New To This23
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Everything posted by New To This23
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Success at the surgeon visit! I met with him as well as the Bariatric Dietician and an MP. I have just have a vitamin lab, a gallbladder ultrasound, and an EKG to do and once those are all clear, I can get my surgery date!!
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Does this make sense? Q about insurance and my doctor.
New To This23 replied to Mercury.Belle's topic in Insurance & Financing
Rockwood in Spokane, Wa. -
Meeting with the surgeon tomorrow!! excited and nervous. I have to still be at or under my goal weight from the insurance and I am worried my body will betray me again as it did for my final weigh-in. Hopefully not though because I have to drive 3 hours to see the surgeon so a reschedule over my weight being off by one or two lbs will really put a wrench into things. Does anyone have any advice on questions I should ask? I did write out a list, but maybe there is something you wished you would have asked pre-surgery.
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Does this make sense? Q about insurance and my doctor.
New To This23 replied to Mercury.Belle's topic in Insurance & Financing
Great!! my advice is to get everything you can scheduled in advance and do not be afraid to advocate for yourself. For example, Molina wanted me to complete everything from stage 2 by June 23rd. The Dietician was the hardest to get on the schedule with, and I was just under 2 months into the program before I could get in to see her. Which meant I was not going to meet Molina's goal of having everything completed by June 23rd. So I called my insurance and was told as long as I had been going to my appointments and staying on track they could extend the completion time. Well, I was still worried so after a few visits with the Dietician I asked if I could get the 3 appointments that were scheduled through the end of July changed they were able to adjust things and I finished my appointments on June 13th. Now I am meeting with the Surgeon tomorrow!! -
Does this make sense? Q about insurance and my doctor.
New To This23 replied to Mercury.Belle's topic in Insurance & Financing
Did you get this straightened out? I can tell you that your PCP sends the form in. Then you set up 12 Dietician Visits, 6 weight, and BP checks with your PCP or nurse, a sleep study if you are not already using a CPAP, if you are not using a CPAP and they say you have sleep apnea, you are going to have to get set up with at and be compliant with it. When you get closer to finishing your Dietician appointments, you will schedule a psychosocial appointment. Once all of that is completed and you met the goal weight Molina has set for you then you will be referred to the Bariatric clinic. You will meet the surgeon and then do any assessments they have (this will vary from person to person). Then you will get your surgery date. The nice thing about Molina is you will get your own case manager, who will explain everything to you. You can call them anytime. They will let you know every step and piece of paperwork and who handles what and when. They will also periodically call you to check in on you. This case manager is so helpful, because PCP and dieticians do not seem to totally understand the process, and it's because Bariatric is not their specialty, not until you get to the clinic. So stage one, your PCP fills out the form and submits it to your insurance stage two you do all of the appointments and hit the goal weight Molina gives you (Your case manager will call and introduce themselves, plus you will get a letter in the mail. Your case manager is also a nurse and they will ask your weight so make sure the DR puts down an accurate weight, if not petition to have Molina change it) stage three you move on to the clinic and get surgery. -
Does this make sense? Q about insurance and my doctor.
New To This23 replied to Mercury.Belle's topic in Insurance & Financing
Did you get this straightened out? I can tell you that your PCP sends the form in. Then you set up 12 Dietician Visits, 6 weight, and BP checks with your PCP or nurse, a sleep study if you are not already using a CPAP, if you are not using a CPAP and they say you have sleep apnea, you are going to have to get set up with at and be compliant with it. When you get closer to finishing your Dietician appointments, you will schedule a psychosocial appointment. Once all of that is completed and you met the goal weight Molina has set for you then you will be referred to the Bariatric clinic. You will meet the surgeon and then do any assessments they have (this will vary from person to person). Then you will get your surgery date. The nice thing about Molina is you will get your own case manager, who will explain everything to you. You can call them anytime. They will let you know every step and piece of paperwork and who handles what and when. They will also periodically call you to check in on you. This case manager is so helpful, because PCP and dieticians do not seem to totally understand the process, and it's because Bariatric is not their specialty, not until you get to the clinic. So stage one, your PCP fills out the form and submits it to your insurance stage two you do all of the appointments and hit the goal weight Molina gives you (Your case manager will call and introduce themselves, plus you will get a letter in the mail. Your case manager is also a nurse and they will ask your weight so make sure the DR puts down an accurate weight, if not petition to have Molina change it) stage three you move on to the clinic and get surgery. -
Pretty upset, today I had what was supposed to be my final weigh-in to move on to getting my surgery and I was 1lb over the goal weight. This is so frustrating when I was under the goal weight by 2 lbs last month. I stuck to the same diet that my RD has me on and increased my exercise to ensure I would hit the goal for my last weigh-in. Right now I am so upset and frustrated, it's like my body continuously sabotages me and I don't know what to do. I am going back on Monday to hopefully have lost that one single pound, but I am scared that it's just going to be worse, in spite of my effort.
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Vaping and WLS
New To This23 replied to Eyoung222's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Hi, So I am a former smoker/vaper I quit about two months before I decided to enter the program. My insurance would not cover any part of the program if I was still using nicotine. I can tell you that starting up exercise really helped me with not smoking/vaping, like, it helped me a lot and I did not gain any extra weight, in fact I lost weight. I quit cold turkey, but that was because I wanted to get past the nicotine withdrawal as fast as I could. I do not know the program you are on but I would ask the Doctor to clarify about weight gain during your 6-month period and not go by what your friend said, even though they had the same Doctor. Your journey and your friend's journey will probably be similar having the same Doctor and all, but they won't be exactly the same. So, just give them a call or send a message if you have that option on your portal, which should help ease your mind. Hopefully this help. -
protein question after visiting non-bariatric dietician
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Pre-op Diets and Questions
She actually has me on a 1200-calorie diet, up until the last visit with the protein thing, I have had no restrictions, except to keep my diet at 1200 calories, she told me that she believes that no food should be off limits and that people need to be eating carbs (she was very adamant about that) I was actually scared to try her suggestion of Dave's bread, but I did and I have lost weight. I am also only the 2nd person she had counseled that is on the bariatric surgery track. She does not spend time looking anything up and gave me a whole book on diabetic healthy meals, even though I am not pre-diabetic or diabetic at all. -
protein question after visiting non-bariatric dietician
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Pre-op Diets and Questions
99 grams is what you are supposed to have at 300 lbs in order to lose weight. If you are an athlete then it would be more. So in other words no, you would not eat protein in an amount that supports an unhealthy weight when trying to lose weight, which makes sense because you do not eat anything else at that level (fats, carbs, sugars, calories) to support an unhealthy weight when trying to lose. -
protein question after visiting non-bariatric dietician
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Pre-op Diets and Questions
I will be seeing the dietician in the program when I finish my pre-surgery steps 12 dietician visits, 6 weigh-ins, and the goal weight that is set for me, I have to do it by a certain date, which is coming up pretty soon. Then I will start with the clinic that has a surgeon and its own dietician. As far as meal options I am happy with what I currently eat, I do not like to waste time and energy on making something new every meal. I was just concerned about why she would have me at a normal calorie level but then want to me eat a protein amount that is supportive of a heavier person. Especially since I have not complained about being hungry, because I haven't been hungry. She doesn't even want me to take any vitamins, because she says what I eat I get enough vitamins. -
protein question after visiting non-bariatric dietician
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Pre-op Diets and Questions
I have completely changed my eating habit, I have already lost 20 lbs since starting with the dietician. I my question is why would I eat a protein amount based on an unhealthy weight? I have made a huge effort to eat the 150 grams today and I feel beyond full and kind of nauseated. I also have not been feeling hungry at all, so I do not know why she would suddenly bring the protein thing up with me. -
protein question after visiting non-bariatric dietician
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Pre-op Diets and Questions
I understand that it is not too much for a 300lb person, but should I really be eating to support a 300lb person? I also am not hungry with the way I have been eating. So I do not know why she started in with the protein thing. I also do not know how I can possibly fit that amount of protein in, especially since I am supposed to be listening to hunger cues and stopping eating right before I am full. -
protein question after visiting non-bariatric dietician
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Pre-op Diets and Questions
No, the Dietician is not the one the surgeon uses. I will be having my surgery at a place called the Rockwood Clinic, they have their whole own program with their own dietician. My insurance wants me to complete 12 dietician visits before surgery, and they told me to go to one near me. (Rockwood is 3 hours away). I did ask my insurance about going to the dietician at the clinic and I told them I would rather see a dietician who specializes in bariatric (especially since I have noticed bariatric dieticians take a totally different approach than this lady). My insurance said that it did not matter and that it would be best to see a dietician in my town so that travel would not be so inconvenient. I will be seeing the dietician that the surgeon uses after I get the surgery. I actually already feel very full the way I am eating now, and the dietician knows this. I did not go in complaining of being hungry, infact, I have eaten when I was not hungry because she wants me to eat every 4 hours 3 times a day and then have 2 snacks, I do not have the snacks, I do not need them. I would be happy eating twice a day to be honest, but the dietician does not advise that. I do not have any restrictions on carbs, sugar, fats, or anything. I am just not supposed to eat fast food, this dietician wants me to cook everything (I have explained I hate to cook and my current situation does not allow for me to have a normal kitchen). Currently, I eat tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, feta, hummus, avocado, Daves killer bread (thin slice) turkey bacon, ( I usually turn all of that into a sandwich) fage yogurt and strawberries, mushrooms stuffed with cheese spinach, tomato, onions, cilantro. might have chicken in tomato/basil/cilantro sauce or cauliflower pasta with clams. blueberries and apples. I used to drink a protein shake in the morning (mixed with soy milk) but she told me I needed to eat something with it (again I did not complain about hunger) so I added a slice of toast and an apple, and she liked that until a different visit when she said that eating a protein shake for breakfast and having yogurt at lunch was the same as having two giant glasses of milk and I need to stop with the yogurt. Well, I still have the yogurt at lunch and I eat the sandwich at lunch and breakfast and sometimes dinner too. The yogurt has 12-15 grams of protein depending on which one I choose. I also have at least 96 oz of plain water a day. I should add when I eat chicken (which is always either breast or tender never breaded, always cooked in the air fryer) I get so hungry about 20 minutes later it's weird, but chicken has that effect on me and that is why I do not really care for it. -
tl:dr at bottom,
I could use some advice. I went to see my dietician today (not a bariatric surgery dietician, I can explain why I am seeing her if you want to know). She knows I am going to have weight loss surgery as long as I hit the goal weight my insurance told me I need to be at. I have to be at the goal weight by June 24, 2023, in order for my insurance to pay for my surgery.
I had a weigh in the doctor's office a couple of days ago and weighed 301, my scale at home said 302. However, on the same day, the scale at a friend's house said 313.
I knew I had this Dietician appointment two days later and I knew she would weigh me. I continued to weigh myself at home (after getting new batteries) and I was at 302 then 299 and today at home I weighed 303, right before my appointment, when I got to her office I was weighed and it said 313.
I am concerned about what to believe since the doctor's office and my scale show similar numbers. I also bought a new scale today and it said 313.
The Dietician told me I needed to eat more protein, which honestly I struggle with. she said I needed 150 grams!! I said are you kidding? that seems like a lot. She used my weight to come up with this number.
Should I really be trying to eat enough protein for a 300-lb person or should I be eating protein for a goal-weight person (mine is 170)?
also, my clothing is loose like I lost the 20 lbs mine and the doctor's scale shows, and not 10 lbs like everyone else's scale shows. Also, I have always naturally been more muscular even when I was 120 lbs and did not eat any protein aside from what is in plants.
tl:dr- should I be eating enough protein to support a 300lb person or should I be eating protein for a "normal" sized person? AND should I trust the Doctors scale more so than the Dietician's scale?
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I had the same issue. My scale was 6 pounds heavier than my bariatric doctor's. My scale agreed with my nutritionist's scale. I asked my bariatric doctor to have her scale recalibrated and she said it was a really expensive scale, so she trusted it. So, when it comes down to it, the scale that matters isn't the one that's right, it's the one that determines if you get your surgery or not. I would ask her when it was last calibrated and see if she will calibrate it. The difference is I Iost weight so well on the lifestyle change diet that I had to stop losing weight or risk not getting the surgery.
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Welcome hopefully you find the information you are looking for
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Weirdest None-Scale-Victory - I'll go first
New To This23 replied to chiquitatummy's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Me too!! -
Weirdest None-Scale-Victory - I'll go first
New To This23 replied to chiquitatummy's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Me too!! -
Hi, I am from a state where weed is legal, I have not had my surgery yet, but I am on track for it. I was asked about marijuana use and was told that edibles are okay, but smoking not so much, especially after surgery (during the healing process) the smoke can make healing more difficult and much slower.
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If you are worried about romance scammers on sites, maybe consider going to a matchmaker, they help people build confidence, and they can help with other concerns like if you are unsure how to approach an interest or if you are worried about keeping a conversation going on a date, they also help you meet people and figure out what you really want in a relationship. Another way to meet people would be if you have any hobbies or something you would like to learn about, then take a class, or join a community center. Where I live our community college has a program for people ages 55+ they get together and go on trips, study, and practice things like winemaking, painting, gardening, geology, etc. That would be a great way to meet someone in my opinion. Honestly, I wish they had something like that for my age group.
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I have been waiting over a month to get into the nutritionist. I have an appointment, but I would love any advice on what to do diet-wise to lose weight before surgery. Like most of you, I have also struggled with my weight and have successfully yo-yo dieted myself into the above 300lb range. I feel like eating in a calorie deficit at my weight, it should come off, but it hasn't been and I have been tracking my food too. Thank you
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Molina, need info on making sure I did everything correct
New To This23 posted a topic in Insurance & Financing
Hi, I am new to this and I think my Doctor is as well. I saw my DR. and we discussed weight loss surgery. He told me to contact my insurance (Molina) and find out which clinic(s) I can go through. I did that. I then went to a meeting with the clinic closest to where I live. I filled out all of their info only to be told I needed to have my DR. send a certain paper, they attached it to an email and sent it to me. I gave my DR. the paperwork, and I followed up to make sure he sent it in. Essentially that paper was step 1 so I could get approval for step 2. ( Step 2 is connecting with the dietician and doing the weigh-ins for the next 6 months) Step 3 is the actual surgery. I wanted to know, how will I know if I am approved for step 2? will my insurance send me a letter? do I need to talk to my DR. again? Thank You for any help. -
Molina, need info on making sure I did everything correct
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Insurance & Financing
Thank you to those that answered. I was approved on Dec 23 to start the 6-month program, I received my letter of approval on Jan 4 and I got a phone call on the same day letting me know I was approved 2 weeks prior. I have all of my appointments booked !! yeah!! unfortunately, I am 12 lbs heavier than what my Dr, turned in so I need to lose that on top of what the insurance wants me to lose. -
Molina, need info on making sure I did everything correct
New To This23 replied to New To This23's topic in Insurance & Financing
Thank You Livaboard15 for your reply. I guess I did not make myself clear. I was wanting to know how or if I would be contacted by my DR. or the insurance, on whether or not I was approved to start stage 2, which is the 6 months' worth of visits/supervision. Or do I need to call my insurance or the DR. to find out?
