dandylion_23

I had my DS on the 1st. Not going great at the moment.

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My date with the doc is set for December 1st! I'm so excited!

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I have completed everything and waiting on a surgery date. This will make week 3 the first week nurse was on vacation. I don't want to become a stalker but I'm excited and anxious. I have been trying to get this done for 2 years now and I have finally made it this far. I know I should be patient and try to get my mind off of it, but I'm stalking my phone like a teenager lol.

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I am currently waiting to be scheduled for surgery. Should get the call next week for a date! I'm really nervous! Why the drain tube? Yes, I know I should just research this but quite frankly, research just scares me! And why staples? I had a c section 18mo ago and they used the glue and steri strips. No staples and that's a huge incision compared to the one's for a DS. Those 2 things scare the crap outta me probably more than the surgery itself. Silly! I attend support groups and just about everyone who had the sleeve wishes they could have gotten the DS. Is the Protein and Vitamins hard to get down? I've been told that pure Protein Shakes are the best. And have heard mixed things about the chewable vitamins. Any feedback is appreciated!

I called them again just now and she said I'm on the list to be called next week to get a date. She said she'd tell Julie, the scheduler that I called. Maybe they will just call me today to get me to quit calling! I can't be the only PITA though!

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I called them and she said once you are in the scheduling block it takes 3 to 5 business days to get a call. So hopefully I'll have a date by Friday. If not, I will call first thing Monday morning and demand to talk to the scheduler.

My surgeon is Dr. Cottam in SLC, UT. The system they use sucks! I have been in the scheduling block for 2 days now and still haven't gotten a call to schedule surgery. I want to call them sooo bad to see if I can get scheduled. I'm afraid that if I call it will irritate them and get pushed further back. I've heard of this happening or rather it's the accusation that some have. I don't know if it's worth taking the risk to call. Has anyone else used them?

I have hired my photographer, whom I trust completely to take my pics with clothes on and off/bra & panties of course...before surgery and then after every month for 6 months. I will also use my phone for weekly pics which my husband or daughter will take. I have a massive amount of clothes from the last 10yrs that as I fit back into I'll take a pic in my favorite jeans of that size and then get rid of them as they get too big. I'm excited for my photographer to capture my journey. It will be emotional and fun I think. Gotta search for bra and panties every month though. Trying to figure out if I should go with the same style and color every time. The people in my support group love the idea and wish they had done it this way.

I will get my DS this summer sometime and the biggest thing I'm looking forward to is going back home to visit my friends and family who I have not seen in 3yrs. I don't post full body shots of myself on social media. I'm excited to be able to post full body shots without feeling embarrassed. I love exercising but the "gym rats" here stare at me. Will be nice to fit in! Looking forward to buying new panties too!

A full sleeve can't be performed with a Nissen so they have to go under the wrap to do it if the wrap is left in place. He said he could undo the wrap to do the full sleeve which is what is usually done with Nissen patients but he said he'd rather just leave it alone because it's not causing problems. He said usually people who get the sleeve end up with GERD and this way we will just prevent it all together since I never had GERD before. I'm just going to trust him because the research I have done has so far proved him right. I truly didn't want to believe him because I was set on the sleeve.

I'm going to go ahead with the DS because I understand what he's saying. He says it's wrong to undo something that isn't causing harm and thinks I'll be even more successful with this. When you have your mind set on something and have researched the heck out of it, it's hard to have to change your mind. I've been researching the DS all morning.

I had that problem for 4 yrs without being able to find out what was wrong. I had multiple tests done that no 30yr old should have to do. I was in constant pain and sick with what seemed like the flu for 4yrs straight.

I didn't have it to begin with. I had a hole in my diaphragm and my stomach was slipping up into that hole and twisting cutting off all blood flow to my stomach. (Form of hiatial hernia). When my stomach would come back down it stretched more and more causing what appeared to be an extra stomach. My surgeon didn't know that until getting in there. He said he wanted to cut that part out but was afraid the insurance would see it as a partial bs and decline the claim so he used it as a wrap. My surgery was very complicated and took about 5 hrs to do.

I had my first consult with the Dr today and because of a previous Nissen Fundoplication I had 2 yrs ago, I can only have the Duodenal Switch (DS). I'm feeling very nervous about this change in my plan.

Tomorrow is my first appointment with the Dr. What are some good questions to ask? I am so nervous I can't even think right now!

We have looked online and in our book and it is outlined that the cover bariatric surgery and needs to be submitted for pre approval. When talking to 6 different people on the phone with insurance they have all said the same thing. My husband talked to a supervisor. Our insurance is BCBS.

The insurance says it says absolutely nothing...just that they cover it. We've talked to several people within the insurance company and they all say the same thing.

My Dr tried telling me I need the 6 month weigh ins and that I actually had to prove I could lose weight which seems weird but my nurse sad last yr that was the case but our insurance has changed that about the wls and have changed that. Next yr ppo isn't offered so it will change again. I'm hoping his office doesn't drag this out because on the insurance side it's apparently really quick.

How long has this process been for you so far?

Found it! I am still waiting for my first appt because I'm in Nevada and he comes here once a month. I don't have to deal with his staff there much but what staff I have dealt with are very rude. I mostly talk to his nurse here who is absolutely amazing and has had the sleeve too.

Who is your surgeon? I'm curious! I'm going to Dr. Cottam in SLC.

You folks are all amazing!

It could be that easy. My process was 4mths from initial consult. I went to an informational seminar the end of April. Had my initial consult in May, surgery in September. Of course there was the various testing and I had monthly meetings with my surgical team, but it was fairly simple. Not all insurances require medically supervise diets. In the end the process for most of us is a combination of program requirements and insurance requirements. However if you know for sure you want the sleeve, I would specifically ask if insurance covers vertical gastrectomy. Some insurance cover bypass and lapband but not sleeve and I would hate to go through all that pre-op testing only to be told that at the end my option are those 2 only when my heart was set on the sleeve.

I only have to do a liquid diet the last 12 days before to get ready. My doctor somehow gets by the 6 months. And is making 4 months. My start date is April 1st and end supposed will be in August. They say it's because if how they schedule all of it. I had 3 appointments my first visit actually.

The guy my husband talked to read from our benefits and it says our plan covers bariatric surgery and has to be submitted for pre auth. We have our book as well and I've read it from cover to cover and there is just the 1 section on weight loss. It will not pay for weight management programs but covers bariatric surgery and has to be submitted for pre auth. Same thing he said. Is it possible it's that easy? We do have amazing insurance. I just find it hard to believe it could be so simple. I have hope being I've seen others posts.