Hello everyone!!!

I am a newbie, I have been thinking of getting this surgery for about 7 months, been doing my research and going over my options and I have decided that the sleeve is for me:) I am so ready for this life changing journey! I was wondering, especially for any self-payers how long did it take for you to get a sugery date after your first inital visit? Or seminar if you attended one?

I was the fastest seminar to surgery patient my Dr. had ever had. I attended the July 30th saturday seminar, made my appt with the surgeon that Monday the 1st. Followed up with him that Friday the 5th, had surgery on Monday the 8th of August. So 9 days later, I was sleeved! I had been researching it and doing supervised dieting so I would be okayed by my insurance but they only covered the sleeve if your bmi was over 50 and mine was 40.2. I decided at the seminar to self pay and the earliest appt he had was Monday morning so I took it! It was very fast!

I attended my first seminar in the beginning of March and will be sleeved the end of June.

Mine was just under a month, but I'm self pay so I didn't have to wait for insurance authorization.

It took me 3 weeks from initial consult to OR table.

I was self-pay, so I could have gotten a date within the week, but wanted to give my work a heads up I would be out for a few unplanned days. Also- some of the pre-op tests took a few days to schedule and get results.... surprisingly the psych consult took the longest to schedule as many of the referred docs were too booked w/ regular patients to take a one-off.

congrats on taking control of your life and health!

I was self-pay. I had my initial visit with the surgeon in March and I will be sleeved on May 22nd.

It was about a month until I could get in for my psych eval (who knew psychologists were so busy...lol). A week after that I was able to pay and get my surgery date. Then I had all my other pre-op tests, etc. in this last month. Now I'm a week out.

I attended the first info meeting in Feb and I have the sleeve surgery on May 23rd

Thanks for all your answers! I am hoping to be a "fast" person, i've been waiting all this time it seems and now that I know I want to do it I am just so eager to start the process. I haven't even been to my seminar yet, I have been to one but not with the doctor that I am wanting to go to. The one I went to I didn't feel so good about so this doctor I am hoping is "the one". I go to my seminar on the 5th of next month!

Thanks for all your answers! I am hoping to be a "fast" person, i've been waiting all this time it seems and now that I know I want to do it I am just so eager to start the process. I haven't even been to my seminar yet, I have been to one but not with the doctor that I am wanting to go to. The one I went to I didn't feel so good about so this doctor I am hoping is "the one". I go to my seminar on the 5th of next month!

I too had gone to a seminar about a year before I actually had my surgery and I didnt like the staff at the seminar. I did not feel they were the ones for me. I kept trying to lose on my own and finally went to a different surgeon who was recommended to me and I loved them!

I too had gone to a seminar about a year before I actually had my surgery and I didnt like the staff at the seminar. I did not feel they were the ones for me. I kept trying to lose on my own and finally went to a different surgeon who was recommended to me and I loved them!

Hopefully I will be just like you! I don't know anyone who has went to this surgeon but on paper he looks good-I just have to see! I had given up the surgery route and have tried so hard on my own:( I really feel in my heart this is the only thing that is going to work for me.

Question: I am wondering why so many of you are self-pay? Is there an advantage to that for your insurance to cover or not afterwards in case of complications? I have scheduled the sleeve for July 6th and just heard that my insurance is planning to approve the sleeve in the next month, so I am hoping I have timed it right.

Cookies, (lol....love the name) I am just like you. I had my seminar on March 29th and my surgery is in two days, May 22nd.

At first it seemed like surgery day was taking forever but in the last couple of days everything seems like it is on fast forward. The thing that took me the longest was my psych visits because I had all other necessary paperwork done. The psych figured that I need three visits before surgery, otherwise I probably would have had a sooner date....now I am dealing with pre op jitters....

I went to a seminar, had a consult with my surgeon, attended a second seminar with my hubby, and had my second consult exactly one year after the first one! At the second consult, I scheduled my surgery to take place in 17 days....just enough time to complete my preop diet. I'm a month out. By the way, I wasn't self-pay, but my insurance company approved me three weeks after my original consult. I was just busy being sure and making the lifestyle changes I needed first. I AM A HAPPY SLEEVER !

IMHO it shouldn't be a matter of speed-to-the-operation-table, but a slow steady process. Everything, or as much as possible, needs to be considered. Weight loss surgery is a big thing in one's life. I think of how many years it took to add/gain all those pounds. Just take things slow & follow a plan. Baby-steps, if you will. I share the anxiousness everyone has.

Well just a lil update, I got to go to my seminar earlier than expected so now I actually get to have my meet with the surgeon on June 5th! Super excited! I'm not sure what all you have to do before surgery, the pre-op diet etc, I am so excited to find out! I hope that my surgery can be sometime in June!

The quickest through my surgeon's program is 3 months, average is 6 months to one year. I was going every week, sometimes twice, to get all the required classes in and all the required pre op appointments.