goregalore

I haven't had the bypass revision but I am waiting for my insurance approval for it. So I'll give you all the info I have from all my pre-ops and such. I also wanted to mention I had decided on a band to sleeve revision since beginning of last December but after my esophageal manomtry test came back, my surgeon recommends the bypass. A. Do I have to jump through all the hoops again with the psychologist, nutritionist etc. if I do this? I want to move quickly if I do this. I switched surgeons from the one who did my lap band in 2010 because he doesn't do revisions and I did have to see the nutritionist and psychologist again. I knocked out both appointments in about an hour in the same building so it was no big deal. I had to go through a ton of pre-op tests I didn't have to do for the lap band but it could be surgeon specific. B. Having just had 2 surgeries in October do I have to get all new blood work etc? From what I understand and have been told, bloodwork lasts 30 days... So I would say yes to more bloodwork. C. Do most bypass patients spend 2 night in the hospital My husband spent 1 night total and my surgeon told me to expect 2-3 nights total because I'm a revision and recovery can be harder. D. In revision, how long did you have to do all liquids? My surgeon requires a 3 day pre-op liquid diet and 1 week clear liquids, 1 week full liquids, 2 weeks pureed. He said by 5 weeks out, I should be on solids no problem. E. Post-op....how long liquids until puree's then finally solids? See above. That's all I can really answer. Hope it helps some!

Thanks for your input! Fortunately I didn't have to do any of that.

Hey guys, been lurking on the boards for a couple years and I'm looking for some info. Quick rundown... Banded 2010 with BCBS, required me to do NUT/psych, doctor letter, and information seminar. Lost 25lbs, got fills monthly for 2 years...nothing. Surgeon said I developed an "intolerance" to the band. Okay? So I got a complete unfill in 2012... fast forward 2 years later and I'm still having vomiting issues and things get "stuck" frequently, my BMI is over 40. Talked to my surgeon on Dec 1st about a revision, which he doesn't do, so I was referred to another surgeon. Have an appointment pending for new surgeon but in the mean time, I checked BCBS revision requirements and it must have changed since I looked into it 2 months ago. Now it says: "The individual must have serially documented active participation in a non-surgical weight reduction regimen for at least 6 continuous months, in the 2 years prior to surgery, to enable both behavioral changes and adequate assessment of anticipated postoperative dietary maintenance. These efforts must be fully appraised and documented by the physician requesting authorization for surgery" What exactly does this mean? I have records from like MyFitnessPal, MapMyRun, a Couch-2-5k app, my surgeon's records of weights and fills from 2010-2012... but I haven't seen a PCP regularly for several years. Would any of these personal records count? Or am I going to have to do a 6 month PCP diet? I'd like to go into the appointment with documentation if I have it available. Thanks for any info you guys have!

I went into my consult with about 20 pages of past weigh ins, graphs, and whatnot from my own personal apps and MyFitnessPal, etc. They didn't even want to see them... I just verbally went over the diets and exercise regimens I had previously tried, the gym memberships I've had, the 2 years of fills I had with my Lapband, and they said I was set and that's all the insurance really requires. I do, unfortunately, have to go through several pre-op tests other than the normal psych/NUT visit which I knocked out the same day (esophageal manometry, EGD, upper GI, chest x-ray, EKG, thyroid-specific blood tests... I think that's it, lol.) But I think that's surgeon specific and because I'm a revision. Keep me updated with your journies, ladies!

I actually had my first consult last Wednesday. The six consecutive month non-surgical weight attempt was actually taken care of between my psych evaluation and my chat with the nutritionist. I discussed and they documented the different "fad" diets and weight loss attempts I've tried and failed at and that, apparently, is good enough to satisfy the insurance requirements. I do have to go through many pre-op tests but I believe that's because I'm band to sleeve revision. Good luck both of you!