MY WLS journey

I hope by posting blog that I help someone or open people eyes,and encourage people I will be posting more of my journey.

Where to start on this blog I guess the being is the best place huh. Almost year ago I decided that I wanted to have WLS weight loss surgery done this was not whim choice that I made, I spent 10yrs thinking about[yea I know why so long] because back around 1998-1999 I did not like the options they had out for WLS they were to high risk and scary too me. When I saw the Lap-Band ad on tv I looked it up online and decided that it would be much safer choice, so for almost two years I did research on this operation to see if something like this would be the right choice for me, well it was not the only thing was to go about finding out how, where,to go to get this started, thank goodness for todays world because right on their website they list all the info for you. I will post the link for the website at then end of my blog. The hospital that I work at did not offer WLS at all they were only in the talks of starting it, for those of in the health care filed we know talks don't always make things happen, so I went and found out that Lehigh Valley Hospital offers the Lap-Band operation, I got in contact with them I attended their free weight loss seminar I think it was with in that week someone from their weight management call me to see I was still interested in going through with WLS I told them I was. September 3,2008 they gave me my first apt which was physical with doctor to check me out etc then after that I had to pay 420.00 for their program so I did, every month I would have to go to LVH for group medical visits which to me were unconformable but that is just me, I was told that I would not meet with surgeon till month 5 that did not set well with me at all. Around January my boss told me that the hospital offer WLS now so needless to say I change places, which made me much happier!

She gave me the name of the Surgeon that dose the WSL at blue Mountain Health system his name is Vitaly Sawyna, M.D. f.a.c.s I called his office and got an apt of course I had paper work to fill out, his office told me that is was not problem to change places, that made me happy him and Patty are very helpful and understand people. I was told I did have to transfer my records well I had to go to LVH to get my records I got run around from them but I did get my records 25.00 later. we set up operation date for jun 15,2009 which was fine with me. I did have to have different test done that my insurance company wanted it sucked but if they want it and I want to get WLS I got them done, I even had to call my insurance company to make sure this operation was covered they told me that it was. I had my last office visit last month I had to wait to get my pre-opt blood work etc, and to start the South Beach Diet [they want you on diet to shrink you liver] well Patty called me last Thursday and told me that my employer had an exclusion, in their plan that did not cover Lap-Band operation, she said she could submit it to my insurance but it will get denied I told her go head I will talk to my employer!!! This has me very upset so close to my date!!!!! I talked to HR people I was told that it's covered under there plan that they changed it and they will call the insurance company, I was given number to talk to someone yesterday she told me, that yes it's covered I do have co-pay and she dose not know why my insurance company is saying something else, so I had to call my surgeons office today and tell them what I have found out, Patty told me she will have to call my insurance back and my employer to make sure we are all on the same page. I'm kind of disappointed right now because it looks like things are not going to go on as planed!!!! I HOPE things and I get told that they are going to go as planed!!! I will have to keep everyone posted!

For info on Lap-Band go to www.lapband.com
that site is very helpful.