Chelle1007

It’s affecting all of us one way or another right? I was staying pretty strong until recently. Now I’m noticing that I tear up easily during rom-coms or touching commercials. Human interaction is so important and we are all isolated and yearning for life to go back to “normal”. There is no question that a low grade depression is manifesting, and I for one, am not interested in participating in that :) My surgery was cancelled last week and if it isn’t rescheduled in December, this is the end of the journey for me. I can’t afford another max out of pocket in the new insurance year. I started to get really down and then I turned on the news. I realized quickly that I have nothing to be upset about! I have a roof over my head and have luckily held onto my job. I’m not in the hospital fighting for my life or wishing I had more time with a friend or family member who is sick. So this made me realize how much time I spend living in the future and how much time I waste not living in the present! My new goal is to change my thinking behavior and not take any single moment for granted! How about a thread of positivity in the middle of a pandemic that is draining each one of us of happiness? What is happening in your life right now that is AWESOME? Let’s share some light and lift each other up!!!!

Thank you Lily66, may we all keep our shine on during these tough times!

I was scheduled the 25th of November for bypass and it was cancelled yesterday. With the way things are going I can’t imagine it will happen this year and I can’t afford to pay my max out of pocket again, so this may be the end of the road for me. I wish you serious luck!!!

Oh man. Fingers crossed for both of us! I’m at Providence as well. Hospital told me yesterday, we should know more after the weekend and that they really need the cases to start going back down to continue with surgeries. Good luck to you!!!

I am scheduled for bypass on 11/25 but am having a hard time getting excited about it as 3 out of 5 of the hospital systems in my area (Portland, Oregon) have suspended elective surgeries due to the rise in covid cases, mine hasn’t yet, but it’s likely. Ugh... max out of pocket is met, so frustrating.

Hey everybody, I just started my journey this week! The good news is Aetna, my insurance company, and probably many of yours, has revised their obesity surgery guidelines effective May 1, 2020. They have removed the need for weight loss or maintenance of 3 months or 6 months, and now only require 12 intensive appointments in a multi-component program that you are most likely already in the middle of :) So great news... I also talked to the insurance peeps yesterday and asked specifically about the 12 intensive appointments, and they said, it was just a number to guarantee that you were an established bariatric surgery patient following a program, but that the new guidelines were now just based on approval of completing your doctors program!!!!!! Spread the word, you could be a lot closer to a surgery date than you thought :) I have attached the url to the medical bulletin below :) http://www.aetna.com/pharmacy-insurance/healthcare-professional/documents/obesity-surgery-precert-form.pdf On April 21, 2020 this revision was made on the medical bulletin and can be found here http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/100_199/0157.html#dummyLink2, under the review history on the right side bar, then look for 04/21/2020 "This CPB is revised to state that bariatric surgery is considered medically necessary when criteria are met and member has participated in an intensive multicomponent behavioral intervention designed to help participants achieve or maintain weight loss through a combination of dietary changes and increased physical activity. The intervention must be intensive (12 or more visits) and occur within 2 years prior to surgery. This CPB is revised to remove the requirement that the member maintain or lose weight during this program. This CPB is revised to state that bariatric surgery for is considered medically necessary for adults with a BMI greater than or equal to 35 with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and for adolescents with a BMI greater than or equal to 40 with NASH, when criteria are met. This CPB is revised to require cardiac clearance, obstructive sleep apnea screening, and optimized glycemic control as prerequisites for obesity surgery." I SOOOOOO Hope this makes someones day :) So glad to be here! Aetna PreCertification.pdf

Hi there, I joined this forum in May and have been silently reading and researching all of my questions for months. Now I am close to the end of my pre-op journey, expecting to get my last clearance from dietician on September 1st, and looking back I am amazed at how much is wrong with me ha. I thought I was somewhat healthy before I started this medical journey and now I have diabetes, Barrett's Esophagus from silent reflux and I was critically low on Vitamin D. I felt like every test I took they came back at me with a diagnosis haha. Don't get me wrong, I believe everything happens for a reason and had any number of my decisions in the past been different and I had not chosen to go this route I NEVER would have known about the Barrett's because I didn't know I had GERD, so I am so incredibly grateful to know early while I can do something about it. Like many of you, I began this journey hell bent on the sleeve and that all changed for me. But most importantly, my father died of diabetic complications when he was only 58 and that diagnosis single handedly scared me straight. There is just no food on this planet worth your life. I have gone through many emotional ebbs and flows during all of this and at points talking myself out of being vain and then I reminded myself that this is NOT about beauty, bonus yes of course, but I want to be healthy and I refuse to have diabetes. Then the diagnosis of Barrett's came and I spent a couple of days rehearing the words of the Doc "This surgery just went from elective to medically necessary" and for some reason I struggled with that. I don't know why, maybe because the decision was out of my hands? I am not sure, but I can tell you that now that I am close to getting a surgery date and am expecting it to all happen in October, I'm getting nervous. I read threads about not being able to keep anything down or vomiting because they drank too fast or ate too much and I wonder if I have done enough to prepare. I will be honest, sipping and practicing sipping right now, PRE OP, is almost impossible for me. Chewing 20 times for every bite PRE OP is not happening for me. Have I sabotage myself before even starting? I just assumed, perhaps wrongfully, that common sense would kick in post op. My relationship with food has been severed. For this I am thankful. Like I said, the diabetes diagnosis hit home for me and I have been competing against my blood glucose monitor for 2.5 months and lowered my A1c from 9.1 to 5.9. So in that respect I am ready, however, I question the following things and can't find the answers. If you can help me, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 1. How in the world am I suppose to take my medication? Multivitamin, MetFormin, Prilosec etc. Crush them and drink them YUCK, that scares me 2. I am nervous about getting in 64 oz of water daily. I drink twice that now, but after surgery, taking sips, that seems like a full time job. How is everyone else doing this? 3. The liquid phase scares me more than the others as far as variety, any suggestions would be helpful, however, I just read a thread about someone eating the wrong things in the pureed stage and having to start over. Are bland foods best until solid foods are acceptable to avoid upset? You guys are awesome, Thank you for taking the time to read my post

Thank you for the tip on the vitamins! I’m going to look into that for sure!

Thank you all for the responses! Great info! So glad to hear I haven’t done something I shouldn't have. I have my water bottle with me all the time now so that won’t be a problem. 24 oz bottle I fill 5/6 times a day. And I feel foolish for admitting this, but I didn’t realize the sipping was temporary so that makes me happy :)

I purchased these for my future post op and have used them for a variety of meals and they have fared really well. These are microwave and dishwasher safe: https://www.amazon.com/BINO-Meal-Prep-Containers-Lids/dp/B07MVLT8YD/ref=sr_1_23_sspa?crid=2D7QBGEAVB7KT&dchild=1&keywords=separated+container+for+meal+prep&qid=1598394993&sprefix=separated+con%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-23-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExR0ROSzc0VjNXWjVBJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDEyNTgwMUVXR1ZCUUpRS1lXVCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzAzNTIxM1EwT0VQRFA3RFhQMyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= and these are as well plus freezer safe https://www.amazon.com/WeeSprout-Storage-Containers-Reusable-Leakproof/dp/B0793C1ZYN/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2AH1WNPKNPCVS&dchild=1&keywords=plastic+4+ounce+containers&qid=1598395052&sprefix=plastic+4+ou%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-15

I should also add, the 12 appts could take 3 months to get through depending on everyone’s schedule, it will for me, so maybe that’s what the drs meant?

Hi! I’m in Oregon. You may want to call your Insurance and get a clear answer yourself or show them the new pre certification form, I had to as my medical team was confused too. When I spoke to Aetna they told me the only requirements now are what are on the pre certification form linked above. The 4/21/2020 medical bulletin (copy and pasted above) removed the requirement of losing or maintaining weight during the 6 month previous requirement and now it’s just the 12 or more appts, including the cardiac clearance and sleep study in addition to the multi component program from your Dr (dietician, psych etc). The pre certification was effective May 1st, 2020 and when I questioned my surgery scheduler about it she was shocked she hadn’t been sent the new info and immediately called them to verify. I hope this helps :)