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I am in the process as well. I had my first consult with the surgeon August 5th and my first weigh in was August 11th. My surgeon's bariatric program is 4-6 months long. Since Tricare Standard does not specify how many months u need for the medically supervised diet/weigh-ins, I am going with 4 months. I have read on other threads that some people sent in previous medically supervised diet/weigh-ins to the insurance and they were approved. Others only did a month or two and were approved. Good luck with your journey!

There's a great calcium chew from Bariatrics Advantage (google them) - almost too tasty )

I think it all depends on your insurance and the bariatric center and what they both require. Im 1 week out. My BMI was around 40 as well. I did not have to do a liquid diet either, just the 1200 cal diet. BUT I did do a 3 day liquid diet right before the surgery anyway just becuase I wanted to be safe and also start shrinking my liver which supposedly makes sugery eaiser.

I am having a RnY for multiple reasons, some of which- quicker weight loss, GERD, asthma which can be caused/aggravated by GERD, sleep apnea which also could be aggravated by GERD, my age(72) the fact that it is a proven gold standard treatment, and call me sentimental but I loathe the idea of them removing. 75% of my stomach and either giving it to some pathologist or throwing it in the trash. Granted it worked too well at extracting every calorie from foods but I was kind of fond of the old muscular bag, I don't want him yanked out a keyhole incision in my abdomen and cavelierly pitched away. I came into this world with him, I'd like to leave with him still there. So far all I've donated to pathology is 1 appendix, 2 tonsils, 1 thumb joint and some biopsy slides, not ready to up the count right now! But it is YOUR BODY, you and your surgeon will make the decision for YOU not me. You are the one who will live with your body and your decisions. Decide and decide well, for there are seldom do-overs in Bariatric Surgeries. And no matter what your decision we will help you, love you, encourage you and cheer every triumph you make in your life.[emoji13] Your friend and co traveler on this weight loss road ** frust8 Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

If I am required to see a therapist, then I want to actually get some benefit out of it instead of just randomly choosing a therapist. Does anyone have a therapist they recommend that: Accepts insurance Specializes in Eating Disorders and Bariatric patients Does sessions via Zoom/Teams/etc? Thanks!

Thank you! I already feel better reading that. I'll call my surgeon tomorrow if he hasn't responded to my email by then. I'll also try to figure out how many surgeries he's done and ask about his record because that would be comforting as well. I know he did his training in bariatrics when he was med school or like specialized in it. How far along are you in pre op? I will probably have my surgery between Christmas and New Years.

I am not familiar with Kentucky's Medicaid but most I've heard of have a 6 month. That said I just learned recently,were I had to fall back on Ohio, Medicaid instead of my primary Medicare it would be 3 months. My son is on Caresource. Were he seeking bariatric surgery which at this point he's not, they mandate a 9 month track, a different period of time yet.[emoji25] And we're we in Canada or the UK, 2 places with universal health care, the times usually,are a lot longer. That's why many Canadians out of frustration, go to Mexico and the UK goes to Europe because its faster.[emoji7] Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Not sure what point your at now but I used kc Bariatrics and loved them. The office is hectic but I loved my Dr. Maybe you have a different Dr then I did...

Advances in Obesity Coverage Under the ACA The ACA does have some provisions that help to reduce obesity on a national level. It includes $15 billion in funding for wellness and disease prevention programs, many of which will target obesity. Another preventive measure is that the ACA requires restaurant chains to post calorie counts on menus. The ACA requires Medicare providers to cover obesity screening and counseling when you go to the doctor, and many healthcare insurance providers are also providing these services. Another provision of the ACA is that employees in qualifying programs are reimbursed for their healthy behaviors. If they do not smoke, maintain a healthy weight, and have blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels within the normal range, employees can get up to $800 per year. Employees with obesity can get cash back if they lose at least 10 percent of their body weight, but will not receive the money until they reach a BMI under 30. The ACA also forbids health insurance providers to deny you coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Since obesity is now recognized as a disease, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), health insurance providers cannot refuse to accept you just because of your obesity. You also cannot be denied coverage just because you had weight loss surgery in the past. Measurable Benefits Expected With These ACA Provisions Each of the above provisions can lead to small amounts of weight loss. For example, counseling for weight loss can lead to a loss of about 5 percent of body weight on average. This modest weight loss can improve blood sugar, blood pressure, and other measures of health, and it can save you, your provider, and the government money. Limitations/More Is Needed However, if you are a weight loss surgery candidate, losing 5 percent of body weight will still leave you with a good amount of excess body weight. Obesity-related health conditions such as diabetes and arthritis are still a threat, and your obesity is likely to continue to interfere with your daily life. Bariatric surgery can be effective against obesity, and it can also fight diabetes and other conditions. With its potential to treat obesity, you might expect it to be covered under the ACA. Unfortunately, only some states cover it. State by State Differences in Healthcare Coverage – Benchmark Plans The ACA requires states to offer acceptable health insurance plans, but these plans may vary by state. The plans that states can offer to fulfill the requirements are known as benchmark plans. These plans set the minimum level of benefits that a state must provide, and the benefits are based on current plans within a state. So, states where competing private plans do not cover weight loss surgery are not likely to offer Obamacare plans that cover weight loss surgery. To make matters worse, the states that do not cover weight loss surgery tend to be the states with the highest rates of obesity. In effect, the more likely you are to have obesity, the less likely you are to live in a state that covers bariatric surgery. You can find out more about each state’s benchmark plan from the government’s The Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) site. Which States Cover Weight Loss Surgery? So far, 22 states cover bariatric surgery. Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming Five states and cover weight loss programs, but do not necessarily cover weight loss surgery. California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico Twenty-eight states do not cover bariatric surgery or other extensive obesity treatment. Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin Coverage Often Seems Reluctant Even if your health care coverage includes weight loss surgery, it can come with a lot of hoops. For example, you may need to wait a certain number of months or diet to lose a certain amount of weight before you can get the surgery. Your plan may not cover the type of weight loss surgery that you are hoping to get, especially in the case of newer surgery types such as the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve). There can also be a lifetime limit of one surgery, which does you no good if your first surgery did not work. If surgery is a disease, shouldn't you be entitled to treatment that works? What Can You Do? You can advocate for making weight loss surgery a required service under Obamacare by reaching out to state and federal representatives. If you live in a state where bariatric surgery is already covered, contact your representatives in Congress. If you live in a state where bariatric surgery is not yet covered, contact your Congress people, and also contact your state representatives. In your letter, phone call, or email to your representative, explain what bariatric surgery means to you and to the thousands of others like you. Explain why you need it to lose weight, and how you feel that it could impact your life. Describe the obstacles and health problems that you face because of obesity. Your goal is to convince the representative that weight loss surgery needs to be covered. If weight loss surgery is the only effective treatment for obesity, it should be included in a healthcare plan. Otherwise, we will continue to struggle with these same problems because not everyone can afford the thousands of dollars it takes to get the surgery done.

I was told no shakes with sucralose. The bariatric pal store offers pre op diet shakes with sucralose? I wander why sucralose is not advised. Also, anyone purchase bariatric pal shakes? Thoughts?

Well I called my coordinator today to find out what was going on and of course it went straight to voicemail so I called cigna to find out and they said I was denied so I asked why and she said I was denied because services has to be done at a contracted bariatric center of excellence and i asked was there any other reasons and the lady said no it was denied right away and my file wasn't looked into any further???? so I was like WHAT!!! and I said yes they are...Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center has been designated as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), which means we have met the independent and rigorous requirements established by the ASMBS. The ASMBS Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable patient outcomes in bariatric surgery(paste this section from there web site) so i told her to look it up and that my doctor is Chief of Elective General Surgery for the medical school Department of Surgery. He is also the Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery for the Memorial Hermann Hospital-TMC. she said she couldn't do anything else and to contact by dr. office so i did and my coordinator voicemail said to leave a message and she will get back within 24 hours. It has me just mad..you spend all that time to meet their requirments spend all that money for the out of pocket expenses and they tell you no right away and then you can't get any answers from the dr. office because the only person who has the answers doesn't call you back. I mean she didnt send a paper with a leader head stating they are a center of excellence or stamped it or whatever they use to identify that they are So for those of you who do have cigna were you denied the first time and if so how many time's did you have to resubmit to get that approval...I need to call cigna to see if there is a limit on how many times you can resubmit before they say denied for a final time. sorry so long

I was sleeved on 4/3, I have been feeling and doing great down 31 pounds since surgery. Woo Hoo! I am having trouble getting my vitamins down and was wondering if anyone could recommend one that has as much of the nutrients and calcium that the chewable bariatric ones do but that don't taste as bad? Thank you so much.

You need a high dose Multi-Vitamin such as Bariatric Pal's One-a-Day (or double "normal" one-a-day vitamins), sub-lingual Vitamin B12, D3, and 1500 mg Calcium Citrate. If your dietitian gave you other directions, follow them.

When you are given instructions you find vague from doctor's and/or medical staff, I find it best to ask for specific examples. Most bariatric programs can provide or at least direct you to where to get sample menus. As for eating during the day. Pack your lunch and Snacks.

I'm not sure but I'd say there's a very small number of people here that could give you real advice or help. This is one that I sincerely hope your personal physician and your bariatric surgeon already know about and have dispensed their best advice to you. If it's not clear to you now, PLEASE PHONE one or both of them and seek help A.S.A.P.

The only person who knows is my mother because I'm under her insurance so she would've eventually found out. I chose not to tell my 6 siblings or my father because I witnessed how they spoke about my sister's sleeve surgery, and while it wasn't negative I just didn't like the idea of someone discussing me, my body, or my eating habits. Coincidentally, I had a different health issue I was going to physical therapy for, so I told them I was having surgery for that. For the past 6 months I've just been relating my doctor visits to that issue instead of bariatric surgery.

Thanks to all that replied. All good pieces of advice. I went to my HR and she is looking into it. Says she didn't realize they didn't offer it... My bariatric office is getting the appeal paperwork and I will go that route, also... If needed, I will try to negoiate being a self pay patient...last resort!! I need my band and need the support and help from my docs and fills!! Nelsonn, I have no clue what your post was about .... Happy New Year to all!

I am a little over a week out and feeling similar to you. I have been very emotional, but I think it does not help that I am no longer on hormones which has helped keep my emotions be more balanced in the past. My bariatric dr. stated I resume the hormones after a month out. Also because I am still in pain and taking pain meds, I cannot be as busy as I would like too . However, my family, close friend and this forum helps me to try to stay positive, I know this stage will pass.

Thank you so much for your very quick response, my problem is I can't exercise due to my illness,I've lost 7 stone 1lb so far but stuck for well over month and half! I've still got another 5stone to go! But I'm taking all that you've said on board, got an appointment in dec to see the bariatric team again so will see what they have to say then. Thanks for your support x

Hi I'm 4"11 and been sleeved going on my 11 month. My journey started out at 265 day of surgery 260. Lost about 25 pounds first week. First month over 50 pounds, then kept losing. Currently I'm between 135-140, stop going to the gym for 2 months and been in this stall. Getting back to the gym I'll lose the 15-20 more pounds I'm wanting to. I thought I was the only shorty out here!! BTW I did everything like tall people would do my Dr said it did not matter how tall. Check out my pics! Five months out/ 8 months out 10 months out/ current DL picture had to renew I look like a different person Just for kicks with my peeps

Not sure if this has been posted before or not, but this is probably the best article that I have read since having surgery. http://www.bariatriceating.com/2015/03/why-everything-in-moderation-is-bariatric-baloney/?utm_campaign=Everything_In_Moderation_Support&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=3-10-16 Prior to surgery, I thought that I would be able to be an "Everything in Moderation" kind of person, but knew right away that that would never work for me.

I was sleeved on Monday September 12th so of course I'm on a strict liquid diet this week. It is almost impossible to get my Protein in because the only thing I can have that contains protein are the Bariatric Advantage shakes mixed with Water or New whey Liquid Protein shots. Both make me physically sick when I try to drink them. I'm wondering how badly it'll effect me to not get all my protein until Tuesday? Because that's when I can start full liquids and can drink the normal Protein Shakes again! I'm nervous I'm going to mess everything up. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hey there I’m new too but wanting to make friends through this with... if u want Go to face book , find me Trina Carrie Robinson Stuart and then bariatric buddies i made it a closed group today so friend request me just Incase I have to add you😉☺️ I’m so excited please let me know when u do on here in case I can’t find you😍

Hey everyone! I finally asked my PCP if I could have bariatric surgery! He said yes but only if I go through the "lean program" first. I now have 2 new doctors for my weight loss program. Spoke with them yesterday, one is my nutritionist and the other is my bariatric surgeon. Both I'm meeting on February 13th yay! So the following week my diet should start. I'll have more of an understanding of when I will have the surgery when I meet with them in February. :-) I'm going to lose as much as I can on the diet, for success. Yay! Im sooo excited!

YAY you!!! I wish I could say I was that day, but sadly, I have to wait till after Jan 2nd to enroll in the Bariatric program. Best wishes, and keep us all posted!