Just learning about VSG

I'm curious as to how long it takes to get approval for VSG.  What kinds of things did you have to do to get approval?  I'm just learning so all this is completely new to me.  All I know is I'm almost 48 with a 22 month old daughter ( my oldest is 23!!)  I would like to live to see my baby at least graduate from High School!!  Please share your experiences with getting started on your journey and other things along the way.

 I have BCBS of MI.  Their requirements were a 6 month supervised diet(  i heard they might have scrapped that now). a BMI over 40 or 35 with co morbidities, and PCP reccomendation.

Every insurance company is different, so call yours.  Thats the best thing you can do is make sure you know all of the requirements from your policy and stay on top of making sure those get met.

Also, it elps too have your surgery through a center of excellence that has support groups, nut's and exercise people.  

I am one of the lucky ones I guess... my approval for surgery was very fast.  I got a referral from my primary doctor to see the bariatric surgeon and after meeting him and then taking one nutrition class, and seeing the psychologist for my psych eval... (I ended up having to see her 2 more times) so all told it took me maybe a month total to get all the pre-op tests and the evals done and then I was put in for surgery date and got approval the same week and had surgery on July 13th and I went to my primary to get a referral in Early May.  I think I was also lucky because I had other conditions that factored into my approval... I was pre-diabetic, High Blood Pressure and Sleep apnea. 

My insurance is United Healthcare (formerly Pacificare)

Good luck to you :)

Let me ask you a few questions? Is this your first attempt at weight loss? Have you tried to lose the weight by diet and exercise? Do you have medical issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure etc.? These will be some of the questions asked by the surgeon. My advice is search for a doc in your area and go to a seminar to learn what steps you have to take also talk to your own doc on a recommendation. Go on you tube plenty of video's from patients like us. Not trying to be nasty but these questions will be asked. Good luck to you on beginning this journey.

Here are some of my answers to Tracasa.  Yes I have tried dieting.  I've been sucessful with WW but it never stays off for very long.  I work rotating swing shifts so it is very difficult to stay on a schedule for eating and exercising.  I've lost enough weight in my life time to make two or three of myself!  I've lost over 50 pounds three times in the last 10 years.  But like i've said, it never stayed off for very long. 

My doctor has not officially diagnosed me with type 2 diabetes but i am taking metformin to keep the glucose levels down.  Maybe i'm just pre-diabetic.  My blood pressure is routinely 140/90. And I have sleep apnea.  I've had a cpap machine for about 7 or 8 years.  My BMI is some where between 37 and 40.

I think I meet the criteria for the procedure.  What do you guys think?

something else.  I can be radical about working out in the gym.  I routinely workout with weights and cardio 3 to 4 times a week burning up to 1300 calories on the eliptical machines and stairsteppers and lifting free weights.  When I was younger the weight came off easier but now that I'm nearing 48 it has become very stubborn.

These were not my questions they were on the questionnaire when I went to my surgeon. You wanted information so if I offended you in any way that wasn't my intention .

not offended at all.  Just putting information out there so I can learn as much as possible.

I have BC/BS of IL and they required a 6 month medically supervised diet, BMI over 40 or over 35 with 2 co-mobidities. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high sugar and a BMI of 38. I just finished my last of the 6 month diet appts last week and am waiting for insurance approval. I've done the seminar and psych eval several months ago and all the blood work last month. Hopefully I can have my nutrition class and then surgery by first of May. Have your insurance company send you the requirements for bariatric surgery. You can then stay on top of the requirements. Just don't wait for your dr. to call you. You have to call them and make the monthly appts. If it's not documented by a doctor then you don't have proof you were on the diet. I didn't know that in the beginning and it took me 8 months to get 6 documented visits because I was waiting for the surgeons office to call and set up those appts. When I did talk to them they said I could do it there or at my family physician. I could be sleeved by now if I had known that before. Good luck. What insurance do you have and do they cover bariatric surgery?

I have BC/BS Tennessee.  They do cover the sleeve surgery.  I have read the company policy on Bariatric surgery and there is nothing in the document about being on a supervised diet for any period of time.  They do require you to lose 10% or highest body weight though before surgery.