Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

BCBS RI requirements?



Recommended Posts

25 minutes ago, briae13 said:

Congrats Subaru! & good luck itsmytime1985! Have my class for nut clearance next week and then waiting begins :)

It doesn't seem like there will be too much waiting. I've been calling Dr. Stafford's office every day to follow up on things and check on the status. (I've held off so far today, but it's haaaarrrrrrdddd!) It seems like some of my pre-surg testing has been scheduled. (I can tell from a lifespan notification that I received.) There must be a couple of other things they are scheduling because his office hasn't called to give me the appointment info yet. But I'll call later today....

(I'm terribly impatient and not a good wait-er.)

Best of luck at your class next week!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Subaru said:

It doesn't seem like there will be too much waiting. I've been calling Dr. Stafford's office every day to follow up on things and check on the status. (I've held off so far today, but it's haaaarrrrrrdddd!) It seems like some of my pre-surg testing has been scheduled. (I can tell from a lifespan notification that I received.) There must be a couple of other things they are scheduling because his office hasn't called to give me the appointment info yet. But I'll call later today....

(I'm terribly impatient and not a good wait-er.)

Best of luck at your class next week!

UGH! The Drs office initially told me (2ce), once I get insurance approval they schedule me back with the surgeon and for pre-op testing and that surgery is typically within a month of that surgeon visit. Today I got my date for the pre-op testing (Dec 11) but won't see the surgeon until after that, probably on the 13th. (Initially they told me I'd likely do my pre-op visit with the surgeon within a week or so of getting insurance approval.) The coordinator in my surgeon's office is new, and different surgeons in the group do things a little differently, so I know she's giving me the best info she can at the time. But. UGH! Now I have a month of sheer waiting. And I'm so impatient!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You'll get there@Subaru ! Just think of this time as some extra time to focus on the holidays and prepping for surgery :) focus on the prep and the things to get done during this busy season and before you know it the month will fly by! [emoji4]


Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, briae13 said:

You'll get there@Subaru ! Just think of this time as some extra time to focus on the holidays and prepping for surgery :) focus on the prep and the things to get done during this busy season and before you know it the month will fly by!

That's exactly what I'm trying to do! I can't exactly complain. I realized this morning that, while I waited two months for my initial consult, that appointment was on October 4, so it's only been a month and a half to get to approval. I'm going to try to stop whining. TRY! :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sooooo, because I can't seem to go a day without calling my Drs office, I called today just to make sure I understand what's what. Even though I don't see the surgeon until 12/13, it's still very likely they will get me in before the end of the year. (Apparently they aren't going to be very busy that week. Hah!) So, while I still am doing the hurry up and wait thing, I do have targets for all of the final steps. Yippie!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hooray!! That's super exciting! I just STARTED my journey today with the first consultation. I'm excited for you @Subaru!

Side topic, do any of you RIers know if we're eligible for TDI after the surgery? My surgeon told me recovery time would be 4-6 weeks and at most I may have 3 weeks saved up by the time I have surgery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, ItsMyTime1985 said:

Hooray!! That's super exciting! I just STARTED my journey today with the first consultation. I'm excited for you @Subaru!

Side topic, do any of you RIers know if we're eligible for TDI after the surgery? My surgeon told me recovery time would be 4-6 weeks and at most I may have 3 weeks saved up by the time I have surgery.

Who is your surgeon again? Congratulations! There is a lot to do but it keeps you busy during the wait.

As far as TDI is concerned, as long as you are eligible for TDI you would be eligible to receive it while you are out for the surgery. You can’t apply for it until your actual surgery date, and it takes them about three weeks until they pay you. But they do pay you back to the first day. The delay is a drag, but it’s suoer helpful to have the added income. It is also not subject to employment taxes.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dr Siva V through University surgical associates and miriam hospital.

Thanks for the info! I have plenty of time to look into it. But I do need to decide if I want sleeve of bipass. He told me he'd be ok with either for me unless tests found something we don't know about. Such big decisions!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, ItsMyTime1985 said:

Dr Siva V through University surgical associates and miriam hospital.

Thanks for the info! I have plenty of time to look into it. But I do need to decide if I want sleeve of bipass. He told me he'd be ok with either for me unless tests found something we don't know about. Such big decisions!

I have a friend who is seeing him for a bypass revision. He's supposed to be excellent!

From what I've read, the biggest decision points for sleeve vs. bypass are these:

-GERD/reflux (can be an issue with sleeve)

-Malabsorption

-Amount of weight to lose

-Dumping (which some consider a positive reinforcement to help keep one on track)

From a very general perspective, they both seem to be good options with great success rates so they key factors are (as they should be) which one is right for you and your particular health concerns. Best of luck in your search!

(Also, I forget if you've got to any of the group sessions at the Miriam. You'll have to attend at least 2. Info is on their website and you can go at any time. You don't need to wait.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Subaru said:

I have a friend who is seeing him for a bypass revision. He's supposed to be excellent!

From what I've read, the biggest decision points for sleeve vs. bypass are these:

-GERD/reflux (can be an issue with sleeve)

-Malabsorption

-Amount of weight to lose

-Dumping (which some consider a positive reinforcement to help keep one on track)

From a very general perspective, they both seem to be good options with great success rates so they key factors are (as they should be) which one is right for you and your particular health concerns. Best of luck in your search!

(Also, I forget if you've got to any of the group sessions at the Miriam. You'll have to attend at least 2. Info is on their website and you can go at any time. You don't need to wait.)

Thanks for the breakdown, that seems to be the main differences I'd found so far too. I also want to look more into complications and recovery time differences. I asked people to weigh in on RNY vs sleeve on the Miriam success striders fb page too and am getting a lot of great feedback. People have negative and positives to say about both. There is no clear cut answer, I just need to figure out what is best for me. But even then you never know for sure how your body will react to things, so it's a guessing game to some extent.

I thought deciding IF I wanted the surgery was a big decision, but now deciding WHAT surgery is another big one! Sigh...

I did know that about the support groups, thanks! I went to one in September, but couldn't make October and will be away this month, so I'm shooting for December now!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, ItsMyTime1985 said:

Thanks for the breakdown, that seems to be the main differences I'd found so far too. I also want to look more into complications and recovery time differences. I asked people to weigh in on RNY vs sleeve on the Miriam success striders fb page too and am getting a lot of great feedback. People have negative and positives to say about both. There is no clear cut answer, I just need to figure out what is best for me. But even then you never know for sure how your body will react to things, so it's a guessing game to some extent.

I thought deciding IF I wanted the surgery was a big decision, but now deciding WHAT surgery is another big one! Sigh...

I did know that about the support groups, thanks! I went to one in September, but couldn't make October and will be away this month, so I'm shooting for December now!

I've tried to join that group but so far I'm not in it I don't think. I'm going to look for it again and try!

And good luck as you weigh your decision!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, briae13 said:

Just an update: completed my nutrition class & no I just wait for approval! hope everyone enjoys a happy holiday season!

Congratulations! As soon as I completed everything I called the surgeon's office to let them know, and once I knew they submitted to the insurance company I called insurance as well. It made me feel like I was doing something and that I knew where things stood. It also got me from "I finished my stuff" to "insurance approval" in three business days.

I hope you hear very soon as your holiday gift to yourself!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 2 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×