Insurence denied me for VSG, but not for other procedures...

I got my letter from the insurenece company denying my request for VSG.
They basically said that unless I were to have the sleeve as a part of a DS, then they would not cover me. They said that I do meet the needs for other procedures, just not the sleeve.

"[Our plan] does not cover the clinical evidence in the published peer-reviewed medical literature is insufficint to show that the requested sleeve gastroplasy is a safe and/or efective treatment for morbid obesity unless it is part of a larger procedure including a duodenal switch".

They later go on saying that I basically qualify for lapband, gastric bypass, and a duodenal switch but not the sleeve alone....which is what I wanted.
Now I just don't know what to do. Should I go for one of the other procedures, or should I appeal? I'm just too scared about the bypass stuff b/c of the whole malnutrion thing.  I don't want to go with lapband b/c I need to loose like 125lbs and my surgen said most people only loose like 30% of their excess body weight. My surgan and I think the sleeve is best choice because I would still have my intestines in tact, i would still absorb nutrients, and I would also loose a significant about of weight.
I just think I should stick with my surgan's recommendation and my intuiton.

So does anyone have any advice or have been in this sortof situation?
My insurenece company is united health care.

I would go to the RNY and DS forums and ask questions.

Frankly, I think DS is your best bet for long term, but don't take my word for it, ask people who have been there! Ask them about how hard it is to keep up nutrition, what their experiance was, etc. Remember, with DS (as apposed to RNY) your stomach will be intact, including the valve that controls the emptying of stomach contents.

I've seen people come to the DS board looking for a revision from VSG because they didn't loose enough or regained, so think about this very carefully.

Go to the lapband board you will find plenty of people that have lost more than 30% of excess weight and many who have lost 100% excess weight with the band.  The band you just have to keep up with the follow-up which may be a pain.

This might sound stupid, but doesn't the DS part of the surgery come later anyway? Could you get the sleeve and just forget to go back for the second surgery?

No, most DS surgeries they do both at once.

Only in rare instances of severe morbid obesity (400+ pounds) do some surgeons recommend the surgery be split into two stages.

Yes, that's what the letter is saying. It says they will only do the VSG if it's the first part of a 2-parter (DS being the second part).

So do the 1st part and then lose all your weight and you won't need the second part.