Square one: May 19th, 2010
By Donna4545
· 593 views
This is the beginning. Age 45, BMI 51; Starting weight 331; Goal weight 150
I live in rural North Dakota, and I have just had my paperwork submitted for vertical sleeve gastrectomy to BCBS this week. The bariatric program coordinator said I should have no problem getting approved, as they are part of a BCBS pilot program. My hospital/program are 100 miles away, so the online community will be my main support system.
I have been overweight since age 10. I really ballooned to morbidly obese after age 40. I am absolutely done with diets. I am borderline diabetic, have arthritis in the knees, hyperlipidemia, and polycystic ovary syndrome. I am also taking medication for depression, but it is treated, so I don't feel depressed.
I am hopling that my surgery will change all of these health problems. I tried to get insurance approval from United Health Care for a RNY in 2007--it was explicitly excluded from coverage. In 2009 I got a new job with new insurance and here I am.
I have accepted the lifestyle changes that will have to be made, so at this point my main concerns are cost, insurance approval, and finding out all I can about life after surgery. I'm a foodie so this is going to be quite a challenge, but I've already found a gourmet bariatric cookbook, so I am going to make this work.
I'll post again when I hear something from the insurance. Wish me luck!
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