Miss.ferby

I live in the Tampa area (recently moved up here from Miami) and I'm having my first appointment with Dr. Dietrich, associated with Advent health, in a few days... I wanted to know if anyone has had their surgery with him? Or any consultations with him? I was also told that Dr. Mooney, associated with Tampa General Hospital, is a surgeon to look up as well. Suggestions/stories/advice would be great!!! My nerves are kicking in big time lol 😬

Hey everyone , I'm new to this forum and I wanted to ask if anyone has FL Bluecare ***? I wanted to how many "hoops" my surgeon and I would have to jump through (so to speak) before getting approved... I have so many questions, and I think I have called to get information so many time that I know the breakdown of the benefits by heart lol I just want this surgery to work out... I have spent my whole life gaining, and losing, and gaining and just being obese... I am tired of feeling like this, I want to better myself and this is really my last option.

I have been struggling with my weight my whole life. It's always a comment from my parents, or my old doctor saying that I should eat more veggies and salads and run more. Or me trying fad diet after fad diet, or trying a "lifestyle change" diet like Noom or Weight watchers or Keto... but I always hover between 280 and 220 pounds. I remember once, I broke past my 220 pound curse... I got to 200 pounds even! "Finally! Progress!" I thought to myself, but a little voice in the back of my head came around. It was all the doctors I had ever seen come to torture me. "For a person my size, gender, and age. I should be between 100-120 pounds". Ok, so time to change up the routine, and try to lose more weight. I took weight loss pills, exercised harder, but the weight loss just stalled. No matter how much I tried I could not break the barrier. So. I am taking the plunge into weight loss surgery. I spoke with my PCP, and he said felt it would benefit me. It will help with my insulin resistance that is due to my Pcos (polycystic ovary syndrome), and lower my risk for diabetes and heart problems (both are health issues from my parents). I found a surgeon in the Tampa, FL area and I have my very first appointment with him in a couple weeks... so why do I feel like a failure? Why is it that I feel like I can try a new way to lose the weight on my own without having surgery? Why am I against the surgery? Why does it feel like I'm failing when I haven't even started? I just want to be healthy... I don't even care about being skinny... I just want to be able to tie my shoes without becoming winded. Or go to a theme park without becoming tired in an hour. Do I have many, many questions? Yes. But signing up in this forum has helped answer some of them... do I worry about what I'll look like after the surgery? Yes. But that does not outweigh my health... and I know this! But why on earth do I still want to cancel the appointment and try, for the millionth time, to lose the weight on my own? Why do I feel like giving up when I haven't even started? Am I the only one who feels like this? I can't be alone in these thoughts, right? ... truthfully I probably should save this discussion for the bariatric therapist; but I can't stop thinking about it... How did you all do it? How did you guys push past the intrusive thoughts?

Hello 👋 I'm in Tampa. I am having my first bariatric surgery appointment with Dr. Dietrich on Sep 10th. Nervous and excited

Reading all of the responses, helps ease the thoughts I am having. I do think there is some anxiety in the fact that this is my last option for a healthier life, and if I can stick to the very strict dietary restrictions. @FluffyChix I have to agree with you, there is a stigma with WLS and how people think it is the "easy way out", but reading more forums and researching more... you're right, it is not a failure, it is an aid, and it is NOT easy. You have to change your psychology/relationship with the food you eat. I am just stuck in a mentality of anxiety of having this aid and not being able to overcome my obesity. I am also worried that I will be part of the statistics of failing the WLS and gaining all my weight back... even though I am telling myself different, and I am trying to change my eating habits NOW, pre-surgery. @Chiptress I DEFINITELY want to find WLS meetings and websites like this one, and talk with actual people in my position and people post-surgery, that is my next google research endeavor.

@cubyblue6 I have a feeling that I meet the BMI requirements, my BMI is something like 46. I just worry that if my insurance tells me I have to wait the 3-6 month period, and with the special diet pre-surgery, I will no longer qualify... but we will see! Crossing my fingers! 🤞🤞 this is my last hope. Did your BCBS make you do the preliminary dieting and 3-6 month wait? @Goldn02Grl the coding is what I am missing... without a definite code BCBS says they may not cover. Technically, WLS and anything weight loss related is excluded from my plan, but if it's "medically necessary" they MIGHT give me an authorization. Maybe. Congratulations on being post-op! Are you feeling ok?