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For those of you who already had the surgery or were approved for the surgery, would you mind sharing your story of the approval process? I haven't even attended my first seminar yet (it's on Nov. 15) but I'd just like to get a better feel for the process. :) thanks so much!

-Jennifer

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I am hoping you wont have this issue but Mine was simple. I was denied by Aetna even tho I needed to lose over 200 lbs and had a BMI of 55. I guess because I had no other comorbidalities I wasn't sick enough to warrant the surgery. Never mind I was a heart attack waiting to happen.

So I got creative, negotiated a cash price with the hospital and went out on a limb and became a self pay. I think I would have been successful either way but it would have been nice to have used some of the insurance benefits I have been paying into forever.

Hopefully you will have a better story to tell us soon.

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I am hoping you wont have this issue but Mine was simple. I was denied by Aetna even tho I needed to lose over 200 lbs and had a BMI of 55. I guess because I had no other comorbidalities I wasn't sick enough to warrant the surgery. Never mind I was a heart attack waiting to happen.

So I got creative' date=' negotiated a cash price with the hospital and went out on a limb and became a self pay. I think I would have been successful either way but it would have been nice to have used some of the insurance benefits I have been paying into forever.

Hopefully you will have a better story to tell us soon.[/quote']

Oh wow! I'm shocked you were denied! That's my biggest worry- although I have I have 100lbs to lose, I don't have any other related health conditions. How long did it take to hear from your insurance?

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I went to my seminar in July had to do a 3 month diet for my insurance. Got my approval today and surgery is Dec 13th! Good luck!

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Wow!! Good luck!!!! That's awesome!! Cogratulations!

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I have Aetna and I have just finished the six month supervised weight loss. I am 5'3" and weigh 210 pounds I have pre diabetes, high cholesterol and slightly high blood pressure. I am waiting for Aetnas yeah or neah. Papers were submitted November 1st and insurance said it can take 7-14 days for answer.

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I have Aetna and I have just finished the six month supervised weight loss. I am 5'3" and weigh 210 pounds I have pre diabetes, high cholesterol and slightly high blood pressure. I am waiting for Aetnas yeah or neah. Papers were submitted November 1st and insurance said it can take 7-14 days for answer.

Good luck! I have Aetna as well and just started my 6 month diet. I am 5'4", 254 pounds and also have high blood pressure and cholesterol. I'm hoping that they will approve me in the end. **fingers crossed**

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Good luck to y'all i also have aetna my papers were submitted last Wednesday and I called everyday to check.

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Lots of luck to you all! My insurance company wasn't sure if I had to do 3 or 6 months if at all do ill talk to my potential surgeon I guess. Thank you all for sharing!!

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I have uhc and they require a 5 year medical recorded weight of 1 each year from a physicians office. Well since I didn't visit the doctors office In 2007 and 2008 I don't have a recorded weight for that year. Now I need to wait till 2014 to even submit my ppwk to insurance. So it's not an approval story........... Yet! Lol

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I called Aetna today ( paper sent to them on the 31st) its still in review. They said a nurse still has to look at it. They told me they have 14 days. So I guess I'll know by Tuesday.

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      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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