I am not enjoying getting the run-around!!

I was told 10 days we will give you our decision...in my appeal on the denial by my insurance company for the Lap-band. Well....10 days have come and gone...and still no decision.

I called them today (and I have been doing almost every day) and was told, no not 10 days, it will be 15 days.

My Dr called today, they told him no, not 10 days, or 15 days but it will be 30 days before we reach our decision.

Insurance companies suck. I am so stinking sick of this whole mess.
I just want to have the surgery, and start living the lapband life. I'm depressed, ticked off, and getting very frustrated.

Sorry, I had to vent a little....

Today was supposed to be the day....

Well...today was my scheduled surgery date. I was supposed to have my lapband surgery early this morning...it's so sad that it didn't happen. I have bawled like a million times today...

It's day 7 of my appeal...and no decision has been made..it could be another 8 days before they decide. I have asked my Dr what my chances are, and while he sounded like they were good..his face and mannerisms while I asked told a different story. I just don't get it...my insurance (United Healthcare) is supposed to be one of the easiest insurance companies to get approval from. They told me 3 times that I was covered....I can't believe after I spent so much $ doing all the pre-sugery stuff that one week before my surgery, they denied it.

I waiver between such anger, hopelessness, depression, rage...it's all so frustrating....I am hoping for the best, but preparing myself for reality...I wish wish wish I could just pay for it and get it done. I got approved for the care credit card for the cost of the surgery...but we just can't swing the payments...I have looked at our budget from every point possible and it just wouldn't be fair to put us in that big of a bind...so...guess I will continue to wait to hear on my appeal, and keep taking it one day at a time...

1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi and on and on till 10 Mississippi

ok, so my surgery has been canceled for next Thursday. And my Dr told me to stop following the preop diet, so I have had a pot of coffee, and a piece of pizza...and a diet pepsi. MMMMM, it all tasted good after following the preop diet for 7 days with no caffeine.

But, the downside is, possibly no surgery. I am truly down in the dumps. My Dr called me today, he spoke with the insurance Dr yesterday, and the insurance Dr agrees with my Dr, that according to my policies criteria I am eligible. So...my Dr filed an appeal today to my insurance. The insurance Dr told him some stuff to add to help my case....so, now it's just a waiting game. My insurance has 10 days to review the appeal and make their final decision....My Dr said I have a good chance...but then he said you can never tell what insurance companies will do. He said if they decide yes, he will schedule my surgery as soon as possible, giving me first dibbs. He said I would just start the preop diet from the time they say yes till the surgery, so it probably won't be the full 14 days.

So let the waiting game commence....and my fingers & toes are crossed, and I am praying like crazy for the answer to be yes!

waiting for possibly 10 days...

I am writing in blue....because I am so blue...

My Dr spoke with the insurance company yesterday, and is going through an appeal process. He is appealing their decision to deny paying for my surgery. He has my policy where it clearly states if my BMI is over 40 I don't have to have co-morbidities. My insurance company Dr that denied my claim said even though my BMI is over 40, since I don't have any co-morbidities and I am healthy, they are not going to pay for the surgery.

I have been so bummed. I basically went off the pre-op diet...my surgery was scheduled for next Thursday, it's not looking like that will happen now. The insurance company told the Dr they would decide in 10 days. I already had everything lined up at work with my days off...also, lets just pretend like my insurance company will decide yes they will pay, I will have to have another EKG, blood work, chest xray & physical because by then mine will be over 30 days old and all that has to be within 30 days of surgery...which will be a ton more $ out of my pocket..which I don't have...

I am blue....bummed.....sad.....depressed.....down in the dumps.

Here we go again! Stop the merry go round, I want off!

Uugghh...I am so frustrated!!

I had my pre op appt today and everything was going hunky dory, the Dr answered all my questions, they took my picture, gave me all my instructions, then the last part of the appt, I had to go see the person who bills the insurance. Now in May of this year, I called my insurance company and got everything done that I needed to so they would pay 90% of my surgery. Well, the Dr walks in and says we have run into a little snag, your insurance is fighting paying for you having the surgery, they said because you don't have any co-morbidities. Well...right in my paperwork from my insurance company it said if your bmi is over 40 they will pay without co-morbidities , and mine is over 40. The Dr is going to call them on Monday and fight it for me....why oh why is all this happening? I walked out of there in tears...I can't afford the surgery if my insurance won't pay for it......this totally sucks.

mmmmm.......mushie foodl..not! I need some advice please

Ok, I am reading through my binder for what I need to eat during my "mushie" stage....and I have to admitt it really sounds gross. Did you guys really blend your meats? What did you eat during your mushie stage? My binder says day of surgery clear liquids. Next 3 days, full liquids. Next 7 days, mushies, and the examples they give is ground chicken with gravy blended...and stuff like that. After 7 days of mushies, it's 7 days of soft food....did you guys eat the mushies? What did you eat? I am really not thrilled with the thought of blending my food....

any advice? suggestions? help?

2 weeks from today!

I am on day 2 of my pre-operation diet.
Things are going pretty good, I am getting headaches from no caffeine, but other than that plugging along ok. I don't really like the taste of the shake stuff I bought...it tastes chalky..but I am thinking they probably all taste that way. I am curious, what kinds did you guys use? What is the name brand? and flavor? I plan on taking some before pictures tonight, and hopefully I can get them posted soon. I also want to take my measurements, well I don't really "want" to, but know that I should. LOL. Measuring yourself can be a humbling experience.
I can't believe 2 weeks from today is my surgery date. I have waited all summer long for this day to arrive, and now it's coming so quickly! I am ready tho!

a funeral...of sorts

This morning I really enjoyed drinking my last cup of coffee....well at least for several weeks it is. I start my 2 week pre-op diet tomorrow.
I also will be drinking my last diet pepsi today....and that is what I will miss the most. I can't believe I will never again be able to drink pop...unless I have the band removed after losing weight. It will be really hard to give up my diet pepsi, it is my favorite drink of all time.
So even though I am excited & pumped for my surgery...I am also sad to be saying goodbye to my pop. LOL.

I start my diet tomorrow. I went shopping last night and got my chewable vitamins, my calcium chewables, my whey protein drink stuff, a blender and my groceries. I get a shake & fruit for breakfast, a shake and salad for lunch, a shake for a snack, and a small healthy supper. How much weight did you guys lose on your pre-op diet? Just curious....

I am doing a happy dance...wiggle wiggle jiggle jiggle :)

I FINALLY got the results of my stress test....and my heart is 100% normal. The cardiologist said all my tests came out normal with absolutely no concerns!!!!

This has been a very long, stressful week...but it has a good ending!

So, in less than 3 weeks LapBand Surgery HERE I COME! Finally!

My surgery date is 8-24-09. I start my two week pre-op diet on Wed 9-9, and on 9-23 I can't eat anything.

My pre-op diet looks like this:

Breakfast: shake & piece of fruit

Snack: shake

Lunch: Shake & salad (no high carb veggies or croutons) with Fat free dressing

Snack: shake

Supper: 3 oz protein, 1 cup of veggie & a serving of starch item

If anyone reads this, please tell me if this looked or looks like your preop diet? I am just curious...it's more food than I thought I would be having...

I am so excited, and so ready to get this show on the road!

So above are a couple pics of me (and my amazing hubby), I am going to take some "before" shots and post on here soon

Lift your left breast please???

Well, I am back from my lovely 4.5 hour stay at the cardiac unit in my hospital. What an experience....
First they question why I am even there. I have no symptoms or signs of any heart issues, bloodwork all ok, blood pressure fine, etc...so I had to explain several times that a Dr at my checkup saw a small "blip" on my ekg and wanted it checked out...
So, they pump my veins full of radioactive junk and I had to lay still for an hour. Then I had to go get pictures of my heart taken, which involved laying in this big MRI type looking thing and have this thing go all the way around me taking pictures for 15 min. The room was ice cold and I had to lay still. Then after that, they hooked me up to get EKG and this male technician puts leads all over my chest & lower and ugh (humiliation) asks me to "lift my left breast" so he could put a lead there....I had to wear a sports bra there with no hooks on it, so "they" were hanging lower then I like, lol...and it was not a pleasant experience to be asked to do that....so anyway, that part gets all done and he does reading and I asked him if there was a blip. He said no, I walked on the treadmill for 9 min where they continuously checked my bp & my heart rate. The Dr was in there and he also said he didn't see any "blips" but then they said the pictures they take will tell the true story. So after that had another shot of radioactive stuff, layed still for 1.5 hours and then had more pictures taken. They said the pictures at the end turned out good, but they wouldn't tell me results. Then they said the pictures taken before while in my resting state didn't turn out so well, and it is probably because of I have "big boobs", so if the Dr doesn't like them I may have to come in and have more taken. But hopefully with the EKG, and the after pictures, they will have enough data to tell me that I don't have heart issues. The tech & Dr both said they didn't see anything that concerned them. The tech went further and said he is not a betting man, but he would bet I have no heart issues and the Dr just didn't know how to read my prior ekg or was overly cautious. So, I feel better now...but just wish I wouldnt have to wait so long for my results. I want to know today. But the soonest I will hear is Wed afternoon, and if I have to go back in for more pictures, it will be even longer.