BMC blogger

So interesting. I have GERD and a hiatal hernia too. My surgeon is planning to repair but still said RNY was the better approach. I was kind of wishing he’d tell me I was a candidate for sleeve.

Why? I’m pre-op getting ready for bypass due to GERD and it been kind of haunting me. Curious why you’d switch.

Bypass here too...still waiting for insurance approvals. But tentatively scheduled for 12/19.

Take “feel like” out of the sentence and “get er done.” And don’t be afraid to tell them that you’ve checked with insurance who has no record of the pre-cert submission. They should be better, but some places won’t be unless you push them.

I agree, call the doctors office ASAP. I was literally on a parallel calls with my insurance and surgeons office at the same time (flipping back and forth) on Tuesday so they could sort this crap out. So annoying to be stressed about approvals and then have this part of the process have so many issues.

My biggest advice to everyone is to call the insurance company to make sure all the paperwork was received and is in review. I’ve literally been having the week from hell trying to understand why I thought I’d be getting a decision this week, only to find out that my paperwork kept getting bounced back because of a discrepancy in my frickin address of all things! I originally took the advice of the surgeons office to calmly wait the two week period rather than following up once the paper were submitted and now I have to wait another two weeks to actually get an answer. MAKE SURE YOU CALL...DO NOT BE SHY!

Coming into this late, but are you waiting for approvals?

My biggest advice to everyone is once the 180 days come. Call the insurance company to make sure all the paperwork was received and is in review. I’ve literally been having the week from hell trying to understand why I thought I’d be getting a decision this week, only to find out that my paperwork kept getting bounced back because of a discrepancy in my frickin address of all things! I originally took the advice of the surgeons office to calmly wait the two week period rather than following up once the paper were submitted and now I have to wait another two weeks to actually get an answer. MAKE SURE YOU CALL...DO NOT BE SHY!

Totally in the same boat. Mine was supposed to be submitted last week. My office said to lay off and not follow-up with insurance and that they typically hear back within two weeks. I’m struggling not to call though and to make sure everything was received.

So I was the reverse, i went in to my WLS surgeon assuming sleeve and came out with GB as the recommendation. I haven’t had kids yet so I really wanted sleeve for that reason, but I have reflux and have been told it’s likely to get worse with sleeve. If not for the reflux I don’t think I would even consider GB, but the idea of it getting worse is a non-starter.

PS I have Anthem too.

Please keep us posted, I have to confirm with the office but mine is supposed to get submitted this week and I’m wondering how long the turnaround will take.

I’ve been debating this a lot myself. I went in set on sleeve and was told due my acid reflux that bypass was the best choice. My biggest concern has been the malabsorption. I don’t have kids and eventually I’ll want to get pregnant, I don’t want to face any issues with vitamin deficiencies either for myself or a future pregnancy. I think some of what you’re describing could happen with either. Changes in the ability to tolerate foods or dumping. Dumping from what I’ve researched is more likely to occur with bypass, but is still a possibility with sleeve. And the tolerance really just depend on the person. I wouldn’t let these things stand in the way of a healthier you. Why did you decide bypass in the first place?

I’m assuming the tube is your upper endoscopy? You’ll be fine. I did mine early on because I was having a lot of issues with my GERD. In one minute and out the next. It was my first time under so I was nervous too. Now I’m in the same waiting game.

I have yet to come across an insurance company that requires a comorbidity for a bmi over 40. Normally they require 1-2 comorbidities only if your bmi is between 35-39.

Sounds like maybe an allergic reaction of some sort, but this whole experience is about your health. I really believe that needs to come first and you should call your pcp at the very least.

I'm going through the process with Inova Fair oaks too! Still a bit out from surgery...hope all goes well!

Try rigby and peller

Completely agree, keeping it small moving forward. I heard a lot of folks keep things to themselves until post op, but "man!" I just didn't think people would be so focused on their perspective that they would forget to care about anything else.

So I preface this with....I need a moment to vent. I'm not far into my journey, currently in my 6 month supervised. I was originally keeping a lot of this process to myself, partly because I didn't want to say anything only to find out the I wouldn't qualify. Partly because I was afraid of the various reactions. But based on conversations with my boyfriend I started feeling a bit guilty about the possibility of just springing surgery on my family and close friends. So with that I started to tell folks little by little and every reaction thus far has been completely unhelpful and depressing. I know most are reacting to concerns about "surgery" and associated dangers, but the result has been a number of comments and questions that make me regret opening the door for their opinions at all: 1. Do you really qualify? 2. Seriously, you just need to deal with your stress once you do that you'll be able to manage things. 3. Well it's no surprise you'd consider surgical intervention 4. Just get a new job 5. Are you sure you wanna do this, once you have kids you won't be able to eat with them like a normal family. 6. Even my freakin podiatrist- omg are you really doing it, my patients who have done it can't manage all the vitamins and they have a really hard time when pregnant. 7. We'll if being skinny is the most important thing for you 8. I hope you realize this isn't a magic bullet Etc..... I feel like this is partly on me for introducing the subject, it seems I've somehow given permission for all these reactions. I'm just really annoyed and I'm trying really hard not to let these opinions sway me from doing something that's right for me (if I make this choice). All of this has left me feeling like I'm shallow and only going through this for cosmetic reasons. I'm constantly defending myself and trying to explain the medical reasons that have gotten me to this point, but I'm pissed that I've even got to do that. And even when I do explain, most still don't think "it's bad enough for surgery." Clearly I'm at my wits end, hoping for a little insight from others....

Agreed, seriously my blood would boil....

Thanks everyone, appreciate hearing from folks who have been through it.

Yea...agreed. Lesson learned, just going to leave it alone and keep quiet at least for a bit.

Agreed, not preachy at all. Just honest and straight forward.

Thank you!