Bunch of questions

[Adrianabelle 4]

Hello I'm new here. I started the process for my surgery in early June. I have lots of questions if anyone has answers.

1) My insurance requires a 6 month diet. I just had a baby this past December. I'm a diabetic so I had to follow a strict diet my while pregnancy. I saw my endo once a month. My question is, do you think this will count as my 6 months or will I need to start over?

2) After my baby was born I ballooned in weight and it hasn't stopped. I've gained 60 lbs since then. I want to stop gaining and hopefully lose before my surgery. What kind of diets did people follow pre-op? (Not the 2 week liver shrink one)

3) After your insurance approved the surgery how long did it take for you to get the operation?

4) Last one! I'll need to pay 30% of the surgery plus my deductible. I'm getting the RNY. How much was your surgery cost (before insurance)? Did you need to pay it all upfront? And how did you afford the part insurance won't pay?

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for anyone who answers!!!

[mamachef82 7]

I'm still preop- but I've met all my insurance's requirements and now just have to get cleared for surgery by the psychologist, pulmonary specialist, nutritionist and physical therapist. Once the surgeon puts in the request for final approval from the insurance company, they say they make the decision in 2 weeks.

My insurance only required me to talk with my doctor 3 times and get weighed- that was considered the 6 month medically supervised diet. No weight loss required. I also had to talk to a case worker with the insurance company's bariatric program every month. Once I completed the six months, I was referred on to the surgeon.

I was in a situation a similar to yours- I had a baby and gained 40 pounds pretty quickly after he was born.

I realized pretty early on in the six month "program" that I had developed so many habits to reinforce my dependency on food. I'm a chef by profession and used every excuse to eat and graze throughout the day, and never really have a meal, but ate nonstop after getting home from work.

Now I have Breakfast lunch and dinner, and track every single bite with My Fitness Pal. Even when I go 1,500 calories over my goal, I still track it. Who else am I lying to besides myself when I don't track everything?

I'm trying to do everything I can to form better habits before the surgery so it's not so hard afterwards when I'm already struggling with my limited food choices.

I see it as being nice to future me. Be proud of every good thing you do, and actively make good choices to reinforce that positive self talk. And most importantly, everything takes time.

My surgeon requires Full payment of the copay before surgery.

Edited August 20, 2015 by mamachef82

[Adrianabelle 4]

I've always been overweight. Afterglow first was born I gained 50 lbs. Then another 60 with this one. The sad part is a month after my second was born I was 209 lbs. Then I just skyrocket up. I'm still depressed about this. Thanks for your reply.

[mamachef82 7]

I was 310 after I had my second and shot up to 355 before I went back to work and have gotten down to 337 now with a couple of months of tracking my food every day and getting my 10,000 steps every day. I'm not perfect, but I'm better and more capable than I was a year ago. good luck!!

[Adrianabelle 4]

You too!!

[Jessica Ellison-Correa 66]

im still pre-op but as far as diet for insurance requirements my nut put me on high Protein low carb low fat. no soda no juice. no drinking before during or after meals i have 6 nutritional classes that i have to go to and i need my psych eval then i will be cleared hope this helps

[Djmohr 6,965]

hi there and welcome! I am glad you are taking steps now to get healthy!

My weight also came on after my second child. I gained 60lbs in that pregnancy and never lost it after. I just keep gaining. Unfortunately I waited another 32 years to do something about it.

I will do my best to answer your questions.

1) My insurance requires a 6 month diet. I just had a baby this past December. I'm a diabetic so I had to follow a strict diet my while pregnancy. I saw my endo once a month. My question is, do you think this will count as my 6 months or will I need to start over?

My insurance company was pretty strict about the 6 month supervised diet. They had a specific form that had to be completed by a physician or nutritionist. I did not have to lose weight. I started the process at the end of December and had surgery at the end of September.

The good news is I was able to begin building good habits during that time in preparation for post surgery.

2) After my baby was born I ballooned in weight and it hasn't stopped. I've gained 60 lbs since then. I want to stop gaining and hopefully lose before my surgery. What kind of diets did people follow pre-op? (Not the 2 week liver shrink one)

I used a high Protein low carb diet. I started drinking 64 oz. of Water immediately. No alcohol, soda or sugary drinks. No caffeine. For me this was fairly easy as I didn't drink, smoke, drink soda or caffeine. The biggest change was getting my liquids in. Sounds easy, it is not if you normally don't do it. So many times hunger pangs are actually signs of dehydration.

3) After your insurance approved the surgery how long did it take for you to get the operation?

I got my approval back the same day it was submitted. I was in the operating room 3 weeks later.

4) Last one! I'll need to pay 30% of the surgery plus my deductible. I'm getting the RNY. How much was your surgery cost (before insurance)? Did you need to pay it all upfront? And how did you afford the part insurance won't pay?

I had met my $6000 deductible prior to my surgery so I cannot help you with this one. I had so many medical issues that just my meds alone helped to meet this.

This is what happens when you wait too long to lose weight and get healthy. I went from 8 very expensive medications to 2.

I wish you all the best moving forward and I truly am thrilled that you are doing something about it while you are young and hopefully before you do damage to your body. We only get one body, and I have learned the hard way that you must take care of it.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

1) My insurance requires a 6 month diet. I just had a baby this past December. I'm a diabetic so I had to follow a strict diet my while pregnancy. I saw my endo once a month. My question is, do you think this will count as my 6 months or will I need to start over?

That really depends on your insurance company. Just based on the fact that most of them are unreasonable and strict, I would say plan for another 6 months of a supervised diet and if it turns out you are wrong, then you can be surprised and happy. Your surgeon's insurance coordinator should be able to give you more definitive guidance.

2) After my baby was born I ballooned in weight and it hasn't stopped. I've gained 60 lbs since then. I want to stop gaining and hopefully lose before my surgery. What kind of diets did people follow pre-op? (Not the 2 week liver shrink one)

High Protein, low carb, track EVERYTHING on MFP, no drinking calories.

3) After your insurance approved the surgery how long did it take for you to get the operation?

I had to wait three weeks for my surgeon to have an available slot.

4) Last one! I'll need to pay 30% of the surgery plus my deductible. I'm getting the RNY. How much was your surgery cost (before insurance)? Did you need to pay it all upfront? And how did you afford the part insurance won't pay?

I had the sleeve so I doubt the costs are similar. And I vaguely remember looking at the total pre-surgery cost but didn't retain what it was, so I really can't help there. With all my co-pays, deductibles, uncovered parts, etc. mine came to about $3,000 out of pocket, and I paid about half before and half after. I scrimped and saved for it and also put about half on a credit card.

[Sajijoma 1,324]

I'm still pre op but I got lucky in that my insurance allows for a 90 day total program if done at a center of excellence in lieu of the 6 months supervised diet. So I see a NUT 3x over the 90 days. They won't count any of the time I was under a supervised diet for gestational diabetes last year though, because it wasn't a Weightloss plan. They are looking for your ability to stick to a diet plan and follow the instructions as well as lose weight to prove that it's worth their costs to approve the surgery. If you don't lose or gain weight instead during the supervised diet, they won't approve for surgery and you have to start over. It's ashamed because I had several months of supervised diet regime when I was pregnant that I can't use. The good news is that my NUT hasn't given me anything nearly as painful or hard to maintain as the gestational diabetes diet was. Just little changes here and there and suggestions on how to make it a little better each time. She's more focused on preparing for life after surgery. I've already lost 22lbs with her help so I'm happy. Just 20 grams or more of Protein first, veggies second,high quality carbs next, and limit sweets to once a week(for now). Then I walk for exercise every day and do floor exercise and resistance bands 5x a week(my choice she wanted 3-5 mins of exercise 3-4 days a week). This week she took my drink with meals away and each bite has to be the size of a postage stamp and I have to time 1-2 mins between each bite with the fork down and mouth empty. Each meal has to be done between 20-30 mins. It's a big adjustment, but last night I ran out of time and saved myself from eating about half my dinner. LOL I was hungry, but the idea of timing each bite of a snack later on didn't appeal so I went for an extra walk til I no longer cared.

[Adrianabelle 4]

Thanks for all the answers so far! They have been a big help!