karaserene1985

Hello, Tomorrow is my 6th month appointment with my nutritionist for my supervised diet. This is an insurance requirement for my UHC insurance. I have been meeting with my nutritionist once per month since July. My supervised diet consists of no carbs. Each meal should consist of 3 ounces of Protein one cup of fruit and one cup of vegetables. I have been following the diet to the letter and I have not lost during these 6 months. Each month I go in and she tells me something different to do. I thought finally I was down but then nothing changed in my diet/lifestyle and I gained it all back. I'm so frustrated. Obviously diets don't work for me and that's why I am wanting to do the surgery. I'm 5'8 and 317lbs. My highest was 323 and that was 3 months ago. Like I stated my weight has been up and down during these last 6 months and I just don't know what to do. I don't think its an insurance requirement to lose weight during the 6 months, but just to have a supervised diet. My nutritionist told me at my last appointment that she would like to see me down 10-15 pounds during the 6 months. I have a feeling tomorrow she will tell me that she wants to monitor me for one additional month. I don't see what the difference will be. I know your questions will be, well how about excercise. Right now its non exisitent. We are on mandatory overtime at work and I'm putting in over 65 hours a week. I sit all day! I take the stairs and walk as much as I can. I can't help that I don't have time to work out. I'm also a full time student so I have no free time! I have eliminated all caffine per the nutritionist and with all this overtime I am dying! I can't tell you how much I would like a cup of coffee! Have any one you had trouble with the low carb diet? Like I said, I was finally down last week but I think I found the answer to why i gained it back. I lost 7 pounds during the week of my period. I was not taking my birth control pill. As of Sunday when I started taking my pill again, I gained 4 pounds back. ...... And I'm not getting off my birth control.... This supervised diet is also my pre-op diet. My surgeons don't put the patients on a liquid only diet. The low carb diet is to shrink the liver. I can't tell you how small my liver must be right now after doing 6 months of this but it's crazy that I haven't lost any weight! Has anybody else out there had trouble losing on the low carb diet?!?!?!? Will see what my nutritionist says tomorrow. I hope she still sends my info to insurance for approval without making me wait one more month. I'm so worried about other health factors now such as high cholesterol ect. I never used to eat this much meat and fat. ---------Kara

I work for an insurance company and right now it is our busy season. "open enrollment" All areas of the company are on mandatory overtime. My husband has been unemployed for over 2 years and is also a full time student. He lost is unemployment 4 months ago so I have been working additional overtime over the mandatory to compensate for the money lost by unemployment. My husbands school schedule does not allow him to find a part time job so I am the only one bringing home income. As far as getting off for the surgery I have excellent benefits here. I will use 5 days of sick time and then short term disability for the remainder when taking time off for the surgery. That won't be a problem. I am going to have to start cutting down the additional overtime I'm doing anyway because I joined a Bariatric Support Group last night that was recommended (not required) by the psycharisist. I will be going to that every Thursday night for the next 7 weeks. I think you are right about the stress.... I have so much going on in my life and stress is a huge factor when trying to lose weight. Sooner or later I am going to have to cope with the fact that I need to cut down the overtime to spend more time taking care of myself.... Starting Monday... I've decided to plan out every day w/ a set schedule.... Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday Alarm: 3:00 AM Wake up: 3:15 AM Get ready for work out: 3:15-3:30 AM Work out: 3:30-4:30 AM Get ready for work: 4:30-5:30 Drive to work: 5:30-6:00 Work: 6:00AM-5:30 PM (3 hours of overtime) Drive home: 5:30-6:00 PM Cook Dinner/Eat dinner: 6:00-7:00 Relax/ Do homework/ House duties: 7:00-9:00 PM GO TO BED: 9:00 PM Sleep: 9:00 PM-3:00 AM ********Start all over again******** Thursdays Alarm: 3:00 AM Wake up: 3:15 AM Get ready for work out: 3:15-3:30 AM Work out: 3:30-4:30 AM Get ready for work: 4:30-5:30 Drive to work: 5:30-6:00 Work: 6:00AM-5:30 PM (3 hours of overtime) Drive to support group meeting: 5:30-6:00 PM Support Group: 6:00-8:00 PM Drive Home: 8:00-8:30 PM Relax: 8:30-9:00 PM GO TO BED: 9:00 PM Sleep: 9:00 PM-3:00 AM Saturdays Work 8:00-2:00 Relax/chores/etc rest of day Sundays Relax/chores/etc All day I know to some of you this may seem crazy.... but I still need to work the overtime... and I still need to get the excercise in.... I think this will be the only way..... My journey will begin on Monday morning.... I figure I'm already waking up at 4:00 to work overtime... I might as well wake up an extra hour early to work out....

I am supposed to do low carb high protein. How can I get less then 20 grams of protein while staying low on carbs without starving myself? Did you mean less then 20 grams of carbs?

Typing from my phone so I apologize. Just got done at my Nutritionist appointment. I am down from last month, but she would still like to see me again next month. Insurance requirement is met, but its up to the center of excellence if they will send it off to UHC. My surgery will be approved at 100% if I have the surgery at one of UHC's centers of excellence, but the center has there own requirements as well. They want to see a drop in my weight during the 6 months. I can only hope they send my supervised diet info along with my psych evaluation to the insurance for approval and then give me one month to continue to try and drop the weight. My Nutritionist said my diet looks good, I just need to cut out the sides, mayo, ect. I also need to try and get some exercise in.... I'm going to try this month even if its before or after a 12 hour work day..... here's to hoping they send it for approval and I lose weight this month to make the center happy! Ugg..... frustrated...... Kara

Thanks for the replies. As far as excersise goes, you have know idea how much I want to work out... I just can't. I'm both mentally and physically exausted at the end of every day. I calculated it out, I have 3 hours of free time if you subtract the hours I'm at work, my drive time, and time in the shower. I don't know where those 3 hours go b/c when I get home I swear I eat dinner and go to bed in only an hour. I don't know where the other two go. I'm also a full time student so my breaks and lunch I study. I sit at a desk all day so I walk around and stand up and get up as much as I can during the day. I take the stairs instead of the elevator. I just don't know what else to do. I even work on Saturdays. Sundays are my only free days and by the time Sunday comes around I just sit and do nothing becuase I'm so exausted. I have a treadmill and elipitical and weight sets at home, so its not like it would be hard to work out.... I just don't have the energy! As far as my carb count and fruits.... I have pretty much eliminated them. I may include fruit in one meal during the day and it usually consists of a yogurt w/ less then 16 grams of carsb. (light and fit). I consume only about 30-40 carbs a day. The carbs come from my vegetables, eggs, and sometimes I have a cup of milk. I measure and weigh everything. I use an application on my cell phone that allows me to scan the barcodes of food and it puts in all the dietary information for me so I am keeping very good track. I have talked to my nutritionist about the fact that I was gaining weight in the beginning of my 6 months and she told me sometimes it takes a couple of months for peoples bodies to get used to the diet. 3 months later I had finally lost the weight I gained in the beginning of the diet but was not losing. This month like I said, I thought I finally had lost some weight but then my cycle ended and I started my birth control again and have gained 4 pounds back in 3 days! I weigh myself every day! I know I shouldn't do it! I can't help it! As you can see its a good thing I do so I can monitor my day to day differences. I have no clue what she is going to reccommend for me tomorrow to lose weight before surgery. I would love to add more excercise to my life but I just simply can't unless this mandatory overtime gets cut. (I work for an insurance company, not UHC, and its our busiest time of the year! Open Enrollment!) The only time in my life that I can recall losing weight on some form of a diet was when I was on Phentermine. What does that pill do to your body that you can lose weight!?!? Every other diet I have tried I have not lost anything more then 10 pounds..... I just don't get it..... Obviously!!!!! This is why I need the surgery!!!!! Anyway.... Will see tomorrow morning what she says!

Hello, I have United Health Care and they require me to do a 6 month supervised diet for insurance approval. I have been seeing a nutritionist since early September and she has put me on the pre-op diet right away. My surgeon's office does not do a liquid only pre-op diet, but does a high Protein low carb pre-op diet. I will be doing this diet for the 6 months before surgery and have been having a real hard time. My first month check up with the nutritionist I GAINED 6.2 lbs. I was following the diet to the T! I have been excercising several times a week with a personal trainer and still have been gaining. My nutritionist told me some people on this diet don't lose until the 3rd or 4th month. I have never been on a diet that I have gained weight before. I don't know what to do. My next check-up with the nutritionist is in 2 weeks, and I still have not lost any weight. I haven't gained this month but not losing is killing me! I know this is why I am having the surgery in the first place because diet and exercise just don't seem to work for me. But I have to do 4 more months of this before surgery, and a lifetime after. Its so frustrating! What kind of food do you guys eat? My guidelines are: Only 3 meals a day. No snacking. All meals include: 3 to 4 ounces of protein 1 cup of fruit 1 cup of veggies 64 ounces of Water a day That's it! I have been following it with very little hiccups and I am just not losing! 4 more months of this!

I don't think I need to lose weight for insurance approval. I have not heard, or read that in any on the descriptions. I just can't stand the feeling of being on this diet and gaining weight. I know i'm not allowed to go off the required foods. My only carb intake should come from the fruit and should be about 90 carbs a day if I'm eating fruit/yogurt at all 3 meals. My next appt is October 14th. If I haven't lost the 6.2 lbs I gained last month, we definately need to make some changes.

Hello, I have United Health Care and they require me to do a 6 month supervised diet for insurance approval. I have been seeing a nutritionist since early September and she has put me on the pre-op diet right away. My surgeon's office does not do a liquid only pre-op diet, but does a high Protein low carb pre-op diet. I will be doing this diet for the 6 months before surgery and have been having a real hard time. My first month check up with the nutritionist I GAINED 6.2 lbs. I was following the diet to the T! I have been excercising several times a week with a personal trainer and still have been gaining. My nutritionist told me some people on this diet don't lose until the 3rd or 4th month. I have never been on a diet that I have gained weight before. I don't know what to do. My next check-up with the nutritionist is in 2 weeks, and I still have not lost any weight. I haven't gained this month but not losing is killing me! I know this is why I am having the surgery in the first place because diet and exercise just don't seem to work for me. But I have to do 4 more months of this before surgery, and a lifetime after. Its so frustrating! What kind of food do you guys eat? My guidelines are: Only 3 meals a day. No snacking. All meals include: 3 to 4 ounces of protein 1 cup of fruit 1 cup of veggies 64 ounces of Water a day That's it! I have been following it with very little hiccups and I am just not losing! 4 more months of this!

I'm 5'8 and my last plane ride I was around 275. My pant size was around 22/24. If your around the same, or smaller I don't think it'll be a problem. I flew on both the bigger planes and the smaller ones with just two rows, and didn't have an issue. Seat belt, just fit w/o an extension. I agree with BerryJuice. Upgrade if you can afford it, b/c the few extra inches will be nice for the flight home when your in recovery. I'm in the beginning stages of insurance approval and won't have to fly for surgery. I will only have about 1/2 hour drive for mine so I don't have to worry about comfort. If I was flying, I would upgrade for the most comfort possible.

Hello, I finally got my insurance card for UHC! What is the first step I need to take to get the ball rolling for my surgery?

I have United Health Care as well. I am just waiting for my insurance cards to come in the mail as I just got the insurance when i got my new job on June 7th. What is your BMI if I can ask? Your stats? I'm 5'7.5 and around 315lbs right now. I don't have any other health problems. How did the process work from the start for you if I can ask. I am just wondering what similarities we have to see if the process will be about the same for me when I get the ball rolling.... Thanks a bunch!!!! Kara

WOW! So glad to hear all the positive news about how insurance is covering the sleeve now. I'm pretty positive that my UHC Choice Plus will cover it, I just don't know what pre op requirements I will have to meet. I guess all I can do is wait to get my insurance card and then start the process as soon as it comes in. I have been seeing the same doctor since I was 14 so I'm sure there is plenty of documentation of the 2 times I was on Phentermine, the several years of my yo yo weight. The constant talk about what I can do about my weight.... If I have to do a 6 mo pre op diet that wouldn't be a problem either. I just want to try and have the surgery before the end of January. I have it all planned out. I can recover for 1 1/2 years and then get pregnant and have my first child before I'm 28! You see, I have it all planned out! I just hope everything finally falls into place!!! Thanks for all the information! Kara

Hello, Some of you may remember me. I was going to have the sleeve done on 4/15 but my lawyer (trustee) wanted me to try and lose the weight on my own instead of spending all that money out of pocket for the surgery. Since then, I have been trying really hard to eat right and work out. Of course I haven't lost any weight. I've actually gained weight and can't understand it! (No I have not gained muscle b/c my clothes are tighter so I know its fat!) Anyway... One big stresser was my job! I finally got a new job working for an insurance company so I have excellent benefits now and according to the benefits list, the insurance I picked will cover bariatric surgery 100%! As soon as I get settled in to the new job, I'm going to start the adventure again and look into the surgery. I was just wondering if any of you had the surgery in the states and had insurance that covered the sleeve? I know its rare but I really don't want to have any other bariatric surgery other then the sleeve. Its so stupid! I don't understand why its still considered experimental! Thanks for letting me know! Kara

Thanks for the info. I can't wait to get my insurance card and get the ball rolling. Right now I'm 313 lbs, and 5'8. My BMI is around 48. I'm 24 years old and don't have any co-morbidities. Do you think that is going to be a problem, or my BMI alone should qualify me for surgery? Hopefully I get approved without a 6 month supervised diet.

Did you have to do a supervised diet or anything? Or did you just submit a request and then got approved right away? I am just curious how it worked.

That's exactly what I told my trustee... that I've tried it several times before on my own and obviously the weight didn't stay off. He said it was still and option in the future, but now that I have insurance that will cover bariatric surgery I hopefully won't need to go to him for a large chunk of money anymore. My plan description said that bariatric surgery was covered 100% in network for UHC Choice Plus. That is what I chose. Dr. James Kemmerling of GB is also in network and hopefully it will be covered.

:drool5: just waiting on the insurance card to come in the mail! I sure hope its covered b/c I don't want the lap band or the full bypass!

shut up..... I HAVE UNITED HEALTH CARE (UHC)!!!!! AND.... before I enrolled I had a choice between UHC and Aetna, so I called the surgeons office that I was going to have do my surgery in April and they told me that UHC was IN NETWORK! That would be so awsome if I could get the SLEEVE and have it covered by insurance! Has anybody else heard of a different insurance covering the sleeve? Thanks, Kara

What kind of Vitamins are you taking? Before and after surgery? I'm trying to do this weight loss thing on my own right now and it just seems, I keep gaining. I know taking a good Vitamin will help. I saw my doctor last Friday and she only told me to take Women's one a day. What are you taking?

Hello, Some of you may remember me. I was going to have surgery on April 15th with a surgeon here in Green Bay WI and pay nearly $22,000 total for the surgery. I have since cancelled my surgery and am going to be starting to work with a personal trainer over the next couple of months. My plan is still to have the surgery in the near future. (Hopefully by this summer.) I am now very interested in Dr. Aceves in Mexico. If you used him, could you please tell me how everything went with him from start to finish. I have put a request in for more information with his website. My husband is concerned about Mexico, but I think he is getting more comfortable with the idea because of the experience Dr. Aceves has. Let me just say this. I planned a trip to Jamaica for our 5th wedding anniversary and it took me 6 months to plan it! I had to find the perfect hotel and I did! I always do my research. I'm just not finding much information on his website about how the trip actually works. Do I pay for the airfare for two people? Then is everything else covered in his costs? I know many of you probably had the same type of experience, but I would like to hear it from different people. What time did you fly in? Were you picked up? Taken to a hotel, or directly to his office, etc..... Thanks in advance. This is a big change from going to my local surgeon who was only 15 minutes away, but did only 10 sleeves with 1 leak! Kara:thumbup1:

Thank you for all your comments. When I do this, I'm thinking we might drive to San Diego. My husband always wanted to do a road trip. Then fly back. It depends on the cost of gas and to rent a car. Everything is on hold until I find a new job! I need to find something with better hours that allows me to not eat dinner after 7pm!!!

Wow, thanks for your responses. Just a couple of questions. When do you make the payment. One big concern my lawyer had here was that I had to make the full payment 10 days prior to surgery. He didn't like that. How soon before surgery do you make the payment? How long is the ride from the airport to the hospital? How far away is the hotel from the hospital? Will my husband be extremely bored if he comes along and just stays at the hosptial with me, or should he stay at the hotel? What is there to do around the hospital if my husband comes along? How many days total was your trip. Is it 3 nights in the hospital, and one night at the hotel? Or 3 days in the hosptial and 1 night at the hotel? What time did your flight leave? Does everyone leave around 7am from the hospital after the surgery? Okay, well that was more then a few! :laugh0: Thanks!

Just curious, how many leak tests did they perform while you were there? Did anything show up? How many days did you stay at the hospital? Thanks!

Hello, My family is really making me reconsider my choice for surgery. The only person that supports my decision right now is my husband. My surgery is scheduled for April 15th. My surgery is self pay and is going to cost me around $21,000. My mom wants me to instead of going through the drastic surgery, spend the money on a nutritionist and personal trainer. She says if they can do it on like The Biggest Loser, if I higher a personal trainer and do it that way that it would be so much cheaper and safe. She says she knows that I can do it because I spent all last year working out at a gym, but I just need the extra support of a personal trainer. What should I do? Should I keep my surgery date and have all of my family be super upset with me, or should I get a personal trainer and do it that way! I really could use some good advice on this. Please Help! Kara:scared0: