KDM74

Why are you so against bypass? Just asking because i was also dead set on getting the sleeve. For a year and a half that is what i planned on, even through all my preop appointments. And then I met with my surgeon and he told me I had reflux and the sleeve would likely make it worse. I changed my mind and am having my bypass on Monday, purely for the fact that I am having this surgery to help, not hurt me. I was worried about having my intestines rerouted and dumping symdrome, but now I look at the positives, more research of long term outcomes, faster weight loss, and fear of dumping will help keep me accountable with my food choices. Luckily, insurance through my work covers everything and I will probably only have about $500 out of pocket. I just think that if you are able to get the surgery covered then perhaps it is time to change the way you think about bypass. Oops, didnt mean to post twice! Phone is being weird today!

I am right there with you! My surgery is Monday and I am dying for a super crunchy salad! I have also done gum and popsicles. I'm thinking of freezing some greek yogurt too. And ice chips. Crunchy ice chips. Argh!

If you call your insurance company, they can tell you if your plan even covers the surgeries at all, and what it will take to MAYBE get them covered. My insurance does cover all skin removal surgeries, however I have to supply documentation of debilitating infection or skin irritation from my PCP for 3-6 months (depending on the area) with photographs, and for my stomach, it also has to have caused a cellulitis infection that required antibiotics. And they won't even consider it until I am at least 6 months out from a stable weight. My bypass is on Monday so I am planning ahead. I am a medical coder, so here are the CPT codes for the most common procedures so you can ask specifically what is covered: 15830 - panniculectomy (this is NOT a tummy tuck, insurance will not cover TT because it is cosmetic. This is only for skin removal, not muscle tightening or changing belly button location) 15832 - thigh lift (inner thigh) 15833 - leg lift (lower leg) 15834 - hip lift (outer thigh/hip) 15835 - buttock lift 15836 - arm lift (upper arm) All of the "lifts" are actually termed "removal of excess skin" in the particular area. For a full lower body lift, your surgeon may combine several of the above procedures for billing. Your insurance may only cover the panniculectomy and not the butt lift, etc. For your purposes you would want to ask about 15832. They should also be able to tell you what the average price in your area is if they do not cover it. Good luck!

I was planning to have the sleeve, in fact I was set on it for over a year. After I had all my appointments, the upper GI scan showed that I have reflux, which I didn't know about. I thought I only got heartburn every once in a while. I discussed it with my doctor and he told me that the sleeve can make reflux worse, so bad in fact that he has several patients who chose to have the sleeve that are no getting revisions to bypass. Since the bypass pretty much cures reflux, I changed my mind. The bottom line is, I am having this surgery to help fix problems, not create new ones, and with that in mind the bypass was the right choice for me. I finally have my surgery on Monday, June 1st! I cannot wait! Good luck on your journey.

One week from today! This preop diet has been really difficult and i will admit i have cheated. I am goibg to do my best to stick to it 100% for the final week. Thanks for everyone's support and sharing. It's much appreciated!

I am June 1st! I can't wait. Been over a year of an up and down journey and I thought I might never get here. Hang in there!

Hello everyone - I actually started my WLS journey over a year and a half ago. I had a very difficult time losing the required weight for my program. Anyway, I was heart-set on having the sleeve but when I finally met with my surgeon on April 30th he told me that my upper GI scan showed that I have reflux, which the sleeve can actually make worse. So, after much consideration, I decided to switch to the bypass, because after all, I am having this surgery to try and help me fix problems, not create new ones. But I do have to admit I am a bit apprehensive. I chose the sleeve originally because it is a more straightforward surgery without any rerouting of intestines. I would love to hear more about everyone's experiences in why you chose the bypass and, if you have already had surgery, what your experiences have been. I am set for my surgery in one month, so anything you can share is appreciated. Thank you!