Frenchie1977

I don't know how much weight you have to lose and that should be a major consideration for you but I will tell you what my doctor told me. He said that once you have more than 100 pounds to lose you have less than a 5 percent chance of losing that weight and keeping it off without surgery. Those are not very good odds, a 95 percent chance that I will fail and regain the weight if I go it alone without surgery. I guess for me, I'm just tired of failing, it's time to do something lasting and permanent, who cares about drinking? When being overweight may kill me, a few beers means nothing.

I wish I could say I had a lot of options but my insurance denied the surgeon I really wanted and only gave me two other options. I chose the one that was at a center of excellence and had a Bariatric program I felt I could get through with my insurance.

I don't see a physician giving you an opportunity to gain weight. They consider this a drastic surgery to be to be taken under extreme measures only. Plus some insurances make you prove your history of being overweight through medical records, so if this is your plan research your insurance requirements thoroughly first, and gain the weight before your first appointment.

No my insurance just doesn't require it. They only require that I have a bmi of at least 35 with at least one co- morniditity. I was super relieved as I just didn't know if I could handle failing another diet before surgery. On the plus side I just got back from my appointment and I loved the doctor and he agreed with me that the sleeve was the best surgery for me and said I could have surgery by the end of next month. I'm so happy now.

My first appointment is today too in just a few hours, I feel like it's a formality as I've been reading about the surgery for six months, I don't think I have any questions left. Never the less I am excited to finally be getting started, I have no medically supervised weight loss required so I shoul have surgery end of next month or early November if all goes well.

Hi Marlene, I live in Maricopa and visit CAsa grande frequently, I am pre-op now but plan on surgery sometime late November early December. How old are you? When are you planning on having surgery and at what clinic? Also you can find me on Facebook under Jennifer hardison and then I can add you to our Phx area local support group page. Can't wait to hear back from you

If you guys are looking for a good group to join you can join our Facebook support group, it's called Phx Area Bariatric Support Group, you can search for it on Facebook and then just request to join. We talk allot about allot of things, offer tons of support and encouragement and meetup monthly for walks etc. Hope to see you guys there soon. If you join after your added tell them Jen hardison sent you thru Bariatric pal

Hey guys for those of you in AZ PHx area there is a Facebook support group page called Phx Area Bariatric Support Group, you can search for it on Facebook and request to join, it's a great group with lots of tips, support and we ha e monthly walks etc , Hope to see you all soon

There is A Facebook support page for the Phoenix area, it's called Phx area Bariatric Support Group, you can search for it and request to join, it's a great group with allot of helpful tips and get together a etc. Hope to see you all soon

Oh please did you seriously just turn this thread into a support trump opportunity? Get a clue and stop using a Bariatric forum for your political agenda, it's so out of context not to mention it's not even close to being the right place for that post. You just made a nonsense thread into a political bs thread not even worthy of this forum anymore, Alex Brecher please shut this thread down.

I have been following this thread for a long time and never said anything, honestly I was hoping that people would stop responding to Gina's obvious desire for attention and stop posting but daily I keep coming back and seeing this ridiculous thread on the board. Gina is clearly very mentally ill and clearly needs some help to address her issues as she obviously has a strong desire for negative attention. The bottom line is both Gina and SilverWhiteMoon character show two very important things, a lack of knowledge prior to the surgery which in spite of not being told by their doctors they could have easily learned all their misgivings in one single Internet search so I'm not really buying the whole I researched the surgery line. And 2) they are both still very early post op and therefore not qualified to say much about the quality of life forever postoperative VSG Furthermore as far as Gina just wanting to get the word out about what could happen and wanting people to rethink the surgery I actually think in your mentally ill way you are harming people and possibly deterring people from having a life saving procedure. The complications that you suffered are so very rare that they barely warrant a side note and we have Already established that things may not be from the surgery but more from an incompetent staff that performed your surgery. The fact of the matter is your situation is just to rare to warrant this much attention it certainly shouldn't take up twenty some odd pages on this message board, it's gone too far. You have taken it to far now. Stop now. Stop deterring people from this procedure based I. Your unfortunate choice in a Bariatric team. And people is she doesn't stop, then for the love of god just stop posting on this thread, let it die and stop giving this mentally ill woman attention.

Do you still have your gallbladder? It sounds kind of like a gallstone attack.

If your like me and you can't wait just call the number on the back of your insurance card, my insurance was clueless when I asked if Bariatric surgery was covered but they were able to look it up when I said sleeve gastrectomy. Now my insurance plan is different, it doesn't require any medically supervised weight loss but it doesn't cover unless you have a comorbidity, so I'm glad I checked with them before I even asked my doctor for a referral to the surgeon. Just give your insurance a call, it's easier than hunting down the insurance plan info. Best of luck

I had to explain the same thing to my brother, this is not the easy way out. It is a complete lifestyle change that requires dedication to the change. The surgery is just a tool that helps you to make those lifestyle changes for the first year to eighteen months but ultimately it is up to you.

I just found out that my insurance doesn't qualify me for surgery with a bmi over 40, they will only qualify me with bmi over 35 with a co morbidity. I don't know if I have any Comorbitities, I'm pre-diabetic not diabetic, I have migraines and that's about it. My first appointment with the surgeon is the 10th and now I'm worried that I won't qualify. I'm freaking out, I really need this surgery.

I talked with an insurance rep when I was asking questions about the qualifications filling out a list of questions the surgeons office gave me Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

AARP Medicare complete Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Your best bet is to go to your primary care doctor and ask for a referral, they know what's in the area and they won't send you to a chop shop Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Just found out my insurance company told me wrong and I could only have to do the dr requirement of 3 months now instead of the long 6 month wait, whew that sounds so much better

I see so many people here who are almost done with their requirements or already had surgery. Is anyone else here just starting? I have my initial consultation and nut visit on Aug 10 and my insurance requires 6 months MSWL. Just wondering if I have any buddies that are just starting with me.

I don't have one yet still in the 6 month waiting period

I too suffer from a severe panic disorder and my doctor has assured me that in pre op they will give me something for my anxiety and afterwards he will order my anxiety Meds should I need them. Just talk it over with your doctor so he know what to expect. I also has an anxiety service dog who will be staying with me at the hospital

I'm in Maricopa AZ and I would be interested in joining a group, no problems with driving to get there Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks Cassandra I will be keeping tabs on your updates

@@cassandra I'm nervous too, not for the same reasons you are but I have my own demons that I fear the will disqualify me for, so we're in the same boat. All I can do is read these boards and pray that it won't be a problem, my initial consultation with the surgeon is Aug 10