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I started this process on March 16th. From beginning to end, how long does this process normally take to have Bypass surgery? I have seen the psychiatrist, nutritionist, exercise coach, and the internal medicine doctor, and they are in the process of scheduling my sleep study. My EGD is scheduled for April 23rd. I will attend the seminar at the beginning of May because the weather was to bad for me to drive 75 miles to the seminar on April 9th, so I had to reschedule. I'm really anxious and ready for this to be done.

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I can't speak for everyone but from the date of my consultation to the date of my surgery was less than 90 days. I met my doctor on 1/16/15, did my labs and psych eval within a week of that. Did my nutritionist consultation a few weeks later. Had a follow up visit a month later. Another follow up visit a month after than. They submitted my insurance approval after my February visit and it was approved within a day. I had two pre op appointments, one at the hospital where my surgery would be held, and then one with my surgeon. I had surgery on 4/6/15 and came home on 4/8/15

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I had my consultation on January 29th, All my nutrition, psych and egd done by Feb 20th, took 3 weeks to get my insurance final approval and I had preop on April 1st, scheduled for April 15th.

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Wow, you guys were lucky. It took 9 months for me to get through the process. Mostly because my insurance required a six month monitored diet. It seemed like I waited forever. LOL, it was like waiting for one of my children to be born!

I will say, that time allowed me to build very good habits and I think it made my recovery and transition that much smoother.

Good luck to you!

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I think it has to do with variables like insurance, and your surgeons availability. I'm cash pay, and attended my first seminar on 3/14/15, EGD on 3/31, PreSurgery visit 4/24, and surgery 4/28. That's moving pretty quick IMO.

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Insurance and the surgeons practice typically dictates that.

For me, I had my consult 3/4, did my pre ops thru March, followed up with the surgeon on 4/8 and was sent for insurance approval that day. Insurance approved me within an hour. My surgery is 4/28.

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Hi it depends on your insurance requirement my insurance required a mandatory 6 month requirement along with various test , I started the entire thing with a seminar back in August 2014 and do to long waiting lit for my surgeon I did not have my procedure done until May 2014. I though it too forever but the time allowed me to learn a lot about myself my true friends and make the necessary changes in my life such as getting rid of bad foods, beginning an exercise program, and learning why I was an emotional eater as well as just stress and comfort eater good luck. Total time from start to finish was 10 months.

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Hi Cupcake I have met the insurance requirement in the beginning. They just needed proof that I have tried numerous duets and failed. So when I went to visit my bypass Dr that was not going to be a problem. Why do you need clearance from the cardiologist before you can get the EGD done?

Edited by MzAlice

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I started in October 2014 and will be having surgery April 2015. So roughly six months. I had only 3 months of the supervised diet but ended up with 3 sessions with psych doctor and the EGD, education class was all done by February. But that last meeting with the psych doctor wasn't until 2nd week of March and they scheduled me for the surgery on March 13 for the April 22 date. So it took awhile but I was ok with that. To be honest I wasn't 100% on board with the whole process due to fear and lack of trust but I've overcome alot of my hesitations. Almost game day! :D Two week liquid diet and hopefully my liver shrinks enough for the surgery. Good Luck!

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What should I pack for the hospital? My doctor said I will be in the hospital for 4-5 days. Is that right? Is just preparing me for worst case scenario?

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I was only in the hospital for 2 days. I didn't get dressed or change clothes until I went home. I had packed sweats and pajamas and ended up not needing them at all. I packed my shower cap and headwrap as well as my face soap and lotion. They provided me a bag with shower gel, body lotion, a toothbrush and toothpaste and mouthwash. I had brought my own but didn't end up needing it. You should bring your own in case your hospital or surgery center isn't as accommodating. If you have to buy these things from the hospital convenience store it'll cost you triple.

I went to the hospital in a hoodie and leggings and nikes. I left the hospital in a sweatsuit and flip flops. I took my phone and iPad and their charging cords. Just about everything else I needed was given to me.

Edited by blashlee

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I am jumping through the same hoops. In my case I've already had a online pysch test ($200+) and had my endoscopy on 3/31.

I was floored when I was told both tests would take 4-6 weeks to come back! I paid for the online pysch test through my surgeon's office and got a link to a third party to do the evaluation. The endoscopy was do next door to the bariatric surgeons office and I can't imagine why it takes 4-6 weeks on what was a pretty standard online survey for pysch.

I've already got my cardiac clearance, ok from my primary care physician, and had my initial consult, behavioral consult, and had my first nutritionist appointment (2 more to go). At this point I can't say when all the planets will be aligned but I've lost 20 lbs since my initial consult so I'm ready to go! We'll see how it goes... Good luck!

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at my location they require 4-6 months. I signed up Jan and got released by everyone yesterday. (social worker, physical therapist, nutritionist and the nurse.) it is all mental. I'm normally a very patient person but this really took my mind on a ride. I know many people wait as long as a year it all depends on your health status of anything holds u back (physical therapy etc) they will tell u when each of them are checking you off. they sent in to my insurence for the final approval yesterday so now it's another waiting game for me could be up to another 3-4 weeks. I had to keep telling myself not to let how long it takes stop me from making the best decision of my life.

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It took me about 5 months total.

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    • LeighaTR

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      · 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

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    • 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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