GingersnapMI

My bypass was scheduled for April 21 and I was slogging through my pre-op diet... then today (April 15) I got a call from the surgical scheduler, all surgeries have been cancelled due to the COVID surge here in Michigan. 😭 Honestly, I get why it had to be done but I've been waiting six months for this surgery. I was mentally prepared and had work time-off all arranged... I'm tempted to drown my sorrows in pizza! Anyone else had this happen (this year or last year)?

I have not yet received any bills for the two issues I'm about to discuss, just the EOBs (Explanation of Benefits). For non-US readers, this is a notice that an insurance company must send the patient whenever the insurance has received a bill. It explains to the patient about the bill: the medical provider, the service rendered to the patient, the charge from the medical provider, how much of that charge will be covered by insurance, and how much the patient can expect to self-pay. My original surgery date was delayed/changed due to the hospital's COVID-related closure to elective procedures. I therefore ended up having surgery about 6 weeks after my original date. I just received the EOB relating to the hospital's $55,000 charge. The EOB states the charge has been denied due to "preauthorization was not obtained". I went through all the paperwork I've collected since my journey began and found the preauthorization approval notice for the original date of surgery... but it seems I never got a preauthorization approval notice for the new surgery date. Naturally, the surgeon's office has several people whose job it is to get insurance approvals/preauthorizations prior to surgery... I'm worried that the person handling my case dropped the ball... The second billing issue concerns an EOB that shows I will owe $900 for the nurse anesthetist's bill ($500 deductible plus 50% copay). The anesthesiologist's bill was covered at 100%, but the issue is that his assistant (the nurse anesthetist) apparently doesn't participate with my insurance so I'd be responsible for the high out-of-network charges! Naturally, I as the patient only get to pick my surgeon... I don't get to pick the anesthesiologist or the nurse anesthetist or any of the nurses, for that matter. Again, the team used for my procedure is something that my surgeon's office and the hospital should have put together properly. I called my surgeon's office a week ago and was transferred to the insurance specialist's voicemail. I've not received a call back. I'll try again tomorrow (Monday) but I'm worried... should I be? I know a lot of people here have had their surgery dates moved around due to COVID, so this can't be the first time this issue has come up...? I'd appreciate advice and opinions. Thank you!

Ditto! I chose RNY bypass over sleeve due to: 1) RNY gives slightly better results, statistically, and seems to be more commonly recommended for my age group (I'm 58). 2) I'm a twenty-year GERD sufferer, even when at lower weights. The sleeve can cause/increase GERD symptoms (you will find a fair amount of people here who had revision surgeries from sleeve to bypass due to GERD). I also had an older sibling who was a long-time GERD sufferer and ended up dying at age 61 of esophageal cancer. I decided to take no chances. 3) Bypass is reversible, sleeve is not. (Though there are very few instances when a reversal would actually be needed/done.) 4) I actually wanted the possibility of dumping as a "reminder" to stay on course with proper eating over the years to come. 5) RNY procedure bypasses some of the small intestine which causes mild malabsorption of nutrients/calories. This means that lifetime vitamin use is absolutely necessary (which is also recommended for sleeve recipients) but it also means that occasional digressions from proper eating won't be as detrimental to overall results.

I, too, am a healthcare worker. For me, I didn't feel a need not to share my choice to have bariatric surgery... just like I wouldn't mind sharing if I had my appendix out. It is what it is, I am not ashamed nor embarrassed. I have a treatable medical condition and I chose a common and approved method of treatment: surgery. My co-workers were interested and supportive... and then the matter was soon almost forgotten. I do get occasional interested inquires such as, "How much have you lost now?" (And I proudly give the answer!) But I do understand that others may feel differently. Good luck, I'm sure you'll do well!

WOW, congrats on your fantastic success! 1) Yes! But they never last more that a minute or two for me. 2) Your center of gravity has probably changed and I'd think that you will naturally adjust over time to a smoother stride. 3) When something becomes so big that others say I'm "swimming in it", I will buy one or two items in the new size. Luckily, I wear scrubs to work and they're pretty forgiving when it comes to fit... they're expected to be loose/boxy. But for non-work wear, I'll buy one new pair of jeans now and then when I really need to until I reach my goal weight. The tops I wear are pretty forgiving, too.

UPDATE: I called the number on the $900+ bill I had by now received from the nurse anesthetist's office. They told me to call my insurance. I called my insurance and the wonderful lady on the phone stated that since I had my surgery in a participating hospital with a participating surgeon, all other bills should have been processed as in-network, even if the particular surgical team member (the nurse anesthetist, in my case) isn't actually in-network. She stated that it looked like several different people at the insurance company had handled the charges related to my surgery and the person who handled the nurse anesthetist charge had not "realized" that the charge was related to an approved procedure in an approved hospital. (Someone wasn't being thorough in the performance of his/her duties!) The proper pre-authorization had been obtained and all charges will be, hopefully, processed/re-processed correctly and paid as expected. I'm so glad that I know just enough about medical billing and insurance to be able to tell when something doesn't look right, and sometimes even be able to figure out why and therefore be able to argue it effectively. I pity the people who simply pay any bill they receive. I don't think a year goes by without me having to straighten something out concerning medical billing... and I've had several different insurances over the years so it's not just one or two particular insurance companies that are the problem.

Thanks, I've called my surgeon's office again and was again routed to a voicemail line. His $3000+ bill to my insurance was also denied due to no prior authorization obtained.

It says it's good on the original surgery date. That's it.

I actually weighed MORE the first week after surgery than I did before the surgery! They give you A LOT of fluids in your IV to keep you hydrated and this often shows up as pounds gained. But the weight DID start to come off eventually, don't lose heart!

I "spontaneously" dumped (at least I think that's what it was) once about 4 weeks after surgery. It's now about 10 weeks after surgery and it's not happened again. I say "spontaneously" because I have no idea what triggered it. I'd been eating a sugar-free popsicle every day since surgery, it was my daily treat. That morning, I'd had a few blueberries with low-fat low-sugar Greek yoghurt (something I'd eaten successfully before). About 3 hours later, I had my usual popsicle and within about 15 minutes... WOW. Chest pain and pressure, nausea, the sweats, drooling... it was awful. (But no diarrhea.) It went on for about 90 minutes and I was pacing my house, trying to lie down, getting back up, hanging over the toilet, etc, until suddenly -BLEH- the popsicle came back up in one swoop. I immediately felt 100% better! I told my surgeon about the experience when I had a follow-up visit a week later and all he said was that he didn't know why that would have happened. If it ever happens again, my finger is going down my throat and I'm getting it over with quickly. Anyway, my surgeon's info booklet warns to stay under 5g of sugar to avoid dumping. It doesn't mention carbs or fats.

I'm not-quite-8-weeks post-op and have a long way to go yet. Thank you for an encouraging glimpse into the future!

Hang in there! I became food-obsessed immediately post-op. The liquid diet was torture... but it was all head hunger and I knew it. I felt sad about the loss of my old lifestyle. I did ask my doctor if I could begin puree at ten days instead of 14 and he agreed. That helped decrease the sudden obsession with cooking videos tremendously. I'm nearly 8 weeks post-op now and I feel great. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner!

I'm calling my issue "the six-week stall". I'm 7.5 weeks post-op and have lost 27 pounds since surgery on May 11... most of that loss was during the first 5 weeks. In that last two weeks, I've only lost two pounds. 😞 But I shall persevere!

Sounds similar to my story. Pre-surgical weigh-in on May 11 was 246.0. (Taken at the hospital, I forgot to weight myself at home prior to leaving.) Home weigh-in on May 14 was 249.2. (Due to IV fluids and/or a discrepancy between the hospital's scale and mine?) Today's weigh-in, May 22, is 240.2. I've decided to count my weight-loss pounds from my post-surgical weight of 249.2... so at 240.2, that means 9 pounds lost in 8 days. 😊 (It's much more encouraging than 6 pounds lost in 11 days.)

My RNY was May 11. Today is May 22 and I've "only" lost 6 lb since pre-surgical weigh-in at the hospital. That said, the day after I came home from the hospital, May 14, I weighed 3 lb more than the pre-surgical weigh-in! (I attribute that to all the fluids that were pumped into me and the possibility of a difference between scales. So, I've "only" lost 9 lb in the last eight days. I should be satisfied with that but I keep reading stories of people losing 20+ lb in the first two weeks! It's disconcerting. The runny nose thing... I've had a slight runny nose (unusual for me) for the first 8 days after surgery, it was so odd and I couldn't imagine why! I, too, don't feel "full". I've just started purees and my surgeon asked me if I feel full with a meal and he seemed surprised when I said no. I figure my body just has to work this all out.

I had an RNY on the same date and am only 5lb down. 😞 I'm actually craving pureed foods and can't wait! I need variation from everything being either milky or chemically sweet (the thought of broth turns my pouch, LOL.)

Interesting... I'm single and thoughts like yours have crept into my mind, too. I'd think something like, "He must be one of those 'chubby chasers' so he must be a weirdo." Of course, it really should be no more "weird" for men to enjoy chubby bodies than to enjoy slim bodies... the whole slim is best thing is social conditioning. But despite knowing that, I still couldn't get my head to accept that a "normal" man would enjoy my admittedly more-than-just-chubby body.

Yup, well said!

As long as we're on the subject... I've managed two small BMs since my RNY on May 11 and... well, WOW, the barnyard aroma is overwhelming. My production was never quite like that before. I don't understand it. Is this normal? (I'm still on full liquids only.)

Congrats on such a quick recovery! My 21yo son was considering following me with his own WLS but just found out he can "never" have carbonated beverages again after WLS. He does not want to give up beer entirely and therefore says he will no longer consider WLS. At this point, have you had any? Do you anticipate trying some? Thanks!

Welcome! My story: I had been an excessively skinny child and teenager but during my 20s I became more "normal" weight-wise. I was always able to eat anything and any amount that I wanted, thereby developing some pretty bad eating habits. Time marched on, I had three kids and found myself continually hovering at 30-40 pounds overweight during my 30s. Add menopause in my mid-40s and I became continually 60-80 pounds overweight. Throughout these years, I was able to diet off significant weight several times but it always came back, plus more. In my 50s I became continually 100 pounds overweight. I'm in my late-50s now and what tipped me over into considering and doing WLS (I'm one week post-op RNY) was my 83yo mother. She, like everyone else in my family, is considerably overweight. She needs daily care and assistance with everything. I looked at her and thought, "That'll be me in another 25 years". Being elderly is never a piece of cake but being obese and elderly is a truly difficult challenge. Mom could do so much more for herself is she weren't 100 pounds overweight. 😞

I'm one week post-op, too, my RNY with hiatal hernia repair was May 11. I must say that the first two days after surgery were some of the worst I've ever been through and I've had other surgeries as well, though this is my first abdominal surgery. I really hadn't expected it to be quite so painful and difficult. That said, every day since has seen major improvement. 🙂 I had horrible diarrhea on the day that I switched from clear to full liquids (day 4) so I went back to mostly clear and decided to take it slower. Question for you... Are you drinking any clear protein drinks, if you're not doing the shakes? Propel may have electrolytes but it has NO protein. The chicken broth you mention does have protein but it doesn't sound like you're taking in much, you want to reach at least 60g per day. I've been drinking protein water that I found at Costco: Protein20. Each bottle contains 20g protein. Their are other protein waters on the market, too. Congrats on your 8 pounds lost since your day of surgery! I weighed in at 246 the morning of, and today I am 244. BUT, I know I gained at least six pounds at the hospital due to all the fluids they pumped into me so I'm telling myself not to be discouraged. I hope it gets better for you quickly!

Well, hi, Andrew! I'm a Michigander, too, and just six days post-op RNY. You say that dating "isn't a problem" for you... I've been wondering about post-WLS dating. So much socialization happens over food and alcohol. Do you have any tips? Thanks!

Gosh, I'm so sorry you're going through this! I have nothing to offer you about the reversion surgery but I'm wondering... What vitamins are you taking and what does your specialist (not general practitioner) say about your symptoms?

I'm six days post-op and for the last two days I've been rather obsessed with "real" food. It's definitely "head hunger" for me. I found myself watching hours of youtube recipe videos, etc, but, the thought of actually eating the stuff immediately makes me feel ill. I'm just missing my food, I guess! I'm now consciously trying to avoid food videos... except the occasional one about a puree-stage recipe.