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First appt with surgeon - not good



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This is gonna be a long one so bare with me. I had such high hopes for today. Come to find out my insurance might not cover this waiting to hear if there is an outright exclusion with insurance.

The second thing was Dr. T. suggested the gastric sleeve rather than lap band. He said the surgeons in Sweden have stopped placing them due to success rate. They are now moving towards sleeve, but if I really want to be banded they would do what I am confortable with. I felt the dietician and exercise specialist were also pushing the sleeve saying with my issues this would be better. I feel more confused and let down now that I went to the appointment.

I am really not confortable with them cutting away my stomach but the way they made it sound is like the band will be a failure for me. Has anyone dealt with this?

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Where are you from and where is "Dr T" located?

I too had an issue with a "Dr T".

You can private message me if you don't feel comfortable answering publicly.

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That doctors group is bad news. Maybe you should consult with another doc since you are just now starting. Does the sleeve cost more money? Maybe that's why they are pushing for the sleeve. I agree with you, I would jot be doing wls if it wasn't for the lap band. I like the fact tha itis reversible!

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Research on that doctors group and check out the preop area of this site. There are several news articles about those docs

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I am going to large hospital in Philadelphia, it's not an 800 clinic. This dr. come highly reccomended. I found out today that my insurance excludes bariatric surgery. There is nothing for the doctors to fight since its excluded. So now I get to be fat the rest of my life as i can not afford self pay. I can loose weight but can never keep it off. Just so frustated because it took a long time for me to come to terms with having to have surgery to help myself and feel like I have been punched in the gut.

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I am going to large hospital in Philadelphia, it's not an 800 clinic. This dr. come highly reccomended. I found out today that my insurance excludes bariatric surgery. There is nothing for the doctors to fight since its excluded. So now I get to be fat the rest of my life as i can not afford self pay. I can loose weight but can never keep it off. Just so frustated because it took a long time for me to come to terms with having to have surgery to help myself and feel like I have been punched in the gut.

I financed my surgery through HealthOne and the min. monthly payments were only about $100. Surgery was $9,995 with hospital and everything else included. Do you get a big tax refund every year? Maybe you could pay part of it and finance the rest?

.............just trying to come up with ideas.

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I'm wondering if surgeon's make more profit on the sleeve. Two nurses from my doctor's office kep trying to sell the benefits of the sleeve to me and how everyone was happy with it. I still chose the band because I felt it was less extreme.

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I have no interest in the RNY or sleeve. I do not want to risk malabsorption issues. My

insurance until recently would not cover the sleeve.

I also have less than 100 pounds to lose. .

My doctor, staff and I feel that the lap band is the right choice for me. The surgeon is a lap

band patient and has done really well. I am almost to my goal weight before my case can

be sent for approval. That part makes me really nervous but the clinic feels that it is a

no brainer because of the co-morbidities. Once it is approved, I am hopeful that I can be squeezed

in by the end of the year. I start my preop clesses on the 14th and the final one is the following

week.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend,

Melinda

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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