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Good luck! I hope it all goes well and you are feeling great.

Got bumped up a day today so I will be getting sleeved on Monday, April 25th. Liquid diet starts Saturday so having a nice Easter dinner tomorrow night. Happy Good Friday to me!

April 26th here with Dr. Todd Eibes in Des Moines, Iowa! Whoot Whoot!

I also don't talk about the surgery on my wall but do chat and send private messages with other sleevers on my fb page. Feel free to add me. Deb Burbridge Pfiffner

April 26th here! Woo Hoo! Ok....I'm excited but also getting more nervous as it gets closer but I know it's normal. I worry about missing food. I am so used to eating massive quantities of food and I think, in a weird way, I am going to miss that at times. It's weird. But, that is also the reason I am doing this....so I CAN'T eat massive quantities of food!!!!!

Holy Cow! There sure are a lot of us out there! I have been watching a few of you guys for quite awhile and had no idea you were on here too. Here is my link:

In Des Moines, Iowa with Dr. Todd Eibes. How about you?

Got my surgery date today. Woo Hoo! April 26th. I can't wait. Keep the faith everyone. It will be your turn soon!

What I have seen from most people, myself included, is that they did their diet with their doctor and went once a month for how ever many months are required by their insurance companies. I also believe that say your insurance is a 6 month diet, that it is actually 6 visits, which is actually only 5 months, not actually 6 full months. If that makes sense.

I was denied because they said my doctor and I didn't discuss exercise enough during the supervised diet. We did discuss it and both he and the surgeon's office felt his notes were sufficient but they still denied me. Also, my BMI is over 50. I think you just never know what they are going to say. What I ended up doing was writing a letter with all the reasons I felt I needed the surgery, which included all the diets and exercise plans I had been on over the past 30 years and I sent it to them. I also noted what exercises I had been doing and how often over the past two years. I made sure I gave a TON of detail in this letter They say they will take any additional information you have and will review it if you are denied. I did not file an appeal, just submitted the letter after I got my denial letter. Shockingly, it worked and they approved me. I was very surprised. It might not be a bad idea to include a letter with your initial paperwork and see if helps get you approved. I think the more information you give them, the better.

I just think you never know for sure what's going to happen. I wonder if it just depends on who reviews your information. My info was submitted when it was a 3 month diet requirement. I had done a 5 month doctor supervised diet and also submitted 2 months of weight watchers weigh ins (weighed weekly) and I got denied. But, I hear other people say it was a piece of cake for them so I think you just never know. Maybe sometimes people are cranky when they are reviewing them or something!

OMG you guys. You are not going to believe this. Ok...so I was denied in February becuase they said my doctors notes did not show that we had discussed exercise during my doctor supervised diet so my surgeon's office wanted me to redo the three month diet. Then the plan changed to six months. I was really, really down about it but decided I would go ahead and do the six months since I really didn't have a choice. I kept calling and getting advice from their customer service representatives and they kept saying if I could submit any additional information to please do so and they would review it. So...I decided to write a letter detailing my lifelong battle with my weight. I included all the diets and exercise programs I had been on and also informed them of the medical issues I was afraid of getting in the near future. I really didn't hold much hope that it would work but I figured what do I have to lose? Guess what????? I just found out this morning that I was approved! I cannot believe it! For those of you out there who are feeling down....don't give up. I was feeling really low but didn't give up and I made it work! You can do it too! Don't let them get the best of you.

It seems like it is hit or miss with them. I also attended a support group meeting, met with a dietitian, psych eval and actually did a five month doctor supervised diet and still got denied. I am not giving up hope though.

[Leesey- where did you go through to get the $4500 price?

Yep. I just called and was told it changed to 6 months also. I asked why I had been told by several people there that it was not changing and they had no answer for me! Of course.