got my date!! but might have to settle for the band :(

i got my date! 9/25 (ahh!!!) But even though my insurance now approves the sleeve my drs have yet to see them approve one. My only hope is that I'm vit b12 def. so i'm no good for bypass (which i don't want either way). If they don't approve me i may have to settle for lapband. But please if you can say a little prayer that they accept the sleeve!!! thank you so very very much! And I continue to learn/grow/enjoy the posts on OH!!! :)

 Prayer said!

If it's a choice between the band and nothing, I'd go for nothing.  But, then again, I just had revision from band to sleeve.

I will keep you in my thoughts.  But, if your insurance approves sleeves, it shouldn't really be an issue IF your surgeon's office codes the request properly.

If it comes back with approval for the band, have them resubmit or get a second opinion.

I guess so far, the 3 times they put in for patients to have the sleeve the ins. company has said that there isnt good enough evidence that the bypass isn't the better choice (which seems crazy to me! but they JUST started accepting the sleeve). so confusing. then they said if they don't approve it they have to submit it to some new york board to look over. I'm just hoping that my b12 dif. will help me get approved so I can continue on with this journey!!!

 Ditto what CB said.  I had the band and was recently revised to the sleeve.  No surgery at all is better than the band.  Can your surgeon do a peer to peer with the insurance company?  I think that might be the better way to go here.  When they actually talk to the physician at the insurance company it seem to really increase chances of approval.  Good luck. 

I agree with the above poster - "settling" for a surgery you don't want is a horrible choice - especially the band. Please do your research. I would have stayed 420 lbs before I had a lapband or a bypass.

Even if they don't approve it now, I'd say give it 6mo-1 yr and they will probably start approving them more routinely. Or wait for a different insurance plan or something. But it's your body and you have to live with it for the rest of your life (and the band is not a simple reversible surgery).

I would try to be a little more patient and work the system to try to go for the sleeve. Of course I am still preop revision from band to sleeve, so I don't know the sleeve yet, but I do know my band. I know that I had my band thinking, oh a great, reversible, can unfill/fill, weightloss will be great, etc. the greatest thing ever...yeah, not so much....especially if you want to have kids someday. That was my problem....the band was fine prepregnancy, postpregnancy = welcome problems. If you decide to go with the band, my recommendation to you would be to make sure your surgeon is willing/competent to revise you if needed. Mine wasn't, so I went through hoops and hoops to find a surgeon who would take me and my problems to fix, and then the insurance battle to have them sign off on revision too.

Just make sure you make a well thought out decision and don't just settle on what you want tomorrow. Think about what you want/need in 5, 10, 15 years too.

Good luck! 

Amy

Dittoing everyone else, do not settle for a surgery- especially the band, I'd have rather kept on trying to maintain my excess weight than have that, and the same for bypass.

Screw settling, appeal. Do you have any joint issues, arthritis? There are so many reasons to appeal for the proper surgery- I would postpone if not approved and take things through the appeals process as needed to get the surgery you want. It's time, it's paperwork, but I've seen so many get the surgery they wanted when they appealed.. Worst case, postpone and save and self-pay. It's worth it, you are going to be living with this the rest of your life (unless you get the band, in which case you may get a couple years before surgery #2 to remove it, and then there may be the lovely 1 bari procedure for life clause..)

you are all totally right. I dont want to settle for the band. I think i've mentally prepared myself the past 3-6 months for this life change, and I am ready, so the thought of having to wait longer stinks. But I guess i need to see where fate takes me, and just have faith that they approve me! :) thanks for the thoughts and input, i think i already knew inside that settling wasn't a good idea, getting the feedback really helped.
thanks a bunch!!

I don't know if anyone point it out, but if YOUR insurance APPROVES the sleeve...then it's your DOCTOR...it might be a heartache but how many sleeves has your doctor done?  I think they are the ones with the issue and not your insurance that approves it???

MS Shell