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Kat, good luck on your journey to the doctor with your dad...it's nice of you to go with him. Maybe if you get a Rubbermaid container, put your DD's stuff in it, she'll get the hint? LOL! Diane, about the fill...well, I guess I'm just extra-cautious. I am losing weight at a little over 1 lb/week average, and decided that was just fine. I was also concerned about pushing the band and over-restriction, which seemed to cause problems in some people, like erosions and excessive PBs and stuff like that, and did not want that. A more practical reason is that I did not have any "sick days" left, and the place I get my fills is kinda far and I have to take time off from school...so, now it's summer and I don't have to take time off from school, I'm kinda stalled in weight loss, and I think I can eat lots of food...feeling more hungry than I have been, etc. I've taken some "relax" time, and feel ready to take a renewed effort again. That's probably a LOT more than you wanted to know, huh? LOL! Definitely, I'm in the cautious group, I guess that's the bottom line. I'm planning to go the first week of August. I know what you mean about being in a more controlled environment, too...when I'm at work, I'm so busy, I don't think about food as much. Good luck tomorrow! Cindy

My Psych. Eval. is done and all typed up. I am hoping that it is faxed to the bariatric . I am going to check on it today. The woman who takes care of the insurance told me as soon as she receives all of my information and tests that she will submit it to see if I get an approval. She said it usually takes about up to a week to hear back from the insurance. I am really getting more and more anxious. I have fell off the wagon a few times and my eating got out of hand, but I just try to do better afterwards. I have been going to the Y to exercise and I went to my first AQUA-FITNESS SWIM CLASS. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to going again. I haven't lost much weight. My clothes are fitting better. I weighed 242 the last time I weighed at the doctor's office. With my clothes off in the mornings, I have been weighing under 240 pounds. Two days I weighed 235 and it goes up and down. After swimming on Oct.22 I weighed myself on some doctor office type scales in the locker room after getting dressed and my weight was 239. If I get approved for surgery and get a date I will be starting on the Pre-Op diet so I am sure I will lose some more before surgery. I will let everyone know what happens with the insurance.

Quick question.... I've just started my process and have only seen my PCP and the bariatric dr. that I will be doing my procedure(I've only been to see him once) my insurance requires a 9 month pre-op and I'm now receiving bills from my PCP which I've never had a problem with caresource covering. I'm wondering if my doc saying anything about bariatric anything in the submissions to insurance is causing them to deny those visits. Should I count on paying for those visits or should I contact my insurance and see why they are denying?? So confused!! TIA.

Final update: Even if classified as medically necessary, it will not be covered. Bariatric surgery must be a part of your KP plan to have bariatric surgery performed, and not all KP plans have that option.

My hubby had his surgery in Mexico and OHSU Bariatric Center will provide him with medical care. It isn't as hard as people think to get a DR. I had my surgery in Coos Bay, and they took me on right away without a problem.

Hello! I posted about a month ago, asking questions about banding. From there I prayed, and researched (more) and decided the band is exactly to tool I need to succeed with my weight loss goals. I've so confused about all the insurance stuff. I called member services and they said the surgery is coverage and gave me a link to the clinical policy bulletin which reads... Aetna considers open or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), open or laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with or without duodenal switch (DS), or laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB) medically necessary when the selection criteria listed below are met. Selection criteria: A. Presence of severe obesity that has persisted for at least the last 2 years, defined as any of the following: Body mass index (BMI)* exceeding 40 My BMI is 53 (good lord), and I have high BP. It also says naturally that you have to over 18 and done growing, attempted weight loss in the past without success in long term reduction, and meet either criterion 1 (physician-supervised nutritional and exercise program) or criterion 2 ( multidisciplinary surgical preparatory regimen). I am working with a weight management and bariatric surgery center near me. I have to complete consults, and tests with all sorts of different people on the team including attending support groups, and lose 5% of my body weight before surgery - it's a 3m process. So I'm assuming this meets criterion 2. Aetna words it like this: Criterion 2. Multidisciplinary surgical preparatory regimen: Proximate to the time of surgery, member must participate in organized multidisciplinary surgical preparatory regimen of at least three months duration meeting all of the following criteria, in order to improve surgical outcomes, reduce the potential for surgical complications, and establish the member's ability to comply with post-operative medical care and dietary restrictions: Consultation with a dietician or nutritionist; and Reduced-calorie diet program supervised by dietician or nutritionist; and Exercise regimen (unless contraindicated) to improve pulmonary reserve prior to surgery, supervised by exercise therapist or other qualified professional; and Behavior modification program supervised by qualified professional; and Documentation in the medical record of the member's participation in the multidisciplinary surgical preparatory regimen at each visit. (A physician's summary letter, without evidence of contemporaneous oversight, is not sufficient documentation. Documentation should include medical records of the physician's initial assessment of the member, and the physician's assessment of the member's progress at the completion of the multidisciplinary surgical preparatory regimen.) Sounds like my program right? I called my Aetna AGAIN to be sure they cover this surgery and she again assured me that it is covered so long as I meet the criteria and to bring the criteria to my NP consult. I know I have to wait to be approved after all my testing etc, but I'll (like anyone else) be so gutted if I'm denied. Anyhow, I'm waiting for June 30th for my NP consult and I'm so excited!! I've been reading everyone's stories and looking at before and after photos and I'm so impressed with the lot of you!! So inspirational. :confused:

Gosh my doctor has done hundreds of lap bands and hundreds of sleeves and over 200 band to sleeve conversions. The only complication he has ever had, in all that time, was when one patient took a handful of vitamins (several months after surgery) and aspirated them. It became a very life-threatening situation and he had to be opened up to get the vitamins out. I have no data from a hospital or clinic where hundreds of bariatric surgeries are done each week, but I'd be willing to bet that they do not have a large number of incidents of wound infections. Perhaps it would be smart if someone who has a vested interest could do some research and see how many complications are considered "acceptable" and how many are condsidered "excessive." I do not even know how many actual posts there were of patients who had contracted infections or who had a leak who posted here. Perhaps Can. can tell us. If the doctor is doing a lot of surgeries per day, then Sandy might be right when she says that the clinic has not experienced an excessive number of problems.

The other thing to be aware of when you're comparing Multivitamins is that it's not just the amount of each Vitamin / mineral, it's the source. As I understand it, Bariatric-formulated Vitamins are manufactured using the most easily accessible forms to maximize absorption (just like we absorb calcium citrate better). Of course, if you can't keep them down, or they're irritating your stomach, that's obviously no good, I'm just noting that there can be differences beyond the straight mg counts on the labels. I did read recently that one company has started making Protein powder with the multivitamin built in, but it might irritate your stomach just as easily. I think it's Bariatric Advantage - it was mentioned recently on the World According to Eggface blog. It's pretty pricey, but if you add the cost of regular protein and the cost of the vitamin together, it may price out reasonably. Have you spoken with your surgeon? I wonder if it could be that your stomach is irritated, and you just need to pause in taking the vitamin for a week or two to let it get back to normal. Good luck!

Seeking Health is one of the few with methylfolate and methylcobalamin. Those are the only ones recommended by the heme/oncologist I have. This is not bariatric, this is the only one that my MD/PhD recommended and I sat for 1x for 5 weeks with his chemo patients since I had to get IV Iron. Only one was rail thin. The rest were healthy looking and dang sure weren't no 20-30 years old.

I use my highest weight. I lost 24 during COVID on my own, then regained 10 before I started with the bariatric clinic. That high figure represents the beginning of my journey, not the weight when I started at the clinic.

Bariatric Advantage Released a new Program called "Icomply" Its actually pretty cool it sends our reminders via text message directly to your phone. on when to take your Vitamins. Take a look at this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN6IJsXR6Bg&hl=en&fs=1&

Hi all, I figured it was time to join the group. My name is Tana and live in Yonkers. After looking at several programs I decided to go with Dr. Weber at White Plains Hospital. It's a small bariatric program but it felt like a good fit for me. I have done all my pre-op appointments, just waiting for a couple of notes to make it into my chart and then they will submit to insurance. I have Empire BCBS and my policy doesn't require a 6 month supervised diet. So weird how different policies are from the same insurance company. I am anxiously wanting to schedule a surgery date asap. I have such horrible back pain from old herniated discs. They weren't bothering me for years and then I put some more weight on and BAM, the pain was back. I also want to lose a good amount of weight before the summer so I can be active with my son. He's 3 and deserves a mom that can keep up! So that is all for now, I wish you all the best!

I guess I view revisions for whatever reason to be at the discretion of the surgeon and patient. Everyone's story is different, but even if it is not "medically necessary", who am I to say another isn't worthy of a second chance? I am a nurse and have taken care of addicts of all nature and see the rate of recidivism/relapse. I know that it takes more than one round of treatment some times... yes, surgery is a major intervention and there are risks associated with it, but to say a surgeon is "unethical" for performing them as revisions is a bit judgemental, regardless of whether or not there is perceptible tone. Pray you never find yourself in a position where you have "eaten your way through" your surgery. We are all human and not infallible. I lost 115 lbs the "natural" way and kept it off for over 10 years. I NEVER thought I would gain that weight back. I thought my food issues were resolved. But here I am, typing this post on the bariatric pal thread. I gained all the weight back and then some. Went from 165 lbs to 362. I needed surgery to help with this. We all did, right? That's why we're here. I'm here to find support and offer it to others... if I had a revision and came here looking for support and was reading this, I think I'd cry. There are those that judge us because we had to have the surgery the first time... let's not do the same to someone who found themselves here twice.

So i called for my psyc evaluation appointment today here in Florida and was told next available appointment is at the end of March... 3 dang months. No way to skip it. I tried going with a online psyc bariatrics evaluation doctor and my hospital rejected it and said no because they dont do it their way. I didnt think i would have to do this since i am paying cash and not using insurance. Endo Hospital in Mexico doesnt require a Psyc Evalucation.

I never cared one way or the other for her, because I don't like the"view" to begin with and she was just the token fat black woman...they killed three affirmitive action birds with one stone by having her on the show! And they tried to manufacture her into a star. No doubt in the world that she had some form of bariatric to acheive her weight loss, but who gives a crap...and why should it be anyones business....least of all Rosie o' (mac) donnel...I mean really talk about the pot calling the kettle black! If they think star is tacky wait'll they get a load of rosie trying to be real. One other comment...My sister bought that book that star wrote and I agonizingly managed to drag myself through 75% of it before the nausea became to much to bear. That book is the biggest load of ---- I have ever had the misfortune of wasting my eyesight on! I mean think of all the perfectly good trees that were wasted! It takes women back 100 years..please "I don't let my man see me without makeup ever...that's what you gotta do to keep a man" o my goddddddd! What a bimbo! Star I admire you for your weight loss, but girlfriend ya got the wrong idea about most everything in life.

SHe announced today that she would not return for the fall season. She was told in March or April that her contract would not be renewed. They said that people didn't trust her anymore. After the way she did with the wedding and the non-discussed weightloss. There was "different feeling" at the table. Here is the yahoo story link http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_en_tv/tv_the_view_reynolds What do you all think? I know she has been a hot topic here before and thought I would see what the opinion was here. ~Mandy

Has anyone used Dr. Borland in New Iberia, Louisiana? I had been researching going to Mexico for surgery as I am self-pay. But I came across his name on this forum and looked up his website. For only about $1000 more than the surgery I was getting done in Mexico, I can have it done in a neighboring state only 4 hours away rather than 13 hours away. I've only seen one reference about him on this forum, but he is the Chief of Surgery at the hospital he performs the surgery at and has been a bariatric surgeon since 1982. I guess the only thing I find a little odd is that he performs the surgery as an outpatient procedure; a few hours after your surgery they release you from the hospital and have you stay at one of the local hotels for a few days where the doctor makes several "house" call visits to check on you. I'm assuming this is why the procedure is cheaper than most U.S. doctors; no hefty hospital bill from being admitted. I called the office today and the staff was very nice and informative. I asked if doing as outpatient is safe and she said yes, he has done over 200 sleeves. Is that comparable to U.S. doctors? The mexican doctors that I had researched had done closer to 2000 sleeves... She also said that because of it being outpatient, they do not do any high risk patients (very high bmi, heart disease, etc.), I am healthy and only 29, so I am definitely not high risk. Anyway, just wanted to see what you guys think about .

So, I went to the Kaiser Weight Loss Surgery Class 1. Here's a run down of what happened: We signed in showed our member cards and our drivers licenses. The NUT began going over the paperwork that was in folders they gave us. Pretty much a snooze fest here. Asked us to start recording our food and beverage intake and to fill out the homework forms for our next visit one on one. Pretty much a brief overview of serving sizes of fruits and vegetables, showed us the plastic food, etc... Nothing exciting. There were hand outs on exercising and dieting and healthy changes to make. Then the big guns: we had to lose 3% of our current body weights by the end of the 6th months or else our paperwork would be on hold until then. (as mentioned by another poster) She laid out the kaiser visits, they must be no less than 1 month apart (one a month was how she said it): Visit 1- was the class we were at Visit 2- Nut appointment just for you Visit 3- Nut appointment just for you Visit 4- Weight loss surgery class 2 Visit 5- Nut appointment just for you Visit 6- Nut appointment just for you Somewhere in there you must call and do a phone screening for the psych eval. If they aren't satisfied they'll have you come in or they'll clear you over the phone Also, you must have taken the Weight control class at some point during the 6 visits, or in the past year- which is a one time class about general weight loss for everybody. I'd already taken it but it was over a year ago so I get to go again! yay She went around the table and asked everyone what they were leaning towards. Then took us over to OB/GYN and weighed us one by one and took our height measurements. The NUT then calculated a "goal range"/ expected weight loss amount and final weight. She put me at 170-180 ( loss of 55-65 #) That seems like not enough loss. I think they're overly conservative with their numbers because I see people on here and in real life who get down to much more loss of excess weight. Never even asked us where we'd like to be. Anyways, They did say as another poster commented that if your bmi dips below the kaiser cut off (bmi of 40) during the loss of the 3% it won't disqualify you. However, my bmi was 39.1 a few years ago and she said that she wasn't sure if I'd be approved due to that and she'd submit me to the obesity work group for a pre-approval or denial based on that pre-requisite.Then later that night, she eneded up emailing me back and saying that she checked my file and saw that I did have my pcos & high bp documented and that I was all good. She said for Virginia they use the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, They have an exclusive floor just for kaiser patients. Not sure if that's good or bad. The local hospital Inova FairOaks is an Center of Excellence in Bariatric surgery, and it irks me that they're going to make us go to a less awesome hospital. Nothing I can do about that though, so I guess I'll stop whinging about it. Anybody have Dr. Salameh or Dr. Mayes ?

I think the fact we had bariatric surgery is part of why people talk. Let's be honest here, it is still considered a "dirty little secret" by many. It isn't right or fair, but it is. People judge and condemn a person for being obese, wondering how on earth we let ourselves get in such condition. There is little empathy or compassion from non obese people for those who have simply lost control. ( for whatever reason) Yet when we choose to finally take back that control, do something real and meaningful to get our health and lives back, tongues start wagging. I think there is a whole host of reasons why. Everything from believing we are lazy and taking "the easy way out" to jealousy and envy. But you know what? We are probably some of the strongest people in the world. We aren't weak for having doubts or fears, we are warriors for caring enough about ourselves to get up and DO something! This is far from a simple, easy road to take. It is a mountain to climb each and every day. But we are on the mountain, so why not enjoy the view? Yes, they notice. Yes, they talk. Because in their small world you are the biggest "new" thing to discuss. I just encourage all to hold your heads high and be proud you are you. Our lives have all been turned upside down and inside out from all the change we are experiencing, but continue to have strength in knowing you are worth caring about yourself. The rest of the world be damned!!!

I am going through Specialized Bariatrics for my sleeve in November. Here is their website. Cathy is the contact person and she is great. It's costing $4500. http://specializedbariatrics.com/

United Health care. But if you are using a bariatric center of excellence, they generally can help you with these hoops. Yes I had hoops, too. My requirements were that it was a bariatric COE, my BMI was over 40 and I attended a dr's supervised diet for (an undetermined amount of time). No specific months. AND.....no past BMI from the last 5 years or whatever.....They used to require that as well, but most Insurance companies have dropped that requirement. Best of luck to you. I know I wouldn't be able to lose the weight without this surgery. I have only lost 20 pounds, but I wouldn't have been able to do that. I was on Nutrisystem for 6 months and couldn't lose 20 pounds. I lost these 20 pounds in the past 3 weeks.

I would ask you bariatric team if you could have an ablation of your uterus. You'll no longer have a period and you will still have your ovaries to continue producing hormones. That is, of course, if you plan on not ever having children. Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using the BariatricPal App

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!

The mental aspect is the major component as the disordered eating behavior is accompanied by a distorted self-image. Anorexics can. literally, be starving and look like they are starving but continue to perceive themselves as fat. You might consider their beliefs delusional as they fit the definition--an unshakeable belief not shared by most other people (i.e., that they are fat). Many anorexics feel out of control is many areas of their lives and use food as the one area where they have the power to control intake. People who have bariatric surgery generally don't have disordered eating behavior--they are not surviving on 2 saltines and a cup of tea. After post-op restrictions are lifted, most WLS patients follow their doctor's orders. Although it may take some time, their self-images also adjust so that they no longer see themselves as fat. And WLS surgery patients don't use food to give themselves a feeling of control, although many report feeling pride in mastering formerly out-of-control impulses to overeat. (Sorry, don't mean to lecture, but I'm a psychologist!)

I had already been doing dr assisted weight loss for over a year so that wasn't an issue for me. If I had not done it already and if my PCP wasn't willing to just say I did then I would have had to wait 6 months. You can call and ask to speak to the coordinator or the person that handles all the paperwork in the office and that person should be able to tell you something. You can even call your insurance and ask a rep. I did that before I went to see the surgeon to make sure my policy included Bariatric surgery.