We're submitting to insurance either today or tomorrow! The coordinator thought we'd have a better chance of approval if it was submitted as an original surgery (different insurance company than my first band and rebanding) than as a revision, so I had to jump through a few hoops (slightly fast-tracked). Hopefully, will hear back relatively quickly!

I'm approved, I'm approved, I'm approved!

It's been miserable trying to get this approved, though. Had a couple of denials, since insurance was trying to say that even though I have miserable reflux and can't tolerate ANY Fluid in my band, there wasn't a "malfunction" of the band, and that I didn't have "proof" that I was compliant with exercise and diet. Yeah, well, they should try getting documented proof of compliance when you've moved to new states and had to find new surgeons (I'm on my third surgeon and my fourth state in 8 years), or when you live SEVEN HOURS from the surgeon and nutritionist (I lived in the middle of nowhere when I was in WA). We finally had to do a peer-to-peer appeal, and that is what worked. I wish I'd insisted on it sooner, since they just did it today and got the approval immediately.

Wow that is quite a story you have shared!

I was originally interested in a band, but my doctors at the Mayo Clinic no longer do that surgery.

My next choice was a sleeve, with possible revision to a biliopancreatic diversion and duodenum switch.

Then they told me they like to do that in one fell swoop, so I decided to go for it.

A month before my surgery, I met with the surgery team again, and they strongly recommended a bypass.

I was not too tickled with this, yet I chose to put myself in their hands.

They did well and I am very pleased with the results.

The first day I was up and walking I was still a bit sore, and I felt so powerful!

Since then, I no longer have high fasting blood glucose levels (no more diabetes) and have dropped 19 pounds.