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My surgery is scheduled for March 2015 and I'm going alone to Tijuana Mexico with Dr Gustavo Yanez. I chose him because he specializes in both Bariatric surgery and Cosmetic surgery. My fee is $4999.00 and I don't pay on anything until the day I arrive for the surgery. I'll stay one night in the hospital and two nights in a hotel. I need a surgery partner

This whole time I had been so confident about this surgery. I am No. Cal but I have to drive 1.5 hours to Richmond Kaiser because they specialize in Bariatric Surgery. First, I always dislike going to Richmond. The staff their is rude and tacky! I am an educated person, yet they have spoken to me in a derogatory tone. Yesterday, one of the staff spoke to me slowly as if I was dumb! Their Registration person ignored me when I asked her if she was open... Honestly, I am a no nonsense type of person and I felt very vulnerable at that moment. I called my husband to express my feelings and as soon as I heard his voice I started crying!! WTH! In front of everyone! Then I called the staff ghetto and rude, and they heard me :s To be honest, I just wanted to go home! I was hungry and sleepy (office being audited, I have not been sleeping well) and I still had a long drive home + traffic. I don't regret calling them rude and ghetto because they take advantage of our vulnerability. Every time I come to that horrid place, the staff is talking about their personal issues, eating, and ignoring me when I have a question... So, long story short... I am scared and I feel vulnerable! Sorry for the rant! Good luck to all of you! Veronica

Once I'd made my decision to pursue bariatric surgery I was discouraged with the series of doctor appointments, lab tests, psych evals and support group meetings that I perceived as obstacles to my goal. I made an excel spread sheet of all my appointments which turned out to be three pages long by my surgery date. However, after a short period of time I realized the benefits all these "hoops" provided. I was 50 years old and had a tip-to-tail physical, all on the dime of my insurance company. I had time to learn about nutrition and to educate the people in my life what I was about to undertake. I talked extensively with friends who had undergone gastric bypass and lap bands over the last 7 years and found that I was given an opportunity to be more involved with my path to health then they ever were. Many tell me that they regret NOT having the "prep" time that was required of me. I took charge of my health and lost 50 lbs on my own prior to surgery which reinforced, for me, that the sleeve is a TOOL . . . it is not a miracle or magic wand to slimness, but simply a tool that will help me maintain my weightloss once I reach my goal. I still have to put in the "work" with or without the sleeve. I have absolutely no regrets having the sleeve surgery (2 months ago) and am truly grateful that I had to journey past all the challenges and obstacles along the way.

Because it's an initial consultation, there isn't much that actually "happens". In fact, my initial consult didn't even involve my surgeons. I spent most of the time with the office staff, then with the nutritionist. My visit involved going over fees, insurance procedures, medical clearances, a discussion of why I was interested in bariatric surgery, and finally an overview of the lifelong dietary changes that I'd be signing up for. At an initial consult, I'd try not to worry too much about being "rejected" if you've done your homework first about a couple of things. Meaning... 1. Insurance coverage. Insurance policies vary widely, but from what I've learned, it seems as though most of them have a minimum BMI to cover a bariatric procedure- usually 40 with no comorbidities, or 35 with the presence of one or more comorbid conditions like Type II Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, etc. As well, it seems many insurance policies (in addition to a doctor-supervised weight loss program prior to considering WLS) require a sort of "laundry list" of other weight loss interventions (Weight Watchers, Herbalife, etc...), complete with approximate dates, and amount of weight lost. 2. Expectations for the procedure. Though you may go through a formal psychological exam as part of your preoperative clearances, both the surgical office manager and the nutritionist had a dialogue with me about what brought me to the office in the first place. How you'll fare with WLS surgery depends on a lot of factors, one of which is how realistic your expectations are for results. **How far from consult to surgery? Honestly, that's a question with no definitive answer. For me it was almost exactly 3 months. But.....it depends on (among other things) your clearance tests, how quickly your insurance company approves your procedure (if you're going that route) and what the availability is for your surgeon/hospital to schedule your procedure. One of the best things about my consult visit was my "Bible Binder". My surgeon's office had a fantastic binder assembled that outlined the whole WLS surgery process. Every. Single. Step. That consult appointment is an information overload, and to have everything written out for me was wonderful. I remember how excited I was at that initial appointment- it was all starting to become "real" finally! I wish you the best of luck- keep us posted on your progress

aleach, I'm glad you found a therapist that you like who is also a good bariatric support person! I don't like the one who leads our support group, but I can tolerate her for the length of the monthly meeting. I found someone else who is a better fit for me, which is what we all should do, IMO. Find the person who makes you comfortable.

So Aetna changed their guidelines for bariatric surgery coverage last month. 3 BP Meds instead of 2. How can it change mid stream. I'm chasing an impossible dream!!!

Probably not, if they don't cover bariatric procedures you are probably looking at going back to MX. Are you sure you need surgical correction? Did they unfill your band and put you on liquids for a few weeks? That usually fixes a slip.

ugh I wish mine was going that fast! I feel like I'm following a turtle with all the waiting - and I HAVE insurance approval heh. I can pretty safely say that they have already contacted your insurance company and made sure you have bariatric coverage. They probably know what the stipulations are as well for your specific coverage and have gained preauthorization to move forward. All of this is usually necessary for the insurance company to put their stamp of approval on the surgery itself.

Dr. Thomas Umbaugh of Blossom Bariatrics in Henderson...they are off Sunset, near Stephanie

This support group is for the KC area LGBT community offer support for bariatric surgery patients. This is a safe place to share motivation, encouragement, recipes, and exercise tips. kclgbtbariatric@yahoo.com . We’re on FACEBOOK! 2-20-10 11:00 to 12:30 Meeting place: Antioch Library 8700 Shawnee Mission PKWY Merriam, Kan. 66202

I haven't tried it yet but a lot of people here rave about the unflavored powder from Bariatric Eating. I plan on trying it next. The unjury was gross to me. PURE Unflavored Protein Isolate - 21 servings per container - perfect for soup

The best shakes I've found to be are the Bariatric Advantage brand shakes or the Isopure which is my favorite. I mix the zero carb one with Water or skim milk and it's good. it's a vanilla flavor but the bariatric advantage ones have all different flavors like coffee or strawberry etc. I was told the same thing, but I've heard salads or ok just not with stringy vegetables or with carrots. I also heard nuts of any kind are a no no. It sucks when you first hear of all the restrictions but then over time you stop thinking of them that way and you just avoid them because you have to and it's not a big deal anymore.

I had a great NSV today and thought I'd share. My surgeons nurse called me today and said she had a favor to ask of me on behalf of my surgeon. He is giving a presentation the end of this month on bariatrics. So he would like me to come along as a living before and after! I am not yet at my goal, but have lost 60% of my excess weight, so a sucess in there eyes! Not only will I present and discuss my journey thus far, but he would like me to be in a publication for the bariatric center for the hospital! Hard part is going to be finding a before picture since I avoided the camera like the plauge!! Wow is that a motivating event! Thanks for reading. Crystal

i got a call from a doctor on base, calling to give me some info from the wonderful young doctor i saw a week or so ago. APPARENTLY, the surgeons on base didnt approve my surgery because i hadnt been to any bariatric classes. (im assuming this is to talk about the procedure, the band and the lifestyle change that it requires?) so in short, my doctor put in a referral for bariatric classes at the David Grant medical center general surgery clinic (the hospital on base). supposedly, after i attend the classes, i can get a referral to the surgeon i want off base. if this is the confusion im facing now, i cant wait until i have to deal with Tricare! :wink:

Well I'm all the way in Orange County, but my group was great! They are located in Newport Beach and are called the N.E.W Program. Their whole practice (including not only surgeons, but internists and dietitians) are dedicated ONLY to bariatrics. They had great statistics on laprascopic to open conversion and I liked their whole approach to the subject. I think their website is The N.E.W. Program Southern California - Gastric bypass, Lap-Band, Weight loss, Adolescent Obesity. Tell your cousin good luck!

The Bariatric Support Group will meet the 1st Thursday of every month in Lecture Room 1. Date: Thursday - 1/8/2009 Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Location: New Britain General Campus 100 Grand Street New Britain, CT 06050 Contact: 860-224-5453

**I can tuck my shirt in and wear a belt! **I actually look forward to shopping for clothes size medium **I look forward to renewing my drivers license and tell the attendant to change the weight on it **I actually look forward to my nightly bike rides **The plane seat feels comfortable **Can't wait to wear a 2 piece bathing suit this summer

That is absolutely my fear! I go tomorrow for Pre-op, so I will be sure to ask. The hospital here has a Bariatric Center, so I would guess as a whole, they could at least help me in the case of an emergency...

In the spring of this year, I changed jobs, moved and finally obtained health insurance that doesn't exclude WLS. After speaking with several co-workers regarding recommendations for a PCP, they almost all suggested that I go to an internationally known teaching hospital. I established myself as a patient of one of the internal medicine specialists and, until today, have been very happy with the coordinated care that I have received. The clinic related to this hospital provides complete care, including labs, diagnostic testing, and specialist care in-house. All of my medical records are available for all of my doctors to review. If my gyn orders bloodwork, the reports are available for my PCP, my bariatric surgeon and my endocrinologist to review. They also have a secure online site that I can access my test results myself. However, today I am wondering if this practice is too bureaucratic and regimented. I have been taking the antidepressant Effexor XR for over 10 years. This drug runs through your system very quickly and causes horrible, awful withdrawal symptoms if a dose is missed. I had my prescription set up with "autofill" with my pharmacy. I don't call in monthly refills; the pharmacy automatically processes refills and notifies me when I need to pick up my medication. Thus, I was not aware that the refills had run out and new script needed to be obtained. Last week, I called the pharmacy to check on the meds and I was told that my doctor needed to authorize a refill and they had contacted their office. They stated that there was nothing I needed to do. On Monday, when I had one dose left, I called the pharmacy and was told the same thing. I panicked a bit because of the short supply of my medication. I was told that my PCP denied the request for a renewal of the script. I determined that the pharmacy called my doctor near my former residence who denied the renewal because I was not currently a patient of his. I told the pharmacy that they needed to contact my current PCP and they informed that they had faxed her also. I also called the PCP department as well. I was told that the refill would be called in within 24 hours. Today, I followed up with the pharmacy, who has not heard from anyone regarding my script. My PCP doc is working the hospital until Friday. She is not responding to her admin assistant's urgent message on my behalf. The pharmist flatly refused to give me a dose or two hold me over. I am dizzy, nauseated, irritable and unable to control my emotions. I am scheduled for an upper endoscopy tomorrow with my WLs surgeon ( the last test before I get a surgery date, insurance is approved. As a last resort, I called the bariatric department to see if my surgeon would call in a small script to hold me over and to enable to me undergo the endoscopy with him tomorrow. If I am shaking, hurting and vomiting, I doubt he will be able to do the endoscope. My request that the surgeon call the script was flatly refused. I was also accused of lying by the patient coordinator on the phone because she didn't see any indication that I had called my PCP more than one time yesterday morning. Apparently my PCP's secretary didn't note the calls in the system. My surgeon's patient coordinator believed their computer over me. At this point I am emotional mess and a physical mess. I don't know what to do. Tomorrow, I don't know if I should try to have the endoscope done or if I should try get an appointment with my former PCP and drive 3 hours to see him. I am worried about what kind of aftercare or emergency care I may receive if I have surgery with this surgeon's practice. I am sure that I am going to change pharmacies and change PCPs. I have never experienced a situation where there wasn't another internist or P.A. available to cover for another. Am I overreacting? Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

Cigna does not require any weight loss. Hopefully your bariatric program doesn't either, but if they did I'm sure you'd already know that.

Just in case anyone needed to know, Surgical bariatric associates in Syracuse will do fills. They are going to be doing them in the office as well as under Fluro. If anyone is interested in the number just let me know and I will post it. I am also doing a support group June 14th in the building where they are located. PM me about that if anyone is interested in that as well. On a sad note, my DR., Dr. Munshi told me that he is leaving at the end of August :cry . It won't be a problem for me to get my fills because the other 2 MD's plus the PA will be doing fills as well. It is just a sad thing.

I have had my lapband for 7 years, haven't had a fill for 4 years. I have been at my goal weight for almost 2. In April I felt a twinge of pain in my band that was new and it has steadily gotten worse. Ended up in the ER on Thursday night dealing with a doctor that knew nothing about the band. Diagnosed me with gastritis and esophogitis but gave me IV Pain meds that made me throw up for 24 hours until my pharmacist finally suggested I take a phenegren. I went to the ER because I can't eat or drink anything, feels like I'm swallowing razor blades. To the point now that even my own saliva is painful. I am constantly aware of my band, feels like a knot in my chest. They took a catscan at the ER and he said there was inflammation above and below the band. I saw a bariatric surgeon today, he has me scheduled for a scope in the morning and scheduled me for lapband removal on Wednesday morning (feels like it is erosion). I can't really find anything online that talks about symptoms like mine. I am in constant pain. Water hurts, soup hurts, saliva hurts. Just wondering if anyone else has had anything similar? I am so ready to get this band out, I hope they do take it out. I'm tired of hurting. I do have fears of gaining the weight back, but I have been in a good place for several years now with regards to watching calories and making smarter choices, I feel like I can keep that going. Any feedback is appreciated. Kendra

Is my Nutritionist keeping me fat - Part 2 permalink Hi, I posted on this before and guess I am looking for some encouragement. For those of you who did not see my original post. I was banded on May 1, 2009 at 300/lbs. Join a jym with a trainer and nutritionist in July of that year and have been working out ever since. I dropped 30/lbs quickly and the last 20 have been a struggle. I have been hovering around the 250 - 258 mark for almost a year. The Nutritionist at the gym had me eating around 1700 - 1800 calories. With this weight was fairly stable around the 258 mark. Went to the Bariatric Nutritionist who says I was eating far too much. And after I loose the weight I can work on increasing calories, she cut me back to around 1300, and under 100 carbs a day. The GYM Nutritionist says 1500 is ok and maybe a few more carbs. So Here I am. So I have been sticking to around 1300 calories, not much fun. And wondering if the rest of this weight will ever come off. Still working out 3 to 5 times a week. Need to go at least 5 times but all this working out has hurt my knees so I have been going to PT twice a week. I have been keeping carbs around 100 a day. Went a bit crazy on a month long vacation and when I returned in early Aug was up to 258 again. Today down to 247 in like 8 weeks. but it is slow. I do not need a fill as I cannot eat in the Morning and having some PB Issues 3 or 4 times a week. The Bariatric Nutritionist said not to worry yet about this and to get this final 22/lbs off. Any suggestions. I was thinking to move up to around 1500 calories and increase my work outs a bit. Also a friend is going to Metabolic Research center. which is also low carb and supplements for Metabolism and doing quite well. Just want to get this last 20 lbs off!!:smile:

I suggest going to the library, ordering from Amazon and studying every forum or article you can get your hands on to help make this decision. Also, attend a seminar or get a consultation with one or two (depending on availability) bariatric surgeons. Only you can make this life-changing decision yourself, and everyone has your history or something similar. It took me 5 years to make my decision, and I just had surgery in December. I am quite happy, and the surgery was minor from a physical standpoint. The toughest part will be staying committed and understanding the life changes - which is why it took me 5 years!

Hi Noosh, I did have my surgery on 12-29-08. It went well, and although the incision where the port is was a little more painful that I expected, it hasn't been bad at all. I've lost about 15 pounds (not surprising, since there's not a whole lot that i can eat!), so I've got about 60 more to go. The first week was a little rough, between some pain (though not bad) and wanting to eat. Since then, it's been easier. I will be getting my first fill on 2-11, and I am looking forward to being able to eat real food again soon. As far as the process went with Aetna, it was really painless! The insurance guru at my surgeon's office did basically everything, and the fact that I had been seeing my primary care physician for about 6 months (and had 3 consecutive monthly visits...make sure you get those done) and had tried other way to lose (Meridia, Pfen-Fen, Weight Watchers, etc.) really helped. My out of pocket expenses were about $2000, including my co-pay and the classes that I took through the Bariatric Program that works with my surgeon. I've submitted the fees for the program to Aetna to see if I can get reimbursed, so we'll see how that goes! Good luck to you, and if I can do anything to help, please let me know!