abraxasbear

Congratulations! I have a long way before reaching my goal of 200, but I'm closing in fast on saying goodbye to the 300s. I should be there within the next week or two, tops!

My doctor has me on three weeks of Protein shakes and Clear Liquids. I go in to see him on the day before Thanksgiving, at which time he'll switch me to pureed foods (hooray!) for three weeks, then "gradually reintroduce" solid foods. Good luck today! I'm sore, and moving slower than usual, but nothing I can't handle. I'm sure everything will go smoothly for you!

LOL! Sorry, Dave, but I'm definitely NOT a blonde woman! I'm just another fat (shaved) bald guy. They say I have a double who's another patient there, though. Someone looks enough like me that they thought I was him returning the same day after an earlier appointment! Maybe that was you? Hehehehehe.... In any case, I'm home from the hospital now, and still doing well. I haven't found the time and place for local support groups, so if you want to support each other, I'm all for it!

i was banded yesterday, November 1st. Everything went smoothly, and the staff at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle has been SO gracious and encouraging! I have much less pain than I expected, though I did decide to ask for pain medication this morning. Overall a great experience and good start to the new life!

My surgeon has had me on two weeks (he prefers 3) of very low carb pre-surgery diet. On the last day before surgery (TOMORROW!) I will be on clear liquids only. After surgery, he will have me on 3 weeks of clear liquids, 3 weeks of pureed foods, and then "gradually" reintroduce solid foods. Apparently he will actually do a small amount of fill at the time of surgery, but after that the first fill is at 6 weeks.

November 1st for me, too! I report to the hospital at 5:30 a.m. and my surgery is scheduled for 7:30. Today is my LAST DAY of solid foods---doc has had me on a very low carb pre-surgical diet, but the last day is Clear liquids only. That means prime rib for my "last meal." Hehehe.... Nervous? YES. Eager to get on with it? YES!! :thumbup:

I wasn't given the above reason, but I had my pre-op appointment last week, and they told me very specifically NOT to shave 48 hours before surgery, with the exception of my face. Of course, being a vain guy who shaves his head, I may interpret "face" upward. :huh2:

For what it's worth, there's another BCBS Federal thread in this category, and the approvals are coming VERY quickly. Once your surgeon's office has everything in, it appears they are granting the approvals within 3 days, and in one case within 1 and a half hours. Mine (once it was resubmitted to the correct fax number---grrr) was approved about 26 hours after the documentation was faxed in. So if you can get your paperwork in from the surgeon, you very well may get your surgery before the new year! GOOD LUCK!

Whoo-hoo! I just got a call from my surgeon's office, letting me know that they received the approval from my insurance! My "tentative" November 1st surgery date is now my OFFICIAL November 1st date! :smile: :grouphug:

I just got a call from my surgeon's office, letting me know that they received my insurance approval! Just over 24 hours, once it was resubmitted to the right fax number! November 1st, here I come! :w00t: :smile: :grouphug:

Sounds like you and I are on the same track, FS! I started at 338, and I'm shooting for that 200-ish mark as well! GOOD LUCK!

They scheduled me based on their track record of getting approvals from federal employees' BCBS, together with the fact that I more than qualify (52 BMI, plus I have some comorbidities). Basically, they felt it was a "given" that approval would be granted.

SIGH... My surgeon's office submitted my paperwork for insurance approval back on 9/29. Since I hadn't heard anything, and so many others here with federal BCBS were getting such prompt responses, I figured I'd better call my insurance to see what was happening. I called last Friday, and after being on hold for several minutes, I was told they hadn't received anything from my surgeon's office. They gave me a fax number, and asked that I make sure the paperwork was sent to that number. I followed up, and sure enough, it was sent to a different fax number at the insurance company, so it never reached the correct approvers. Everything had to be re-faxed this morning, to the correct fax number. :smile2: The insurance company legally has up to 30 days to make their decision, but my surgery is scheduled much sooner than that. Now that the paperwork is in to the right office, I sure hope they work as fast for me as they have for others in this thread. I already have time scheduled off from work, etc., and I'd hate to have to be rescheduled! :tt2:

I use a shaker bottle that I believe holds about 8 ounces of skim milk, and I've had no sense of it seeming too thin. The chocolate truffle and the caribbean cooler are both great. The cherry---not so much.

I was told two days ago that my surgeon does NOT require the two week liquid pre-surgery diet that I've seen so many here write about. However, he said I need to "strictly" focus on protein during that time, eliminating as much carbohydrate as possible. The reason is that eliminating carbs will shrink your liver, and if your liver is enlarged and in the way, they can't proceed with the surgery.

I've decided there is one small drawback to getting banded in November, though. Thanksgiving dinner is probably going to consist of a one ounce pumpkin pie smoothie! :smile2::laugh:

Other people on this list with my same insurance seem to get their answer anytime between the same day and nine days, so we'll see! :smile2:

Congrats on your approval! I hope mine comes through that fast!

I had the consults, etc., done three weeks ago, but it took me a FULL MONTH to get earlier doctors' offices to provide the records that federal BCBS requires for a five year weight history. I finally had to essentially BEG one clinic office manager to copy the 2005 records they had received from an earlier doctor (one who had my records in storage, and didn't want to pull them out!). :thumbup: The begging paid off though, and she let me pick up the copied records this morning. Now it's all delivered to my surgeon's office, and they can finally submit to insurance. Assuming federal BCBS earns their reputation for quick approval, I have a surgery date for November 1st!

I had the consults, etc., done three weeks ago, but it took me a FULL MONTH to get earlier doctors' offices to provide the records my insurance requires for a five year weight history. I finally had to essentially BEG one clinic office manager to copy the 2005 records they had received from an earlier doctor (one who had my records in storage, and didn't want to pull them out!). :thumbup: The begging paid off though, and she let me pick up the copied records this morning. Now it's all delivered to my surgeon's office, and they can finally submit to insurance. Assuming my insurance (Federal BCBS) earns their reputation for quick approval, I have a surgery date for November 1st!

How long does the approval last--is there a time limit, before you have to go through the process all over again? I go in this Thursday for my surgical consult, psych eval, and dietician visit, but no matter how quickly BCBS moves, my work responsibilities mean I won't be able to schedule surgery until November.

BCBS Basic apparently gave the preliminary approval, and I just got the appointment for my initial consult, psych, and dietician visits--all set for August 12th!

I'm also on Fed BCBS Basic. My surgeon mentioned during the initial seminar that he had worked with and *for* BCBS in the past, so I asked him afterward about the federal program. He said it was the *best* BCBS for approvals and he had seen very good cooperation from them.