Hi, definitely let the person at your Surgeon's Office whose job it is to handle this type of stuff, take care of as much of this as possible, as well as help/advise you......
My insurance company required me to be on a 3 month supervised Nutritional Counseling Program first, which was achieved by me seeing a Nutritionist for 3 months. They also wanted a letter of necessity (listing why I needed the surgery, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, joint pain, shortness of breath, urinary incontinence, anything you can think of that is a health problem caused by or made worse by obesity), which, in my case, the Surgeon wrote, however my family Doctor and my Heart Doctor told me they would write one as well, if I needed it. I also had to get a note from my family Doctor going back 5 years, listing my weight for the previous 5 years back. As for having to prove previous attempts at weight loss, I wrote a list of different diets I had tried (Like Atkins), Diet books I had read, Weight Watchers, Overeaters Anonymous, Diet pills, both over-the-counter and prescribed, and any weight loss plans or efforts I had made under the supervision of my doctor. I did not have exact dates and details, and frankly, I made some of it up - they never questioned it.... I know it seems like it's really hard, but just make a list and get it done, item by item...... It took me 7 months from the time I first saw the Surgeon, to it was all done and I actually had my surgery. I know it seems like a long time, but it must be done and can be done, and before you know it, you'll be where I am - 9 months post-op, down 103 pounds and counting, and all of the stuff/crap just a distant memory....... You can do it!
Gina