I have been on the boards for a little while, posting a little and reading a LOT! I am a 47-year-old mother of two in Tennessee. I am 5'4" and weigh 248. Only on this board would I admit that! I suffer from high blood pressure, borderline Type 2 diabetes, mild OA in my knees, and I apparently snore like a chainsaw. My BMI is 41.8, I think.

Today my surgeon's insurance coordinator called and said their review of benefits was complete and my insurance should cover the majority of the charges, minus my co-pay and deductible. My first appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Spaw, is next Wednesday!! I will also meet with the nutritionist, exercise physiologist and take my psych test (?), which will then be faxed to a psych who will call me to set up an appointment. My Aetna policy requires a 3 month prep program, so my final appointment with Dr. Spaw will be April 6. Then everything will be submitted. I don't know what his wait time is from insurance approval to a surgery date, but that's OK. He is supposed to be an awesome person and surgeon, so I will wait for him.

I cannot believe that there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. I'm determined to work this and make it successful. I have had abdominal surgery before, so I know what to expect as far as gas and pain. I had cysts removed off both ovaries in 1985 and I was slit from one side to the other and was in the hospital 5 days. I don't know of ANY surgery any more that keeps you for 5 days! I had horrendous gas pains up into my right shoulder on the 4th day post-op. Then I walked bent over for about a week after I got home because my belly muscles were SO SORE! Do you think this will be more or less painful than that?

Once I go to my first surgeon's appointment, I will make a ticker. Whoo, this is so exciting!

Lisa

Congrats! I have to say I have had 2 c/sections plus a few other surgeries and the pain from the sleeve was just as minimal as all of my other surgeries. Sleeve is usually done laprascopically so instead of one big incision you have a few small ones. Hospitals do so much to control patients pain that you really shouldn't have any. You might be sore but nothing horrible. They had me up and walking the same day of my surgery and it wasn't bad, I was just groggy from pain meds. As long as you go into everything with the right mind set, everything will go great!

Good luck on your journey and keep us all updated!

I think my hysterectomy was more painful then the sleeve surgery. I was up within an hour after getting to my room and then walked every hour. That helped me so much. I did not have any severe gas pains at all. I did take their pain med injections every 4 hours but it was more to just keep the edge off. Good Luck. I had Aenta and our office took 24 hours to approve.

The pain can be pretty intense the first 24 hours, but they give you drugs to control it. After 24 hours I would say it slightly less than my Csections. I would guess if they cut you from ovary to ovary you have a pretty good idea what a csection is like.

Congratulations! And you are definitely on your way to a better life!!

I had a total abdominal hysterectomy, and gall bladder surgery both... and this was comprable to the gall bladder surgery for me. Nothing even close to the hysterectomy in the "bad" department.

If you feel sick, or in pain TELL them and they'll give you drugs. And when you go home, make sure you get prescriptions for nausea AND pain.

Best of luck! Cinderella