BrownEyedTxGirl

@@tbaby10 I am with Dr. Kim too! Do you have your surgery date yet?

@ronimom. Sent you a private message with some additional details

@@ronimom Dr. Clayton Frenzel has a cash price of $10,500 and hiatal hernia price of $3500.00. Both of these options are listed on his website. True Results has similar prices as Dr Frenzel for both options. Dr. David Kim is a little more, around $15,000 cash price and $5,000 hiatal hernia price.

Also a couple of $10,500.00 cash options in Texas. They also have the hiatal hernia price if they find a hernia (this drops the cost to between $3500 - $5000).

Originally I planned on telling no one but once I scheduled my EGD and needed someone to drive me home I had to break down and tell my boyfriend. He is extremely supportive in anything I do but he doesn't think I need to do something this drastic (those are his words). We have been dating for only a year and a half but were best friends for 20 years prior to dating...so he knows first hand my struggle with my weight. I am a daddy's girl and extremely close to my dad but have not told him. He retired a few years ago and was all set to travel the world when all of a sudden I was hit with a divorce. My dad refused to leave while my world was upside down and put his travels on hold for me. He left earlier this year to finally start his travels and I know if I tell him he will want to rush home and take care of me. So for now I am not telling him. My co-workers know I am having a hernia repair and that is it. My plan is to not tell anyone but my boyfriend and dad. However knowing me the first time anyone asks I will spill the beans...I am not good at lying. Ironically my own sister had gastric bypass 15 years ago and I don't even feel comfortable telling her!

@@lisa0617 I would ask your surgeons office. They will probably have a list of approved providers. Would hate for you to go through all the trouble and then not be able to use the results. If possible to use your insurance I would. Mine paid 80% so my portion was only a little over $100.00. I have United Healthcare and had no issue with them covering it and didn't need pre-approval or anything. The sleep study has actually been the easiest part of the process for me.

I had to do a sleep study and had the choice between going to a facility or an in home study. I chose the in home study and did it just last Wednesday night. I don't think I had an option to choose the provider, my doctor told me who to use and had the provider contact me directly (and they were also covered by my insurance). The technician came to my house and hooked me all up and everything was transferred/monitored online. The next morning when I woke I just removed all the sensors, etc and the technician came back by the house and picked them up. Not sure if this is the same as the online study you are talking about??

@@zonetracy My next flight will be September 30th. I haven't had my surgery yet but looks like it will be the first or second week in August. Hoping I loose enough weight by then! Can't wait to hear how much slack you have in that belt come September

Must be an awesome feeling!!! My aha moment that lead me to pursuing weightloss surgery was boarding a plane this past May and not being able to fasten my seatbelt. I fly about once a month for work and had never had to ask for an extender. I thought about trying to hide my unfastened seatbelt under my shirt but finally broke down and asked for the extender. I cried the entire 4 hour flight home and made a promise to myself that I would turn my life around! Can't wait until I have extra room in the belt!!!

Yeah!!! I'm so excited for you!!!

Are you cash pay or using insurance? It is also dependent on your surgeons schedule. I would ask tomorrow when you go for testing. They will be able to give you a more approximate time frame.

I have actually heard of this before, especially in regards to bariatric surgery. I would contact your insurance company directly and ask them to outline your benefits and coverage. I did this with my insurance company and easily had all the info from them within 10 minutes. I would also contact the insurance company to make sure everything jives with what the doctors office is telling you. Because I had reached out to my insurance company in advance I knew what my pre-requisites were and the doctors office was telling me something completely different. In the end my doctors office was completely wrong! Keep in mind that everyone's insurance is different. Your BCBS coverage will not necessarily be the same as someone else's BCBS coverage as yours is determined by benefits that your company has selected. Even though I checked out all my coverage with my insurance I pretty much knew from day one that I would pay cash as it would just be easier and quicker! My cash pay in Texas is half of what they are saying your deductible will be! Give the insurance company a cal in the am to get the facts

Welcome! Time frame will depend on your insurance requirements (many require 3-6 months of a doctor supervised diet) and the surgery schedule of your surgeon. Cash payers are able to fast track the process and I have seen some done in 2-3 months. I am cash pay but with all the surgeon requirements (ie sleep study, stress test, EGD, etc.) it will take me almost three months. Those with insurance seem to range between 3 months to a year. Of course these are just averages. The insurance coordinator at your doctors office will find out what your insurance requirements are, but you can call them as well to find out! Good luck with your journey!

A little history about me. I started this process about 6 weeks ago and have had my initial appointment with my surgeon, my nutritional class, EGD (good with the exception of a small hernia which is good news since I am self pay). My only requirements left (since I am self pay) are my stress test (scheduled for next Wednesday) and sleep study which is scheduled for this Wednesday. Once I get those results back we can proceed with scheduling my surgery date. Right now if everything goes well I will be looking at the first of August. I asked my surgeon during my initial appointment if there were any concerns as my recent blood work at my PCP came back with a TSH level of almost 7. I currently take thyroid medicine and have for about 10 years. He said there were no concerns and we moved on to the next topic. The more I search these boards the more I am worried that my surgery will be delayed until my TSH levels are normal. My thyroid meds were recently increased and I am scheduled for new blood work the first week in July. My question is...did anyone else have their surgery delayed because of high TSH levels?

Ugh! That is what I was afraid of! My levels have never been "normal".

Glad all went well and that so far you are resting comfortably!

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

I have United Healthcare as well but everyone's requirements are different based on what benefits your employer selected. Mine requires 6 months of supervised nutrition and 5 years doctor documented history of a BMI over 40. I don't have time for all of that so I am just going to pay cash! I would call UHC and have them outline all requirements and exactly what costs they cover. Took me only about 15 minutes to get all of this info from them over the phone.

@@Mary Jane T I had my EGD performed yesterday and can't stop talking about how easy it was! And this comes from someone that is terrified of doctors, needles, ect. In fact I an so scared of pain that I never had children. I arrived at the hospital at 7:00 and my procedure was supposed to start at 8:00. When the nurse wheeled me to my car and I looked at the clock it was only 8:05! The actual procedure only takes 10 minutes! I didn't feel any nausea from the anesthesia. No coughing or sore throat at all! In fact I have been wondering if they did anything...lol Hope your goes as smoothly as mine!

Dr. Kim is half? Did you get a cost from his office? I was in a couple of weeks ago and his cash price was 5K more than the other two surgeons I met with.

@@ladycook9713 not sure, you could probably Google it and find out?

I went to his office in Arlington. It is fairly close to the Six Flags/ballpark area. I believe he has a office in Dallas as well. I know he has support groups too. In Arlington I think she said they were on Thursday nights and they are trying to get a group set up for Saturday mornings as well.

There was nothing wrong with Dr Nick but had to start eliminating. My decision to eliminate him was based on one of my friends who was not impressed with his staff or aftercare but she raved about him. I think deep down inside I already have my heart set on Frenzel. I loved him but his office is a little old and the staff that you initially interact with seem a little lost....however I have been impressed with their insurance coordinator and my baristric coordinator. If you want a sense of community you might want to check out Dr Kim in Colleyville. His patients rave about the support groups and their private Facebook support page. They do 5ks and things like thst together. Another reason why I am torn with my decision. I like the after support with Kim's office!!

I am just starting this journey and have met with Dr David Kim, Dr. Clayton Frenzel and Dr. Nick Nicholson. Was actually impressed by all three. Have eliminated Dr Nicholson and I am torn between Lee and Frenzel. Loved, loved, loved Frenzel but like the office staff at Dr Kim's better. I need to make a final decision and will likely go with Frenzel. I suppose it would also be dependent on your insurance and who Is covered by your policy. I can tell you if you are cash pay there is about a $5000.00 difference between these three. I am cash pay but price doesn't matter when it comes to my health and who I feel more comfortable with.

Although I have had more slob moments than I would like to admit, my most recent (and the one that lead me down the WLS path) was an entire box of family size Kraft Mac and Cheese! I ate it in one sitting! Oh and the Little Debbie Nutty Bars...but imagine dipping them in a jar of peanut butter!