futureskinnygal

I'm so excited I'm busting at the seams!!!!  Approved by UHC after six month doctor supervised diet!!  My adventure started by attending a Lap Band Seminar in January 2009.  During the later part of January I had a consultation with my surgeon, exercise therapist and nutritionist.  The surgeon said I was a very good candidate.  I was 5 ft. 2 in. at 255 pounds.  Ouch! The surgeon suggested that I start a supervised diet with my Primary Care Doctor to play it safe because some insurances require a 6 month supervised diet.  I then started a diet with my PCD on Feb. 2 but had already started a walking routine the first week of January.  Then off to a psychiatrist evaluation of two appointments.  The psychiatrist sent his approval to the surgeon as I was leaving  his office at the end of my last appointment.  I have attended several of the support group meetings.  The surgeon's office then submitted my information to UHC but I was denied until I completed a 6 month supervised diet.  So glad I had began this diet as the surgeon suggested.  That gave me a two month jump on the diet and only had four more months to go.  My PCD let me chose what I wanted to do for a diet.  I chose to follow a WW diet.  I had all the books and such from belonging to WW in 2000 & 2001.  She also let me decide the exercise I wanted to do and I chose walking.  I finished my 6 month diet but was really sweating it out that it might not be approved because I had a couple of appointments cancelled by my PCD due to her family emergencies and was unable to reschedule with my doctor so just weighed in with her nurse.  The people at my surgeons office thought I might have to complete three more months (a total of nine months as you all know) to make 6 months in a row.  This was on August 12 that I was told this but that they would resubmit my supervised diet information and see what happened.  I was really nervous that it wasn't going to go through.  Then the next day, I received a call from the surgeon's office,  I was approved!!!!!!!!!!!!  YAAHOOOO!!!!!  I am so happy that I don't have to go through another 3 months with my PCD.  So far I have lost 60 pounds on the supervised diet.  I give all the credit to the Lord!!!!!!!  Although, I may have something that may keep me from having the Lap Band yet.  I have had three episodes of fainting and several other near faintings over about the past 7 weeks.  I was referred to a cardiologist.  She had very thorough blood tests done on me.  All fine there.  Had an echo-cardiogram and it looked fine.  Now doing a hultor monitor test for three to four weeks.  Of course, when the nurse called from the surgeon's office and was wanting to set up another appointment with the surgeon, I had to "come clean" and tell her that I am seeing a cardiologist and that I won't know the results of the hulter monitor until Sept. 8.  Understandably, they won't do the surgery unless the cardiologist clears me, and if everything else comes out okay, then all I have to do is submit a letter to the surgeon from my cardiologist stating that I am okay for surgery.  I'm praying that this is the case.   By the way, I had a angiogram of my heart done October of 2008 and all looked well then.  Tests showed that the pain I was having for several months was just my gall bladder.  Still have the little trouble maker.    I hope I didn't ramble on too much and lose anyone.  I'm just so excited! Anyway, I just had to celebrate my approval by sharing it with others.  Everyone that is going through the processing of trying to get insurance approval, DON'T GIVE UP!!!