I am currently doing the 6 month diet, does anyone know if it needs to be 30 days or each month? I went for a weigh in on may 1st, and have another today. But i keep thinking i should wait until at least tomorrow since it will be june??

It may not matter, but I have been doing mine once a month, i.e, January weight, February weight, March weight, etc. I'll weigh in next Monday and will be able to turn in my paperwork to insurance. Hopeful! Good luck to you...

It will be considered June, it's 6 consecutive months, I had to do it too. Make sure you use this time to learn to chew your food, not drink Water with your meal, eat your meat first, vegies second, slowly get rid of carbonation, wean from caffeine, get off pop, set yourself up well for the surgery. Sign up for myfitnesspal.com or fitday.com and start keeping track of your Proteins, carbs, calories and even if you go overboard, you can see where your weaknesses are. Also make sure you get your 64 ounces in. If you start changing these habits now it will make it easier later.

I did the six month program, and surgery is Monday for me and I've lost 69 pounds pre-surgery. I'm hoping by Monday to make it a full 70 pounds. Something to be proud of. Surgery is only a tool, and is not a cure all. Spending the six months wisely to overcome bad habits will only make the tool (the sleeve) work the way it's suppose to in the end.

I had to deal with the six month program through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, all pretty big feast holidays and that just makes me more proud of all I have done.

Good luck, it really does go fast if you have the right attitude and you really want it bad enough.

im not doing all that, because I can't lose weight. ha! imagine that! my bmi is 40.7 and that means I can lose 4 lbs. sigh.

68 lbs preop is great!

oh but yes, it's 6 consecutive months. if you go at the beginning of may and the end of may and skip june, it wont count, and youll have to go back and start over. annoing, isn't it? the bariatric lady explained it to me that way, and said that's the way the ins company tries to get out of paying for the surgery.

I cannot lose anything either, my BMI is a 41. But, I have used this time to research how to eat, what foods to stay away from etc. I also have given up all carbonated beverages, and tried to get all of my water in. I love pop, and thought if I don’t break the habit now I will be in trouble! 3 more months...

Funny you guys should mention it, but I can't lose either. Not because I'm not supposed to lose. I probably should lose a few pounds because my BMI is 46! But, I just can't seem to lose ANY weight!! I've drinking these stupid shakes, exercising, etc., but it seems impossible! I guess that's why I'm doing this, right? But, it seems like in the past, I could alter something in my diet and I could drop a few pounds, but the older I get, the harder this is becoming! I'm particularly frustrated today.

Did your insurance cover your shakes? What does the medical supervised diet consist of?

Did your insurance cover your shakes? What does the medical supervised diet consist of?

Mine didn't cover shakes. The med sup diet for me was meeting with the nurse pract and the dietician once a month to weigh and discuss diet and exercise. I found it useful. But, I lost a total of 1 lb, which they said was okay because I didn't gain weight!

No, my insurance didn't cover the shakes. I have to fighting my primary physician once a month for 6 months. We talk about diet, exercise, what my measurements are, weight gain/loss. I have a BMI of 41 so I worry about losing any weight and then being denied.. but the new surgeons office I went to said that it wouldn't matter if I lost weight now because the insurance would go off my first weigh in with them. ?? They would like to see a 20lb weight loss prior to surgery. Anyone experience this?

That's what I'm afraid of I start my 6 months diet Monday and my surgeon office said the same thing .. That the insurance company just want to do if you can comply w supervised doctor instructions but I guess it depends on insurance company .. My Bmi is 44 I plan on tryna lose 30pounds but losing 20 would put me rt at Bmi of 40

I am a military wife having the sleeve done at a MTF. The program takes about 5 months from start until surgery date. They would like to see people lose 20% of their body weight. Their reasoning was they like to see that people are making the changes in their diet and how they eat and getting in exercise. I was also told it is ok if you don't lose the whole 20% as long as you do not gain weight durring the 5 months. So far I am 4 months in and I have lost 14 pounds my 20% would be 20 pounds. To lose the weight I have been using myfitnesspal to track my calories and I walk 3 miles at night about 5 times a week. Good luck to everyone. I should be getting my surgery date my next appointment on July 13th.

It's not as though your doctors are trying to punish you by making you lose weight during this six months. Also, it's not like you "can't" lose weight or will get denied, they go by your first weight. Trying to actually follow the program only sets up you up for success after the sleeve. The sleeve is a tool not a guarantee.

I think you do a disservice to yourself by not attempting to follow your doctor's plan. Sign up for myfitnesspal.com and at least chart your food even if you decide to eat whatever you want to see where your issues lay. Stop closing your eyes to what your pitfalls are.

Start working on getting 64 ounces of Water in. You WILL have to give up caffeine and pop - start working on that. Try working on getting 80 ounces of Protein in. Eat your meat first, your vegetables second and your carbs third.

Have your fun days where you eat doritoes or cake. But decide on doritos or cake not both.

The sleeve does not guarantee you permanent weight loss, and YOU need to change the way you do things, why make it harder on yourself when you are stuck doing pre-op shakes and still addicted to pop or coffee and then can't do the shakes because you have a headache every day due to caffeine withdrawal.

There are people that go in to get sleeved and get opened up and then closed because their liver is too fat because they didn't follow doctor's orders.

The doctor's aren't expecting you to lose 100 pounds in the pre-approval stage, but at least make some behavior modifications. Getting sleeved is a psychological whirlwind. You have to be mentally and physically prepared for the challenges you face after surgery. They take out 85% of your stomach, there is pain involved, there is restriction involved, there are a lot of psychological changes that occur and for you to put yourself through this and to not spend the time wisely to learn to chew chew chew your food, learn to get your water in and learn to chart your food and be able to look at 3 ounces of meat and recognize it compared to a 12 ounces is something that you should want to start working on. Start dropping some carbs out of your diet, so you don't end up suffering during preop is important. Learn to chew your food at least 20 times, learn to not drink 1/2 hour after you eat, is something you really should be working on.

Good luck.

Thank you for your reply. I have made those changes and working on others.. I have very limited caffeine and also eliminated all carbonation. I never once said I felt like the surgeons office was "punishing me". I wish I could lose the weight on my own and keep it off. I dont think any of us had this plan in life that we WANT surgery. I know I can lose weight, I have done it several times. However, the insurance games are ridiculous. I was only asking if anyone had my similarities and lost weight, fell below a 40bmi and still approved. I didn't need the "surgery is tough" lecture. My sister went through it and I have witnessed the "not so fun" side of this whole process.

I think we are all anxious and nervous about every little thing with insurance companies. I've spent a lot of money and time into this process already and hoping for the best outcome. I would hate to continue to drive an hour and a half away each month to meet with them and then get the denial.

Yes I agree I haven't drunk a cold drink or smoke a cig in 4months cus I had to prove to myself and doctor that I was very serious about get healthy so good luck to everyone I just have my six month diet and eval left .. Hope it go fast with all the changes I been making

No' date=' my insurance didn't cover the shakes. I have to fighting my primary physician once a month for 6 months. We talk about diet, exercise, what my measurements are, weight gain/loss. I have a BMI of 41 so I worry about losing any weight and then being denied.. but the new surgeons office I went to said that it wouldn't matter if I lost weight now because the would go off my first weigh in with them. ?? They would like to see a 20lb weight loss prior to surgery. Anyone experience this?[/quote']

My Dr told me they go off the last and first weight. My Dr told me to not gain for the 6 months and to try to lose 5lbs. This way the insurance company shows the weight history for the 6 months.