Finally, a meeting with the surgeon!
(deactivated member)
on 8/27/08 12:46 pm - Somewhere_in, PA
on 8/27/08 12:46 pm - Somewhere_in, PA
I'm still reading all the posts here and am learning so much about all of you. I've just updated my profile a bit so you can learn more about me too! (I'd repost it here, but it's long and I didnt' want to take up too much space.
I received a call from Dr. Brader's office today and I have an appointment in October to see him. The coordinator there told me that my insurance will require me to be on a medically supervised diet for 6 months.
Have any of you been on a diet such as this? What if I lose so much weight that I knock myself out of being eligible for surgery ? That is a huge fear for me as I know in the past, I've lost and regained, lost and regained.
Did any of you have this fear too? I know it will be good if I can lose some real weight, yet......
I had to do a six month diet... I would check with your insurance company to see what they require.
All I needed to do was to see my PCP or dietitian for 6 visits - one in each calendar month. I heard that some insurance companys require food and exercise logs to be turned in.
If you can... you may want to start the 6 month medically supervised diet now... then you will be that much closer to getting approved.
I lost 13 pounds during my 6 month diet... most of the weight I lost was in the first couple of months... then I played with about 5 pounds for the rest of the time.
Good luck... I am glad you have an appointment....
Helen
All I needed to do was to see my PCP or dietitian for 6 visits - one in each calendar month. I heard that some insurance companys require food and exercise logs to be turned in.
If you can... you may want to start the 6 month medically supervised diet now... then you will be that much closer to getting approved.
I lost 13 pounds during my 6 month diet... most of the weight I lost was in the first couple of months... then I played with about 5 pounds for the rest of the time.
Good luck... I am glad you have an appointment....
Helen
Consult W/Surgery W/Revision W/Goal W
332.5/302.6/231/200
Linda,
My insurance company didn't require a specific 6 month diet, only records of past dieting attempts. My doctor had plenty of documentation to cover that.
My surgeon wouldn't consider me for WLS until I lost weight and sent me to the dietician. My BMI was 58 and he felt I was too big a risk for surgery, especially with all the co-morbidities. (5'2", 320 pounds)
I lost weight by following her simple plan, can't recall right this minute how many pounds. With such a high BMI, I had no fear of getting too low, the big fear was getting low enough to satisfy my surgeon.
Any weight you lose as a pre-op will make the surgery safer and you will begin to change your life style sooner.
Annette
My insurance company didn't require a specific 6 month diet, only records of past dieting attempts. My doctor had plenty of documentation to cover that.
My surgeon wouldn't consider me for WLS until I lost weight and sent me to the dietician. My BMI was 58 and he felt I was too big a risk for surgery, especially with all the co-morbidities. (5'2", 320 pounds)
I lost weight by following her simple plan, can't recall right this minute how many pounds. With such a high BMI, I had no fear of getting too low, the big fear was getting low enough to satisfy my surgeon.
Any weight you lose as a pre-op will make the surgery safer and you will begin to change your life style sooner.
Annette
Annette 
(deactivated member)
on 8/28/08 8:14 am - Somewhere_in, PA
on 8/28/08 8:14 am - Somewhere_in, PA
I am so happy I have found you all! You have such good advice!
I'm beginning to feel at home here. Thank you all!
I'm beginning to feel at home here. Thank you all!
Many insurance companies are requiring the 6 month supervised diet.
Some are hoping people will give up and not do it so they don't have to pay.
Check with your insurance company to find out exactly what they want. My insurance company doesn't care if we lose they just wanted us to maintain. Any weight gain would have given them reason to not qualify that person. They want to see that we can follow the rules for that long more then anything. If you can't do that then they don't think you will after surgery either.
Good luck...hope it works out well for you!!
Hugs, connie d
Some are hoping people will give up and not do it so they don't have to pay.
Check with your insurance company to find out exactly what they want. My insurance company doesn't care if we lose they just wanted us to maintain. Any weight gain would have given them reason to not qualify that person. They want to see that we can follow the rules for that long more then anything. If you can't do that then they don't think you will after surgery either.
Good luck...hope it works out well for you!!
Hugs, connie d
(deactivated member)
on 8/28/08 8:18 am - Somewhere_in, PA
on 8/28/08 8:18 am - Somewhere_in, PA
Hi Connie
Thanks for the advice. You are so right, I DO think they're hoping that we give up. HA! I didn't come this far to give up!
I am looking at this as a life change, not just a surgery. I'm so motivated and ready. Let the diet begin! :)
Thanks for the advice. You are so right, I DO think they're hoping that we give up. HA! I didn't come this far to give up!
I am looking at this as a life change, not just a surgery. I'm so motivated and ready. Let the diet begin! :)
Yes--been there--done that. I was suppose to lose 10% (stared at 359) but only lost 24 pounds because I had pneumonia twice in those 6 months. I think the insurance companies hope you will give up and go away. It took 16 months to do all the things and meet with all the docs they wanted but I finally had surgery last week. It was worth it. Get a list of what they want you to do early so none of it is a surprise. Scheduling all the appointments with people they would approve (I have an HMO and live in a sparsely populated county but am suppose to use docs from our own area only==but there isn't anyone here) so I had get pre-approval on lots of outside visits to specialists.
(deactivated member)
on 8/28/08 8:10 am - Somewhere_in, PA
on 8/28/08 8:10 am - Somewhere_in, PA
Hope you are doing well!
Thanks for your reply. I have scheduled an appointment with my primary care doctor to start a medically supervised diet. I'll have 2 months under my belt so to speak, before I meet with the surgeon in October. According to my insurance company, that is all I will have to do because of my co-morbidites and BMI.
Now the surgeon is another story. I have to meet with him, then the nutritionist and exercise folks. I've registered for a local support group to begin listening and asking questions . I get impatient, and think it's going to take so long, but then I think of how fast this summer went by and I know that the next few months will go just as quickly.
Let us know how you're doing! I'm so excited for you!
Thanks for your reply. I have scheduled an appointment with my primary care doctor to start a medically supervised diet. I'll have 2 months under my belt so to speak, before I meet with the surgeon in October. According to my insurance company, that is all I will have to do because of my co-morbidites and BMI.
Now the surgeon is another story. I have to meet with him, then the nutritionist and exercise folks. I've registered for a local support group to begin listening and asking questions . I get impatient, and think it's going to take so long, but then I think of how fast this summer went by and I know that the next few months will go just as quickly.
Let us know how you're doing! I'm so excited for you!
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