So I have been looking into WLS for a little over a year now. Originally I was looking at Lap band, but then came across the sleeve and have decided I like the sleeve procedure much better. However, WHERE IN THE WORLD DO I START?! Do I find a surgeon and meet with them? Do I meet with my PCP first and go from there?? Do I go to the surgeon first and then contact insurance company? or contact insurance and then move forward with the dr appointments. I will give my stats and info at the bottom here to give a better understanding! Also, anyone have experience with using BCBS IL? & do most people have to have this procedure done as an inpatient or can it be done outpatient? I just started nursing school and was hoping to have this done before I start clinical's when I will have to be moving patients. I am a PCT at a hospital and time off work wont be a problem. Any info would be GREAT!

Thank you!

BMI: 41.5

Age: 20y/o F

Weight: 257

Congrats on making this decision! I know it's a tough one.... So I'm going thru the process right now for the sleeve, no surgery date yet. I'm 30yr, female at same 257 as well.

Originally I was also going with the band but for the amount of weight I needed to use the surgeon recommended the sleeve.

I found a surgeon in my area and went to a seminar at the hospital. Most surgeons office have patient advocates that will look into your insurance company for you to find out exactly what they will cover, what clearances they will require, and what your out of pocket expenses will be. Them from there they will have you go to your primary care to get cleared for surgery..... I used to have BCBS and they may require a referral but the surgeons office will let you know.

I had to do a 3mo monitored diet with Aetna ins. I just completed that and am now waiting for insurance to give the go ahead to set the date! It can be a lengthy process depending on what ins company requires but worth it.

If for some reason ins does not cover it, which most do now a days, I have met with many of people that have gone out of the country to have it done at a reasonable price. That option just wasn't for me because I have a family at home to take care of.... Good luck!

I have a lapband and am going to Mexico for a revision to the sleeve. There are many qualified surgeons in Mexico who do very top notch surgery at hospitals with all of the latest equipment. The cost is 1/3 to 1/4 that of the states and you can get it done immediately(I booked and could have gone in two weeks). Just an option if you don't want to go through the loooong process in the U.S.

My first step was going to a weight loss surgery seminar and having a consultation that day. I had called my insurance company the evening before to find out the requirements so I'd know what I needed to look into starting at the appointment. So that's what I would do first, call the insurance, set up a consultation, and then wait for the doctor to tell you what they require as far as pre-op appointments. If you insurance requires a PCP visit or if you want to visit your PCP to discuss your surgery ahead of time, you can do that now too - some insurances require a letter/referral so you might as well get that out of the way if needed. Make sure if you do visit the PCP first that they document your weight so that if you do have a weigh in on record to get one out of the way if they require six months of weigh ins or whatever.

In my opinion it's really important to look up your surgeon quite a bit before you decide on one. You could search for bariatric surgeons in your area online and make sure they have patient reviews, good follow-up, malpractice history, and pretty much anything you can find on them. Some clinics will have support groups that pre-op patients can visit too so that might be a good place to ask questions about how people liked the facility, etc.

How long do you have until your clinicals start? I'm a nursing student too and I'm going into second year clinicals about 6 weeks or so out from surgery. I'm a bit nervous about it, but have been recovering well so I think I'll be fine.

Good luck! =)

my first step was reveiwing my insurance benefit package, calling insurance company to make sure I was clear in my understanding, then went to seminar. I have BCBS FEP.

Congrats on making this decision! I know it's a tough one.... So I'm going thru the process right now for the sleeve' date=' no surgery date yet. I'm 30yr, female at same 257 as well.

Originally I was also going with the band but for the amount of weight I needed to use the surgeon recommended the sleeve.

I found a surgeon in my area and went to a seminar at the hospital. Most surgeons office have patient advocates that will look into your insurance company for you to find out exactly what they will cover, what clearances they will require, and what your out of pocket expenses will be. Them from there they will have you go to your primary care to get cleared for surgery..... I used to have BCBS and they may require a referral but the surgeons office will let you know.

I had to do a 3mo monitored diet with Aetna ins. I just completed that and am now waiting for insurance to give the go ahead to set the date! It can be a lengthy process depending on what ins company requires but worth it.

If for some reason ins does not cover it, which most do now a days, I have met with many of people that have gone out of the country to have it done at a reasonable price. That option just wasn't for me because I have a family at home to take care of.... Good luck![/quote']

I am 31 and about 25o! I was also going to go for the band but I didn't like the thought of the port and hadn't heard of the sleeve till the seminar. But quickly realized it was for me;) I have my pcp referral, and got my psych exam so hopefully Monday they can start the ins process;) it seems like we will probably be around the same time to be sleeved! I did not have to do the 3 month monitored diet as long as my pcp stated my attempts in the referral but as I've seen on here insurance is so broad you have to just call and see for yourself! Lmk how things go and what the insurance says for you!

I would advice you to first check with your PCP. Some insurances do cover the procedure.....Good luck!

My first step was going to a weight loss surgery seminar and having a consultation that day. I had called my insurance company the evening before to find out the requirements so I'd know what I needed to look into starting at the appointment. So that's what I would do first, call the insurance, set up a consultation, and then wait for the doctor to tell you what they require as far as pre-op appointments. If you insurance requires a PCP visit or if you want to visit your PCP to discuss your surgery ahead of time, you can do that now too - some insurances require a letter/referral so you might as well get that out of the way if needed. Make sure if you do visit the PCP first that they document your weight so that if you do have a weigh in on record to get one out of the way if they require six months of weigh ins or whatever.

In my opinion it's really important to look up your surgeon quite a bit before you decide on one. You could search for bariatric surgeons in your area online and make sure they have patient reviews, good follow-up, malpractice history, and pretty much anything you can find on them. Some clinics will have support groups that pre-op patients can visit too so that might be a good place to ask questions about how people liked the facility, etc.

How long do you have until your clinicals start? I'm a nursing student too and I'm going into second year clinicals about 6 weeks or so out from surgery. I'm a bit nervous about it, but have been recovering well so I think I'll be fine.

Good luck! =)

I start clinical's the second week of Jan 2013! However I start lab Nov 2012. I don't think there will be much lifting in lab, I think it will be more along the lines of vitals and such. If my insurance requires a 6 month sup diet I will probably be stuck waiting till after nursing school to have the surgery NOT WHAT I WAS WANTING! My school is year round and our longest break is winter break for 2 weeks. I graduate Oct. 2014. It seems like the dates between school and insurance things just aren't in my favor. I will be calling this week to get more information though. fingers crossed!

srs82871 & amazon13 ... thanks for the information!

That's awesome =) So is this your first semester? That's really exciting! I will be graduating in December 2013. We should keep in touch - it would be neat to get to know something who is going through something similar.

We didn't do much lifting in lab, and when we did it was pretty much just turning the mannequins to do bed baths. I actually kinda wish we had lab this year - I liked having a chance to practice skills and stuff. We have 2 clinicals this semester. Where do you live? I'm in Michigan.

You never know, some insurance companies do not require the 6 month diet. Or maybe if your teachers knew you were having surgery they'd let you take your finals a bit early? It sounds like you're in an accelerated program since you only have a couple of weeks off, is that right? That sounds brutal. I thought about accelerated, but I didn't wanna get burned out =p I'll keep my fingers crossed that it works out for you!