Hello!

[WVBShaw]

Hi, My name is Betsy, and I'm a couple months out from finishing the 12 month weight management program that is my insurance's (WV PEIA) prerequisite for surgery. I'm starting to research surgeons and have scheduled attendance at two free information sessions in my area. I'm honestly more concerned about the hoops the insurance is going to put me through than the actual surgery at this point. I'm sure that will change the closer it gets to the time to schedule the surgery.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome @WVBShaw

 

[KathrynK]

12 months? That's a huge barrier to getting surgery, so congrats at making it through that hoop! Welcome to this site! There's a lot of good info here...

 

[MegMac86]

Welcome and best of luck!

 

[Duckman]

Welcome aboard! Here I was feeling sorry for myself about a six month wait, twelve months

 

[newanatomy]

Wow, I hope you have proven the asshats that want for you to never have surgery that you are worthy of getting what you pay for. Seriously though, congrats on your hard work. I hope that the rest of your journey is both rewarding and easier than the beginning.

 

[galaxygrrl]

Welcome and best of luck.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Welcome and congrats on making it through the 12 month BS. I am assuming you are in WV by your insurance plan name. I am not aware of any DS surgeons in WV who I am aware of so you are going to have travel most likely to get a DS. I am assuming that is the case. NC is probably going to be the closest good DS surgeon to you.

Best wishes.

Any information. You can share with us like BMI and any comorbidities you may have. The DS is the only procedure that has a really good track record of resolving diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure for the long run.....doesn't cure everyone's T2DM but does for high 90% of DS patients.. The DS also has the best record hitting your EWl target and maintaining it. Force large percentage of RnY and VSG patients they lis well initially because they are on a very extreme diet but like all diets it fails most people so the weight comes back for a good many.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome and congrats on making it through the 12 month BS. I am assuming you are in WV by your insurance plan name. I am not aware of any DS surgeons in WV who I am aware of so you are going to have travel most likely to get a DS. I am assuming that is the case. NC is probably going to be the closest good DS surgeon to you.

Best wishes.

Any information. You can share with us like BMI and any comorbidities you may have. The DS is the only procedure that has a really good track record of resolving diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure for the long run.....doesn't cure everyone's T2DM but does for high 90% of DS patients.. The DS also has the best record hitting your EWl target and maintaining it. Force large percentage of RnY and VSG patients they lis well initially because they are on a very extreme diet but like all diets it fails most people so the weight comes back for a good many.

Scott, her profile lists a RNY. And her insurance plan is a state government one...which usually suck pond water for covered benefits. Even if she wanted a DS out of state, I doubt they would let her even after an appeal.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Scott, her profile lists a RNY. And her insurance plan is a state government one...which usually suck pond water for covered benefits. Even if she wanted a DS out of state, I doubt they would let her even after an appeal.

On my phone so profiles don't show - sorry

 

[WVBShaw]

Thanks everyone! I still have some weight to lose in the next couple of months... they want us to lose 10% during the year we're in their program, but then I have to show that I've failed at losing weight on my own. Greeeeeaaaat. But whatever. I'm ready to fight the good fight and show them that I'm serious about this. I had a bad experience a couple weeks ago when I called the closest bariatric center to me and asked about signing up for their free information session. It was fine until she asked me who my provider was. Then she became rude and abrasive and told me how my insurance doesn't cover anything except the surgery and that I probably didn't want to do it because I would have to be in this 12 month long program... I stopped her, told her I was in the program and was nearing the end of my 12 months... she continued to try to discourage me. It worked. I'm totally discouraged from using her hospital. So I'll use one of the next two closest ones, if I can get my insurance to pay. We'll see. I'm not as overwhelmed as I was just last week.

 

[WVBShaw]

And, yes, I'm looking at RNY or the sleeve, but leaning heavily toward RNY. My comorbidities are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea (although I suffered from apnea before I was over-weight)... I am not diabetic and I do not have any known heart issues, although my father has had triple by-pass (and one blockage being treated with medication) and my brother is on his second artificial aortic heart valve due to genetic aortic stenosis. I also suffer from an autoimmune disease called leukocytoclastic vasculitis (basically, my immune system gets over active and attacks my body causing my blood vessels to inflame). My weight is something I can do something about. I just turned 36 last week and I want to be able to have kids and live long enough to raise them. I've seen a cousin and a best friend both have success with RNY, and I have a distant cousin who hasn't had as much success with the sleeve, but I'm not sure how compliant she is.

PEIA is basically the devil, but I will do what I have to in order to make this happen.

 

[Duckman]

I stopped her, told her I was in the program and was nearing the end of my 12 months... she continued to try to discourage me.

I'm sorry to hear she was so negative and glad to read you're carrying on.

 

[aaa]

Hello.

 

[WVBShaw]

I'm sorry to hear she was so negative and glad to read you're carrying on.

Thanks!