ho hum!!

OK...Ladies...Here is the deal.... I woke up last night around 4:00am with negative thoughts running through my head. All I could think about was that something is gonna go wrong and I am not gonna be able to get my surgery. It just seems like I have been waiting forever for tomorrow (packet goes out) but guess what....it's time to wait again. Lacy said that Aetna has been dragging their feet get approvals back. She assured me that I WOULD get approved but I am just so scared something is gonna stop this. I'm ready to get this losing show on the road!!! Thanks for letting me vent. Rachel

Hang in there. Give it a couple days for you to be sure that Aetna has received the packet and then call them daily (not your doctor's office) or every other day. Squeaky wheels, you know?? Once you've heard from Aetna, call your doctor's office immediately and then follow-up with them daily until they confirm receipt from Aetna and get you a date.

Sorry your having the same feelings I am, it sucks! The waiting and delays are the worst part of this whole thing. I have left voice mails and two emails with Katie about my Lexapro and still haven't heard back from her. I talked to Carmen this morning and got off the phone crying. She said she is having problems with St. Francis Womens hospital not wanting to give a decent date. She said the earliest they would give her is October 31. She knows I'm not happy with that and said she was going to talk to Dr. Bour and see if he can get an earler date. She is suppose to call me back today. So, I'm sitting here with no antidepressants and possibly another two months of waiting. So I know how your feeling, it's like,is this ever going to happen. and why is it taking this long? Others I work with have gotten their surgery in less than 3 months from the day they started at BS. I hope your having yours done at Hillcrest Hosptial, since they seem to be able to get people in a lot faster. You might beat me to it after all. I wish you the best girl and hope it works out for you. BIG hugs! Mary

(((((((((( Mary ))))))))))) I am SO sorry to hear all this, and especially that you were upset to the point of tears earlier. I hope you're feeling better this afternoon. Also hoping Dr. Bour can work another miracle and find you a SFW date earlier than 10/31. I have a feeling I'm about to start the same meds fiasco ... I got a note in the mail yesterday from my insurance company, telling me I need to stop Lexapro and start on the generic form of Celexa. Don't ya love how the insurance companies are now telling us what meds we need??!! The note says BS got notified by mail, but the note I'm to take to the pharmacy instructs the pharmacist to call Dr. Bour to confirm. Guess I'll go a few days without meds, too! Let us know when you hear from Carmen again, will you? Please know you have my support and BEST hopes ... Dawn

Thanks Dawn, I know I need to stop worrying so much about this and getting upset, but it's so hard not to, especially when you have your hopes up of getting the surgery a lot sooner than what they are able to get set up for you. I guess I won't be hearing back from Carmen or Katie today since it is now 5:15 PM. It would be nice if they could just call and say something, even if they didn't get anywhere today. OK, I'm going to just stop venting and take what I can get I guess. I hope Dr. Bour can do something for me. Hugs! Mary

THE ISSUE IS THE RISING COSTS OF COVERING ALL OF OUR MEDICAL NEEDS SO INSURANCE COMPANIES CUT COSTS WHERE THEY CAN ... NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY FOR-PROFIT COMPANY. IN MOST CASES, THE GENERIC BRAND WILL WORK JUST AS WELL, BUT IF YOU FIND IT DOES NOT, YOUR DOCTOR CAN USUALLY PETITION YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY TO APPROVE THE BRAND NAME DRUG. I HAD A HEART MED THAT I HAD TO DO THAT WITH. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL REASON WHY YOU SHOULD STAY ON LEXAPRO INSTEAD OF CHANGING TO CELEXA, WITH MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES, YOUR DOCTOR CAN FILL OUT A MEDICAL NECESSITY FORM WITH YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS TO SUPPORT HIS REQUEST FOR YOU &, IN MOST CASES, YOUR REQUEST WILL BE ALLOWED. THEY SURELY DON'T WANT A LAWSUIT FROM A CASE WHERE MEDICAL NECESSITY WAS PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED. FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS A LONG LIST OF NO-NOs WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS & GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS ... SO, IF YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY WANTS TO CHANGE YOUR MEDS TO ONE A GB PATIENT SHOULD NOT TAKE, THEN THERE ARE GROUNDS FOR MEDICAL NECESSITY. TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR, MS DAWN. SEE IF HE CAN BUILD A CASE FOR MEDICAL NECESSITY FOR YOU. GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICK

Vent all you need to, darlin'. That's what we're here for. I absolutely hate the way we can wake in the middle of the night, and our brains are going 90 miles an hour with the WORRYING, and there's no way to turn it off. So sorry that happened to you this morning. I also hate to hear about Aetna's sluggish response time ... but I'm gonna tell you what I told myself: We WILL NOT go to the "What if I'm denied??" place in our heads unless and until we hear those words officially!!!" Until then, it's a total waste of time and head space. Stay positive, and know that we are here, supporting you ... we can't WAIT until you get what you're dreaming of, Rachel!!! Dawn

Rachel...no negative thoughts. All is going to work out and quickly...I can feel it. Hang in there...Aetna will come through and you will be on the losing side before you know it. I look back now and can't believe how fast time went. I thought it was going to take forever for it to get here but now looking back... I am here for you and thinking about you. Hang in there!!! Pam

Rachel, I hate that you are going through that. I don't want to get your hopes up, but I have Aetna. The packet was faxed to them on a Monday at 11:22 AM. I didn't really think about it as it was the week from hell at work. On Friday morning, the surgeon's office said they received the letter of approval in the mail. Friday afternoon when I got home from work, I had my approval letter in the mail. That means it had to have been mailed at least by Wednesday. Rather a quick turn around. Here's hoping yours is as fast. My problem is the surgeon. My surgery isn't until 10/5 because ..... ta da.... the surgeons partner vacationing for 3 weeks in September. Can we say oh, well!! This last month isn't going too badly. I'm practicing my chewing and sipping and walking. Doing a pretty bad job at all 3 so far. Hang in there sweetie. It will be here before you know it.

Thanks for sharing. That is gives me some hope. Rachel