jtickle

I am not a big sweet eater, but ever since I was told to replace two meals with protein shakes starting Monday. I have been eating sweets like crazy. Mainly cookies. Has anyone else been through something similar? Did you have a last meal? I said goodbye to the unhealthy stuff by eating some shrimp and grits.

I have UHC Choice Plus. They take their sweet time on everything. I just recently had back surgery, it took almost 3 weeks for them to approve it. When I found out they had not approved it yet, I was on the phone with their clinical specialist department everyday. They ended up putting a rush on my case. I plan on doing to the same when my wls paperwork is submitted too. They were even nice enough to call me when my case was approved.

Yes it sucks royally!!! They already put me on the preop diet and my surgery hasn't been approved yet. I'm only allowed to have two protein shakes and a healthy meal a day. If I get hungry it's another protein shake. I understand that they need my liver to shrink, but now I want to eat everything. However I am doing pretty good aside from being cranky. I started my diet on the 10th and tonight was the first time I cheated. It was either eat out or starve. Tomorrow is a new day and I will start a new. I guess I will be on this diet until surgery, I don't see the doctor again until April 7th. I know its hard road ahead, but I know I can do it. Good luck to everyone conquering their preop diets.

Try GNC. I haven't found a protein shake that is tasty either, matter of fact syntrax shakes made me sick as a dog. Anyway, I get unflavored protein powder from GNC and you can't taste it at all. I have also tried their GNC Go lean already prepared shakes in the banana cream flavor and it's pretty good. It didn't have that vitamin taste to it. I wish you all well with your weight loss journeys.

It's going pretty good. I cheated tonight, cause my hubby got off work really late. I know that's no excuse, but I am human. Tomorrow will be a new day and I can start the process again. The last time I weighed I had lost ten pounds. I don't want to become obsessed with the scale, so I try to stay off it. I go back to see the doctor and dietitian on the 7th of April. I will be happy if I just lost a couple of pounds. A little is better than none. I have learned that this process isn't going to be easy. I have issues with "head hunger". Plus I think I have eat when I am bored. I can get thru this though. I know I'm not alone in this battle. How are you doing?

I didn't have a psych evaluation. My personal psychiatrist wrote the surgeon a letter stating that I am stable and can make my own decisions about surgery. If you are seeing a mental health professional, ask the surgeons office if you can get a letter from them. It will save you money and time. I am glad I did that, I didn't have to take the test or see their psychologist.

My preop diet consists of the week before surgery, I have two protein shakes and a lean cuisine, smart one, or healthy choice for dinner. Clear liquids the day before surgery. The doctor already has me the two protein shakes and a healthy dinner, so the preop week shouldn't be to bad.

I don't know how its going to affect your approval. I just wanted to say congrats on your good numbers. Mine aren't so good, but I am working on them, cholesterol 225 and triglycerides 443.

I want to tell my best friend so much that I am having the surgery. However, the last time I brought it up she got mad at me cause she is not able to do it. She is heavy too. My secret is easy to keep though, she moved to Mississippi and I live in Arkansas. It seems lately all she wants to talk about is food and going out to eat. I can't tell her I have turned into a food nazi. I actually started my preop diet on Monday 3/10 and I have lost 10 pounds already. I have my next appointment on the 7th of April and then I will be submitted to insurance. Hoping for a May surgery.

Well, my food funerals are over, I had to start my preop diet. I started it on 3/10 and have already lost 7 pounds. Good luck to everyone on their preop diets.

I just started my preop diet on Monday. Two protein shakes and one meal a day, off the grocery list the dietitian gave me. I have lost 7 pounds since Monday. I don't have specific amount to lose, I am not required to do a 6 month diet thru UHC. I don't see the doctor again until April 7th.

Thanks for the information. I will check it out.

I had a similar issue. I ended up getting my requirements in writing from UHC. That way everyone knows what is needed.

My insurance doesn't require the 6 month diet, but the surgeon was glad about that he likes to keep people on the fast track. I have to lose 16 pounds before surgery. I started my new diet which consists of two protein shakes and one meal a day. Also known as liver shrink diet. I started it Monday and have already lost 7 pounds.

I haven't submitted to the insurance yet. However, I did have a minor back surgery recently which covered my deductible and out of pocket maximum. I shouldn't have to pay anything to the surgeon or hospital for my RNY if I get approved. Don't see why I wouldn't get approved, I have a whole host of co-morbidities and my bmi is 45.

The dates are probably not set in stone. I just recently had back surgery, my insurance company needed a date of service before they could approve me. The doctor's office told them feb 18 and i actually had my surgery on the 20.

If you already see a psychiatrist check with your surgeons office about getting a letter from him or her stating that your are mentally fit to make decisions about surgery yourself. I did this and I don't have to do psych evaluation at all. I thought I would suggest this. If you don't, good luck!! Hoping everything goes well for you.

I have Medicare, you have to jump thru hoops with them just like regular insurance. They require the 6 month diet, bariatric center of excellence and so on. My husband's insurance doesn't have any requirements, so I am not even going to use my Medicare.

I don't know how the hospital you are going to works, but the one I have had several surgeries at sends people without insurance to a financial counselor to make arrangements of some kind. My mom is the financial counselor. They will ask for quite a sum of money since people without coverage are higher risk. Does your surgeon have privileges at more than one hospital? For example, the surgeons at the weight loss surgery center I go to use three different hospitals. Another option is to check with your insurance. My insurance covers an in network and out of network hospital for bariatric surgery. Good luck with your journey!!

I have severe bipolar disorder. If I was not stable, I would have manic episodes from hell. I'm talking about staying awake for 8 days, hallucinations and not eating at all. Fortunately I have not been like that in yrs. My psychiatrist actually wrote my surgeon a letter stating that I can make decisions on WLS myself. The doctor accepted that as my psych evaluation. Which made me very happy. I saved money and I didn't have to take a 400 question test that proves nothing.

I also have UHC. Fortunately for me, my husband's employer choice of requirements was rather lax. My only requirements are be over 18, bmi over 40, and bariatric center of excellence. My surgeon can be either in or out of network. I can only have one bariatric surgery per lifetime and I get 10000 for travel and lodging if need be. Luckily I live 5 miles from the surgeon's office. I also don't have to do the 6 months of nurse counseling sessions thru optum . Good luck on your weight loss journeys.

Still have to do my EGD. Didn't have a 6 month diet. No psych evaluation, thanks to my psychiatrist writing a letter to the surgeon. That will save some time and money. Hoping for surgery in late May or early June. My next appointment is April 7. Good luck to everyone!!!

I just started out myself. All I have left is the EGD. Hoping for a May surgery. Just wanted to wish you luck!!

I was diagnosed in 2009 after a severe manic episode. I also have PTSD, OCD and anxiety. My psychiatrist wrote a letter to my surgeon stating that I can make my own decisions about surgery and it would likely improve my mental state. My bipolar is well under control. The surgeons office accepted that as my psych eval. Which made me very happy. I don't want to spend the money on their psychologist or take take that 400 question test.

I can relate with the members that are embarrassed to go to your hubby's work and meet the people he works with. I always feel so ashamed. I always think they wonder how he could be with someone that is that overweight. It makes me cry just thinking about it. It took me eight years to him how much I weighed. I do weigh more than him but just by a few pounds, but that is to much. I can't wait to get on with my new life.