Mommie4

Yes, my paperwork was submitted last week and I'm already so anxious about it.

I had to quit smoking. I'm still using an ecig, but they haven't told me they'd do any nicotine tests.I guess it depends on the surgeon.

I hope your appointment goes great today!

Cindy T

Congrats and good luck!! I guess they test for a chemical that's in cigs, not necessarily nicotine. I think its a blood test too. lol probably gonna do it today I really don't know.

So excited! today is my appointment with the surgeon! I go in at 2:45, can not wait to hear what he has to say! I hope he has high hopes that I will be approved!! All my friends and family are very supportive. And they are all waiting to hear what the insurance says, just like I am! Still trying to quit smoking, haven't been real successful so far so I am going to see my doc. I am hoping my weight is where it needs to be today too! since I don't have comorbidities the nurse practitioner told me not to lose ANY weight, she said with my height that I am right on the boarder so I have actually tried to gain an few just to be safe, because my insurance wont approve me with a BMI under 40 and no comorbidities! ugh, its a long rough road but Im so glad that Im at the end of it!! I will keep you updated, for those who are interested.

You can quit....get the Patches at Walmart..think its 38.00 (or 4 pks of cigs).. for a box of 20..the minute you wake up stick one on your arm every morning...put the box somewhere not even remotly close as to where you would smoke..I would wake up every morning, go downstairs & out the garage door to smoke my butt...so routine & I wasn't even half awake....then one Monday morning I woke up, went into the upstairs bathroom & put on a patch, my routine was broken & I kept thinking about going downstairs for the butt, but then chose to think of that patch as my morning cig...getting in the car was hard, but as I drove to work, I rubbed my patch & thought about it as if I was taking a drag...You just have to change your way of thinking..I smoked everyday for 43 years & 3 months ago, I said..no more...I can happen, keep trying...

im worried because the patch is nicotine isn't it? The nurse said they will test me for it. Or do the patches not have the chemical that cigs do? I will try anything! I made an appointment with my doc, I was gonna try Chantix. But its probably costs a pretty penny! Thanks for the positive thoughts! I am def going to try something. I just hope I get approved for surgery, we go through enough crap to get approved and getting denied will very upsetting!

I am so excited for this Tuesday! Its my appointment to meet with the surgeon! I can not wait! I still have to quit smoking but I made an appointment with my regular doc for help on that! I can not do it cold turkey, I tried! I really hope I get my surgery date and that he has already sent off my documents to united health care!

Mine was about 45mi total and I had to take the 550 question test on the computer my first appointment. We talked for maybe 15min then I took the test. I haven't heard anything back on it but I called the surgeons office and they let me set up my appointment with the surgeon so Im assuming I passed. They have their reasons for there evaluations on us, even though we don't understand why they made the choice they made I guess it for some sort of reason. Im sorry to hear that you failed and I wish you the best of luck and like someone else mentioned, I would see if a second opinion would matter or help!!

hey! I'm thinking of making the leap and getting the sleeve. was originally going to get the band but after really reading about both decided the sleeve is the better option for me. i have united health care do you think they will cover my surgery? i do have a BMI over 40

It depends on the coverage that ur employer has. You should call United and just ask them. I have united through my husbands work and its covered. BMI of 40+ is covered with no comorbidities, BMI below 40 you have to have like two comorbidities. They require me to have a 5 yr obese weight history (BMI of 35+ for past 5yrs). They don't require a pre-op diet because of the weight history. Just call and find out from them what they require and if ur covered. every plan is different and every ones answers on here will be different...lol GOOD LUCK

I finished up on Friday and the doctor scheduled surgery for 4 Oct pending BCBC approval and like another post was told 2 weeks.

- psych eval

- EKG

- Stress test

- echo heart sonogram

- blood work

- 2 nut appts

- 1 remaining nut in Tuesday to tell me 2 week liquid diet req and 1 week post op

- scope

- chest X-ray

- stomach ultrasound

- hemotologist approval

- primary care psychisian approval letter

- personnel note on my own behalf to BCBS

- admittance w/ hospital

- sleep study

Remaining

Final surgeon consult

Two week liquid diet

Final approval from BCBS

Exciting! good luck! I don't seem to have as much to do as others for some reason, all I know is when I see surgeon the 17th, if he gives MORE appts to do Im gonna scream! I hope I just gotta see him, set up aurgery date and maybe do a liquid diet and be smoke free for 30 days and then get surgery if im approved.

Quitting smoking was easier than losing 10 lbs...I did 2 weeks on the patch...never cheated.. I kept asking myself if I want to be skinny or smoke...then I got a smaller dose patch for the 3 rd week..then nothing..its been almost 3 months...they did do a nicotine test on me too..called "cotinine"..in my blood work..

That's what Im worried about is trying to quit smoking...I do want to be skinny a lot more than I want to smoke! the thing is I am a student so I sit home all day until 5pm when I leave for school. I am a heavy smoker close to two packs a day an d now I gotta quit and beb smoke free for 30 days...might sound easy for the non-smokers "oh just quit, what do u want more" lol I thought about Chantix the patch scares me because it is nicotine and I am so scared it will show in a test, I even thought of the E-cigs but also nicotine! I just know doing it cold turkey will be even harder!! I just wanna scream, I never should have started this bad happen to begin with ugh!

Yes! I'm waiting on approval I hope she sent my paperwork in.

good luck! mine will be sent in some time after the 17th.

My surgery date is 9/17! So excited I debated for 4 years on whether or not to do! Now I've completed everything they've asked of me and I am ready!!!

yay!! so exciting!! Good luck and keep us posted!

Everyone is so different..I have completed everything but need to see the surgeon on 9-9...

1. Seminar in March

2. Talk classes..had to do 3

3. Nutristionist 2 times learn how to eat right & diet after surgery

4. Physical therapy 2 times

5. 1 on 1 with Psyc ($180.00 cash)

6. 5 weeks (once a week) classes with psyc ($220.00 cash)

7. Endoscopy, EKG, ultra sound

8. my primary care dr. for physical

9. blood work for every test out there.

10. 6 times with Bariatric nurse for weigh in

11. Finally made my weight goal, nurse made appt

12. Now to see the surgeon

13. wait for insurance approval & date

14. heaven only knows what else

No liquid diet..just had to lose 10 lbs..had to quit smoking & quit carbonated soda....

wow, that's a lot! I had to do a seminar, then see surgeons nurse practitioner, had to see a psych once, NUT once, have a physical once, blood work and EKG, and now I am going to meet surgeon on the 17th and wait for insurance approval. do mind if I ask how u quit smoking??? that's what I have to work on, they said no nicotine for 30 days before surgery! Oh and one surgical weight loss support group.

All my results were finally sent to the surgeons office! yay, so I set up an appointment to go and see him Sept. 17 @ 2:45!! So I am guessing that's when all my info will be sent to the insurance company...cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you beauty!! and to mommie4- i had a weight loss surgery exclusion on my insurance.

oh ok...that sucks!

Yeah i'm basically out of luck..the united health care wont help me...sooo i'm considered self pay...the surgery is 11,800 but i'm going in a few weeks to be put to sleep and check for any hernias if i have one (which i actually hope i do) my price will be knocked down to 6,000...keeping my fingers crossed

What do you have to come up with upfront? Why wont United cover it for you? Im scared they will deny me too!

she didn't give me results or tell me that I needed to wait because of any reason. So, Im taking that as maybe a sign that all went well! I hope. lol

My insurance requires that I do a 6month non-surgical weightless program with a Dr. But I already have all of my test dates which will all be completed next month. I also have my surgery date which is set for jan 30th of next year. My surgery center requires a 2week liquid diet too.

I still don't know if my surgeons office requires any diets pre-op. but I guess I will find out soon.lol im all done with all appointments, just waiting for the results to be sent to surgeons office so I can go see them and see whats next

wow! that is really good! it took me 4 mo to lose 28lbs! great job!!!

So how did your Phsyc eval go?

It was quick and easy. I was worried for no reason..lol she talked to me for probably 10min and then gave me a test on the computer, the test was questions were "agree" or "disagree" questions like, " my dad was the male influence in my life I love my dad" and "most people will steal if they think they wont get caught" and questions about wanting to hurt yourself or others and also about "seeing" ghosts and hearing voices that tell you what to do...lol it was about 30-45min. It went pretty good I think and she gave advice on eating and Protein and stuff, things you hear from the NUT. Thanks for asking and remembering..lol I called the surgeons office and they haven't received the results yet, but when they do then I go see surgeon and wait for insurance approval. So excited!!

I am waiting as well... My last appointment was early this month I am waiting for Medicaid approval and have no idea how long it will take, but following that I do know I will have six weeks of Optifast to 'look forward to' I'm over 500 pounds and I can't wait to start this journey.

good luck on your journey! I sure it wont take them too long to get back to you, but im not really sure. Im sure you will do great! keep us updated!

Hi Mommie4.. I am in St. Louis too, but I'm using Dr. Scott. Started in Feb and just finished my 6 month supervised in August. They sent my packet in on Aug 8th or 9th, so I am waiting waiting waiting.... crossing my fingers for approval soon!

Good luck to you as well!

I didn't have a pre-op diet and I am so glad, but then again I did have to come up with a 5yr obese weight history...I hope my insurance accepts it and approves me. I was over weight with bmi over 35, but it was under 40 for the past 5yrs so im really not sure if they will accept it. plus I have no comorbidities and never have so if I get denied then it will be because of the 5yr weight history. good luck and keep me posted, its nice to know other that are doing this in my area..lol

I have to do a pulmonary evaluation then I should be done and paperwork submitted to insurance. I did not have to do any classes with the NUT, just a consultation, no 6mos diet or anything. Psych eval was quick and fairly painless. In fact, everything was going along smoothly until the hiccup of waiting for the pulmonary doctor. ( schedule issues) I saw my PCP today and he asked if I had a surgery date yet, so even he is anxious! LOL I told him no, but he better have all his paperwork submitted so not to hold me up...Once insurance approves me I will be given a surgery date. In the time between I have to have the EGD and on online education course. I am holding my breath and crossing my fingers hoping I can get an October surgery date.

I am doing the same...holding my breath and crossing fingers, toes, legs and everything else..lol what is an EGD? never heard of it.

I just got my approval and surgery date yesterday. I am 10/22. It took 2 full weeks for BCBS to give my approval. For no reason other than....they could take up to 15 business days.I went through everything quickly so I could be done by early Sept. They dragged their feet and now he is booked till then. Pretty disappointed, but ,I will get it done!

It seems to go that way, they will take as long a they can I guess..lol I think some places do it on purpose. at least you were approved YAY!!!

I have an appt with my surgeon to get the "go ahead" for surgery and then submit to insurance. I am hoping to schedule the surgery date then too, pending approval of course. I am fairly confident that I will be approved. I meet the requirements, but you just never know with health insurance! So I will keep my fingers crossed for all of us hopefuls! :-)

I just got done today and the surgeons office said to wait 5 days to make sure the psych eval is there (guess it could take them 5-7 days to send it in) ugh..more waiting, but im super excited to met with surgeon and see whats next and what my insurance says..im going to be so mad if I went through all this just for a denial!!!

Hey... I jus done the scope with my surgeon today! Everything is approved and Surgery date is 9-11

Super Excited! My PreOp diet started today... Jus now going home so day 1 has been Great!

Good Luck 2 ya!

Tc's Ready!

WOW! that's just around the corner! I hope mine gets approved quick! good luck.

I have about 100 lbs to lose. I started at 232, i am215 now. Being sleeved 10/22. I am 5 ' 1 1/2" tall so I am pretty round....cant wait to feel and look ...well not like a Weeble ( kids toy)

Good luck Marcy! October is when Im hoping to have mine. still gotta wait for insurance though..ugh