My surgeon's office is WONDERFUL, but the insurance coordinator's demeanor is that of a person who could give a hoot that you're on pins and needles. I know, I know, I'm not the only one waiting on an answer and I'm sure that in her position, this is what she deals with day in and day out, but I feel like I'm the only one waiting. So.....I took things into my own hands and called the insurance company myself and they told me that I'll have my answer by mid-next week, which feels like an ETERNITY!

I know what you mean. It took me nearly 8 months to get everything together, finish the 6 month diet and have my surgeon's office submit everything to the insurance. Then I was told that the insurance had 30 days to make a decision. I was aghast! I know I called the insurance office at least twice a week, then a couple of weeks later they told me I had been denied.

Talk about depressed! I went back to my primary care physician and gathered every little thing I could that wasn't submitted the first time, and had my surgeon's office resubmit it. Of course, this was over the holidays, so nothing moved quickly, and it was a couple of weeks before resubmission. Then I was told that the insurance was allowed another 30 business days to make their decision on the appeal!!!!

I think I shut down at that point. I stopped calling and stopped thinking about it. Then, one morning this week, I got a phone call from my surgeon's office telling me I was approved for surgery. I'm happy, but still can't get my head around it. My surgery date is Feb. 25th, and maybe I'll get more and more excited the closer it gets here. Those insurance requirements are enough to drive one insane!

That's awesome Rena! I'm trying to stay positive, but I'm so nervous at the same time.

Hi Sandee, you are right, the waiting is torture. I finally got my approval and will be sleeved on Feb. 10th. Did your surgeon give you a date yet? The approval will be coming through at any time so use this waiting time to get all of your post surgery supplies in order and your house and life organized to make the recovery as easy as possible. It's going to happen....be positive. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Weeks ago I cleaned out my kitchen cupboards, freezer and fridge and I have most of my supplies already (i.e. broth, protein powders, tea, etc.). I only shop for small amounts of food at a time, don't want to waste anything. I'm so ready and Wednesday can't come soon enough! My surgeon doesn't give a surgery date until I receive approval from insurance, but I'm not waiting on his insurance coordinator, I'm following up with the insurance company myself (cutting out the middle man! lol).

Weeks ago I cleaned out my kitchen cupboards, freezer and fridge and I have most of my supplies already (i.e. broth, protein powders, tea, etc.). I only shop for small amounts of food at a time, don't want to waste anything. I'm so ready and Wednesday can't come soon enough! My surgeon doesn't give a surgery date until I receive approval from insurance, but I'm not waiting on his insurance coordinator, I'm following up with the insurance company myself (cutting out the middle man! lol).

No worries. You'll be approved. I know what you mean about the wait though. If you want to meet up and get it I have some clear liquid protein powder you can have. I have no interest in using it now but it is the good stuff, Syntrax Nectars Lemonade (good) and Crystal Sky (ok).

Hey Leeanne honey bunny little sister:) I was thinking about you!!!! Yes, I could use whatever you'd like to give me for sure! I've been like a bear in hibernation in this house with the cold weather, I HATE it! lol Let's chat via phone before the weekend is over. In the meantime, HOW YOU DOIN? (In my Wendy Williams voice:)

OK. I'm doing great, doc gave me an A+ at my one month check up. Stubborn scale moved a couple pounds bringing me down to 31 pounds lost. I've been on regular food from 2 weeks 3 days out. No puking yet, though raw onion disagreed with me a little the other day!

Right now I'm making my first snack in my new dehydrator: sweet potato chips!

Im also still waiting for approval. But hoping for a February date.. I totally get the pins and needles feelings. I can't wait to find out if I got approved.

UPDATE: So....I received a call from the insurance coordinator at my surgeon's office and she informed me that I was denied approval because my insurance plan did not allow pre-existing illnesses. How about she submitted for approval using my old insurance plan ID number, so OF COURSE they denied it! smh I'm double annoyed because Horizon should have flagged it because they have my information in their system, don't they check it??? So now the insurance coordinator has to resubmit for approval using the correct plan ID number, and I wait some more. I have the number for the authorization department and will be calling them at 8am tomorrow morning when they open to see if they can simply check my CORRECT coverage and approve it. The nice lady that I spoke to today told me that's the only thing holding it up (I need to have a plan that covers the surgery without any exclusions, which I do have). I'm paying all if this money for insurance and so much stress, I can't take it. I'm going to blow up their phone until I get an answer.

If I were you I'd call at least every other day until you get an answer! Using your old insurance number is unexcuseable, and your insurance company SHOULD have double checked to see if you were covered under another number. I can feel your frustration all the way down here in Alabama!

Thank you homegirl (I was born in Mobile, AL, and my bestie is from Birmingham but lives in Huntsville...got relatives in Prichard, York, Cuba and Mobile:). I was able to get the nurse at the surgeon's office to intervene and she instructed the insurance coordinator to call my insurance company first thing this morning, so fingers and toes crossed!

Good, I'm hoping you'll hear something soon!

I'm from Auburn, and we are snow/iced in right now. Kids have had a 3 day vacation from school, and I'm getting ancy to get back to work...lol.

Hi Rena, I'm literally waiting for my surgeon's office to call me (they were to call the insurance company this morning). I spoke to my sister and father in Cuba, AL and they sent me pictures of all the snow and ice. The southern states are definitely not equipped to deal with what we deal with every winter, that's for sure! My bestie told me that Birmingham is a mess too, kids had to spend the night in the schools and what not because the parents were stuck on the highways trying to get to them.

Absolutely....and I'll bet those Birmingham superintendents are getting an earfull for not closing the schools early enough like most of the other school systems in this winter storm path! I've heard that the school kids are having fun though, and treating it like a slumber party.

It is supposed to warm up to 68 this weekend....go figure!!

I had so much anxiety waiting for the approval. It took exactly one week (Friday to Friday) and I was pulling my hair out everyhour of every day! I think I lost most of my weight waiting on the darn approval!