Sharon1964

How very exciting! Sorry, no advice. Just... YAY FOR YOU!

What does your surgeon and your nutritionist say?

It's up to your surgeon. If you want to do the liquid diet, it won't hurt you.

This doesn't mean what I think you think it means. (say that three times fast!) It doesn't mean your surgeon has to approve you. It means your surgeon has to send in a pre-auth request with the documentation of medical necessity for the surgeon, and then your insurance company evaluates the request and approves or denies.

@@xxjosettexx So did you have your surgery three days ago? How are you doing?

You're going to find huge variations. My first step was meeting my surgeon and discussing which procedure was best for me. Then six months of nutrition visits and a psych eval (insurance requirements). My surgeon required a bunch of other tests, which I did over that same six months. Once my six months of nutrition visits was over, my surgery coordinator faxed my paperwork in to my insurance. I had an approval less than a week later, I think. I called the surgeon's office the next day and the coordinator set the date for my surgery. I will see my surgeon again a couple of days before surgery for a pre-op. My surgeon is booked pretty far out. I'm set for Saturday, August 8. I see a lot of other people not have to wait as long once they have approval. And some offices set a date without an insurance approval, gambling that they will get it before the surgery date (and rescheduling if it doesn't come through). Unfortunately, my surgeon's office doesn't do that.

Who knew my surgeon works on Saturdays?!?!?! I just got my approval letter and my surgeon is booked into August. If someone cancels, they'll call me to see if I can do it sooner. I'm hoping for July.

Actually, no, Medicare is not the same in all states. There are things called National Coverage Determinations (NCD's), which apply to all states. Then there are Local Coverage Determiations (LCD's) which apply only to the state named in the document. The database of NCD's and LCD's can be found here: http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/overview-and-quick-search.aspx It's usually easier to go to the website for the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) that covers your state than search the entire database. Go here and scroll down to FIND YOUR MAC about halfway down the page: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Contracting/Medicare-Administrative-Contractors/MACJurisdictions.html

"Thank you for your concern" (said while interrupting their story of woe). Then change the subject. Immediately.

You don't have to know what is causing your pain, and yes, pain docs can diagnose the same way your primary can. I work for a pain management doctor. He is dual board-certified in pain management and rehab. He is also a physiatrist (a physiatrist is a nerve, muscle and bone expert who treats pain and injuries that affect the way you live and move). Most people are referred to us for chronic pain. Their primary doctor usually has done everything they can for them. Sometimes, the primary doesn't know what is wrong with them, just that they have pain that isn't getting better. Our patients have nerves that are being compressed, or spine problems, or nerve damage from diabetes or other causes. Some of our patients have arthritis, or scoliosis, or even brain injuries that are interfering with the way they move. That's the type of patient that a physiatrist treats. It sounds like you might want to seek out a physiatrist for a consultation. I do want to say, though, that there are pain docs who just dispense medications and don't do anything else. You want a physiatrist that will take a full history, do a full musculoskeletal exam, and explain to you where your pain is coming from. My boss spends at least two hours with each new patient to really understand their history and how they came to be in chronic pain.

A quick lab test can determine your B12 level, so that should be easy to rule out/rule in. You didn't mention if you were seeing your primary doc or a specialist, so depending on your situation, I would also suggest a referral to a good pain management physician or a good physical medicine and rehab (PM&R) physician. They are usually more skilled in determining nerve pain issues than a primary care doctor.

AWESOME!!!

Wow this got weird. How complicated is it to understand that you're asking a pretty impossible question? Unless someone claimed plastic surgery on their taxes and was audited would they be able to answer your question. But then, the answer would only be relevant if you got the exact same auditor that they got, had the exact same surgery, and had the exact same documentation. And, being that we are talking about the IRS, their experience STILL wouldn't matter nor would it be relevant to your situation.

No problem! And remember this...

Okay, when you call your insurance company, ask them if there is a separate out-of-pocket max for bariatric surgery. If the person doesn't know, have them get a supervisor.

If your insurance company isn't any help, then talk to the staff at your surgeon's office. The surgery coordinator at my surgeon's office told me that I just have to go every single month (don't miss a month or you have to start the count over). She gave me a list of things to have my doctor document each visit (discuss weight, eating habits, exercise). She said my insurance company doesn't count the first visit with the surgeon as part of the six months visits, but some other insurances do.

I've never heard of an exception to out of pocket maxes. I think the lady was wrong. Maybe she was thinking of people whose insurance is out of network. My out of network max is double my in-network max. Call your insurance company and ask them to be sure, but if I were in your shoes, I would not worry.

Don't go for the "I'm full" feeling. Go for the "I'm not hungry" feeling.

@@losinghope15 I'm sorry your extended family hasn't been around for you. Have you asked them for help? I know some families figure if you need help, you'll ask. Have you reached out to the social service agencies that others have mentioned? In my area, churches give out boxes of food once per month (all different days). You don't have to provide proof of income or anything other than proof of residence, but your area may be different. I don't think I read how old your children are; if they are school age make sure you check on free/reduced price Breakfast and lunch at school. A lot of places have free lunch over the summer so the kids don't go hungry.

So I take it you didn't inform them when they hired you that you were having surgery and would need, say, two weeks off? Or that you had previous plans (don't have to say surgery) that would take you away for two weeks?? I can see how someone trying to get hired wouldn't want to volunteer this information. However, as a manager, it would not put us on good starting terms if it was withheld. When I interview someone, I always ask if there is anything that would keep them from starting right away, or any other plans that have already been made. It's usually much better to talk about these things up front.

Are you following your surgeon's plan? None of those foods are on my plan in the first few weeks.

Call the hospital and ask to speak to someone in "Risk Management". If they ask what it's regarding, tell them "EKG techs giving inappropriate medical advice." if it's not a hospital, call and ask to speak to the Medical Director.

You can have your sleeve re-stapled smaller. You can also convert from sleeve to duodenal switch.

Your surgeon and/or his nutritionist should give you an eating plan for after surgery, with suggestions and a list of what is allowed and what is not allowed. My surgeon may not allow caffeinated coffee, but yours may. It won't do you any good for me to tell you that you can or cannot have something, as we don't have the same surgeon. Mine may allow eggs; yours may not.