male only 3 more months?

[Dub 9,922]

I can't really add much here that already hasn't been said about the pre-op hurdles.

I grew really frustrated with them ultimately gave up on my insurance and self-funded the surgery. This cut through all the BS and I only had to wait a couple more weeks.

I was in a hurry to get the weight off to take stress off a herniated disc and for other health reasons.

Looking back....my only regret was not doing all this sooner.

Inquire about your bariatric center's self pay options. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you find out.

I approached the whole experience with one thought in mind....my goal was to lose weight....not just lay around and wait for the surgery to do it for me.

I was able to get 55 lbs off before surgery. I should have tried harder.

I got hung up with having "food funerals" savoring things for the "last time". I initially thought I was going to have a gastric bypass and the thought of the dumping syndrome fueled my desire to enjoy sugary junk food too much when I should have been losing more than that first 55 lbs.

Ironically, I went on to have a sleeve....not a bypass. I could still have all that sugary junk food right now without any dumping so all those food funerals were simply stupid wasted opportunities to lose.....lose.....lose.

I have no desire to eat that crap though and am very pleased with the sleeve. All the scary issues I had brewing have been resolved and the minor stuff is slowly easing off. I can't stress how much better I feel every single minute of every single day.

I congratulate you on making the weight loss surgery decision. It took me over a decade to get behind it. Once I did....I fully embraced it and my life is better for doing so.

The surgery requires you to change your way of thinking. This is key to your success.

The first thing you have to do is change your relationship with food. Sounds like a bunch of hokey bs, right ?.......it's 100% true, though. No surgery can benefit you if you don't fix your head first.

Get your thinking straightened out and everything else will unfold with ease as you march toward your surgery date and life beyond.

You have to eat in order to fuel your body.

You don't have to eat for any other reason.

Use the time ahead of you to get your mind wrapped around that concept.

If you stick with insurance funding the surgery then I highly encourage you to have frequent check ins with your insurance companies bariatric admins. Make them tell you what you need to do and make sure they receive all the documentation required.

You may also be able to get credit for some of the 6 month if you can get your doctor to document you were counseled on you weight at various office visits over the past 2 years. Ask the admin and see. It sure can't hurt.

Good luck and push yourself hard.

[Dallas78 1]

Just my two cents....

My insurance required a 6-month program also, including monitored nutrition, endoscopy, sleep study, and psych eval. I was irritated when I found out the requirements, but at 3 months post surgery, I'm very grateful for the time. It allowed me time to get my head straight, make sure I was choosing the right procedure, and really assess the impact to my life.

It's a really serious surgery and a major change to your lifestyle. I'm very pleased with my results, and have had a great experience. However, I'm not sure my experience would have been the same without the time to prepare and meet with the surgical team multiple times

Just my opinion...can take it for what it's worth.

Good luck!


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[Walter.Sobchak 978]

Just my two cents....

My insurance required a 6-month program also, including monitored nutrition, endoscopy, sleep study, and psych eval. I was irritated when I found out the requirements, but at 3 months post surgery, I'm very grateful for the time. It allowed me time to get my head straight, make sure I was choosing the right procedure, and really assess the impact to my life.

It's a really serious surgery and a major change to your lifestyle. I'm very pleased with my results, and have had a great experience. However, I'm not sure my experience would have been the same without the time to prepare and meet with the surgical team multiple times

Just my opinion...can take it for what it's worth.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My insurance requires the same.
I too was annoyed with the waiting period and requirements.
My surgery will not be until August at the earliest.
I keep going back and forth.
I am scared, but I also need to get the weight off.
I need to lose close to 200 pounds.
I am 38 years old and have been over 300 pounds for about 10 years.
I have been over 400 pounds for about 5 years now.

[sally r 0]

I also had to do a six month medical weight loss program before my insurance would approve me for surgery. Originally I was not happy with the wait but now I am glad they required it. The time went really fast. I am having surgery on March 23. Having to wait gave me much more time to get prepared for this. I met with the dietician several times and she gave me a check list of things to do to prepare. I am glad I had the time to gradually get off of caffeine and carbonation. Use the time wisely and you will be more successful because of it.

[Ignatius 110]

My insurance also required six months. I attended a surgical seminar in early February and underwent surgery October 31. The process demanded a bazillion appointments and documents. And it was 100% worth it.

[Walter.Sobchak 978]

Same here.
I have to do six months of working with dietician.
Monthly weigh ins.
Monthly office visits.
Psyche evaluation.
Lots of hoops to jump through.
Surgery won't be until August at the earliest.

[defibvt 348]

I will not brag, but my surgery cost me $4400 and a plane ticket to and from San Diego. I am unfortunate to work for a hospital that performs bariatric surgery, is a Bariatric Center of Excellence, and forces employees to undergo biometric screenings, and based on those result, force unhealthy, overweight employees to pay more in insurance, but DOES NOT COVER BARIATRIC SURGERY (it is specifically written into the insurance plan). My sister, who had her surgery about 6 months before I decided, put me in touch with this site, and the Mexican surgery forum. I found my surgeon, after careful consideration and from January 2015 (from finding out my insurance didn't cover it) to my surgery on March 2, 2015, is all the only waiting I had to do. I did inform my PCP and he was okay with it and agreed to do my follow up. Now 2 years later, no regret... just wish I would have done this earlier.