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Weight Loss Program documentation?



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OK, that explains the "no medical group" bit, you aren't tied to one with PPO, only H M O.

Do you have records from the 6 months you did with the phentermine clinic? Because that should satisfy the 6 month requirement right there.

I wonder if your FSA won't also cover Mexico?

A lot of us got into obssityland from not dealing well with frustration, and/or from wanting instant gratification. Keep aware of this part of your thinking as you proceed. And please don't hate your body, no matter what size it is. It carried and birthed your daughter and has carried through your entire life. It, and you, deserve more respect than that.

Yeah, I'm trying to get that documentation of all that now. I did read that surgery in Mexico was a deductible health expense, therefore I could get reimbursed by my FSA.

I have a consult with a new surgeon tomorrow (I wasn't too keen on the first place I had a consult), and I've already got some of the medical clearance items checked off, just need to have those records transferred to the new place. The first bariatric place ONLY wanted me to use their psychologist for the eval, who happens to be out of ALL networks and would cost me $300. I didn't like that too much. Why would they refuse an evaluation from my regular therapist over someone who will have only met me once? Pfft. Anyways. Lol! The new surgeon is much closer as well, which works when I'm admitted since people will be able to get to me faster.

And thanks for the perspective about my body....I appreciate it. I try not to feel so negative about it, because it's the only one I've got. But there are those days when I'm just like "What happened to youuuuuu?" ???? lol.

I wasn't always overweight, but I always struggled with it because I was considered bigger than average growing up by everyone else. Now when I see pics of myself in HS I'm like "Holy sh*t, I was the original Beyoncé! What was I thinking????" ????????????????

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I like your passion and commitment. I would be sure to convey that to the surgeon, NUT, and psychologist when you meet. Once they've seen that side of you, share your frustration, plan to go to Mexico and ask if they can help.

I basically told my team that I could only go with them if they could fast track me and they did.

If I hadn't asked and shown them my conviction, I'm sure it would been a 6 month process

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I like your passion and commitment. I would be sure to convey that to the surgeon, NUT, and psychologist when you meet. Once they've seen that side of you, share your frustration, plan to go to Mexico and ask if they can help.

I basically told my team that I could only go with them if they could fast track me and they did.

If I hadn't asked and shown them my conviction, I'm sure it would been a 6 month process

Well that worked! I brought my weight loss program docs in hand when I went to my consultation, told them that I had been looking into this for quite some time and had even allowed myself to get talked out of it in 2012, and I've even considered going to Mexico if insurance gives me a hard time. They told me that I would definitely have to do a some nutritional counseling with the program and do all the medical clearances (perfectly fine), but how many sessions is determined by the surgeon. The surgeon came in and asked me what surgery I was looking into, I told him VSG, he looked at my documentation and said that he thought two nutritional sessions would be fine for me.

So they're going to submit for approval once I get the rest of the medical clearances, and he said that March/April should be a decent time to look forward to surgery if all goes as planned.

So they're getting all my appointments set up as soon as possible, and hopefully I will be on my way to a better life sooner rather than later! ????????????????

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Does your plan cover the nutritionist. My surgeons office said my insurance won't cover the nutrition part. Seems weird and adds 540 to my bill.

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Does your plan cover the nutritionist. My surgeons office said my insurance won't cover the nutrition part. Seems weird and adds 540 to my bill.

No, it doesn't. However they're prorating the amount since the surgeon only requires me to take two classes instead of 6.

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Thank you all for sharing, before seeing this post. I started writing a letter that chronicles all my diet efforts from middle school to date. I will show proof of recent efforts such as hcg, Atkins, meal delivery, medifast, weight watchers, quick weightloss, LA weightloss & much more, including wellness initiatives at work.

Sent from my LGMS631 using the BariatricPal App

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Chef, I also have UHC and it's required I have 6 months of consecutive weight loss programs within 2 years. They won't except 2 months here 3 months there. I have many attempts as well. I wonder if I should talk to someone about this.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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Thank you all for sharing, before seeing this post. I started writing a letter that chronicles all my diet efforts from middle school to date. I will show proof of recent efforts such as hcg, Atkins, meal delivery, medifast, weight watchers, quick weightloss, LA weightloss & much more, including wellness initiatives at work.

Sent from my LGMS631 using the BariatricPal App

Please let us know how this turns out. It seems that the approval process is a bit of a "black hole" for a lot of people starting out.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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