Search the Community

Soooo... First time posting ... My surgeon's office (Beltline Bariatrics- ATL) submits my paperwork to insurance today for gastric sleeve approval and I've gone from being super anxious to getting sooo nervous. I'd really hoped to have the procedure prior to new years to avoid extra expenses. But at this point that would require a "smooth" and swift approval, which I realize might be wishful thinking. I've put myself on the pre-op diet 4 days ago to test my will power. Oh how it's been rough (irritable as hell!!!! ), but I'm completely committed. I can see that this is going to be far from a walk in the park... Is anyone else playing the waiting game ? PLEASE REMEMBER ME IN YOUR PRAYERS! Sent from Dee~Dee via BariatricPal

My name is Amanda and I am 34 years old, located in Delaware! I began my journey in November 2013 when I made the decision to have surgery. I was 219 pounds at 5 feet 1 inch. I had heart trouble, high blood pressure, pain in my joints, a substantial inoperable back injury with nerve damage, border line diabetes, and a whole list of other ailments. In the beginning, I had very little support from my family. My surgeon required an info seminar followed by every physician's clearance known to man, nutrition classes, and life skills classes. I attended my 3 nutrition classes and when I entered my first life skills class, I wanted to back out!! A friend of mine, who also had surgery (bypass) was going through the classes as well. She encouraged me to continue this journey, that I needed to look at my quality of life, and that it was either now or never. I decided to push forward. I can still remember pulling into the hospital parking garage the day of surgery. I was a nervous wreck! Good thing I wasn't driving, otherwise, I may have just turned back around and returned home!! This was the first day of the rest of my life! I was pretty fortunate that I didn't have any complications, and faired well. After three months, I was completely off of all of my meds, other than my gastric meds for surgery! I had more energy, and just felt better in general. It was/is not an easy trip. However, I would not change it for the world! I am now 8 1/2 months post op, and down 83 pounds with approximately 10 more to go! I have little pain in my back, and finally feel as though I am free of the shackles that I was in due to being so overweight. I had to have another major surgery, a hysterectomy, in September, and since then I feel like I have hit my plateau. I also have started to slide into some old bad habits with refined sugars, and wraps. I need a little help from my bariatric friends to support me and to get through the last ten pounds. Thanks for welcoming me! Amanda

anyone had the Bariatric Sleeve at ALO Bariatric?

My NUT and surgeon say to stay away from it. The purpose of Ensure is NOT for bariatric patients.

Nuts have all sorts of "rules", but in most cases they have never actually gone through Bariatric surgery themselves so WTH do they know! Not everyone fits into their textbook guidelines of healing, tolerance, weight loss goals, etc. Just figure out what works for you and go with that. Your body, your journey, your rules.

It is the insurance. You have to ask if they have a non surgical requirement to be supervised by a Dr prior to bariatric surgery.

My insurance is 6 months. I have learned to embrace it. I have 3 more weigh ins and then surgery. I will get my date next week. Bariatric Pal is wonderful place to be. So much support and love. Keep writing and reading. I wish you well on your first visit!!! Xoxoxo

Yesterday I made an appointment for next month. I asked for labs. My last labs were.... 8- 2011, My surgery was 1-11! I thought I had one for a year....... after one year I never heard from my Bariatric team again.

i went to the bariatric clinic first. they did all of the paperwork that i needed. then i went to my pcp and he ordered bloodwork and wrote me a letter of support. there are several different policies for BCBS-just make sure you've covered all your bases before submitting to them! the bariatric clinic will help you jump through the hoops! good luck with your journey---keep in touch! ~courtney

KKAY - every surgeon is different. I went to the surgeon first - for the "seminar" then they told me where to go next - pysch eval, get Jenny Craig info and see my dr to get detailed letter of why she felt I needed the surgery and five years of obesity charts. Call around and check with other people in your area to see if there are any recommended surgeons. The bariatric clinics are very helpful - LOL they want your money!

Nor did my pre-op classes help me with those issues either. I don't suffer from binge-eating. But I have (like many others here) struggled with using food to medicate myself and, frankly, just having some horrifically bad habits. Not to mention eating mindlessly and just not paying enough attention to what I was putting in my mouth. Honestly, my worst triggers for overeating were boredom, procrastination, and daily low-level chronic stress. But everyone's triggers and everyone's overeating issues aren't the same. What matters to you is what your issues / triggers are. And that you learn new ways to deal with whatever underlies your overeating problems. I sought out a good therapist who had considerable experience working with bariatric patients. I've been seeing him for two years now. I started working with him a few months pre-op. There are good ones out there. You may have to hunt a bit to find one you mesh with. But they can be a great resource and make a lot of difference in your long-term success. Best wishes to you.

I ordered a sample pack of unjury just to see if it was something I would be able to tolerate afterward, and I don't like it. The unflavored is nasty! I may just stick to whatever the bariatric center has for sale, and Sams Club. I'm real close to the new one on Parallel, so no probs stocking up! I hope I get an opportunity to meet you one day at a meeting. Oh! I had my 5th of 6th Dr's supv Diet visits, and I actually lost 2 pounds this time! Thank goodness I will finally show a loss! They wanted to talk me out of surgery and into diet pills. They had a NEW Diet pill I would be a good candidate for. I am mid 50's with a BMI around 42, I have health insurance for only a couple more years before I retire. I don't have time to test pills, only to fail again. I want this done once and for all, and ain't nobody gonna talk me out of it! (Just thought I'd share) Take Care!

I had a letter after four business days. I didn't even have to call. But I knew I had bariatrics covered on my plan. My surgeon and I scheduled my surgery date and everything prior to approval.

Will see you down there, and wish you luck and will say a few prayers for you that all goes well with your insurance and the processing. I am so happy I took this step. It's not an easy road but it is definitely worth it. Like you, I have sleep apnea too, and until I got approved for surgery there wasn't a night that went by I wondered if I would die in my sleep, even though I have a CPAP (which I hate with a passion). I know it's to keep you breathing, but it's so artificial and uncomfortable. Don't be afraid to post picture on your profile. All of us on here are struggling with our weight, or have over the past years. I'll be posting before and after pictures after I drop some clothes sizes. Still early on. Even though I've lost 26 pounds, I'm still wearing 2X shirts and Large (Men's size) jogging pants as my tummy is still swollen from the IV fluids and the surgery itself. The staff is so exceptionally excellent at the KC Bariatric Center I can hardly wait to go back for my post-op appt. I have spent years (since 1994) in the VA Medical Center's care prior to this (with my leg/ankle and hand surgery at KU). While KU was great, the KC Bariatric Center beats them by a mile. The VA is a whole different story, and if it was on an A-F grading scale, they'd be getting a D. I had to argue with the pharmacist alone to get my lovenox prescription filled, even though my VA primary care physician rewrote the prescription so it could be filled. The A-hole got into my medical records, which he wasn't supposed to be in. I reported him. Anyway, keep your chin up and I'll keep you in my prayers and cross my fingers just for added support. Terry

I had a stomach virus this past week and immediately called my bariatric doctor. They told me that once I stop vomiting and can start eating again to just have warm liquids the first couple of days and then move to mushies for a couple of days. I'm not a doctor, but seems to me that if you have a stomach virus, it's best to get it out of your system and not just take meds to make you not throw up. I know the dangers of vomiting, but you can't go the rest of your life popping a pill to keep from throwing up, can you? I don't know, this, like almost everything else having to do with the band, is different among doctors.

I am just now starting the Bariatric program for Kaiser in Georgia and have not found anyone who has else who has been through the program for this region. Has anyone been through this for Kaiser in the Atlanta area and if so how did the process go.

Hi, my name is Chris - I was just banded on Wed 1/23 by Dr. James Davidson in Dallas. I'm 44 and have been fighting my weight since college. it has been a slow upward spiral with lots of weight loss followed by even more weight gain. I finally decided to do something about it as I hit an all time high of 304 and a BMI of 40+. My insurance excludes bariatric surgery so I had to go the self-pay route, fortunately Dr. Davidson was running a $9500 special and I decided to go for it. I lost 18 pounds on the pre-op diet (but have my expectations set a lot lower for the next few weeks based on all the posts about stagnant weight during the post-surgery period). anyway, just wanted to say hello to everyone. I'm looking forward to the journey! Chris

Celebrate brand is made specifically for bariatric post ops. Tons of flavors. You have to order online.

Oh yuck.....there is no way I could do a chewable. I have always had trouble swallowing any size pill. My thyroid med is so tiny I almost lose it when I try to take it. LOL My Bariatric Advantage Vitamins are huge to me but I just take my time and get them down. I agree with blerdgirl.....check with your doc and see what else you can do. These are something that you have to take forever I hope you can find an easier way to get them down.

Hi all, This is my first topic post here. So hi!! Tomorrow I see Dr. Long at the Bariatric and Metabolic Center in Parker, CO for my first consultation. I've been researching doctors and bariatric centers in my area for about 3 months now. I've chosen to look at Dr. Long first because he is highly reviewed on healthgrades.com, Cigna, Yelp, and Google. I think the average comes out to 4.8/5.0 stars with close to 300 reviews. So he sounds pretty decent. His office staff have been really nice any time I have talked to them on the phone. I'm excited and nervous. I've made a fairly good list of questions. I'm going to be self-pay as my insurance does not cover it, and will not even with an appeal. I have asked multiple times in multiple ways. So it's good and bad. I don't have to deal with the headache of insurance and their hoops. I get to have my surgery sooner but am spending a lot of money. I'm lucky in that I have some very supportive friends and family. With only one or two exceptions most everyone has been supportive. Some don't understand, but they ask questions to at least try. How have you guys dealt with family and friends who only focus on the potential side-effects of surgery though?

I was sleeved this year March 2015. I am suffering horribly with Gastroparesis. The meds Protonix and Reglan are not working for me. I am to the point where nothing is staying down. I received four bags of saline so far for dehydration. I see my surgeon and gastronologist this Tuesday and am hoping there is some resolution other than a feeding tube. The bariatric nurse said the cases she has seen it goes away if you acquired GP PO which is my case. Any information would be very helpful. I hope you found a resolution to your situation.

I'm thinking I'll call the after hours general nurse line today and depending what they say I'll call the bariatric nurse for my surgeon on Monday morning and get advice. Sent from my Pixel 3 using BariatricPal mobile app

I wasn't keeping food down and was getting so tired. All had to do with the amount of nutrition. This is common with WLS. What vitamins are you taking? The surgeon should have you on bariatric vitamins. Good luck!!! Check out the high iron vegetables.

I found and ordered several books on Half.com for recipes and ideas from people who have had Bariatric surgery. I haven't started cooking from them yet, but I plan to!

I am 54 years old, and have fought the battle of the bulge for all my life. I remember when I wad younger I couldn't find clothes to fit me right so I would buy my jeans in the boys section. I started Weight Watchers at the young age of 16! I married at the age of 19' we had our first daughter after I graduated from Nursing School. I weighed 132 at the beginning of my pregnancy. Never could get back down to my ore pregnant weight again! By the time I realized it, I was pregnant with our second child. They are 13 months apart. I loved being a mother, worked part time. Life was good. Always joining rejoining WW, or trying every new fad diet available. We have another daughter 3 years later. Family complete! Still back and forth with the diets. Never being able to drop the weight. Around the age of 40, I think I weighed around 200 lbs, hoping to see the wonder100's again. It never happened. I was always the biggest mom in my children's classes. I love being around people, and I think very outgoing, but as the weight continues to go upward, I went inward. The beginning if a very deep depression, which I sought counseling for, and still am. But the weight keep going up and up. Jenny Craig came into my life, I between Weight Watchers, etc, etc, etc...you know the picture. 2000 rolls around we have a lot of family tragedies, loss of brother inlays and sister in law in bridge accident, son lost 2 best friends, my comfort, food food, and more food, to bring me comfort! Weddings come around, my husband says, we need to lose the weight, so we aren't fat in all these pictures! Pictures last forever. nicely put. We all joined WW! My daughter (the bride ) made her goal! Me however gained everything they lost! Now for my sons wedding, I found a new "weight loss diet". Medifast! Did good for awhile, lost about 30 lbs, wore a size 16 dress! Quickly gained the weight back after getting off the diet! No surprises. Our last daughter got married in November of last year, husband once again, same statement. But life gets in the way! My mothers health was failing rapidly, my prayer is she would live to see her youngest granddaughter get married. She passed away on my daughters birthday, (yes the one who got married) 1 month, and 10 days before the wedding! 8 days after my mom died, we had a new granddaughter, so there was our ray of sunshine! 22 days later, my husbands best friend died from a brain tumor, then 11 days later, our daughter was married. Well what does one due in those situations you know eat, eat, eat! I had to let my dress out. How embarrassing! I just bought it in August! I was just too much! January of 2014 I weighed 261 at the dr. Office I as devastated. She was so nice, get the weight of she suggested Weight Watchers! Lol! In March a dr. Approached me asking me if I ever thought of doing the sleeve! I always swore I wouldn't do Bariatric surgery! Well never say never! One more diet, try Herbalife, well that lasted 2 months, I was in the dr. Office! My initial weight at her office is 255 so that is my official weight! That is my long drawn out story! I am ready to begin my new chapter, am hoping September 30th in a new start. Still awaiting insurance approval. Hopefully hear tomorrow!!! Sorry this was so long! Thanks for the support on this board. It is most helpful! [ attachment=48133:ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1411351975.746728.jpg] My husband and I I had lost 13 lbs. here!