Hi everyone,

I am brand new to this forum and just starting the process of WLS research. I have had several friends go through various forms of WLS including the band, RNY, and the sleeve. By far the most successful ones have been those who got the sleeve procedure.

I am overwhelmed with where to start the process. I am 5'9" and currently weigh 276.2. I lost over 100 pounds in 2009 after my 2nd daughter was born but gained it all back during my pregnancy with my 3rd child. I have struggled with my weight since puberty. I lost the weight in 2009 following one of those "medical" weight loss programs where you pay $$ every week for injections and appetite suppressants and follow a very calorie-resitricted diet.

I have been trying to do it on my own for the past month and have lost less than 10 pounds on a diet with less than 1300 calories, under 30 carbs, drinking over 80 ounces of Water per day and exercising 3x/week. It is very discouraging to have even gained weight with such careful tracking of my food and exercise.

I am beginning to believe that WLS is what it will take for loss to happen long term. Both my parents are obese and I have watched their weight go up and down over and over through the years on various fad diets. I don't want to set that same example for my 3 kids.

So... I don't know where to start. Do I call my insurance company first? Make an appointment with my primary care Dr to start doing the 6 months of supervisied weigh ins? Try to research a bariatric surgeon online and then just schedule an appointment?

I need help! Can someone tell me, step by step, how to start this process?

Hi there!

Welcome aboard! We about the same, I too am 5'9, weighing 272 pounds.

Call your insurance company and see what they cover. Some companies will make you go thru a 6 month monitored weight loss, but they will cover the initial meetings, so you can call and get all those things started in the meantime.

If you live in Mass (Like I do), all insurance companies cover the surgery, but again, there are a few that require 6 months of monitored weight loss first.

Ask lots of questions! You are going to hear alot of good, positive things. You will hear some not good things. In my opinion, the good far out weigh the bad. but you have to make your own decision.

This forum is filled with people who have been where you are and want nothing more than to help!!!

Good Luck!!!

Hi,

I finally decided that VGS was my only hope to lose weight. I had lost 160 pounds in 2000 and slowly gained back about 60 pounds over the last five years. The last straw was when I GAINED weight doing Weight Watchers.

The first thing I did was call the Bariatric practice I knew I would use (I'm a medical sales rep and they were my client). They took all my insurance info over the phone --- they then contact the insurances and verify what/where/how much coverage for weight loss surgery. The coordinator called me back in a few days to let me know what was covered and schedule my first appointment. My doc's office is a large practice (there are 6 surgeons I think) and is run like a well oiled machine. They want to know what your insurance covers as much as you do!

So, my suggestion is to start with the bariatric surgeon/practice you would like to use......

Hi everyone,

I am brand new to this forum and just starting the process of WLS research. I have had several friends go through various forms of WLS including the band, RNY, and the sleeve. By far the most successful ones have been those who got the sleeve procedure.

I am overwhelmed with where to start the process. I am 5'9" and currently weigh 276.2. I lost over 100 pounds in 2009 after my 2nd daughter was born but gained it all back during my pregnancy with my 3rd child. I have struggled with my weight since puberty. I lost the weight in 2009 following one of those "medical" weight loss programs where you pay $$ every week for injections and appetite suppressants and follow a very calorie-resitricted diet.

I have been trying to do it on my own for the past month and have lost less than 10 pounds on a diet with less than 1300 calories, under 30 carbs, drinking over 80 ounces of Water per day and exercising 3x/week. It is very discouraging to have even gained weight with such careful tracking of my food and exercise.

I am beginning to believe that WLS is what it will take for loss to happen long term. Both my parents are obese and I have watched their weight go up and down over and over through the years on various fad diets. I don't want to set that same example for my 3 kids.

So... I don't know where to start. Do I call my insurance company first? Make an appointment with my primary care Dr to start doing the 6 months of supervisied weigh ins? Try to research a bariatric surgeon online and then just schedule an appointment?

I need help! Can someone tell me, step by step, how to start this process?

Where are you located? The first thing to do is troll these forums, I did for six months before I had surgery, four months before I decided on a doctor and went to the initial seminar!! I'll give you the same advice my family doctor gave me, and I quote, "Find a Center Of Excellence doctor" and I did. You can google to see what that means if you don't know. In short, there are certain guidelines they have to meet to get that stamp of approval. Go to a seminar, find a support group near you and go.....I went to one a month starting three months before surgery. No question for you doctor, nurse, nutritionist or dietitian is silly. Ask one of them or ask it here on the forum to get people's opinion. I have never regretted my decision. I feel great and maintaining is easy, so far! Good luck!!!!

Thank you all very much for the great advice! There is a Center of Excellence in my area (I just just north of Tampa) but it seems like they specialize in the lap band which I am NOT interested in. I will need to do some more research on them.

I did look online to see what my insurance may cover and it said the surgery is covered but it mentioned either 6 months of supervised diet OR 3 months of multidisciplinary counseling/intervention. So I'm not sure which would be easiest.

This is the website for the local Center of Excellence here.

http://www.tgh.org/weight.htm

Any feedback is appreciated

It does not appear that the Center of Excellence bariatric program I listed above does the Vertical Sleeve procedure.

You should call your insurance company. They need your group number to know exactly what your employer's plan covers. Every group under the same insurance is different. I called on 4 different occasions just to make sure I was given the same info each time! Because I have a H M O I knew I would need to start with my PCP. I researched doctors in my area, but it was sort of a waste of time because when I saw my PCP she was able to tell me exactly where my insurance would send me. (The hospital that my PCP goes thru does not have a bariatric program so technically I'm sent to an out of network hospital/bariatric program.) I had the choice between 2 hospitals in Chicago so then I researched between the 2 of them and chose one. My insurance required some things before I could even get the approval to see the surgeon for a consult so I was glad I started with my PCP. Good luck! I also was on this site and attending webinars for almost 2 months before I even went to my first dr. appt!

Welcome to the forums! JennyBeth gave you a great place to start. When you find a surgeon they will advise you on the 6-month or 3-month process that you should go through. Weight loss surgeon offices are very familiar with the hoops that the insurance requires you to jump through and they will know the best way to get you approved.

PLEASE use the search function at the top of the site and search "Finding a surgeon" , "Questions to ask" , "Diet after surgery" , "Recovery" , "Complications" , "Food tolerance"

That is some of the biggest topics here that will start you off on how you feel about the surgery. Good luck!

Start by going to the information sessions offered by the various centers around you (go to more than one to see the difference). They will tell you the different options, and also give you and idea of how that particular center approaches the surgery and after care. You want a program that has good follow on nutritional support.

My cousin is pursuing the lap-band through Sun Coast bariatrics in you area, and she has very positive things to say. They have a program to satisfy the 6-month requirement and a good reputation.

Also, the sleeve is a newer surgery. IMO you want to find a surgeon who has done the procedure a lot.

I was curious if you continued to look in to the sleeve? I am moving to the area next month and am looking for a local support group!

It does not appear that the Center of Excellence bariatric program I listed above does the Vertical Sleeve procedure.