Ipeek90

I too am going through Atlanta Bariatrics! Selected Dr Hart and had my initial visit about 2 weeks ago. Just had a physical for the blood work yesterday and had my psych earlier this afternoon. Feel free to add me to that MyFitnessPal group! Ipeek90 should be the username. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

So I'm doing the 3mo route with behavioural modification plan as opposed to the 6mo physician maintained diet and weight loss option. With the 3mo plan, it's actually 4 months. You have to have 4 nut/dietitian appointments and with in 7 days time you have to have an appointment with say a physical therapist. I'm pretty sure you have to have a psych eval, I do, and I assume it's an insurance requirement and not one from my surgical team. As far as what the behavior modification plan actually is, I think there is a grey area there. I remember either reading on hearing that term used when researching my surgeon. They use that program and I believe it's just everything you're already doing. As I get closer to surgery date I will be having some pre-op classes and I think that's part of it as well. Other things you may need, blood work, upper GI and others depending on your overall health. To your question about the exercise therapist, when I went to my surgeons office, they have a dietitian on site and referred me to a physical therapist who work with obese patients getting ready for surgery. So just ask your doc or your surgeon if they can refer you. But MAKE SURE YOU SEE THE EXERCISE THERAPIST WITHIN 7 DAYS OF NUT/DIETITIAN VISITS. They told me they had a patient schedule on like say 8 or 9 and was denied because of it. And with the 3mo Aetna does not require you to loose a specific amount of weight, you simply can not weight as much as your initial visit. Your surgeon may require some weight loss and it's always good to lose some before the surgery to lower complication chances. Hope this helped. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

I have not scheduled my psych eval yet but I was told its going to be 4-5hrs, and my dietitian are going to be 45-60min. I had my first dietitian and physical appointments and they were about that amount. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

Also no endoscopic on mine either. Forgot to mention that. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

This will not be helpful, but I do have my first appointment on Thursday and I've got Aetna POS II so I'll see what they say and try and let you know. I do know that it's either or for the 3/6months plans and the bariatric clinic I will be using does the 90 day program. So I don't know that it's a choice, more so that the office decides the route they take or prefer you take. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App Just had my appointment today, it's a choice. I chose the 90day which will really be 4mo I guess because of the way the appointments have to be staggered. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

So here is how it went. My appointment to speak with the surgeon was at 10 quickly followed by an appointment with their dietitian. I knew I had to pay for the dietitian but I was not told about anything else, so today ended up costing me $220. My guess is the DRs time and like new patient fees or whatever, unfortunately I neglected to ask. Thank you HSA account!!! When I got there and signed in I was asked for my driver's license and insurance card, the lady gave me about 5 or 6 new patient forms to fill out. They were the normal information and previous health forms, one asked which surgery I wanted and some other minor questions, the others were the normal HIPPA related paperwork that goes with the office needing to request your previous medical records and such, and then the last one explained that my co-pay/deductible/maximum out of pocket that the insurance didn't cover would be due prior to surgery. (Eg My insurance only covers 80% after I've met my deductible). I sat in the main waiting room for perhaps 15 mins before a nurse came to get me. The nurse took me to a little triage room where she weighed me and got my height. Now when you're in here make sure they out all your info in correctly, this nurse typo'd my weight and it showed I had a BMI of 47.2, which is wrong, she had my weight at 371 as opposed to 471. She also gets your temperature and blood pressure. After speaking with her on was taken to a patient room where I waited until the DR came in. I waited for about another 10-15min when the DR who would be performing my surgery knocked and came it, introducing himself. He first asked me if I had any questions about the online seminar I took, which I did not, and then proceeded to go over my medical history. He asked which surgery I was interested in and then had me lay back on the table and pull my shirt up so he could listen to my breathing or something. After that he asked if I had any other questions, which I could not think of on the spot. After seeing the DR I was then taken to see the dietitian, I sat with her for probably 30 or so minutes as she explained portion size and a very general idea of the post op type of diet and things I would need to work on(more chewing, no drinking during the meal and x amount of time before/after etc..) then she got some goals from me and asked if I had questions. This is when I asked about a pre-op diet for surgery, if I needed to loose a certain amount of weight and what the liver shrinking diet would look like, that's also when I realized they had my weight wrong because she said "with a BMI of 47 the DR does not require a liquid diet before the surgery" to which I asked more about what they listed as my weight and she corrected it. I do not have to loose any certain amount of weight before surgery, I just can not gain any before my last weigh in. But I will have a 2week pre-op diet that consists of mainly liquids, but not all liquids. Lastly I spoke with the patient and insurance coordinator who gave me my options of a 6mo/4mo pre-op plan that the insurance required. I opted for the 4mo and she explained what was needed(blood word, upper GI(per doc), psych eval, letter of medical support from another Dr/nurse practitioner, setup physical therapy appts and maybe a few other things). I had her triple check my initial weight and she explained the items she needed in order to submit it over to the insurance company. All in it was a good visit, aside from the typo of my weight but that was resolved. Hope that helps! Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

Commenting so I can come back to this, but I'm at my 1st appointment sitting in the room waiting on the surgeon now. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

So from just reading that, it sounds like they will do a post op leak test if asked or perhaps if you show signs of a leak. But it also sounds like you may end up paying extra for it. I would call the surgeon and verify that info. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

This will not be helpful, but I do have my first appointment on Thursday and I've got Aetna POS II so I'll see what they say and try and let you know. I do know that it's either or for the 3/6months plans and the bariatric clinic I will be using does the 90 day program. So I don't know that it's a choice, more so that the office decides the route they take or prefer you take. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

Where was this at? That sounds pretty outrageous! Even when I was looking at Mexico all of the stories I read included a leak test of some sort. I would 100% avoid the surgeon that does not do one. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

I know dumping is no laughing matter but I certainly chuckled when I read "and some shitty itilian desert" it's like I could feel the anger and disappointment you had from that specific item. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

Well I've just started this journey and am still Pre-Op but you've certainly just terrified me. I'm commando all the time, gym shorts for sleeping and those are not cheap >.> - You might be pre-op WLS if you look around and all friends and co-workers have the Facebook app open and you've got the Bariatric-Pal app open doing research and reading stories. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

I'll have to wait at least 90 days. My insurance does not require that I do the 6 months route, but a 3mo one instead, and that one is slightly different from the signed diet and exercise I believe. I still have to see the specific DRs for things 4 times each, I believe. So my best guess is I'll be having the surgery in April assuming I get the approval. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

This. I started looking into WLS probably this time last year but at the time had insurance that would not cover the procedure. I started a new job and was waiting on the new insurance to kick in, once that started I saw it was covered but still wanted to try something else. I did the medical weight loss and $2k+ later I had lost 20lbs and realized the liquid only diet was not sustainable and I was going broke, fast. Since then I've just been gyming and going back to some old eating habits. Now I'm wishing I had just done this a year ago! I have my first surgeon consultation and NUT appointment on the 12th as well. I'm very excited but wish I had gotten this done already. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

Congrats on getting this journey started! Do you mind my asking what your start height/weight were/are? Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

I have Aetna POS II and have my first consultation at Atlanta Bariatrics for Dr Hart on 1/12/17, did they give you a total out of pocket after insurance? My plan is 80/20 I believe. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App Hey! I wasn't given a total out of pocket, but I believe my insurance was similar (80/20). Nutritionist appoints are not included in the insurance so each of those were 50 a pop. But seriously, that practice has been great! I just got sleeves on Monday, and I could not have been happier. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I'm glad to hear that they are awesome. Perhaps they don't require the out of pocket upfront. Maybe it get billed from the hospital. If you don't mind let me know if you do end up getting a bill for that last 20%. The lady I spoke with (Chelsea?) Did tell me the NUT visits were $50 each, which is fine. I take it they did the 90 pre-op thing that Aetna requires, as opposed to the 6mo supervised diet? Thanks for answering my questions, I'm way to excited to not try and get this info before the 12th Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

I have Aetna POS II and have my first consultation at Atlanta Bariatrics for Dr Hart on 1/12/17, did they give you a total out of pocket after insurance? My plan is 80/20 I believe. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App