Apple203

@FluffyChix Glad you found the link. My mother is also a breast cancer survivor, so I am always vigilant to the developments in this field. Mom did treatments during my first son's 9-month gestation -- so she's 25 years clear. :-)

I want to add: schedule an appointment with your surgeon's office manager to go over your paperwork--these people run the world :-)

It is a frustrating process. From what I have experienced, you need the full 180 days of care with your surgeon's office. I know you are frustrated because you weigh in with your PCP regularly and probably discuss weight loss at every visit, too, but the rules are pretty tight. Anther thing I've witnessed recently is that the monthly dietitian classes are PACKED, which I suppose means that word of mouth is growing enrollment, which means insurance companies and bariatric centers will get more attentive to pre-reqs.

Between surgeon appointments, I learned that I have a sliding hiatal hernia and GERD, and I fully expected my surgeon to switch me over to RNY, but he said I'll be fine with sleeve -- the the hernia, fix the GERD.

Here we go: A big player in the cause of acid reflux is overcaffeination. When your caffeine intake is too high, the muscle that connects the stomach to the esophagus is relaxed. When this happens, an opening is created for stomach acid to come up into your esophagus, which causes acid reflux.

I am going to sound like an idiot because I don't have supporting information, but the reflux & hb associated with caffeine is related to the eosinophil valve (?)opening to the stomach -- it is affected by caffeine. Credit to surgeon's dietitian.

@Subaru Your strategy made me laugh My surgeon's office manager scheduled all of my 2018 appointments, including surgery, at my last appt, when all of the pre-reqs were finished. For all of the working people out there, I got the 8:30 am appointments, lol.

@kelsen I see you surgery date is December 19th -- you must be pretty excited! I'm gonna want to hear all of the details since we have the same surgeon. I still dont even know what the pre-op diet is -- so if you want to dish, I'm dieing to hear!

and its a huge relief when all of the tests are done!!!

Sorry to hear this, Fluffy, hope you can work something out with insurance. Its such a let down down to have to wait, especially when you are straddling the weight cutoff line. On the positive side, you can sail through the holidays -- I remember that you were concerned with the impact of another surgery to your family.

So, it actually is 3# a week, average. Sounds like you lost a bunch of weight because you were sick, and water loss verses true weight loss got masked. Look to long term averages, is my recommendation.

Awwww, you will find friends here. I myself am scheduled for surgery on 3/14.

@Berry78, and my dad grew up in Cumberland! I'm gonna call you my Irish surgery twin, being as our surgeries are less than a year apart. :-)

I feel your pain. BCBS is really 7 appts with dietitian, the first being "0", for a firm 180 days. Then (at least for me) a month later for surgery in order to guarantee approval. Sux. On the bright side, enjoy the holidays, time will fly by (I hope). Plus, if you schedule the followups now, you'll get the most convenient time slots (I did).

Hi, I'm in Annapolis, and surgery is at AAMC, too, with Dr. Gandsas. My surgery date is pretty far in the future -- March 14th.

Amburmist, that's 3 pounds per week -- in 50 weeks, that 150 pounds. Plus whatever you lost in the 2 week pre-surgery liquid period.

My experience (one of many): 180 days from first dietitian class, surgeon's office will submit paperwork for insurance approval. Four months in (seminar mid-August), I have a surgery date in March 2018 and followup appointment scheduled throughout the year. My surgeon schedules 3 appointments through the process -- at my second appointment, I had finished my "homework".

BCBS MD -- I've seen a little runaround on this issue -- surgeon says its a an insurance issue, insurance says its a medical issue. I've concluded that its inevitable, and everyone is making money in the meanwhile. While we wait.

Awww. you are very kind. :-)

Merry Christmas!! I think its a great day for the working folks (myself included).

Congrats! I just finished everything, too, and my surgery date is March 14 -- ugh. I started in August, and the ladies that run the office say I need 180 days before they can submit for approval, and then they build in a month. Sigh, so depressing. I selfishly want to know if I am the only one?

hahaha

Watching closely -- pretty sure you can do it, feel free to vent here!

duplicate!

I'm a foodie, too. I am hoping that I can pour this energy into perfecting the right kinds of recipes and cooking techniques for my long-term success, but I'll have to wait and see how my body processes surgery. I cant imagine doing this with kids -- at least MY picky carb-centric kids. :-) 22yo son is still living with us, but he's got his own life going on, and I've been weaning him off Mommy services like daily dinners, so there won't be any shocks. I am preparing my husband to make lunch his main meal, and count on lean protein and veges from me after 7 weeks (my surgeon has a slow food rollout...). He's on board!