Hello Michigan! ...is this thing on?

[AhnaLucille 57]

Hello Michiganders!!

There's not much activity in this group.. but I thought I'd add.

I haven't been sleeved yet. I am seeing Dr, Kam in Traverse City MI.

I'm 5ft 227 and range from size 16-20. Can't wait to be in the single digits. In good health other than being morbidly obese.

Anyone active on here currently in the "process" to have surgery? Or already had surgery?

Whose your Dr? How is everything going? Insurance? Out of pocket expense? How much weight you've lost? Maintaining?

Anyone want to share?

I'm going to keep posting here.. Hopefully my experience will be helpful to someone. Get some people talking or maybe entertaining that I'm talking to myself.

I also post update in my profile "about me: section.. If you are looking for any details..

[Grrrrrrr really? 20]

Hi neighbor! I'm from Charlevoix. New to this group today and scheduled for surgery at McLaren in Petoskey on Feb 16th!

[AhnaLucille 57]

Congrats on your date! Its so nice to hear from someone from MI! Love Petoskey! Its so beautiful there, Charlevoix as well.

Did your insurance require 3 or 6 months of weight ins?

Edited January 26, 2015 by AhnaLucille

[thinkpink13 9]

Michigan here also, having surgery tmw morning. Very anxious!! I will keep ya posted

Edited January 26, 2015 by thinkpink13

[AhnaLucille 57]

Tomorrow morning! And you're still up, you must be anxious... Good Luck to you and I'll say a prayer for you... yes, please keep me posted.

[MissMae 2]

Woo-hoo! Locals!

I am in Traverse City and and being sleeved by Slikkers (sounds dirty doesn't it? haha) on 2-12-15.

[AhnaLucille 57]

lol it does sound a little dirty, but that's what makes it fun!. lol...

WoW Feb 12nd! that's awesome...

Have you enjoyed your experience with GTS?

Do you mind sharing how long it took to get through the process.

Did you have to do a EGD?

Insurance carrier?

out of pocket expense?

How long it took you to get approved?

How you found out you were approved

If you can't tell, the anticipation is killing me... hahah

Myself. My paperwork was hopefully submitted Monday or Tuesday.. So I'm still waiting. I was hoping I'd be sleeved in February... but, only time will tell. They haven't talked to me about cost. I'm just wondering if that's normal.

[MissMae 2]

GTS has been AMAZING; Mary Kay especially!

I started the 6 month weight loss program in March 2014 with no intentions of having surgery. 3/4 of the way through that I realized that in order to achieve long-term weight loss success I needed to have surgery. In September 2014 I attended their seminar and started the process. Once I completed my 6 months I talked with Mary Kay and we sent all of my records to GTS and I made an appointment in November for a consult and nutrition appointment. I had X-Rays, labs, and in January 2015 I had an EGD. My EGD was on Thursday and Angie submitted everything to my Insurance the next day.

I emailed my insurance a week later to see if I had been approved and they said I had. I then called GTS thinking I could schedule my surgery, haha. Angie then explained that she had to send my file to Dr. Slikkers for final approval and to Munson. About a week and a half later (1-28-15) she called me and gave me a date of 2-12-15. That gave me 2 weeks and 1 day until Surgery. I had to run into the GTS office the day I got my surgery date to get my Protein Powder. I don't have my pre-op appt. until Monday 2-2-15.

Yes I had to have an EGD and I don't remember a thing and I never had a sore throat. Slikkers was slick

I have Priority Health.

I am still not too sure about my total out of pocket expenses because I have an HRA that is set up kinda silly. At the moment I have been told that I will owe approx. $2,400 at my pre-op appointment.

That's $229 left from my scope that hadn't been billed to me yet, $45 co-pay for the appointment, $10 for a surgical book, $1100 left for my deductible, $1000 for my surgical co-payment, and $50 for my last 2 Protein powders for pre-op diet. My max. out of pocket for my insurance is $3000 so I will end up paying that between Munson and GTS.

I hope that answered everything!!! Good luck! GTS is very efficient

lol it does sound a little dirty, but that's what makes it fun!. lol...

WoW Feb 12nd! that's awesome...

Have you enjoyed your experience with GTS?

Do you mind sharing how long it took to get through the process.

Did you have to do a EGD?

Insurance carrier?

out of pocket expense?

How long it took you to get approved?

How you found out you were approved

If you can't tell, the anticipation is killing me... hahah

Myself. My paperwork was hopefully submitted Monday or Tuesday.. So I'm still waiting. I was hoping I'd be sleeved in February... but, only time will tell. They haven't talked to me about cost. I'm just wondering if that's normal.

[Grrrrrrr really? 20]

Woo-hoo! Locals!

I am in Traverse City and and being sleeved by Slikkers (sounds dirty doesn't it? haha) on 2-12-15.

Good luck MissMae! Youll be a few days ahead of me. I will keep you in my prayers!

[AhnaLucille 57]

thank you @@MissMae for all the information.. that was extremely helpful. I had no idea we had to buy a surgical book. so I can add that to my list of expenses. That's great you are having such an amazing experience with GTS.

Good Luck at your pre-op and if you don't mind sharing, I'd love to know what happens at a pre=op appointment.

You're gonna be sleeved by Slikkers in 11 days! How exciting!!

[AhnaLucille 57]

@@MissMae how did your pre-op go?

[MissMae 2]

@@MissMae how did your pre-op go?

The pre-op appointment was good. Paid a whole lot of money, got a body wash to use 3 times before surgery, and then went over specifics for before and after surgery- no bowel cleanse or catheter, woo hoo! My aunt had a sleeve done a little over a year ago and the day before surgery she had to do a bowel cleanse and during surgery she had a catheter. Yikes.

The pre-op diet is a challenge but not because I want to eat other things. I'm more concerned with making sure I eat the right things and enough Protein. I am a vegetarian so it has been a little trickier. I almost feel like it would be easier to just do 2 drinks as Meal Replacements and then one high protein meal for dinner. Every surgeon is different.

[AhnaLucille 57]

I was never notified you replied to this...

I really dislike those body washes, they dry me out so bad...... I hope I'm that lucky because I really don't want to do the bowel cleanse or the catheter. I think as long as you are getting the recommended Protein. I don't think it would be a problem to drink 2 extra drinks to replaced 2 meals. they probably have 3 meals so we are less likely to fail the pre-op.. I find it to be hard to only drink shakes.. and then smell food at dinner time. Takes a lot of control to eat right.

You've been on pre-op for a week now? how is it doing. what did you end up doing to reach your Protein goal?

[AhnaLucille 57]

On 2-17-15 I got my surgery date. I guess Dr. Kam isn't doing any gastric surgeries in March.. So first available date 4-21-15. I figured with everything done in January, I'd have the surgery in February.. March the latest... It was an up and down roller-coaster phone call. I did get re-excited when she said "April 1st" then was like "oh wait, nope" then back to sad face. lol ..

It stings a little when you see ppl posting on the fb page how they just got their date for March, and you got your over 2 weeks ago. and way farther out.

My emotions are all over the place. I'm bummed to wait so long, Happy I'm having it, also grateful I have time to get all my ducks in a row. so, its a constant circle of blue and happy.... But I am ready to have it done with. I'm ready to move on to the next phase. See how I handle post op day 1... I really can't to be at the "before and after" Phase.

..But now I am in the waiting phase.. And right now I am at my day 48 before surgery countdown.

I would like to hear how everyone is doing. Anyone want to share?

[AliciaM 37]

Hello Michiganders ????????????

My story

I'm ally I had my sleeve done on Jan 7,2014 ... In Tijuana MX with Dr Lopez ...everything was great amazing doctors and brand new hospital

I'm 5'7"

Before surgery I was 217 lbs

Now 153 lbs

I'm doing great ... Feel great and I wear my daughters clothes

This is amazing!!!