Notification dependent on task status

Hi guys,
A request. Is there a way I can notify someone (via a notification scheme) when an issue is commented on but only when it is in a certain status?

My example is someone raising a change - they create the change, it gets commented on various times, and then they submit it for approval. Several people need to approve the change, and whilst it is in the Pending Approval stage I would like to notify these change approvers of any extra comments, since someone who has approved a change could change their mind and reject it depending on a comment (whilst not having emailed them on the previous comments).

I thought that I could hide the 'Comment' button from the 'Operations' list and create a workflow Comment button instead. I could use workflow conditions to have two Comment buttons with only one shown depending on the status.

The problem is, of course, that my only way of removing the Operations 'Comment' is by removing permission to comment, which then destroys my workflow 'Comment' buttons. So I have to live with having an Operations Comment button and a workflow action Comment button at the same time, which is confusing to the user.

Any hints and tips would be appreciated. My workaround is to call the Workflow Action Comment 'Comment and Notify Approvers' so hopefully users can surmise the difference.