SMMC LB support group chicas

[jbtullis 0]

I had my first fill today. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thouhgt.

He didn't ask me too much other than just confirming I could eat fine and had no vomiting issues. Other than that no challenges to wait on the fill.

I could tell a difference at lunch even though I have the large band. I am back in two weeks for the next one so it should be interesting.

[TheGh0st 9]

Congrats on the fill. I'm glad it went well. Keep us posted on your progress.

[ChantayMarie71 1]

HI all...well I have to work tomorrow night till 630 so I wont be making the meeting..........I bought 2 bottles of chocolate powder of whey Protein already in a bottle just ad Water and one $4 bottle of alpine flavor Isopure from Natures pantry just to try out and get a "fill" HAHA for what might taste good after surgery. By the time eveyone reads this I will be saying 2 weeks and some days till surgery...WOOHOO!! ~Chantay

[MEW 0]

Good Morning Everyone!! Hope y'all enjoyed your Easter, however y'all spent the day!!

I finished all my pre-approval appointments, and now just waiting for all the reports to be sent to Dr. Hoehn's office so they can be filed for the insurance claim....now I'm really getting nervous!! LOL

[TheGh0st 9]

Just a quick post. (or at least that's the plan)

Hope all had a good Easter.

I went to the P.S. meeting last week I didn't take nearly as many notes as I expected to but would be glad to answer any questions I can. He had some very interesting pre/post pics of various different surgeries to remove the excess skin around the body. He was very personable and the real shocker for me was that when I read the literature I found he was from my home town of 20,000 in Nebraska. My mom even knew and worked with one of his parents (also a doc). A couple of interesting notes. First he said nearly 95% of people wanting breast reduction are approved for insurance compared to less than 5% wanting excess skin removed in the stomach. He also said his office wouldn't perform the insurance covered stomach surgeries even though they do take insurance for breast reduction. The problem he said was that the insurance companies that would approve the procedures usually only approved the pannis removal not a full body lift or Tummy Tuck. The aesthetic results of a pannis removal are not nearly as good as the other surgical options. The insurance also only paid out around $600 which he said wasn't nearly enough to cover his overhead much less anything left over for his own salary. On a more postitive note he said for people having more than one procedure even months or years apart he gave a discount for the additional surgeries. But he didn't give exact costs for any of the surgeries. I'm planning on setting up an appointment with him sometime in the next month just to have him give me a professional opinion on how much more he thinks I need to lose before I start with the lifts and tucks.

[ChantayMarie71 1]

Hey Mary, congrats on getting through the hoops..so what ins co do you have? And have you just sent your final papers to Billie or has she actually sumitted them to the ins now? And if so, when? I was lucky this time arround when I was approved I think Billie faxed over my letter of medical necessity on aTue or Wed and she called me the next Monday saying I was approved!! Anyhow ladies when you were close to your surgery date were you worried and nervous?? I had a crying day yesterday...Im 2 weeks away as of this Wed. My mom was over and we were talking little bits of what if..cuz I feel its important to think about what if you don't make it and try and make some plans. Anyway to make a long stor short I was almost ready to say forget it and not have the surgery...did anyone else feel this way? ~Chantay

[ChantayMarie71 1]

OH PS I got my blood work drawn today..it says 2 weeks ahead of time..which is Wed..but I called the office to see if it was ok to do today...someone said yah LOL...I go to the presurgery class Friday and then talk to the anesteciaologist however you spell that dang word..on Friday also since I am over 300lbs....that worries me I am 345

[TheGh0st 9]

Pre-Surgery I was very nervous but my mother was so against the surgery and nervous for me that I was too focused on arguing with her to focus on my own fears. It was an odd blessing in disguise. Even at the time I was fighting with her over this. I remember thinking that knowing my own personality I would have been much more likely to get scared and back out if I wasn't so focused on calming her fears for me.

I also remember losing a pretty decent amount of weight during the pre-op diet the few days before surgery and talking to my husband as we walked into the hospital that morning about my temptation to just walk back out and post-pone the surgery and see if I couldn't keep losing without the band. But then I remembered I never had too much trouble losing those first pounds when I'd really try. My problem was always in the losing the last few pounds and keeping any of what I lost off.

What the band has really helped me with is not necessarily losing the weight but with not gaining the weight back when I don't feel like working on losing it. Don't get me wrong the band has helped me lose, especially the first 75 pounds. But these last pounds are going to take more work on my part. But until I buckle down and put that work in the band keeps me from worrying about gaining back what I've lost so far. .

[MEW 0]

Chantay....I have all the papers into the office, now we are just waiting on all the other papers from the NUT, pulmonologist, sleep study, and psych to be sent to the office. I have Freedom Network~Construction Workers Laborers Industry insurance, and I talked with them again last week, and they said the only reason for a denial is not having all the paperwork in that they require or a BMI of 50 or over. After I explained everything to her, she said that I would be approved, and she is keeping an eye out for my papers to come into their office so she can get them processed right away for me. I left a message for Nola yesterday morning, but so far, I havent heard back from her yet, maybe today!

Wow...a little over 2 weeks before your surgery!! I can understand your apprehensions about the surgery, and its perfectly normal! I dont even have a surgery date, and I find myself second guessing my decision. I just have to keep reminding myself that the complications of being over-weight are far greater than any complication I might possibly have from the lap-band. The lap band is reversible, the damage to my heart is not!!

[ChantayMarie71 1]

Thanks for the responces ladies...so what exactly will I learn or does she go over in the pre surgery class? I just know Im going to bawl from fear the closer I get to my date and that morning. Oh they changed my surgery time from 830am to 730am....dang it I live an hr away gotta be there at 545 guess Ill leave at 5am??!!~Tay

[Wheetsin 714]

so what exactly will I learn or does she go over in the pre surgery class? I just know Im going to bawl from fear the closer I get to my date and that morning.

If you're referring to the educational class, it is (or at least was, when I took it) a lot about how the band works and a detailed walkthrough of exactly what happens on surgery day. Some of the stuff she told me about actually happened, and some did not.

There really is not much to be afraid of. Just try to take it in stride and look at the bigger picture of what you'll be getting out of it. My surgery was on a Wednesday. The Saturday before I was a little nervous. That was it. The night before surgery I went to bed early and slept through the night, woke up and it felt like business as normal to head in to the hospital. I was fine until I was in the prep area, when they wanted me to change into the gown and climb onto the table. It took some resolve to actually be able to do that, and lots of reassurance from my husband. Once I got into the bed there was a lot of buzz - getting the IV setup, heprin injections, dressing, etc. If you feel nervous just ask them for something to help you calm down. Once they give you that, it's a piece of cake. Imagine being awake, but feeling very tired. Not tired like you need to sleep, but tired like you're only distantly aware of what's going on. That's pretty much how I felt, and afterwards you will only remeber bits and pieces of what happened.

[MEW 0]

Good Late Morning Chicas!!

I got a phone call from Billie last night, she wanted to let me know that she mailed the papers to the insurance company!! I'll be calling the insurance company on Friday to make sure they got the papers, if not, Billie said she would resend them. I'm so nervous now, my fingers cant type...LOL

I'm hoping that by the next support group meeting, I'll have some great news to share with everyone!! Wish me luck!!

[ChantayMarie71 1]

Yeah!!! Mary its just days away now..I can feel it..I was in your shoes just 3 weeks or so ago...it goes fast...I went to the last support group and now...i wont be able to make this one...CUZ ILL BE ONE DAY POST OP!!!!woooohooooo ~Tay

[2bthinagn 3]

Help me out guys. I am a UHC member. While I am waiting for surgery approval UHC and SMMC decided to get into a contract dispute. Please help bombard them with letters. Thanks..... Fax or mail letter to UHC.

https://www.shawneemission.org/news/news_home/unitedhealthcare_negotiations.html

[MEW 0]

Ugggghhhh!!! I just called the insurance company, and they havent received any papers. Apparently, the address that is on the back of the insurance card where you send claims to isnt the right address. I called and left a message for Billie with the right address, so hopefully she has the time to make copies of all the papers and send them to the other address soon.

Can insurance companies make the run-around any more difficult??