tscasto
I would have to say my story probably isn't too terribly different than most. I have been fighting my weight forever it seems. specifically since high school. I have an abusive background, both physical & sexual. My weight has been a security that no matter how much I tried to lose, I put right back on because it was comfortable.(in that weird disfunctional way) I have been with a therapist that is wonderful for about 3 years now & I have found resolution to most of this. I have tried probably a dozen different diet &/or diet & exercise programs & with each I gained more back than I had lost. I considered bariatric surgery for the 1st time in 2006, then talked myself out of it saying things like I wasn't really in need of something so serious or I can do it on my own, I have to just get my willpower under control. Well, 5 years later, I got honest with myself & began my process to my upcoming surgery date on March 22nd. I researched, went to classes, groups, changed my insurance, did a 6 month diet I found out later wasn't required...lol. It has been a much harder stuggle than I had imagined though. In your consultation & intro. class & groups they kept saying things like this is your life take control & responsibility for making sure everything gets done. Therefore I watched each part of the process closely asked a lot of questions & continued to research what I could. Well I had thought I was all set & all my ducks were in a row, etc. First, my doctors office dropped the ball, I asked them to start gathering my info in October since they were switching to electronic system & of course all new things have bugs to be worked out. They had said everything before the switch would stay in hard copy file & new stuff on computer. I did this so they could print out each visit as it occured, remember i was doing the 6 month diet that normally is required by UHC pre-empive to switching ins. in January. Then I asked in Dec. if they had started this & the response was no. So, in January when ins. changed & my surgeons office needed the records, they were unable to retrieve them because the system locked all visits more than 30 days ago & they couldn't print them. We had to wait for IT to get back to them to help them with this. Then I did my pysc eval. on 1/3/12 & got my passing results 1/17/12. I asked who would be submitting this to the behavioral health side of UHC as my assigned nurse advised this was required. They said they had never done that & knew nothing of it, they just send to surgeon. Iasked my surgeon's office the next day when i was in for 2nd consultation since I had changed from band to sleeve. They said never heard of it, & they just submit directly to UHC. Then finace woman assigned to me walked in & said she'd submit that coming Monday, 1/23/12. She called the following week on thurs & said she forgot to get letter ready & have surgeon sign. She submitted the following week after that on Wednesday, 2/1/12. I then get a call from UHC saying they can't do anything with this until it is submitted to the behavioral health side. I explained my frustration & she said she was confused because my companies requirements haven't changed & they have worked with my surgeons office many times & they should've been well aware. She helped me get it over & hurry the process some. I got my approval letter & then finally scheduled my appt with my surgeon to schedule the actual surgery. It was scheduled for March 14th & then they called 2 days later to tell me they messed up the OR schedule & they had to move it to the 22nd. I have had to change my PTO, call to reschedule physical therapy appts, & cancel others, same with mental health therapy, & notify all friends & family of change & now we have to find other accomidations for my boyfriend's 6 year old son because this would be the weekend we would have him. Now, there have been other mishaps during this time too but this is general overview of the problems I have had with this process. Mind you my requirements through my company with the ins. co. are minimal. 1.) must be 18 or older. 2.) must be 35 bmi with comorbidity or over 40 bmi. 3.) have a pysc evaluation 4.) You must use a BRS center of excellence. Unfortunately at this point, my excitment is gone, I am drained, frustrated & just ready to be done with it so I can move on. I am not a big computer person as far as social media type stuff & so it was hard for me to decide to turn here for support. I found many stories inspiring though & am hoping to regain my excitement & get to know many of you & look forward to all the things I have yet to learn.
