MandyRN

4 week liver shrink diet for me! Surgery on feb 11th! Started the diet on Tuesday..... Going well thus far....anyone else working on their preop diet?

Hey! Surgery went well! No real complications! Had quite a bit of nausea and pain for the first couple of days.... Surgery on a Tuesday am and home on Friday afternoon.... Would have went home on Thursday but I was unable to drink much..... Down ten lbs since surgery feeling pretty good! Drinking and getting in as much protein as I can ! 1st fu appointment next Tuesday:)

I am being sleeved next tuesday:) this weekend I plan on pureeing some chili and sloppy joes I will then freeze them in 2oz containers. That way they are just like an ice cube and when I am ready to eat I can heat one up. I will add some unflavored Protein powder once I have heated them. I also bought some progresso beef pot roast that I can puree up after surgery...I can also puree some cottage cheese and maybe add a little pineapple..... Good luck! Amanda

Right there with ya! I started my livershrink diet on January 14th! 21 days ! ugh 6 to go! Being sleeved a week from today! Good luck!

Feb the 9th is Sunday ... Do you mean the 10th? Mine is on Tuesday at 7:15:)

Scheduled for Feb. 11th VSG at OSU with Dr. Noria:) Super excited!

Good luck!

Keep up the awesome work ladies! Definitely not the easiest thing at first! My diet consists of 1000cal 100g Protein and 60gm carbs per day so I think I have it a little easier than some do. 4 Protein shakes with unsweetend almond milk/day (EAS vanilla whey), Sometimes substituting with Isopure grape 1 small serving of a low carb fruit 1/2-1 cup low carb cooked or raw veggies 1 frozen meal- under 250 cal, with less than 30g carbs (healthy choice steamers- are my fav) 48-68 oz of sugar free liquid I only had a headache and dealt wit h some nausea the first couple of days....only on day 5 though! Preop appointment 1/30. Surgery 2/11. Seems like forever away! Hoping it goes fast! Have a lot to get done in the meantime! Good luck all! Amanda HW- 314 First Appointment WT 310lbs Prior to liver shrink- 292 Today- 284.6 lbs

February 11th 7:30 am:)

Blue cross blue shield of Michigan PPO

I finally got approval last week! I will be having the sleeve done with Dr. Noria on Feb.11th:) Definitely be persistent and follow through to make sure your insurance company has all of the appropriate paperwork that they need for pre aproval. Good luck!

So excited that I can finally announce that my surgery date is set for Febuary 11th of 2014!

I have been working with OSU since July.....have had all my requirements completed since the end of September! Just waiting on insurance preapproval.....make sure you follow up with your insurance company after the doctors office tells you they have submitted the information...They didn't send the proper paper work to the right number and that put me a month behind. They resubmitted my information to insurance October 29th .....and I'm still waiting to hear anything! I love the staff at OSU and the program but my insurance coordinator acts like he doesn't know much.....Good luck!

I am so frustrated.....I need to vent so here it goes.... I started this process in July. Being that my BMI is greater than 50, the 6mo weight loss program was waived. I submitted all of my information at the end of July to my surgeons office- OSU. I went to an informational seminar on August 5th. First appointment with the center on August 31st along with the psych evaluation on August 30th. On September 30th I had an EGD. On October 9th my information was submitted to BCBSM for pre approval for the sleeve surgery. October 9th and 16th I had my dietiatian classes for life after surgery. On Ocotber 29th and three times before that I had contacted BCBSM to verify they had all of my information they needed to preapprove me. Finally on the 29th I was told that I was pre approved for the inpt hospital stay and the procedure itself. Being so exicted I called my surgeons office to notify my insurance case worker. He stated that he hadn't recieved anything and he would contact them. After playing phone tag between him and BCBSM for over 5 hours he finally got ahold of a real person at BCBSM who notified him that I had not been pre approved for the procedure, that they never had a precertification form or paper work for the surgery itself, just the inpatient hospital stay. The lady at BCBSM told him he sent the info to the wrong fax number and gave him another to refax everything to. She then informed him that it would take up to another 30 business days for approval - this all occured on 10/29-10/30. So my information was resubmitted on the 29th of October. I have been in contact with BCBSM several times since and they will not give me any information, other than the fact that it is not them (BCBSM) that requires preapproval for the surgery- it is the physicans office. BCBSM only requires preapproval for the hospital stay. They keep telling me that the providers office will have to contact the provider inquiry line for that information. My insurance worker, who I'm sure is sick of me, will rarely answer my phone calls and rarely return them. I have left multiple messages. It has been well over 30 business days since my information was submitted. I believe if I don't hear from him by tommorow I will be in contact with his office manager....If they don't help me I will be finding a new surgeon. I have invested so much into OSU's program I really don't want to go somewhere else. I feel as though I have been very patient, I have had all my requirements met since the end of september. I love the office and physicans but I have had nothing but a horrible experience with the insurance cordinator.....BCBSM has not very helpful in the communication department either.....I feel as though I have slipped through the cracks. Anyone else have this similar issue and if so what did you do to resolve it?

Hi everyone! So I am just in the begining stages of my journey towards a healthier me but I have a few questions. Now I understand that even though others may have BCBS of MI, plans and requirements along with coverage can differ. With that being said I am just checking to see if any of you fellow BCBS of MI members have ever went through a similar situation. I am 24 years old with a BMI of 52 along with hypothyroidism, pre diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and PCOS. I have already spoke with the insurance company and verified my coverage, and the sleeve along with RNY and lap band are covered if deemed medically necessary. Which with my comorbities I meet that. Also, I was sent a paper from BCBS stating that a 6mo. medically monitored weight loss is required UNLESS your BMI is documented to be over 50. So there we go, I meet that requirement. I have my inital appointment with the bariatric program on the 29th of august along with my psych eval......just wondering if any of you have been through anything similar and if so how long did you have to wait after your inital appointment to have surgery.....I understand that after the 29th they will review my medical information along with the psych eval and determine if there are any further tests I need done prior to submitting to insurance. then after approved I will go for a preop appointment.......I have no problem doing a special eating program for awhile if my suregon requires it but I have tried 8 different diets in the last 10 years..... all of which I have lost weight and been unable to keep it off......sooooo ready to get this tool to assist me in my weight loss journey! I know it will be hard work and a lifetime of change but I am definitely ready for a healthier happier me!

I too was very anxious I went for mine last week.... It started out with a personality and abstract quiz then a quiz on eating habits followed by 377 true false test on the computer..... After an hour of doing these tests I met with the psych for about thirty minutes and he went over my history with weight and eating habits and then talked about the surgery a little and ways to succeed ..... At the end he told me he didn't see a need to see me again prior to surgery but they would let me know for sure.... Really not bad at all.... Good luck!

I also am getting started with this process....I have BCBS of MI PPO and since my BMI is >50 I can forgo the 6mo weight loss program.....I went to a seminar August 5th and I also have my psych eval on the 29th followed by an appointment for medical eval and with the nut on the 30th! Excited but nervous at the same time. So far my husband, mom, dad, sister, brother in law, and a few really close friends are aware! For the most part everyone has been super supportive but there are a few I wish I wouldnt have told. now communication just seems awkward like they don't know what to say around me.....I am still going to be the same person after this is all said in done just a healthier version.....I figure if they don't want to be supportive of my decision they don't deserve a place in my life! I am hoping that all goes good this week and my preop appointment gets scheduled within the first two weeks in september! Would love to have this done before thanksgiving:) Already met my deductible for the year so might as well:) Good luck to you this week! Hope all goes well!

Deodorant , tooth brush and paste, mouth wash,pillow, comfy clothes to go home in, a small pillow to put in between your stomach and the seatbelt on the ride home , cell phone charger

Thanks for the reply! Sorry you had to wait! Good luck next week!

Awesome! Can't wait to hear how it goes for you! Good luck!

I am going to OSU Bariatrics. Not for sure which surgeon either Needleman or Mikami.

I go for a psych eval on the 29th of August, a little anxious just like you.....but there are good reasons behind this requirement.....afterall it is a super permanent change that we put our bodies through.....not to mention how life altering it is....good luck with everything!

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 6 years ago and the last 4 years my husband and I have been attempting to conceive with no luck. We have even attempted a couple of rounds of clomid. I have been trying for several years to kick the weight....but it just isn't happening for me! I do not have a regular cycle and I do not ovulate....My gyno has told me several times in the past that if I lose 50 lbs my chance of conceiving will increase significantly.....also she stated that my cycle should straighten itself out.... I currently am in the process of starting paperwork for WLS.... During my waiting period I am going to start back on birth control....studies show that this surgery makes women very fertile so they recommen birth control for the first 12-18 months following. It is important not to get pregnant during this time due to an increase in nutrion needs. Good luck to you!

Hello everyone! My name is Amanda, I am 25 years old and live in Ohio. My whole life I have been battleing my weight. I have tried WW, low-carb, low-calorie dieting over and over with little sucess. So now I am looking into GB. I am just in the very begining phase of this process. I have contacted my insurance, which will cover it thankfully:) My BMI is 52 which is high enough that my insurance company does not require me to to a 6 month medically managed weight loss plan. I also have done tons of reading and research. I am scheduled to go to a seminar on August 5th at the hospital which I believe I would go through. They have a very comprehensive program. I was just wondering if I could get some feedback from thos of you out there that have already went through the surgery or even the whole pre-op process...... How long did it take to get everything completed for surgery? What types of medical testing was required? What kind of diet are you on pre op? Any thing else you wish to add feel free! Just looking for some opinons .....if I do decide to go through with GB I would prefer this method.