Looking for May Bandsters

[kagead 0]

Ms. Rhonda, I'm right there with you on the waiting for insurance game.

I had my final nutritionist appointment on Tuesday and while I was there, I mentioned that I was disappointed because I had slipped through the scheduling cracks and wasn't meeting with the surgeon until April 14. (was supposed to be Mar. 31 but was pushed back by the surgeons office.)

Due to my work situation and the lifting restriction post op, I have a very narrow window in which this surgery can happen. If I don't get it done in May or June, I'll have to wait until NOVEMBER.

Luckily, the nutritionist took pity on me and manged to squeeze me in with the surgeon the very next day. I met with him on Wednesday, he said I am good to go and now all we have to do is wait on the insurance company. He told me to plan for late May or early June.

Keeping my fingers crossed this last little bit goes smoothly!

kagead

[new_journey4me 1]

Hello Jalivia, I understand what you are going thru, it's definitely not easy - AT ALL. I have gained thru out my 6 months due to the fact that I have polycystic ovarian syndrom, I can't loose for nothing! Oh well, that's why I'm getting the band. I just hope insurance doesn't deny me because I gained, but my OBGYN is going to write a letter of recomendation for me as well, so I'm hoping that will help.

Good luck with everything!! We'll all be banded soon enough and starting our journey!

[anglov 0]

My surgery date is May 12th. They had two dates in April but they didn't work out with my job and my co-workers already had those days off. I plan on taking 10 days off from work so I can get used to everything I need to do. I am really excited and trying to get a list together of things to get done before surgery.

My insurance excludes this surgery even if it is medically necessary. I had to get other funding. My company is self insured so they make the rules. No appeals.

[new_journey4me 1]

Hi anglov - good luck with your surgery! I hope that all goes well. I can't imagine having to pay for this on my own, if that were the case, I wouldn't be doing it. I'm lucky my insurance covers 90% - even though they have put me thru the ringer. And they may still even deny me, which I find totally unfair. But here's hoping that they don't. I'm hoping to have my surgery in the end of May, I don't see why not. All my stuff should be submitted to insurance by April 19. *HOPING*

Like you, I'm trying to get everything ready as well. My biggest challenge at the moment is quitting smoking. Everything I'm ready for! Just need to get my stuff ready for my 3 weeks of liquid diet. Still trying to find a Protein drink I like. Which ones did you seem to like?

I will be taking 15 days off. I get 12 weeks short term, but I'm just going to take the time off thru out my liquid diet. Don't really want to be on a liquid diet while at work. Plus the bathroom isn't very close. LOL.

Good luck with everything!! Keep us posted!!

[GSNC 0]

I will be getting my band on May 11th, I have waited a long time since last July because I had a one year waiting period on my health insurance and now it's finally happening! I already did my psych evaluation last year so that's already done, and I have already met with the nutrionist so I start my 3 week pre op diet on April 20th, and it is all happening so quickly. Great to meet other people who will be banded in May as well!

[bramante45 0]

Are you nervous about having the surgery in Mexico? Will it be hard for you to find a doctor to do the fills?

Yes I am nervous, not about the surgeon or the care but Mexico in general. I think it is ridiculous that they wont do my surgery here because of low bmi. No matter how heavy I have been before. If I don't fly back to have my fills I will get them at a fill center about an hour from me. I am afraid the fills will cost me a small fortune.

Again my day is May 10th and I am starting to freak out....wondering if I am doing the right thing. Wondering if I should keep trying on my own...... so confused, but so tired of being over weight!! just want to be myself and not feel like everyhting revolves around being fat. Also I was told no pre-op diet because of low bmi. but I was also told not to gain weight. I am pretty sure I have... too scared to weigh. I am starting south beach today as I have had a lot of success with it before, just cant do it for too long.

[ms.rhonda 4]

bramante--it is a scary decision. I have a friend that had to cash pay because he had a low BMI, he has lost 50 lbs and has never felt better. He looks great and him and his wife are planning things that they would have never done before because he had got so self concious about his weight. We are here to help you and be your support group. If you ever need to talk feel free to email or message me!

GSNC--WOW, I am complaining about a few months and you have waited almost a year. What are you doing for your pre-op diet? Will it be liquid only? I am happy for you that you FINALLY have a date :frown:!

javalia--I am hopeing for April too, but with the way my insurace is doing it will probably be May. It's ok, there are a lot of great people being banded in May, it's just the waiting game I hate.

anglov--I am glad you have a date, that is GREAT!! It's hard working around everybody else's schedule, but worth it. You sound like you have it all worked out. That is much encouragement for me. Thank you so much, you made me realize, I need to get it together a little more.

palmtreegirl--I had also looked in to gastric bypass at one time, insurance would not cover plus I had seen several people have some difficulties from it. As hard as the waiting game is I am glad I waited the lapband seems to be a much better alternative. I have also lost the same 5 lbs over and over, it is discouraging, but as long as you are trying something that is what the insurance wants to see. You can do this!! We are here to help!!

new_journey--I had a hysterectomy in January 09 because of PCOS. I thought that would help me to lose the weight, but it didn't. I put what little I lost back on. You can quit smoking! Have you tried Chantix or anything like that? I quit cold turkey last year, it was very hard and is still hard because several people at work smoke but I have learned to resist the urge to inhale their second hand smoke:scared2:! If you find a good Protein powder let me know, they are yucky, even the ones with no flavor!! Isopure is suppose to be good, but I haven't tried it yet.

To each and everyone of you--I am glad I have found new friends, that can understand what I am going through. I look forward to staying in touch with all of you through the entire journey. I want to support each of you as much as I can and I know that we will face some challenges going through this jorney but I think it will be easier with people that understand! Have a wonderful blessed day!:smile2:

Rhonda

[kagead 0]

So glad to see this group is growing and really hope I'll get a May surgery date! :frown:

Quick update: Spoke with the insurance coordinator at the surgeon's office yesterday and she did a quick review with me, but was giving me more general guidelines rather than the detailed info I was looking for regarding my individual situation.

She told me that they use an outside service to do the letter of medical necessity and that is why it can take up to two weeks to receive. Hope mine will be here by this time next week.

She did ask me to have my PCP fax over a couple things but other than that, she said there isn't much we can do until she actually makes the submission. She did reiterate that with BCBSIL, it is a total crapshoot. People she thought would never get approved go through without a hitch the first time and those who have every i dotted and t crossed have to jump through more hoops. Despite this, it seems they have always managed to secure an approval, even if it takes 2 or 3 tries.

Last but not least, she said that if I were approved today, I'd be looking at a late April surgery date. I am hoping that if I get approved in the next two weeks, I'll be on track for mid or late May.

Hope everyone else is doing well during this crunch time!

kagead

[GSNC 0]

GSNC--WOW, I am complaining about a few months and you have waited almost a year. What are you doing for your pre-op diet? Will it be liquid only? I am happy for you that you FINALLY have a date :frown:!

Trust me when I found out last October, 3 days before my surgery, that I couldn't get the surgery then I was devastated! Even though I had spoken to my insurance company at least 3 times about this waiting period and they assured me it didn't apply to this. But anyways, that is all in the past and now I am just super excited about May, since April 1st is tomorrow! For the 3 week pre-op diet you have to drink Protein shake things either 2 to 3 times a day, I am gonna do 2 because there is NO way I can survive on a liquid diet for 3 weeks. I don't wanna sabotage myself, so it's part liquid and then just lean meat and fresh veggies. I just hope I can make it past the hunger the first couple of days, I just know it will pay off in the long run!:smile2:

[ms.rhonda 4]

Ok Ok, I just got a call from my Doctor, my surgery date is April 8th~~Please don't kick my out of the May bandsters I really enjoy you guys!!

[GSNC 0]

April 8th! WOW, congrats! I hope you have everything in order cause that's next thursday!:frown:

[kagead 0]

Congrats Ms. Rhonda!!! I'm so excited for you! You can be our fearless leader as you'll be a couple steps ahead of the rest of us.

kagead

[Mel Mel 0]

Meeting with my surgeon tonight. Hoping we will set a date for the surgery to be done in May.

[Kelly22 1]

OH I want to be a May Bandster!!!

My last appt is April 22! Then it's the waiting game for the insurance. My NP said it six months ago when I started this that she had gotten an approval in two weeks and then about a month ago it was about a month! :cursing: So more waiting....I'm trying to be patient so I have just filled life with a lot! I'm taking five classes full time and working full time! I graduate May 7 and was hoping for a surgery around the week of the 20th! :thumbup:

[ms.rhonda 4]

Thank you guys! Mel Mel let us know, I hope it is soon for you. Kelly, I thought it was going to be a long time for insurance because they told me it could be up to 6 weeks, but guess what, it was submitted last Thursday and I got my approval yesterday! I am praying and hoping for all of you things go fast, I am so excited.