kmorri

Do they have chicken in packages like the tuna? That might be a good idea. Not sure I can eat tuna warm. I struggle with it cold... Yes I've seen the chicken packaged just like tuna......

how about a tuna pack?.......they don't have to be refrigerated until open.....you can get chicken packaged that way as well.

@@PaulDaniel My doctor is also North florida surgeons.....but he works out of St. V's,,,,,,Best of luck to you and make sure to keep in touch. By the time I have mine done in May you'll be an old hand at it, :-) Kathy

I don't have a surgery date yet, but I'm being told it should be sometime in May. I am scheduled next week for chest x-ray and swallow test.....then a 2 hour class on 4/25. I'm told after the class they will submit to my insurance for approval and then set the actual date. I'm very ready to get on with this!

@@PaulDaniel Hey Paul! I just saw in one of your posts you're in Jacksonville.....me too! well I'm actually in Middleburg but my surgeon is in Jacksonville. I'm using Dr. Uchal out of St. Vincent's. I don't have a surgery date yet but I'm being told it should be sometime in May. Good luck on the 30th!!!! Who's your doctor? Keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

. Oh wow your class is expensive. Mine is $60 also due at the time of the class and it's payable to the hospital not the surgeons office. I don't have a date yet but the told me to expect by the end of April as well. I'm so eager to get a date so I can make it real in my head and plan accordingly. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Opps I just re-looked at my paperwork and I was wrong. My fee is $200 not $300.....so Yay! but still high. But at this point I just want it done! :-)

Yes I have to take a 2 hour pre-op class and was told there is a $300 fee that is not covered by my insurance that I have to pay at the time of the class. I'm scheduled for 4/25

I haven't had surgery yet but I'm told it will be sometime in May....you and I have the same surgeon! @@MeFirst

@@MeFirst How are you doing after your surgery? I hope all is well!

Hi everyone, I'm looking to connect with anyone who is pre or post surgery with Dr. Uchal in Jacksonville, Florida. I am pre-surgery and am in the process with an expected May surgery date. So far I love him! I'd be very interested to hear from any of his patients regarding any of his pre-surgery requirements....I know insurance requirements are different, but wondering about his pre-surgery diet requirements.....I have another appointment on April 6th where I think I'll be finding this out but just wondering what everyone's experience has been with him in the past. So far here's what I know and am scheduled for: chest x-ray 4/1 swallow test 4/1 psych visit and patient advocate 4/6 2 hour bariatric education class 4/25 My patient advocate has told me that after the 2 hour class they will submit my insurance pre-auth request and set a date but she expects it to be in May. I am more than ready! I hate all the waiting but thankfully the month of April will be very busy for me with all these appointments and in addition I have two business trips that month as well... Any insights would be helpful!

It's really important to follow your surgeons instructions. If you have questions on what you can eat or drink prior to surgery (and after for that matter) you should call the surgeons office and ask. Same with the laxative. You don't want to take someone's good intended advice and end up getting your surgery canceled because you did something he didn't agree with or think was healthy.

no one can really answer that question. Insurance companies have many many different plans. The only way to truly know the requirements is to ask your insurance.....your doctor's office may also know (because they work with so many) but they will need to know your group number in addition to the name of your insurance company. Just because you know someone with the same insurance company as you doesn't mean the requirements will be the same........I retired from Blue Cross and now work from home for UHC,......Each company has an endless number of plans all with different requirements.

I haven't had my surgery yet....it's supposed to be sometime in May. However, I do have some experience with hair loss related to weight loss. Several years ago I was on the Medifast diet. I lost a considerable amount of weight quickly, but a side effect was hair loss. Once my weight stabilized the hair loss stopped and new hair grew back.....so I don't think hair loss is really caused by the surgery but more by the fast weight loss......just my guess of course.

@@ocgirl15 Thanks! It's very obvious that everyone's experience is different but it's nice to hear from someone in my same situation. I don't have a surgery date yet but have been told it will be in May. My doctor does surgery at the hospital where I'll be on Mondays, so I will probably just schedule the week off and play by ear.

Yay! same doc! So far I really like him. My surgery will be at Riverside. My date is not set yet but am being told it should be sometime in May. I think he only operates at Riverside on Mondays so I will probably end up scheduling the week off just in case. I'm thrilled I found someone who used the same doc!!!

I'm no expert since I'm not having surgery until May but I too need to drink when I eat now....however, after surgery you will be eating much less so my bet is it will be much easier to skip the drink then. :-)

Thank you all for your input! I'm thinking (hoping) I'll have an easy time of it. I had a hysterectomy about 12 years ago and felt like I could have gone back to work the day I came home from the hospital....didn't because I was already approved for 6 weeks of short term disability...hahaha..but I certainly felt like I could have. However, I know just because you do well with one surgery it doesn't mean you'll do well with the next, but I'm going to go into it with the mindset that it'll go well.....and give my boss a heads-up that I may take a few days off with little notice.

Hi everyone, I will be having surgery in May (I don't have an exact date yet) and I want to ask something about recovery and working.....I have a little different situation than most in that I work from home. So since I work from home, mostly on the computer and conference calls I'm thinking I'll only need to take the time off while I'm in the hospital................I can either work from my desk or my recliner. ..........I also have a cordless headset so when I'm on conference calls I'm free to walk around the house. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your input!! Kathy

Yay!!! Very happy for you ............and a little jealous...haha I just found out today I'll probably have a May surgery date....my patient advocate scheduled my chest x-ray, psyc eval, and NUT appointment, and a 2 hour class I have to take....moving along but never fast enough. :-) Best of luck to you!!!

Yay!!! Very happy for you ............and a little jealous...haha I just found out today I'll probably have a May surgery date....my patient advocate scheduled my chest x-ray, psyc eval, and NUT appointment, and a 2 hour class I have to take....moving along but never fast enough. :-) Best of luck to you!!!

Congrats!!! Do you have a surgery date yet? I was just scheduled for all my pre-op stuff and was told "sometime in May"

So I just had my first meeting with my patient advocate. I met with the surgeon last week. The advocate scheduled all my pre-surgery appointments....chest x-ray, blood work, psychology eval, pre-surgery class....She said I'm looking at a surgery "some time" in May!!! They will send my insurance authorization in after my pre-surgery class. The good news she said my BCBS of Florida State Employee plan is really good about approving quickly and isn't so picky. Now the wait is on! But I'm going to be really busy between now and May with all these appointments, plus I have two business trips as well, so I'm hoping it all goes by really fast! Yay!!!

I had my first appointment with Dr Uchal on Tues the 15th. I have an appointment with a patient advocate on Monday.....I'm ready to get this done!!!