This is my first time here. I went for my physc eval., met with dietician, and nurse. Have to have bloodwork, barium swallow, within the six month wait ..have the pre-op diet to follow, going to my family doc tomorrow, but afraid he won't support my lap-band dission. I don't know if I will make it until Sept., anyone else waiting on Sept? :huh2:

Hi there... I don't have to wait until Sept, but I do have to wait until June. I have the same 6 month waiting period and am terrified that I won't be approved... If you need anything or need to vent let me know! :drool:

Hello, I'm new to this site. I have only went to the seminar so far. My apt with Dr is on April 2nd. So I don't know if I'll have to wait 6mos or not. Hang in there! The wait will be worth it. Do you have to have PCP approval?

Mrsgriffin2u the list you have is that what needs to be done?

every insurance company is different as far as what is required. are you going through your insurance or self-pay?

my insurance requires a letter of medical necessity from my PCP, 6 month weight-loss monitored program through PCP, surgeon consult, lap-band seminar, nutritionist consult, and psyc consult. i've done all but the psyc b/c it's hard to find one who does bariatric consultations. i finally found one yesterday and i'm scheduled for next week. i'm nervous though b/c i'm afraid they're going to find a crazy gene or something! :smile:

right now i'm taking phentermine briefly before surgery to help with pre-op weight loss. i'm also trying to get the nerves to start these Protein Shakes. i hate milkshakes, so i really will have these... i love smoothies though so i'm going to try to make those instead. :biggrin:

Heard it time and time again from people on this board..

In life it seems were always waiting on something!

They are right. I have BCBS of Minnesota and I was required to do a 6 month diet with a dietitian or a doctor. I have been seeing my dietitian. I am 19 days away from my last appt!!

Believe me it comes faster than you think.. I wasn't able to see the light at the end of the tunnel till a couple weeks ago when I went to my 5th appt it made me realize I was almost there.

Everytime you start feeling down or anxious just come on here read the boards and make some posts. I do that to make me feel better sometimes and I browse through the before and afters.

Make mini goals for yourself now too I found that helped even if they are small. Remember most of the doctors use the weight from your initial consulation when they submit to your insurance... so while you're going to these appts start making the small changes so that when you are banded it's not instant life altering!

I have only lost 10 pounds in 6 months but thats 10 pounds I NEVER have to lose again they are gone forever.

Start practicing putting your food on small plates so you eat smaller portions, try getting on a schedule of taking a couple walks a week, replace 1 meal with a Protein Shake, etc.

In no time you will be getting a call with a surgery date! Good luck always exciting when you begin the journey.

I have until April 16, 2008. Why did you have to have a barium swallow? I did the pshyc eval and dietician group thing coming up April 7.

I too have to do a 6 month doctor supervised diet for my insurance and I just had my second appointment..You are right about the 6 months flying by I can't believe I am getting ready to go to my third appointment. Just hang in there and it will be here before you know it

I started in October 2007, I had my surgery consultation October and then had found out that my insurance required the 6 months of supervised dieting by a pcp. So I ran to the doctor on October 31, So it counted as the first month. Anyway in the meantime I did my nutritionist, psychologist, pulmonologist, cardiologist, bloodwork, upper GI series in November and December. I just finished on March 4 my 6 months diet program. I received a call from the anesthesiologist to contact my cardiologist to make an appointment, which I did and saw him today. Because on the original clearance he had written that he wanted to see me in three months. I am currently awaiting for my folder to be reviewed so I can receive a surgery date.

I also have to wait until September. I started my diet about two weeks ago. I also have tons of test like stress test, pulmonary, blood work and others. I was at first made and upset a few months back when I found out that I would have to do the 6 month wait. The thing that made me mad was that they would not let me start it until I got in for my first visit with my surgeon. That delayed me almost a month and a half. My primary care physician is going to mark down that I have done the diet for a month on my first visit on the 25th since I really have been doing it. He thinks the whole thing is stupid anyway. This will move me up to September instead of October so that helps out a little. Anyone have a clue once you paper work is approved by the insurance how long it takes usually takes to get the surgery scheduled?

Hi, Newbie...I'm a 'newbie', too! In fact, I'm beginning to panic! It's taken me almost 2 years to muster up the courage to even make the phone call to the dr's office and now I'm seeing I'll have a SIX MONTH WAIT? I go for my first consultation on Tuesday March 18th...

Hi there... I don't have to wait until Sept, but I do have to wait until June. I have the same 6 month waiting period and am terrified that I won't be approved... If you need anything or need to vent let me know!

Hello, I'm a newbie also. I didn"t have a wait, my insurance company approved me first and then I went for my tests. My Date is April 14th...

annieb99...

don't panic! at first 6 months seems like forever, but trust me. you'll be doing so much during that time that it'll fly bye! you have to go to dr's every month, consults, a seminar, and sometimes even support groups. it'll seem like you just started the process...

good luck! feel free to PM if you need anything.

annieb99...

don't panic! at first 6 months seems like forever, but trust me. you'll be doing so much during that time that it'll fly bye! you have to go to dr's every month, consults, a seminar, and sometimes even support groups. it'll seem like you just started the process...

good luck! feel free to PM if you need anything. :tt2:

Hi, Mrs. Griffin! Thanks for the encouragement...I am seeing so many conflicting things on these posts and I'm stressing needlessly and WAY too soon! I go for my first consult on Tuesday the 18th. I have a list of questions for them! I'll let you know what they tell me...how has your process been? Give me your timeline and what you've been up to, ok? Thanks!

Annie B.

hey annieb!

ok, here's my timeline...

Went to dr. in november with concern about losing hair. i've never really had any health issues so they ran some tests. my dr. asked me if i had ever considered wls... i honestly had never considered it. she weighed me and gave me some information.

12/3 - decided i was going to do it. i called the insurance company (they cover 100% up until 12.31.07 if the process is started, but 2008 wls is no longer covered). so they assigned me a case manager/health care advisor who is my conduit b/w the insurance company and surgeon's office. then scheduled an appointment for a lapband seminar and consult with a surgeon. (both were on the same day b/c my surgeon gave the seminar). i also scheduled a nutrition consult.

through december i really focused on research. you tube actually has videos of fills and of the surgery, so believe it or not, from this site and you tube i could have given the seminar instead of the surgeon. i knew the answers to all the questions other people asked! :mad2:

2008 - meet once a month with PCP and i have my psyc appoint. in about a week. i also need to go to one support group at my surgeons office (not required by insurance, but is required from the surgeon).

once i'm approved they will schedule me for the surgery! i've followed the rules to a T so hopefully there will be no complications!

What have you done so far? don't let this timeline frustrate you. my biggest recommendation would be to call your insurance company and ask then EXACTLY what they require... do you have any comorbidities?

HI guys, I have just been approved for my surgery and am going in on Tuesday to have it done. I too had to go through the 6 months of jumping through loops. My best advice is to find a "weight loss management center" as they know exactly what needs to be done for approval. If any of you are in the Houston/Galveston area, UTMB is the best way to go. Good luck to all.

bon - started my journey on Jul 20 07 and I will be banded in 10 days, the time flies, easy for me to say now but it really does. It also seems as you wait there always seems to be something coming up, your next appt, psych eval, dietin appt, bloodwork I also tried to slowly lose some on my own. So get really involved and you will so surprised. lol