need help and advise!!

Hi all.. Im pretty upset! I started the workshops and meetings about august. Today I get a letter from Colene at dr Fangs ofc that my ins requires 6 months of supervised diet and exercise..is there anyway around this? My PCP has already written the letter requesting approval. We live in a town where there is no Gym or place to excercise..the ins wont accept curves. I made another appt with my Pcp for her help and suggestions. I have been walking but i dont think its documented in my medical records. Im so upset!! another 6 months for a technicality??? Help??? I have been on diet pills, tried every diet out there and have been walking..I hope the Dr can add it to the med records.. any advice would sure be appreciated.. Thanks.. Sally

Hi Sally - Sit down and make a list of all the stuff you've done -- make just short memos. Then go back and asterisk those you did more than once. Date the ones you can. Make this a part of your reference notebook and the doc's file. Ask your doc to go back and notate your walking in his files. I'll send you some things to notate. Hugs! Sheryl

Here's a few things -- a diet list I supplied Juarez and the psych and some from the diet diary I did. When you do your diet diary, back date it to give you some extra months. I figured everybody could use this list so instead of emailing it to you I'm putting it on here. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Diet programs I have been on: ? TOPS ? Weigh****chers (currently on the program but not an official member) ? Richard Simmons Deal-a-Meal ? Jenny Craig ? Susan Powter ? Nutri-System Calorie controlled programs I have been on: ? 500 calories ? 600 calories ? 1,000 calories ? 1,200 calories ? Slim-Fast ? Metracal Weight management drugs: ? HCG injections - pregnant womens urine ? Dextro-amphetamine ? Over the counter medications ? Many prescription drugs Other: ? Weight loss tea ? Cabbage soup diet ? Dolly Parton diet ? Fasting ? Overeaters Anonymous (current) ? Obesityhelp.com member (current) Weight loss surgery site ------------------------------------------------ Wednesday February 18th, 2004 I was supposed to go to Dr, Hamm for an eye check up for diabetes today but slept in. Had to remake the appt. Slept in until 11:30 am. Breakfast: Skipped it because I slept in. Lunch: Chili and Beans - WW recipe. Crackers, milk. Snack: vanilla wafers and pretzels. Dinner: Ate a tv dinner. Budget Gourmet. Salisbury steak, potatoes, peas. Day's End Analysis: Walked. Nothing happened. I got some good mail - that was about it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday February 19, 2004 Got information packet from Dr. Zahn. Spent most of the day filling it out and fixing up envelopes to go to my doctors. Loads of things to fill out. Breakfast: Cereal, milk, fruit ****tail. Lunch: Sandwich, yogurt, milk. Pickles. Snack: Strawberry yogurt and two vanilla wafers. Dinner: Leftover chili and beans. Biscuit and milk. Day's End Analysis: Walked some - hurt a lot from the weather I think. Or fibromyalgia. Who knows? Filled out tons of papers from the Bridge Center that was recommended by Dr. Cantor's office for Dr. Zahn. Writer's cramp. I feel so happy! I haven't felt this good in a long time. 11:00 am Cantor's office app't today - everybody there is so happy for me! I AM HAPPY FOR ME!!!!!!!!! They say this will end some of my heart problems and lessen the diabetes. Friday February 20, 2004 Missed TOPS. Mad at myself for oversleeping. My friend Bonnie Belk died (*New Moon - no wonder). Breakfast: cereal, milk, orange slices Lunch: sandwich and a half - ham and cheese - chicken noodle soup. Milk. Snack: three fig newtons. Dinner; Stew. Had a lot of veggies in It. Small piece of birthday cake. Milk. Day's End Analysis: Walked some on my outdoor route. Came home - found out my friend had died. Bummed me out considerably. I didn't want to eat the cake but such a big deal was made out of it - I just ate it so everybody would shut up. Worked on the information packet to Mimless and Cantor.

Hi Sally This is what I did and it worked: I went through every entry on every calendar I could find at home, at work, on the kitchen table, on my husband's calendar (if I had a husband that is but you get my drift: use friends and family for their memory of what you did), on every piece of paper in my personal file for "medical" and then I went through all the pre op things I had done such as Dr. appts, pulmonary Dr., cardiologist, any nutrition class i attended, any psych eval and follow up behavior mod Dr., all the required classes through either my surgeon or the hospital (i.e., Bridges Center). I then put them in chronological order. I put the date, name of Dr., type of procedure, my weight on that date if known and that we discussed my weight, nutrition, fitness. I ended up with approx. 2 pages full. I went back as far as I could find documentation which was about 12 months. I submitted it and nobody ever mentioned it again. I was scared to death when I heard that I needed it as I was about 2 weeks pre op. I learned afterward that most insurances don't care if it is supervised by one doctor or 10 so long as they know that you have been involved in some way. As others have previously posted, insurances don't care if you gain or lose. Think of this as a way that insurances can try to get you to fold up your tent and disappear. Jump this hurdle and keep moving on. Good luck! Fran Baseden

Thank you ALL for your help and advice!! I knew I could depend on you to help and make me feel better. It was just a unforseen low blow!! I want this surgery so bad..its just frustrating! I will take your advice and speak to my Dr about it. I have already started the Behavior modification counseling...i will start journaling today!! I really appreciate your thoughtfulness! Sally

Hi Sally, every insurance company is different My insurance company did'nt require it but I still sent them a copy of a supervised diet I was on back in 1997. my approval went through. So It really depends on who your insured with, but don't get discourage and never give up. Good Luck Diane Wilson Dr. Burpee Nov.16,05

Don't worry. I sent you an email of the diet I used for the same Doctor's. It should be okay. I did not find out till the last minute either and was shocked so I went to our cafteria in work, grabbed a whole bunch of low fat diets and put something together. Let me know if you do not get it and I will email you again. Good luck!

Thank you ALL!! I made it through this huge dissapointment with ALL OF THE support and help and encouragement!! I appreciate the advice and diets..I will take them to the dr on Thursday and see what we can do!! I was just sure I would have this surgery by Christmas!! You are all awesome...good luck to all of you and best wishes for you in your Journeys!! Your friend Sally