Hello from VA!

[AshleeSuzanne 0]

Josie,

I have Anthem as well and my approval was quick and easy as well...I am having my surgery with Dr Matt Brengman at St. Mary's in Feb. Who was your surgeon??

Ashlee

[Lumpy 18]

I'm sorry, but when did Dr. Bautista band you. I see you have lost half your weight goal. Contrats!

[Lumpy 18]

we today i met with Dr. Bautista. I thought it was a waste of time with the exception of meeting him and him see me. everything he said bascially i knew already. all he did is answer some questions. i thought it would've been more to it. i am really getting more excited as the days go on. I am on day 9 of my liver shrinking diet. the other day i felt weak and tired, but today, i felt great. i can tell a little already that my gut isn't as big. I have lost 9 lbs. I have never lost 9 lbs before in a week before. my stomach has strank so much that i almost feel like i have the small pouch already. i get full so fast now. it's amazing. but i know if i even tried to eat more and ignore that fun sensation, i can go back to eatting like a pig. keep me posted on your progress.

[Lumpy 18]

congratulations. Dr. Bautista is banding me on Monday, Dec. 10. All of the staff there is very sweet. you are so right about that. I met with him today. I can't wait til the 10th. How are you feeling? Did you stay overnight? How was the first week while at home? Did you study and keep busy with your sips of liquirds? let me know.

It is quite amazing to share the same doctor with so many people right here in my little town. On the live chat, people are from all over

Jeannette

[Susie98P 0]

Hi, I am also from Virginia and had my surgery at St. Mary's with Dr. Batista....I was banded in August and have lost 30 lbs.

I live in the Richmond area and would recommend St. Mary's

any day of the week

[sc2va 0]

Hey! I go the the same office. I see Dr. T and he to is WONDERFUL. I am in Hampton, VA

[NEWME10 1]

Susie98P I was looking at the information that the patients of Dr. Bautista had listed. I noticed that you said you were a Lab Tech @Dupont. I also work at Dupont. I am at the Spruance site. I was wondering if you had to go through Cigna and how that worked for you. I have been having a few issues with them letting my file fall into the big crack and not doing anything about it. I call yesterday and had them put a higher priority on it. HO HO! How long were you out of work? I look forward to hearing back from you.

[AshleeSuzanne 0]

I GOT MY DATE!! YAY! January 25 at St Mary's in RIchmond. I am so psyched!!!

Ash

[jennypoo 0]

Hey Ash,

My friend just got her date also.The same day.Jan 25th @ St Marys....

Congrats!!!

[ThinDolphin3 3]

First of all Congratulations on your approval to get the surgery. I also have Anthem insurance but I live in Kansas(my hubby works on a military base here and they use Anthem insurance out of VA). I was wondering if you could help me know what all kind of hoops I got to jump through to get approval for this surgery?? Do I have to do the whole 6 month weight loss program with reg doc or can I just go to a lapband doc?? Welcome to this site and I look forward to becoming friends you and alot of other ppl in here!!

blessings and Happy Holidays

[ja9va 0]

Happy New Year to everyone.

Thindolphin, I have Federal Anthem. I did not have to go on a 6 month pre approval diet. I don't beleive Anthem does that. But I can't be sure. I had a quick approval, but I guess that is relative. There were so many steps I had to go through; psych eval, pre opt education seminars, meeting with the doctor's office, write a letter of why I needed the surgery, and a few others. Then the doc sends it all in and you get approval. After getting my date for the surgery I had to go to a couple education seminars and that was it. I was on a preopt two week diet to help shrink your liver, but that is normal for everyone.

I would suggest you contact a LB doctor for a consult or research in Kansas if that is where you want to go for a good doctor. Look on here, there probably is a Kansas thread like the VA one and you can research a good LB doctor, then call them. I did not need a referral from my GP. I talked with my OBGYN for support or guidance, because I respect him, but did not need anything in writing.

If I can help with any questions I can try.

Hope all you other Dr. Batista patients are doing well!!!

[NEWME10 1]

Good morning Lumpy, I was just wondering how you are doing since your surgery. I have Cigna and they just denied my first attempt so Hillarie at the office has filed my first appeal to the decision. Did you have any of those issues prior to approval?

Is the Liver shrinking diet like totally awful? What do you have to do for that? I also live in Richmond.

Thanks

NEWME10

[SuzanneG 1]

I was banded by Dr. Brengman at St. Mary's also. I live in Spotsylvania.

Great to meet you all!

[Lumpy 18]

Hi,

I was banded on Dec. 10th. The 2 week liver Shrinking diet really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I never have been able to go on a liquid diet for even a day, but knowing that I was doing this in preparation for the big day of getting banded made it easy. I drank a slim fast for Breakfast and lunch daily, but for dinner I had a very small fat and sugar free diner. It went well. I lost 20 lbs.

I really didn't have any problems with the approval of my insurance company. However, at the beginning I was sent a letter asking me to send them the 6 months supervised diet documentations. At that time I had only being seeing the doctor for 5 months so I didn't have the 6th month to go with the rest. The of course denied me because I didn't have 6 months worth of documentation. I filed an appeal and kept going to the doctor. Unfortunitly, the appeal took longer than I had hoped. I went to the doctor the 6th, 7th, and 8th month because I didn't want to stop and have to start all over again. That kinda happened after the first 3 months because I had two appointments too far apart; like 5 weeks apart so they said I had to start over on the 6 month ordeal. So, finally I got the letter on Congrats! I was so happy. It really went very well no problems. I just wish it hadn't been delayed because I could be 3 months further ahead.

Just make sure you go to the doctor approx. the same time each month. Don't allow a huge gap between the months.

ex. May 3rd for visit #3 and April 21 for vist #4 would cause you to start the entire 6 month process over. So go on

May 3rd, April 5th, May7th. Try to keep it at 4 weeks apart.

[Lumpy 18]

I live in Richmond/Goochland near short pump mall. I work for the Post Office. One day I will meet someone that I know. I do like this site because we all have live here in the same place.

I went to the support group Monday night. It was good. I plan to go back next month, Feb. 11th. You should go to that too.