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Hi All I have a questions regarding how much care I'm going to need post op. My mother was supposed to come to NY for my surgery (I live here and she doesn't) but my grandfather has been ill and she's been in the hospital with him and cannot miss more work to come here for me. I was planning on going back to my apartment after my surgery but I will be there alone all day and can't figure out if that's a stupid idea. My roommate will be home in the evening and will help me with anything I need but I don't know if that's enough. I do have the option of moving in with a family friend in the suburbs but really would prefer to recover in my own home and in my own bed. Any thoughts? Will I be ok on my own during the day? I've never had surgery before and really don't know! Thanks

So wierd! Hope you are able to get approved through the secondary insurance.

My employer also added lap band coverage this year. Talk to your HR and talk to your benefits manager and see if they could think about adding. Good luck!

it really depends on your surgeon. it is taking me six weeks from my surgeon appointment to the actual surgery

Are you sure you read correctly? I also have Aetna and they definitely cover the band, just the way it's worded may be confusing. Why don't you call an Aetna rep and make sure that it's not covered. It would be wierd if your employer chose to just cover gastric bypass and not gastric banding... these are what aetna covers - i bolded the band open or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), open or laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with or without duodenal switch (DS), or laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB) good luck!

you're welcome

Ok I hope I remember this. Click on anyone's ticker and it will take you to the site, and you create a pin which will then let you make your own ticker. Once you have the ticker you copy the link and paste it here. To paste it you go to User CP at the top left corner and then click on Edit Signature and paste the link in. Hope that helped.

My surgeon requires two weeks of liquids pre-surgery, so I'm having a bit of a party until then. I figure this is it for the rest of my life! I am not really nervous, I only freak out when I read complications threads on here so I've been staying away. I live in Manhattan, my name is Rochel.

I'm being banded on March 9th too, at NYU. We can be buddies!

I talked to my HR department about adding WLS to the policy at the start of the next year (2009) and miraculously it did getting added. So I'm scheduled for surgery on March 9th. I did all the insurance requirements in 2008 on the off chance that my policy would change, and I'm glad I did b/c it meant that I could move ahead more quickly.

I'm being banded on March 9th by Dr. Fielding and I have Aetna (he is in their network). I have only heard great things about him which is why I decided to go with the NYU group. Your first step if you want to use that practice is to go to one of their information seminars. Here is their website - it will tell you everything you need to know. NYU Thin For Life Good luck!

How awful and tragic. I've been following the news like a hawk as I have spent a lot of time in Australia and have many friends there. I'm thinking of all you constantly, and am hoping to hear better news soon.

waynes6 I have Aetna Open Access. I just went on Aetna's website and these are the procedures they cover (I bolded underlined the band): Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), Laparoscopic Adjustable Silicone Gastric Banding (LASGB), Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD) and Duodenal Switch (DS) Procedures: Aetna considers open or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), open or laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with or without duodenal switch (DS), or laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB) medically necessary when the selection criteria listed below are met. I had a very easy time getting approved by Aetna, and from what I've heard and read on these boards, if you meet their requirements and take the steps they mandate then you'll be approved. Good luck!

Congrats! I don't share your surgery date but we have the same pre-op testing date - Feb 23rd. We can be partners in that!

Congratulations!!!!!!!! You must be so excited

I agree with what everyone else said, it sounds like there's a pissy person at the surgeon's office who is being lazy. You do not need anything other than an over 40 BMI for two years to get approval from Aetna. You do need to do the six or three month diet, have a psych eval and things like that, but in terms of weight it's just the over 40. I was approved by Aetna in one day with a BMI that ranged from 40-41 over the past two years. Keep trying and good luck!

dunkin donuts egg and cheese on sesame bagel for Breakfast large popcorn with large diet coke at the movies (did this one already) all you can eat sushi buffet steak steak steak

yes babe, its just awful. the party was so nice but i had this sickening feeling for most of it.

I've been thinking about this post all weekend. I was at a dinner party Friday night and had a great time talking to the girls I was seated near, but to the men it was as if I was invisible (pretty much everyone there was single). I am very very very much looking forward to not feeling like I am a ghost. I'm also looking forward to everything that everyone else wrote, but this one is striking home for me big time after my Friday night experience.

Are you sure you need a 5 year history? I just got approved by Aetna and I only needed a 2 years - I sent 2007 and 2008. Check on it.

Congratulations!

Congratulations!!!

so many of us are the second week in march! i'm so excited, and still cant believe this is really happening

I have not heard of anyone getting approved when there was an exclusion against WLS in their policy. There was an exclusion on my policy last year and they told me it is not even a discussion.

i'm in NY-surgery is at NYU good luck!