How many hoops do you jump through ....

[MS_Science_Sleever 78]

before you get cleared for surgery?

My 1st appt is in 10 days - consultation.

I have seen bloodwork, psych eval, what else?

I have CTs and labwork a good bit because I am just a year out from Breast Cancer.

[KarenSt 35]

For me, it was:

-Consult with bariatric dr

-2 nutrition classes

-1 support group

-exercise consultation

-Psych eval & follow up

- Monthly check-ins with bariatric dr to see how I was doing on losing my 5% & getting my Iron up (I was near anemic)

- Surgeon consult

- 2 weeks of waiting for insurance approval

- surgeon scheduled me 1 month after insurance was approved

- pre-op visit with surgeons PA

- pre-op bloodwork & registration at hospital

- I also had to pay my portion up front. (For me it was $1,400)

- 2 week pre-op liquid diet, which i start tomorrow

- Surgery is July 1

Timeframe for all that was 4 1/2 months.

I hope this helps!

[MS_Science_Sleever 78]

This does help. Can you tell me why you must lose the 5% before and then on liquids 2 weeks before?

[KarenSt 35]

Two reasons, one mental, one physical:

1. It shows your level of preparation, commitment and understanding of the massive life change you're about to undertake

2. It gets you in the best shape possible for surgery, which minimizes risk of complications, including shrinking your liver

Many insurances require a 5% weight loss before you even meet with the surgeon. Mine didn't but the bariatric center I'm with is a center of excellence and both they, and the surgeon required it. The surgery isn't a quick-fix, as you know. It requires a huge mental shift before they ever do the surgery.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

all of them

[lylabelle 257]

So glad I went to Mexico. I don't want to jump through hoops when I knew I was ready!

[mrsbailey921 117]

for myself, due to a few unforseen new medical diagnoses, my journey will be appx. 8 months.

i had/have to have the following:

5 nutritional counseling visits, spaced 2 weeks apart for each visit

pulmonary (lung) clearance with a sleep apnea test

psych evaluation

gastroenterologist (stomach) clearance with an endoscopy (pictures of the stomach with a camera down the throat)

cardiologist (heart) clearance...this is what my holdup is. because of an arrythmia, my cardiologist has been ordering a ton of other tests, many of which have NOT been approved by my insurance. they include a nuclear stress test, echocardiogram, and ekg.but this saturday, after 3 months of testing, waiting for clearance and going back and forth--i will finally be cleared for my endoscopy above (due to the anesthesia) and prayerfully, with good results from my other tests, for the surgery.

i have to watch a video on the surgery and sign off on it (35.00 fee included)

my insurance does NOT require pre surgery weight loss unless my surgeon requests it--just intensive nutritional counseling. my surgeon has not required me to lose any weight so far before surgery--only to do a liquid diet to prep my body beforehand.

right now i am done my nutritional counseling, pulmonary has been cleared pending my sleep apnea test which i purposely put off until very last due to me being a full time breastfeeding mom.

again, altogether, my journey is taking appx 8 months...which im not complaining about. i had to prepare myself mentally and otherwise, and it took more than the typical 3 months.