes. Sorry I don't have more info on her, as I just went with New Beginnings to move things along faster.