lonestar5212

Charmaine - My last appt. for supervised diet is Jan. around the 20th. They told me they will submit my file that day to Aetna. It seems so far away, but thank goodness the holidays are keeping me very busy.

I was a SAHM while my kids were growing up. I have 5 of them, (one set of twins). Ages 26-38. I have been married for 40 years. My husband retired from corporate America 2 years ago and now sells real estate. I started my own real estate investment company, and I flip houses. (Couldn't stand traditional "retirement.") I have lived in Pa., Hawaii, New York, Texas, Florida and then back to Texas. Job transfers with my husbands job kept us on the move. I love politics, movies, reading, decorating and remodeling houses, and traveling. Went to Brazil and Ireland recently. Best trips are the ones to visit my grandaughter near NYC. Ruined my knees by being too aggressive for my weight at exercise a couple of years ago, but I still go to the gym and do the cycle and a few other things. I definitely look forward to starting yet another new chapter in my life as a thin person. I used to dream about a day like that, now I know it is possible, and I am on my way.

So awesome!!! Congratulations!

hajohnson1 - OMG, good luck tomorrow!!!!!!!! Keep us posted.

Trish5713 - I am exactly in your position. BMI was 41.5 and I have been asking the same question. I lost 7 pounds the first month of my supervised diet and if I keep losing I will fall below 40. But my ins. says that they need to see that I can follow a diet program. So, ??????

By the way, when you get back on that stage, you let us know and we will be there to cheer you on! Good luck with surgery, keep us posted.

Put me on the list!!!!

I am curious. When you were on the supervised diet for insurance, how much did you lose? Was it a 3 month or 6 month program?

Hi- not banded myself yet, but I go to a gym and do a treadmill or elyptical, and use the exercise bike to help my knees, per my orthopedic. Days I don't go to the gym, I walk. Whatever you choose, just start slow.

Hi Beth & Cari - I too am expecting banding Feb. 08. Completed psyc. eval., saw nutritionist in Oct., still have to meet with nutritionist in Jan. again. Will complete diet and exercise program in Jan. So glad to find people that will be banded around the same time as I will be. Keep posting and look forward to taking this journey together.

MollyBrown - Thanks for the reply. I have Aetna. Yes, I have diabetes, high cholesterol and pre-hypertension. I called the insurance company when I first started thinking about this and they faxed me the info. on obesity surgery. It is BMI exceeding 40 OR greater than 35 with one co-morbidy. I guess I just answered my own question! Plus, I just read a section they have in the info. about the rationale for the requirements, and they clearly say that a patient's compliance with a diet before surgery provides an indication of the likelihood of compliance with the restrictions imposed post surgery. And then it says "the appropriateness of obesity surgery in noncompliant patients should be questioned." So I think I will continue dieting and exercising. Thank you for helping me sort it out. Sometimes we just need someone to focus us in the direction where the answers are right there.

The reason I ask this is because I am afraid to go below 40BMI. I was 41.5 when I started, and have lost 7 pounds the first month. If I lose more than 1 more pound, I will be below 40. Will that hurt my chances for approval, or does insurance co. go by your BMI when you started?

Just listened to you sing, Wow!!!! You are very blessed.

Msmonaaz- Thank you so much for posting your bad day. For those of us who are still on our journey with ins., it reminds us to hang in there and why this is so important for us. For me, I have such up and down days of excitement and then downs because I am afraid I won't get approved, then fearful thoughts about being able to do everything right post-op, etc etc. Your story brought me back to my everyday reality of what life is like as a fat person in this world. And thanks to all the other comments regarding, booths vs. tables, airplane seats, chairs with arms, split clothing, getting out once your in, etc. etc. We get so busy with the process at the beginning. But I think is was important for me to re-focus on what brought me to this in the first place. It chases away all the doubts.

I am so sorry you had such an bad day. But it is all going to change for you soon. You hang in there. Look forward to hearing about all the wonderful changes in your life as you go forward banded!

Jennlynn26, flowerpurr, & charmaine - I am in exactly the same situation as all of you with Aetna. I am missing one year also. I have every year back to 2000 except 2004. My BMI is 41.5 and I have diabetes. I haven't submitted yet because I am still doing the supervised diet. Time will tell what Aetna does with me. Keep us posted. Congrats on your approval Charmaine.

This whole process is so stressful. I have been stressed out since I first went to a seminar! Worry, worry worry about getting approved. It shouldn't be this hard. I have felt like I am on a rollercoaster for sure. Pure excitement, then down when I read about all the difficulities people have had with insurance. Trying to gather everything I need for health history, checking, double checking, making the appointments, then getting excited again and then down again, etc. I think I am going to drive myself crazy. And I haven't even submitted to insurance yet!! I think that will be VERY difficult waiting. So, I am saying, you are totally normal for feeling the way you do. I think we must all go through the same process. I am crossing my fingers that you get good news soon!!! Good luck and keep us posted.

Own my own real estate investment company. Translation-I flip houses. Love it!

Forgive me for interrupting the flow of the posts by asking, but how do I get to the over 50 thread when I sign on? Thanks, and you are all my heroes. I will probably be banded end of Jan. 08 or Feb.

Green- you are so right about the coping mechanism being food. That came home loud and clear for me whenenver I discovered I had a daughter on drugs. I learned very quickly that I was no different than her. My drug of choice was food. Different substance, same problem. She found a way out 3 years ago now, and she is my biggest supporter for the lapband. She encourages me to go forward, at the same time warns me about what lies ahead for me with regard to relationships, warns of having expectations that don't pan out and leave me fighting depression, etc., and is helping me decide on something to focus on so I don't replace the food with something just as harmful. I have a feeling I will be depending on her alot.

Where can I buy this Unjury? Thanks. Still going through process for ins. co. but want to be prepared and ready to go.

I went to a seminar in October and went for my consultation a few days later. I began the process and was ectastic! It was all I could think of. I couldn't stay away from this board of fantastic information. I saw the nutrionist, had my psyc eval., signed medical releases all over town to have my records fowarded, begin the 3 month diet and excercise mandatory program, all was good and I was so happy. Now I find myself feeling very down. I am convinced that I won't get approved by my insurance co. and will have done all this just to be back where I started. Another reason is that I am not really sure I am doing the right thing on this diet and exercise program. Am I really supposed to lose and fall below the 40 BMI? Won't that make getting approval tougher? Or if I don't lose, does that make getting approval harder? I want this so much. I want to get healthy again and live a long time. Has anyone else gone through this type of up and down waiting?

Arin - I am just at the beginning of my journey also. Had my psyc. eval. last Wed. I was very nervous also, but it turned out to be very simple. I actually relaxed quite a bit once the interview began, and ending up enjoying the session. He told me at the end that he felt I was an excellent candidate, so all is well. You will do just fine.

I have not had surgery yet, still meeting all my criteria for ins. co., but I am very nervous about how I will manage my diabetes and hypoglycemia during the pre-op and post-op dieting. Can anyone discuss this issue?

That is sooooo awesome. That is my main reason for going for this surgery. I know what years and years of dealing with diabetes can bring. My A1C in my most recent bloodtest was 6.2. My doctor is totally convinced that I will be in the 5. something range as soon as I have this surgery. For that reason alone, I cannot imagine why the insurance companies wouldn't approve everyone with diabetes!! Look at all the healthcare issues we will be avoiding by losing weight and getting healthy!~ Congratulations to you on your constantly improving health!!!!