Taking The Plunge

[Tooty 0]

I just received my paperwork in the mail today and I am already getting nervous. This packet gave directions on the first steps in the paperwork end of things. First get a Psych Evaluation, then get 6 months of weigh-ins from my pcp (not looking forward to having to wait 6 months. I am hoping that we can get around this with my insurance - Definity Health - TN). Then onto the Dietitan appt and nutrition classes. They did include a few medial tests that they felt I needed to have done: A sleep study, and an upper GI. I believe the two above tests may get waived as I think they thought I had been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and Acid Reflux. On the bottom of the page the secretary wrote that I had Sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, and Reflux - on prescription. I did mark the sleep apnea on the initial paperwork, but I wrote (suspected) to the side...I wake up gasping for air on rare occasions. I have never had diabetes, I am not on prescription for Reflux (and really don't have a problem with it). I am wondering if she mixed my paperwork up with someone else's. I did email her back my concerns and hopefully this will clear things up... Anyway, I sure did write a lot for my first post! If anyone has any insights to Definity Health - TN insurance or anyway of getting around the 6 months of waiting, I would love to know more...

[Penelope 0]

Hi Cathlena,

When I started this journey I made up my mind that no matter what they asked or ordered me to do or how unpleasant or embarrassing it was - I was going to do it. I wanted the surgery and nothing was going to stop me. Your experience sounds exactly like mine - only I would have bet a million bucks I did NOT have sleep apnea because I had NONE of the problems listed on the questionaire AND I sleep on my stomach. However after two tests (one without the Cpap and one with the Cpap) they determined I did have it and I had to get the Cpap. Six weeks after surgery I called them and told them to come get the dumb thing and it has worked out great for me - HOWEVER, if you wake up gasping etc. sounds like you need to go the full route.

As for the 6 months of weigh in's - they wouldn't accept that I had been going to weight watchers faithfully for the past four years - but they did accept that I had also been going faithfully to my internist for the past twenty years so I got a printout of my weights for the past twenty years (all with Kaiser permanente - now we are with United Health Care) I did the psych (which I really enjoyed - neat guy who had the lap band himself four years ago and lost two hundred pounds) I had the exam, I had the physical therapy appt. I had the nutritionist appointment which I continue to do monthly - and I jumped through every hoop they had and even though they all told me that the band is not magic and it won't lose the weight for you without diet and exercise, I still didn't believe them. I thought that was bull and just by having the surgery all this weight was going to disappear. Wrong. I am three and a half months out and I have just finally started losing consistently - by going back to my old standby, weight watchers. I am not going to the meetings because I have all the literature, etc. here at home and honestly after paying $6k out of pocket for my surgery I think I'll skip the $12 a week. The moral of the story is, if you want to have the surgery - jump through the hoops, and after the surgery follow through with your committment and do what they tell you to. I am so happy now that I did it, but for the first 6 weeks I was so very sorry I did. I had no restriction and eventually went back to eating anything I wanted and felt terrible about it. Now, after three fills (a total of 6.5 cc in a 10cc band) I am in a perfect place where 24 weight watcher points (1,200 calories) fills me up just fine and I am rarely ever hungry.

I wish you only the best on your journey and success with your goal and please believe me - it is worth the effort.

Penny

Edited June 23, 2008 by Penelope