ColleenErin1974

Hey hun yes I got approved I had surgery sep 22nd 2016 day of surgery I was 273.6 and today I'm 185.2 I'm down 115lbs and I feel amazing I'm goal is 145 but my surgeon thinks I will be smaller. I went from a size 24 in pants and 4x in shirts now I'm a size 10 pants and large-medium shirt. The pic on the left was me June 2016 and the pic on the right was the other day same outfit it's crazy if you would of told me I would be this size last year I would of laughed in your face. I even chopped off my hair

I'm with UHC care improvement plus Medicare Advantage. All I needed for insurance approval was do a 3 month supervised diet. The insurance lady said with this insurance because I have to pay my full deductible there is no prior approval needed. Granted my deductible is $6,700, but I have that all saved, so all I need is a surgery date.

I can't wait for the excuse. My insurance lady caught them red handed lying. I will definitely keep ya posted! This will be eye opening I'm sure! Thanks!

I've been done with my pre-evaluation appointments and testing since 2/23/17. I have been calling the office about 2 times a week to see what is going on.
It took most of March to just get my surgeon to look at everything and medically clear me. Once that was done, I was told that now all this is to go to my insurance company for approval (that was 4/4/17).
I was not contacted about this, and after a week I called the office, spoke to the manager, and was told that everything is at my insurance and I just have to wait.
Ok, after another week I called and was told my case is pending. Again, I wait.
I do this 2-3 more times and keep getting told its pending.
Today, 4/27/17, I call again with no response. Now, I call my insurance to see what I should do. I talk to insurance company. She says that there is nothing about prior approval in my case and we start investigating!
According to my insurance, I do NOT need approval for WLS with my policy. OMG! SMH.
Now, I ask them what is my Doctor waiting for? She asks for my surgeons number and who I've been in contact with there. I give her the info, she puts me on hold, and she contacts them.
About 25 minutes later, she comes back to me and says that the manager has given my info to the surgeon for him to get me a surgical date. WHAT????
My insurance lady than asks why have they been lying to me saying I'm not approved for surgery yet, when I did not require approval in the first place! The manager tells her that someone else messed this up, not her and she would make sure it is taken care of.
So, now I know this office has been just placating me with a bunch of BS! I put a call into the manager myself and as of now, no call back yet! I'm beyond pissed off here. I've done everything I have had to do since 11/16 and I've been ignored for what reason?
Tomorrow, bright and early I will call the manager again and if no response, I drive for an hour to the surgeon and don't leave until she talks to me.
OMG! Has anyone else had anything like this happen???
Ugh!
Any info would be appreciated!

OK Sports fans, this is the skinny on my surgery and subsequent days.
starting weight at first doctors appointment was 250. Whizzed through the appointments and requirements within 3 months. Surgery weight was 238. My doctor required a two week liquid diet before and after. That was a tough two weeks, prior to surgery. I can't say I got through it without cheating. My cheats consisted of a few pieces of bacon, 4 bites of chicken salad and a handful of potato chips. I was able to meet my Water goals daily. That's important. Doc said my liver was just fine.
My surgery was this past monday.
Items I took with me.
my phone and charger and my iPad mini (watched netflix on it) 2 pair of loose flannel pajama bottoms and two tank tops. tank tops give them access that a t-shirt might not. I also took my own slippers I have a security blanket that a friend of mine quilted for me. I've spent a lot of time in hospitals over the last 5 years and being semi dressed and having my own blanket seems to make the stay more bearable. I took gas x strips and I'm not certain if they made a difference. I didn't take any wipes (love having wipes) cause I knew the hospital would provide them for me. I am fortunate because the facility was private rooms only, or I would have taken headphones. I had just finished up my period prior to surgery. Day 4 at hospital It started again. Annoying. So women, take what you need, just in case.
Day of surgery: Took about 2 hours. I had a full bypass and I had to have a hernia repaired again. in 2013 I had it repaired and it appears the stitches didn't hold. So this time he used a dissolvable mesh. This created a surgical complication. While removing my stomach from my esophagus a hole formed near or at the 2013 scar tissue. This got me an extra day and night in the hospital for recovery. And It gave me an extra day with zero food or water. The first 48 hours I only had an IV to hydrate. that was also hard. They gave me swabs but they got old quick.
So for me, and all of us are different, the worst of the entire deal was the gas they used to blow up the cavity so they could work laparoscopically. I am sore throughout my torso, but the gas pain is awful. They ask you to walk that off and use this blowing tube thing. Strangely enough, the gas crept up to my shoulders. Terrible. They gave me all the morphine I wanted for the pain but that doesn't hit the gas at all. I am not sure I needed as much morphine as they gave me. They also tried to give me a liquid pain killer but that was too difficult to get down, took me 2 hours to get a single dose in, not sure it makes a difference at that rate.
Due to the hole in my stomach they also installed a suction Grenade looking thing at the side of torso that they pulled Fluid and clots out with. They drained it twice daily and by day four it didn't have much in it. I didn't shower at the hospital, took sponge baths. Was looking forward to coming home and taking a shower but since I had that bag removed that will cost me an extra day with no shower.
I was able to get myself to the bathroom by myself and walk the halls by myself. After they decided I could eat, they sent up, two 2 oz plastic containers of Protein Shake that was pretty good, a deal of sugar free Jello that was decent and hot water and chicken broth packets 3 times a day. by this point, all of that is awesome. The Protein Shakes were really tasty but that little 2 oz size took me an hour to get in comfortably. I could feel the shake hit my stomach. It's pretty sore though that area. I had a tough time with water and swallowing pills. There is no way I can get down 64 ounces of liquid these first few days at the hospital or at home. but, the liquid diet should be a breeze this time cause you just don't feel like eating anything.
I don't have a sleep apnea machine. But my oxygen was low as well as my blood pressure. So I had to wear an oxygen canula day and night. I slept decent but the gas made it tough. they had my bed set so it wouldn't lie flat. I had to lay at an angle with head above my heart and legs.
so four days after surgery and my weight is 251 up from the 238 I was the day of surgery. 1 pound heavier than when I started. My assumption for this gain is all in the iv I was connected to day and night, so it should come down quickly. My entire torso, butt area is completely swollen where its tough to get my underwear on. Haven't had or needed a bowel movement since last Sunday.
my surgeon and his partner are amazing as well as the staff at the hospital. I was well taken care of. I'm anxious to start this journey but I can tell this first week might be slower than I hoped for. I get around fine, I just need to take it easy.
I know this is long and too much info but I would have really liked all this info prior to going in.

Have you ever had any abdominal surgery before? I'm in the medical field and can help you with a back story so no one is the wiser! LOL!

Well, to start, I'm having the bypass done, hopefully some day soon. I finished all of my pre-op evaluation visits. On 2/27, I did as I was told and called to tell them that I was done. The girl I spoke to said she would get my file all set and have the surgeon evaluate it. This could take a few days. (not so much!). I waited a week with no idea where I stood, so I called again. He still had not gone over my file. The girl told me to give it some more time and had no idea when he will look at it. WTF!!
At 2 weeks out from calling the first time, I called again. The girl I spoke to this time pulled up my chart and said they have all my test results, but the surgeon must medically clear me before sending my stuff to my insurance company. She told me to be patient and I should hear something soon.
The office called about 5 days later and went over what tests I had and I told them that I fulfilled all my requirements. She said that I was still not medically cleared and then proceeded to tell me to be patient. AGAIN! I asked what was the hold up and she said I've done all I need to for the surgeon and my insurance, but I have to wait for the surgeon to ok my case. Then she told me something no one else had up to this point....my surgeon works in 3 departments in the hospital and he is only in this office a few times a week! WTF!
She said that it could take up to 2 weeks from now to hear anything! AGAIN WTF!
So, here is where I stand. Tomorrow it will be 2 weeks to the day that I am to hear from him. I haven't heard anything and I still have to wait to be approved by my insurance too.
I am SO FRUSTRATED! I'm wondering, should I call again tomorrow? I don't want to be a pain in the ass, but I have anxiety and PTSD and I'm so on edge with wanting an answer.
I feel at this rate I won't have my bypass until hell freezes over! AAAAHHHH!
I would love some help with this. Has this happened to anyone else? I feel very alone here. Any and all advice is appreciated!
Thank you all!!

If you aren't ready, then don't rush into it.
Try some more controlled eating and exercise.
If you can do it on your own, then great.
I personally know I cannot do it without the tool of WLS.
This is a major decision, so take your time and don't rush.

What is your BMI?
What comorbidites do you have?
What is your quality of life at your current weight?
My family was opposed to it for me as well, but I am tired of being miserable.
Also, I have some serious comorbidites.
You have to do what is best for you.

I would concentrate on other factors of those experiences, instead of possibly not being able to have a macaroon in Paris, think about walking along the seine river, placing a lock on the bridge to signify everlasting love, seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night!

One of the major reasons I will do nothing but RNY is due to the revision rate. Both band AND sleeve are both revised to bypass. It is still the gold standard Bariatric surgery and comes with the most research. They have also greatly improved their methods to help with the severe malabsorption that used to happen even a decade ago. I only want one surgery and this is the one that seems so tried and true.

I'm having RNY. I have severe GERD, that causes me to sleep on my couch in an upright position. I actually chose the RNY even before knowing about the sleeve. I have noticed that the sleeve is more commonly done now, but I was told that if I did a sleeve, I would most likely have to have a revision to the RNY. So, I decided to just do RNY and skip having more surgery.

Thanks! Let me know when you hear!

My biggest fear, that I follow everything I need to, and then insurance for some reason says no. I've waited for this for so long, am scared something is going to get screwed up!

I'm having RNY. I have severe GERD, that causes me to sleep on my couch in an upright position. I actually chose the RNY even before knowing about the sleeve. I have noticed that the sleeve is more commonly done now, but I was told that if I did a sleeve, I would most likely have to have a revision to the RNY. So, I decided to just do RNY and skip having more surgery.

I'm having RNY. I have severe GERD, that causes me to sleep on my couch in an upright position. I actually chose the RNY even before knowing about the sleeve. I have noticed that the sleeve is more commonly done now, but I was told that if I did a sleeve, I would most likely have to have a revision to the RNY. So, I decided to just do RNY and skip having more surgery.

I'm originally from Saratoga Springs and I worked for years at Albany Memorial Hospital! I'm now in central Texas. Small world!

That is so crazy! I was on the night shift. I was the Catscan tech. I spent most of my nights hanging around in the ER.

Crazy! I worked as an EMT for Mohawk in Albany, we were at Memorial all the time!

Albany, New York

Plus I add orange juice and vanilla extract to vanilla Protein Shake with ice and make an orange julios

Oh that sounds good. Makes me think...peppermint extract? Orange extract? Didn't eggface have a Protein ice cream recipe?
Peppermint hot chocolate (protein drink) in the evening sounds nice! Maybe a Mexican hot chocolate with a pinch of cinnamon? I'll have to play around...(says me, who just drank one straight because I couldn't be bothered).

I got a small ninja plus a manual baby food grinder. I'll know what's in my food... I made my children's baby food and just put it in ice trays

Found out today that my date is May 17!!!

I get my carmel premiere shakes on Amazon. I only found chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry at Walgreens and Walmart.< br>