1st step.. i cant believe it.

[jasleeve 440]

so im jaz. i met with a nurse practioner and nutrtionist today. the FIRST thing my nurse practioner said was, "well a good thing is, your insurance JUST started covering vsg!" i LITERALLY bursted into tears. it was my biggest fear that my insurance wouldnt cover the sleeve. it caught her off guard and i was almost embarrassed until she seemed like she was going to cry with me.

so after talking, she agreed that the sleeve is the best option for me. she also said i meet the qualifications.

so now, the 6month process begins for me.

i have to meet with the nutrtionist 5 more times since i need to be on a supervised diet.

i need to meet with a:

•cardiologist for my heart for those of you that dont know.

•gastroenterologist for an upper gi in which they put you to sleep and stick a tube down your throat to look at your tummy.

•psychiatrist. i have to get a psych eval. now some people say you have to pay for this out of pocket but not necessarily! find a psychologist or psychiatrist that accepts your insurance.

i needed a chest xray which i did today. i need blood work which im doing tomorrow & i need a sleep study in which they will be calling me for.

i do not need an ultra sound for my gall bladder because i had it removed already & i do not need a pulmonary clearance (which i dont know what it is lol)

i just wanted to share my exciting news with everyone!

so far, ive completed 4 steps

[Shea 13]

I'm happy for you. My insurance company just started paying for VSG three months ago so I completely understand, of course I have to have a BMI of 50 which I'm 49.9. Oh I have no problem gaining weight to meet the goal . I'm three month in my 6 month diet so I'm excited it's half way over. It's really gone fast. I have to take all of the tests also but I'm good with that. I'm just excited. Hopefully I will be sleeved some time in December.

Good luck on your journey and I wish you well.

[jasleeve 440]

you know, ive been reading from a few ppl that your bmi has to be 50 but she never mentioned my bmi and where it has to be and if they start by your first consultation or what. thats a good question to ask. my bmi is 46.6 (i thought it was 49.2 because i was always told that im 5'1 but they are saying 5'3). :/

a good question is, if they start with the bmi in your initial consultation, then gaining the weight wouldnt even do me justice since i started at 46.6. i need to definitely find this out.

i have health issues so i pray thats not the case. id hate to have to purposely gain weight.. :/

I'm happy for you. My insurance company just started paying for VSG three months ago so I completely understand, of course I have to have a BMI of 50 which I'm 49.9. Oh I have no problem gaining weight to meet the goal . I'm three month in my 6 month diet so I'm excited it's half way over. It's really gone fast. I have to take all of the tests also but I'm good with that. I'm just excited. Hopefully I will be sleeved some time in December.

Good luck on your journey and I wish you well.

[jasleeve 440]

you know, ive been reading from a few ppl that your bmi has to be 50 but she never mentioned my bmi and where it has to be and if they start by your first consultation or what. thats a good question to ask. my bmi is 46.6 (i thought it was 49.2 because i was always told that im 5'1 but they are saying 5'3). :/

a good question is, if they start with the bmi in your initial consultation, then gaining the weight wouldnt even do me justice since i started at 46.6. i need to definitely find this out.

i have health issues so i pray thats not the case. id hate to have to purposely gain weight.. :/

I'm happy for you. My insurance company just started paying for VSG three months ago so I completely understand, of course I have to have a BMI of 50 which I'm 49.9. Oh I have no problem gaining weight to meet the goal . I'm three month in my 6 month diet so I'm excited it's half way over. It's really gone fast. I have to take all of the tests also but I'm good with that. I'm just excited. Hopefully I will be sleeved some time in December.

Good luck on your journey and I wish you well.

[Anakin Jay 39]

It's different for everyone's insurance. Typically it's 30-40 BMI with some serious health issues (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc..) or 40+ BMI regardless of the other issues.

I just had my initial consult 4 days before yours! We should start some kind of january 2012 sleeve club!

[jasleeve 440]

i pray i dont neeed a bmi of 50.

ima pre diabetic.

i have hypothyroid

fatty liver

hormonal inbalance

pcos

had my gall bladder removed

horrible back pain

& i believe i have sleep apnea

(which i have a sleep study to complete)

i did my chest xray

i met with my primary dr

i got my bloodwork done this morning

i made my consultation appt for my upper gi.

my nurse practioner wants me to wait 4 months to meet with my cardiologist.

all i need now is my psych eval (in which im waiting for the phone call from her to set up an appt)

and hopefully i should be getting my upper gi done in 2 weeks.

i want to do everything now & get everything out of the way so i can just focus on whats ahead. im so excited!

It's different for everyone's insurance. Typically it's 30-40 BMI with some serious health issues (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc..) or 40+ BMI regardless of the other issues.

I just had my initial consult 4 days before yours! We should start some kind of january 2012 sleeve club!

[Shea 13]

Yea my insurance is different, If you wanted the band or bypass your BMI has to be 35 with two comorbidities or 40 with no cormibiditities. They didnt tell me about my BMI having to be 50 for the sleeve, I had to ask specific questions about the sleeve. I guess they didnt to tell me. I would def ask your insurance specific questions so you will know what to do.

Also the bariactric center when I went for the seminar told me the insurance company goes by the what you weight when you meet with the bariatric office for the first time, not what I first weighted at my doctors office for the 6 month supervised diet (yes I'm confused). I havnet had my consultation with the bariatric team yet (hoepfully it will be within the next week or so) so I need to make sure my BMI is enough then because my BMI when I first saw my PCP was 49.9, and that's not enough. It's so important to ask as many question as possible early so you will know if you need to gain weight, lose weight, how much money to get upfront and all that so there will be no surprises.

[jasleeve 440]

now im completely scared. im going to call the nurse practioner today.

Yea my insurance is different, If you wanted the band or bypass your BMI has to be 35 with two comorbidities or 40 with no cormibiditities. They didnt tell me about my BMI having to be 50 for the sleeve, I had to ask specific questions about the sleeve. I guess they didnt to tell me. I would def ask your insurance specific questions so you will know what to do.

Also the bariactric center when I went for the seminar told me the insurance company goes by the what you weight when you meet with the bariatric office for the first time, not what I first weighted at my doctors office for the 6 month supervised diet (yes I'm confused). I havnet had my consultation with the bariatric team yet (hoepfully it will be within the next week or so) so I need to make sure my BMI is enough then because my BMI when I first saw my PCP was 49.9, and that's not enough. It's so important to ask as many question as possible early so you will know if you need to gain weight, lose weight, how much money to get upfront and all that so there will be no surprises.

[jasleeve 440]

i called my insurance and of course, they had no answers for me. i swear, calling them is like trying to call the president.

so i called the bariatric unit to speak to the nurse practioner & of course, she wont be in until tuesday! lol. so i asked the receptionist the questions hoping she'd have a clue (since i assume she deals with insurances as a receptionist). she claims that they go by the bmi throughout the entire process & she said with my bmi, i am definitely a candidate. i just pray she knows what shes talking about. she also said that my nurse practioner wouldve told me at my appointment if i werent a candidate (which she didnt.. she actually said ima perfect candidate and she knows this surgery is for me!) so im slightly relieved but i think im going to make another appt just to be sure. :/

Yea my insurance is different, If you wanted the band or bypass your BMI has to be 35 with two comorbidities or 40 with no cormibiditities. They didnt tell me about my BMI having to be 50 for the sleeve, I had to ask specific questions about the sleeve. I guess they didnt to tell me. I would def ask your insurance specific questions so you will know what to do.

Also the bariactric center when I went for the seminar told me the insurance company goes by the what you weight when you meet with the bariatric office for the first time, not what I first weighted at my doctors office for the 6 month supervised diet (yes I'm confused). I havnet had my consultation with the bariatric team yet (hoepfully it will be within the next week or so) so I need to make sure my BMI is enough then because my BMI when I first saw my PCP was 49.9, and that's not enough. It's so important to ask as many question as possible early so you will know if you need to gain weight, lose weight, how much money to get upfront and all that so there will be no surprises.

[Papa Jack 86]

Wow I feel blessed my insurance Athem in VA approved me with no hoops. My BMI is 43. I was so happy to see that number. They scheduled everything that day. They have one lady who deals with insurance.

What I do not understand is why the Insurance company's have us diet? We need the surgery, not another diet. I feel for everyone how has to weight for months.

Now if this makes you feel better. I was on another forum & they have people from England on there. One lady said she is having the "Sleeve" done and was first told she was 13 months out. She just got a update and they added 10 months more on the wait list.

This is socialized medicine. It would kill me to have to weight so long to get things done.

[jasleeve 440]

wow!!! congrats! u definitely r blessed! lol. my primary dr told me not to lose any weight for that reason lol. but then im confused, a lot of ppl have said that their insurances will not approve if you cant stick to a diet. i figured ill drop 5lbs a month which i can really do in a week with no problem. i think even that is too much. maybe like 3lbs showing weight loss is slow but still happening. :/

Wow I feel blessed my insurance Athem in VA approved me with no hoops. My BMI is 43. I was so happy to see that number. They scheduled everything that day. They have one lady who deals with insurance.

What I do not understand is why the Insurance company's have us diet? We need the surgery, not another diet. I feel for everyone how has to weight for months.

Now if this makes you feel better. I was on another forum & they have people from England on there. One lady said she is having the "Sleeve" done and was first told she was 13 months out. She just got a update and they added 10 months more on the wait list.

This is socialized medicine. It would kill me to have to weight so long to get things done.