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Hi all! Long time follower, first time poster. I have been seriously researching Bariatric surgery for the last few months (especially the sleeve). I am set to have my well check next week and I want to start the process of getting approved for surgery. I have an *** so I know there is a lot of hoops to jump through. Any insight on how to bring the topic of surgery up with the doc?

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Welcome. Normally you local primary care physician (PCP) only directs you to the bariatric surgeons.

I had surgery at a Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery. These Centers of Excellence are available in many states in the U.S. The Centers of Excellence provide a complete support for the surgery. There are many components that require a range of specialist beyond just a surgeon who specializes in Bariatric Surgery. They include nutritionist, psychologists, a hospital that specializes in bariatric surgery, staff that work insurance issues, pre-op testing, weight loss and exercise programs, bariatric surgery support group meetings, five years of post-op follow-ups. It is like a "full meal deal", no pun intended.

So you might begin by finding out where the closes Center of Excellence is and when you see your doctor direct him/her in this direction.

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I checked with my insurance then since I didn't need a referral I attended an online info session with my bariatric program then had to take quizzes lol then I scheduled an initial visit with my surgeon who I've had before for another issue and my program legit handles my 6 month visits in house I need a psych eval and a letter of support from my Pcp also need a my sleep study and a month of compliance on my new machine but that's it

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Well so far im having the psych eval today and in like 12 days i go in for my second weigh in how about you

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Just heard from OSU Bariatrics yesterday (March 14th) I now have a firm 2-hour appointment with their staff psychologist April 25th. I had attended a seminar

last Friday at Martha MorehousePavilion at OSU, took my son along . I'm widowed(almost 6 years) and he is my main support person and my best bud! That is program #2 for me, after a relationship dating back to August 2015, completing all prerequirements my insurance and they had given me, and thinking I was waiting on surgery scheduling,they "kicked me to the curb". The 3 surgeons had themselves a little commitee meeting and decided not to perform my surgery. My PCP surmised maybe they were scared of my age causing a death on the operating table, shoot I was 69 when I started going there, did they think I was suddenly start subtracting years? I wish deep in my heart I could sue them for breach of promise or something, the receptionist that called me back that day was apologetic in a very insincere tone. Left me feeling I was a defective person and said some hurtful things about my emotional and psychological fitness before hanging up. Told,me I should seek counselling, how can I do that when I Have Done nothing wrong? I'm sure I am well rid of them but it hurts to trust someone implicitly and find your trust is misplaced. And a Center of Excellence no less! Maybe I was naive about how the world really is.

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    • Theweightisover2024🙌💪

      Question for anyone, how did you get your mind right before surgery? Like as far as eating better foods and just doing better in general? I'm having a really hard time with this. Any help is appreciated 🙏❤️
      · 2 replies
      1. NickelChip

        I had about 6 months between deciding to do surgery and getting scheduled. I came across the book The Pound of Cure by Dr. Matthew Weiner, a bariatric surgeon in Arizona, and started to implement some of the changes he recommended (and lost 13 lbs in the process without ever feeling deprived). The book is very simple, and the focus is on whole, plant based foods, but within reason. It's not an all or nothing approach, or going vegan or something, but focuses on improvement and aiming for getting it right 80-90% of the time. His suggestions are divided into 12 sections that you can tackle over time, perhaps one per month for a year if a person is just trying to improve nutrition and build good habits. They range from things like cutting out artificial sweetener or eating more beans to eating a pound of vegetables per day. I found it really effective pre-surgery and it's an eating style I will be working to get back to as I am further out from surgery and have more capacity. Small changes you can sustain will do the most for building good habits for life.

      2. Theweightisover2024🙌💪

        That sounds awesome. I'll have to check that out thanks!

    • BeanitoDiego

      I've hit a stall 9 months out. I'm not worried, though. My fitness levels continue to improve and I have nearly accomplished my pre-surgery goal of learning to scuba dive! One dive left to complete to get my PADI card 🐠
      I was able to go for a 10K/6mile hike in the mountains two days ago just for the fun of it. In the before days, I might have attempted this, but it would have taken me 7 or 8 hours to complete and I would have been exhausted and in pain for the next two days. Taking my time with breaks for snacks and water, I was finished with my wee jaunt in only 4 hours 😎 and really got to enjoy photographing some insects, fungi, and turtles.
      Just for fun last week, I ran two 5Ks in two days, something I would have never done in the past! Next goal is a 10K before the end of this month.
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