Subaru

1 hour ago, FluffyChix said:

psyllium husks

FluffyChix, what do the psyllium husks do? I see them often, but am not sure of their nutritional components. Thanks!

17 hours ago, briae13 said:

Just an update: completed my nutrition class & no I just wait for approval! hope everyone enjoys a happy holiday season!

Congratulations! As soon as I completed everything I called the surgeon's office to let them know, and once I knew they submitted to the insurance company I called insurance as well. It made me feel like I was doing something and that I knew where things stood. It also got me from "I finished my stuff" to "insurance approval" in three business days.

I hope you hear very soon as your holiday gift to yourself!

Fluffy, I hope you get clarification and it's a simple solution!

First off, congratulations on your weight loss so far!

I am pre-op so take my feedback from that perspective. It sounds to me like you know what to do to get back on track and you're doing it. I would also suggest that you decide how much food you're going to eat before you weigh and measure. 1 cup? 1/2 cup? 800 calories, etc. Wherever you feel you "should" be right now. And then stick with that. Go back to basics. Take a bite and put down your fork while you chew chew chew. I'm nervous about doing the same thing and these are some tips I'm trying to hold on to.

I would also encourage you not to think of this time period as a stall. It's not a stall, but a response to moving away from good habits. If you get back into your good habits you should start seeing the weight come off again.

I think it's really smart and you are scheduled with your psych. I would also schedule with your NUT as well. Get a check on what you're eating and how much and tactical ways to better control your intake while you are also getting the mental health support to manage the whys.

Best of luck!!

15 hours ago, HERnewlife said:

My doc says it should take 2-3 weeks for approval to come back. Is this a general timeline that they tell everyone or does it usually happen sooner? I’m so excited and anxious

Definitely depends on the insurance. I called my insurance company as soon as I knew the drs office sent the paperwork. I wanted to be sure they received it. They said they had not, so I called the drs office who themselves called insurance. Drs office got back to me about an hour later saying I had been approved. That was all the same day. I'm convinced that if you call at each step things move along more rapidly. (I have nothing to support that theory other than my own experience. Hah!)

.

On 11/13/2017 at 5:49 PM, KimTriesRNY said:

I’m scheduled for my bypass on December 4th. Is anyone else having their surgery in December? I’m nervous but excited!

I'm not scheduled yet. I've got my pre-op testing on 12/11 and my pre-op visit with the surgeon on the 13th. Despite that, his office has told me I'd be scheduled within a couple of weeks and, when I asked, said that Christmas week is a a reasonable expectation if I want to do it then as they expect it to be a quiet week. Soooooo, that's what I'm targeting!

2 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

@Subaru Hi you should totally jump in and try to start working on good food habits. Congrats on having approval and tentative date!

Oh I know I should! And thanks!

3 minutes ago, ItsMyTime1985 said:

Thanks for the breakdown, that seems to be the main differences I'd found so far too. I also want to look more into complications and recovery time differences. I asked people to weigh in on RNY vs sleeve on the Miriam success striders fb page too and am getting a lot of great feedback. People have negative and positives to say about both. There is no clear cut answer, I just need to figure out what is best for me. But even then you never know for sure how your body will react to things, so it's a guessing game to some extent.

I thought deciding IF I wanted the surgery was a big decision, but now deciding WHAT surgery is another big one! Sigh...

I did know that about the support groups, thanks! I went to one in September, but couldn't make October and will be away this month, so I'm shooting for December now!

I've tried to join that group but so far I'm not in it I don't think. I'm going to look for it again and try!

And good luck as you weigh your decision!

I read it every day. I haven't had surgery yet and have been doing a lot of food funerals. But I read and take notes of things that will be good choices for me to try after surgery (likely Xmas week). I hope you and others continue!

14 hours ago, ItsMyTime1985 said:

Dr Siva V through University surgical associates and miriam hospital.

Thanks for the info! I have plenty of time to look into it. But I do need to decide if I want sleeve of bipass. He told me he'd be ok with either for me unless tests found something we don't know about. Such big decisions!

I have a friend who is seeing him for a bypass revision. He's supposed to be excellent!

From what I've read, the biggest decision points for sleeve vs. bypass are these:

-GERD/reflux (can be an issue with sleeve)

-Malabsorption

-Amount of weight to lose

-Dumping (which some consider a positive reinforcement to help keep one on track)

From a very general perspective, they both seem to be good options with great success rates so they key factors are (as they should be) which one is right for you and your particular health concerns. Best of luck in your search!

(Also, I forget if you've got to any of the group sessions at the Miriam. You'll have to attend at least 2. Info is on their website and you can go at any time. You don't need to wait.)

58 minutes ago, ItsMyTime1985 said:

Hooray!! That's super exciting! I just STARTED my journey today with the first consultation. I'm excited for you @Subaru!

Side topic, do any of you RIers know if we're eligible for TDI after the surgery? My surgeon told me recovery time would be 4-6 weeks and at most I may have 3 weeks saved up by the time I have surgery.

Who is your surgeon again? Congratulations! There is a lot to do but it keeps you busy during the wait.

As far as TDI is concerned, as long as you are eligible for TDI you would be eligible to receive it while you are out for the surgery. You can’t apply for it until your actual surgery date, and it takes them about three weeks until they pay you. But they do pay you back to the first day. The delay is a drag, but it’s suoer helpful to have the added income. It is also not subject to employment taxes.

Sooooo, because I can't seem to go a day without calling my Drs office, I called today just to make sure I understand what's what. Even though I don't see the surgeon until 12/13, it's still very likely they will get me in before the end of the year. (Apparently they aren't going to be very busy that week. Hah!) So, while I still am doing the hurry up and wait thing, I do have targets for all of the final steps. Yippie!

10 hours ago, briae13 said:

You'll get there@Subaru ! Just think of this time as some extra time to focus on the holidays and prepping for surgery focus on the prep and the things to get done during this busy season and before you know it the month will fly by!

That's exactly what I'm trying to do! I can't exactly complain. I realized this morning that, while I waited two months for my initial consult, that appointment was on October 4, so it's only been a month and a half to get to approval. I'm going to try to stop whining. TRY!

24 minutes ago, FenwayRN said:

I completed everything in under two months (appts,psych, weight loss, pre-op testing meetings etc). They won’t submit to insurance until 3 month mark. I’m aggravated I’m waiting now because I completed everything so quickly! I was lucky my schedule allowed for it but waiting is tough

Oh boy, I would be completely aggravated as well! I suppose I can't really complain. It took a couple of months for me to get my first visit/consult. But that was just on October 4. I got everything completed and submitted to insurance (and approved) this past Monday. Now it's just all of the "hurry up and wait" stuff.

8 minutes ago, Apple203 said:

@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.

When I called today and said "I know you are super busy and don't need me calling you" she said (in what sounded like a very sincere voice God love her) "no, you know I don't mind!" She started after my first appt. with my surgeon, so I haven't met her. But she's a gem!

2 hours ago, Subaru said:

It doesn't seem like there will be too much waiting. I've been calling Dr. Stafford's office every day to follow up on things and check on the status. (I've held off so far today, but it's haaaarrrrrrdddd!) It seems like some of my pre-surg testing has been scheduled. (I can tell from a lifespan notification that I received.) There must be a couple of other things they are scheduling because his office hasn't called to give me the appointment info yet. But I'll call later today....

(I'm terribly impatient and not a good wait-er.)

Best of luck at your class next week!

UGH! The Drs office initially told me (2ce), once I get insurance approval they schedule me back with the surgeon and for pre-op testing and that surgery is typically within a month of that surgeon visit. Today I got my date for the pre-op testing (Dec 11) but won't see the surgeon until after that, probably on the 13th. (Initially they told me I'd likely do my pre-op visit with the surgeon within a week or so of getting insurance approval.) The coordinator in my surgeon's office is new, and different surgeons in the group do things a little differently, so I know she's giving me the best info she can at the time. But. UGH! Now I have a month of sheer waiting. And I'm so impatient!!

UGH! The Drs office initially told me (2ce), once I get insurance approval they schedule me back with the surgeon and for pre-op testing and that surgery is typically within a month of that surgeon visit. Today I got my date for the pre-op testing (Dec 11) but won't see the surgeon until after that, probably on the 13th. (Initially they told me I'd likely do my pre-op visit with the surgeon within a week or so of getting insurance approval.) The coordinator in my surgeon's office is new, and different surgeons in the group do things a little differently, so I know she's giving me the best info she can at the time. But. UGH!

2 hours ago, Luisajfc said:

NADA .... nothing yet ☹️


“There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.” —Michael Phelps

For each stage of approval (psych, NUT) I called my surgeon's office. When I got the sign off from the NUT, which was the last thing I needed, I told the surgeon's coordinator that I was going to be her new best friend. I called the next day to see if she submitted to insurance. (That was last Friday.) I called insurance on Monday and, when they said they didn't have anything, I called her again. I got approved from insurance that afternoon. So now I've been calling every day to follow up on the pre-surgery testing and pre-surgery surgeon consult. (Haven't called yet today.) Every time she answers the phone I say, "I it's your new best friend!" She must hate me by now, which perhaps is more incentive to push me through and get it done

Best of luck to you!

25 minutes ago, briae13 said:

Congrats Subaru! & good luck itsmytime1985! Have my class for nut clearance next week and then waiting begins

It doesn't seem like there will be too much waiting. I've been calling Dr. Stafford's office every day to follow up on things and check on the status. (I've held off so far today, but it's haaaarrrrrrdddd!) It seems like some of my pre-surg testing has been scheduled. (I can tell from a lifespan notification that I received.) There must be a couple of other things they are scheduling because his office hasn't called to give me the appointment info yet. But I'll call later today....

(I'm terribly impatient and not a good wait-er.)

Best of luck at your class next week!

15 hours ago, ItsMyTime1985 said:

Hooray @Subaru!! That is super exciting! I have my first consult this Thursday! My only hope is that I don't break down crying like I do every other time I go to my Dr :/

Good luck on Thursday! Try not to add pressure to yourself by worrying about your reaction during your appointment. I forget, which Dr. are you seeing? You'll be fine! You are doing this for your health and that's exactly why they are doing it too. The good news is that you're both on the same page!

My authorization came through today! Tomorrow morning the Drs office will work with the various groups for to schedule my pre-op testing and will schedule my pre-op appointment with the surgeon. Even though I've been following up fairly immediately all along the way in order to help speed up the process, all of a sudden it's moving very quickly!

Initially I thought I was going with the gastric sleeve, and now I'm doing the bypass, so I supposed I should post in that forum. However, this thread was really helpful to me because of it's focus on BCBS RI coverage, so I'm updating here.

I'm excited. And nervous!

This is probably too late, but I believe my doctor writes a script for the Vitamins. (Not sure yet as I'm pre-op.) I know that before I leave the hospital the hospital pharmacist pays a visit, sends me home with my first supply of vitamins, and then I can either pick them up at the hospital pharmacy thereafter, or have them send the prescription to my regular pharmacy. Of course, I don't know what the co-pays are, and that would depend on insurance. But perhaps that's an option for you?

On 11/6/2017 at 7:23 PM, briae13 said:

Definitely a bit of a waiting game, but re nutritionist kind of preps you for life after surgery. I learned so much from just two visits. Just hang in there, take the earliest appointments you can and S-day will be here before you know it!

NUT cleared me today! She wants to see me again in a month, but said she is still going to clear me based on our conversation and my history. Next step, wait for insurance approval!

8 minutes ago, briae13 said:

Had my first end of September and my last 2ish weeks ago. Soonest class happened to be the one on my the 20th .

Ugh!! So much hurry up and wait! So frustrating!