amytug

did anyone else go through this? I called the insurance company. the first time they said "sure, lose as much weight as you can, tha'ts what the 6 months are for." I was leary so i called again. second person said "no- do not lose weight, that would put you under bmi 40 and with no co morbidities, you wouldn't qualify for surgery at the end of the 6 mos." today I called AGAIN to get an answer and they said they couldn't find the answer to my question and they needed to ask someone higher up and she'd call me back. "it might be a day, or even a week or 2 before we can get you an answer." OH PLEASE! I know this will all pass, and I'll look b ack and giggle at my impatience, but right now that seems like forever. as if I'm not already doing enough for the insurance company. dealing with insurance is annoying. I so wish I had cash for Mexico.

im not doing all that, because I can't lose weight. ha! imagine that! my bmi is 40.7 and that means I can lose 4 lbs. sigh. 68 lbs preop is great! oh but yes, it's 6 consecutive months. if you go at the beginning of may and the end of may and skip june, it wont count, and youll have to go back and start over. annoing, isn't it? the bariatric lady explained it to me that way, and said that's the way the ins company tries to get out of paying for the surgery.

Dr. Ponce de Leon uses a 36.

im really happy to hear all this, thanks ladies! takingthejourney- i messaged you back at least i think i did.. didn't i? rofl.. ADHD? who, me? nooo! o.0

Yeah, the obesity solutions place lists a couple hard to pronounce hotels. Hm. I'll ask when that time comes. I called today and talked with Linda. She's the one on the YouTube videos w dr Garcia right? W blonde hair? Who are the other coordinators?

Thanks everyone!! Heather that's awesome!! You should post some pics! I have 6 children, 10, 8,6,5,3,7m. I'm a saha tho.

Love. This. Thread. It's hard not to smile when you hear from so many happy people! Sent from my iPhone using VST

Okay- I can do that! I guess I am being a little dramatic. I have a way of making everything harder than it needs to be- it's a talent of mine ty for the suggestions. I was never actually tested for hypoglycemia, but I went to the dr I had before the one I'm using now, about 10 years ago and he said he thought that was what it was and put me on a low carb diet. that was it. I could get tested.. Maybe if I get tested for that and sleep apnea- if I have both, maybe I'll actually have 2 co morbidities and that would mean that I can lose a bit of weight before surgery. I shall talk to my dr. is hypoglycemia considered a co morbid condition?

IM gonna die doing all liquids. That's probably an exaggeration bit I'm pretty sure I won't make it. I did the hcg diet twice and could not make it past 4-5 days both times because I felt like I was going to pass out. Can I just do like 2 weeks of super low carb even if my surgeon says liquids? Sent from my iPhone using VST

Oh yeah, how many leak tests does he do?

Oh, I just read the link you sent me in a pm. I thought dr gracias patients stayed in the Marriott? I wanna stay in the marriott :hissyfit Lol

Hello, I wonder if I messaged you first or if I wrote this first. Lol. It was late, for me. Thank you for answering my questions. I don't think I've read anything negative about him and I just get a good feeling about him. He seems super sweet.

An you tell me if he uses the newer stapler that does he three rows of staples and slices down the middle? What size bougie does he use? What does the pre op diet look like? Also. Does he do sutures after the stapling? Thx! Sent from my iPhone using VST

Lissa that reallyakes sense!! Thx

So, I was watching a video by dr Alvarez and he said that if you have a larger stomach he uses a larger bougie and smaller stomach =smaller bougie. Them I see se surgeons say they use x size, always. I've also heard people say " I think my sleeve is bigger than others, I can eat way more than other sleeve patients". I don't want that!!! Where can I read about drs success rates? Maybe that is what I need to be looking at? Sent from my iPhone using VST

I'm still doing my research and everyone says "think twice, cut once.". So I'm considering the DS thinking that long term, it might be best for keeping the weight off. Did any of you sleevers consider the DS? Why did you choose the sleeve? It certainly is easier to find a surgeon that does the sleeve. Sent from my iPhone using VST

I know my body well enough, I think, that as long as I cut out soda and sweets towards the end of every month, maybe throw in a green smoothie or 2 them I should lose a lb or 2. I'm really positive that my dr. Will write down whatever I need him to. Lol

Not sure. I have to be 40 and I am 40. Lol. Ins co and the lady at the office both said not to lose. Even my pcp's nurse, who has had rny said that they could just weigh me every month and say that they have me on an 1800 cal diet and write that I can't lose. Lol. Do you think that will sabotage things? Maybe if I only lose 1 lb a month, or have the dr write that I did st least? I am gonna have to search for the bmi calc in a bit. Basically, my dr/ nurse are willing to make it look good for me.

A. W. e. s. o. M. E. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Okay I called the ins co and the Bariatric team both today and got people who knew what they were talking about. They both said that I cannot lose weight because BCBSMI will be going by my ending weight, not my starting bmi. Lady at the Bariatric place says it's just the silly ins companies hoop and they just want to see who will see it through to the end. So. I really wanted to lose some, but I suppose this is worth staying fat for 6 mos for. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Oh that stinks!!! How far in are you, into the 6 mos? I stopped trying to wean and dm now on both. It works. I'm not crying daily now. Thx to all g

I just now started went to my dr to be weighed in yesterday for the dfrst time Phat, ot, but I don't have to get a sleep study done as part of the criteria I have to meet and my pcp didn't bring it up, but do I need to initiate study for my own safety,during surgery? Ive suspected it before and just never went to the study. Also, why did you get the catheter ting put in? I mean I googled it and know what it's for but why do u get one? I've never heard of that before. Do all surgeons do that? Sent from my iPhone using VST

Oh wheetsin, so super helpful, thank you for holding my hand through this!!! Actually, when I left he dr office and called the Indurance company (BCBS MI, PPO) i did ask her about dropping below that bmi. That is when she replied that I had to talk Iy surgeon. Remember when we were kids and wanted so desperately to be a grow up? If only we knew then......

My head is spinning. I haven't much of a clue what my ins company wants from me. They sent me a list of the criteria I need to meet. Most of it is simple stuff that is self explanatory. This part I still don't get: 6 consecutive months of a supervised diet with your physician. Now. Does this mean we want you to get weighed every 6 months, period? Does it mean we want you to eat a diet you have been prescribed by your dr? Or do they simply want me to lose weight? Do they want me to prove that I can't lose weight? What percentage of my body weight do they want me to lose!? If I lose a bunch and am under a bmi of 35, are they going to say " hey, this lady can lose weight," and not approve me? Gahhhhh. No one knows. Face/palm. I went to my dr to get weighed and have him sign the referral and asked him what he wants me to do to lose and how much I should lose etc. he says " ask your ins company, I usually do an 1800 calorie eating plan.". So I leave and call them immediately and thy say " that is something you would have to discuss with your surgeon..". I call my Bariatric office and they say " ask your insurance company. ". I'm ready to scream. Or take some anti nausea mess from all he spinning in circles I'm doing. Where do I go from here? Gah!! The lady that answered the phone at the Bariatric place, she seems to think that the ins company wants me to lose weight so I no longer qualify for Bariatric surgery because I have no comorbid conditions and my bmi is JUST at 40.7. Yikes. She did transfer me to the nurse, where I got voicemail, and she has yet to call back. In her defense, it was late in The day when I called. I'm so lost. This phase is so so frustrating. I feel in my heart his will all eventually work out for he better but it's hard to relax not knowing if I need to fill my next 6 mos w Cookies and cake or green smoothies and melons. Kwim? Oh I'm tired already, of his ins stuff. They aren't weeding me out tho. I'm a fighter. Maybe all these calls I'm making to the ins company will look good to them when he surgeon submits the paperwork. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Oh I love this Thread! I could go on for days. For starters: *Shop for cute clothes that actually fit right, on the normal side. *Not mind seeing myself in the mirror. *Have sex w my husband without feeling like a whale. *Feel pretty. *Or I'll even take feeling human. *Play with my kids like it ain't no thang. Hehe *Have more than a couple items that fit, and actually choosing something nice from my closet vs. Reluctantly grabbing " the men's tshirt that doesn't hang to my elbows or have a grease stain. *Feel human. Wait did I say that already? *normal. Sized. Bra. One that doesn't have 3" wide straps to hold all the weight and keep me from wearing anything outside of tshirts. * get off my anti depressants. * feel good. That's it for now. In no particular order. Sent from my iPhone using VST