I have read the horrors other have had with their insurance. I am lucky, my insurance doesn't require a six month diet or anything else. In fact, you just have to have a two year weight history and a BMI of over 40. Great right?!

No because my stupid medical group, Mercy medical has created their own made up rules!! I've been to two different nutritionists four separate times and I have more visits to go. One nutritionist assigned by my PCP, one required by my surgeon. In addition, I was required to attend a dietician class last night. I have to have a "family" visit appointment with my surgeon's office still. Literally, they require my family to attend- I'm single and own my own home but apparently need my parent's approval!! I've explained that they live in another state and the surgeon started talking like I need to fly them out. Uh, no! We agreed that they can attend by phone. Same with the guy I'm with, he lives two hours away and he needs to be on the phone too. WTF? I'm 40 not 14! I've had 3 months of physical testing, really dumb stuff like how many sit up can you do in two minutes, how fast can you walk a mile kind of tests. The psych. eval is ok- sounds like everyone has to do that. Same with the EKG and chest xray. Everyone has to do that and I've completed mine. My surgeon requires an endoscopy. So I called my PCP and they ordered an upper GI. After a couple of weeks delay over that confusion, they ordered the endoscopy but now I must first have a consult with the gastroenterologist before I can get the EGD. So this intermediary step creates another delay. My surgeon's office is ready to schedule me in Feb and the earliest I can even got the consult for the EGD is mid-January and they don't know how soon they can book the EGD after the consult, that's up to the dr! I am So Annoyed!! Now I know why people hop on a plane to Mexico!! If this drags out past February without a surgery date, Adios Mercy medical group (middle fingers up) and Hola Dr. Aceves!!!!

It's tough! I almost always ask for either the first appointment of the day or the last appointment as to not miss much office time. I also travel for my job' date=' so I book when I know I will either be headed in or out and incorporate it into my out of office time. I also have had my Drs write me notes to excuse me from work when my other options didn't work. It has been a crazy juggling act. LOL.[/quote']

The first orientation meeting of pre-surgery program we were told to anticipate the multiple appointments (and co-pays) and to realisticly consider if it would be a problem. What we didn't discuss the affect on work and how much you want to disclose. I decided to tell my boss and immediate coworkers. Everyone else was left to speculate on why you left for appointments every few days...and there was some doozy from the office busy bodies. These are the same ones thst HAVE to know you had surgery when they see the weight loss. The ignorant don't know the work required in diet and exercise to get and keep the weight off.

I thought mine was excessive at first, and then 2 months in to the 6 month meetings my insurance changed and it was only 3 months, no psych eval, just physical, pre op, EGD, and pre op with hospital staff.

All in all, if they would have asked me to stand on my head in the corner naked, I would have obliged if it would have given me a better chance at getting approved.

My work schedule is usually at least 1 to 2 days off during the week, last year it was 1, this year it's 2, so I'm always able to make appointments on those days for anything I need medically, it has just always worked out.