KabinKitty

Thanks Tiffykins, I would love to be your friend! I don't blame you about the lurking thing. Ya never know! Love ya gal! :sad0:

DAAAAAANG GIRL YOU LOOK HOT!!! Congratulations, you deserve it all! Thanks for all your inspiration!!!

I have Anthem BC/BS (Blue Access) which we all know is NOT currently covering most VGS's. Hubby and I are both on MY policy. I found out today HIS company's ins. is Aetna. If we both sign up for his ins. would I be covered for my surgery? I didn't know if I would be considered pre-exsisting if I went for my surgical consult on the 17th of June. I haven't done anything else as far as seeking treatment or anything with any other doctor for any WLS.

I just watched a Youtube VSG performed by Dr. Jossart [nomedia=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRBKdTjY2Rg]YouTube- Vertical sleeve gastrectomy procedure from www.lapsf.com[/nomedia]. and he was talking through the whole surgery. He explained that they were using a 32f and that it was the diameter of a penny or a dime. He said the new stomach would hold between 30 and 60 cc or about 1-2 oz. I think how much a stomach holds depends alot on the length.

Nikki, You could be a poster child for the VSG surgery campaign to get all the insurance companies to cover this surgery! Congratulations girl....go reward yourself with some new clothes!! Woo Hoo! :thumbup:

Thanks for you ideas Tiffykins..you're such a sweetie! Hubby said that he knows of at least one lady where he works that had WLS. Also, I would NOT give up my ins. NO WAY, NO HOW! It's a great policy! If we would make a change we would get the family plan under hubbys plan. I know we would be double covered, but it's better than paying out of pocket I guess. Anyone know if Aetna is covering VSG yet?

I have recieved extremely insulting private messages from the person who started this thread. He made extremely rude statments. These were untrue, generalized statements that blasted all American citizens. I had to finally put him on ignore to stop his ranting and ravings!

Lisa, It's comforting to know that someone else is going through the same thing. I'm so ready to lose this "fat suit". It would be a blessing just to start a pre-op diet! I'm afraid to lose an ounce as I'm under 40 BMI, but I do have the co-morbidities. I live on this computer, trying to learn all that I can before my surgical consult. He also does a physical at that time. Any idea what that involves? I don't have a clue. The best to you! I hope you get some good news real soon!! :001_tt2:

[You also have policies that differ between employer's. The insurance company may cover a procedure, but your employer may "opt out" of WLS coverage.] WLS is included in my policy. I even asked about Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. They read and reread the different procedures that were included and they told me they have listed "Sleeve Gastrectomy" as one of the options. I even gave them the code provided by my surgeon's office for VSG and they confirmed that the surgery corresponding to that code is included. How would I go about checking into Anthem BC/BS (Blue Acess) in Ohio, to see if they are paying for VSG surgeries? :thumbup:

Fortunately I've got great ins. No yearly deductables etc. If I'm in an in-network facility with in-network doc, my surgery will cost me nothing. I say all that to ask, now....if they submit a pre-cert for me to have the sleeve and I get denied, do I have to pay for the consult and all the tests that were done? My doc requires a 3 month diet to lose at least 5% of body weight before he will operate. So if the ins won't approve me will I be doing all this for nothing? So sad to say that gastric bypass may be in my future....:svengo:....I know for sure BC/BS WILL pay for that. I do have a few coworkers that have had it and are doing good, as long as they eat right....but I don't want it :lol0:

Sometimes I feel like I'm going into this with a blindfold on. I'm driving myself crazy wondering if I'm wasting alot of time and effort in trying to even have this surgery. When I went to the seminar I talked with the ins gal and she said she is having no problem getting BC/BS to pay for VSG's. The surgeon told me that BC/BS is not approving the VSG's. I've checked with my ins. administor's reps and they're telling me that VSG is included in their WLS list (they called a "Sleeve Gastrectomy"), there were no exclusions. The hospital and doc are both in-network. Am I missing something when I read that almost no one is being approved by BC/BS?? I just read "The Diary of a Fat Woman" blog. It's all about how she fought N Carolina BC/BS until they approved her. I'm getting exhaused and depressed from worrying!!

Donna, My BMI is under 40 with 2 comorbidities (that I know of) so I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. :biggrin0: I bet your springs are beautiful there in Minot! Our son says the base is huge and is very family oriented. My daughter in law and the grandkids are coming to visit while our son is TDY this summer....can't wait!!

I LOVE your sense of humor...:lol0:...I GOT it, but I had to reread the first part twice! I thought he DID NOT eat pizza 5 days out!!! :001_tt2: Good for you for following your doctor's orders. There are so many WORSE things that you could eat than pizza!!! I won't BEAT...:wink1:... you up for dreaming of it! Hey WHATEVER gets you through the liquid part of your recovery!! HUGS!! :001_tt2:

Congrats on getting approved so fast! I also have BC/BS. I'm in Ohio and would LOVE to know more details about how YOU got approved so FAST!! My consult date is 6/17/10. The doc's ins gal is saying that BC/BS is approving sleeves for them, but I'm such a worry wart. My surgeon says his patients have to wait 3 months minimum to complete a diet and all the appointments and tests...:001_tt2:...which is a bummer. I have to go back to work the middle of August, so I would love to have sugery this summer. So many are posting that BC/BS is refusing to pay for sleeve surgery, saying it is investigational. I HOPE that they have done enough investigation to know how successful this surgery is! Also, our oldest son lives in Minot. He's in the AF and lives on base. LOTS in common here!

Yesterday I had my yearly mamogram. I'm waiting in the "Sunflower" waiting room after I disrobed, washed away my deoderant and donned one of those ugly blue robes. In walks a 6' tall, skinny, Amazon goddess and says, "hi I'm Chris and I'll be doing your test today". I smiled swallowed hard and followed her into the exam room. She reviewed all my pertenent information and then asked me..."are you still about 220 lbs?" I was going to update her on the 7 lbs I had gained since last year, but didn't. So after she lifts my boobie onto the machine and massages it into the exact spot she wants it, I have to grab this bar, lean this way, lift this elbow, pull my shoulder back, try to move my hips back so my tummy doesn't get squished, tilt this way, now (with my boob squished to death) I have to take a few steps toward her and lean the opposite way :svengo:! If I had lost my balance and fell, my boobie would have been left in the machine and I would of been laying on the floor!! :thumbup: Well, after all this I got to wondering what it will be like next year when I go for my 'Boob Squeeze" after I've lost a ton of weight! I'm hoping Chris the beautiful Amazon woman won't even ask me if I still weigh around 220 lbs! :thumbup1:

My sister got a lapband last year, even before I started considering surgery. I considered a "sleeve" a part of my clothing. She has lost alot of weight. Now that I hear about all the lapband problems I feel like she's a ticking timebomb :thumbup1: Now I'm reading all the postings by the post-op sleevers and I keep reading the word "miracle". I can't wait to get my "miracle". I know it's a tool, believe me Dr. Lalor STRESSES that all the time!! He says you can eat around any of the surgeries. Congratulations to all you who have been sleeved and are using your tool wisely! Can't wait to get back into MY skinny jeans!! :thumbup: WOO HOO!!

I have Anthem BC/BS (Blue Access) in Ohio. My surgeon consult is June 17th. I've spoken with the insurance rep in my surgeon's office. She is having no problem with BC/BS (she says) covering the sleeve. I have no deductables for surgery with my policy. If you're at an in-network hospital and using an in-network doctor. Both the hospital and doctor are in my network....so I'm hoping to not any to pay anything. I know I could have GBP approved with no problem, but that's not what I want. The surgeon and his employees are know to be GREAT with appeals and getting ins companies to approve surgeries. They are a "Center of Excellence" facility...one of two in Ohio. :thumbup1:

I have been using a Bi-Pap machine for a number of years now. A Bi-Pap gives you a chance to breathe out without a continuous strong flow of air like a C-Pap. I could NEVER use a hard mask that covers my nose and mouth. I use a Nasal-Air or Nasal-Aire. It is just like an oxygen canula only the tubing is bigger around. I really need a new one and the medical supply place said they no longer are available, but they ARE :thumbup: ! If you google them you can find them. I even sleep on my stomach with it on....LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT! I hope soon after surgery I won't need one any more. I have severe apnea. Hope this helps!

My surgeon is not against taking pain killers after the sleeve. He was at the seminar May 15th and at the support meeting Monday May 24th. Also, I met a 22 yr old that had been sleeved. She had constant acid gurgling up in her throat after the surgery. Doc says he's never had this happen. She had to be in the hospital for a month and could not swallow anything. He finally did a revision surgery. She now has a RNY and is doing fine. The only problem is now bragging about now being able to eat Doritos and she showed me the diet pop she was drinking.....:wink0: ! After all those problems and all that surgery (she also had her gallbladder out recently) I would think she would want to eat healthy and help her body heal itself!

I spent time with a teacher I knew from years past the other day. She had lost so much weight I asked her to share her secret. I was positive she was going to say gastric bypass surgery. NOT! She gives herself injections of a hormone called HCG. She has to order it overseas. She says that she is on it for so 6 weeks and off of it for 3. She said she follows a 500 calorie diet when she's on it and is never hungry. She told me she got it at the Betabolic Weight Loss Clinic here in town and paid a fortune, but now she orders it herself. Anyone ever heard of it? She says it's derrived from the urine of pregnant mares. She has lost 85 pounds and can wear some size 6 jeans. :confused1:

I know nothing about the clinics/hospitals or doctors in Mexico, but just hearing the warning "not to drink the water" would be enough to convince me to stay north of the boarder !!

I am probably speaking out of turn as I've not even had my sleeve surgery yet, but here goes. I do not understand why a doctor would release a patient who can't even swallow enough water to prevent dehydration! This is something I will be discussing at my surgical consult June 17th. Is it because we are having an elective surgery? Like I said I may be speaking out of turn, but I think you should still be in the hospital on an IV till you can at least swallow water! :001_smile: Shame on your doctor!!

I would stay FAT before I would get the DS surgery! Why? Cause I work with three people who have had it done! When any of them go to the bathroom people quickly abandon the breakroom, gagging. My boss has come flying out of her office down the hall to throw open doors and windows and spray deoderizer. The smell is SO offensive! Even their breath smells weird, it's been described by some as "creamed corn". They can eat ALOT of food and they get rid of it as fast as they eat it. Basically they get sleeved, but the stomach is left larger, which explains the large volume of food consumed. The way they keep the weight off is that so much of the instestines are bypassed that they don't absorb the fat, calories and the NUTRIENTS from their food. All of them go for iron infusions. Two of them could have died due to their low iron count. My surgeon will only do this surgery in VERY extreme cases. His first choice is the sleeve, due to patients losing the weight and having few problems. He really talks down the lapband also, but will do it if you insist. Hope all goes well for you! :redface1:

Is there a difference between a PCP and a family doctor? :thumbup1:

My surgeon quoted the cost to be between $20,000 and $40,000 for the different surgeries he performs. I figure the lap band and sleeve are at the lower end of the scale. That's with 2 nights in the hospital.