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So my phone rang at work and it was the doctor's office and I immediately got excited, hoping they were bringing news of insurance approval. I knew that I would be hearing back either today or tomorrow about it.

Well it wasn't that. I guess the doctor was looking at my file and he doesn't feel I have lost enough weight to perform the surgery yet. The PA at the office said he wants to see me tomorrow morning and he will decide if it will be postponed. I have lost 8 lbs since the pre-op started 10 days ago. I thought I was doing okay on it. Never once during my 6 months of nutrition visits was I told I needed to reach a specific number in order to qualify.

So I am heading in tomorrow and will get all of my paperwork signed, hopefully the insurance approval will be in but if I don't have the surgery Monday, then I will be waiting at minimum until the 26th since the doctor is on vacation the 3rd week of the month.

I was really upset when I was told that and felt like I wasn't completely informed not being given what the expectation was to start with. I am hopeful he won't cancel but I want to be safe too, i don't want to take any unnecessary risks.

I already had the time off with work, everyone but one person thought I was taking "vacation" time and now to cancel at the last minute is going to seem weird. Not to mention it's really hard for me to take the first and fourth week off in a month so the two weeks in middle were perfect, I would rather not wait until the 2nd week of May. Just frustrated.

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Oh man that is a bummer! I really feel for you!

I kind of had the same thing today as my doctor told me on Monday to start my preop liquids since they were submitting to insurance and I would probably be approved fast so they wanted me to be ready. Well the problem was he didn't check with the scheduling coordinator and it turned out there wasn't a slot for me until May anyway! SO I went from being in countdown mode on liquids to having it pushed to May 9th.

Did they have you diet before this? It really does not seem fair to do this- and eight pounds in ten days seems good to me.

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I just had one day of liquids---surgery is tomorrow. 8 lbs sounds like a fair amount to me. good luck to you tomorrow!

So my phone rang at work and it was the doctor's office and I immediately got excited, hoping they were bringing news of insurance approval. I knew that I would be hearing back either today or tomorrow about it.

Well it wasn't that. I guess the doctor was looking at my file and he doesn't feel I have lost enough weight to perform the surgery yet. The PA at the office said he wants to see me tomorrow morning and he will decide if it will be postponed. I have lost 8 lbs since the pre-op started 10 days ago. I thought I was doing okay on it. Never once during my 6 months of nutrition visits was I told I needed to reach a specific number in order to qualify.

So I am heading in tomorrow and will get all of my paperwork signed, hopefully the insurance approval will be in but if I don't have the surgery Monday, then I will be waiting at minimum until the 26th since the doctor is on vacation the 3rd week of the month.

I was really upset when I was told that and felt like I wasn't completely informed not being given what the expectation was to start with. I am hopeful he won't cancel but I want to be safe too, i don't want to take any unnecessary risks.

I already had the time off with work, everyone but one person thought I was taking "vacation" time and now to cancel at the last minute is going to seem weird. Not to mention it's really hard for me to take the first and fourth week off in a month so the two weeks in middle were perfect, I would rather not wait until the 2nd week of May. Just frustrated.

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Thanks. I had hoped it would be enough. I have read about some people losing a lot more than that and with me having so much more to lose than the average person I thought I would have lost more.

Meggiep, I am sorry to hear you were delayed as well.

I did lose about 6lbs from my highest weight before the pre-op diet so I am at a total of 14lbs. It was about 3 weeks ago I finally was able to buy all the Protein I would need for pre and post op. A few months back I was wavering about going through with everything so I wasn't really trying at that point. Since starting the pre-op I have been really focused and trying to prepare myself for what was to come.

During my pre-op, in addition to my shakes, I could have two control bars per day and those things are not cheap. I spent $80 on two boxes and today the PA said not to eat any more of them, just the Protein drinks and veggies going forward. I wonder if they will buy the others back from me. I have a full box +2 extra bars and a box is $40, I am going to ask while I am there tomorrow but I doubt it.

I am sure in the end things will turn out okay.

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I would wear pants and put those weights that wrap around your ankle's on. Doc will never see it and it will put your weight up there enough to get your surgery!!

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I would wear pants and put those weights that wrap around your ankle's on. Doc will never see it and it will put your weight up there enough to get your surgery!!

She has the opposite problem- the doctor does not think she has lost enough weight pre-op.

Maybe a couple of dulcolax the night before the weigh in? ;-P

The thing is- if we lost easily, and bountifully why would we be wanting the surgery? It seems unfair, however they do want you to lost enough to shrink your liver so maybe that is the issue.

Maybe they will let you contact some newer patients to sell them your bars, it isn't fair to stick you with them.

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Just got my approval authorization number from the insurance company so I have been approved for the procedure. An hour and half until the doctor makes his decision.

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Good Luck! I'm sure if you explain to him that you were unaware of a specific amount that you had to lose, and the fact that you have already taken leave from work, that may sway him in your direction. Just plead your case, don't take no for an answer, you are following the pre-op diet to a T (I assume) and your body is reacting by losing weight. There is nothing more that you could be doing. Just make sure you tell him all of this!

Patti

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Just got my approval authorization number from the insurance company so I have been approved for the procedure. An hour and half until the doctor makes his decision.

Just reading this now but it seems to me that if he wanted you to lose more weight prior to surgery, he should have asked you to do a longer pre-op diet. The 8 lbs in the 10 days sounds right on for that many days, its not like you didn't lose enough given the time you've been doing it.

I hope it all works out for you.

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I had to do a 6 month pre-op diet also...they were very vague about how much i needed to lose. They just kept saying that it would be best if I lost as much weight as possible. I lost about 20 lbs before the liquid diet and about 19 since...Surgery on Monday

I just didnt want them to tell me I hadnt lost enough. One thing the doc did say to me was that if I could get as close to 300 or below the better i'd be.

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I'm glad you got the insurance approval. I hope your doctor will give you approval TOO!

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Fingers Crossed Chicadee!!! Let us know asap what the doc says!!! :)

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Crossing my fingers too.... sending good energy your way!

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The suspense is killing us ... argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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