New Sleever

[jasleeve 440]

this may sound corny but i always look fwd to reading your responses! i feel like you always know the right things to say! haha

Six months is not as bad as it seems, but between scheduling things, making the dietary changes, and living life.... it can go kind of speedy. I joined the forum 5 months ago, and I kind of can't believe I am only 3 weeks from submitting to insurance already, but that is life. You will get through this. Welcome to the forum.

[Anakin Jay 39]

Six months is not as bad as it seems, but between scheduling things, making the dietary changes, and living life.... it can go kind of speedy. I joined the forum 5 months ago, and I kind of can't believe I am only 3 weeks from submitting to insurance already, but that is life. You will get through this. Welcome to the forum.

Thanks Wishes!

[wishes 125]

@jasleeve: That is so sweet! Thank you, that is such a great compliment. I love this forum and interacting with such great people on every stage of their journey. I can't tell you how much I empathize with you and where you are at right now. I started the 6MPSWL with excitement and impatience, so I really do know how you feel, but as you keep going... learning more about life after sleeve and interacting with the people on here, you just pause and realize, this is really about making this your personal journey and trying to make the most out of your sleeve. I try not to think of this 6MPSWL as a wait time, but as me really changing how I think about food and exercise. This is the rest of our lives.

@Anakin Jay: You might need to talk to your insurance about whether the 6MPSWL has to be with a nutritionist or with a physician. I know for me UHC Choice Plus requires a physician, so definitely ask. The benefit for also using my PCP is she already has everything in her records about me, and the visits were covered by insurance.

[jasleeve 440]

you are very welcome. its funny because at first the nurse practioner said "theres no pre diet with your insurance. the sooner you get all your tests done, the sooner i can schedule your surgery." my heart kind of stopped. lol. although my DREAM at this point is having the sleeve done & ive done ALL my homework on it... i just got so scared like i wasnt ready. she then said, "wait, dont quote me on that. let me call & check." in like 2minutes, she hangs up and goes, "im so sorry please forgive me... theres a 6month diet." & to be honest, i was relieved! i kinda hoped for a 3month diet but i think even that would be too soon. lol. im almost done with all the testing.

i met with the nurse practioner & nutritionist. i got my chest xray & blood work done. i met with my primary dr. i made an appt for a consultation for my upper gi for monday. i have my psych eval scheduled for the following tuesday. im also going to be getting my upper gi the same week as my psych eval.

all i need now is my sleep study in which they will call me for (& i do believe that i have sleep apnea). & my nurse practioner requested i see my cardiologist in my 4th month. im to meet with my primary dr every month & i also have to meet with my nutritionist every month for 6months. its weird because i just started the process this past tuesday & its only thursday & im almost done completing everything.

@jasleeve: That is so sweet! Thank you, that is such a great compliment. I love this forum and interacting with such great people on every stage of their journey. I can't tell you how much I empathize with you and where you are at right now. I started the 6MPSWL with excitement and impatience, so I really do know how you feel, but as you keep going... learning more about life after sleeve and interacting with the people on here, you just pause and realize, this is really about making this your personal journey and trying to make the most out of your sleeve. I try not to think of this 6MPSWL as a wait time, but as me really changing how I think about food and exercise. This is the rest of our lives.

@Anakin Jay: You might need to talk to your insurance about whether the 6MPSWL has to be with a nutritionist or with a physician. I know for me UHC Choice Plus requires a physician, so definitely ask. The benefit for also using my PCP is she already has everything in her records about me, and the visits were covered by insurance.

[Anakin Jay 39]

I just got back from my EGD.

The worst part was putting the IV into my hand... ick. Other than than, I went into the OR, they put a bunch of crap in my mouth and my nose, and told me to lay on my side... I remember looking up at the clock, then the next thing I remember is waking up in my room.

It was a cake walk.. one more down!

[jasleeve 440]

wats an egd? lol

I just got back from my EGD.

The worst part was putting the IV into my hand... ick. Other than than, I went into the OR, they put a bunch of crap in my mouth and my nose, and told me to lay on my side... I remember looking up at the clock, then the next thing I remember is waking up in my room.

It was a cake walk.. one more down!

[Anakin Jay 39]

wats an egd? lol

It's another kind of Upper GI basically... except instead of swallowing barium and taking an x-ray they stick a camera down your throat and look around at your stomach that way.

[jasleeve 440]

oooh! i went for my consultation for that yesterday! i should be having it done next week.

what was it like?

It's another kind of Upper GI basically... except instead of swallowing barium and taking an x-ray they stick a camera down your throat and look around at your stomach that way.

[Anakin Jay 39]

oooh! i went for my consultation for that yesterday! i should be having it done next week.

what was it like?

The worst part was getting the IV in my hand. After that, they walked me into the OR, I laid down, they strapped all kinds of stuff to me.. oxygen in my nose, some plastic thing in my mouth to prop it open.

And thats the last thing I remember before waking up in the hospital room. I don't remember anything at all about the actual EGD. Good drugs

They came and gave me some food... basic hospital stuff, milk, apple juice, Water, outmeal, and a little icecream. After I ate it and used the bathroom. (They were insistent I pee before leaving for some reason.) I was clear to go.

Whole thing took maybe 2 hours, counting paying for it and filling out paperwork.

In case they didn't tell you, you'll need someone to drive you home afterwards. The medicine keeps you loopy for a while.

[Anakin Jay 39]

So, today is the last day of open enrollment for insurance at work. This is the time of the year when I can make changes to my plans.

Right now, I pay $50 / month and the insurance covers 80% "surgeries" (doesn't list anything specific). My VSG surgeon's office called my insurance and they said that yes that covers VSG.

Today... I can switch to pay $100 / month for insurance that covers 100% of "surgeries"... just worried if I do that something might go horribly wrong.

like... What if surgeries on the new plan doesn't cover VSG, or what if the act of switching makes me ineligible for some red tape reason...

anyone smarter than I am with insurance have any advice? I'm going to call today at lunch, but I don't even know how to word what I'm trying to ask... lol.

[Anakin Jay 39]

OMFG.

So, I call into my insurance, trying to be a responsible adult and wanting to make sure my new policy would cover my VSG surgery before I switched.

The response I got:

bcbs: "I'm sorry sir, we can't tell you any details about that policy because you're not enrolled in it"

me: " Then how am I supposed to know if I want to upgrade? "

bcbs: " You should have gotten a sheet of benefit highlights "

me: " I did... it says 'Surgeries' does that mean all surgeries are covered?"

bcbs: " No "

me: " Well then how am I supposed to know if my surgery is covered?"

*literaly 20-30 seconds of silence*

bcbs: " I'm sorry sir, we're not allowed to give out details of a policy you're not enrolled in."

me: " Ok, well if I enroll, is there like a 7 day period where I can change back to the old policy if I'm not happy with it or something? "

bcbs: "No"

me: *sigh*

I'm going to do it anyway. I'm on the cheaper plan now and I'm covered, if either of the plans had this excluded I assume it'd be the cheap one... just frustrating...

[Anakin Jay 39]

Been working really hard on my pre-op diet... I was 405.9 at my pre-op consultation, and this morning I was down to 395 !!

11 pounds in 3 weeks hope I can keep this up.

[Shea 13]

That's funny my insurance company didnt tell me the details either. I went on humana's website, then scrolled down to the morbid obesity page of coverage. They had information but still didnt mention specifically the sleeve so I called the bariatric office here in town and asked if they ever work with patients that had UK PPO, and if they covered the sleeve. They told me Humana covers the sleeve with patients a BMI of 50 or more. I was irritated with the insurance company, if the details are not specific you can't make an informed decision. I think that's crazy you have to be enrolled before getting information, its information on surgery not info on how to build a bomb. I just dont get it.... I'm glad you're getting your surgery and Congrats on doing so well on your pre-op diet.

[Anakin Jay 39]

WOOT!

Just got back from my psych eval... I'm sane!!!!

Now just the heart test and the sleep eval, and the only thing between me and the sleeve is 5 more months of dieting

[Anakin Jay 39]

UGH... bad news... just finished my sleep test this morning, and apparently I have partial apnea. I have to go back in a month and they're going to test me with a cpap machine. *SIGH*...

It sucked btw, was hard as hell to sleep with all those wires, and I was dumb enough to schedule my heart stress test for the day after, so I'm sleepy and getting ready to leave here and have them test my heart.

They'll still do my surgery if I have apnea right?

I *really really really* hope I don't have to use this cpap thing forever. Even the guy there told me that 6 months after surgery I should get re-tested and probably won't need it... I'm trying to keep that in mind.

Wish me luck at the heart doc today!