I have my consult tomorrow and am very nervous!! I guess I'm worried the most about the insurance not covering it. My PCM gave me the referral for "morbid obesity" and I was excited! Kind of sad that I was excited to get a referral for that. I have tricare and have been told that they don't go by bmi but by weight. If they go by the lowest weight on the scale I am 100lbs over weight. But I don't know how they will figure it. I guess I just have to wait and see what the insurance says.

Sorry for rambling! Just kind of nervous. Does anyone have any advice for the first visit to the surgeon?? All would be appreciated.

Thanks

Amy

The nurse asked me how tall I was and not realizing that she wasn't going to measure me I said 5' 5 1/2" (I'm really 5'6"). She just wrote it down and said ok. If I had known that she wasn't going to measure me I would have maybe been 5'4" on that day!! Not to cheat the system or anything, but every little bit helps! I'm just shocked that they don't actually measure you. But I guess in all reality the more people they are able to get approved the better business is for them.

Hey everyone-I know we kinda lagged back on this thread but wanted to post an update. I got a call from my surgeons billing coordinator on Monday. Before my insurance will consider for approval I have to do my psych eval (scheduled for 2/18) and my nutritional counseling appointments (2/26). Hopefully this will get coverage approved for me afterwards because I'm scheduled for my EGD on 2/27/08. *Sigh* Hope everyone else is well!!

Hang in there. All of these appointments seem frustrating now but it really is designed to make the surgery easier and safer for you. Before you know it, you will be two days from surgery like I am and wonder where the time went.

Take care and enjoy the journey.

I had my first group meeting to introduce us to both the lap band and bypass surgery. Forgetaboutit on the the bypass. I prefer the lap band for sure.

The doctor was very cool, funny without being judgmental and his assistant was great answering questions.

There is a step by step program. First this intro meeting then an all day consult where they test you for everything including the shrink visit.

They then evaluate you to make sure your a candidate for the surgery.

If you pass and your insurance OK's it you continue with the next steps.

Next you go to the group meeting for lap band patients so you can understand what they are doing and go through

They then have you meet with a dietitian to play your pre op diet. They are doing a study on a "sleeve" procedure at no cost so I may do that.

They schedule you for more tests including one for sleep disorders.

After you lose the appropriate amount they schedule the surgery.

So it's a long process I don't mind if I have a goal and I want to do it.

I thought I was the only one willing to do something like that. I'm so self absorbed sometimes. :cursing: I'm 16 lbs away from the 40 BMI and told my DH what I was thinking about doing and he said hell if it'll get you approved do it, you can lose it on the pre op diet and be okay.

Hey good for you and your DH. If all it took was gaining 10 lbs. more I would do it too. To get approval. I am sure they figure out a lot of people do this. And the pre op diet gets you back to where you were at the start.

The explanation for the pre op diet was that they need to have less fat in the abdominal area to do the surgery. Works for me LOL

Good luck

Pati

So my doctor told me he wanted me to try to lose 10% of my weight prior to surgery, but he didn't offer up the pre-op liquid diet or anything. Maybe this will come when I'm closer to surgery? Any ideas everyone.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

You know it's really strange my doctor says that I will not have to take any pre-op diet, except for 24 hours before. I'll have to be on a liquid diet then. I thought that was kind of strange. But I'm not going to complain about it!

I have Tricare. I was told right now, the olny type of weightloss surgery they cove is Gastric By-pass. They siad they were trying to get approval to get it covered but wont be fro at least another year. THEN you get 6 months couceling and 6 months DR> SUPPERVISED diet to see if you CAN lose weight. I didnt want to wait that long. I have a 43 bmi 5'2" and weigh 251. I had knee surgury last year and now the other knee has the same problem. Heart problems on both parents. I am pre-diabetic. I feel like time is ticking and I dont want to wait that long. I am paying for it privatly in Monterrey Mexico. I have 2 close friends that had great success. I have done extensive research. Dr. Roberto Rumbaut, has banded over 4,300 placements with a 0.04% complication rate. Google him. So, even is I did it the Tricare way I definatly would not get a such well repected surgeon to preform it. Good luck with you on your jumping through all the Military regulation hoops to get what you want.

I have my PCP appt. this coming Wed. for a referral to a surgeon I hope. I sure am glad I read all of these ideas to put on a few pounds and increase your bmi. Last time doc weighed me I was at 221. So bmi is 39. I think that since I'm 51 surely I have lost an inch of height as well....don't you think?:thumbup:

I think I'll be drinking a lot of water that morning. I'm too chicken to try wearing weights. I too need my insurance to cover it. Good luck to all of us with our upcoming appts. :eek: Let's all keep each other posted. By the way I've heard that Tricare ( I don't have it) is fairly easy to get along with so good luck and God Bless our Troops.

Hi everyone-

Had my psych eval last night. Went completely fine. Of course, after 550+ true/false fill in the bubble type questions, if I wasn't crazy before, I sure would be now. I'm doing the seminar tomorrow (did the webinar, now going to actual seminar), and then nutritional counseling next Tuesday. Wednesday am scheduled for my EGD. Exciting, hope the process starts moving quickly after that!!!

Hi everyone-

Had my psych eval last night. Went completely fine. Of course, after 550+ true/false fill in the bubble type questions, if I wasn't crazy before, I sure would be now. I'm doing the seminar tomorrow (did the webinar, now going to actual seminar), and then nutritional counseling next Tuesday. Wednesday am scheduled for my EGD. Exciting, hope the process starts moving quickly after that!!!

Wow 550 questions, I sure hope I don't have that many or I also would runs screaming out of there. LOL

Have my sleep lab appointment for March 10th, the day after my Birthday, and it's at a hotel which I think is pretty funny. Have to be there at 8:30 with my jammies, robe and slippers. I will also bring my own pillow that will help me fall asleep.

March 20th is the big evaluation day.

Good luck eveyone:biggrin2:

I had my sleep study done on 2/1/08, still waiting on the results which hopefully should be in next week! Tonight I'm going to the seminar my doctor puts on. He wants me to attend, even though I've done his web seminar as well as already had an appointment with him. Woohoo! I just keep reminding myself of this quote..

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"