Stoked in Georgia!

[Paigey 7]

Hey everybody!

I got my insurance approval about two weeks ago and now I'm doing all of my pretests.

I wasn't sure I'd be covered because I fall in the 36 BMI group.

Since I have some medical issues related to being overweight, my doctor was able to get me approved and I am just so excited!

So far, I've been to the seminar, had a mammogram, and done one sleep study. I have to go to another sleep study next week and try it with the cpap.

I have my psychiatric evaluation and meeting with the dietitian both scheduled.

I guess I still need to go to some support meeting too.

Anyway, I'm Paigey and I just wanted to introduce myself.

I welcome any and all advice!

[meldlc37 0]

Welcome Paigey, Congrats on the approval. I think that is the worst part, waiting to hear from ins. The rest of your testing and things will go fast, just remember what the end result of all this is. Good luck.

[tarajim 20]

Congrats!!!

I am a Georgian in waiting too... Are you in the Atl area? Who is your DR? Good luck and hope it all goes well for you!!!

TJ

[MaggieGT 0]

Hey Tarajim and Paigey,

How's Georgia? What a beautiful place:tt1:. I went to GT and loved Atlanta.

I don't get back enough. Love to watch GT football(what a year it's been) Go Jackets!!!

I'm 10 weeks post-op and loving my band.

Good journey to you:thumbup:

MaggieGT

[Paigey 7]

Thanks for the welcome!

My doctor is Dr. Srinivasa K Gorjala and he operates out of Southern Regional Hospital in Clayton County.

I chose him because he's close enough that I won't have to miss a whole days work when I go in for fills and he came highly recommended by several nurses I know that work in the same hospital.

And Maggie, the weather is amazing here today!

[rdarby 0]

Welcome!! Wow you got your approval without doing your pre test first?? that great , I have to go through all of my pre test first before my Dr. will even send it in because the tests are a requirement. I didn't know they did the band at Southern Regional wow that is so close to me, I'm in Forest Park but I'm having my surgery at Perimeter surgery center with Dr. Hart thru True Results hopefully sometime in Dec.:tongue2: Good luck to us all, I can't wait to start the new year working on the new me:thumbup:.

Hey everybody!

I got my insurance approval about two weeks ago and now I'm doing all of my pretests.

I wasn't sure I'd be covered because I fall in the 36 BMI group.

Since I have some medical issues related to being overweight, my doctor was able to get me approved and I am just so excited!

So far, I've been to the seminar, had a mammogram, and done one sleep study. I have to go to another sleep study next week and try it with the cpap.

I have my psychiatric evaluation and meeting with the dietitian both scheduled.

I guess I still need to go to some support meeting too.

Anyway, I'm Paigey and I just wanted to introduce myself.

I welcome any and all advice!

[Paigey 7]

Welcome!! Wow you got your approval without doing your pre test first?? that great , I have to go through all of my pre test first before my Dr. will even send it in because the tests are a requirement. I didn't know they did the band at Southern Regional wow that is so close to me, I'm in Forest Park but I'm having my surgery at Perimeter surgery center with Dr. Hart thru True Results hopefully sometime in Dec.:tongue2: Good luck to us all, I can't wait to start the new year working on the new me:thumbup:.

I was really surprised at how fast I got the approval too.

I worried that my primary care physician wouldn't even give me the referral because he's very overweight himself.

Instead of downing me for wanting this procedure, he actually understood and said he'd help me as much as he could.

Within a week, I had my referral and all my pretests scheduled.

I also had no idea that I'd find a surgeon on my side of town(Stockbridge), but when I searched for a seminar to attend, he was the only one that popped up!

I've been very lucky!

[rdarby 0]

I was really surprised at how fast I got the approval too.

I worried that my primary care physician wouldn't even give me the referral because he's very overweight himself.

Instead of downing me for wanting this procedure, he actually understood and said he'd help me as much as he could.

Within a week, I had my referral and all my pretests scheduled.

I also had no idea that I'd find a surgeon on my side of town(Stockbridge), but when I searched for a seminar to attend, he was the only one that popped up!

I've been very lucky!

I went to my PCP to get my ltr of med nec even though she encourged me and said that would be a great choice for me, but she charged me $35.00 for the ltr plus a $15.00 copy for the visit that day, then it took her 7 days to get the ltr to me. I had to exactly go to her office and demand my ltr :tongue2: I was so ticked off, I will be changing Dr's she charges for everything I can't afford her even with insurance.

[Paigey 7]

I had my psychiatric evaluation this past Monday.

I had no idea there was a 4 hour test involved!

Anyway, it's just one step closer to getting my surgery date.

[Paigey 7]

Today I am a little discouraged.

I had it in my head that I'd be able to get the surgery some time around late January or early February.

During my appointment with the dietitian yesterday, she informed me that my insurance is requiring a 6 month medically supervised diet before I can get the surgery.

I was aware of the diet and assumed I'd have to provide documentation, but I was under the impression that it had to be within the last three years. The last time I did a diet like that was just over two years ago at the Versalo Clinic.

UHC, however, is not accepting that and is making me start over.

Now it's going to be May before I can even think of getting my band.

[Barb119 0]

Sorry to hear your bad news, Paigey . . . I hope May will come fast for you . . . I don't understand such differences in insurance companies' requirements. I had to provide written documentation of my dieting/weight loss/weight gain and it's been an ongoing yo-yo for 30 yrs.---time for a change. I've been contemplating lap band for almost two years, but finally decided that with my health problems--sleep apnea, high blood pressure, aching joints, no energy, etc.--that I don't have much choice if I want to really have an active life. My surgery date is Dec. 29 at Emory Mid Town . . . I'm in Georgia too, near Athens.

Good luck with your process!

[Paigey 7]

My surgery date is finally set!

I did my six month diet and finally got everything settled with all of my doctors and the insurance.

I'll be having my surgery on Tuesday, 9/28/2010.

[ladybug on a mission 0]

Paigey,

Good Luck to you!! I am in Stockbridge too! Looked at the SRMC program, but my UHC (through Delta) requires that I have surgery at a Center of Excellence and SRMC is not one. I will be having my surgery at Atlanta Medical Center with Dr. Titus Duncan. I am currently waiting on insurance approval. Hoping to be banded shortly after you.

I look forward to following your journey!

[Paigey 7]

Hey neighbor!

Good luck on your journey too!

I began this process almost a year ago when I went to my seminar on 9/19/2009. I can't believe it's finally going to happen for me. It's like I'm walking around in daze because I'm so excited and happy that I'll finally get the help and accountability that I desperately need.

[findingherself 0]

the sleep study .. was crazy for me,

i was wondering how am i suppose to fall asleep with all these tubes all over me geez

Hey everybody!

I got my insurance approval about two weeks ago and now I'm doing all of my pretests.

I wasn't sure I'd be covered because I fall in the 36 BMI group.

Since I have some medical issues related to being overweight, my doctor was able to get me approved and I am just so excited!

So far, I've been to the seminar, had a mammogram, and done one sleep study. I have to go to another sleep study next week and try it with the cpap.

I have my psychiatric evaluation and meeting with the dietitian both scheduled.

I guess I still need to go to some support meeting too.

Anyway, I'm Paigey and I just wanted to introduce myself.

I welcome any and all advice!