Has anybody attend this? I am curious if they weigh you during this class.

Never heard of this. Is it suppose to be a class about gastric sleeve? Is it a workout class?

It's the nutrition class required by the surgery center (Silver Cross Hospital Center of Excellence). It is a 4 hour class, the second to final step before surgery. I am trying to figure out if they will weigh me, because it's going to be that time of the month and I tend to gain about 4 lbs during that time. So of course I'm all stressed out at the thought of being weighed and showing a temporary gain.

Updating in case anyone else ever wants to know. They do NOT weigh you.

Sorry I didn't see this sooner! I went to silvercross as well! It's a great hospital

I also go to Silver Cross. Dr Joyce did my surgery on the 13th.

Krash 11, I'm attending the seminar for Silver Cross/ Dr Joyce tomorrow. I was wondering what your timeline has been like? What tests you had to do? Any info is greatly appreciated because I'm super nervous, thanks. Diane

Krash 11, I'm attending the seminar for Silver Cross/ Dr Joyce tomorrow. I was wondering what your timeline has been like? What tests you had to do? Any info is greatly appreciated because I'm super nervous, thanks. Diane

It varies a little bit based on if you have H. M. O. or PPO.

I had H. M. O and had to have 3 months of monitored weight loss. Once I completed that I had to get 3 referrals. For Psych eval, pulmonary eval, and cardiologist. The psych eval takes about 1.5 hours, they ask general questions about why you want this, if you are ready, if you have a support team at home and then make you take a scan tron test to see if you are literally sane. The pulmonary Dr makes you do minimally a pulmonary test where you perform a ton of different breathing exercises in a glass chamber (this takes about 1.5 hours). They also evaluate if you are at risk for sleep apnea. (I was not so I didn't have to do a sleep study but some other people may.) Then you see the Dr for clearance. The cardiologist does an EKG on the spot. If that is clear, you are done and they provide your clearance. If that is abnormal you will most likely have an echocardiogram, and possibly a stress test. Once all of those evaluations are cleared, they will call you to set up your 4 hour nutrition class and schedule surgery. The entire process took me 8.5 months, with no real hiccups along the way.

If you are PPO things can move much quicker because you aren't waiting for the referrals. There is no monitored weight loss period. You don't have to wait for referrals. You still have to get the same 3 clearances. You still attend a nutrition class.

I can tell you that I got my referrals and started evaluations in late August. I finished all 3 of them by the last week in September. The Doctor office received the clearances fairly quickly and called the first week of October. The first available date for surgery was about 1 month and 1 week out, which puts me at a November 16th surgery date. So keep in mind the quicker you get your evaluations done (whether you are H. M. O. or PPO) the surgery is still a month from there.

Good luck. Let me know if you have any question!

Edited October 28, 201510 yr by HopeandAgony

diane1,

I was a band to sleeve revision done in two surgeries, so I didn't have to go through all the rig-a-ma-rol again. I really think I only had to go to the 4hr class so they could justify the $300 program fee.

I really don't have that much to lose and I have already lost half of that.

Edited October 28, 201510 yr by krash11

What $300 program fee?

Thank you hopeandagony! I have a PPO/United Health Care Pro Choice Plus. I've had mixed information on what's required from my insurance . How long is it between the initial seminar and seeing the doc for the first time? What is the first visit like?

Dodd you have a $300 fee too?

They didn't tell you either? I didn't know till I made the class appt. You get a little goodie bag with your choice of Protein powder, your Vitamins, a fit bit type thing and a shaker bottle. I think the price actually went up to $400 because they picked a new pedometer style.

It is $400 now. I just paid it lol. And yes, all you get is a Protein powder, a shaker to make shakes, a Garmin tracker, Vitamins, and a CD of the Bariatric bible. The class goes the entire 4 hours!

I didn't attend the seminar until after I had completed my monitored weight loss. That was early August. I couldn't get an app with the surgeon until late August, and then completed all 3 of the required evaluations within the month of September.

Edited October 28, 201510 yr by HopeandAgony

Oh. And the first visit they just go over your health info with you. Take height and weight. Ask which procedure you are interested in. Dr checks you over. No biggie.

They didn't tell you either? I didn't know till I made the class appt. You get a little goodie bag with your choice of protein powder, your vitamins, a fit bit type thing and a shaker bottle. I think the price actually went up to $400 because they picked a new pedometer style.

Have you done any vitamin research? I was caught off guard a little when they told us we have to use theirs FOREVER and they are $25 a month. I don't care about the cost as much as I care about how inconvenient it is to go there to the office for their special vitamin.

Edited October 28, 201510 yr by HopeandAgony

I havnt done any vitamin research but i agree going there every month is a pain. Im just going to get some centrum multi vitamins when im done with my current bottle. It rubs me the wrong way that the promote their own brand. Screams kickback to me. I never took vitamins with the band and never had any problems.