NewYearNewMe2025

Thanks! It actually didn't take very long - it just seemed like it did! The entire process, beginning to end took 17 days. Which to me is an eternity because not knowing causes so much anxiety! I had my initial appt/medical evaluation on Fri, Nov 9th. On Wed, Nov 14, they called to tell me they had verified benefits and would prepare a letter of medical necessity and submit it to insurance. Not sure exactly when they did that. The following week was Thanksgiving week-as of that Wednesday, they didn't even show anything in their system. But when I called the insurance company today, they said it was approved on Monday, Nov 26th! I am hoping your insurance runs as smoothly as mine. I would love to have a banding partner, who is going thru everything at the same time I am! I'm doing it while on Christmas vacation so that nobody wonders why I am off work (we have gossipy people at my job), and also, I will have from Dec 21-Jan 1st to fully recover. I have a stressful job, so I need the recovery time going back. Being a teacher, Christmas Break would be the perfect time for you also. In about 1 1/2 weeks, I would call your insurance company to check on the status. At first I was afraid to, but I couldn't take the suspense!

Got the news I was approved today. Yeah!!!! Now the scariest part to me is the thought of trying to change my life long eating habits permanently. I've honestly been scared to death these last few days as I've been eating - yeserday was eatng a plate of spagetti, and I realize that after surgery, there is no way I could eat a whole plate of spaghetti. I couldn't even eat 1/4 of what I was eating. So of course there is this urge to eat everything I can now, before I start my preop diet because I think I'll never be able to have it again (I know that's not true, but that doesn't keep my mind from telling me that). Don't get me wrong - I want to not eat that big plate of spaghetti. I want to be able to eat a small amount and be full., instead of always being hungry and eating several times trying to get that feeling of being full I want to be healthy, get rid of the back pain, not look horrible in clothes, etc. I just don't know how I'm going to mentally handle the thought that I am only supossed to eat a few spoonfuls, and that I will live (logically I know I will-it's just games my mind is playing with me) I've been paying more attention to the way I eat these last few days, as I was waiting to hear whether or not I was approved. I realized that I don't really chew my food - I take large bites and chew a couple of times and swallow and take the next bite. And I eat fast. I guess knowing what I have to do post surgery is making me more aware of my habits now. So the band is going to help me do what I need to do. Force me to stop or else I throw up - which I hate, so I think after it happens once or twice I'll probably get the picture. I know the band won't work if my mind isn't right and I don't make the lifestylel changes - and I know I've made them in the past - exercising 5 or 6 days a week and eating less (although not as little as I'll be eating now). Just wondering how others are preparing themselves mentally for the change. Thanks

Called my insurance company today and got the great news - Approved! On the very first try! I called last Wednesday before Thanksgiving and they didn't even show they had received anything. But it was approved yesterday, the Monday after Thanksgiving. Took a little over 2 weeks from my first visit for my medical evaluation, to my final approval, and that includes the thanksgiving holidays! The doctors office did say I was lucky...approved on the first go around and they only required a letter of medical neccessity. I had typed up a list of my weight loss history and had it when I went to my initial appointment (i.e. different tries at Weight Watchers & Quick Weight Loss centers, and included my starting and ending weights and the amount lost). Of course each time I started a new one my weight was always higher than it was when I began the one before it! I guess they accepted that, since it was pretty detailed and dated back to 1999. SO HAPPY!!!!!! Now I just have wait to hear from the financial person at the doctors offie to tell me what my portion of the costs will be.

I was wondering if anyone went thru Lapband Solutions/True results/AIGB in Houston (goes by diff names). They have a large network of doctors, it appears. Their texas base appears to be Dallas. How efficient were they in submitting your request for preauthorization and letter of medical necessity to your insurance company? How friendly and easy were they to work with? Were they willing to answer questions, if you called to check on the status of your "case"? How long from when they contacted you and said you had benefits and they would submit the info, until the time you heard back from your insurance company with either an approval or denial? At this point in time, I'm planning on using them, and they have submitted the letter of medical necessity to my insurance company, although I'm not sure of the exact day. I called insurance company last Wednesday and they did not have anything in the system yet. I want to call and ask them when it was sent off, but I don't want to be a pest. I also would really like a copy of the letter for my file, but I don't know if they would give it to me. Thanks in advance

Thanks everyone for your responses. Sometimes it just helps to know others are in the same boat. I did call my insurance company the Wednesday before Thanksgiving but they didn't see anything in the system. So I'm not going to check on anything until maybe Friday. I would hate for it to be "lost in the system" and to be waiting and they haven't even received anything! Just a girl - I would love to keep in touch. Where in Texas do you live? I'm in Houston. In reading everone's responses, I wonder about the company who checked on my insurance, although I know they do it all the time. Before my appt, I spent all this time looking for copies of receipts, and my weight watcher weight booklets from the million times I tried it. (it's a good program - I just can't keep the weight off long term). I got a copy of medical records from my doctor (which I had to pay for). Looked for old credit card statements from years ago for stuff I didn't have actual receipts from. All that, and the place I'm using said they didn't need any of that for my insurance- that all they had to do was submit the letter of necessity. I would have rather they got a copy from me and submitted it, so that I don't get a denial where they are asking for all that information. I say better to give them too much information than not enough. I don't want any delays. If I don't get it done over Christmas break, my next chance probably won't be until Spring break. So I'm praying. 2 years ago I wouldn't have even considered surgery. This time last year, I was desperate and depressed and talking to someone who had gastric, who encouraged me to do it, but I felt like I still had to try again (so I spent another $4000 for a diet center and personal training sessons). Of course, I'm right where I was this time lst year, although I did lose weight this year - I gained it all back as usual. So finally I realized that nothing is wrong with getting help in the form of surgery (although I prefer lap band to gastric). Sometimes you can't do things on your own, no matter how much you try. The physical aches and pains I experience on a day to day basis are getting harder and harder and its interfering with my enjoyment of life. Last night was a great example. We went to a basketball game, and just walking from the venue back to the car (we were lost and ended up walking in a big circle) my back was killing me and I was sweating and trying to hide my back pain from the others I was with. And I just can't stop eating! Lately I feel like I'm never full. It drives me crazy. Anyway, sorry for going on and on. I'm just really down after last night's experience. It's not the first time, but I'm tired of not being able to do something normal like walk from a stadium to the car with out pain. Anyway, I'll snap out of it! Thanks everyone for you support!

Wow! Thanks to both of you for the advice. After all I've heard, I should prepare myself for the initial denial, and I know I will appeal (because they try and not pay and many give up after being denied). It's just that normally I'm a negative person (i.e. expecting the worse) but for some reason I've been feeling really positive about this and it took me a while to accept that I can't do this on my own. I just hate to go thru the whole appeal process but I will if needed! I have United Healthcare Choice plus (I live in Texas). I wonder if the same deadlines apply to me since it's the end of the year? I may just try giving them a call. Thanks If anyone else has any other advice & experiences, I would love to hear it! Thanks again.

How you do make it thru the wait, while you are waiting to hear whether or not your insurance approved or denied the surgery? The "not knowing" is horrible. And the more I read various posts, the more scared I get that I am getting my hopes up for nothing. :phanvan The anxiety is driving me crazy....I don't want to be optimistic, and then be disappointed. But at the same time, I'm doing all this research and talking with people who have had WL surgery to see how they liked it, etc. I've even gotten the support of my mom and dad (and I thought my dad would be completely against the lap band-he shocked me with his support). And I've tried so many diets, and lost 40 or 50 lbs, but I always gain it back with additional weight. I can't seem to do this long term on my own, so I really need insurance to cover part of it (because I can't pay $13K for surgery). The office said I should know in 1 to 2 weeks (it's been 1 week), but from what I've seen on here, United Healthcare can take forever sometimes, and then deny you. And of couse, right now we have the Thanksgiving holidays, so nobody is going to be looking at it then. The doctors office actually asked if I wanted to schedule surgery for November 30th, so they seemed pretty confident of a quick approval from United Healthcare, but I can't take off the beginning of the month, so if I'm approved, I'm going to have it during my Christmas vacation time. I've heard that some people call their insurance company to check the status of their request, but I'm scared that if I call the insurance company directly, I may mess something up and cause myself to be denied. Just wondering how others made it thru this. If you did call to check on the status of your request for preapproval, exactly what did you ask when you called in? Thanks!

I think it is very scary to think about changing life long habits, such as "pigging out on pizza". But those type of things are what got us to where we are right now. We can't eat what ever we want, in the quantities that we want, and be healthy and not overweight. I battle with this question as well....I am scared at the thought of having to change my eating habits....having to eat slow and chew my food, not sitting down with a plate heaped with food. But I'm tired of the back pain, always being exhausted, losing and regaining over and over. I want to be healthy and smaller more than I want the food. It will be hard adjustment....but everyone I have talked to has not regretted it. But it is a personal decision for everyone. You have to be mentally ready for the changes, in order for it to succeed. By the way, you are NOT CRAZY! You are normal. I think it would be more abnormal if you weren't having these thoughts and questions. This is a major life change, and it is important to think it thru. Good luck to you!

That's great to hear! Thanks!

I am looking at using Dr. Frank Felts thru True Results/Lap Band Solutions. He works out of Dallas and Houston. Does anyone have any experience with him in either office? If you have used him for the Houston office, how was your experience with the staff and aftercare? How did it seem to work with him having a practice in both cities? If you used him in Dallas, how was your experience with dealing with him personally as a doctor? I have been in for a seminar that he talked at, and I've had my medical evaluation, and am awaiting insurance approval. If everything goes as planned, I will be having surgery Dec 21st, so I can recuperate over my Christmas vacation before returning to work. Thanks for your help.