outside*looking*in

So I have been doing all the pre-op stuff and some dieting. Yesterday I finally got the last of my pre-op clearance (from PCP) and called and got my surgery date. We set up everything for Feb 3rd and was told to start my pre-op diet today. I was so excited that I didn't even care that I would be eating next to nothing for the next 14 days. Happy to do it. Then I get a call this morning that I have to go back to my PCP for another clearance since he mentioned that I was clear for surgery as long as the sinus thing I have going on now is gone. (He is not real fun to go to - a bit of problems with him in past) So I get a call this morning from the surgery scheduler saying that I have to go back to him and get another clearance once this sinus thing is gone because the anestheoligist will not accept it with conditions on it. I understand not going in sick but go back to the doc AGAIN! It totally got me down down down. I felt like I was on the home stretch but now have and extra 5 miles. What a bummer.

Forgot to say that we bought a new thermometer and it reads way lower than the original one I had!

Good News.....I went back to my PCP because I was running a low grade temp for 7 days! When I got there, I did not have a fever. I had explained that I felt fine and how the surgeon said that they would not except his 1st clearance letter. So he checked me out again and adjusted the letter. For me having soo much trouble with him the first time I mentioned this he has actually been really great the last few visits. I faxed off the letter and was able to keep all of my original dates! My surgery will be Feb 3rd! ONE WEEK. So now I am going through all of the last minute second thoughts??? I think this is normal. It makes me feel better reading everyones post. So thanks.

It may be time to let someone you trust in on your decision since you are having some trouble. You may need someone who can be there for you should this get worse. It sound pretty bad already if you have been to the ER three times. Hope all goes well.

Hi Jenn - I am due to be banded on Feb 3rd. Your PCP is a good place to start. Also, look around for bariatric doctors in your area who give seminars. Go to as many as you can. They are free and full of info. Look at your insurance policy to see if it covers WLS and what types/rules. Mine does not pay so I made the decision to self-pay. Go to the support group meetings of the local bariatric surgeons and talk to people. I also have been on this website a lot to just look at what everyone has to say. Good and the Bad. Hope this helps.

Great Job....I bet that feels GREAT!

lisaky - Do you know if your doctor has complication ins? One of the many reason I am going with the doc I have is because he has 1year complication coverage for anything that may go wrong with the band -even if it means another surgery-. I will not have to pay for anything the first year. The time can vary for different docs. It is not much but better than nothing. There is also ins you can pay for on your own but when I asked my doc about it he says he would not waste $$$ on it. Of course, he has his salary and I have mine:laugh: to cover furture medical bills:ohmy:.

Just thought I would post one of my favorite personal recipes to share. I start pre-op diet tomorrow so will low-carb after surgery, when appropriate. I make these turkey patties for dinner, lunch and breakfast. They can be pre-made and put in freezer to use individually or cook a batch to last a few days. 1-2 lbs ground turkey 1 egg 1/2 can water chestnuts (chopped) 1/2 cup of shredded cheese 2 tbls fresh chopped garlic Sprinkle of Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper. Pan fry in touch of olive oil or cooking spray over medium to medium high heat. Don't flip to soon or they will break apart. YUM!

I start my pre-op tomorrow. I just received the instructions and it is limited but not as much as I thought it would be. I will have to do it for two weeks. Just got my surgery date of Feb 3rd.:biggrin: This is what they sent me! Breakfast · 8 oz skim or 1% milk · ½ Protein drink · 4 oz fruit Mid Morning · Protein Drink lunch · 6-8 oz low fat, light yogurt · 4 oz vegetable or fruit Afternoon · 1 oz nuts or 2 tbsp Peanut Butter or ½ cup Beans or hummus · 4 oz vegetable or fruit dinner · 4 oz protein · 4 oz vegetable with 1 tbsp olive oil · ½ cup whole grain starch or 1 slice whole grain bread or ½ potato Evening · 8 oz skim or 1% milk · ½ protein drink · 4 oz fruit I have seen on here that many people are allowed shakes and only shakes. THat would be hard.:ohmy:

Thanks Gloria - I will be looking for a new PCP when this is over. He has proven himself to not be a very compasionate doc during this process. Right now I am trying to eat healthier until it is time for my pre-op all liquids phase. Not looking forward to that but I know it has to be done.

atgoalgirl - I have not had surgery yet. I have another appointment with my PCP this week to get his "approaval". He is not exactly thrilled about this. All of my other pre-op testing is done and back in to the surgeon. My PCP is my only hold up right now. If he gives his clearance I think I will get my surgery date and it will probably be Feb 3rd.

So - I am on a "pre"-pre-op diet and I am trying to do a South Beach version. I have completely went off the deep end this weekend (starting Friday night) and gave the good 'ol, "I'll restart on Monday" excuse. THis really has me worried that I am not ready for the commitment it takes to get the band. Is this "normal" for banders to go through? I have been able to be on diets for months at a time without "cheating". I worry that I am not ready but I hope that this is normal and all will be fine. :w00t: I can only IMAGINE what I will be like during the true pre-op liquid only stage. Maybe at that point it will really click.

Thank you both for the kind words. Btrieger, I have seen your post on here and as I read it, I think you have posted this or somthing similar to someone else. I should have listened then! I saw that you have had great success with your pre-op "dieting". I admit, I have been more strict on myself than my docs instructions. Thanks again to both of you......and whoever else chimes in.:w00t:

So - my Dr's office offers 1 year complication ins for their self-pay patients. Great right! So I move forward with all of my appointments and had my consultation with my surgeon and really like him. Today I was setting up some of my final appointments and the girl from the office says, "I see you are scheduled to have your surgery with Dr.K but I have to tell you that he can not provide the complication insurance. Id you want that, you have to have your surgery with Dr. M." SO NOW YOU TELL ME!!! They are both great docs but I would have loved to have my consult with the doc who is actually DOING my surgery. Geesh! So, if your office offers this, make sure you are paired up with the doc that can provide it.

So - get this! I had my appointment and 587 questions, 1 hour discussing myself and family later I leave and go to pay my co-pay. The lady hands me a bill of $340!!! I said - I thought I only had to pay my co-pay which is now $50? She fumbled around a bit and said that the ins pays for the doc visit but not for the testing! She said wait for the EOB and they will refund me if it is covered. I will not expect to see that money but WILL be calling my insurance company!:thumbup:

Update for anyone interested in this practice. So far my experience with U.S Bariatrics has been great. They really help you with each stage. Jenn, the surgery scheduler has been wonderful in taking me through each step. The only thing that I just found out was that I have to have my surgery with Dr. Marema instead of Dr. Koppman. Not that that is bad but I did my consult with Koppman and have planned on him being the surgeon since the seminar. The problem: I am self pay and Dr. Koppman can not provide the 1 year complication insurance. So I have to go with Marema. I really wish they would have mentioned this sooner so I could have had my consult with Marema. I will still have my pre-op appoinment with him. I am so far into at this point there is no turning back. Good thing I know that Dr. Marema is a fine surgeon. PCP appointment next week and then all of the final stuff from bariatrics. WhoooHoo:thumbup:

I have my pysch(sp?) consult today. I am scheduled to go in at 12pm and they said to expect to be there until about 4pm!!!! WHY????? What could take sooooooo long. Should I pack a stinkin' lunch?:smile2:

I have been researching this and even twice talked myself out of it. 1 - because I am self pay and this is a lot of money and 2- because of possible complications during surgery and in the future. I lurked a little to long on the problems post. Then I found my courage and decided to move forward. I go in two days to get all of my pre-op testing done. It includes the blood work which is only good for thirty days. SO I am 31 days and counting and I find that I am going back looking at all of the possible problems and complications. Do nerves take over the excitment? I remind myself that I had to have an appendectomy last year and I came out of that just fine. Still worried. ANy advice?

MeNext - It sounds as though everyone had a fairly good response from their PCP's. I had the oppisite. I, like you, was new to my PCP as I had just recently moved. It was on my second visit that I mentioned to him that I wanted to do Gastric Band (first visit I got the your too fat and need to join WW lecture - so I did WW). I really just wanted his opinion on the surgery and perhaps a reference for good bariatric surgeon. It was at that appoinment I got the, "if you would just get up every morning at 5am and go jogging you would lose weight" lecture. He also said that since I am self-pay for the procedure, what he thinks really does not matter since he will not be a part of it. (RED FLAG) So, I made an appoinment with the surgeon and found out what all pre-op appoinments I needed. One of those pre-op things is a simple note/script from my PCP saying that I am clear to have surgery. So, I made an appoinment with my PCP (for a different issue) and while I was their mentioned to him that I would need an approval script from him. HE FLEW OFF THE CHAIN!!!!! He said that he would have to do test and can't just right me off for suregery- I explained that as part of the $$ I have to pay for the surgery I will be getting and EKG, X-Ray and Blood Work and I can bring all of those results with me. He then said, that is nice for them and their little package deal but what does he get out of it (RED FLAG 2) He has to sign off on me but is not included in thier deal. So I explained that I am willing to come in and do whatever test he wants but I don't want to pay for it out of pocket again. SO he said, " Don't worry about that I can be creative if I need to be" (DING-DING-DING RED FLAG #3) So he is my hold up. I don't want to go back to him. SO I have to figure out how to get the letter of approval. I did talk to the surgeons office and they are willing to help me the process. I imagine if you have any troubles, your surgeons office will be able to help you out as well. Good Luck:thumbup:

I agree with JoJo - I have had the Russell Stovers and they are really GOOD! THey are fatty but made with splenda.

That is a great deal. Do you mind sharing your cost? My deal is about $18,000 total for surgery and that includes 1 year of fills and if any repair/surgery is needed in the first year it is covered.

selswick - Was any of that 50lbs in a pre-op diet? Or is it all starting from 10/23? 50lbs in that short of time is AMAZING!!

Update - I have finally started the ball rolling and will have a pysc appointment and all of my pre-op testing next week. US Bariatric and the staff have been wonderful. At this point it is my PCP that is the P.I.T.A~! He is not very willing to give me clearance since he does not get a cut of the $$ that I will be paying out of pocket to US Bariatric. He at first said that he was not happy with the surgeons for not calling him and just expecting him to hand out a script saying he feels I will be fine with it. But, then he mentioned how he does not get any of "their great little package deal, yet he has to be a part of it" . He will NOT be my doctor when I am done with this. I will as Dr. Koppman for a good PCP. Perhaps one that is compasionate enough to not tell a patient that "if they would just get up at 5am and go jogging every morning they would lose the weight"! What an A~~! :smile2:

Hi all -I just started a pre-pre-op diet and I am doing a version of south beach and atkins. I say that because I am allowing myself some of the cheese and creams of atkins but still cutting down on the higher fat meats & such. I will also have a bit of fruit when I crave it (no more than 3-4 times a week). I will not be testing for ketones and will not limit myself to 20grams of protien for an induction phase. We will see how that goes. I find a lot of great recipes on Linda's Low carb website. I tweak them if needed. :smile2: