StrongMommy

Hi everyone! I'm hoping to be sleeved on April 3rd. I've completed all insurance requirements and my approval request was sent in yesterday. Hoping to hear back from insurance and hoping the dr and hospital will be available on the 3rd. I still have to lose 9 more lbs (doctor's requirement). I'm working on it and hoping to hear soon about date, etc. Good luck everyone!

This is the beginning of my 5th month of my 6 month pre-surgery diet/observation time and I was suppose to meet again with my surgeon today. I received a phone call late Friday telling me the appt had been canceled and I needed to call the office on Monday. Called today and it seems that my surgeon (the only one in this practice) has decided to leave to join another practice. He will no longer be in network for me or be able to perform surgeries at the hospital I need to use for my insurance. I was expected to have surgery late next month or sometime in December. I got on the phone with my insurance and after checking with all the surgeons they have listed there isn't anyone that performs this surgery at the hospital I have to use. My husband works for an HCA owned hospital so we have to have all our hospital stuff done at an HCA owned hospital. There is ONE option, but it's a long shot. There is a very well respected surgeon in town that performs this surgery at the hospital I needed, but he isn't in network. I've made a formal request to the insurance to see if they will make an exception and pay him as in network. I'm not sure how long it will take them to make this decision, and I'm not sure how likely it is to happen. I'm grieving today. I had a lot of plans and hopes for my new year. I wanted to have this surgery before I started 2013, and now I'm not even sure it's ever going to happen, but I know for sure it won't happen this year. It's been a very hard day. -K

I realized I never updated. I went to Weight Wise and if I can get 15 more pounds off I should be having my surgery the first week of April. I love my new dr and truly feel now it fell apart for a reason earlier. Thank you for your support.

I'm here. I'm in the OKC area. I'm hoping to have surgery in early April with Weight Wise.

I just signed up with WeightWise this week. I meet with Dr. B, and think he's great. We are looking at a 90 day program before I can submit for insurance, so I'm hoping I'll have my surgery around spring break. I'm so happy to be with WeightWise. I started with another Dr. in June, and he had me on the 6 mo program, but come to find out he really had no program at all! When it came time for me to meet with him in October (with the plan to than set appts with the nut and psy) he canceled, and I found out he had quit the practice and I was on my own. I'm now having to start over, but thankfully it's only 3 more months not 6. I think I'll be much better prepared this way. I love that WeightWise seems to have such a comprehensive program. Kristal

Thank you Bmarion662. I'll check into him if I can't get this other doctor to work out. I'm in Norman, OK so Arlington would still be a drive for me, but it would be better than not having the surgery at all. What HCA hospital are you having your surgery?

Thank you everyone. The next closest hospital for me would be in Dallas. Doing the 6 month stuff with a dr so far away seems overwhelming to me right now. I have a 2 yr old and a 3 yr old, and being gone anytime if difficult. If they don't approve this surgeon and/or if this surgeon won't accept being in network (he doesn't have to agree to accept that amt) than ill have to think about my next step. I'm trying to focus on the statement that all things happen for a reason and maybe I'm not ready yet. I haven't been able to focus on a diet in this 6 months and I've been struggling with binging.

I started my 6 month pre op in June, but all my dr does is take my weight and vitals and ask me how I'm doing. I wasn't put on a diet, and I've had a really difficult time putti g myself on one. I gained 10 lbs since June and I'm really struggling. I meet with the surgeon again on Monday and I'm really nervous about what he's going to say. Maybe I'm not ready for surgery. I've read a lot on here about how you feel different about food and can't physically eat what you want after the surgery, but I'm having a lot of doubt. Is this normal? What are some pre surgery diets I should try? Any help or guidance would be appreciated. Thank you. K

All I have to do is meet with my PCP once a month for 6 months. I haven't been told I need to lose anything and all my PCP does is ask me how I am doing, ask me what I'm trying and tells me to keep trying. No guidance. Maybe my surgeon can help me Monday. Thank you everyone.

What did your drs think of what happened? I'm in the same boat and I'm having such a hard time curbing my eating. I'm worried it means I'm not ready.

Hi. My name is Kristal and I'm a mommy and a wife. I'm 41 years old and I've been heavy for over 20 years now. I have a beautiful family and a lot to live for... so I want to start living! I feel like I spend most of my days just getting through the day. I take care of the kids (they are 2 and almost 4) and just kill time until my husband gets home. I'm lonely, but it's a self imposed loneliness because I don't feel like getting out and seeing anyone. I'm in a loving marriage and have the most supportive husband, but I'm still not happy. It all boils down to my weight. Sometimes I just get so upset with myself. I know better, but I still eat the wrong things. I know better, but I still don't get up and move. I know better, but I still tear myself down emotionally. I know better, but I'm still almost 300 lbs. because at the end of the day it doesn't seem to matter that I know better... I'm not doing better! I'm hoping to have surgery by the end of the year. I started my 6 mo supervised diet with my PCP in June, and I've gained over 10 lbs since that started! I've been doing worse since I made the decision to have the surgery, and it scares me to death. I worry this means I will fail at the weight loss after the surgery. I worry this means I'm not ready emotionally, and I worry that I will let my family down. I'm currently lucky (knock on wood) that I have no health problems related to my weight. I know I'm not going to stay that lucky for much longer. My husband and I met a little later in life than some, and had our children later than most. I feel like I made a commitment when we had them that I need to live a long life and not orphan them at a young age. I'm not going to do that if I don't get this under control. I've decided to start this blog to help me be more accountable. I'm going to start on a new plan TOMORROW, and hopefully this blog will help me stick to it. I hope some of you will help me on this journey. I feel very alone and frightened. I want to feel hopefully. Maybe tomorrow some hope will come for me. Much love. Kristal

Hi. I'm in Norman, and hoping to have my surgery by the end of the year. I'm having my surgery with Dr. Le at OU Medical Center in Edmond. I have a 6 month required monitoring with my PCP, and I'm not doing very well with it. I'm finding myself overeating and really feel like I've been on a binge since I started this process. So far I haven't been given any rules that I have to lose a certain amount to have my surgery or get approved, but I think I'd be better off if I was given an amount. I've read a lot of people have similar problems before there surgery. I'm scared this means I'm going to fail afterwards. I've been trying to find a support group locally that I could start meeting people that have had the surgery and who are working towards surgery. I'm glad to find this group of people close to me. -K

Hi. I've started the 6 mo pre-op appts with my PCP to get ready for surgery. I will admit here that I feel like I've been on a binge every since I made that appt. I know I need to make changes to how I think about food and how I eat to help me be a successful sleever. ANY advice on changes I should be working on now would be greatly appreciated! I committed to my dr to make the following changes this first month: 1. Give up all sodas (this hasn't been hard at all because I only drank 1-2 a week) 2. Stop drinking Water during meals. THIS HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT! 3. Chew my food 20-30 times each bit. THIS HASN'T HAPPENED AT ALL! Hard to chew a lot on a binge! Has anyone else found themselves on a binge when they first make this decision? I'm scared it means I'm not ready and I'm going to fail. My husband is very supportive of me, but I know he worries that I'm going to go through all of this and either not lose weight or eventually gain it back. I want to make the right changes and be successful! Kristal

Thank you all for your replies. These are wonderful suggestions and advice. I just haven't known where to start! My therapist has been out of town for a couple of months now, and I think that has been a problem for me too. My hubby and I are going to sit down tonight and plan out of meals for the next week and go shopping together this weekend. That should help me out a lot. He is my biggest fan and wants me to be successful. Thanks again! I look forward to getting to know you all better. Kristal

I have that, and read it again now. I think what is going on with me is my doctor is just starting out his practice and doesn't have all those steps set up to do the 3 month program. He has done a lot of surgeries before, but just moved to Oklahoma to start up a practice at our HCA hospital. I will just focus on these 6 months to make the changes I need to be successful. I hope you have a wonderful experience. I've been very pleased over the years with our insurance through HCA. I'm looking forward to hearing how your approval process goes. Kristal

Hi. I've been reading the boards for a couple of weeks now, and thought it was time to introduce myself. My name is Kristal, and I've started the process of weight loss surgery. I met with my surgeon last week, and had my first appt with my PCP yesterday to start my 6mo supervised diet. I'm hoping to use this 6mos to focus on the habit changes I will need to make to be successful with my sleeve. My goals for this first month are 1.) to stop drinking anything at least 30 minutes before I eat and not drink anything until 30 minutes after I'm done, 2.) give up sodas (this won't be very hard because I normally only have 1-2 a week anyway), 3.) start chewing my food 20 times. I'm 41 years old and have 2 young children. My son will be 2 in a week, and my daughter is 3 1/2. The only health problems I currently have because of my weight is severe sleep apnea. It's so bad that I had to have surgery earlier this year to try and correct some issues so I could even use the machine. The machine was going to be set so high because my apnea was so bad that it wasn't going to work for me. That surgery was terrible and I wish now I had looked into the sleeve first, but nothing I can do about that now. I'm almost 300 lbs and I want to live to see my children grow up. I know it's just a matter of time before I start to have all the health problems that come along with my weight, and I'm already an older mom, so I have to do ALL I can do to be there to see my children grown. Any advice or guidance you can give me on how to use this 6 months fully to help me be successful is greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading my post. Kristal

Thank you!

Hi. I also have Aetna HCA, but I have to wait 6 months. I just had my first appt with my surgeon, and my first appt with my PCP to start my supervised weight loss. I meet again with my surgeon in October, and he will refer me to the nut and for the psych eval. I'm hoping I can get my surgery in December, but I don't know yet. I'm really curious about how you are able to do 3 months. I even talked to the insurance and their standard policy is 6 months. I wonder if it's just a different policy. Good luck to you! I was so happy when my husband's hospital started doing them again. For a long time if you had HCA in Oklahoma you had to go out of state for the surgery. I'm excited I can have it here now.