njjewing

I was sleeved on September 14, 2011 and I am down 72 lbs. Only 57 lbs til I reach goal! Congrats everyone!

So I got my approval letter in the mail on August 5th. My nurse received hers electronically along with my precert number. I was sleeved on Sept. 14th and sent home after 4 days in the hospital due to some complications. Today at my 3 week follow up, my nurse tells me that she has been arguing with my insurance company for 2 weeks now saying that they called her while I was in the hospital saying that my surgery was never approved due to no record of precertification. How can they say that when we have approval letters and a precert number and all forms regarding that are filled out and were submitted and approved? She showed them to me today and all the papers and emails that Aetna has sent her and all say approved on them. I am wondering if because the total of my surgery including dr fee, anesthesia, hospital room, drugs, ct scan, etc comes to a little over $70,000??? are they trying to buy time to see how much they actually will pay??

OMG.... this just happened to me today! I went into my dr for a 3 week follow up and my nurse found me and told me that she has been arguing with my ins co AETNA for 2 weeks now because they are saying that my sleeve wasnt covered. I have the mailed approval letter, my nurse has a digital copy of it along with my precert confirmation #. AETNA is saying that it wasnt precertified so I am confused. I had some complications with my surgery and had to stay 4 days in the hospital so my dr, the hospital room, drugs, anesthesia, etc total comes to a little over $70,000. I sure hope they figure this out soon!

I am being sleeved tomorrow by Dr. Pennington, Dr. Touliatos partner! I am ready but so very, very scared.

So I am due to check in at Trinity Medical Center in Mountain Brook, AL at 9am and I am scheduled for 11am. I took my at-home enema drink at noon and around 2pm, I became very nauseous and dizzy. This has past and at 4:30, it started to work.... just in time to start getting my daughter ready for her softball game, 45 minutes away. I have NEVER had a surgery before in my life so I am very nervous about the anesthesia... if I will have a reaction to it, how long I will be asleep for, will I have difficulty waking up, WILL I WAKE UP?? that's my biggest fear right there. As the mother of 3 young kids, It truly does scare me. My husband will be going with me and will be home with me for the next 1.5 weeks, just to make sure I am ok. Our kids(ages 8, 4, 3) are all in school of some sort, so the mornings will be peaceful, lol. I am just very very scared about all of this and its kind of surreal.... I am have been overweight for so long and to start this journey in April and to finally have an answer and some help in 5 short months, its unreal to me. Is there any tricks to helping me get over my fears?

My dr. requires a 2 week pre-op diet of liquids and I can have a salad with lettuce, cucumber, onions, bell peppers and salad spritzer once a day, if I choose. Technically, I dont have to start the liquid diet until Wednesday since that is technically 2 weeks until my surgery on Sept. 14th. So I thought "what is 2 days? I can do this." Yeah, right. I have had 1 EAS carb control shake so far today and I have been in the kitchen so many times, its not funny. I fed my boys Cereal and it was so hard to not eat with them or nibble from their bowls, lol. The watermelon sitting in the fridge? I WANTED TO EAT. ravioli? I WANTED TO EAT Cinnamon cheerios? I WANTED TO EAT\ the grapes my son was eating? I wanted to ****** them out of his little hands and go hide in a corner, eating them while making an evil laugh at the same time. The thing is, I dont feel PHYSICALLY hungry, but I feel like my head is asking me why am I not eating or I feel like I should be hungry. This might be harder than I thought and it is DEFINITELY going to be a head thing for me.

hey klus263 or should i say neighbor... I am over here in Columbiana!

I live in Columbiana, AL which is in Shelby County. I am being sleeved by Dr. Pennington at Trinity medical center on September 14!

I am from Alabama! Shelby County, to be exact. I am being sleeved on Sept. 14th by Dr. Pennington up at Trinity, who is also a partner with Dr. Touliatos. I am nervous, scared, excited, happy, freaking out, lol. I am married with 3 kids and I know its for the better. ~*~*~Jenni~*~*~ Finished 3 month dr/nutritionist/fitness instructor/psychologist required appts(July 15) Paperwork sent in to Aetna (July 25) Approved for surgery (August 5) Bloodowork, pre-op class and 2 week liquid diet (starts August 31) Being sleeved on September 14!

Yes there is! It is actually quite large now and while I have only been up there personally once, I have quite a few friends who have had their babies there and most people I know go there or to St. Vincents to have their baby!

I have Aetna and I had to have it done. They told me it was a requirement for insurance along with an EKG.

This is my first time posting but I have been lurking for a while. I also have Aetna and did my program thru Dr. Pennington at Advanced Bariatrics in Mountain Brook, AL. They have a psychologist/fitness instructor/nutritionist on site and I seen them for 3 months, as required by Aetna. My last appt was July 15, my paperwork was submitted July 25 and I was approved last friday, August 5. The fitness lady I seen just showed me different ways to do exercise, mainly after surgery. she also measured me for my file.