NewBeginning2015

Woo hoo! So happy for you! Keep it up! I'll be having my surgery tomorrow. I think it is great to have the surgery just before the New Year. It makes me feel that 2015 will be the year of change. Good luck!

Hello there, my surgery is tomorrow (New Years eve!) and I have been up all night worried that my insurance approval will be overturned because I have gained weight since the approval several weeks ago. The approval letter states "The information provided above is not a guarantee of coverage. Coverage is based on all the terms and conditions of your plan as well as eligibility at the time services are received." My Aetna plan requires a 90 day pre-surgery regimen, and states: "Records must document compliance with the program; the member must not have a net gain in weight during the program." I lost weight during the program, but gained 4 pounds after the approval letter was received. Does anyone know if Aetna ever denies paying for surgery after pre-approving? Am I over thinking this? :-s

What I did was go all shakes until I dropped off the excess weight (with a little wiggle room) and then added in dinner. That way the pressure was mostly off. You have more time than I did, though, so you could start with having dinner, watch how much you are losing, and then switch to all shakes if necessary for the last few days. Best wishes!

Wow, very cool to take the journey together! Best wishes.

jenniferg2013, Have you heard yet? Fingers crossed for you.

Alix1019, good for you! That is *exceptional*, especially around the holidays where so much temptation is around! Congrats and big pat on the back. You are doing a great job to set yourself up for success.

Woo Hoo, Andrew, CONGRATS! Sounds like you are doing great! So glad to hear it. I am due to go in for surgery in a few days (Dec 31st). It will be exciting to see where we are at this time next year! Best.

Hi there, I am getting the sleeve on 31st of Dec. What is your diet? Mine is just shake for Breakfast & Snacks, low fat meat & veggies for lunch and dinner, so it is not too bad. Except of course with all the Christmas stuff around...

I told my boss that I was having a "sort of personal surgery" and he turned red and didn't ask anymore. Later he referred to it (to me) as a "the girl thing" so it's pretty fair to assume he thinks I am having an ovary removed or something. It was nice to just be vague and not have to lie. But if pressed, I planned to say that it was hernia because a paraesophageal hernia is a stomach related issue which my surgeon said is common and can be fixed during laproscoptic surgery. Good luck, bubsen!

Hi everybody. Just found this forum, very excited to find it and meet all of you who are going through something similar. I have cheated, too...it's been especially tough around Christmas. I cleared all temptation out of the house yesterday (sent it with my collage-aged nephew) and have been feeling better today. I am getting a sleeve on the 31st. It was the last appointment available this year, and I am glad she fit me in. It helps with my insurance deductibles, but also I really love the idea of starting 2015 with an absolutely new, health-conscious perspective. I aim to make it my best year ever!

Hello 2NewBeginnings! You are in good company -- I had the same challenge too. My surgeon had me go on the pre-op diet early, to ensure that I showed the insurance company a weight loss. Like cynthiaarm, I had mostly shakes for three days before my final weigh in, and then on the day itself avoided drinking anything until I weighed in. It worked! I made it, with a few pounds to spare. Lucky thing, because I was prepared to ask them to weigh me without any clothes if necessary! ;-p Congrats on getting to the end of your six months, and good luck on your final weigh in. Post and let us know how it goes.