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3 diet attempts in past 2 years



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On my intake form I have to list three diet attempts over the past two years. I've only used MFP in that time frame. I've lost and gained a few times during that time. I have spreadsheets with all my weigh ins and details on how many calories I was eating, etc. Do you think that will be enough for them? I have WW documents going back off and on 10 years back, but the latest attempt was early 2014, so just out of the two year range.

I hope this doesn't mess my process up :(

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Is this an insurance or a surgeon's requirement? If it's an insurance requirement, then look up their specific requirements in their policy bulletin regarding WLS (it should be available online) and format things as close to their requirements as possible and hope for the best as they are in charge of the wallet paying for this. If it's a surgeon's requirement, then likewise, format your records as closely to what they want and let them have it. If they don't like it, you are in charge and can go elsewhere - this isn't a universal (or even common) surgical requirement - it is something that can be negotiated with them. I suspect that what you have will be fine, but it is well to keep in mind that it is your decision to have surgery (and with whom,) and not theirs.

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Is this an insurance or a surgeon's requirement? If it's an insurance requirement, then look up their specific requirements in their policy bulletin regarding WLS (it should be available online) and format things as close to their requirements as possible and hope for the best as they are in charge of the wallet paying for this. If it's a surgeon's requirement, then likewise, format your records as closely to what they want and let them have it. If they don't like it, you are in charge and can go elsewhere - this isn't a universal (or even common) surgical requirement - it is something that can be negotiated with them. I suspect that what you have will be fine, but it is well to keep in mind that it is your decision to have surgery (and with whom,) and not theirs.

It is the surgeon's requirement. My insurance is very straightforward, just asks for a doc to sign off on "previous weight loss attempts" and then I have to meet BMI (which I do) and age requirements. No supervised diet or anything. So most of my pre-op stuff will be set by the surgeon.

I actually signed up for the intro meetings for two different local hospitals that offer programs and are covered by the Center of Excellence requirements and the other one seems to be a bit more simple on requirements. Still ask me to list previous diet attempts but not within a certain time period. They don't require as much from my PCP, either. And they offer more post-op support in the form of free meetings for life. I am already leaning towards switching over to that surgeon. It's nice to have options, but so strange that two hospitals in the same town can offer such different programs!

Thank you for the reply!

Edited by SarahSleeve

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CORRECTION! I just re-read my Cigna insurance requirements: My surgeon's office required that same information in the letter of medical necessity from my primary care physician. There were only 2 problems:

1. I just switched PCPs, and there is no way she'd be comfortable writing about that

2. I've not been on anything "official" or tracked in the last 2 years

I told the surgeon's office both things, and they said it was no problem. Just have the PCP write what my co-morbidities are, track my weight over 4 months (required by insurance anyway), BMI, and that she feels I'm a good candidate (backed up by the psych eval, too, as it turns out) and the surgeon wouldn't have a problem with it. It turns out that the PCP's and NUT's notes (with psych eval) are sent in for insurance approval with the letter...at least as far as I can tell. The intake form asked for every diet I've done as far as I can remember, and that's what I gave them. There's no doubt I've struggled my entire life, and nothing has been entirely successful.

I go for the last of my 4 NUT weigh-ins on Wednesday and the last of the PCP weigh-ins on 4/25. The PCP said she'd write my letter of medical necessity at that appointment. The surgeon's office said then they'd put in for approval.

I think that if you can show a history of attempts, no matter the time period, you'll be fine. I don't have proven experience with that (yet), just my gut feeling and what the surgeon's office has told me. Good luck!!

Edited by mlbdl

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CORRECTION! I just re-read my Cigna insurance requirements: My surgeon's office required that same information in the letter of medical necessity from my primary care physician. There were only 2 problems:

1. I just switched PCPs, and there is no way she'd be comfortable writing about that

2. I've not been on anything "official" or tracked in the last 2 years

I told the surgeon's office both things, and they said it was no problem. Just have the PCP write what my co-morbidities are, track my weight over 4 months (required by insurance anyway), BMI, and that she feels I'm a good candidate (backed up by the psych eval, too, as it turns out) and the surgeon wouldn't have a problem with it. It turns out that the PCP's and NUT's notes (with psych eval) are sent in for insurance approval with the letter...at least as far as I can tell. The intake form asked for every diet I've done as far as I can remember, and that's what I gave them. There's no doubt I've struggled my entire life, and nothing has been entirely successful.

I go for the last of my 4 NUT weigh-ins on Wednesday and the last of the PCP weigh-ins on 4/25. The PCP said she'd write my letter of medical necessity at that appointment. The surgeon's office said then they'd put in for approval.

I think that if you can show a history of attempts, no matter the time period, you'll be fine. I don't have proven experience with that (yet), just my gut feeling and what the surgeon's office has told me. Good luck!!

I don't believe it has to be detailed by the book. My PCP basically listed and went off of our visits where diet and my exercise were discussed. You can get your previous PCP to contact current I'm sure.

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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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    • 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.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        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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