2beskinny

PS to BetsyB - great job on the weight loss :thumbup:

Yes - I read all that language in the contract as well. I was a little surpised that the staff person at doc's said they have been seeing approval on ww and jenny craig alone. But I think the pendulum is swinging in the insurance world towards favoring this surgery. The approval guidelines have already softened. I figured the doc's office was ahead of the curve with their knowledge of what bcbs was doing. I still think they are, however, just not in my case. I'm sure it's very dependent on the team that is reviewing your case, etc. Not to worry...like I said, I'm not viewing this as a set-back, but a chance to lose some additional weight before surgery. My husband was a little relieved that I am not heading to surgery in a couple of weeks. I know he's not totally enthusiastic about this. Not to say that he is unsupportive, but he's nervous about it no matter how many times I repeat the statistics to him. He is a worrier and he loves me, so I guess I can understand. It's just that he cannot understand the struggle with food. He has one of those metabolisms that we all envy. He can eat whatever he wants and not gain weight. I think he might weigh 10 pounds more than when I met him 25 years ago. However, he does work out alot - always has. I think it's a combination of the two :thumbup: More time for him to get used to the idea, too, I guess!

Wow, a week from today! That's awesome! You are totally right - it's worth it to wait for insurance. My doc covers 1st 2 years (fills, complications, anything necessary) and then you're right - you are on your own financially after that. Best of luck to you next week and the days to come...are you on a pre-op diet? Are you more excited or more nervous :thumbup: Good point on the rushing for weight loss and then possibly getting frustrated during the healing process. It would be nice to go into surgery 20 lbs less than I am right now anyway. I don't think I'd lose 20 on a 2 week pre-op

Congrats to you - so glad you feel "well" - that is inspiring to hear - I'm staying very positive about my surgical recovery and I just know I'm going to do "well" too!!!!

I begun looking into this about 4 months ago...went for a seminar and I keep reading these sites. I have spent most of my life in the 30's bmi, however just recently hit 40. When I realized I was actually in a group that statistically benefits from this surgery and then when I started inquiring about it from my doctors (pcp and gyn) they both recommended it! Very safe and they have seen tremendous results. I think I've had a hard time really accepting that I'm this big (denial is a powerful thing) but I'm now waiting on insurance approval (I will self pay if I'm denied). I wondered if I was taking the easy way out, however, after doing so much research on the band - it's not the easy way out. It's only a tool to make the task somewhat more manageable. The biggest thing I'm struggling with is that I don't want to tell very many people and I'm wondering how to get through a few social engagements and overnight trips that will most likely be going on during my pre-op & post-op diet stage. I have a very strong history of obesity in my family (I'm the "thin" one) and I just don't want to keep getting bigger. I am choosing a different path for myself. My husband is physically fit and I have 3 teenage sons who are all multi-sport athletes in high school. None of them ever say a word to me, they all love me and are very kind, but I feel it is the elephant in the room. I really don't even want to tell my kids about it because I don't want them to worry about me (they would!). I feel that there are so many mis-conceptions about wls and I guess I'm afraid of being judged - bottom line. I can see myself eventually telling people - when it's behind me.

Congratulations!

While jumping through all the necesssary hoops for insurance approval, this is what I read in one of my medical records entries, "Normal grooming. Obese." Now offically my "a-ha" moment. Forty-six years of age, thirty of which were spent obsessing about my weight (I dieted myself to 85 pounds of extra weight), my life seemed all boiled down to this note jotted on a doctor's chart.:scared2:. That was the defining moment when I realized LAP-BAND®®® really was for me. Now I sit waiting (not patiently) to hear something back from my insurance company. I am right at 40 BMI and have no co-morbidites (does anyone else hate that term?). If I am denied or they come back with 6 months (more!) of dieting, etc., I will self-pay. I was going to self-pay from the beginning, but the staff at my LAP-BAND®®® doctor's office convinced me to give it a try at first. I have the diet history, and the 40 BMI for the last 2 years (as required). My only worry is that my weight history shows less than 40 BMI however, those visit times coincide with dieting attempts. My diets were usually always somewhat successful, temporarily, then I would gain back the lost pounds plus more. Sound familiar? Most recently, I did a medically supervised diet with diet pills. I thought that would really do the trick for me, but deep down I knew I couldn't live forever on the medication so I lost faith in taking it. Not to mention that twelve years ago I lost ALL my weight with Phen-fen. I think even though I was successful and came out unscathed by side-effects, I knew it wasn't good for me. Too bad...that was truly the easiest thing I've ever done to lose weight. I kept it off for about a year and a half, then life got in the way (corporate moves, three small children, traveling husband, etc.). I will come back and update as there are developments on my journey, and I wish everyone the best of luck on their's! :smile:

Amazing, congrats to you!!!

OK, that IS funny. On a practical level, I knew it was just a mundane note in my chart, but on my soul searching journey of deciding to have wls, it was so eye-opening to be summed up like that. By the way, I am an excellent groomer, HA!

I don't have a date scheduled yet, but I go through ups and downs of being sooo scared about it, to thinking that it is a very practical thing to do to take charge of my health. I know I will freak out as well when my date approaches. I think it's very normal to be afraid of giving up control and letting someone operate on you! You have to focus on the statistics, which are excellent for this operation. Focus on the success rate of your surgeon. The surgeon I am going with has performed over 2000 lapband surgeries and is a pioneer in this area. I think about this all the time. You are taking a step for yourself and for your future health. You are putting yourself first right now...something that many of us are unfamiliar with :smile:.