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I know it has been a while, but wondering about your outcome. It was not clear to me whether you were told that (a) your insurance policy covers bariatric but you didn’t meet their medical necessity criteria OR (b) your insurance policy under your employer doesn’t cover bariatric procedures (some do not). “A” is workable while “B”is a dead end unfortunately. As you are in HR I realize you know the difference, I just could not personally figure out which situation you were in from the post. ☹️

Talked to insurance this morning and they will pay! The Bariatric DR is calling back today or Tuesday to set up appointment. I am not going to be fat forever!!

I am going to get a sleeve in Mexico. I've never had my choice is down to two 1) Dr Elias Ortiz & 2) Dr. Ponce, at Ponce Bariatric. They are both the same cost but Dr. Ponce can get me in by the end of this month (June) so I'm leaning that way. I also had a lap band removed three years ago. So I'd like to have a good restriction because I'm paranoid I won't lose weight with the sleeve... I don't have that much weight to lose, 40 pounds, but to me it's a matter of sustaining this the rest of my life. Every time the scale goes up I have a freak out! 😂 Can you all tell me how much weight you lost going from band to sleeve? Thanks!

Thank you ❤ I feel really amazing for almost 3 weeks post op. I'm almost back to normal, incision nearly completely healed 😍 My Surgeon Dr. Ziyad doesn't specialize in bariatric patients either but i have seen his results across the board and they great . I believe @ms.sss can answer brachio questions

You're so touchy!!! You come across as sooooo rude and a know it all... We are all in this together! This your first surgery - bypass - or were you revised - she was revised and has different mind set maybe and her surgeon or nutritionist might have different ways of doing bariatric diets - not all are the same - I'm a revision and on my 3rd week - I'm up to oatmeal and farina and pureed - even though I had a hold up last week - they told me to pick up where I left off - You are also in Aussie and I believe their medical practices are probably different from where she is from - you can't come across as rude, well you can - but maybe take a step back before you post - we are all very sensitive, trying to do the right thing - learning as well as we can... Okay -I'm off my soap box now

So I finally made the decision...I had been contemplating surgery for years. I am 34 years old and have struggled with weight since I was about 10 years old. Up and down...up and down...then regain of more than I lost each time. Every diet you can think of. You all know the list! In 2011 I started going through the insurance process for weight loss surgery. I had lost 95 lbs on my own (with phentermine help) and started going to support groups and such. I had gotten down to about 290 from 380-385. However, while I was in the process (before being approved) - my insurance stopped covering weight loss surgeries. They have not covered it since. Well, you guys know the routine...after that, I started gaining a little weight back here and there...by 2014 I had gained back probably 50 lbs. Then fast forward to 2019 I got way past the initial 95 lbs. lost and started gaining rapid weight. I went to the doctor and was shocked to find I had gotten to 502 lbs! I was horrified at that number and literally thought I was about 430, as I had basically stopped weighing...I just KNEW it had to be an error and even asked to be re-weighed. In August 2019, I started doing keto and by January 2020 - I had lost 86 lbs...back down to about 417. Much better than 502, but so far to go. Well, during quarantine I have re-gained about 30 lbs back and again was so mad at myself. I had a morbidly obese friend pass away suddenly at 35 years old, a few weeks ago. She was probably about 700lbs+ and I had always worried about her health. This was a wake up call for me...I have had many before, but this one really hit home. So, I decided...I will no longer let insurance decide my fate. I will FIND A WAY to finance this myself. I contacted a recommended surgery group in Atlanta that some friends had good experiences with. Last week, I met with Dr. Lytle from Northside Hospital/Bariatric Innovative Solutions of Atlanta. We had a great meeting about surgery. He feels I am a great candidate for gastric sleeve. I also met with a nutritionist and she has recommended a pre-surgery diet. My next steps are EGD and psych evaluation. I also have to meet with the nutritionist again in July and another meeting with the surgeon in August. If all goes well by August, I will be approved for surgery! I have also secured a loan and the money was deposited today. No-one or nothing is getting in my way of this! I know this is what I need to help me! It seems unreal. I am already thinking about all of the things I will be able to do once I lose weight - that I have been physically limited from doing over the years. I want my life back. I am not nervous about the surgery. I am more nervous about not getting approved / something getting in the way. Is that normal to stress about that part? Thanks for letting me share my journey (so far) with you all.

Contact your bariatric team. It might also be useful to make contact with a neurologist and/or psychiatrist to get evaluation of these symptoms. While deficiencies definitely can mimic/cause mental health issues, there is the chance that it doesn't have anything to do with WLS. Any therapist/counsellor worth their degree would require ruling out physiological problems, especially when it comes to a rather aggressive procedure like the DS.

Last week, my Bariatric NP sent me for a sleep apnea test. The sleep disorder doctor said that my file showed me have surgery in August, so he would have me test right away. That was the first I'd heard of date, but I'll take it. All of my pre-op appointments will be finished by then. I'll have my CPAP. I'm almost ready.

You'd have to speak to a counselor or a physician, because I'm not an expert, but it may or may not be related to your DS (I've actually never heard of this as a side effect of DS, but then, DS isn't a common surgery, so I only "know" a handful of people on this and other bariatric forums who've had it). All of those things can be symptomatic of depression, though.

Have you spoken to a counselor about your concerns? Your Bariatric team can likely recommend someone who is familiar with the emotional changes that Sleeve patients deal with. Best of luck in sorting this out.

I'm 3 1/2 years removed from a second round of weight loss surgery - a duodenal switch which replaced a malpractice-level LapBand installation. As I write this it has proven, from a weight loss and physical health perspective, to be miraculous: having once tipped the scales at 360 pounds, I now range between 185 and 190. While I went into the "weight loss journey" with no specific weight target in mind? If I were to have had one I've long surpassed it, and for that I am grateful. But in the years that have followed new issues have emerged, and I'm writing to see who among folks here has experienced something similar - and what they've done to address them. Specifically, since my operation I've noticed truly alarming changes in my mental health, particularly my acuity and demeanor. These changes first manifested themselves as memory lapses. My doctors attributed them to vitamin deficiencies and simple middle age, and an adjustment to my supplement regimen did restore at least some memory function. But particularly within the past 18-24 months, I've began experiencing a variety of mental changes I simply can't attribute to anything specific. Irritability. Severe depression. Disinterest in interacting with people. Extreme distraction at the slightest provocation. Inability to focus in general. Obsessive behaviors when working on projects (e.g., starting a project that comprises 20 steps, completing 15, and then reviewing the project from step 1... only to deem the work insufficient and completely start over. And then? Repeating that behavior dozens of times, never actually completing the project). These behaviors now have me at a point where I no longer consider myself functional. I'm by no means suicidal, but I am incredibly frustrated. In trying to identify the cause of this I have encountered articles that are tying mental health decline and bariatric surgery post-operative outcomes, and I wonder if anyone here has had any experiences similar to what I'm experiencing - and if so what they are doing/have done in an effort to address their issues.

I listened to the Bariatric pal pod cast and they said it was because you shrink your liver on the two week diet before surgery and it’s around the three week mark that your liver starts to return back to its normal size . It said it doesn’t me u are not losing it just isn’t showing on the scale.

Great minds think alike! With so much down time right now - I'm thinking of getting my horrid bat wing arms done over the summer to be compatible with Dr. Dana's other magic. Might you message with the Miami surgeon you like? Dr. Dana is less experienced in bariatric type skin - but very good. Would like options... Do keep us posted. Take good care. Hugs! Does anyone know what to expect with this procedure? Downtime? Recovery? How are you healing, GT?????? x o ;]

I'm not sure about everyone else, but having a good relationship with my physicians is of extreme importance to me. I work in the OR at my local hospital and had contemplated VSG for quite some time. I just felt I needed more information on the procedure... I talked to a co-worker (my surgeon) one day and let him know my dilemma. I immediately felt at ease! He explained to me all the pros and cons of having a gastric sleeve. He showed me before and after photos of his previous patients (whom had given him permission to do so) and had also explained to me in depth what all bariatric surgery entails. I knew then and there that he was the perfect fit for me!! From my very 1st appointment till my surgery 6/5/20 he has held my hand the entire way. Always giving advice and words of encouragement. Even on days like today where I'm extremely ill (some patients experience post-op nausea/vomiting) he just lets me know that this will all be worth it in the end. He reassures me that this was for my health, my happiness, & ultimately to save my life. He's absolutely AMAZING! Without my surgeon, I wouldn't have been able to push through. I hope each and every person reading this post will have as good a relationship with their surgeon. We all need that kind of support. So with that, I'd just like to thank my surgeon Tin Tran! YOU'RE THE BEST MR TIN MAN!❤ IF ANYONE IS IN KENTUCKY, DR. TIN TRAN IS DEFINITELY A WORTHY SURGEON! YOU SHOULD SEE HIM AT CENTRAL KENTUCKY SURGEONS IN DANVILLE, KY!

All plans are different. When in doubt, contact your dietician or look at your bariatric food stage paperwork.

Hi! 5 months post op check in - traditional duodenal switch surgery with Ultimate Bariatrics out of Fort Worth Texas and my stats are as follows. Highest weight 333, day of surgery weight 309, and current weight 244.

I renewed mine (a year or so ago) by mail. Not everyone is eligible to do this, but many are - just google "renewing passport by mail" or "renewing passport online" to see if you can do it.

I weighed in at 171.2 this morning. I am having problems with vitamins and calcium chews. I quit taking my bariatric vitamins because they have and extra 45 iron and were causing issues in the restroom which I cant have . So I am taking 2 Flinestones a day at least until I get in to my Dr. appointment in 10 days. I also am dumping on the calcium chews. I had one after lunch today thinking I would not dump with the food WRONG ! So I have some hard pill ones that I will be taking starting tomorrow. I may have felt some kind of restriction at lunch. I had a Smart Ones beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. I ate about 6 of the 9 oz and not too long after I felt it. I will have to be careful and eat slower from now on just to be safe. All was pretty okay until I ate the calcium, so glad I didn't vomit. I took a nap curled in a ball instead.

I am a 62 year old male. I had lap band surgery about 12 years ago. I lost some weight but would find myself drowning in my own Saliva every night with a very minimal restriction in the band. I still have the band but had the saline taken out. I started at 6 ft tall and 320 and got down to about 250. My weight has crept back up to 300. I have sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. I would like to lose around 100 pounds. The Sleeve looks like the best option for me.I have tried every diet and failed. I read on Blue Cross Blue Shield this morning that the surgery was covered for people 18-60 years old. I couldn't believe what I was reading. Surely if my GP and Bariatric doctors think I need this it would be covered. Does anyone out there have any experience with this or have a similar situation they might be able to share. Thanks

Sooo, I've been on a journey to get bariatric surgery for almost a year now. Like most of you, my surgery was postponed because of COVID. However, after getting within 5 days of my surgery and starting my liquid diet, I've gotten word that it needs to be postponed again. Little back story: I was born with a deformed valve in my heart and it was repaired at 4 weeks old. I had check ups until I was 18 and was told to seek help if I ever had symptoms of heart issues (shortness of breath, ankle swelling and consistent heart palpitations) I've not had any issues in the last 13 years, so I never needed to see a cardiologist. My doctor, after being told this hx wanted me to get cleared by a cardiologist before surgery. I had an EKG and Echo this past week and after seeing my echo, the cardiologist said that they wanted to postpone the surgery to get me 100% cleared. After the EKG, the cardiologist cleared me, but wanted the echo for an updated.. however, my right side of my heart isn't pumping blood as strong as it should (because of the issues I was born with -- this was expected and I was told I would need heart surgery in my late 30s- early 40s -- i'm only 31) and the blood pressure in my lungs isn't 100%.. so after jumping through hoops and waiting an additional 6 weeks bc of covid, i now have to wait for who knows as much.. it's so discouraging and I called the bariatric center and the PA couldn't even tell me if the surgery would be postponed because he didn't have the echo info in front of him. And according to my friend who is a doc, my issue isn't something that can be fixed over X amount of months.. but by surgery, but I don't have major symptoms so heart surgery isn't on the table. It's just so disheartening to have to wait all over again when I've worked so hard w/my work and family, and myself to get myself to a place where I am prepared and ready.. but again have to wait. any sort of words of encouragement would be helpful, or anyone else who has gone through something similar would be great. just reaching out for support.

@NurseJaci13 That is crazy, only $15,000 lifetime max. 😳 I totally understand the self insured policies being different, so crazy. I feel bad that the companies buy these really awful insurance policies for their employees. My husband has a really bad policy as well. I am disabled so I have a Medicare advantage policy. This particular insurance is pro bariatric surgery for health reasons. 🙏🏼

@KarmaNina I just got off the phone with my nurse and I discovered that part of the reason for the discrepancies is because my employer is self-insured, thus my policy isn't really a traditional health insurance policy. Chances are most of our policies are self-insured (something like 60% of large companies self-insure). As a result, my policy requirements are more strict. ugh! I also learned I have a lifetime max of...wait for it...$15,000.00! I know that it is after insurance discounts, so I'll probably be fine, but OMG! I work for one of the largest auto insurers in the US and they are CHEAP! Good to know I guess...I'll just keep letting them pay for my nursing degree so I can quit (honestly, they've paid $25,000 for an education I'll only use after I leave the company, but they limit the amount they'll pay for bariatric surgery?! Ridiculous!) I'm annoyed (maybe even a little bitter), but what can I do? I also found out that since I've been (virtually) going to WW for the last 3 months, I can count that towards my 6 months my employer requires as long as I see a nutritionist or physician twice in the next three months. EASY. DONE. OKAY. WILL DO. All this said, my BRS nurse was super nice and really seemed to want to help me get approved for surgery...no hate her way, just issues with my actual employer.

A similar thing happened to me at the start of my journey in January 2020. The nurse case manager told me at the consultation that my insurance required 4 months of a medically supervised nutrition program. I had already called my insurance and that was not a requirement. So once done with my Consult I called the insurance again and was told there were no nutritionist requirements other than what the bariatric program requires. I spoke with the nurse case manager and she said that I had to complete the 4 month requirement. I called the insurance again and was assured that my insurance did not require nutritionist visits. I decided to keep this information to myself and not continue to call the nurse. It is odd to be told two different requirements but I would tend to lean to the insurance on this occasion. I did speak with my insurance again yesterday as I still am waiting for my surgery and was confirmed what was told to me the first 3 times. I understand your confusion because I too feel it.

I have an autoimmune disorder called Eosinophilic Esophagitis where the white cells in my esophagus think my body is under attack so they multiply which causes narrowing in my esophagus and leads to choking. I end up having to have my throat stretched every 1-2 years. It's been a little over 2 so I'm definitely due to have it stretched again soon since I've been having more and more choking issues. The disorder causes acid issues at night and those were always really bad, but since my surgery it's actually been better. I now only take 1 acid reducer a night instead of 2. Different autoimmune diseases respond differently to weight loss surgery. I'd consult your bariatric surgeon and whatever specialist you see for your disease (in my case it's the gastroenterologist) to get an idea of what to expect, if anything, on how it'll effect your disease or disorder. I was just told it'll be a pain in the ass to do an EGD and a pain in the ass when I have my throat stretched. My gastroenterologist actually pouted when he found out I was having bariatric surgery! x'D