briae13

@ItsMyTime1985 it actually has flown by! For a minute I wished it slowed down a bit tbh, but my nerves have settled a bit more and I'm at the point where I just want my date (however far out) so I can plan for the time I'll need off lol it couldn't hurt to have your pcp send a referral ahead of time, though I had my first appointment with a new pcp a few days after my first consultation and there was no issue with getting the referral after. The Facebook group you have to request to join by messaging the coordinator on fb the name is on the newsletter which should be up on the Miriam bariatric site soon. [emoji4] @Subaru yes the group meetings, I took the online seminar then went to 2 in person meetings. I had 2 appointments with nutritionist (Kim) and then there's a class I'm going to on the 20th (she said it's where they go over what you'll need for surgery) and after the class all my pre op requirements are good and can be submitted for approval. It definitely sounds like we're on the same track! I think the six months is dependent on when you can get the NUT, psych, & sleep study done tbh. I was able to get them done sooner than expected though. My only question now is what my time frame looks like as far as how long it takes to hear back once it's approved. Anyone know? I'm hoping I can get my surgery date at least a month prior to the day of it in order to set things up with work for time off... [emoji51]

Didn't get a chance to read all the replies here so I hope I'm not repetitive, but I'm going through Miriam as well (dr. Stafford) I also have BCBS. I called before starting the process to see requirements, there was no six month observation just the deductible & a referral from a primary (though I was told by surgeon's office process takes 6-9 months). I had my consultation 8/26 and have completed my psych, sleep study (which you can now do from home!), required meetings, & have one class for nutritionist before I'm all set with that then I wait for approval! Once approved I'm told I need to do an ekg, blood work, & swallow test (which can be done in one day at Miriam). You do have to pay your copay for each visit (specialist copay). Hope this helped and good luck to you all! If any of you ri sleevers want to get in touch lmk! [emoji4]

So I have a class to take for my nutritionist on the 20th and then my paper work can be submitted to insurance for approval. I have bcbs and I'm figuring it'll take a week or two for my paper work to be sent. Maybe I'm wrong? Just trying to get a consensus on how long it might take to have an answer back and when I might be able to get a surgery date (best guess). Any ideas/what was your experience? I'm thinking (hoping) by early mid December my answer will be in and I can set a date, but I'm not sure if that seems an over or under estimate...

Hey there! I'm 25, pre op, but so far I'd have to say I think the only thing I think I wish turned out differently is the distance from some of my doctors (farthest is 1hr away shortest is 30/40 mins). You really learn a lot about yourself and your eating habits, or at least I have, and so far the process has been pretty enlightening! While it seems pretty daunting/scary to me still I try to focus on my reasons for going through this and it tends to help me refocus a bit more. I also know someone a little older than me who had her surgery last year at 28 and the only regret she has is that she didn't do it sooner. Hope this helps a bit

Hey there! So from what I understand recommended leave time varies from surgeon to surgeon and is also largely dependent on the person themselves/how surgery & recovery go. I work in customer service, a desk job, and my surgeon recommends 6-12 weeks leave even with the desk job. However I think 6 weeks would be pretty standard at the earliest. Your body is healing and adjusting, don't rush it. I would suggest talking to your surgeon about their recommendation and then playing it by ear. If you and your doctor think you could go back sooner then great, but if you need more time don't be afraid to embrace that too! Hope I helped

So today I had my last nutritionist appointment until after my surgery. I've had my psych eval, will get my sleep study results on Tuesday, and after a class on 11/20 my info goes to insurance for approval. I know I'm still a few months away from surgery, but as excited as I am for this new journey Im incredibly anxious/nervous! anyone else get a case of the nerves when they were coming closer to surgery? I still 100% believe I need this/want this, but at the same time I'm scared for the actual surgery and recovery. I know most seem to want things to go fast, but I almost wish I had more time to get myself prepared and ready for this huge step. Anyone else feel like this or am I kind of an anomaly?

Honestly I'm following my surgeon's lead on this, they tell me what I need to accomplish, and so far I've been able to do so quicker than I was expecting. I still don't have my surgery date, if I were to guess I'd say I probably won't have one till mid/late December or even January. I definitely know exactly what I'm getting into (I'm a research junkie), but as a rule my anxiety tends to weigh in on things. I've just seen most people seem to be anxiously awaiting surgery and want everything to move as fast as possible and I'm sort of teetering on the opposite. These first 3 months have flown by and I wasn't really expecting it. Did anyone find that feeling went away/lessened closer to surgery date?

Hi there! So I've only just started my vsg journey and I was just curious if any one has some general little nuggets of advice? What do you wish you realized before (post or pre op)? Any tips or tricks you've found to be invaluable (post or pre op)? I've been scouting the forums so far and have picked up some awesome info so far, so super excited to see what everyone has to say. Little bit about me: 25 yrs old, gal, out of RI HW/current: 356 lbs So far I've had my surgical consultation & psych eval, my first appointment with the nutritionist is 9/25, sleep study appointment on 10/10. I have BCSC for insurance, so far so good in that department! I've also started a diet to help get my mind set for this new lifestyle and, hopefully, lose weight for surgery. Figured a jump start never hurts, even if it might change up after I see the nutritionist. So yeah, look forward to hearing from everyone/anyone...

@GassyGurl honestly that was one of my biggest concerns going into this. Finding the right surgeon, hospital, and program were my first priorities and I'm happy to say I really lucked out! After a little bit of research I was able to find a hospital, program, & surgeon I like first shot. There are some things I don't like about the hospital/office staff, but those I'd deal with regularly, so far, have all seemed to meeting just what I wanted. Thank you so much so your response though, one of my hopes for this thread is to help some other newbies out as well and that is some excellent advice! I don't think people really understand sometimes that they don't have to settle. @ZinNH see with this I'm stuck. I want to exercise, get a routine in place, before surgery but I tend to have bone pain from exercising and recently my knee has been giving me some grief. My plan is to ask my nutritionist about some lower impact exercises they might suggest when I have my first meeting with them next week. Though if you have any suggestions besides walking I'm all eyes! Being kind to myself is one of the best bits of advice. I keep trying to remind myself of this, slowly trying to correct my thinking!

Thank you 3 for responding! I've actually been doing a lot of what you all suggest and so hearing all that was so comforting, I'm confident now I'm on the right track with this journey! I'm learning something new every day about wls, vsg, & the lifestyle and hopefully hitting up my first seminar/meeting the end of this month/next month, so very excited! @patsykinoh people actually try to blend McDonald's?! That's CRAZY! Also your journey is inspiring! 118 lbs pre op is just amazing, it gives me hope that my goal of being down 50 before surgery is totally achievable, thank you! @pixystix0116 Pinterest isn't cheesey at all! I've found some awesome recipes on there already and can't wait to try them all! @Sosewsue I Love Baritastic! It's actually really helped me realize my relationship with food and I'm so glad you suggested it as I wasn't sure if it was a reliable tool to use. And I love the idea of audio books! Never even thought of that, I'm such a bibliophile that audio would work awesome for walking!

I do a vanilla protein powder with chai or pumpkin spices and it always comes out pretty tasty!

Woonsocket, RI