J'sJourney

I'm expecting to be able to get my sleeve done this summer. I'll also need to have my impacted wisdom teeth removed. I was thinking if I had my wisdom teeth done about 2 weeks after the sleeve, it would work out well since I'll still be on liquids anyways. Thoughts? Experiences?

Part of Aetna's requirements is a supervised exercise program with an exercise therapist or "other qualified professional". I'm going to call my insurance company on Monday to ask, but until then, does anyone know what counts as a qualified professional? Could it be a physical therapist at my gym? Just wondering if anyone else had Aetna or similar insurance requirements.

Yay! Glad everything got sorted out!

Awesome! Good luck!

Very exciting! Congrats!

I'm a teacher too, so I totally understand the hesitation to take off during the year. You have to do what's best for you though! Your students deserve a teacher who's healthy and happy. I just started the process in February, so I was planning on surgery in June, but I decided if I end up being able to get in sooner, I will. I need it for me. Good luck!

From what I understand, your 6 months wouldn't start over, you would just need to be under your starting eight by the time you submit for approval from your insurance. Your insurance could be different though.

I made my consultation appointment just a day or two after deciding I wanted bariatric surgery. I still had 3 weeks before the appointment to do more research, which just solidified my decision. I'm about halfway through the process right now, hoping to have surgery this summer.

Congrats! So exciting!

I haven't met my deductible yet, so I paid $200 out of pocket for a 15 minute video conference.

Call your insurance company and ask, "Is bariatric surgery covered under my plan?" They'll be able to tell you yes or no, what the deductible is, what percentage they'd cover, and if there are specific requirements to be approved. You can also ask them of surgeons near you that are considered in-network, or you can look it up on their website if they offer that feature.

I'm used to using Sweet N Low in my tea, but my dietician doesn't recommend that. Their suggested sweeteners are Stevia and Just Like Sugar. Anyone have any experience with those? Which do you like better? Especially in tea?

Today was my EGD. The past week, I've had really bad reflux, so I was nervous going in that he would tell me the sleeve wouldn't work. I think it was probably stress related, because I've also had trouble sleeping the past 2-3 weeks, and I've been getting itchy, which is a big stress indicator for me. Doctor did say I have a small hiatal hernia, which I expected because I was told that years ago, and that he could fix it during surgery. He said I'm still a good candidate for the sleeve! He also did a stomach biopsy to see if I'll need to go on antibiotics before surgery - not sure how common that is. I'm just relieved that the EGD went well!

OMG, that's perfect! Nosy Nancy: "Have you have weight loss surgery?" Us: "No, why? Are you thinking about having it done?"

I learned about gas pains when I had my gallbladder removed. I had this horrible pain in my right shoulder - turns out it was from gas. It hurt several days, but I also wasn't really able to walk due to complications. I'm hoping that walking soon after my sleeve will help this time around!

Good luck!

Me too!! I don't even have a date yet, but ever since I decided I wanted to have WLS, I've been watching a couple episodes every night. While it's depressing at times, I've come to realize that not only is food a real addiction, it's an addiction that I have. Their candidness about what has gotten them to where they are has helped me to recognize some of those same feelings in myself that I wasn't able to see before or verbalize. I'm really thinking about finding a psychologist to talk to regularly so that I can talk through some of those issues.

My EGD is scheduled for Tuesday. Today, I woke up with a sore throat, which is usually an indicator I'm coming down with a cold. Do y'all think they'd still be able to do the endoscopy if I'm sick?

Good to know!

Congrats!!

I know a lot of people have questions about the psych eval, so I just wanted to share my experience. My doctor gave me the option of going through BariatricPsychEvaluations.com (Advantage Point Behavioral), so I was able to do my eval via video conference. The appointment was scheduled to be an hour, but it only took 10 minutes (can't believe I paid $200 for that, but that's another story). She asked about my eating habits, medications, education and career, what led to me gaining weight, mental health history, previous traumatic experiences, and my support system (family, friends). I know everyone's psych eval is different, but mine was super quick and easy!

Yup, I just talked to my dietitian last night. She said don't worry about calories - just follow the diet and make sure I'm getting enough protein and fluids.

I had my gallbladder removed years ago. If you're still feeling gallbladder pain after, make sure you let them know. Turned out I had a stone in my common bile duct that wasn't removed when they took my gallbladder out, so they had to go back in via emergency endoscopy.

Congrats! Best wishes!

Congrats! That's so exciting!