jenuinelygenuinely

Let us know how it goes!! Good luck!

I brought a whole duffel bag full of stuff and did not touch it once. I did bring a plush robe and slippers with non slip bottoms, which made walking in the hallway of the hospital more comfortable. I barely touched my phone since the first night I was out of it and then the next morning I went home after drinking my required liquids. At home I slept on the couch most of the time and bought little containers for my liquids to take little sips from.

I opted for B12 injections because its easier than taking the pill daily LOL! and its into the belly.

I work for Blue Cross Blue Shield and yes you can call your insurance company. Ask them if your prior authorization for bariatric surgery was approved. They will also let you know if it has been sent to the provider.

Mine is super strict as well!!!! but I am required 16 oz orange juice daily. 8oz in the morning and 8oz in the afternoon. Possibly to break the weakness of not having any sugar intake.

Thanks for giving us the run down of your mock trial! I may have to do the same! You did a full liquid diet right before your clear liquid diet? Whats your go-to for protein drinks?

I agree!!! I feel like the sleeve was commercialized. I use to follow the huge Instagram sleeve communtiy and saw all the success people had with the sleeve which steered me getting the sleeve instead of bypass. I cannot deal with GERD anymore! It was so bad one time I had to sleep sitting up and even then acid came out of my nose! Cheers to revision!

This sounds like what I went through!!! I hear a lot of people say the revision makes you stall on weight loss! Is it true? Did you have to work harder after your revision??

Have you tried PB2? For me its coffee! I live off of that stuff plus the cream!

I have 3 fur babies! I love them so dearly! I have a Great Dane/Shepherd, Shepherd/Red Heeler, and a Malamute/Siberian. They all have different personalities but the most misbehaved one is my husky LOL!

No referral is needed but if your new PCP is all for it, it is good to have it on your health records. Hope everything goes well on your consult! Let us know how it goes.

Find a Bariatric program that is right for you. Research all possible programs in your State. It took me 2 programs to find the perfect one! Do you have a primary physician that is positive towards Bariatric surgery? Same with trying every diets! I saw a specialty center to see a endocrinologist and he prescribed me Phentermine which was $100! That stuff made me feel so sick and emotional I had to stop. This was wayyy before my gastric sleeve. I tried Alli diet pills, that stuff makes you do the unimaginable LOL. I believe with Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance you have to do 6 months of nutrition education as one of the criteria.

Hi love! It sounds like my insurance and I have Blue Cross Blue Shield. They're pretty lenient on what considers a comorbidity. Mine is PCOS and just having the disease of being obese. I basically told my program "Throughout my whole life I have tried numerous diets and it is always the yo-yo effect of an up and down weight" Not really evidence I had to show but a good amount of backstory of why different diets and other weight loss program didn't work. Do you take any medication for high cholesterol?

Thanks MikeC19 for the post. I start my pre-op diet on August 15th and super nervous! Mine is two full weeks! What does your diet look like?

Welcome!!!! I had the sleeve in 2018 and now getting a revision to a Bypass at the end of August. Personally I wish I got the Bypass in the very beginning. I have severe GERD and a twist mid stomach of my sleeve. I started the revision process March of 2021 and now getting the surgery. It was a long process because they have a program for revision patients called "Back on Track" and it requires 12 weeks of dietitian visits.

I have PCOS and have super abnormal periods. I was spotting for almost a year (sometimes heavy) before surgery. When I was losing weight rapidly post-surgery in the first month my period stopped and became normal for the first time in my life. Now I have an IUD to drop my estrogen levels down so I don't end up having uterine cancer in the future. I don't have any kids and would love to be able to get pregnant so my doctor recommended the IUD for hormonal purposes.

This happened to me and I had a horrible hemorrhoid which I had to go to urgent care. Yes try increasing your fiber. What helped me with bowel movements are chia seeds. I add chia seeds to my yogurt and to any smoothies. I also eat yellow dragon-fruit as a natural detox which makes me go. Praying everything is ok and the pain goes away for you!

I agree!! I am super surprised some insurances don't cover it...it can be under a different procedure possibly? I feel like with the right doctor they are able to deem this a medical necessity for insurance to approve.

You will still be able to enjoy food you like but in moderation! Some foods you won't be able to tolerate and it'll make you sick. Post surgery I was in phase 3 of my diet which was soft foods. I scarfed down a soft hard boiled egg and my stomach did not like it! I have not liked any type of boiled eggs till this day. I had the sleeve in 2018. My stomach will feel full but my mind will tell me I am still hungry. The pain from overeating is definitely unbearable and super uncomfortable. It is truly a mind game. If you have a really good nutrition team you will do awesome!

Welcome!!! I say call your current insurance and get more information. If it doesn't 100% cover, I agree with you, research insurances and apply during open enrollment. I live in Minnesota and work for Blue Cross Blue Shield, wish I can help you over here!!! We cover bariatric surgery but under a criteria and the process is 6 months of education. I've heard other insurances only need you to do 3 months. After you have found an insurance that covers it, call the benefit customer service and get the criteria of what you need for insurance to approve your surgery at the end of the 3/6 month bariatric education. How mine started I found a Bariatric program at a hospital/clinic and scheduled an appointment. They gave me all materials I needed and also a forum for me to ask my insurance questions. If I recall the questions were about the specific bariatric codes used for the surgery, the deductible/copays/maximum out of pocket. After the first appointment then starts your 3/6 month dietitian visits as well as visits to a therapist. Along the way of the appointments you may have to do required procedures like upper endoscopy, sleep study, and other blood work. It kinda sucks because you wouldn't know until the end if your insurance will approve/deny. Hope this helps!

My fiance said he will do the pre-op diet with me but how strict my diet is I don't think he will be able to survive especially because he works in the hot sun! I am going to have to sneak him a couple of regular Gatorade's and hope for the best LOL! He doesn't even like Premier Proteins and I have to drink that 4 times daily. LOL

Yes!!! I am so happy I wasn't the only one that went through that. I am surprised at others who actually got through the process at Park Nicollet. I also ditched Park Nicollet and got a second opinion on the ED. It is super weird how other programs work!! Fairview-Your first appointment/meeting is with a group of people who are interested in the program and then at the end you add your name on the list if you want to make your first appointment with a nurse/dietician. Mayo-you see an endocrinologist/dietitian/therapist all in one day. Till this day I feel like the provider who denied me was trying to get more money in by referring her patients to the Emily Program.