ChaosUnlimited

I am still pre-op but just waiting for insurance approval now. When I started I thought the sleeve was the one I wanted because I was afraid of the malabsorption issues and about changing the way my body works by moving my intestines around. My surgeon went over all the options with me, but recommended the DS because it has the highest long term success rate and is very effective at reversing type 2 diabetes. So I researched, and researched, and researched some more. It took months, but the more I learned, the less scary the other surgeries became. I've decided on the DS because I hope to have the best long term outcome for the health conditions I currently have. I watched some videos that a doctor at another practice did to explain all the surgeries. If I can find them again, I'll post the link if you'd like.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your questions. My guess is the same requirements would apply. Have you checked with your insurance? If you don't mind me asking, how long ago was your first surgery, and what procedure did you have?

Was your surgery on 3-14 or 4-14? I remember your post when you were pre-op and getting ready. That is quite an accomplishment, I bet you have to go clothes shopping already! I'm glad to hear that you are doing well. How long did you have to wait to start walking and doing light exercise? I've been wondering how the pain is after surgery.

That is great! I hope you hear from the insurance quickly, and get a date. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Mine was ready to go last week on Monday. I checked with my insurance company and they didn't get it last week, and when I spoke with the person who submits the packets she said it would go out by this Monday (yesterday). As of today my insurance still hasn't received it. I'm so frustrated. I have a tight timeline that is growing shorter due to upcoming things at work and I feel so pressured to try to get this done asap so I can be back in the office before July. Ugh!

Thank you for all the tips, that's so helpful! I use myfitnesspal to track my food and I love it. I like that it also has a way to view daily intake of protein, carbs, etc. I also use mapmywalk and it syncs my walks onto the mfp app as exercise.

I have been trying to stay away from sweets since starting this journey, and for the most part, I have done pretty good. But sometimes those hormonal cravings kick in and watch out, I NEED chocolate or I'm cranky and feeling deprived. I found a very satisfying way to have a treat for not a lot of calories or sugar. I got the nestle sugar free hot cocoa mix (50 calories), which by itself doesn't taste all that great, but adding 2 tsps of unsweet cocoa to it makes it rich and chocolatey and only adds 13 more calories! Hope if someone is struggling with cravings this might help. BTW, I'm pre-op and currently on a 1600 calorie diet, but I bet some unsweet cocoa can also be added to a chocolate Protein shake with the same or similar result. I'm going to try that as a meal replacement next time I'm feeling like I need a fix, lol. Do these cravings ever go away? I've heard some people don't crave the same things after surgery as they used to before surgery..

OMG! I think I would have blown my top! It's weird, because last week I had emailed Krista to ask if she had all my paperwork. My psych report wasn't in the packet either, and I had done it months ago. I had the psych office re-fax it Monday, and when I asked the front desk to make sure it came through, she had to look through a big stack of paper to find it. I hate that happened to you. I hope you hear back soon. I would ask if they would expedite the surgery date since they delayed sending it out. I just called my insurance company and they have not received anything yet, so I'll be calling tomorrow to see when they are going to fax it. I feel like it should have at least gone out by today. I hate to be a pain but I have work conflicts and can't afford to be delayed!

@jessgnc I came back to this post because I got an invite to the fb page today. I asked the secretary at the first window about it, she had me write my info down for her, and a few hours later I got the invite. If you haven't gotten one yet, they want the email associated with your account, name, and what your profile photo looks like so they know they have the right person. BTW: My packet is ready for insurance submission as of today, woot woot!

Yes, I had researched the SIPS vs DS and I'm glad my surgeon does the DS. Any surgery has potential problems but I would prefer to have one that has been around for a while. It's possible my friends doc doesn't offer it, I'm not sure if she asked. She is happy with her choice of surgery and with her surgeon, so that's important. Congrats on your success so far MarkieZ! Have you noticed a difference in your blood sugar numbers yet? It will be nice to be on less meds!

Congratulations on starting your journey! I had a 6 month required pre-op, and I am completing my last requirement on Monday 4/10, so then it will all be submitted to insurance. Don't get discouraged by all the requirements, just do one step at a time and you will be there before you know it. This is a great board, lots of info and really awesome people!

My friend and I started out by going to an info session for a local bariatric group, but due to insurance coverage reasons, we each ended up with different hospital programs. We are still comparing notes and doing this together. We are about the same BMI, but her doc would not do the DS for her and advised the GBP. Mine recommended the DS for me, and said I should qualify. The only difference I can see is my diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. Hoping my insurance agrees with the doc. My DS will have a longer common channel, but not as long as the new "SIPS" procedure. Because the SIPS is new, even thought it's a kind of modification of the DS, insurances are refusing to cover it because they deem it experimental until there is more info on it.

I have been worried about this. My BMI was 44.3 when I started seeking information about surgery. That's not the highest it's ever been, but that's what it was the first time I was seen at the bariatric specialist. My doctor feels the DS is the best surgery for me - I have diabetes and the DS has the best record for resolving it - but I'm worried that my insurance won't approve it. I'll be devastated if after researching and trying to decide for the past several months which surgery to have, I'll have to switch to one of the others.

My experience with the chicken Soup Protein mix by Unjury: I've been trying different protein mixes in preparation for surgery. I got a couple packets of the chicken soup thinking it would be nice to have the choice of soup broth. I used my keurig to put hot Water in a mug then mixed the chicken soup packet in. No matter how much I mixed it, it kept forming a thick, curdish layer on the top which was awful. I kept thinking it just wasn't blending so I kept trying. In the time it took to stop stirring and bring the cup to my mouth the curds would form. I couldn't drink it but I tried enough times and had to spit out globs of protein mix that it makes me sick to even think about trying the same flavor again. I found out later that if the water is too hot it changes the texture of the mix. I have one other packet, hoping maybe if I wait long enough I'll be able to try it with cooler water without getting nauseated at the thought. Hopefully this helps someone else who tries this thinking they'll have a nice hot cup of broth!

When I asked the coordinator she said it can take around 2 weeks to hear back from insurance. When I submit I plan to call my insurance company every single day until they send the approval! Yes, I did get a sense of relief when I finally made the decision. It wasn't an easy choice for sure. The reality of having to take so many vitamins throughout the day is a bit scary, but it can be done. I can relate about not only wanting a date for my own peace of mind but also to let my job know what's going on. July is a big month for us, and I'm really stressing out that I won't be back in work in time. I started this process in late November and had no idea it would take this long! I hope you find out soon, I would think it shouldn't be much longer. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you to get a quick surgery date once it's back. Will you let me know when you get it about how far out it is? I am curious how far out they are booking their surgeries.

I agree, I was anticipating a nice berry flavor and it was awful and hard to choke down. I saw online that they also have an orange flavor, I might see if I can get that one.

Thanks for the tips!

That's what I'm thinking. I want my soup to be hot.

They sell them in individual serving packets, which is what I got instead of a big container, thank goodness. It may be good if it's mixed in the right temp, I just can't bring myself to try it yet, lol. It has to be less than 140 degrees I think is what the website said when I read it after the fact, although I didn't think the keurig makes drinks that are that hot, but maybe.

They gave me a sample pack of the chewable and dissolvable vitamins at my last appointment so I could try them and decide the flavors I want. Let me just say that they absolutely do not taste like candy! Especially the iron, OMG, so nasty. Maybe not every practice does this, but they require that at the final pre-op nutrition class you have your protein to be checked off by the nutritionist and your post surgery vitamins or they don't clear you for surgery. (they also sell all that stuff there, but you don't have to buy theirs. However I compared prices and they don't mark them up so it's pretty convenient) I don't really care if I have to do chewables, it's for the short term then I can go back to taking pills.

Congrats on your loss so far! How are you feeling? Since this post was a couple weeks ago you've probably lost even more!

Hahahaha, I had the same thought as I was considering whether or not to choose the DS. The humor was lost on those around me, so I love this post!

Wow, how exciting that this is getting closer for you! Do you have a date yet? I hope we do have opportunity to meet at a class or support group! I have not gotten an invitation to the fb group yet, and I've heard from others that it takes a long time even when requested. I am scheduled for my 3rd nutrition class on Monday 4/10 and as of tomorrow when I get my official sleep study results I am done with all my requirements! Hoping to have them submit to insurance after my nutrition class. I really want to have a date set because it drives me crazy to have it up in the air. I have decided on the DS. I've researched it extensively and I think this is the best option for me.

Congrats! That is inspiring!

I also lost feeling to my lower stomach after a c-section, mostly a circular area just below my belly button. The doc back then told me it's common after abdominal surgery but no one warned me about it beforehand. Mine never got worse than it was though, so glad they are keeping an eye on it.

I had the same concerns, but many of the people I talked to that have had their surgery agree that it is controlled by eating correctly and it does get better over time.