[Georgie]

I talked to my clinic today to check if I am on track with everything I need to be doing, she then said "you have to do 6 months of RD visits" and I told her that I had checked with my insurance company and they told me they require 3 months, she advised me to check again because some companies recently changed their policies and if it is 3 months she asked me to have them fax her the information for my file, so, I called and she told me the policy did change effective 3/15 to 6 months . Now instead of (I was hoping) to have my surgery done in June (I work at a school bus service so I can have as much time off during the June through Aug that I want) it will be October at the earliest! Of course this is a busy time with fall sports! With this said I am not upset with the fact of having to do the 3 more months of RD visits it is the timing of it all. Nothing anyone can do to change, I just needed to vent.
Thank you for listening.

[Perfesser]

I missed my preferred window of late-July - early-August too, so with my school schedule, I rescheduled for over the Christmas break. It's an inconvenience for you now, but in a year it won't matter. Ya just gotta take the long view of it! Gives you more time to get into the habit of eating right and following the rules.

Where in MN are you? Where are you doing your surgery? My wife and I had Dr. Chute at Minneapolis Bariatrics at Abbott NW.

CT

[country_strong]

Sounds just like the situation I'm in. I found out that BCBS changed their requirements on March 15th, to 6 months worth of visits, when I had originally been told it was only 3 months. I was ready to ditch the whole thing, but, after being upset and angry, I know there is nothing I can do but wait until I see what the insurance says. However, in the meantime, I got a 4th nutrition visit under my belt, and will do 2 more. I was told that if you skip a month or two, the insurance will make you start all over again!!! In the meantime, I am just practicing the eating skills and other things that I will need to do anyway. Practice makes perfect, right? Anyway, the one thing that I have practiced to the point of exhaustion is my patience in this waiting, but again, I have no control over how long things take to proceed! Hang in there!

[Katbeyer]

It is all part of the game. Use it to your advantage. And learn, learn, learn. It will be worth it in the end.

[country_strong]

Heres a real dandy..I called my insurance to see how my paperwork was progressing, and after much checking, they said they did not receive it. So I e-mailed the bariatric center's co-ordinator, and asked about it, and she sent me back a snotty e-mail, saying that it hadn't been submitted yet, and who am I to think that I am the only one to pursue wls? Then she added that I might as well follow the lo-carb pre-op diet, because she noticed I had gained 1 lb. on my last visit! ( she didn't mention the fact that I dropped 5 in the last week after!!!) I think that the e-mail was totally uncalled for and very unproffesional! I am thinking that now I have jeopardized my chances at wls because I seem to have pissed her off somewhat, although I do not think it is unreasonable for me to ask a question and expect a civil answer. That IS what she is being paid for, I assume?

[Georgie]

Country Strong! I think they love to put those hoops higher and higher! I too believe you (we) pay for straight answers. Good luck to you also. Guess we just have to keep leaning on one another to keep us strong and upbeat. Take care, this too we can over come.

[Georgie]

CT~ I guess my next goal date will either be Thanksgiving Break or Christmas Break (sports are in between seasons). Thanks for the encourgment, I love reading your posts you are so insightful! Love how you don't sugar coat the information!

I am from about 10 miles NW of Waconia, I will have my surgery at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia (they just started Bariatrics this month there) Dr. Chute from Minneapolis Bariatrics is my surgeon.

After my surgery I would love to meet you and Peanut, I know I can learn a ton from the two of you!

Country Strong~ I too have BCBS. Just jumping throught all the hoops they give me.

I started this progress 3 years ago then our local hospital was doing an obesity study so, I signed up to do that then the pharmaceutical company pulled the study with no warning (it was supposed to be a 25 month program and they ended it at 14 months), I had lost almost 100 pounds and have regained almost all of it back, losing weight without support and education does not work for me, so, I know I will be going to the after surgery support groups. I am not quitting this time. I have way too much to live for not only myself I have a husband and 6 children (2 biological and 4 adopeted) who need me, too.

Thanks for the support and the open arms, I am sure I will need them again before this whole insurance thing is done.

[Perfesser]

Thanksgiving break might be real tight, especially if you have the least complication. I found Christmas worked really well for me.

You will love Dr. Chute. He has done thousands of these procedures and has a great success rate. I went through his statistics with him prior to my surgery, and he was very open about his record. If I had been the least bit unsatisfied there is no way I would have let him work on my wife. He ran into problems with her, but was able to handle it without incident. Took about twice as long in surgery as planned, but I didn't worry because I trusted him. That trust was well-placed. He has a great staff at Abbott NW, too. We really enjoy our checkups there.

Block off the last weekend in July for the First Ever Renewed Reflections Family Reunion (FERRFR)! We're having a big get-together in Minneapolis, with list members coming in from all over. There are a bunch of us here in MN, WI and ND who will be there. It's going to be a lot of fun!! Do a search for the term "FERRFR" for further information.

Quite often when a pharmaceutical company pulls a study early it's because they have found out something that makes them want to end it and reconsider what they're doing. They rarely end it early because it's going too well.

As you have learned, there is a huge educational and mental component to success here. You may never have had something like it in your other approaches to weight loss. We do it right here, and we're always ready to help a member have the best results possible. When you're part of the family - you're family!!



CT

[Georgie]

CT~ I checked out FERRFR and I should be able to make it on 7/30, however I maybe driving a bus of confirmation students and chaprones to the Boundry Waters Canoe Area on 7/31. Did I catch it correctly it will be at Minnehahaha Falls? This is less than an hour from my house. Thanks for the information, I am now looking forward to meeting people and hearing their stories and getting useful advise from the "professionals"! Talk again soon, please keep me in the loop.
~Georgie

[Perfesser]

If you want to contact emmasnana, she could use a bit of reimbursement. She put the picnic area reservation on her personal card, and last I heard is still $150- of her own out of pocket. She's taking PayPal, so you might want to contact her to make a contribution.

This applies to anyone thinking of coming or even just feeling generous. Cindy put herself out for us. We should thank her in a tangible way if we're able.

Thanks,
CT