Hello everyone!

I attended the initial seminar on Oct. 8th, where I was surrounded by people that wanted to know how long after the surgery did they have to wait until they could eat pizza and burgers again. I was like WTH! Get me out of here! I was looking for a support group filled with people who wanted to change...not wanting to stay the same.

I survived the seminar, learned all of the procedures available, and have decided on the gastric sleeve.

I have my first exercise and nutrition class on Monday, December 16th, and my 1st surgical consult with my surgeon on the 19th. I got very lucky!

I'm looking forward to getting started. Can anyone share with me what takes place at the exercise and nutrition class and the fist surgical consult?

How long does this entire process take?

I know that my surgeon prefers that I lose 10% of my body fat prior to the surgery, but what else can I expect? I'm looking for a time frame...

soooooo excited and hoping that someone is at the same stage as me so that we can go through this together!

Talk to me!

I didn't have exercise or nutrition classes, but I can tell you that at my first surgical consult my surgeon wanted to know why I thought I wanted the sleeve & what I knew about it. He wanted to know that I had gotten good information & that I was basing my choice on accurate facts. The length of the process is different for everyone, sometimes depending on the process your insurance company requires & sometimes depending on other things, like you surgeon requiring that you lose 10% beforehand.

Personally, my time frame was about 6 months, but only because I had a specific date in mind that worked with my school schedule. My insurance company had a 90-day process of various appts & tests I had to go through, and that actually took about 4 months to complete. Once I was done with the preop requirements, the approval submission took about 2 weeks. Once approval was received, I scheduled surgery for the date I wanted which was about 6 weeks later. Good luck to you!

I am still in the pre-op phase as well. I started the process on July 3rd 2013 with my initial seminar. Since reading on here it is obvious that each program is different and the time frame is different depending on their requirements as well as your insurance requirements. First thing I did, the day after my seminar, was call my insurance and find out what they were going to require to be sure I covered all my bases. There is a lot involved but the basics, for me and the program I am in at least were as follows: I have attended multiple support groups, maybe 6-7 (my insurance requires 4), I have met with my nutritionist 5 times and have been cleared by them for surgery (will meet with them one final time once I have an official surgery date), I met w/ the bariatric medical doctor for clearance and lab work, met w/ a neurologist and had a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea, had a psych eval and have one more follow up scheduled with the psychiatrist, I met with my surgeon's PA to learn the 'in's and out's' of the sleeve process and I have my final meeting scheduled with my surgeon the first week of the New Year after which they will submit to insurance for approval and then they will set up my surgery date assuming I am approved. phew......it really is a long process once you type it all out.....Good Luck and let me know if I can do anything to help. I'm still learning myself....

Thanks new friends! Im so looking forward to the surgery...and the process to be honest. Change is definitely needed. I appreciate your support and replies

First surgical appointment done:)

My insurance requires a 6 month wait so im looking at around July or August for my surgery. I only have to lose 15 lbs. Prior to surgery so I'd say im pretty lucky

<p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">Hello everyone!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">I attended the initial seminar on Oct. 8th, where I was surrounded by people that wanted to know how long after the surgery did they have to wait until they could eat pizza and burgers again. I was like WTH! Get me out of here! I was looking for a support group filled with people who wanted to change...not wanting to stay the same.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">I survived the seminar, learned all of the procedures available, and have decided on the gastric sleeve.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">I have my first exercise and nutrition class on Monday, December 16th, and my 1st surgical consult with my surgeon on the 19th. I got very lucky!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to getting started. Can anyone share with me what takes place at the exercise and nutrition class and the fist surgical consult?</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">How long does this entire process take?</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">I know that my surgeon prefers that I lose 10% of my body fat prior to the surgery, but what else can I expect? <strong>I'm looking for a time frame...</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">soooooo excited and hoping that someone is at the same stage as me so that <strong>we can go through this together!</strong></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family:tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">Talk to me! </span></p>

.

I had my first surgical appointment on Oct 16th. You should have been given a list of all of the studies and tests you will need completed for surgical clearance. Once you complete all of those, your surgeon's office will submit the request to insurance. I received my insurance approval in 3 days and will be having my surgery on Christmas Eve. If you do not have to participate in a 6 month diet, I would say that it would be very possible to complete the process within 5-8 weeks depending on how quickly you can get all the studies and tests done. Good luck and don't get discouraged!

^{I do have to participate in a 6 month diet. The nutritionist told me to start on January 1 so as not to sabotage myself during the holidays. I only have to lose 15 lbs. in 6 months so that's a plus right? haha...}

^{I wanted to make sure that I have this right...when I'm reading things about the "pre-op" diet...are most people talking about the diet that lasts for 3-6 months that prepares us for new eating habits, or are they talking about the diet just a few days prior to surgery?}

^{dumb question I know...but I feel as if this is the best place to ask it.}

^{can anyone here help?}

<p><span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>^{I do have to participate in a 6 month diet. The nutritionist told me to start on January 1 so as not to sabotage myself during the holidays. I only have to lose 15 lbs. in 6 months so that's a plus right? haha...}</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>^{I wanted to make sure that I have this right...when I'm reading things about the "pre-op" diet...are most people talking about the diet that lasts for 3-6 months that prepares us for new eating habits, or are they talking about the diet just a few days prior to surgery?}</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>^{dumb question I know...but I feel as if this is the best place to ask it.}</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>^{can anyone here help?}</strong></span></p>

I had to do a 6 month diet (requirement by my insurance) The pre op diet is done for the last two weeks before your surgery date. It is to shrink your liver. Your nutritionist will go over what you are allowed to eat during that time. It is high protein.

so this "diet" that I'm starting on the 1st..do we call it anything? or just smart eating? haha

My insurance required a six month managed diet plan, but did not require I lose a specific amount. I did lose 42 pounds before surgery. My surgeon did not require a pre op diet since the purpose of the six months was to learn the plan, commit to it and show I could follow and maintain a long term approach. He said I had been shrinking my liver for six months.

You will learn a lot along the way. I thought the six months was about two months too long, but I was glad I did it. I am only 4 days post op but I was well prepared and ready for the surgery. Good Luck!

_{Thanks MacMan...}

_{my 6 month diet is required by my insurance company as well...but it was my surgeon who told me that I had to lose only 15 lbs prior to surgery.}

_{Is this a good time to start the 2 protein shakes and 1 meal a day routine? or is it too soon?}

_{and 4 days post op huh? good for you! I hope you're feeling good and ready for your new life}

In my opinion, I think it is too early for two shakes and one meal a day. It does not seem like a long term, sustainable plan.

Once the hospital knew I had to have a six month supervised plan, they spread things out for me. In month two I met with the NUT who put me on a 2000 calorie a day diet. She wanted me to show I could lose weight. In month three I met with the exercise physiologist and started a regular cardio program. At the NUT followup, I had lost twenty pounds. Throughout the rest of the program, I reduced calories, increased exercise and continued right up until surgery date.

My surgeon did not require a pre op diet. Only liquids only the day before surgery, and no liquids two hours before surgery. I have heard of the 2 shakes and one meal as a pre op diet. But every surgeon has a program that works for them and you should follow the recommendations. I think the six months is a great time to learn about eating better, experiment with foods like Protein shakes, get a regular exercise plan in place and learn about your ability to stay with the program.

Hope this helps

Naomijane

Thanks for the good wishes. I am feeling good for four days post op. I stopped pain meds two days ago and have been able to get in Protein and fluids. I do feel fortunate that everything has gone well. In fact I am amazed. I expected the worst. Some people have had real difficulty with the surgery. So far, all is progressing well

Welcome to you all. Congrats for getting started on the Journey.

Keep us posted with your recovery and journey macman