Got Approved!

Tracyd · January 30, 2006

Sorry, but this is a very long note .... First and foremost, I want to thank everyone on this site for their honesty of the lapband process and their openness. It has been invaluable.

I haven't been here for awhile. I just got my letter of approval from my insurance company (Priority Health-Grand Rapids Michigan) yesterday. I'm soooooo excited, I couldn't really believe what I was seeing. With the way everyone was saying how difficult it was to get insurance to cover it, I was really doubting it would ever be covered. Especially when I was denied the first time (only due to incorrect paperwork provided to the insurance carrier). The practice who provided the incorrect paperwork, called the insurance company and within 24 hours, the first phase toward approval was to start.

At the same time of being very very excited for this magnificent tool, I'm also extremely scared. :phanvan I hear the nightmares ... and then I have to remember all the success stories.

Tomorrow I'll be calling my doctor's office to see when we schedule the surgery. I'm guessing it won't be until the end of February because through my weight management practice, you're on product for 2 weeks to try to shrink the liver as much as possible for easier access to the stomach (the liver actually sets in front of the stomach). The product is part of a high-protein, low calorie eating plan using nutritional supplements. It is called a“supplemented fast” because you consume no regular food, only nutritional supplements...then the surgery. During these next 2-3 weeks I'll also be meeting with a dietician for about 2-3x (1 hour each). The program I'm going through is the MMPC Weight Management/Bariatric Surgery Center. They are very very focused on the person as a whole. Prior to even getting Priority Health to approve it, I had to meet with the main surgeon, then a physical with another surgeon (they work on a two-doctor team for each surgery) as well as 2 meetings with a behaviorist and take a personality test and a sleep test. After the surgery, I will be on a liquid diet for 2-3 weeks with a slow introduction to solids. At the same time they offer a surgical support group as well as other support groups.

Well ... babbling, I'm good at (as you can tell) :speechles ... I wish all of you much success and hope to be "talking" with you all soon.

Thanks again for your honesty and openess. It certainly helped me make the decision between gastric bypass and lapband.