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@@Apple85 nice to have someone from the same office. I've heard great things from Dr. Monash. Staff is great. I got approved through BCBS AZ in less than a week and the process has been downhill from here. Good luck

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I'm from Tucson

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Frank69, can you share who your surgeon was? And any helpful info in dealing with that office?

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@@love4life @@Apple85 Hi there :) How did your surgery go love4life? I live in east Tucson and both my husband and I are patients of Dr.Monash. We have BCBS Fed and hubby was approved really fast. His surgery is May 2 (sleeve). My case was submitted on Thursday (4-21) and I'm a nervous wreck. I have a lap band and want the sleeve. Monash is very very against doing both in one session and that is quite disappointing. I know safety is most important, but I will beg him to do it if I am approved, lol. All the dozens of times I've been in that office, I have never seen Dr. Lovato. I wonder if she does revisions in same surgery. Would love to hear from you both and any other Tucson Bariatric patients. ~Susan

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I'm in Tucson and have started the process to get approved through BCBS Federal. I'm seeing Dr. Monash. I will hopefully jump through all the hoops for approval in July 2016.

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OMG, the hoops are God-awful. Seriously. Could I tell you some stories, lol!

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Since I first posted, my husband has also had his first consult with Dr. Monash. We will be about 30 days apart from each other in the approval process. Dr Monash said he wouldn't recommend having our surgeries any less than 30 days apart. I'm so happy that we will go through this process around the same time & it's great to hear about another couple!

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@@love4life @@Apple85 Hi there :) How did your surgery go love4life? I live in east Tucson and both my husband and I are patients of Dr.Monash. We have BCBS Fed and hubby was approved really fast. His surgery is May 2 (sleeve). My case was submitted on Thursday (4-21) and I'm a nervous wreck. I have a lap band and want the sleeve. Monash is very very against doing both in one session and that is quite disappointing. I know safety is most important, but I will beg him to do it if I am approved, lol. All the dozens of times I've been in that office, I have never seen Dr. Lovato. I wonder if she does revisions in same surgery. Would love to hear from you both and any other Tucson Bariatric patients. ~Susan

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@@SusanB55

My surgery went great!! I was fortunate to have Dr. Lavoto perform the surgery and Dr. Monash follow up and release me from hospital. Up until them I had not met Dr. Monash but I was very impressed by him. No complications. Extreme discomfort after surgery (as expected). I was up the same night walking the halls. I had to stay an extra night because I was unable to keep any liquids down. Everything made me nauseous. Now I'm great, meeting my Protein and Water. No hunger. Best of luck to you and your husband.

Real quick, I really liked Dr. Lovato and Dr. Monash. I would highly recommend them. I had consulted with other surgeons, and I am glad I chose Lavato.

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@@SusanB55My surgery went great!! I was fortunate to have Dr. Lavoto perform the surgery and Dr. Monash follow up and release me from hospital. Up until them I had not met Dr. Monash but I was very impressed by him. No complications. Extreme discomfort after surgery (as expected). I was up the same night walking the halls. I had to stay an extra night because I was unable to keep any liquids down. Everything made me nauseous. Now I'm great, meeting my Protein and Water. No hunger. Best of luck to you and your husband. Real quick, I really liked Dr. Lovato and Dr. Monash. I would highly recommend them. I had consulted with other surgeons, and I am glad I chose Lavato.

I'm glad you are doing so well! That is so encouraging. Today is Frank's pre op with Dr Monash and i am so nervous for him. Regarding my case, turns out the auth I received was for the band only and not the sleeve. Not sure what the hell is going on but i feel very let down. I am not getting the band out if I can't get sleeved. Hope they have an answer for me today. Nobody is calling me with updates and it is unnerving.

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Since I first posted, my husband has also had his first consult with Dr. Monash. We will be about 30 days apart from each other in the approval process. Dr Monash said he wouldn't recommend having our surgeries any less than 30 days apart. I'm so happy that we will go through this process around the same time & it's great to hear about another couple!

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I am excited to have some fellow sleevers near by! Please keep me informed of your progress. It has been a super bumpy road in this "90" day business. Thought the bumps were over but apparently not. Not sure what the hell is going on with my approval now.

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Me! I'm on month 4 of my preop diet, only 2 to go! Time is dragging so slow, I just want my surgery already!!!

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Where in az are you? My husband is getting sleeved tomorrow morning and I'm scheduled for a band to sleeve revision (hopefully in same surgery) on may 11th. I agree with you; time has dragged for us too!

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I'm in the Phoenix area. I see Dr. Swain at honor health. Currently awaiting a peer to peer review scheduled for Tuesday for my denial to be overturned for an approval. I'll keep you all updated.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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