trekker954

It really isn't cut and dry. They are going to look over many things. I have Federal BCBS also. I provided the following and was approved within a day of them receiving the request. 1. BMI over 40 provided PCP Weights doctor notes showing numerous in office weigh loss program with my BMI over 40 2. BMI over 35 with co-morbitalities sleep Apnea diagnoses provided 3. Three year history of high BMI provided PCP notes showing numerous in office visits with BMI 37 - 40 BMI on a separate attachment provided 7 year weight history, I have a history of all my PCP weights, up and down, up and down, since 2008. On my PCP letterhead he gave to me.notated dates 4. Three consecutive month diet history within the year leading up to the request 5. Psych Evaluation 6. Nutrition Class

I wa.ted to do this but my surgeon requiescent a face to face. The week before. I will be in Canada for three weeks, so arranged to fly home on a Thursday night vs Friday. Now I'll see him on the Friday before my Wednesday Aug 10 surgery. He even said no to a Monday

So happy you came back and gave us an update. Very inspirational.

have BCBS also. From what I see here, most of the requirements are the same regardless of heathcare provider. You should have no issues getting all that done in 7 months. I was trying to get most of my referrals done within a month in Dec//jan, but saw the cardiologist who approved, but he wanted me to see another specialist who cleared, who wanted me to see another. What a money making scheme I thought. I had been on so many diets with my primary that I was able to just provide all those monthly notes from him for the diet portion. I did have a sleep apnea test. You see they more you can prove to them, the better. If you are very overweight and snore, you likely have it. That will be supportive in order to get approved. In the end, I had to postpone the surgery from Jan to August. I did have to get BCBS to reapprove, which thankfully they did. It was bad enough going thru all these hoops the first time around. I do have to get my primary to give me another cleared for surgery letter. ugh yeah, the psych eval was kind of stupid, waste of money for my part; but from what I read here there are so many who have regrets or bad marriages going into this and it will affect the outcome. My psych eval lasted 15 minutes and we mostly talked about the psychiatrists upcoming knee surgery. $175 later, I had a letter of clearance.

hang in there

posted wrong spot

Those that have had their gallbaldder removed at the same time. Does the doctor pull it through the same opening/incision? Do you know which comes out first? Just curious since I'm having it removed. As the doctor said, two for the price of one. Do you know if recovery is anymore difficult, as in getting up to walk, etc. How much longer is the surgery?

I've just had a ton of work travel. Cleveland clinic florida has been patiently waiting for months for me to be here long enough to recover. Need an update clearance from my primary July 12, my pre surgery visit with surgeon Aug 5 and surgery august 10. It's all planned now. Can't wait.

Usually you will need to pay co-pay upfront before you are taken in.

I do have tons of sick leave (probably about four months worth) of which I plan a good 3 weeks off, maybe more. I now telework two days a week. I've planned my surgery for early August because all of my meetings and such will end and due to budget cuts, I'll have little to do until October, our new fiscal year. So timely is perfect. I'd like to request episodic telework for week 4 to 6 (just to have access to my personal bathroom; be able to plan my meals at home, etc and I've read people are exhausted after WLS and I'm 62.). Working for the government, requesting telework for surgery recovering is common; however, I'm not sure I want to get into the details of what my surgery is. I've been putting off the gallbladder surgery for nearly a year that my boss knew about (which is what prompted me to now incllude the WLS which no one knows about). My office is just full of gossips and truly mean and nasty people. I work in Miami, that should say it all. i'm wondering what verbiage others may have used.

that's good verbiage.

i've had past outpatient surgeries that required anesthesia and have gotten a car service to take me in. but always arranged to have family/friend pick me up (that is typically required). I too do not like to inconvenience someone just to take me somewhere early in the morning, when there is nothing they can do for me especially when I know they'll have to stay to help me when I return home. i do however want my daughter to come by the hospital after my surgery to help me get up and walk as I hear that is so important after surgery.

Whenever I've checked in for any type of surgery, usually outpatient, they will ask for my photo ID and insurance, and run it to get the required co-pay. I actually just sent a note to the surgery insurance gal to ask what my co pay is. She said $175 a day (hopefully I will only be in for a day or two) since I haven't met my deductible yet.

Go to the seminar because it may help you decide. When I attended there were maybe 20 folks at mine. At least 3 stood up an left when the NUT said you may never have alcohol AGAIN, and at least 5 stood up and left when they talked about hair loss. A little dramatic yes, but it will weed out those who do not want to put any effort into their life changes.

Typicslly, 99% of the time, Macys with their 20% off coupon. I hate kohls. Depending on where you live, knowing you won't be this size for long, you might look at goodwill for high end labeled clothes. Sometimes you may find a real bargin. Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

I'm 62 1/2 and scheduled for the sleeve Aug 10th. I was approved by BCBS. I had to postpone this surgery from january until now. Just had to redo blood work and EKG. Other times I've lost weight, I've put a lot of effort into exercise. I've slowed down so much with age and weight. Still enjoy walking and biking, however, since my move to South Florida 8 years ago, I can barely stand the heat most of the year. So with surgery mid August, I can only imagine the temperature outside and I know we need to walk quite a bit the first week or two. I'm hoping I can drive to maybe Target or Walmart which is only about 1 miles down the road vs. 12 miles to the shopping mall, to walk around in air conditioning so I get more of a walk than just walking in my house. I bought an exercise bike, but must be honest, I've never used it and I look at it every single day. At least I refuse to hang clothes from it, lol. But I imagine it must be so much harder for us at this age to lose the weight and keep it off. I really want to lose the whole 100 pounds I need to lose.

I cruise a lot and travel a lot. My surgery is Aug 10th, I am sailing the brand new Harmony (3 nighter) in early November and my first river cruise (christmas market) in late november with three week land vacation. I am not at all worried about the cruises. Yes, it will be sooooooooooooo different and I'm hoping it won't be difficult to watch others eat on the river cruise. I am more worried about my time stuck in airport and airplanes and making sure I'm getting enough Water and liquid. With your Caribbean cruise I would definitely meet with the Matrie 'd and tell him/her straight out you've had that surgery and what your restrictions are. Because if you try and just ask them to hold back the potatoes (or whatever carbs) they just won't do it. You have to make them understand but they will. For my Carribbean cruise, I don't plan to eat in the Main Dining room. I will just go to the buffet, where I can select my own portion size of Protein and veg. I can be in and out of there in no time and not watch others linger over their food and wine. Also, get up on deck and walk for exercise and all the ships have gorgeous fitness centers. I think you'll do fine. Four weeks after my surgery I have to fly to NY for my nephews (very Italian and very elaborate) wedding, and a week later, my best friend is getting married in Tampa. I guess I will only be on soft food by then. Those will be a challenge but probably not, since I likely won't be tempted to do anything stupid that early.

I'm August 10th. They wanted to take me sooner, but I'm in Toronto for business three weeks July into August. But how fun doing a liquid diet in a hotel for a week and a half. At least its a residence Inn. My surgeon only required 2 shake replacement meals and one meal of Protein and veg.

I don't think that is necessarily true. When I was shopping around for surgeon, I had a surgeon explain, we can go ahead and do the surgery and then you can apply directly to blue cross blue shied. So I don't believe all surgeons are honest and I'd hate to go through with surgery and end up with a 20K bill. When I was approved, I received a letter from BCBS stating that I've been approved for 5 days in hospital (thats only if something goes wrong) and with a date. That date had to be changed twice. The letter states, if the date changes its up to you to notify them (not the surgeons office). But it will be the surgeons office who calls them right before my surgery date to firm up things.

My surgeon's office is driving me crazy. They came back and said BCBS said my approval is expired, and they will get a call back saying what I'd need to repeat, she wasn't sure if it was the 6 month diet and/or psyc eval. WHAT?? I said, I wasn't going through all that again. Two days later, today, she calls and says I have BCBS on the phone, its the same nurse who approved it originally so if I answer the questions correctly now, she'll approve. She asked if I've been still dieting and if I started smoking or have undergone some stressful thing in my life. Then asked my current weight and height. She called me back in 5 minutes and said its approved. geez. I'll be scheduled for early August.

I was approved back in mid January by BCBS, but had more tests results we had to wait longer than expected. Then I had multiple work trips to Asia, I had to take. My work is basically a lot of foreign travel and I did not want to risk being that far away. Now I'm ready to set up a surgery and even moreso if I can wait until early August because I won't have any travel until October. I've called my doctors office and the nurse said no worries, she'll get back to me after she reviews my package.. I didn't hear back and was hoping I'd hear so not to fret over this all weekend.

This was the doctors nurse. When I wanted to confirm the insurance approval was sstill good, she said I need to check with the insurance girl, but likely they'll just push the date back. That probably should have been done back in January or February. Oh well. It is what it is.

Doctor's office called. All they need from me is updated EKG and lab workup.

Exactly, why order all those tests? And I was pretty healthy. I felt two things as I was being probbed and prodded. One was it was just a money making scheme and two, that each specialist wanted to cover their a**, and not be the final say. In all honesty, I always wanted to get a full work up since I'm 62 now. The past ten years being 100 pounds overweight, but otherwise healthy I'd watch Dr. Oz or whomever and see test results for people who had some invasive procedures and results discussed. It all started because during a routine visit to my PCP who had me on Phentermine said, I had an irregular pulse and wanted to take me off phentermine and see a Cardiologist. However at the same time, I had taken the WLS seminar 4 months prior, so I was considering this. And my appt with WLS Surgeon and Cardiologist were about the same time. So that is how it all started and I couldn't get cleared for WLS while all these other doctors were requiring another test before they would clear me for the WLS. It was so insane. If I wasn't so invested in this hospital at this point, I may have looked at other options. But I also trust the surgeon. He is actually a fixer for others who run into complications. I'm just sorry I don't care for some of his staff or their shenanigans. I was so ready to have this done late January and when I had that blow out with the scheduler, I was left sobbing on the phone so afraid to do this now without the last test results or just go ahead because the timing was perfect and I was ready. She just felt, come in for the surgery in two days and if the results aren't back or showed a problem, I'd just go home. WTF. I also asked where is my requested letter to give to my work. She said just tell them. Again WTF. I had been doing the pre-op liquid diet for three weeks prior, lost about 15 pounds. During this blow out we were on the phone as I had just had my complete abdominal ultrasound leaving the hospital and I just sobbed to cancel THAT date, I wanted all results back, although I had no reason to expect anything bad. I drove immediately to a nearby TGIF and ordered a big lunch and margarita and sat there alone, amazed at what just had happened.