Has anyone in Louisiana had VSG? If so, which insurance company approved you?

i am in louisiana and have bc/bs christus. I am waiting on my initial approval now.

I hope it works out for you. Who's your surgeon?

i am going with richard shimer. and you? my sister in law used felix spiegal and her ins didn't cover anything.

I've decided on Dr. Chu with Surgical Specialists. I have a good friend who has done well with them. Have you gone for your first visit or have you been through all the preliminaries already?

i have saw the psychologist and surgeon. I am waiting on the initial approval from ins then I have to go through a 10 week metobolic syndrom program before I can schedule my surgery. where in la are you?

I'm in Alexandria, but the surgeon is in Lafayette. Where are you? I've been to 2 visits with the NP and the dietician. I have to do a 3 mo medically supervised diet. Two more months to go... I've spoken with the psychologist, had a gallbladder test, and about to do the sleep apnea test. Next month is the EGD. It's a lot of stuff to do! I hope I get approved by my insurer! I'm kinda anxious about the whole thing! But, I'm ready to make a change!

Hey, and it seems like people with BCBS get approved quickly!

what ins do you have? Is sleep apnea and egd pre op tests? i just have to do the 10week METs program as far as I know. I am in Lake Charles. I will have the operation done here. I don't have a gallbladder so that test is out I am having mixed feelings about surgery. I am excited but nervous.

I have some odd insurance called CCMSI. I am a public employee and they are the third party administrator for my agency. The provider network is Verity Healthnet. WLS is excluded unless medically necessary, so I guess all of this is to prove I need the surgery. The EGD is a pre op test, but I think the sleep apnea test has been ordered because they think that I have it too. It's a home delivery test. The package came today. I put it on before bed and then send it back for them to read the results. Better than sleeping away from home.... I hope I get approved, then I will really start to worry.

from whtat I understand the sleep apnea test is very easy. my mom just did one at home to recalcualte her machine. I know what you mean about being nervous. I am waiting on the sale of a house to have the money to do this surgery. It will cost me about 7000 out of pocket. But more than that I have been "big" all my adult life and so I don't know what to do when I get down to my goal weight. My "partner/wife" has never seen me small so you know kinda worried about that.

Like you, I've been big most of my life. I've lost 40 or more lbs on my own, but it has always come back. I'm hoping this will be a jump start and I can then manage on my own. It'll be okay for both of us.

i lost 40lbs once in my life also and then I got pregnant LOL i lost 3 more lbs all together while pregnant but then I gained 100 over the last 18 years LOL. Are you going to any support groups yet? My psychologist suggested I go before and after so I did, this past thursday night. It was very interesting and I will be back.

I probably should go to a support group. I've been feeling rather emotional about the decision to start this journey. I guess I want to make sure I'm approved before I do that. I've been talking to a friend a lot who is also considering WLS and to a friend who had it a year ago. He's lost 200 lbs!! He was over 400 when he started.

What did they talk about in the group?

the support group in my opinion was awesome. I have a great support system in my "partner/wife" but she has never had wls so i needed someone who has gone through it to ask questions and get affirmation. I understand the emotional part. It's a lot of money for me out of pocket, about 7g and I don't spend money on myself normally. to be honest i don't do hardly anything for myself that is one reason this is a difficult decision for me. But I know I will not be the only one to benefit from this. Good lord 200lbs that is awesome. there was 2 people in the support group I went to who had the sleeve, a man who had it 10 mnths ago and was down 182lbs, and a woman, older than me who had it a year ago and was down 82lbs. so i have HIGH hopes for this to work for us!!!!!!

sorry i didn't see you questions till after I posted. they went around the room and everyone introduced them selves and told what theyhad started at and how much they had lost and what type of surgery. then a guest speaker told us about glycemic index and how to read labels. then it was mostly questions and issues they were having. I asked most of the questions cause I was the only one in the room who was Pre surgery. they had people who were a few months out all the way to one woman, who I believe god sent that night just for me, who was 18 years out and was surfing the internet and found that support group and decided to come.