nallygirl
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Everything posted by nallygirl
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What a crazy week! Between travel for work and making my testing appts its been a bit stressful!! I'm happy to say though my final round of pre-op testing is done. Just waiting on them to send it to my PCP and for her to write my medical clearance letter. Then the big waiting game begins with insurance.
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February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi Everyone!! I'm kinda out of the loop, it's been a crazy week but wanted to say Welcome to all the new future bandsters, CONGRATS to everyone who has their approvals and Good Luck to all of us still fighting through the insurance process!! I had my final round of testing on Wednesday which included gallbladder ultrasound, chest and abdominal xrays and my UGI scan. Now it all needs to be sent to my PCP so she can write my medical clearance letter. Then that all needs to go to my surgeons office so they can submit everything to insurance. Little by little things are getting done. Hoping I'll get an approval in early Feb and a surgery date in late Feb!! Hope you all are doing well!! ~Natalie -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
@aDORAblesista - I don't have a surgery date yet but my surgeon said I will have to do a 2 week pre-op liquid diet. He makes all his patients do it to help shrink their liver prior to surgery. It seems like each surgeon requires something different though. @cheechtrish - Congrats on your surgery date! Good luck with everything!! :thumbup: -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I have no idea! I've never bought anything like that online...only powdered protein. Do you have to use a specific type of drink or is that just what you perfer? I think the powder is cheaper than the ready to drink shakes...at least from what I remember but I haven't bought the ready to drink ones in a long time. -
Half way there...had my bloodwork done and EKG. Now just have to do my UGI and chest xrays next week. This process is taking forever. If I'm lucky I'll be banded by the end of February!!
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February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Oh wow that's really cheap! I just looked online and couldn't find it cheaper than that for an 8 pack. Sounds like a good deal! -
Hi Mewizza...I'm sorry you are having to deal with this. I have Cigna and was so upset when I found out they required a 6 month supervised diet program. I just finished my last appt on Jan 4th and am still jumping through insurance hoops to get approved. The good news is the 6 months flew by and it gave me a lot of time to mentally prepare for the surgery. I've learned so much in these past few months that I'm almost grateful for the time. Don't get me wrong, if they had said you can get surgery tomorrow I would have done it! Good luck with everything. Just stick with it and hopefully things will work out!
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February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Yep not bad at all! I haven't really told anyone either, just my mom and my 2 close friends. I figure once I'm approved, have the surgery and the pounds start dropping then I'll tell people if they ask. I couldn't agree with you more about this board! I'ts been such a huge help and the people on here are great!! -
Have my appointment tomorrow with the PCP for all my pre-op testing. They won't write my medical clearance without doing all the testing first...good grief! Oh well at least it will be out of the way
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February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My psych eval was super easy. Just lots of questions about my weight history, family history, do I know the risks of surgery, how long have I thought about getting surgery, what else have I tried, does my family/friends know (basically do I have a support system). Although I've heard others who have had to do 300 question written evals where they ask you the same questions a million different ways to see if you change your answer kinda thing. Hopefully yours is just a simple sit down with the psychologist like mine was!! -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
YAY!!! I'm so excited for you!!! Congrats on your surgery date and thank you for all the great information!! -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
@justplaintired – I would love to tell you that I'm used to it and that I wear it without fail every night but in reality I am horrible about wearing it. I have a tiny nose (so they say) and am a mouth breather so I have to use the full face mask. Let me tell you it's a good thing I'm single because that thing is so not sexy to wear to bed LoL!! I look like a fat fighter pilot!! LoL I have been better about it since I started this process but I still don't wear it every night. @chimboree26 – Yay!! That's great you're going to Dr Halmi too!! I don't have a surgery date yet since I don't have everything submitted for approval yet but I will most likely be around the end of February as well from what I'm told. Good luck with your surgery!! @kloee - My surgeon offers both the Realize and the Lap-Band. My surgeon prefers the Lap-Band though so that is what I went with. -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Thank you!! LoL that's why I originally went and did the sleep study...people complained about my snoring haha. Good luck with your Medical Clearance appt tomorrow. I have mine on the 13th with my PCP. They are making me do all my pre-op testing before they will write my clearance letter...I seem to be the only one who has had to do this though and my surgeon's office didn't get it either. I'll be interested to see what yours is like! -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I hate the cpap too. Hopefully losing weight means no more cpap!! -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi Kim...yes it makes no sense that you have to already have all these medical conditions before insurance would cover a life changing operation. I agree you would think they would want to prevent those conditions before they start!! Good luck with your approval...I'll keep my fingers crossed -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Yes but since I had already done one in April before I started this whole process they were able to just use that one. I do have severe sleep apnea so that should help me...that sounds weird...in the approval process. -
February 2011 Bandsters?
nallygirl replied to justplaintired's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi Everyone! I was originally supposed to be a January bandster but apparently I'm not done jumping through insurance hoops yet! I've finished my 6 month nutrition classes needed for insurance, my psych eval and my sleep study. Now I just need my PCP to write my medical clearance...which they are dragging their feet on...then everything can be submitted to insurance. Fingers crossed I'll be getting banded in February!! Good Luck to everyone!! -
Does that fee cover anything? I had to pay around $500 through my surgeon's office but it covered my 6 months of nutrition classes (required by my insurance) and my pre-op one-on-one with the nutritionist. Other than that I haven't had any "program" fees...that I know of.
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January 2011 Bandsters !!!
nallygirl replied to Renee1003's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Ugh! So annoyed right now!! My surgeon's office just called me to say they need me to come in for a one on one with their nutritionist before they can submit my paperwork for insurance approval. They don't have any appointments until Jan 17th!!! Seeing as how I've been coming in every month for 6 months to do these nutrition classes I'm just so frustrated they waited until NOW to tell me this. They also need a medical clearance from my PCP however my PCP wants me to get all my pre-op testing done first before they will write my clearance. So it looks like with all this crap I won't be a January bandster after all. There is no way I can get all this done, get the insurance approval and do a 2 week pre-op diet before the end of the month. I know this isn't a big deal, I'm just so frustrated by this whole process with insurance and I guess I just needed to vent. So good luck to all of you January bandsters!! See you in February...hopefully!! -
so annoyed...just got a call from my surgeons office and I need to do an additional one hour consult with the nutritionist which they don't have any open appts for until 2 weeks from now!! They also need a medical clearance from my PCP...my PCP is being a pain about it and won't write the letter until I do all my preop testing. This is such a frustrating process. Grrrrr
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Mine was super easy; just a one on one conversation with a psychologist. She was very familiar with WLS and just asked me questions like what was the procedure I was having done, how long had I thought about it, do my friends or family know (making sure I had a support system in place), do I have a family history of obesity, what else have I tried to lose weight, do I know the risks of the surgery and then some questions about depression. I've heard/read though other people had to fill out crazy forms with hundreds of questions. I guess it depends who you go to. My psychologist was recommended to me by someone else who uses my surgeon. I'm sure the surgeons office will give you a list of providers to go to though too. Good luck with your process!!
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I have Cigna and they did not require any testing before submitting for approval other than my 6 months of nutrition classes and a psych eval. My surgeon however is requiring me to have blood work, a set of chest x-rays and an EKG prior to surgery. I was not required to do the endoscopy but it seems like everyone has a little something different though even within the surgeon's office I go through.
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January 2011 Bandsters !!!
nallygirl replied to Renee1003's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
After 6 months I finally had my last nutrition class today so it looks like now the waiting game begins and I'm just hoping and praying for an insurance approval!! They said it could take as long as 4 weeks which kinda bums me out but I know a lot of people who have been approved much quicker. Hopefully I'll get an approval soon and can be well on my way to becoming a January bandster with you all!! Welcome to all the new people and good luck with your surgery!! -
last nutrition class this morning...now the waiting game begins. They are submitting everything to insurance this week but it could take up to four weeks for a decision. Keeping my fingers crossed for a fast approval!!
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January 2011 Bandsters !!!
nallygirl replied to Renee1003's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Renee!! I'm so sorry you're having to go through all this right now!! This whole process of jumping through insurance hoops is so stressful!! Is there anyway you can get on a waiting list with your pulmonoligist office so if someone cancels an earlier appt you can get in before the 17th? I have a cpap that I never wear...I hope they don't say anything to me about it!!! This is such a hard time of year to have our final appts (mine's tomorrow too) with all the food from the holidays. My surgeons office though wasn't too concerned about any weight gain so hopefully yours wont be either! I know its hard but try to stay positive...it will all work out!! Let me know if you need to chat/vent!!