I called my surgeon's office on Friday to find out what they'd learned about my insurance. The lady suggested I might need to take a 3 month program (which no one had mentioned and isn't in any of the research I'd had with my insurance) and my jaw dropped. She said I could get past that but I'd need to get as much information about my health history / diet history as possible over the next week (my nutrition class is on Sunday).

I realize that people spend 6 months or more waiting for an appt. But the idea of waiting that long completely horrifies me. I haven't even TRIED to lose weight for the last 2 years. I'd completely given up hope that I could have any meaningful weight loss. For the first time in a long time I feel HOPEFUL. Not optimistic, not encouraged, I feel like this could finally be what makes a difference. This will finally be the permanent change I've spent soooooo much of my life looking for.

I've spent the last two years more or less waiting to die, I'm ready to start living. And every day I have to wait just feels like a day wasted. It's spring. There's so much I want to do that I'm just not able to in my current condition.

I called my surgeon's office on Friday to find out what they'd learned about my insurance. The lady suggested I might need to take a 3 month program (which no one had mentioned and isn't in any of the research I'd had with my insurance) and my jaw dropped. She said I could get past that but I'd need to get as much information about my health history / diet history as possible over the next week (my nutrition class is on Sunday).

I realize that people spend 6 months or more waiting for an appt. But the idea of waiting that long completely horrifies me. I haven't even TRIED to lose weight for the last 2 years. I'd completely given up hope that I could have any meaningful weight loss. For the first time in a long time I feel HOPEFUL. Not optimistic, not encouraged, I feel like this could finally be what makes a difference. This will finally be the permanent change I've spent soooooo much of my life looking for.

I've spent the last two years more or less waiting to die, I'm ready to start living. And every day I have to wait just feels like a day wasted. It's spring. There's so much I want to do that I'm just not able to in my current condition.

Don't give up, just keep doing everything you need to do,your time is coming and you'll be sleeved before you know it!! Hang in there!

Thanks cwalker, I'm definately not giving up. It just feels like I'm in limbo. I need that surgery date. I need to know when it's going to happen. So much of our summer plans will be dependant on when I'm getting this surgery and everything is up in the air. I just need to know it's going to happen. Right now it just feels like it's not and it bothers me.

Thanks cwalker, I'm definately not giving up. It just feels like I'm in limbo. I need that surgery date. I need to know when it's going to happen. So much of our summer plans will be dependant on when I'm getting this surgery and everything is up in the air. I just need to know it's going to happen. Right now it just feels like it's not and it bothers me.

Yes if you are going the insurance route, then most plans do require a 3-6 mo doctor supervised diet. Plus medical history to show you've been overweight for 2-5 years usually. Don't look it at it like a dely, look at it like preperation for a new life. Seriously, you need time to mentally prepare for all aspects of your new life. New eating habits, new physical look, how people will treat you differently if you are thinner, set goals for yourself, think about all the things you want to do as you lose, not just once you lose. Depending on how much you have to lose its not going to happen overnight so you also need to be prepared that its a process to get to where you want to be.

On the other hand, I know exactly how you feel. I was in the same boat last year this time. I wanted a lap band approved by my insurance, I went through the 3 mo diet, got all my medical records and I was denied!!!! Yep talk about devastation. But now I'm back and I'm a self pay and I'm doing the sleeve not the band. I have less than a week to surgery. And honestly I learn more everyday and I feel so much better prepared now than I would have been had this happened last year.

Good luck to you!

I was at a crossroads last year, had a lot of weight related issues happening. I heard - third hand mind you - that 2 people who work for our company had problems getting approved. One was "screwed over" for nearly a year in the insurance mill and finally gave up never having received approval. Another started the supervised diet and started to lose weight rapidly - too rapidly it seams and was DIS approved after dropping beneath the 40 BMI mark. He regained all the weight back and said "to hell with it" and never tried again.

Now I didn't know these people and heard their stories from another person unrelated to the problem. I decided to go the self pay route and went to Mexico and paid $5000 and had it done within weeks of first inquiring about it.

I am not necessarily advocating doing that, if you have the patience, time and are of adequate health then by all means wait on the insurance. It SOUNDS like you are in the same boat I was last fall. I've lost 108+ pounds since then and am feeling MUCH MUCH better, Blood sugar is stable, blood pressure is lower, back pain alleviated, knee pain reduced and I look great compared to what I was looking like then.

I wish you the best in whatever route you take.