shylady318

I am so excited. My husbands insurance is going to start paying for the sleeve Jan. 1st. Now i am trying to decide on a doctor. I have been to Dr Nick's semiar and support groups for a couple of months now. Now a friend of the family told be about Dr Barker also. How did anyone decided on which doctor to go to? Both seem to be on the our insurance plan(UHC). I have been reading all these forums for weeks now, i really want to do this right away. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :biggrin0:

I know they said no caffeine and I understand no more sodas but I am wondering about ice tea. I am having trouble finding something to drink that does not gag me. I used to love Water, it tastes awful now. I have been drinking all flavors of Crystal Lite but that is starting to not taste any good. I am so thirsty all the time. So I am wondering about Tea. Then I am also am wondering about Pasta. I see some eating Mac n cheese, etc. So i was just wondering when it is okay to eat pasta. I just need some input. Thanks.

I was doing so good until a couple of weeks ago. I fell and broke my ankle and had to have surgery and a plate put in my ankle. Now I am off my foot for at least 8 more weeks. There goes my walking. Granted I never was into ex cerise but I was really being good about walking. Now that is totally out. I have not been able to get on a scale for a couple of weeks, plus all this stuff on my foot and leg I would weigh more anyway. I feel like I am eating right and not much at all but sitting all this time I feel like everything is going straight to my butt. Well I guess I will find out tomorrow. I go for my 6 week follow up with Dr. Nick. :lol0:

Tomorrow is the Day Finally. I am still excited but now I keep telling myself remember the first week will probably be the worst, but it will be worth it. I have read and read everything on here and that helps. This is going to be such a long day today. I have to stay busy. But my husband is already after me, you need to rest and do nothing you are going to have major surgery tomorrow. I know he is just concerned but I can rest after I have the surgery I tell him. I am going to go have a pedicure today, that is relaxing. I have got to get me a pair of sweat pants or something, I do not think my jeans are going to be very comfortable coming home from the hospital. And I need to go to Cosco's and get some more Protein drinks and pack me a small overnight bag. I am guess that I will have to wear the hospital gown while I am in there. Thanks for all the support on here.

Today is a great day. I feel great today. I walked half way around the block yesterday. I know I have to walk more. My Husband is helping me with that. I really can not believe how great he has been through all this, so supportive. He has always been so quite on things. He has really stepped up. I can not wait until Wednesday to get this drain out. I think I will probably drive tomorrow. Will still be working from home for a couple more days though. Monday I have to take my mother for her pre opt testing, Wednesday she has her 3 month bladder cancer surgery, Tuesday my oldest daughter has her hysterectomy. So I am hoping to go back to work on Thursday. I have not been hungry at all which is so great. But i drink my protein, have some soup, pudding, popciles, etc. I am sitting here typing as my mother is fixing everyone breakfast, which I thought would be really hard. Grandkids spent the night. But here is the thing even though the French toast, bacon smells really good.. I am not hungry, like dying for it or anything thing. This is GREAT. I have to admit I can not wait for so refried beans and ground meat. But it is like it is a goal not a dying to have right now thing. I guess I am rambling on now. Thanks again everyone for all your support. I am so glad I did this.

I got home yesterday. Had a pretty rough day on Tuesday. But I am better. Pulled my pain ball out and did not know it. So when my husband checked on me after a nap he just seen blood all over. Call the nurse, and a training nurse came and she froze, MG MG was all she kept saying. Then the nurse, then the charge nurse. By then I was scared to death they just kept saying they could not get it to stop. One of them said after they got it to stop they would let the doctor know because he happen to be a the nurses station right then. My husband was not impressed with any of the nurses, he told them to go tell the doctor right now. He came in and said it was muscle and i bruise easily. so he got it to stop and put a stitch in it and I was fine. It was really scary. So I stayed an extra day but I am fine. Now I just have gas as expected. Will update more later.

I also have UHC here in Texas, I am scheduled for surgery on Monday 2/22. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. I had to have a pych eval. The doctors office forgot to send my pych eval with my paper work the first time on a Tuesday and it got denied on Wednesday. I was so upset because I thought the appeal process was going to be awful. But they assured me that all they had to do was fax it in to the insurance company. They Faxed it on Monday the following week and it was approved by Tuesday. But you have to keep calling them and ask them the status. I did everyday and maybe they got tired of me calling but it got approved fast. I went for my pre-opt testing today, an Upper GI, x-rays, and blood work. I started my pre opt diet Saturday and have lost 10 lbs already. It was suppose to be for 2 weeks but they had an opening so they said I would be ok if I stuck to it to the T. and I have I am so excited for Monday to hurry up and get here. I am so busy at work trying to arrange things time is flying by. Hang in there and call UHC for a status.

I am scheduled for Monday Feb 22nd. So maybe we can keep in touch and support each other. I am not scared (or least not yet) everyone keeps asking me, which i get tired of. But right now I am so excited to finally get to do this, from what I have read on here I think my scare time will be the few days afterwards. As far as the anesthesia I have had 2 back surgeries the last one in 1998 and I never had a problem and they did not even have all the things they have now. My doctor now has given me a prescription for a patch to put on before for the nasusa. We can do this.

i1Linda, What about the drain? He said I would have surgery on Monday 2/22 and have the drain out the next Tuesday or Wednesday. How bad is this drain?

I have started my pre opt diet today, suppose to be 2 weeks but they scheduled me for Feb 22nd. They said if I still to it I would be fine. I am so excited. I am looking for a easy online food log. Any suggestions?

Great thanks for all the suggestions... Love it

I went for my consultation with Dr Nick today. It was great. I am now scheduled for Monday Feb 22nd. I can not wait, I did not think this day would come. I went to the monthly support meeting last night and my husband went with me. He is not much on socializing. So this was big. He was really impressed and thought it was great. He has always been supportive but now it is different. He was never into details of any of this. But now he is asking questions is behind me 100%. I knew he would take a couple of days off when I have my surgery, since my mother would be here to help and my daughters would be around also. But now he says he is taking the week off to be there for me. This means so much to me. So I get one more day then I start the pre op diet. He wants to take me out for Valentines tomorrow, he sent me flowers today. This is so rare. Loving every bit of it. Now all I have to do is break it to my boss tomorrow. But at least I can work from home after a few days. I am so excited. :thumbup:

I have a Surgery Date 02/22/2010. :thumbup: I am so excited. Dr Nick's Office is fantastic!

I am working through his office to have the sleeve done. I am still in the process of getting approved through insurance. There was alittle hiccup on that but hopefully it will be soon. I have been to the seminar in September and support groups since October. I have not had my consultation with him yet. I am all set mentally to have the sleeve. I can not wait. So I just wanted to reach out to other patients of his and get a feel for what to expect once I get the go ahead from the insurance company. I am trying to get my list of questions together that I need to ask him. I have been trying different Protein drinks so i can find one I like. I like nectar Syntrax and now i am trying another sample packet, I order Optimum 100% whey Protein, 16 Flavor Packets, variety pack they are not so bad. Now I want to find one that i like that I do not have to mix. I really think I would do better at work if it was ready mixed. I have stopped drinking my Mountain Dews, now believe that was really hard. Will I be able to drink tea after the surgery? The one thing I really have not been able to do is stop drinking any kind of liquids with my meals. This is so hard, yes I feel like I have to wash my food down or I will choke. Is this easier to do after the surgery? Exercise, now this is something else. I just have no energy to do it right now. I sure hope this changes once I finally have surgery. In the seminar they talked about a personal trainer. Has anyone use this? Really I just want any details anyone is willing to share with me. Can't wait.

I have UHC and I got approved. I first got denied because the doctor's office did not send the pysh eval with it, just an error on their part but after they did that it was approved in a day or two. I am scheduled to go see the doctor this Thursday. I can not wait hopefully by the end of this month I will be on the other side. My UHC requirements were 6 months diet, which I had already done before I knew that, BMI Over 40, pych eval and one of more co-morbidity, which i have high blood pressure and sleep apnea. It really depends on the employeer they set the conditions and whether are not they will cover it.

TexasT, I am also here in the Dallas area and have my appointment with Dr Nick on the 11th. I was just wondering how long were you in the hospital? I hope to have mine by the end of this month. Thanks

Yet another Step Closer. I got approved by UHC and now my appointment with Dr Nick is 02/11/2010. Can't wait. They said they are scheduling about 2 weeks out so this is good. I have found a couple of Protein drinks I like so I am so close. :thumbup1:

I am so excited I am one more step closer to have the Sleeve. I completed my Psych eval yesterday and passed.. Just talked to the coordinator at the doctors office (Dr Nick). She is going to submit everything to the insurance today. Of course she says they have 30 days to approve it. I am going to be calling the insurance company later this week and see what they say. I read on here if you keep bugging them they might move it faster. I sure hope so. She said once the insurance approves it then i can get in for my consultation within a week. Then the rest depends on what kinds of test the doctor orders and how fast i can get that done. I really want would like this done by mid February but that is probably pushing it. I have ordered my Protein samples so that i can get started on finding one that I like. I got a couple of books on life after weight loss surgery. Trying to cover everything and be ready. I hear everyone talk about the shakes for the 2 weeks pre op diet. Is there certain ones each doctor requires? I know the nutritionist would probably be the one to tell me but I just like to be prepared. Is it anything like Herbalife shakes? This is all I can think about. I really need to focus on other things so the time goes faster.. Thanks for listening to my rambling. :thumbup:

I am been APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:crying: I am so excited. I can not believe it. Now I am scheduled to see the surgeron on the 11th. And schedule my surgery. I can not wait. So they said they are scheduling about 2 weeks out, which would be right for the 2 week pre opt diet. And I am sure there will be some tests I will have to do. But I was starting to think this day was not going to come. I found a couple of protien drinks I like so I think I am alittle prepared. That was one of the things I was worried about. Will keep you posted.. :blushing:

I also would like to know how to add one..

I had my Psych eval last week. I was alittle nervous also but everyone here told me to to worry. They were right. I talked to the Dr for 30 minutes, things like do you know what the shape of your stomach was going to be after the surgery, what were the difference food phases... etc.. just checking to see if i did my research. And what support groups, people , resources I had to help through this life change. I told him all about this website and he said well you have done your research. Then I took a 379 questions test. Like Tiffykins said would you like to be a florist?" "Is your dad a good man" . Some were really funny and some were really odd. He called the next day and said I passed. Of course my husband said "how can he say you are sane, he should try living with you for 30 years, but then again after living with me (Husband) who would be sane" LOL They just want to make sure you know what you are getting yourself into and someone is there to support you or you know were to get it.

So I talked to a person (not the one that is handling my case but was helpful) at the doctors office. They said they had not gotten the denial yet. She said she could see that they did send the pych eval but she would re-fax it again just in case. So Saturday I actually got the denial letter in the mail. Of course it said not pych eval was included and that it would require an appeal. So today I will call the doctor's office again and see if they got the letter or fax them a copy of mine. Maybe they can get this straighten out without all this appeal process. Feeling alittle discouraged, I know I need to be patient but that is not one of my strong points. :smile::thumbup1:

I am so upset, but trying to stay calm until I talk to someone at the doctors office but it is not working. I called the insurance company yesterday to see how my approval was going. Even though I thought it would be too early since they just submitted it on Tuesday. They told me it had been denied due to no Pych eval. OMG!!!!! I went and had the Pych Eval on Monday and he faxed the results to the doctors office on Tuesday. I even talked to the case worker on Tuesday at the doctor's office and she said yes she had it and would be submitting it that very day. Now the Insurance company says their was not Pych Eval submitted so they denied it. So if i did have the Pych Eval the doctors office will have to submit an appeal. OMG!!! I immediately called my case worker but she was not in yesterday. So now I am just waiting on her to call me back today. Does anyone know what is involved in an appeal? I am really hoping my case worker is going to say yes she did include it and maybe the insurance company just over looked it and maybe she can just fix it with a phone call. Maybe that is wishful thinking. :mad::crying:

It is really good to know I am not the only one that is obsessing with this. I also have 2 books and have another one on order. But like NtvTxn said the also mainly deal with the bypass or the lapband. But there are some really good recipes in them. It is all I can do to hold off on calling the insurance company. I know it is probably too soon for them to know since they probably just got it on Tuesday. I got my Protein samples that I ordered, these are actually pretty good. I got the information about them off of another post. It was a really good deal and I ordered them on Thursday and got them Tuesday. Here is the information if anyone is interested. They are offering a special deal on the sample pack right now. Only cost me $9.99 and there is 23g of Protein in each packet. nectar ?Variety Sampler? containing 11 full serving packets of the following flavors: Apple Ecstasy, Caribbean Cooler, Crystal Sky, Fuzzy Navel, Roadside Lemonade, strawberry Kiwi, Twisted Cherry, chocolate Truffle, Strawberry Mousse, vanilla Bean Torte and Latte Cappuccino. The price is $21.89. We are offering a coupon discount of $16.90 leaving a total of $4.99 plus $5.00 UPS Shipping. The total you pay is $9.99 and arrives in 2-5 days. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please give us a call at 866-333-7403 x 801. Our hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm Central time. Best regards, Amanda SI03 Order Department Phone: 866-333-7403 x 801 Email: orders@si03.com www.si03.com Again thanks for all the support and it is really nice to know I am not alone on this.:thumbup:

I am one step closer I have my Pych evaluation next Monday. My PCP is writing a letter and sending my medical records. I can not wait! I do have a question, they say the Pych evalutation will take 2 hours. What is this all about? I do not have a problem with it but can not imagine what is going to take 2 hours or what kind of quesitons.