illgeturhairdid

I am planning to start soon. Just got my video camera yesterday and I'm learning how to use it. I've gained so much knowledge from watching YouTube videos that I am hoping to help someone else on their journey.

Hi guys. I'm wondering what you all had to do to get Aetna do approve your surgery? My surgeon has told me I will need to complete the following; -2 year diet history -3 consecutive monthly appointments with the nutritionist -Pulmonary clearance -Cardiology clearance -Psych clearance -Letter of medical necessity from PCP -2 Support group meetings -Pre op class The surgeons office did not mention having to see my PCP monthly. Also, they said Aetna does not have a requirement to lose a certain amount of weight before surgery, just that I can't gain any. For those of you with Aetna, does this all sound right or should I be questioning the surgeons office? When I called Aetna they said that the Dr. had to review the requirements with me. Also, if you have Aetna and had VSG, once you had all of your documentation how long did authorization take? My last nutritionist appointment is 11/28 and I'm hoping to have surgery before 2012, think it is do-able?

Morning all So I'm having an issue with my psychology clearance. I met with the shrink for all of 12 minutes and paid my $50 copay. No big deal, it had to happen. He told me there would be a small fee for him preparing the report. At the time I thought that was odd, but hey, a small fee I was thinking like $10 so whatever. However, his office just called me to tell me that he had prepared the report for my surgeon over the weekend and they wouldn't fax it to then until I had paid the $60 fee for him preparing the report. This doesn't seem right. He has to prepare that report to put in my chart anyway, so basically they want me to pay $60 additional dollars for them to fax it? Does this seem reasonable? I have a copy in my hand.. I'm thinking about calling and stopping payment on the report. Did you guys encounter anything like this?

I called the coordinator at my surgeons office today to see if she had received some of my faxed clearances and gave her the dates of the others I have scheduled. While we were talking she was like "Oh yeah, we can definitely get you in before the end of the year. Let's look at the beginning of December." So I heard her flipping through a calendar and she said "Dr. Kaul does surgery on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. You're last appointment with the nutritionist is 11/28. Insurance approval will only take about three days. Might be cutting it close for 12/1 lets look at the next week." She asked me about 12/5 and 12/6 but I prefer to have it done on 12/8, so that's what we scheduled!! As long as my insurance company doesn't buck up and the remaining clearances go okay, I will be getting sleeved on December 8, 2011! The first step to living the rest of my life the way I want to live it!

So, Thursday night I went to one of the support groups required by my doctor and my insurance. It was nice to be around other people going through the same thing and actually had fun there. My cousin went with me and everyone loved that we were cousins and doing this together. She is have gastric bypass because that is all her insurance will cover and I am planning on the sleeve. I'm starting to be a little concerned though. Out of the group of people that was there it seemed like the really big losers were the people who had gastric bypass. (A surgery I'm REALLY not interested in.) There were people there who had been sleeved, but none who had been sleeved longer then 6 months I'd say, and she had lost 70 lbs. (AMAZING!) To be a healthy BMI I need loose around 160 pounds. (Can't believe I'm sharing that number.) I've been lurking on this boards and asking questions for a few weeks now, but I don't think I've really seen anything where people had that much weight to loose. I'm sort of setting a goal that would put me in the "overweight" category because I want a realistic goal. If I go beyond that, wonderful! I don't want to set myself up for something that could be considered a "failure." To me, losing 100 pounds would be wonderful, and I do not doubt for a moment I can do that with the sleeve! How much have you lost? Do you think it is realistic to reach a healthy BMI with sleeve? Has anyone here had sleeve long enough to know that wouldn't mind answering these questions? Thanks, D

My insurance has paid their portion, I paid my copay. Then on top of that came the seperate $60 fee for preparing the report.

I paid the money, the surgeon has a copy they faxed. I have a copy. You make a good suggestion about waiting until after approval, but I'm going to take that a step further and make it after surgery. I'm very upset and do feel taken advantage of. For the $110 it cost me, I should have at least laid down on the little uncomfortable couch.

They are checking your blood for carboxy hemoglobin (sp?). Basically the carbon levels that are elevated by smoking. Since there is no carbon dioxide in chewing the gum, it shouldn't effect the results of the test. I work with a group of really respected respiratory therapists out of Sloan, Columbia Pres and Montefiore hospitals in NY and this is information they shared with me.

I feel your pain. I gave myself a week to completely quit, allowing myself to smoke one a day. After that week, I didn't smoke again. So, today makes it exactly 8 days since I've had a cigarette. Try the gum, it helped me a lot.

Good morning you lovely ladies! Today's annoying Danielle question of the day is...... What did you do for birth control around your surgery? I've been instructed to discontinue forms of birth control like the pill, patch or ring one month prior to surgery. (My surgery target is December.) I really do not feel like having to deal with a period around this time and originally was just going to use the ring and not do the week out thing to insure I didn't get one. (I've done this before and my PCP says it's fine to do once in awhile.) However, now that I am unable to do that I'm considering doing one round of depo as the nutritionist said that would be fine. (I will clear it with the surgeon prior to getting it.) My question is what did you guys do? Deal with the period or try to get it to go away for a month? Thanks and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

I was actually a little irritated by my eval. I paid my $50 copay and sat on a very uncomfortable couch for a whopping total of MAYBE 15 minutes. He asked about my family, asked me what my plans were for after surgery, asked me what i knew of the risks associated with the surgery. But hey, I'd have paid $100 if it is what I had to do to move forward! You will be fine!

Hey guys, tomorrow is my first appointment of three with the nutritionist. I'm not nervous about it, but I'm just wondering if you guys think there are any questions you think I should ask? Anything that you forgot to ask when you went, or something you wish you had known ahead of time?? Thanks, Danielle