So, I am about to start the final month of my required 6 month diet for insurance approval. I am so scared though! I am just feeling so negative about getting approved from the insurance company. The doctor seems positive that there will be no issues with approval but I just don't know how I will handle it if I am denied. I have myself so worked up thinking this is going to happen and I don't know how I will feel if I am denied, I think my whole world will crash down on me.

I hope you get your approval very soon, but if you don't, it's not the end of the world. I have been waiting for over 2 years, and I still don't have a surgery date. It has been very depressing and frustrating at the same time, but it will all be worth it when I finally get to have my surgery.

My problems started when my surgeon wanted cardiac clearance prior to surgery. I went to see my cardiologist, and ended up having to have 2 stents put in my heart. The doctor used medicated stents, so I couldn't be off of my blood thinners for at least 1 year, and my WLS surgeon said I would need to be off of them for a week before he would do surgery. I was depressed for that year, but I made it through. Then, after the year was over, I called my surgeon back and the rules for Medicare had changed to having a 6 month dr supervised diet before surgery would be approved. I had a very difficult time getting my PCP to do this for me, so I was several more months in limbo. After I finally got the 6 month thing over with, I called and my surgeon had relocated! I called his new office and made an appointment to see him. I saw him on February 2, 2009. Medicare also requires surgery to be done at a Center of Excellence, and the hospital he now practices at does not have that certification yet. The hospital he used to do surgery at was already a Center of Excellence. So, I'm still waiting. They told me it would probably be 3 to 6 months before the hospital would get their certification. I called Friday, and there is no news yet.

So, I guess I'm trying to help you understand that there may be a possibility your surgery will be put off for 1 reason or another, but you will eventually get it done. Although my wait has been long and very frustrating, I'm still anxiously waiting for the day they tell me I have a surgery date. I know it is coming soon.

Joan

sounds good to me :thumbup: we can be band buddies :tt2: