I need some imfo, can anyone help

Hello everyone. I have been a lurker for awhile and I'm doing all that I can to keep from going nuts. Its been two weeks since my Dr. got the gears in motion to start the process to have wls. She told me that a surgeon would send a imformational packet to me in the mail. It will be two weeks tomorrow when she told me. She said the surgeon would take care of everything including Ins. Do they get the wls approved first before the rest is started? I am not good at waiting. I have reserched alot on wls and orderd a book off of this site and know that wls isn't a miracle to weight loss. Its a toolto use to help. I am very aware of the risks from the wls but I know the risks of being 45yrs old,5'8 and weighing 445 lbs with a BMI of 66. I would rather take my chances with the wls. I have been fat ever since I was born. I weighed 13 lbs at birth and kept growing. I was made fun of by many including my family members as a child. Comments like "where did you go to get that outfit, tent and awning?" (brother) " you have such a pretty face but oh that body." (mother) " why don't you just stop eating so much, if you don't you can skip a few meals it wouldn't hurt you any." (father) I'm 45 yrs old and it still gets to me. If anyone could help me at all I would greatly appreciate it,Thanks for letting me vent.

Hi Cynthia, What you are feeling describes perfectly how I was feeling. I am using Dr. Sundberg in Boone. His process works like this: first you attend an informational meeting. Then you request the packet for you medical history etc from his office. They send it to you. You fill it out in detail. Include any copies of lab work, sleep studies, etc you may have. I had to go to my PCP to be weighed and measured. My PCP had to write a letter of medical necessity (per BCBS) to be sent to the surgeon with the measurements. Sundberg's office reviewed all the info, and submitted to BC. BC gave tentative approval pending the psych eval. I had that done and that was submitted to BC. BC approved it and now things are really rolling. Next Monday I have an EKG, abdominal ultrasound, upper GI, pulmonary studies, lab work, appointments with Sundberg, the dietician and physical therapist, and then closer to surgery, the gas man. Surgery is scheduled for May 13th. From the infomational meeting to surgery was 3 months. If you haven't already, call you insurance co. and ask specifically what they need for approval. BC assigned me a case manager when I called and she told me exactly what I needed to send. For them, the letter from my PCP and 6 months documented wt loss attempt were key. The more paperwork you can come up with, the easier the approval process will be. If I can help in anyother way, let me know. Good Luck and soon you'll be on the losing side! Lyn

I know how you feel. personally if it was me i would call the drs. office and see what is going on. my drs. office kept forgeting to send my stuff. so i finally got it so they would send it. and your family saying that mine did to. we would drive by a boat store and my dad would say is that where you get your clothes. or what do you go to the surplus stores. now that i had the surgery he has stopped. my family is just happy to have me a live. if you ever need someone to talk to about living with complications i am a good person to do that. cuz i had lots of complications. well i better get back to my kids.......lynda

Each surgeon does things differently. I suggest you call yours & ask them how they do things. In my case we had to fill out a 25 page questionnier and send it back to them.Then it was wait until they finally went over it. That took about 3 weeks. Then I went in for my first appointment & at that time they told me what tests I would need & they handled the insurance part. When they got a letter form the insurance company saying they would pay, I was to start getting the tests completed and they scheduled me for surgery. They have changed that step now because many people were finding problems & surgeries had to be postponed. Now they have you get the tests completed & then give you a date. Good luck to you. I had this done 4 months ago & never regretted it. It hasn't been easy but my BMI has dropped over 15 points & I feel great. I am also not a "young thing" You will do wonderfully. Dixie

thanks everybody for the imfo. The Dr. office is gonna hear from me today. Cindy

Hi Cynthia and welcome. I can relate with you that I have been fat all of my life. Even in my toddler pics, I was a chubby little girl. I'm sorry that you have had to deal with people making comments to you. I remember those - "We would need a jack to get you off of the floor" was one of the comments made by one of my dear loved ones. It really hurts that they don't even realize the affect of those comments. [NOTE - as I lose more and more weight, I am becoming more assertive and will one day confront those loved ones and hopefully receive an apology. Will probably do this with the guidance of a counselor.] Can I ask which doctor you are going through? Are you going through one in Davenport or Iowa City? I went through the Genesis Center for Bariatric Surgery in Davenport. It is new, but a good program. I attended an informational meeting and then filled out paper work and set up an appointment for a meeting with the nurse manager. From there, we pursued the insurance. Had to file for an appeal from my primary insurance company, although the secondary had already approved. It was a quick process altogether. I actually had a consultation with the surgeon before the approval from the secondary insurance. It sounds like you have done a lot of research. I firmly believe that education is a must before surgery, and after. Keep researching. Keep posting so we can get to know you further. Anyway, hang in there. Keep us informed about how things are going and mostly, welcome to a very friendly place!! God bless, Andrea

I am going through U of Ia. Tried to call the Dr. office today but they were closed for the day. I will be calling tomoroww. Its been 2 weeks now and haven't heard anything. The Dr. office said the surgeon would send me a imformational packet. I can't call the surgeon because I don't know their name. Sooo.... the waiting continues. Thanks for everybodys support.

Cynthia...my hopes and prayers are with you. I lived with comments from my mother every day from the time I was 12 til I got married when I was 23. The funny thing is...I really wish I weigh now what I did when her comments started to bother me...a WHOPPING...150 lbs. I remember laying on my bed in sweat pants and a sweatshirt feeling my stomach thinking I must be fat because mom says I am...and I remember feeling my hip bones and how flat my stomach was (well, when laying down) The comment I remember most was "You'd be so pretty if you'd just loose weight." Now looking back on it it was all kind of bizzare. I think my mother had a really warped sense of what "thin" was. I know she always meant well...and just wanted me to be happy and healthy. But boy...warped. I'm just starting out on this process. I went to the informational meeting on Saturday and turned in my questionaire this morning at 6:30. (slid it under the door at the office) Gee...am I anxious? It was all I could think about up until Saturday morning... I feel your pain...I'll be stir crazy too until I find out IF and WHEN. Deep breaths... Kelly B.

Jeez, Kelly, we must be related! Or at least our moms are. My did the same thing to me. Oh, to be where I was then, 162. I looked back at my high school annuals and I didn't look overweight. I sure am now. But that will all start changing May 13Th!

Called the dr. office and said its been two weeks whats up? They said we will find out and have surgeon get in touch. We shall see. I'm getting very impatient! It took me a month to research and decied to have wls and now it just seems like ok now hurry up and wait. Sorry for the whinning, I've been so emotional lately. My husband should be nominated for sainthood!