AZSunshine

That's almost exactly how mine felt. Scared the crap out of me the first time it happened.... I thought I was having a heart attack..... and I'm only 23!!!!! lol

Aww Sweetie don't beat yourself up. This whole thing is a gradual process... and I'd say that about 80% of it is mental. Despite all of the support groups and counseling I attended for a year prior to my surgery... I still don't feel like I was adequately prepared for (or even fully aware of) the emotional strain of it all. For me, it was totally easy to be "gung-ho!" pre-op, because I had myself SO pumped up. Post-op was much more difficult... because I began to realize that I really did use food as a crutch.... and that I'd been in total denial. Keep your chin up though, it looks like you're doing great!!:smile2:

Could it possibly be from over-eating? I recently had my band tightened for the third time (7cc in an 11cc band)... and I noticed that if I don't eat PERFECTLY.... I get sore in the same area. Maybe it's just me.... but keep an eye on what you're eating. I'm finding that unless I portion everything out, it's hard to keep track... and very easy to eat too much!! Good luck, hope you feel better soon!!!!!

My insurance was a self-funded indemnity plan through my dad's work. They had a list of criteria I had to meet (BMI of 40, 6 month diet, psych test, etc etc). The way they did it.... my records were all sent to a nurse who reviewed it and determined whether or not my case was "sufficient" to approve. I was fortunate to get in touch with her directly (I'm obnoxiously persistent).... and she helped answer many of my questions. I would imagine that your insurance probably has a similar process.... a qualified med professional will probably review your records and determine whether or not you're eligible for coverage.

I have a Wii Fit, and I think it's kind of an asshole. I swear it groans every time I step on the damn thing. As far as the insurance thing, I totally feel ya. I had to resubmit all kinds of crap that wasn't "thorough" enough. Just keep at it. Like you said, they want you to back down. If they can avoid paying for something, THEY WILL. Just hang in there... be persistent. Obnoxiously persistent. The squeaky wheel gets the grease!!!!

Oh my goodness!!! What a total crock!! I am so sorry you're dealing with all this on TOP of trying to recover!! Do you have a letter from your insurance stating that they approved the procedure? If so, they should cover it at whatever percentage your plan dictates. Do you know if the physician/surgical center were "in-network"? I'm absolutely shocked that your insurance didn't try to negotiate with the center. My bill (for EVERYTHING) was $32k.... my insurance negotiated it down to $19k. Many hospitals/med facilities overbill by astronomical amounts. They don't expect anyone to actually pay... but they get tax breaks for it because they can count it as a loss. Call your insurance company and see if you can figure out what the hell is going on. If you can't budge, call the hospital and see if you can negotiate a lower rate. $76k for a short stay is appalling... I can't even wrap my head around it. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this... if all else fails, I'd file a complaint against the physician.... and contact an attorney. Good luck, please keep us posted!

Sorry to threadjack, but I wanted to address this so that you don't make the same mistake I did. Since you lost your job, you should be eligible for COBRA. Do whatever it takes to get on COBRA.... once you exhaust 18 months, you will be eligible for portability through HIPAA... which means individual plans won't be able to deny you coverage due to pre-existing conditions. This is absolutely crucial.... otherwise, as I've found out the hard way, you're going to have one hell of a time finding a plan to cover you. I lost my coverage through my parent's group plan 3 weeks after my surgery, when I turned 23. My COBRA was $1900/month (yes, per month).... so I was basically screwed.... considering that's more than I made at the time. Since then, I have been able to pick up temporary insurance, but no respectable plan will touch me with a ten foot pole until I'm at least 18 months out of surgery.... and even then, I have a feeling it's going to be a fight. Find out about COBRA asap. It's not cheap, but it's pretty much your only guaranteed option at this point. Good luck!!!

I believe that this is one of those things that just depends on the individual. I've heard of many cases of people "curing" their acid reflux by having the band. In my case, I actually developed heartburn after getting banded... to the point where I'd wake up dry-heaving in the middle of the night. Fortunately I've been able to get it under control... my doctor put me on rx Zantac.... I take it 2x/day. It took about 2 weeks to build up in my system, and I haven't had any problems since.

Aww, what a tough spot to be in. Sounds to me like the biggest problem might potentially be a breakdown in communication. It sounds as though he has some insecurities that he needs to work through. You can give him all the reassurance in the world, but until he works through them himself, it's not going to do much good. I would encourage you to lay it all on the table, in a non-confrontational way. Politely express your concerns.... ask him what his thoughts are, and what he's expecting to come out of your surgery, etc. Reinforce the fact that you guys are a team.... and that you both need eachother to depend on for support, etc. It's fantastic if he wants to get the band and improve his health.... but only if he's doing it for the RIGHT reasons. Good luck, I hope you guys get everything squared away.

Absolutely did NOT cheat. It took me almost a year to get approved... a year of various tests, meeting all sorts of doctors, etc. I figured that, since my insurance was paying for 100% of the surgery... the least I could do was stick to a simple pre-op diet. Was it fun? No, not really. But it was two short weeks out of the rest of my life.

Hey everyone!! I was banded after a lengthy battle with my insurance company, who tried REALLY hard to drag it out as long as possible. Finally, I was approved.... about 3 weeks before I turned 23 and lost my coverage through my parents! My surgery center was AMAZING and squeezed me in right before the deadline... and I had the band "installed" on June 8th of this year. I'm a WLS "Lightweight," my highest weight was 243... and I am just barely 5'1. In the past 6 months, I have managed to lose approximately 45% of my extra weight (approx. 45lbs). It has gotten much easier now that my hormones are under control.... stupid PCOS!!! :tongue: Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you guys!!!! :biggrin:

I had NO fees with Banner Gateway... my insurance picked up everything. Granted, I had my psych evaluation done elsewhere, and that cost me $200 (I never got around to submitting the out-of-network paperwork to my insurance, otherwise they would have covered most of that as well). But as far as I know, Banner Gateway does not have any "program fees." Your insurance (or you, if you're self-pay) pays for all the required tests, and the procedure (including hospital facility fees, surgeon fees, anesthesiologist fees, etc). Their support groups are free.... and they should be able to write you a prescription for the gym... so even if your insurance won't cover it, you can write it off on your taxes as a medical expense.

I cannot say enough good things about Banner Gateway Bariatric. Their entire staff is AWESOME.... I have been seeing them every few months since last March. I "interviewed" 5 or 6 potential surgeons before deciding to go with Dr. Schuster. His support staff was a HUGE part of my decision... they are extremely attentive, and wonderful at following up. Dr. Schuster himself is an awesome guy... very down-to-earth, straight-to-the-point, with a great sense of humor. I definitely give their program two thumbs up!! :tongue:

Hi there, I work in the insurance industry, and I want to offer some advice.... DO NOT dump your current plan in an effort to obtain invidivual insurance. Doing so could royally screw you over. I hate to sound like a party pooper, but it is close to impossible for an obese person (especially if you have co-morbidities) to get on an individual plan. Employer group plans cannot legally discriminate, they are guaranteed issue for all employees.However, private individual plans are allowed to be more selective.... and because an obese person is viewed as higher risk, they generally opt to NOT provide coverage. It's not fair... in fact, it completely sucks... (I've been trying to get individual insurance for over a year now, and have been told time and again that I'm "uninsurable") but these companies are businesses.... and they're going to do whatever it takes to NOT have to pay out big bucks. I would definitely keep pestering your HR person about the plan change in February. Write letters to your company's boss.... and ask your coworkers to do the same. Good luck!!!!!!!!

Oh wow.... go deposit that sucker! LOL With all the weight you're losing... I'm sure you could use a shopping trip!!!! :tongue: Congrats!!!!

This is FANTASTIC advice. Also wanted to add, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!! Dates and times of phone calls, the name of people you spoke to, etc. Keep detailed, thorough notes. If at all possible, have them fax or mail you a list of requirements for the surgery... that way you have IN WRITING what exactly you need to do in order to be approved. Good luck, I hope everything goes well!!!!!!

Don't stress out!!! From what I've observed (I work in the insurance industry, so I hear about this junk ALL day long)..... most companies just want documentation showing that you've attempted weight loss via a medically supervised diet. Whether or not you succeed does not typically matter. Also, 3lbs is not a huge difference.... my weight fluxuates +/- 5lbs depending on water weight, etc. Could just be that you were retaining a little extra water, etc. Don't worry about it or beat yourself up... you're on the right track, you're doing great!!! And, just because you don't see results on the scale.... doesn't mean that your body isn't benefitting. I used to have a very fatty liver.... I went on my pre-op diet and didn't lose many pounds.... but come surgery day, my doctor said my liver had shrunk and looked TOTALLY healthy. So, there's benefits... they're just not always super obvious. keep up the good work!!!!!! :tongue: :biggrin: :angel_smile: