Timeframe - from decision to have surgery to getting surgery

[flipper72 36]

I've decided to have weight loss surgery. What happens next? Do I have to undergo anything extension before getting surgery.....or do I just meet with the doctors and set up an appointment?

[maggie409 765]

Are you self-pay or insurance pay? If you are self-pay you pick a doctor and they do blood work and a few other tests, some to require a psych eval, but not all. Then schedule your surgery. If you are insurance it depends on your insurance company. I am self-pay with no morbidity issues and I decided to do this the first of May and I am scheduled for June 15th.

[mclorrie 219]

Welcome!

When I decided to have WLS, I received a referral from my PCP. I had to attend a weight loss seminar at my surgeon's clinic. Afterwards they scheduled an appt. for me to meet with my surgeon. My insurance required a six month doctor supervised weight loss program and a psych evaluation before they would approve me. And my surgeon had a list of requirements that I had to complete - which included cardiac clearance, two psych evaluations, last five years of weight loss history, among a few other things.

Best advice I could give you is to consult with your primary care physician to see if they can provide you with a referral or call a weight loss clinic to see what your first step would be to start your journey. You may also want to check with your insurance provider to see if they could recommend a surgeon.

If you're self pay - I don't know too much about how to find a surgeon in Mexico, but I'm sure that someone who's done it can provide you with good information on how to proceed. Good luck!

[Jewelgirl04 106]

It's very dependent on your insurance in the event you don't self-pay. (I have United Healthcare, which covered me 100%). As part of my six month waiting period, I had to partake in supervised a nutrition plan, undergo a psychological evaluation, have tests run by a cardiologist and pulminologist, under go an endoscopy, and have pre-op blood work. It can be a long wait from an emotional perspective, but it was worth the wait!

My advice is to knock out the cardiologist, psychologist, and pulminologist visits early on and the endoscopy at least six weeks before your surgery date. That way, you don't have to worry or scramble to get them in.

You may also only have to wait 3 months per your insurance company. It's dependent on their policy.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I was self-pay, so I had to go to a informational conference led by the hospital, which was on 8/22. I had two doctor's appointments, and one appointment with a nutritionist, and they rolled me into the ER on 9/9/13. If you're self pay it's fast, if you're insurance, it is a giant hassle.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

I am retired, using BCBS Federal Employee insurance. I had to provide a two year medical history, which highlighted all efforts to monitor and/or control my weight, and a list of all of the weight loss measures and diets I have tried. I had to have bloodwork, EKG, liver ultrasound, an EDG to see if I had any stomach ulcers, a list of any co-morbidities related to being obese, and a BMI over 40.

In addition to that I had to have a three month supervised diet with a nutritionist, and a psych evaluation. Once all of that was met, the info was submitted to the insurance, and I was approved in two days. From that point, my sleeve surgery was scheduled and I had my sleeve about two weeks later. All-in-all, from my first visit to the bariatric clinic, the process took from mid-August to late December.

[twittymilk 51]

Exactly 6 months. First appt with surgeon on 11/18 my insurance Aetna requires 3 months so tentative surgery was discussed for March. Well my PCP, my surgeon and me all extremely busy so ended up delaying it an extra 2 months. Was just sleeved on 5/18.

[Kfohiotime4change 59]

Six months for me, too. Insurance required three months of nutrition/dietician classes (in a row) so from initial attendance at informational meeting in late November, through testing, met with surgeon, classes to now was six months. I scheduled my sleeve for June 8 (2 weeks) although I could have done it late May. Decided to finish school year before surgery! Hang in there...it seems like forever and the BOOM surgery date is right here!

[MrsRoboto 370]

My insurance requires a 3-month supervised diet, a psych eval, and a visit with a nutritionist.

However, my Bariatric program also requires an introductory seminar, a psych eval, two nutritionist visits, two physical therapy visits, a 5-week behavioral skills class, a pre-op support group, an endoscopy, an abdominal ultrasound, a chest x-ray, an ekg, and bloodwork.

So I decided I wanted the surgery in January, the earliest seminar was in February, I had my first weigh-in and visit with the nurse in March (that marked the beginning of my 3-month supervised diet) and I have my final weigh-in on June 15. After that I'll finally meet the surgeon and get my date, which will probably be in July. So it's quite a process!

Edited May 27, 2015 by MrsRoboto

[Kindle 8,667]

I had a very narrow window that I could take time off work for surgery. (I own my own business and Jan/feb is the only time of year I'm NOT working 60+ hours/week) so even though I was self pay it took almost a year, most of which was spent researching online, sending emails, asking questions, reviewing medical journals, and reading books.

February 2013 - decided to have WLS and spent day and night researching types of WLS

May -decided to have VSG, so more research, questions and interviews with surgeons both in the U.S. and Mexico

August/September - decided to have surgery with Dr. Ariel Ortiz at Obesity Control Center

October - booked surgery for January 2014

November - decided to incorporate surgery time off over the holidays so I I wouldn't have to miss so much work. rescheduled surgery for Christmas time.

December 20, 2013 - Surgery Day....only had to miss 3 days of work!

[jane13 2,256]

I researched and decided late October to do WLS. I talked to my hubby and we both went to seminar that the doctor has for information purposes and that night set up an appt to meet with him. The seminar was Nov 4th and the first appt was Nov 11th (Veterans Day). They set up both chest xray & EKG to be done same day (I was off from work).

I then had to do three monthly classes and meet with Nut and see head doctor. I got irritated with them questioning my choice for lap-band and pushing the sleeve. The bariatric doctor said I was a good candidate for either. I was originally going to do the band for the lesser "down" time and to appease my adult daughter. She didn't want me to do anything permanent. I cancelled my class for December & February.

I continued to research to find out what I had missed about all of the complications and issues with the lap-band. I knew about all of it already and it made me question if the doctor just wasn't telling us everything at the seminar. He had told us about the erosion and slipping. It happens. I decided to start back and had my surgery three weeks ago. I messed up by cancelling because I had to wait about 6 weeks to get the 2nd and 3rd class done. I went with my original choice: sleeve.

I am thankful I backed off and did my research. If I hadn't stopped in December I would probably be closer to 3 months out, but I needed to be comfortable with my choice.

[flipper72 36]

I couldn't find this thread so I posted a new topic. but can anyone tell me What typically happens during the first meeting with the surgeon after you've already gone through the appointments with psych, nutrioinist and doc?

[mclorrie 219]

I couldn't find this thread so I posted a new topic. but can anyone tell me What typically happens during the first meeting with the surgeon after you've already gone through the appointments with psych, nutrioinist and doc?

I met with my surgeon on the very first appointment. We talked about surgery at length and she wanted to make sure that I knew exactly this is what I wanted. I won't talk to her again until my pre-op. I know this is not the case for several, as every doctor is different.