Hello Everyone,

I just joined today, after plans to have the lap band. I had my first surgical appointment yesterday, and was told they barely do the lap band anymore, they take out more than they put in, and complications are a major problem. My surgeon suggested the sleeve as my best option for weight loss surgery. After a detailed conversation, I felt ready to proceed. I had looked at both lap band and sleeve information when researching weight loss surgery. I will be self pay, which raises another problem. The place I went yesterday, currently doesn't have any self pay packages, because they are in the process of getting insurance backing for self pay patients. So now it's a hurry up and wait game. I am mentally prepared for weight loss surgery, and would like it done sooner than later. I look forward to learning from all of you and reading your inspiring stories. Thanks for listening...well reading

Bonnie

If you feel comfortable with the surgeon and want to work with him or her, I would suggest waiting for them to get their insurance backing in place. I ended up having to delay for 10 months due to work and I used that time to get used to protein shakes (had one for breakfast every day for those 10 months), practicing not drinking with meals (plus 30 minutes before and after), building up my distance when walking (got up to 5 miles!), and really starting to work on my head.

Good luck!

Welcome! I had a sleeve done on June 19th. All is going very well. I would suggest talking to people, reading, doing all the research you can do. go on amazon and get books. I was 100% prepared I thought. The surgery itself was not a walk in the park. the incision where the excess tummy was removed is still a bit sore due to having to go thru the muscle. I was lucky because my pain was not bad. the Dr. had me on a morphine bolas along with the IV and I didn't use much. I had the surgery on a Wednesday and came home Saturday. 1 day addl. when I had my knee replaced in 2011 I ended up with an infection from the catheter. I felt kind of funky like it was starting this time again so I was kept an extra day and put on cipro iv. the hard part was getting in and out of bed because of the soreness. I actually have slept on my tummy the last 2 nights!! Started pureed foods and have been able to eat scrambled eggs. I found the clear isopure protein drink was the best for the first week post op. I found it at The Vitamin shoppe, or again amazon. It is truly a day by day process but I feel great. Went in on the 19th at 232 and today am 218. I even got back in the pool yesterday and just walked around in the water. follow your Dr.'s advice and you'll do great. Best of luck

Thank you to both of you for your kind words. I really liked the surgeon I met with, I just don't want to wait much longer for surgery. There is a place not too far from me that I could look into. I just don't want to rush a decision to get it and do it at the wrong place just to do it. The books are a great idea, I will look into that!

Also check out the hospital where the surgery is going to be done and where you will stay. Make sure they are rated for Bariatric surgery. Since you are an R.N. you can probably get the inside view and talk to the floor nurses. The where is almost as important as the who. If the staff is not prepared to take care of sleeve patients it's not good. I know you are on the other side of the country but check out Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs Ca. as an idea of what to look for. they have a whole team dedicated to just this specialty.

Thank you to both of you for your kind words. I really liked the surgeon I met with' date=' I just don't want to wait much longer for surgery. There is a place not too far from me that I could look into. I just don't want to rush a decision to get it and do it at the wrong place just to do it. The books are a great idea, I will look into that![/quote']

Wouldn't hurt to check out a few other programs. Go to their seminars. meet the surgeons. Who knows you may find the perfect doc for you who already has self pay in place. In the mean time read those books and if you don't find someone you like better you go with the original doc and his program. Did they give you an estimate of time it would take to get the insurance lined up and start the self pay process?

Look for a bariatric center of excellence.

Hello Everyone,

I just joined today, after plans to have the lap band. I had my first surgical appointment yesterday, and was told they barely do the lap band anymore, they take out more than they put in, and complications are a major problem. My surgeon suggested the sleeve as my best option for weight loss surgery. After a detailed conversation, I felt ready to proceed. I had looked at both lap band and sleeve information when researching weight loss surgery. I will be self pay, which raises another problem. The place I went yesterday, currently doesn't have any self pay packages, because they are in the process of getting insurance backing for self pay patients. So now it's a hurry up and wait game. I am mentally prepared for weight loss surgery, and would like it done sooner than later. I look forward to learning from all of you and reading your inspiring stories. Thanks for listening...well reading

Bonnie

Hi Bonnie!

I went to my initial consult fairly certain I was going to have the lap band procedure, too, when my surgeon told me she doesn't really do them that often anymore. It's then I started researching the sleeve. I was self-pay, due to WLS exclusion from my health insurance policy, and ended up having the procedure in Mexico. I waited for about a year, from my initial consult with the surgeon locally, until I was sleeved in March 2013. I'm 3 months post-op and couldn't be happier! I'm so glad I opted for the sleeve vs the band.

Welcome and I hope you are able to make use of the tons of great info found here.

~Kat

Wouldn't hurt to check out a few other programs. Go to their seminars. meet the surgeons. Who knows you may find the perfect doc for you who already has self pay in place. In the mean time read those books and if you don't find someone you like better you go with the original doc and his program. Did they give you an estimate of time it would take to get the insurance lined up and start the self pay process?

When I went in yesterday, the nurse said she had been working there for 3 years, and they had been trying to work in a self payment plan since she had been there. The surgeon said it had been a slow process but they had meetings later in the week with the insurance company and were hoping for good news to get the self pay package going. He couldn't give me a time frame. They did say there were 20 people on a waiting list for the sleeve.

When I went in yesterday' date=' the nurse said she had been working there for 3 years, and they had been trying to work in a self payment plan since she had been there. The surgeon said it had been a slow process but they had meetings later in the week with the insurance company and were hoping for good news to get the self pay package going. He couldn't give me a time frame. They did say there were 20 people on a waiting list for the sleeve.[/quote']

Seems like you may be waiting a while if you plant to use them. You may want to keep your options open and check out other surgeons.

I am new here too, I will have my sleeve done July 11th and I hope I am ready. I have lost 44 pounds since February and they said it was better for the surgery. Good luck everyone on you surgery s.

GRATS, WELCM, ND GL!

I have been researching a few places around me and found a center of excellence in Milwaukee. I called today for more information. They have a self pay package with insurance post operation. They quoted $10,000 less than the original surgeon I went to see. In two weeks I'm going to the seminar and a consult visit with the surgeon. I'm feeling a little more hopeful this will happen sooner than later!!

Hi Nurse Bonnie, I was sleeved on 6/13/13 I am also a newbie here and I am so happy I had the sleeve I don't regret it for a minute I'm on my way to the looser's bench and couldn't be happier. I found the best tasting protein is from Premier from Costco I bought vanilla just a few days ago it makes drinking your protein so easy. Everything that comes with the surgery has it's time, the broth stage wasn't so bad I'm in the pureed and I'm doing good on it. It's all for the sake of our new tummy

Keep looking at the goal. You will come out the other side feeling so proud of yourself like we all have. My biggest problem is remembering to eat!! I am 16 days post op and feeling terrific.