THE 6 MONTHS WAIT IS HARD

[Careysgirl 20]

Hi everyone I would like to know if anybody else out there has to wait until April or May 2016 to get surgery. I started the long process last month in November.

I don't mind waiting especially to train my mind and body for new lifestyle but 6 months is a long time I wish it was only 3. Since appointment with nutritionist on 11/19 I did loose 10 lbs from cutting out bread and Pasta from my diet. Starting weight 242lbs and now 232lbs I do not want to lose more than another 20lbs or they may not approve surgery next spring. I need to get this other person off of me I'm tired of being heavy I have so many dreams of what I will be doing when I am lighter. My goal weight is 125-130 I would be happy at 140 too.

I am a little mad at myself for not starting this early and the time is going by sooooo slow now. Anybody out there that would like to share their thoughts?

[Airstream88 361]

I'm new here and in the same situation. I was totally against any type of surgical intervention but if I don't get this weight off, I will be needing to have my knees replaced and I figure that surgery is more radical than having 3/4's of my stomach removed.

I wish I had investigated this earlier in the year so I could have started the 6 mos. supervised diet requirement and be closer to the surgery. Now I will have to wait until mid-June/July next year. My initial consultation appointment is in January 2016 but I'm going to try to get an appointment with the NUT this month to start the 6 mos diet ASAP.

[The Candidate 3,215]

I started my process in August 2014 and didn't have surgery until 07/29/15. It took an entire year to satisfy all the requirements, plus the wait time in between.

I know how you feel - it's agony waiting. But I can promise you this. When you finally get there, all this waiting time will feel like nothing. And it's so worth everything you go through.

So hang in there and use the time to learn all you can, and start making those lifestyle changes now. I kept a video journal from day one and that helped me a lot. Plus it's great to go back to and see how far I've come.

You can do this! Best wishes!

[nunya-got-sleeved 36]

I made the call December 2014 and had to wait till May 2015 to have the surgery. I agree with the previous poster--use this time to get used to the requirements of your new post surgery lifestyle. Not drinking during a meal and waiting 30 minutes to drink after. Then chewing slowly each bite.

I was with you about losing too much beforehand. Had I lost more than I did I would have been denied. Enjoy your journey. It is the start of your new life.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

If wishes were nickels, I'd be rich.

I waited 6 months and Iived. In fact, I started over with a new surgeon after three months because I didn't like my original one so I waited 9. I used those nine months to get my head straight, to practice eating slow and to cut out the carbs.

Six months is nothing in the grand scheme of things. You can totally do it.

[swimbikerun 1,041]

Mine was 12 months. Use it well. You will be glad you were able to prepare.

[newmebithebypass 713]

i made the decision in July to start the process and i have to probably wait til march of next year to get my surgery but its ok i am learning quite a bit from my nutritionist so thats a plus

[skrbobee 10]

I have to wait six months as well, my surgery date is June 1st, 2016

[Careysgirl 20]

It's great that your surgery date was scheduled already mine has not been. However, if all goes well I may not have to wait the full six months. My insurance company will accept the weight watchers I was following online prior to seeing the NUT. I don't want to get too excited but if my sleep study is scheduled this month and I get my cardio clearance after the treadmill test on the 18th I may be able to schedule my surgery in February after of course insurance approval.

[skrbobee 10]

I hope you don't have to wait the six months ????

[Bethany Copley 35]

I am on Molina insurance, so it might be very different. My case manager told me that Molina isnt allowed to let patients know (even though it is in their policy manual) that you dont have to wait six months. You have six months *to complete* 12 visits to dietician, physical therapist and counselor, which could be done in as little as 12 weeks (3 months) if you are on top of it.

The surgical team I have says that they can actually do early enrollment for me after completing 6 visits to the dietician, physical therapist, and counselor, which puts it a 6 weeks, or about 1.5 months, and fast track a surgery date.

I would seriously ask your bariatric case manager through your program if your insurance might operate the same way.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I went to my surgeon's intro lecture in June 2013. I wasn't sleeved until August 2014 -- and looking back now it really worked out great for me.

I used much of that time (especially the 9 months prior to surgery) reading my brains out on WLS forums and educated myself tremendously well about all the basics. I saw all the newbie questions a billion times. I figured out what rate of weight loss actually made sense for me (based on others who were about my size). I got to compare the behavioral and attitudinal differences between those who were doing very well post-op and those who were just f**king around and whining -- big differences in behaviors and attitudes.

About 6 months pre-op I started practicing some of the new behaviors, like eating slower, taking smaller bites, chewing well, not drinking with meals, moving more, cutting out soda, cutting way down on coffee and other caffeine products, using smaller dishes, not grazing / nibbling between meals, using My Fitness Pal, buying and using a Fitbit, etc.

In short, my education and my new lifestyle behaviors in those six months prior to surgery made me SO much more successful after surgery.

BTW, I started VERY slow with one behavior at a time. It wasn't very easy, since I'd been a complete sloth and unmindful about everything for some time before that.

Good luck to you!

[MissMac2 18]

What I tell people is to make an appointment six months out, for a colonoscopy or root canal. Dreading that appointment will make the time will pass so fast that you won't believe it!

[Missbeauty16 51]

I am worried now I have Molina and almost done with my appts but I have lost a total of 40lbs is there a chance that Molina could deny it???

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