Introduction and Approved!

Hi all.. I got my approval yesterday from my insurance and scheduled my consultation with Dr. Dyer, (ugh not till April 30th!) so I thought it is time to introduce myself as I have been lurking for awhile now and have learned a lot from all of you and hope to continue to learn and share.

I was so excited to hear I was approved. The insurance coordinator was pretty sure I would be denied. I have had a BMI of 35-39.9 for the lat 8 years, but I did not have any co-morbids documented until 2 years ago. I have UHC and they require 5 year history. So I was/am excited I was approved on the first try. I was prepared for the denial and to fight it.
I will be having the RYN hopefully in May. That sounds so far away I can hardly wait! I know I need to attend a support meeting prior to surgery so i am going to do that before my appt and get it out of the way. Does anyone attend one in Lebanon?

Can anyone tell me about the test that need to be done before surgery? I have sleep apnea so I assume I wont need a sleep study since I already had one. I dont have any reflux problems so I dont know if I would need a GI. Are there any others besides blood work?

Well thank you for reading and I hope to become an involved party to the community.

WELCOME AND CONGRATS!!!!  It is wonderful that you were approved the first go round and I promise...time will FLY by & April & May will be here before you know it! 

I just looked in my Centennial book (have you done the seminar yet at Centennial?probably if you have already picked your doc)....there is a book you get at the seminar &, in it, a section with a list of support groups.   Lebadono is the 1st Thursday of each month at 6pm at McFarland Med Center, 1st Floor Conference Room...Renee Winfree runs it and her # is 394-9565.   I hope that helps.

Welcome to the TN Board....and we hope to see you on the Looser's bench soon!  Micheala.

Hi, Telisha.  Congratulations on your approval!  That is a wonderful piece of news in this journey of ours, isn't it?  I remember when I got my approval... over the phone...  I had called BCBST every single day from the point it got submitted, til I was denied, then til I was approved...  I called 45 times within 30 days so you can tell i called sometimes twice a day, morning, afternoon.  I was anxious.  they finally asked me to stop calling but I did not give up!  I cried, I think partially from happiness, but also some out of relief from frustration that had built up when a person anticipates something and isn't granted it....so you have accomplished a great deal!

I didn't have sleep apnea problems so I don't know what kind of test they may ask you to take.  Maybe Pam Davis can answer that, she comes on the board quite often.  Or, why don't you contact the office and inquire as to what types of preadmitting tests you will need.  I did have to get labwork and also a test, I think it was an EKG but they did not take very long nor were they painful.

Welcome to our little family...  glad to see another one coming out of lurkdom and being a public part.  Take care, and I know you will keep us apprised of all your journey as you encounter it...  

Hi Telisha, CONGRATS on being approved . While at your consult appointment, Dr. Dyer's office will set your surgery date  and schedule your pre-admission testing (lab work and EKG). You shouldn't need any additional testing based on what you've posted. The office will schedule your preop. class for the same day as your pre-admission testing, so it will be either on a Monday morning at 9 or a Weds. afternoon at 1. Pam Helmlinger, our registered dietitian and either Kathy Hungerford or I will review the Owner's Manual during the class.

Hope this helps! Congrats again!