Bullwinkle

I have an appointment to see Dr. Curry this morning at 11:00am. I am excited, yet nervous. Last night I dreamed that he told me that I wasn't a good candidate for a lap band, and told me to go home and lose weight the "old fashioned" way. Well, THAT way hasn't worked for me at all. I've been fat ever since I can remember. My parents and three siblings were never fat, but I was. Mom started taking me to Weight Watcher's meetings when I was 8 years old. She gave me Ayds to chew on, helped me count calories, signed me up for gymnastics and dancing lessons in the hope I'd burn more calories and lose weight, threatened and cajoled me into losing weight, bought my sister new clothes but not me, in the hopes that I'd "straighten up" and lose weight, punished me other various ways because I wouldn't lose weight, had me on various liquid diets, including the Cambridge Diet, took me to a hypnotist for subliminal weight-loss messages, and paid for me to go to Diet Center. In my adult life I continued to life with family put-downs because of my weight and I finally topped out at 352 pounds. I stopped eating on July 1, 1998 and in 23 months I lost over 150 pounds. But that's only because I was eating about two cups of food a day, and mostly protein. Since that time I've tried to stay to two cups of food a day, but I cannot. I've steadily gained weight (big surprise) and am now back up to 247 pounds. At this rate, before the end of 2007, I'll be right back up over 300 pounds. I've calculated that I've lost and gained close to 200 pounds over and over again in my lifetime, and I'M SICK TO DEATH OF THIS STUPID HAMSTER WHEEL I'M ON!!!!!!!! Please, Dr. Curry............you're my last hope!

I have an appointment to see Dr. Curry this morning at 11:00am. I am excited, yet nervous. Last night I dreamed that he told me that I wasn't a good candidate for a lap band, and told me to go home and lose weight the "old fashioned" way. Well, THAT way hasn't worked for me at all. I've been fat ever since I can remember. My parents and three siblings were never fat, but I was. Mom started taking me to Weight Watcher's meetings when I was 8 years old. She gave me Ayds to chew on, helped me count calories, signed me up for gymnastics and dancing lessons in the hope I'd burn more calories and lose weight, threatened and cajoled me into losing weight, bought my sister new clothes but not me, in the hopes that I'd "straighten up" and lose weight, punished me other various ways because I wouldn't lose weight, had me on various liquid diets, including the Cambridge Diet, took me to a hypnotist for subliminal weight-loss messages, and paid for me to go to Diet Center. In my adult life I continued to life with family put-downs because of my weight and I finally topped out at 352 pounds. I stopped eating on July 1, 1998 and in 23 months I lost over 150 pounds. But that's only because I was eating about two cups of food a day, and mostly protein. Since that time I've tried to stay to two cups of food a day, but I cannot. I've steadily gained weight (big surprise) and am now back up to 247 pounds. At this rate, before the end of 2007, I'll be right back up over 300 pounds. I've calculated that I've lost and gained close to 200 pounds over and over again in my lifetime, and I'M SICK TO DEATH OF THIS STUPID HAMSTER WHEEL I'M ON!!!!!!!! Please, Dr. Curry............you're my last hope!

I may be wrong...........and usually am......... But what I've found out about exclusions to health insurance policies is that the employer makes the exclusion. If you have an exclusion for any kind of weightloss surgery, then it's your employer who is refusing to pay for that, or any part of that. And, if that's the kind of exclusion you have, then there's really no use "fighting it". I am I am wrong. Please let us know what your HR department tells you. That's just my two cents...

Wow! Thanks for your post. You give me hope that perhaps one day I might be a normal weight. I've never been a normal weight for my age. You've really given me hope! CONGRATULATIONS!!!:thankyou:

I calculated wrong. I AM still 5' 8", and have a BMI of 37.2. Glad I got it straight. Glad I'm still considered tall.

I calculated wrong. I AM still 5' 8", and have a BMI of 37.2. Glad I got it straight. Glad I'm still considered tall.

Amen, sister! I couldn't have said it better myself.

Keep that sense of humor. That will be helpful, I'm sure. GOOD LUCK!!!!

I currently weigh 250.8. I need to weigh 150. I hope to be banded in late January. I need to lose 100 pounds. I just realized I started every sentence with the word "I". Wow. Self-centered? LOL!

From what I've found out about UHC so far, there are myriad UHC policies. Some are quite liberal, while some are quite strict. Some have exclusions that your employer imposes, some don't. It really all boils down to one call from you to your insurance company. That's what I did, and found out right away that my UHC didn't cover ANY kind of WLS. My husbands UCH policy, on the other hand, covers WLS plus SOOOOOO many other things. He is in a very, very large group. Mine is small. Hope this helps.

Okay. I just read something in another thread about "slimes" and "PB's". What was said about slimes really made me wanna yak (puke). And, what in heck does PB stand for? I'm guessing it ain't peanutbutter. Pepto Bismol? Wow. Anyone? Anyone? Please won't someone 'splain these things to me?

Okay. Thanks. I also found this thread. I think I've read everything I've ever wanted to know about slimes and PB's. Now, excuse me while I go yak. Wow.

Wow. That's FAST! By the way, Full of Grace, I'll be thinking of you on Friday. Good luck and let us know how you are ASAP! Prayers going up for you.

My first consultation with Dr. Curry is Wednesday. I just told my boss that I'll be late to work that day. He wanted to know why I was seeing a surgeon. I told him it was for possible gallstone surgery. I don't want anyone but my husband knowing that I'm doing this procedure. My boss told me "good luck" and just went about his business. I also found out this morning that I am NOT 5' 8", as I thought. I am 5' 6", so that changes my BMI to 40.9. Yeesh.

Hello, all... After doing a whole lot of research --- and reading a TON of posts on these message boards -- I bit the bullet and decided I want to have lap band surgery. I emailed Dr. Trace Curry this morning and, to my amazement, he returned my email and told me to contact his office. I have my initial consultation on Wednesday, 11-08-06. Am I stupid to be aprehensive and scared? I really want to be thin and healthy for the first time in my life. I think Dr. Curry can help me. Comments and suggestions are welcome!

Out of curiosity sake, I just measured my height here at work. Barefoot, I put my back against the wall and used a pencil to draw a line. Then, I measured it with a yard stick. All this time, I thought I was 5' 8". NOT SO. I am 5' 6", which makes my BMI 40.3 as of today. For some reason, that really bums me out. Not so much the higher BMI, but that I am actually shorter than I was in high school. I WAS 5' 8" then. I've shrunk. Crap.

Out of curiosity sake, I just measured my height here at work. Barefoot, I put my back against the wall and used a pencil to draw a line. Then, I measured it with a yard stick. All this time, I thought I was 5' 8". NOT SO. I am 5' 6", which makes my BMI 40.3 as of today. For some reason, that really bums me out. Not so much the higher BMI, but that I am actually shorter than I was in high school. I WAS 5' 8" then. I've shrunk. Crap.

Hi, AAL - yeah, I'm doing that, too, when/if I have the procedure. I've told my husband that I don't want anyone to know. I've told one guy at work that I have an appointment to see a surgeon the day after tomorrow for "gall stones". When and if the insurance approves me in January, and when and if I'm approved for the procedure, I'll take a week off work, but I'm going to tell everyone that I'm having gall stone surgery -- or something else. I just don't want anyone to know.

Thank you for your replies! They are very helpful. My husband's UHC insurance is through Hewlett Packard -- a large, large group -- and I've gone to www.muhc.com and have looked up information that pertains to his policy. They even cover "domestic partners" (same-sex unions) for medical insurance. They are very liberal in that regard. MY UHC policy -- for a VERY small group -- doesn't cover much at all. So, there ARE vast differences in UHC policies. I suppose it all depends upon your group and what your employer is willing to cover. Again, thank you for the information -- and for the PM's (you know who you are ) -- and I will let you people know what UHC says when it's time. Now if I can just hold out until my initial consult with Dr. Curry on Wednesday. I am SO hyped!

I keep reading posts on these boards about insurance, and the need to document the information I get from the insurance company. I guess I'll write it down here. Thursday, 11-02-06, 6:30pm, I called the toll-free number on the back of my husband's UHC insurance card. After pushing a few buttons to get through to customer service, I talked with a man named LeLand. I asked him this question (straight from the paperwork supplied to me by Dr. Curry): "I am inquiring about my policy benefits on surgical weight loss. Is surgery for morbid obesity a covered benefit? In particular, I'm inquiring about lap-band surgery.” LeLand: "Yes, it is. Lap-band surgery is a covered benefit." Me: "May I please give you the code for this procedure and would you please check to see if this particular code is covered?" I gave him the code. LeLand: (After sighing and acting like I was a pest) "Yes, that code is a covered benefit." Me: "What information do you require before approving the surgery?" LeLand: "You have to have a BMI greater than 35." Me: "What else?" LeLand: "Ma'am, just have your doctor's office call our care coordinator and they will work out the details. This procedure IS covered by your husband's insurance policy." At that point I just thanked him and hung up because he acted like I was just a huge pest. What I SHOULD have done was stay on the phone and gotten all of the information from the paperwork Dr. Curry supplied to me. Now I'm scared that if I call the insurance company back, I'll "tip them off" that I want to have this surgery done, and they won't put me on the policy. My husband just enrolled me this past week, and I won't be effective until 01-01-07.

I keep reading posts on these boards about insurance, and the need to document the information I get from the insurance company. I guess I'll write it down here. Thursday, 11-02-06, 6:30pm, I called the toll-free number on the back of my husband's UHC insurance card. After pushing a few buttons to get through to customer service, I talked with a man named LeLand. I asked him this question (straight from the paperwork supplied to me by Dr. Curry): "I am inquiring about my policy benefits on surgical weight loss. Is surgery for morbid obesity a covered benefit? In particular, I'm inquiring about lap-band surgery.” LeLand: "Yes, it is. Lap-band surgery is a covered benefit." Me: "May I please give you the code for this procedure and would you please check to see if this particular code is covered?" I gave him the code. LeLand: (After sighing and acting like I was a pest) "Yes, that code is a covered benefit." Me: "What information do you require before approving the surgery?" LeLand: "You have to have a BMI greater than 35." Me: "What else?" LeLand: "Ma'am, just have your doctor's office call our care coordinator and they will work out the details. This procedure IS covered by your husband's insurance policy." At that point I just thanked him and hung up because he acted like I was just a huge pest. What I SHOULD have done was stay on the phone and gotten all of the information from the paperwork Dr. Curry supplied to me. Now I'm scared that if I call the insurance company back, I'll "tip them off" that I want to have this surgery done, and they won't put me on the policy. My husband just enrolled me this past week, and I won't be effective until 01-01-07.

I keep thinking, "What if Dr. Curry says that I'm not a candidate for this procedure? What if he won't let me get banded? What if I just keep getting fatter and fatter, until I end up bed-ridden?" Yeesh. I've GOT to simmer down.

I keep thinking, "What if Dr. Curry says that I'm not a candidate for this procedure? What if he won't let me get banded? What if I just keep getting fatter and fatter, until I end up bed-ridden?" Yeesh. I've GOT to simmer down.

I made an appointment with Dr. Trace Curry in Cincinnati. I'll see him next Wednesday, November 8th, at 11:00am. What impressed me so much about Dr. Curry so far - without ever having met him -- is that he answered an email I sent to him, and I found out later that he wasn't even in town when he answered it! Wow. Talk about a doctor who has "checked his ego at the door"!!! I like him already. Everything seems to be falling into place already. I'll be covered with good insurance starting January 1st -- and have found out already that they do cover this procedure -- and I have three weeks of vacation to use if I need it. I'm aware that Dr. Curry requires me to have a psychological exam, and I don't know whom to see for that, but I'm sure that he will recommend someone. I'm excited. And so my journey to being healthy begins.....

I made an appointment with Dr. Trace Curry in Cincinnati. I'll see him next Wednesday, November 8th, at 11:00am. What impressed me so much about Dr. Curry so far - without ever having met him -- is that he answered an email I sent to him, and I found out later that he wasn't even in town when he answered it! Wow. Talk about a doctor who has "checked his ego at the door"!!! I like him already. Everything seems to be falling into place already. I'll be covered with good insurance starting January 1st -- and have found out already that they do cover this procedure -- and I have three weeks of vacation to use if I need it. I'm aware that Dr. Curry requires me to have a psychological exam, and I don't know whom to see for that, but I'm sure that he will recommend someone. I'm excited. And so my journey to being healthy begins.....