BeautiifulEvolution

Soooo... I was thinking that this really wasn't going to happen for me. I had taken all of the steps, but insurance was taking so long to approve me. IMHO! However, today I got the call! I'm approved and having surgery in two days!!!!! Now I feel like I'm on an emotional rollercoaster... I'm excited, nervous, sad, and anxious all at the same time! No matter what, I will be having surgery and look forward to my new life!

I choose the sleeve (still pre op) because I didn't want my organs rearranged with the bypass and didn't want dumping syndrome. I originally went with lapband but that was before I knew about the sleeve. So many surgeons tried to shove gastric bypass down my throat, I actually walked out of an appointment and never went back because the PA put gastric instead of lapband because it'd be better for me. Ugh!
The new surgeon I'm with didnt shove anything down my throat, he educated me on my options. Told me most people go with lapband because they don't want the gastric but don't know about the sleeve which is in between the two.So... Made my decision, sleeve it is!
People used to tell me gastric because I'm over 300lbs but now that I'm doing sleeve and not lapband anymore people have been much more supportive and don't mention gastric anyone.

I don't live in NJ so i cant recommend locally.but I can tell you I went thrOugh 4 surgeons and walked out of an appointment with one before I found the current one. What sold me is he kept it real with me. Told me his suggestions, educated me and didn't shove a procedure down my throat. I felt comfortable and at ease. Took me 3 years to get to this point. Good luck and congrats on your decision to start the process.

A lot of insurances have an out of pocket max- for me mine was $2000, but I had already met $1000. So my surgery cost me my copays plus $1000. (Which was my coinsurance of 10% until I met the $2000.) Look into your insurance to see what it would be. Also- your insurance will have a contracted rate with the surgeon and hospital. For instance the hospital billed my insurance over $33,000 but the contracted rate was only like $5300- so I only had to pay 10% of $5300 not the $33,000!