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Hi everyone,

I am wondering what is required after insurance is approved? I saw my surgeon on July 9th, I was cleared by my PCP 7/8, nutritionist on 7/10 and the psychiatrist on 7/17. Everything was sent to BCBS on 7/22 and I have been calling them every day since for status updates…..pending. I meet all the requirements since my BMI is > 40 no supervised diet period, so I am confident I will be approved. I’m just wondering what else I will have to do before I can have my surgery? I know I will have to see the surgeon again, probable some blood work and I have been avoiding sugar like it is a plague (to shrink my liver). I’m concerned because I have to travel for work out of town for 2 weeks in September, home for 1 week and then the whole month of October. I will not be back in town for 30 days in October. I am afraid I will be approved but will not be able to have the surgery in time to recover before I have to leave :unsure: , if that is the case I will not be able to get my band until November :(

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After insurance is approved the only thing required is setting up your surgery daye and any diet prior to the surgery your dr wants you on. The diet isnt to lose weight more so to shrink yiur liver to make the surgery easier

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Also recovery is pretty quick only bad thing about travel is you won't have the essential things to eat after surgery like your puree food. I was back at work 2 days after surgery

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I traveled for work whilst in the liquid and soft foods phased. Protein Shakes and yoghurt got me through. Fortunately it was also winter so Soups was an option.

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Being out of town for the whole month of October might be tricky in terms of food progression (liquids, mushies, solids), follow ups with the surgeon, possible band issues, even fills. While I'm sure you would prefer to be banded sooner than later, it might behoove you to wait till after you are back home.

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Thanks everyone :)

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IveyinKY

You mentioned in your post that you didn't have to do the 6mos supervised diet because of your BMI? I just want to clarify because I have BCBS too and I was told by my Lap Band clinic I had to do the 6mos and my BMI is over 40 too

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I think there are different plans because I have BCBS and my BMI is 35 and I didn't have to have supervised weigh ins. Only took 2 weeks and I was approved. I've been told some plans require it and some don't. Hope you hear something soon! And good luck:)

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I can't imagine traveling on this pre-op diet, or especially traveling on the post-op diet. Best of luck to you, keep pestering the insurance, fortunately mine was approved in 4 days, and my surgery is two months to the date of my first orientation meeting.

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After insurance is approved the only thing required is setting up your surgery daye and any diet prior to the surgery your dr wants you on. The diet isnt to lose weight more so to shrink yiur liver to make the surgery easier

I Agree with Rob; after my insurance co approved me I was in surgery within 2 weeks.

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Hi everyone' date='

I am wondering what is required after insurance is approved? I saw my surgeon on July 9[sup']th[/sup], I was cleared by my PCP 7/8, nutritionist on 7/10 and the psychiatrist on 7/17. Everything was sent to BCBS on 7/22 and I have been calling them every day since for status updates…..pending. I meet all the requirements since my BMI is > 40 no supervised diet period, so I am confident I will be approved. I’m just wondering what else I will have to do before I can have my surgery? I know I will have to see the surgeon again, probable some blood work and I have been avoiding sugar like it is a plague (to shrink my liver). I’m concerned because I have to travel for work out of town for 2 weeks in September, home for 1 week and then the whole month of October. I will not be back in town for 30 days in October. I am afraid I will be approved but will not be able to have the surgery in time to recover before I have to leave :unsure: , if that is the case I will not be able to get my band until November :(

One of the best things I have done was given a NUTRIBULLET for my birthday July 10th. And it helps me daily to eat correctly as I do two Nutriblast shakes a day with whey Protein Ibsolate.

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My date was moved up to Aug 14 so I will be on soft food for the first 3 days of my trip then regular food as tolerated. I am luck to be traveling with a good friend and by car. I plan to take a small cooler with me. Thanks everyone!

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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.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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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