fattymcfatterson

Please post updates as you find out what it is! Praying it is nothing serious!!

SO is the 50% specific to bariatric surgery? My experience is call 10 times, talk to 10 different people, and request it in writing. I had to go through my HR dept to get the actual detail of what is covered for bariatric. But i had also been told different things over the last 6 months every time i called my insurance. Make sure the 50% is also for an "in network" provider. And if you end up finding you have an oop maximum, you can knock a huge chunk off of that without any oop by going to a sleep study thru Dr. David Kim. THey took the amount my insurance paid as payment in full and I got out of $1700 of oop expenses. Would have been more if it was the FIRST thing I had done this year but I had some female stuff to take care of so I got stuck with that oop. Now I am home free the rest of this year. Keep us posted. I really hope you received wrong info and this will be all covered for you.

I make a pureed soup in my blender. Mind you, I am not sleeved yet, it is just something we like to eat. We use carrots, a tomato, chicken broth (or I will be using chicken soup protein powder after I get sleeved), a little red bell pepper if you like, cilantro and a chunk of CHEESE. I warm up the broth before I put it in and my blender is super fast so it heats the stuff up more when I use the soup setting. Comes out smooth and tasty. Now, the way my family has done it is we then throw in some tortilla chips and give it a little pulse. I don't recommend doing that!!!!!!! I freeze fresh cilantro in ice cubes so I don't have to throw the unused away. THere are lots of ways you can mask veggies and get more of the nutrients. The other thing I plan on incorporating is http://paradiseherbs.com/products/orac-energy-greens/ I actually have planned on asking the board if anyone does either of these.. AGAIN, I HAVE NOT BEEN SLEEVED! I HAVE NOT sought the advice of a bariatric nutritionist on doing these after the sleeve so please be sure to research.

I am currently doing my 6 mo supervised diet. Struggling, as with every diet in the past. But, I would like to use this 6 months to start changing habits that will need to change for after I am sleeved. I have a list of things so far that I want to work on one step at a time, but I would like to hear from those of you who have already been there. So, what do you wish you had done the 6 months prior to surgery to prepare for the changes you needed to make after surgery? Or, what did you do that you KNOW made a world of difference in your success after being sleeved? Thank you in advance for your input.

The only info I can give you is this: I just had a thorough bloodwork panel done with I believe all the things that were required for you also. Labcorp BILLED my insurance $1079, but I KNOW my insurance won't pay that much. I also was billed $6900 for the sleep study and $975 for the surgeon to read the sleep study (that was just the first one, not the 2nd one where they put the cpap on you and monitor you again (unless its all one price, waiting to see). I wonder if you could go through your primary care doc and get all of the stuff done through your insurance not under the "bariatric surgery" umbrella but under general medical. Then just get a copy of everything and give it to the surgeon. Here is a link to the surgeon I am using (with my insurance) and his self pay price. http://www.drdkim.net/html/bariatric-weight-loss-surgery-payment-options-dallas-tx.html Also, I have learned to call and question insurance 3-5 times on what I want to know. HR departments sometimes can be a better help. Also, i had a situation where a doctor billed insurance and claim was denied. Reason: Code given was for "obesity" not "morbid obesity". ((humiliating to have to call and figure it out)). You may want to find out if your insurance would cover you if you have complications from the surgery. Unfortunately, that has been a reality for some. Good luck on your journey!!!

Not questioning the sleeve... Convinced more then ever that I need my gut cut down to size! Dr. Kim is a good "surgeon", but people are not happy with his bedside manner and I am NOT excited about forking over $200 for 2 weeks of the protein shakes he requires. Especially with how picky I am about protein shakes.

I am located in Granbury TX. Early in the process with Dr. Kim but now questioning my decision.

I went last night for my sleep study. Overall it was not a bad experience. I drove an hour to the sleep clinic my surgeon (Dr. David Kim) recommends. I am told by his office that this clinic will accept whatever payment my insurance company makes and will not bill me the difference! This will save me at least $500 in my out of pocket expenses since out of network on my plan has a deductible. I have an overall max out of pocket of $2200. (YAY!!!) So, for those of you wondering what do they do, this is what happened at mine. I arrived at 8pm and the 2 girls were very friendly. They took me to my little room with lots of pillows, a tv, a fan, a chair and a nightstand. (no windows). I filled out a bunch of paperwork then waited around a little while. I changed into my pj's and they started attaching all the wires to me. They stuck the ones on my head, some on my chest, both of my legs. They also put this thing attached under my nose that registers the amount of oxygen coming from my mouth and nose. And they attached one of those oxygen things to my finger but wrapped like sports gauze around it so the light was not an issue. My hand was a little stiff in the morning from the oxygen thingee. The cleanser they use to wipe the areas they are sticking the stuff to was a little gritty but not bad. The worse part of the whole thing was not being able to put moisturizer on my face before hand!!!! I fell asleep as normal. I woke up maybe 4 times and right after I woke up each time the tech came in to check on me. I don't know if she saw me stirring or what but she opened the door right after I was awake enough to be alert each time. She unplugged my box which had all the wires attached to it the one time I had to go potty. I woke up with a sweaty head and somehow she knew that so she adjusted the fan for me (i don't get this treatment at home EVER!!!). She did inform me that when I showered at home to use hot Water and conditioner, NOT SHAMPOO to get the paste out of my hair. Worked like a charm. I should get my results within the week and if I need to be fitted with a cpap I go back for another study (more of my out of pocket deleted, sweet!!) I slept about as well as usual and did not mind it one bit. I will come back to this post when I get my results and also when I get the amount that is actually billed. I am very curious how that will go. I hope this info helps someone.

I am having my study done on Saturday and am just beginning my 6 month physician supervised diet. I am doing mine asap for an insurance reason. The sleep center is recommended by the surgeons office. They will accept WHATEVER AMOUNT your insurance pays as payment in full. I have a max out of pocket of 2200$ As an out of network facility I would have a $500 deductible and 30% of the bill to pay. I won't have to pay any of that but it will show on my insurance as an out of pocket expense. I also don't sleep well at ALL. I would love a full night's sleep. My husband says I wake up startled a few times a night and I wake up to the point of realizing I have to pee. I am very curious to see what comes back and would not be upset if i ended up with one of those machines. Just wonder if you own it or lease it... Sorry about the italics. I have NO IDEA what I hit.

Syntrax nectar makes an orange cream Protein drink. I add coconut Water and fresh squeezed oj (frozen into ice cubes) from my local HEB. Tastes BETTER then an Orange Julius tastes these days (when I was a kid orange julius was soooooo much better then it is now!) Granted, I am not yet sleeved, but this might help with the craving... Syntrax Nectar orange cream nutritional info: 1 scoop calories 110 carbs 2g sugars 2g protein 23g

This is tough. I will be 41 in june. I have been unable to conceive. Finally had REAL testing done and turns out I have had polyps. Well, my ob says at my age it is a very SLIM chance I would have a viable egg. If I could rewind, I would have FOUGHT harder to have a baby instead of just waiting. I listened to a doc 6 years ago who said "just lose weight and you will get prego". I have no bio children and am facing a hysterectomy if the cells in my uterus go from pre-cancer to cancer. Have you had fertility diagnostics done? I would ask your doc about a fertilization test. And maybe even an ultrasound to check the lining of your uterus and make sure there are no other factors. If the doc is not concerned about bp or anything, my heart tells you DO IT before it is to late. DON'T WAIT!!!! Learn when your fertile times are and get to it! You can continue on with the wls journey, and if you aren't prego by that time re-evaluate. If you get prego before then PRAISE GOD!!!! You can always get surgery later. BUt once your eggs are no longer viable your options are ivf with your husband's dna and some other women's eggs (not for me, I have step sons already) or adoption. GET TO WORK WOMAN!!!!!!!! And how is it your overweight if you are NOT eating?? Is there something underlying? Have you been tested for PCOS?

So I need to do the lovely 6 month physician supervised diet. I am trying to decide if I should just go through the surgeon's office, and make the 140 mile round trip drive every month, or find someone in my town. THis is what the insurance requirement states: Documentation of participation in and compliance with a physician led multidisciplinary non-surgical program of at least 6 consecutive months in duration within the past 3 years. This includes a low or very low calorie diet, supervised exercise, behavior modification, and support, with possible medication. Actual progress notes are required. Summary letters will not be accepted. I would assume the surgeon's goal is to get you mentally ready for the life change a sleeve requires, and meet your insurance requirements. I would love to hear feedback on the process and what you would do different if you could. Also, if anyone has specifically gone through Dr. Kim's program, what was it like? Although I am disappointed I have to do the 6 month thing, I am going to embrace it and not lose my zeal on getting sleeved. I need this!!! Thanks to everyone!!!!!!!!

I have UMR which is under the United Health Care umbrella (I don't understand it). I finally got answers from our HR dept since I hear multiple different things every time I call insurance. Here is the quoted part of mine " Documentation of participation in and compliance with a physician led multidisciplinary non-surgical program of at least 6 consecutive months in duration within the past 3 years. This includes a low or very low calorie diet, supervised exercise, behavior modification, and support, with possible medication. Actual progress notes are required. Summary letters will not be accepted. " I am bummed, but going to do it because I know I have not been able to do it myself the last 20 years! The surgeon i am using offers this in his office so I am going to go there (even though it is 70 miles one way, through Fort Worth traffic, blah). Of course, when I contacted insurance last summer about this they failed to let me know about it or I would have been DONE instead of 10 lbs fatter. I am walking through all this right now so I understand what you are feeling. Now that I am resolved that I have to do the diet i am just going to get it done and get my sleeve before the end of the year. I am curious though, if this "supervised diet" through the surgeon's office, is REALLY that, or if they just take you through the motions to help you meet the insurance requirements. I stretched my stomach after 13 years of Vegas cheap buffets and big meals, so I am usually a ravenous madwoman when I try 1200 calorie diets. And I am so addicted to caffeine for functioning right now I struggle with exercise. It is a vicious circle. I hope you are approved without it, but if you have to do it, we can do it together and keep each other focused on the prize. Keep us updated!!!!!!!!!

7 years ago I went to see an ob/gyn about not getting pregnant. She told me to lose 10% (22 lbs) of my body weight and I would probly get pregnant and that I probly had pcos. I have been gaining and losing the same 15 lbs for the past 7 years. This January: I go to another ob/gyn who actually says he will do diagnostics. Turns out I have had polyps for who knows how long AND pre-cancer of the uterus. I am almost 41 and it is a slim chance I will get pregnant. I have punished myself for 7 years, thinking it was my fat and my fat alone that prevented me from getting pregnant. NOt necessarily so. Who knows how different things could have been for me had I gone to this doctor first. But God is still good, and I am a blessed woman. I may not have bio kids but I have step sons I love and I am a pre-school teacher. Now my goal is to be here for a long time and be healthy. Moral of the story: If a doctor diagnoses you as FAT, go see another doctor and don't PUNISH yourself with buffets and chipotle burritoes.

I started looking at WLS last summer. I called my insurance repeatedly and NEVER did they say I would need to do a 6 mo supervised diet. Because of the "max out of pocket" on my insurance, I decided to wait until the beginning of the year so I could tend to a few other expenses with less out of pocket (infertility diagnostics). So, i spent most of January with my gyno and then went to meet with the surgeon for the sleeve on Feb 8. THinking I had all my ducks in a row based on the HOURS I spent on the phone with UMR/UHC (myinsurance), the surgeon's office contacts my insurance and they say I need to do the 6 month diet. Had I been told this by my insurance last summer, I would have done it. I NEEDED to have this all done by this summer due to my job. Has anyone ever been able to get around the 6 month diet requirement (besides self pay)? The only thing my insurance does easily is take the money from our paycheck! I spend HOURS communicating with them and following up on denied claims. Does anyone have wisdom or guidance?? Thank you! Crystal

I went and had my first consult with the surgeon I have picked yesterday. (Dr. David Kim, Fort Worth TX). I asked him about leaks and he said he has had 2 leaks out of 1500 sleeves over 6 years. He REALLY stresses the eating of liquids after and allowing your tummy to heal. He does the staples with sutures on the sleeves and staples on the incisions. He actually had some of the staples in a jar so you can see them and then stapled to this weird rubbery plastic stuff. They were very little and I got rough with them to see if they hurt in any way. They did not. Uhm, I had visions of the staples from a STAPLE GUN, hahaha, so it was nice to get my hands on them. I had previously met with another surgeon who PUSHED the lap band. NO WAY I WAS GETTING A LAP BAND!!! I have complete confidence in Dr. Kim and his record for the sleeve so I feel good about this. I think what I am trying to say is you may want to find the surgeon you can use who has done the most sleeves with the least amount of complications. I am still waiting to hear back on the 6 mo supervised diet. One day insurance tells me I don't need it but then someone says I do. Enjoy your journey!

hahaha I hear them too... I have not been sleeved so I am not sure. I think that is something I will really miss. But my drink of choice (dr. pepper) is no bueno for me so I will accept the lose for the benefits.. I will listen to the crickets with you while we wait for more answers...

ohhhhhh Helen!!! I would LOVE for my sinuses to get smaller too!!!! :woot:

I meet with Dr. David Kim in Fort Worth tomorrow. Last summer I had looked into weight loss surgery but they said sleeve was not covered by my insurance and I did NOT want the band! When I went in and found this out I was told 6 mo Dr. supervised weight loss attempt was required. I scrapped the idea. Well, now it is a new year, VSG IS covered on my insurance (although they don't call it vsg, they call it stomach stapling), at least I hope it is the same thing!! I am meeting my out of pocket max on my insurance ($2200) already due to some female diagnostic testing, so if I can get surgery this year I should not have anymore out of pocket and surgery will be covered 100%. I just got off the phone with my insurance company and asked the nice lady if "supervised diet" was listed anywhere as a requirement. She said it was not! I am soo curious to see what the surgeons office finds out!!! Does anyone know if "stomach stapling" means something else? Seems like a dumb question but we are dealing with insurance. I have my husband's full support and my employer's full support. I am almost 41 and my ob-gyn says I have a very slim chance at getting pregnant (I have never been prego). My bp is a big factor and I was diagnosed with precancerous cells in my uterus (doc offered hysterectomy as treatment). I would like to get vsg done, lose the weight, lower the bp and maybe a miracle will happen and I can have 1 baby. Most important thing is to not DIE from this weight or my uterus and be around for my husband and step-sons. I think I wrote at least 3 topics in this one post. I would love to hear any feedback and I will come back and post on here when I know more tomorrow. LOVE this forum!!!!!!!!! Crystal

SO because you brought up the diarrhea and pointed out how hard clean up was, I am going to let people know about this fantastic product we have used in our home for years. We will NEVER be without it... the "bidanit". It is a "bidet" that you attach to your toilet. Just google it and the website will come up. Best $29.95 i ever spent. I pray your next week is even better then your first week and thank you SOO much for sharing.

WOW.

I have not been sleeved yet, but tonight as I was eating my dinner i was thinking... "MMMMM this _________ is so good." "OMG, if I get this done will I not be able to enjoy this ________ ever again?" "Maybe I can just eat this part of it, and be ok." "Wait, maybe my new stomach will reject it and my tasebuds will freak out." (I tend to eat very acidic foods which is not good for me). Then, the reality for me sets in: If I die of high bp complications or diabetes, I won't get to eat ________ either! Or be there for my husband, or be there for my stepsons... Would I give up the next 40 years of eating _______ and drinking DP to have a biological child before my time expires? YES! I am 40.5 years old and 100 lbs overweight. My uterus "best if used by" date is quickly approaching. All this stuff I am addicted to and enjoy, is that which is slowly killing me!!! I feel the drastic change I am deciding to make is better then the drastic consequences of not getting my bp/pre-diabetes/cholesterol under control after 20 years of failing at every diet and putting the weight right back on. "Food" has been the "friend" that has slowly but surely been killing me for the last 20 years and I am ready to put it in it's place. Which is NOT in my ARTERIES or on my a$$. SO although I can not speak from the sleeved side, I can speak from the side of carbs/lasagna = DEATH for me. I am trying to get my thought process changed before "divorce court" and begin my separtion now.

Love it love it love it!!! He is an awesome Daddy isn't He!!!!!!!!!

Gayle: 120 lbs: INSPIRATIONAL!!! I am not sleeved yet so I am basing this on all my other "weight loss knowledge". Isn't it possible that although the scale is not changing, you could be building some muscle and therefore not seeing the "loss"? I would take your measurements. I have heard of people losing inches, LOTS OF INCHES and the scale not changing. I would measure, and start fresh. Don't let your PERCEIVED "lack of loss" mess with you when you very well could be losing inches. If you want to add something to your exercise that tones and shows in inches, check out www.ttapp.com . You have done AMAZING! Celebrate your victory and get a fresh outlook on your journey. 120 lbs in 10 months?!?!?!?! Right now, you are my hero!!!!! Breath, take a little break from the stress and start fresh. H-E-R-O!!!!!!!!!

Is throwing up blood normal? I am not sleeved but this is the first I have read about that!! hope you are feeling better...