AmberMc03

Well ladies my surgeons office submitted everything on Thursday and Aetna has 14 days to respond. I Followup with the insurance coordinator on 6/2 and if approval is sent by then we will schedule my surgery. I am planning on the week of June 20th if the hospital can get me in that week. I'll have a 1 week liquid pre op diet.

Had all my stuff submitted to insurance for approval on Thursday 5/19. They have 2 weeks to give a response and my surgeons office said they haven't seen denial on anyone who has done everything required and shown pounds lost over the 90 day medically supervised weight loss. Should know by 6/2 when I will have surgery but hoping for the week of June 20 as my kids will be gone for a month and that gives me 4 weeks until they come back and I have to go back to work for a huge audit. Eek!!!! It's getting real!

Look for your insurance company's clinical bulletin regarding gastric or weight loss surgery. It should explain the requirements in detail. Aetna (Texas) is #0157.

I am still in the pre approval process. Looking at the calendar if all goes well I could have surgery as early as June 1. But..... We have a number of camping trips this summer plus my kids go visit their grandmother for a couple weeks and I have 2 major audits at work in June/July. There are 2 opportunities that would give me 2 weeks before a trip or audit ---- is this enough time to be ready to be away from home or busy/stressed at work? I do not stress eat when under pressure at work I tend not to eat when I am swamped. What are your thoughts/experiences? I really want to do surgery while the kids are gone but that's 2 weeks before a camping trip that involves lots of outdoor water park type activities. How did you handle the hourly "eating" (drinking) on the liquid diets? My post op is 2 weeks clear liquids, 2 weeks full liquids, 2 weeks puréed, 2 weeks soft food.

Check out Memorial Hermann NewStart program they may be able to provide support group and after care if needed. That's the program I am using and it's great!

So dates are changing some... We have our first trip early June then my kids are going to their grandmothers for a month so I can have my surgery another week to two weeks earlier than I thought will give me three - four weeks before the water park camping trip. I hope that's enough time cuz I have been looking forward to his trip for a year! We've never been to this place before and we prepaid for the whole thing so we are going whether I can get up and get out or not.

The IUD should be fine but Followup with your doctor to be sure. I have tried tons of shakes and so far Herbalife is my favorite for flavor. They also have a tasteless protein powder than can be added to clear liquids, meal replacement shakes and full liquids not to mention the puréed foods.

@@Womanvsmirror does Aetna require you to stay above 40 BMI until the day of surgery? I just dipped down to 40 and I have 1 more weigh in before submission to Aetna and then a good 30 days before I can have the surgery! Plus a 2 week liquid diet will definitely make me drop lbs!!

@ - that's good to know and I'm glad you are on the right track. I'm getting more and more nervous and I'm still 2 months out at least.

@ please update in a few days to when you are feeling more "normal" after surgery. I am curious to see how long recovery takes to get back to where you feel okay.

Well the trips this year were pre-paid before I made the decision to have surgery. I am not worried about work I can do from home as needed and I do not lift anything or handle machinery. I have an office job. Lots of meetings and computer work. I will never have more than 2 weeks to recover and be ready to face my world. I guess I'll have to deal as it comes. It looks like I'll be able to move my surgery back a week to give me 3 weeks before the camping trip - and we don't rough it we have a camper... I just didn't want to miss out on the lazy river at yogi bear! Lol

Every time my kids and I FaceTime with my family out of state I realize how big I am so I try to stay off the screen. I hate looking at my swelled up face and 3 chins!

My mother was furious with me. She ranted about surgery being non-reversible and how my Aunt's lap band was unsuccessful. I'm still not sure how she feels about it as she won't talk about it. I guess that means she is still not happy. I sent her a lengthy email explaining my decision and the benefits vs risks data. I told her that my decision has been made and the insurance company is the only thing that could stop or slow me down. I asked for her support and told her that just like previous medically necessary surgeries that I really need her support.

Hi I live 50 miles south of Houston. I am in the pre approval phase hoping to have surgery in June. It's a lot of appointments and headaches but will all be worth it when I can play with my kids and walk the dogs without thinking I m dying.... And not be able to gorge myself on the bad stuff! I cannot wait. Plus reduce my risk for hereditary type 2 diabetes, get off my high BP meds and possibly reduce/eliminate migraines!

Oh well that's the denomination I've heard the most about on blessing the house .... I'm sure others do it. I'm in Texas so those 2 groups are prominent here.

I have had 2 c-sections as well, the 2nd one was 5 years and 3 months ago! I was wondering how much easier this recovery would be than those. I think the diet and liquid I take will be tougher to deal with than recovery of a laparoscopic surgery.

Find a pastor from a baptist or Pentecostal church and have the home blessed and anointed. :-)

I had my initial consult on 2/15 and my insurance requires 90 days of supervised weight loss, psych evaluation, nutrition class, gall bladder ultrasound, EGD and blood work. I found that everything can be done during the 90 day supervised weight loss. I hate having to wait so long but I know why they do it. This is a huge change for the rest of your life and you really have to prepare yourself for it. If I am approved soon after the end of my 90 days, which will be mid-late May I am hoping to schedule my surgery for the end of June because my kids will be visiting their grandmother out of state so I won't worry about them. Good luck to you and remember it's all worth the wait!

Look for a clinical bulletin published by BCBS that should tell you all the requirements.

I have been searching for people who have been sleeved over 5 years!! There's isn't any data on success rate or complications down the road. Have you had any problems? Can you still only eat very small amounts? How is your overall health? Sorry for all the questions but I am in the pre approval process to get sleeved and the long term data is something I really wanted to see to ease my concern with this life changing .... Irreversible surgery...

Susan I also have Aetna and he my initial consult with the Surgeon on 2/15/16. I have a laundry list of things to do and I've been stressing over my coinsurance for all the pre-approval requirements!

My aunt and cousin both had sleeve surgeries done in Mexico. Quite frankly I think it's a bad idea. Mexico has different health and safety laws and regulations, there is much less chance of being able to travel back and forth for follow ups. I understand the appeal of pricing and availability to have it done sooner than waiting on insurance. I started this journey on 2/7/16 by attending a seminar and meet/greet with one of the surgeons in the group I was referred to. Then my consult with my surgeon was on 2/15 and insurance requires me to be under medical weight loss supervision for 90 days in the mean time I am to lose approx 5 lbs, have a psych evaluation; a variation nutrition class, upper gi scope, gall bladder ultrasound and monthly weigh ins with my surgeon. My plan is to have the surgery the week of 6/27/16 while my kids are visiting their grandma for a few weeks. I don't want them seeing me leaving for the hospital or immediately post op. By the time they come home I should be starting the puréed foods phase of post op and they won't know any different except mommy is losing weight. My aunt and cousin both had sleeve surgeries done in Mexico. Quite frankly I think it's a bad idea. Mexico has different health and safety laws and regulations, there is much less chance of being able to travel back and forth for follow ups. I understand the appeal of pricing and availability to have it done sooner than waiting on insurance. I started this journey on 2/7/16 by attending a seminar and meet/greet with one of the surgeons in the group I was referred to. Then my consult with my surgeon was on 2/15 and insurance requires me to be under medical weight loss supervision for 90 days in the mean time I am to lose approx 5 lbs, have a psych evaluation; a variation nutrition class, upper gi scope, gall bladder ultrasound and monthly weigh ins with my surgeon. My plan is to have the surgery the week of 6/27/16 while my kids are visiting their grandma for a few weeks. I don't want them seeing me leaving for the hospital or immediately post op. By the time they come home I should be starting the puréed foods phase of post op and they won't know any different except mommy is losing weight.