alex76

I have a an old single speed cruiser bike that I love. I can't wait to get home from work, jump on my bike, and cruise down a local trail. It really doesn't even feel like exercise most days!

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Since a few of us are from the Chicago area and are having surgery around the same time, would anybody be interested in a Chicago area meet up?

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I'm scheduled for RNY on July 3!

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I called BCBSIL yesterday to check. I was told that the policy changed in Feb 2019. They no longer have a requirement for a set number of visits. They will leave the number of visits for your doctor to decide when you're ready for surgery. The insurance coordinator for my surgeon's office will submit on the day of my last visit, June 3.

They have given me date of pre-op class and two tentative surgery dates- one in June and one in July. Surgery depends on when they receive an approval from insurance.

Out of curiosity, were you required to have 3 mos or 6 mos of visits? I keep hearing both when it comes to BCBSIL.

Congratulations & good luck! Please keep us posted with updates!

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In case anyone ever has this question in the future... it took about a week!! I'm approved!! I haven't gotten the call but my blue cross blue shield app updated to show my pre-approval is well... APPROVED!!! So f-ing excited I can hardly contain myself. And of course its Friday and I'll probably have to wait till Monday to hear from the scheduler for my date.

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I also have BCBSIL and will be submitting in early June. I hope I get an approval as fast as you did! My surgeon has tentatively scheduled me for surgery either June 26 or July 2.

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I'm tentatively scheduled for RNY on July 2, so I'll be quietly lurking in the shadows on this group. I can be like the a very distant cousin in your little family LOL

I'm a teacher, so my bariatric team knew that I wanted a summer surgery. I'll be done with all of my requirements Monday April 29, so I'm a little ahead of the game.

Good luck to us all!

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Good luck!!! Please post updates for the rest of us following behind you

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That's what I'm hearing too. I'm hoping for first week of June [emoji39]. Such a long road, finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

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Definitely a long road, but it gave me a chance to make a lot of necessary changes. I also had a chance to read info on this site, listen to WLS podcasts, watch many episodes of 600 lb Life, so Ive seem the good and bad sides to surgery. It's a lot to think about. But I feel ready.

Which surgery are you having? I originally was hoping to get sleeved, but my bariatric rn is a bypass patient herself, and she convinced me to get rny too.

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I also have BCBSIL and will be finished with last requirement on Monday April 29. My insurance coordinator says that it can take up to 2 weeks for approval. I'm a teacher, so I'm hoping for a July date. Good luck to us both!

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K- hope hope all is well for you today! Can't wait to hear from you

My endoscopy was this morning and it was easy peezy- wish surgery was this easy! Lol

Alex did you have your endo!?

I had it this morning- wasn't so terrible after all

Meems- good story. Keep us posted

K- that's so awesome! I'll most definitely be thinking of you all weekend!

I am hoping to schedule during March which is when my spring break is. I'd like to call off 5 days instead of 10.

Yesterday was D's big day- I can't wait to hear from her!

K- you're just 3 days away- how are you feeling?!

Rea- I lost my siblings within a year of each other 10 years ago and 2 weeks ago I lost my father. You're right though, avoiding sickness and early death is a good motivation to move forward with this surgery.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for the encouragement about the endoscopy- I think I'm just stressing this final month!

I just got the call this morning that I got approved!!!

Still sinking it in, not sure how to feel yet lol

Congrats! What insurance do you have?

My doc will be submitting to Cigna next month. I have my endoscopy scheduled for Monday.

K- I hope things are going better on your diet. You're so close!

I met with the surgeon today and he is scheduling me for an endoscopy next Monday. It all seems so real now!

My final doctor's appointment is February 10 and that's when everything will be submitted to the insurance. I'm nervous on about 6 different levels...

I've heard good and bad about Cigna- but no more or less than other insurance companies... Or maybe I'm just being hopeful

I'm doing really well- sticking with high Protein and low carb. Learning the difference bw head hunger and stomach hunger has been a challenge!

Excited for all of us!

I can't wait to hear your news, Blue! I'll be waiting on an approval from Cigna next month too

KCamp- Good luck with your diet- you're almost there now!

2Big- 500 calories?! Is that safe? I wonder if you'll feel satisfied after days of just 500 cals... Have you tried using MFP to help track calories?

I started making small changes the same day my dr told me I had gained weight last month, but I didn't get very serious til last week. It's pretty common for very obese people to a lot at first

WATP and yoga are great bc I get a nice workout without exhausting myself so much.

Baby steps!

I'm so excited for you both and the rest of us will learn so much from you gals!

My body is responding very well to high protein/low carbs and doing some movement each day. Biggest Loser workouts, yoga, and WATP have been a great way to start! I actually eat when I feel stomach hunger now and that has been a new experience for me. Ignoring "head hunger" has been difficult, but not impossible.

I am down 16 lbs. since my December doctor's appointment and have my next appointment in about 1/12 weeks. It seems like a lot of weight, but since I started at 318 lbs., much of it is Water weight and I've always found that start of losing weight is not the hard part- but staying consistent and keeping it off is the real test for me. I am hoping that the surgery will help me battle with those issues.

I hope everyone is off to a great new year and is staying warm!