When the wait is long and the patience is short..

[bsubabe 0]

Ok so i am starting this thread for those of us who are WAITING.... I am g etting impatient and it is frustrating to see people that get the band within a month of starting the process. Who else is waiting on baited breath for an aproval... waht goals do you have before surgery? I probaly have to wait till june or july to be banded and it is driving me nuts...:faint:

My goals:

Eat more fruits and veggies

quit my late night snacking ( any ideas would be helpfull)

work out 3 times a week...-*

[KYsunshine 0]

I just got word last week that I have been approved for the surgery. My Quest began 3 years ago....for gastric bypass. Two weeks before surgery, I got a call from the insurance company saying "oh, so sorry...we made a mistake...you can not have this surgery. we won't pay for this....etc." Devestated is not a strong enough word! Finally, last summer, two friends convinced me to try again. Before we signed up for our current insurance plan, i reviewed their entire plan, read everything the insurance company sent me and it said they will pay for bariatric surgery....provided BMI was over 42%...and a few other caveates, which I met. So, we signed up and I went to my first lapband seminar in October 2006. (I had decided NOT to do the gastric over the past two years and to go for the lapband.)

Well, we began the full process, had the psych eval, the nutrition meeting, the everything else I had to have. Then, insurance came back and said they would not pay for OVER 49% BMI....this was NOT in anything they had in print. I was just totally devestated again (after all, I had asked them in person, had read the entire policy, etc.). My surgeon's office directed me to ObesityLaw.com in California. Long story short, these lawyers accepted my appeals case and went toe to toe with the insurance company. It went through the whole appeals process and into independent review. Last week, I was at a conference and they called me to say "we won!" Because I travel throughout the school year, I called the surgeon's office and scheduled my surgery to happen May 16, 2007.

I am excited and using the time between now and then to read more and more and prep in every way I can. Now, once I was turned down last October/November, I chose not to give in to the food and began a weight loss program under a doctor's care. I am down from 62% BMI to 57% presently (lost 40 pounds) and hope to lose more prior to prepping for surgery. At first, I told myself, "Okay, you can have all those favorites a few more times before surgery." But, then, I thought better of it.....

So, I am happy to find this forum and hope to read everything I can before my day in May.

KY Sunshine

Top weight: 386

Current: 344

Goal: 180

[o2bthin 0]

Yep, I'm waiting.....waiting for appointments, waiting on docs, waiting on insurance hasn't even begun. I called a month ago, and my first consult is the 28th. After that, they said 6-8 wks for insurance to reply, then if I need to appeal, another 6-8 wks. It's plain stupid! I had planned to go to MX, then decided to try to add insurance on my husband's part time job and go that route. My surgery date in MX was 4/16. So, I don't even know if this route will work or I will be back to square 1. I have also used all my flier miles when I booked 2 RT tix to MX. I am frustrated to the max!

[Wheetsin 714]

Hopping into your thread for a sec. My wait from submitting the paperwork to having my surgery was about 4 months. It is time you can spend well. There's lots of mental and physical prep to be done. E.g. start trying to eat bandster style, focus on lean Proteins, get the chewing and swallowing thing down. Retraining your behaviors now will make it SOOO much easier to do the right thing post-op. I wish I'd been a little more diligent about the behavioral changes pre-op.

Good luck!

[Wheetsin 714]

BTW, BSU as in Smurf Turf?

[faithmd 14]

Thanks for popping in, Wheetsin!

What I'm doing in my waiting period: I am waiting for my first consult (next week), but believe I have all the rest of my ducks in a row as far as insurance requirements. I did my 12 month diet under MD supervision, I see my cardiologist tomorrow and the surgeon's office told me what I need him to write in a letter so that I will be approved on their end without further testing, and I've gotten my clearance letter from the psychologist (as has the surgeon's office).

I've got no idea how long this will take for an approval, so for the last few weeks I've been doing what Wheetsin has suggested above. I read around on the threads here (there is SO much good info) and decided I had best get my head straight and start practising eating "Bandster style." Of course my portions are larger than they will be post-op, but I've started eating Protein first, then veggies, then carbs if I've got room. I've stopped drinking with my meals and started chewing, chewing, chewing (that's the hardest for me-I hate the mushy texture!). I'm getting samples of various Protein supplements and I've tried making some of the Protein shake recipes folks have posted. I've tried out the different ready mixed supplements people have listed here and have a few packs of what I liked. I found a GREAT sale on the Campbell's Gold Label boxed Soup and bought two cases of the Butternut Squash (my favorite). I got a couple of jars of Better Than Bouillion in different flavors (really yummy!!). I priced baby food for the mushy stage and found that Target and Walmart have the best prices. I've picked up a few jars of meats, veggies and fruits and tried them out to see what I like and what I don't.

I'm stocking up on medicine cups (for sipping post-op), and bought a kitchen timer for timing that every fifteen minute drinking thing. I have dressing supplies (I work in healthcare), and various topicals folks have suggested for the itching during healing. I've ordered the drink mixer I decided on from walmart.com (they don't have it in my local Walmart). The one Walmart sells is less than half the price of a Magic Bullet and it has far more power. I've picked up a king-sized moist/dry heating pad and have stocked up on Gas-X strips, liquid Tylenol, Chloraseptic (for the sore throat after surgery) and tried the liquid Centrum (which I hate) so I bought chewable children's Vitamins, I also got a hair, skin and nails supplement. I already chew Tums EX for Calcium and I'll just have to see if I can still use it after surgery. If not, I'll get the Cal with D that's liquid. I found some small kiddie sized plates and cups and bowls at Target and purchased those along with some small silverware. I ordered more loose-fitting work-out clothes to have for after surgery and to encourage myself to work out (I start cardiac rehab tomorrow which will put me on a six week monitored exercise regimen). I bought a pair of locking kitchen tongs (just in case :omg: ) and already have bathroom wipes. I have loads of books and movies to keep myself occuppied.

Am I missing anything??

Oh yes, and I've lost about 20lbs in the past month with the food changes I've made, so hopefullly that will go in my favor with the insurance company (they require a weight loss on the MD supervised program to prove you can follow orders and show committment).

[bsubabe 0]

WOW... ok so maybe the wait will be helpfull. i do have alot of things to change...I already have been working on some diet changes.. thank you for your tips... i just wish i had some sort ofchecklist of things to change... lol...

as to wheetsin's question, I got o Bemidji State University. So im not sure if that is smurf turf or not lol...

[Iluvharleys 15]

"Good things come to those who wait" :welldoneclap: :Banane20: :Banane43:

[goldthimble 0]

Hi all,

I am also waiting. I spoke with my PC today and they have been in contact with the coordinator in the surgeons office and they have my paperwork and will be contacting me to set an appointment. I can't stand the wait now that I know what I want. I can think of nothing else.

We are traveling to Florida the end of April to our timeshare and I do not want to go this year. The thought of putting on a bathing suit scares me. My biggest fear is the ins co saying no. They would not even talk to me. Said they had to talk to my PC not me. I have a BMI of 37, been on one diet program after another for 30 yrs, Arthritis in my knees and low back, high cholesterol, shortness of breath, reflux and underactive thyriod. Thanks for letting me vent. Best wishes to all.

goldthimble