WitchySar

My surgeon just wants me to try and lose 10 pounds before surgery but said it's not required. So not all surgeons are the same. Good luck at your appointment!

My therapist said she would fill out the form and that she feels I'm prepared. She isn't allowed to fill out anything without permission from her supervisor though (I already know this is a fact from another form I needed filled out months ago for a different issue). The supervisor said that they just don't fill out any forms like that at all anymore. It has nothing to do with my stability. There's a spot on the form they could check that says they don't feel I'm mentally stable enough, so if that was the problem they could have done that. So no, that's not the problem.

Dang it. I just checked with a lawyer and they can refuse to fill out any forms they don't feel comfortable with.

Do you know how I find out who licenses them? I assume they are licensed by the state mental health department since they accept medicaid, but I don't know for sure and their website is less than helpful. I don't know what their reasoning is for not filling it out. She just insisted that they "don't fill out these forms anymore." And no, they definitely did not make me aware of this before I became a patient.

The surgeon I go to has a counselor on site that I've already seen. She has already cleared me. The surgeon is still requiring the forms from my own therapist and psychiatrist too. He needs to see a history of my bipolar being stable, so even paying another psych footer am evaluation won't work. He needs the history. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

Heard back from my therapist's supervisor. They absolutely will not fill out these papers. Period. So now I don't know what to do. I'll call my surgeon's office layer and talk to the counselor there and see what she thinks. I am so livid right now! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

When I had my gallbladder out I woke up in recovery screaming. I had a lot of pain and I was so disoriented. I couldn't remember where I was or why I hurt so bad. It took a few minutes of the nurse trying to calm me down before it came back to me. The dilaudid they shot into my IV helped. Once the pain was manageable I could think more clearly and remembered I just had surgery. I think I had an oxygen tube around my face, and of course I had an IV. I'm really hoping this next time goes a lot better.

I think I'm driving myself bonkers. I'm so impatient for things to HAPPEN. I started seeing my PCP on June 8th and have had two visits with her. I saw my surgeon, counselor, and dietitian for the first time on July 11th. It was a great visit! The visits I had with my PCP should count toward the 6 month requirement. So excited! But now there's nothing to do. I see my PCP again on August 3rd (for other reasons but she'll also document my weight as well, just in case) and then I have a weight loss class that my surgeon's office does on August 9th. I'll be weighed there as well. And then nothing until September. The only other test my surgeon wants done is a body composition analysis which I hope to have done in September, and the next weight loss class is in September as well. My surgeon only wants to see me lose another 10 pounds so there is no pressure there. The biggest thing is he needs to see that my bipolar is stable, which the new med I'm on is working great so I'm not worried about that either. How do you manage to pass the time? I feel like I'm so focused on the surgery that it's the only thing I can even think about. I think I'd feel less nuts about it if I felt like I had more to do. More tests to schedule, more classes to go to... something. Am I the only one feeling like the clocking is moving at a snails pace during this whole process?

I have bipolar as well. My surgeon warned me very strongly that after I have the surgery I will likely experience heightened symptoms for a while because of all the hormones being released by the weight loss. Has anyone else here had to go through extra mental health clearance because of your bipolar? I've already been cleared by the surgeon's counselor but he won't do the surgery unless I can also get my therapist and psychiatrist to fill out forms as well.

My insurance only requires a 6 month clinically supervised diet and a meeting with the counselor again within 90 of surgery. No other testing required.

I had my first appointment with the surgeon, dietitian, and counselor today. I couldn't be happier! I loved everyone I met at the office. They were all so warm and friendly. After talking to the surgeon we decided that my first choice of the sleeve is the best. So I am now officially on the path for the sleeve. Yay! Next step is another weigh in with my PCP on August 3rd (I already did two with her, June and July), then a weight management class on August 9th where they do a weigh in as well. After that I'll finish off the rest of my weigh ins with my clinically managed diet with the surgeon's office. They're going to be able to count the time I did with my PCP toward the 6 month requirement. Yay! So if everything goes well I'll be done with the diet portion in November. I have bipolar and the surgeon said if I remain stable on my meds that I will possibly be able to have the surgery in December. That would be amazing! So we'll see what happens next on that. In the meantime he said I don't need to have more tests (like EKG, sleep study, etc) because my medical history don't show any need for them. Yay! He does want me to have a body composition analysis thingy (I can't remember the exact name of it), and that's it. So that's where I am in my journey now. So excited!

Hmm, I could have sworn I posted this last night but I was a little out of it on three klonopin because of fireworks, so maybe I just imagined it. Has anyone here gone through Mexico Bariatric Services? I am trying to research different places before making a decision. This place has an offer that includes airfare, which sounds amazing. I've already started the process with Bill Yanez with BariatricPal Team MX, but I don't want to just go with the first place I look at. I'd love to hear some info about Mexico Bariatric Services, good or bad. Thanks.

I'll keep trying. It's stupid that it's this difficult though.

Not many. I have medicaid so my options are limited. Plus if I switch now it'll take even longer to get cleared for surgery since I'm sure the new therapist and psychiatrist would want to establish a relationship with me over a few months first. It's so frustrating.

Beats the hell out of me. I needed a letter for another situation before, I needed it to say that I had bipolar and anxiety and that those conditions could cause problems with attendance and that I am now in therapy being treated. That's all, just the facts, not even personal judgment. They refused. Flat out refused. Because of that I am no longer eligible for financial aid. This place just is completely irritating.

I've already signed papers for them to get the records but they also need this particular form filled out and signed by my therapist and psychiatrist. Without that particular form, no surgery. The surgeon's counselor has cleared me for surgery AS LONG AS I get those forms filled out. My therapist isn't allowed to write out anything at all. Can't write anything, can't sign anything... nothing.

Thanks. I almost wish I wasn't so on top of everything. Then I'd at least still have something to do to pass the time. lol Anyone have a time machine?

Believe me, done that, pretty much all of it. LOL I already drink a minimum of 120 oz of water a day (it's basically all I ever drink). I follow a low carb diet so my protein is already where it needs to be. I have two Pinterest boards full of bariatric and keto recipes (I hate to cook but my husband will cook for me). The only thing is diet soda (haven't had sugary soda in over 12 years), but I already gave up caffeine about a year ago and I've cut WAY down on my soda, so it'll come in time. The dietitian I saw on the 11th said I'm her favorite patient and that there isn't much more for me to be doing except learn to eat slower (I have 3 kids, if I don't eat fast my food goes cold lol). I just feel so ready, I want the surgery now, darn it! LOL

I requested to add you. I'm witchysar on Instagram. I don't have much there yet though.

I've heard it continues until you are done with your rapid weight loss phase, however long that lasts for you. I haven't had my surgery yet though so I can't tell you what it was like for me.

I haven't had my surgery yet but I'm already trying to prepare for this. With eating such small portions it just seems impossible to get as much protein as required. Obviously it's possible, but it just seems like it's going to be hard. Unfortunately I'm allergic to a lot of foods (including seafood) so I'm going to be stuck with probably mostly chicken.

I has two visits with my PCP before my visit with the surgeon too. The surgeon said they should count as long as my PCP writes up the visits properly. It needs to document my weight, what weight loss advice she gave me. As long as your insurance doesn't require the 6 months to be with the same person then I would imagine you'd be okay. Definitely something to ask your surgeon when you get there.

I haven't had my surgery yet but I've already started logging everything to get in the habit. I use SparkPeople. That way I can log on my computer or the app. I like having that option.

I'm so jealous of everyone with closets and boxes of clothes! At size 30/32 it's so hard to find anything that fits that doesn't cost a ton. I can't buy very many clothes so I keep everything until it's so worn out it has holes. I currently have about 3-4 outfits I can wear, total. I expect to have to keep them for a while, even while losing. I can't wait to get into smaller sizes so I can buy clothes without having to pay and arm and a leg.

Congrats! I had my first consultation today as well. I saw the dietitian, counselor, and surgeon and loved all of them.