Waiting! Getting closer to having my VSG surgery!

[mountain_lover 3]

MtnLover- great news on the negative test -- hang in there, the rest will come - God always provides. I hope you get to feeling better; hopefully just a bug and it will move along soon - get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids -- try some theraflu, too, I hear it works wonders!

Thank you!

I am feeling much better, only have a little bit of a cough. I have been resting alot.

I just received a call from my councelor yesterday concerning my Psychological

Evaluation with some questions. She is working on it and going to be turning it in to the

bariatric center very soon. As far as I know, that will be the last thing I have to turn in then

the information will be sent into the insurance to see if I will be approved for the surgery.

I weighed myself this morning, and I have lost 2 pounds. It is not much, but at least I am not

gaining. I really am looking forward to the help of the surgery and everyone's continuing

support to get my weight down where it should be and to become healthier. I will be 55 years old

Nov.1 and I hope I will be able to live many more healthier years by having this surgery. I am

praying for this approval and successful surgery and recovery. Thank you everyone for reading

my story and your responses!

[mountain_lover 3]

My Psych. Eval. is done and all typed up. I am hoping that it is faxed to the bariatric . I am going to check on it today. The woman who takes care of the insurance told me as soon as she receives all of my information and tests that she will submit it to see if I get an approval. She said it usually takes about up to a week to hear back from the insurance. I am really getting more and more anxious. I have fell off the wagon a few times and my eating got out of hand, but I just try to do better afterwards. I have been going to the Y to exercise and I went to my first AQUA-FITNESS SWIM CLASS. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to going again. I haven't lost much weight. My clothes are fitting better. I weighed 242 the last time I weighed at the doctor's office. With my clothes off in the mornings, I have been weighing under 240 pounds. Two days I weighed 235 and it goes up and down. After swimming on Oct.22 I weighed myself on some doctor office type scales in the locker room after getting dressed and my weight was 239. If I get approved for surgery and get a date I will be starting on the Pre-Op diet so I am sure I will lose some more before surgery. I will let everyone know what happens with the insurance.

[*susan* 1,709]

Thanks for updating us. I am sure waiting for that approval phone call is tough, but I am keeping good thoughts for you that the call comes quickly and with good news.

[jsm 1]

Sending you good thoughts and prayers for a quick approval from your insurance carrier!

Hugs,

JoAnne

[Ky.hen 5]

Hoping that you get good news soon.

[mountain_lover 3]

Thank you everyone for your comments. It is getting closer. I found out today that the Psych. Eval. was faxed to the bariatric center. But I found out something new, now they need to fax my thyroid test results and each months weigh-ins for 7 months. I had asked my doctor's office for copies of each doctor's office visit for the weigh-ins, but they gave me one paper with the dates and weights and told me if I needed more to let them know. Now the bariatric center is having them to fax all my records back to the beginning of the year, that way they will have everything they need. (I hope!!!!!) The woman that is taking care of all the information to turn into the insurance company is so nice and has really been a big help. She works out of her home and she has took my calls or called me back as soon as possible. She has been a blessing. She works for Dr. Husted's office here in Somerset KY. She told me that as soon as she sends it into the insurance we should find out real soon, it only takes a few days to see if I get approved. I am learning what patience is, I am getting more and more anxious to find out. I have not lost much more weight, but I have been exercising at the Y, my clothes are fitting much better. I am getting into some that I could not get into 3 months ago. I think I am firming up some. I have went to the Fun and Fitness swim class for the second time now (1 hour each session). I really enjoy it, I think it will become addictive.

I am glad to hear that you are doing so well Ky.hen!! Wow 23 pounds already since Oct. 1, that is great!! I am so happy for you. You have been a big inspiration for me to hang in there.

Edited October 27, 2009 by mountain_lover

[thinoneday 445]

Wow MountainLover you must be the most patient person I know. . . this is why I refuse to do the insurance route. . .I don't like someone holding my decisions and life in their hands and make me jump through tons of hoops. . .I wish you all the luck and hope all comes out good for you. . .we know how hard it is to wait. . .

[mountain_lover 3]

Wow MountainLover you must be the most patient person I know. . . this is why I refuse to do the insurance route. . .I don't like someone holding my decisions and life in their hands and make me jump through tons of hoops. . .I wish you all the luck and hope all comes out good for you. . .we know how hard it is to wait. . .

Thank you very much! I was having trouble all day yesterday and today getting my doctor's office to fax my monthly weigh-in office visits and my thyroid test results to the

bariactric center. They told me it would be sometime next week when they would fax them and I decided to finally go their office and sign a release form for the information to be given directly to me. She was not happy about it and made some strange comments, then told me that she would try to get them done but I would have to wait. I told her that I would wait. She realized that I was not going to leave, so then she got them done and it did not take her very long. I left and hand delivered them to the Bariatric Center, which they faxed it right then to the woman who takes care of submiting it to the insurance to try to get the approval. She called me immediately to let me know that she received them and that she had submitted them and she should hear back from them by Friday or the beginning of next week. I had been trying to get those records for over 2-3 months. I am hoping that they do not need anything else so that there is no more delays. I started weigh-ins in Feb. of this year and at that time I was told that I had to have 6 months weigh-in supervised by my family physician, which would have put surgery date sometime in August, then I was told that insurance increased it to 7 months weigh-ins. After all that I went through finding out I had H-Pylorial positive test and had to take antibiotics and be retested and finally it came back negative. Also I found out during all this time that I also had an Autoimmune disorder and thought that it might prevent me from having the surgery because they told me that it was Lupus, which after several test they found out that it was "Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder" instead. I got confirmation that it should not prevent me from having surgery. So after all of that, when my family Doctors office was not cooperating with us to get those papers faxed, I really was losing my patience. I am glad that I was able to get it taken care of today. It could have delayed surgery until possibly the beginning of next year, also it would have been that much longer that I would have to wait to see if I would get approved and then I would have had to wait for a surgery date. Now there is a chance that if approved, I may be able to have the surgery in Nov.

I have really tried hard to hang in there and not give up. It has really been stressful this year, But I am hoping that it will all be worth the wait, if I get to have the surgery. As they say it is easy to put on, but hard to take off.--- SO TRUE!!.--

I am so happy that people on this forum do really care and understand what we are going through. Thank you. I will let you know as soon as they let me know if I am approved.

[cajun 46]

"Thank you very much! I was having trouble all day yesterday and today getting my doctor's office to fax my monthly weigh-in office visits and my thyroid test results to the

bariactric center."

That is outrageous! If I were you, I would find a new doctor, and I would send a official to the old doctor telling him/her why I changed doctors. No one deserves to be treated like that.

Kudos to you for sticking it out, and standing up for yourself! You Rock!

[mountain_lover 3]

Thank you so much! I am just hoping that everything is just what I needed to turn in. I have been at this forever it seems. I started weigh-ins in Febuary and I had went to a seminar and I was already considering having a Lap-Band Before that. I am hoping that the delays have only helped my chances of getting the sleeve approved, since in the beginning it was not approved at all, but now sometimes it is. I will let you know if I hear something this week. I put some new pictures on my photo album, because somehow I deleted the other ones. Have a good day!!

[mountain_lover 3]

Well I am back with some good news and some not so good news. First of all, I have not been denied yet. All that information that was faxed to Medicaid was not enough. They called Dr. Husted's insurance staff, telling her that they needed more information. The first thing they needed was a statement from my family physician on a prescription form stating what kind of diet I had been on since I started my monthly weigh-ins. The other thing they needed was a statement from me stating if I had received all the information on risks and complications of having the surgery. So I got all the info turned into Medicaid a few days ago and we are waiting for an answer again. Maybe in a day or two I should have an answer from them.

If I get approved, then I will get a surgery date scheduled. At this time, surgeries are being scheduled for the last part of Dec. The only way I can get a date sooner than that will be if another doctor gets a surgery cancellation and they give their spot to Dr. Husted. He only has Fridays scheduled for surgeries, but if he receives an opening on another day of the week due to another doctor's cancellation, than maybe he will work me in early.

I was told that I would need to be on the Pre-Op diet for two weeks before surgery, so I don't want to be refused for having an earlier date just because I wouldn't have the two weeks done. I have read on some posts that others started their milkshakes early, but I just don't want to be on the milkshakes for too long. I need to ask my doctor if not having the two week Pre-Op diet completed, if an earlier date does come up, will cause any problems with getting to have the surgery. I have lost some weight so maybe he won't be real concerned if I have to stop and have surgery sooner than the two weeks.

When I started in Feb. I weighed 257. My weight went up and down until July when it had reached 266. Then I really have tried to change alot of my eating. I have been going down and when I got weighed at the doctor's office a few days ago, I was at

239 1/2 pounds. I am getting around so much easier. I have been going to the Y to exercise and go to the fun and fitness swim class. I hope I can give you good news in a day or so if I get approved. Thank you for all your comments.

[cajun 46]

kEEP YOUR HOPES UP!

[mountain_lover 3]

Thank You everyone for your thoughts and prayers!!!!! I have some very good news, I have been approved by Medicaid here in Kentucky for the SLEEVE and I have a surgery date, December 2. I will be having my surgery done right here in Somerset. I am so excited, I was in tears today, but it was tears of joy.----- I have had so many setbacks along the way------ I was told in the beginning that Medicaid would approve the band or duodenal, but not the sleeve and Dr. Husted wanted to do the sleeve. I was only for the Band in the beginning. Also I was told that I had Lupus, which later I found out it was not Lupus. I found out I do have an autoimmune disorder called Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder, and I was so afraid that I would not get to have surgery. But then I found out that I could still have surgery, but the Band is not usually done when people have an autoimmune disorder, so I could still have another procedure. Then when I had the testing done, I found out that I tested positive for H-pyloria, and then I had to go on the antibiotic Prev-pak to try to clear up my stomach infection, which I did not know that I had. Thank God that I was trying to have bariatric surgery or I could have ended up having ulcers or cancer as a result of untreated H-pyloria. But this delayed everything for awhile, because I had to be retested to see if the tests came back negative and they took the wrong blood test, so I had to be retested with the right one. It did come back negative, so then I was on my way again. After finally getting all the information turned in, I was told two times that I needed more information. But all things do work for the good, because now after waiting all this time, now the Sleeve is an approved procedure.

Now I have so many thing to do to get ready for the big day. I am going to be starting my two week Pre-op diet of Protein milkshakes on November 18. Next Wednesday. Also I have to be weaned off of all my medication, which I take 14 pills each day. I know this will all pass, but right now it seems so overwhelming. I have been going through so many emotions since I found out I am approved. It is so real now, not just a hope. My family is so supportive of me having surgery, but everyone still worries about me having any complications from all the risks of having this type of surgery. But I keep in mind what my daughter told me, If I don't have the surgery, I could possible die from being so overweight ( MORBIDLY OBESE). In July my weight went up to 266 pounds, and anything over 100 pounds over the ideal weight is considered being morbidly obese. Even though some people do not seem to think I am, I know the facts and the scales tell all the truth, also my ongoing health issues let me know that my being overweight is a big problem in my life. My mom passed away June 20 last year, and she had many health problems related to her being obese. I wish she could have had the opportunity to have this surgery. She has also been alot of my inspiration to hang in there and not give up, so that I can possibly live a healthier, happier longer life. I hope to spend many more years with my family and friends, I am just beginning to enjoy life more and more now that I am losing weight and have the possibility of the sleeve being a tool to help me keep the weight off this time for good. Thanks again for being here for me just when I needed you!! I need all the support I can get at this time!!

[Tiffykins 672]

I am so very excited for you. Even with all the little obstacles you faced thus far, you've triumphed and will be on the loser's bench in no time.

[i1Linda 15]

Yay!

Congratulations on your surgery date.