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Ugh , sorry my auto correct is just the worst. And I'll try again, she's just really busy, I actually haven't seen my surgeon since the first initial meeting I've had with him.

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1 minute ago, ladycharizar said:

Ugh , sorry my auto correct is just the worst. And I'll try again, she's just really busy, I actually haven't seen my surgeon since the first initial meeting I've had with him.

Oh, yeah, I haven't seen my surgeon since the initial consult. But I have been to the office for each of my weigh ins, so they see me all the time. Whenever I go there I give an updated checklist I created to my coordinator. I created a table in word with:

Description, Dr, Phone #, Scheduled Date, Scheduled Time, Location and Complete.

In this table I have all 20 items I needed to complete (PCP/Pulmonologist/Psych Consult/Support Group Meetings/Cardiology Consult/Upper Endoscopy/...), I put a check mark in the complete column so she knows where I am, what I have left, and who to contact to follow up of additional information is needed.

Because she now expects this from me, I get to have a short conversation with her every month as I give her the updated printout.

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Oh your more thorough I suppose, I knew I finished all my other appointments and the only thing left was my nutritionist appointment. So now that leads me to the dreaded wait for my insurance but I'll wait even though I'm super anxious.

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I suggest calling your coordinator and asking if the weight loss was an insurance requirement or a surgical group/hospital requirement. I have a feeling it will be the latter.
The medical industry is so much tied to patient outcomes. Surgeons really care about their complication rate, as it is what drives patients to them, and what determines future employment. This is why they put restrictions on smoking, it has nothing to do with the insurance companies, just complication rates.
If this is the case, it will be up to the surgeon. If they do approve they may warn you that if they even see the slightest issue doing it laparoscopically, they will open you up. The problem with higher BMIs is that the liver is bigger, which makes access to one's stomach more difficult.
I am not trying to worry you. Your best bet is to schedule a quick call with your coordinator, and have a list of questions written down and ready (they are busy, and may try to rush you out of workload not that they are dismissing you).



I've worked in healthcare for nearly 14 years and am now on the corporate side. You're right on point with this - It's all about outcomes. My insurance company (Cigna) only requires that I don't gain any weight above what I weighed on my initial consult. Other than that, no weight restrictions from the hospital or practice. I'm having surgery with the company that I work for, by the way.

Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

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17 hours ago, Ready4theday said:


I've worked in healthcare for nearly 14 years and am now on the corporate side. You're right on point with this - It's all about outcomes. My insurance company (Cigna) only requires that I don't gain any weight above what I weighed on my initial consult. Other than that, no weight restrictions from the hospital or practice. I'm having surgery with the company that I work for, by the way.

Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

I also work in health care, in quality. I do data analytics (basically build systems/reports), with quality and regulatory data. EVERYTHING is about volume and complication rates.

I love where I work, but live too far away (38 miles from my house) to get the procedure done at work. So I found a group that has offices <5 miles from my house and <10 miles from my office. I was lucky to find a group with two offices, both close to where I spend most of my time.

I'm almost through this, I have my cardiology consult tomorrow, 4th weigh in in two weeks, final weigh in and then the waiting begins.

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I also work in health care, in quality. I do data analytics (basically build systems/reports), with quality and regulatory data. EVERYTHING is about volume and complication rates.
I love where I work, but live too far away (38 miles from my house) to get the procedure done at work. So I found a group that has offices I'm almost through this, I have my cardiology consult tomorrow, 4th weigh in in two weeks, final weigh in and then the waiting begins.


I don't blame you for having your surgery closer to home! Even if you're only in the hospital 1 night, who wants that long car ride the day after surgery?
I have my final NUT appt on the 31st and that's all. I met all other requirements by June 26th, so the waiting is frustrating - especially since it's just red tape. There's no reason they wouldn't clear me. But at least I get to go on vacation before I have to start my pre-op diet. The hardest part will be not gaining any weight! [emoji51]

Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

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1 minute ago, Ready4theday said:


I don't blame you for having your surgery closer to home! Even if you're only in the hospital 1 night, who wants that long car ride the day after surgery?
I have my final NUT appt on the 31st and that's all. I met all other requirements by June 26th, so the waiting is frustrating - especially since it's just red tape. There's no reason they wouldn't clear me. But at least I get to go on vacation before I have to start my pre-op diet. The hardest part will be not gaining any weight!

Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

That would be hard for me too!!!

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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.
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      1. LeighaTR

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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. 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.

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        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💪
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