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Got approved! But don't know where to start



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So I received the letter and also got a phone call that I have been approved.. they are just waiting for me to get my blood work and upper GI as my last medical clearance steps. But I find myself eating everything in sight as a last goodbye to food. I know it is not a good way to go but I can't seem to get into the right mind set. Like I am not mentally prepared. I don't know what to pack for the hospital idk I just feel lost lol. I need like a set schedule and to start working out before hand, I'm not one to schedule my life so I don't know where to start ????

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I did the same. If your anything like me I am a food addict. Four days before my surgery they put me on. Mandatory clear liquid diet. That helped but my real motivation kicked in the day of my surgery. I was sleeved September 13th. I walk/jog three miles a day and am sticking to my diet. You'll find your way.....good luck

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You got a letter and a call from whom to say that you've been approved? If you mean your insurance plan, I'm guess I'm surprised that approval was given before labs and upper GI results.

I need like a set schedule and to start working out before hand, I'm not one to schedule my life so I don't know where to start


You don't need "like" a set schedule. A schedule will do nicely. To say that you're not one to schedule your life can be followed with "I'll start now." Surely you've had appointments and assignments to keep track of before now. Don't inflate this into a larger thing than it is. The ideas are big, but the preparations can be made to fit into your hand. Deep breath.

So that you really really really take charge of each step, try a couple of sheets of oak tag. Make huge calendars on which you'll fill in every detail. Include appointments, Vitamins, days to buy things you'll need as you go along, when to start any pre-op diet you may be given, etc., etc., Put these calendars up on a door. If two sheets, one month each, aren't enough, turn them over when you get to the third month. I used only one, but it worked for me when I felt overwhelmed pre- and post-op.. Picking up the magic marker almost daily gave me something to do -- sort of an anchor.

I thought I'd do a "last supper" thing. While I was deciding how long it would run and what fooods would be on the days' menus, it occurred to me that a last gorge would serve no purpose. We don't remember the things we eat. Instead I used the time to wield my magic marker and make lists in a notebook. That was productive.

Pack clean underwear and a toothbrush and toothpaste. If you forget the last two, a nurse will provide. The rest will occur to you. It's an overnight hospital stay, not a cruise on the Danube.

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The only thing I needed in the hospital was a toothbrush and toothpaste and my phone and charger. Everything else was provided.

I didn't do a food funeral, but if you're going to, don't gorge. Count calories and limit yourself. Looking back, cutting myself off during my mandated 3-month diet was the best thing I could have done. It gave me a head start and the confidence to gain control over my eating before surgery.

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Mine won't even submit for approval until after I do everything. So that's pretty great!

happy Llama sad Llama... big fat mama Llama.

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I just remeber the insurance lady from the the place I am going saying the psychology report is all they need to submit to insurance so I can be approved, I got the letter from.my insurance and a couple days later the hospital called me and said they will schedule a date once I am done clearance. I did my cardiology and pulmonary test before but once I did my Psych it was submitted and I was approved in a couple days.. it was weird to me too how they approved me without finishing my clearance.

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You got a letter and a call from whom to say that you've been approved? If you mean your insurance plan, I'm guess I'm surprised that approval was given before labs and upper GI results.

I need like a set schedule and to start working out before hand, I'm not one to schedule my life so I don't know where to start

You don't need "like" a set schedule. A schedule will do nicely. To say that you're not one to schedule your life can be followed with "I'll start now." Surely you've had appointments and assignments to keep track of before now. Don't inflate this into a larger thing than it is. The ideas are big, but the preparations can be made to fit into your hand. Deep breath.

So that you really really really take charge of each step, try a couple of sheets of oak tag. Make huge calendars on which you'll fill in every detail. Include appointments, Vitamins, days to buy things you'll need as you go along, when to start any pre-op diet you may be given, etc., etc., Put these calendars up on a door. If two sheets, one month each, aren't enough, turn them over when you get to the third month. I used only one, but it worked for me when I felt overwhelmed pre- and post-op.. Picking up the magic marker almost daily gave me something to do -- sort of an anchor.

I thought I'd do a "last supper" thing. While I was deciding how long it would run and what fooods would be on the days' menus, it occurred to me that a last gorge would serve no purpose. We don't remember the things we eat. Instead I used the time to wield my magic marker and make lists in a notebook. That was productive.

Pack clean underwear and a toothbrush and toothpaste. If you forget the last two, a nurse will provide. The rest will occur to you. It's an overnight hospital stay, not a cruise on the Danube.

I got a letter from my insurance and a call from the hospital, i am surprised too. Thanks! That was helpful information ????

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I just remeber the insurance lady from the the place I am going saying the psychology report is all they need to submit to insurance so I can be approved, I got the letter from.my insurance and a couple days later the hospital called me and said they will schedule a date once I am done clearance. I did my cardiology and pulmonary test before but once I did my Psych it was submitted and I was approved in a couple days.. it was weird to me too how they approved me without finishing my clearance.

ain

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Every insurance company and surgeon does things differently.

Some people have a surgery date scheduled before they even get approved.

Mine was much like your's. I went to the surgeon's office, we talked about the options and decided on the sleeve, they gave me a check sheet of what BCBS Texas requires for approval. All that was missing was the psych eval. I did that, and once the report was sent to the surgeon everything got sent to BCBS.

It took about 3 weeks for the approval to come back from BCBS. After that the scheduler from the surgeon's office called me. I will have an EKG and upper GI (scan not the scope) and blood work on 10/20. Then my surgery is on Halloween.

My insurance did not require the EKG, GI scan, and blood work, my surgeon did. That is why I got approval without those things being done.

From what I have read and heard you don't need much for the hospital. I have another appointment with the surgeon just a few days before my surgery and they will give me more info on pre and post op diet. I only have to do a 3 day liquid diet before surgery.

I have an idea for you, go to YouTube and search WLS, VSG, RNY, etc. There are hundreds of people who have made videos documenting their WLS journeys and MOST of them have done a "these are the things I brought to the hospital" video.

As far as food funerals, I plan to take it easy. I have a couple of things I really want to eat (German food and chicken and dumplings) that I may never eat again because they are SO heavy. But most things we will eat again, eventually. Seafood is my favorite, I know I will be eating that forever!

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@@laGata15 Your so not alone. I found out by insurance I was approved Monday. I have been doing the same, eating as a one last time thing. I feel really confused on where I should start. I'm waiting on a pre op appointment which I should get Monday since the lady is out this week.

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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
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