I'm curious what steps everyone had to take from their first surgeon visit to approval/surgery date. Did you do certain testing, if so, when was it determined you had to do it? No need for major detail unless you feel like it. I'm thinking something like an easy to read timeline...

Example: [date] 1st Surgeon Visit> [date] blood work , stress test, psych test, etc.> [date] insurance approval> [date] start pre-op/liver shrink diet> [date] Surgery date

The reason I'm asking this is because #1 I'm marginally impatient, hate surprises and I'm trying to manage it. #2 My insurance policy that covers bariatric won't begin until 01/01/19 and I go to my first surgeon appointment this coming Monday 12/03. I'm just wondering what all I can squeeze in and get done before that 01/01/19 date. Thanks, folks!

EDIT: My nutritionist person just emailed me and said the only thing I can do prior to my new insurance plan is stress test, EKG and nutrition. Everything else will have to be done closer to surgery date which is TBD.

Edited November 30, 20187 yr by Kimmie K

Email... am I eligible? Paid for surgery. 22nd of October all bloods tests and endoscopy, 23rd of October surgery... now second internal bleeding that they can’t find where from, everything that they checking seems to be fine, in hospital trying to get better as I have lost already more that 20 kg in a month... and anything gets in me I am having a strong whole body vibration... don’t even know what to think

On 12/01/2018 at 17:59, Gotta win 4me said:

I have Cigna as well. My office submitted on Tuesday. Cigna say it should take 72hrs after they have entered it into their system. When I log onto my Cigna and search under precertification, I can only see my removal of lapband approval so far. Fingers crossed that I will get a surgery date soon.

I didn’t realize I could view it on my Cigna!! I just checked and mine isn’t there yet. Boo!

54 minutes ago, ldawn said:

14 hours ago, Gotta win 4me said:

I have Cigna as well. My office submitted on Tuesday. Cigna say it should take 72hrs after they have entered it into their system. When I log onto my Cigna and search under precertification, I can only see my removal of lapband approval so far. Fingers crossed that I will get a surgery date soon.

I didn’t realize I could view it on my Cigna!! I just checked and mine isn’t there yet. Boo!

Yea, I could see my removal precertification when it was pending. It took about 4 days for it to say approved. I’m so ready for my RNY precertification to appear so I can check several times a day until I get my approval.

And IT WILL COME! Let all of us know so we can celebrate with YOU. When I dabbled in a little ancestor search and genealogy a while back, found out my mother's people came from York, even know what parish, my father's from Lancaster, not all that far apart. Since back in the back of beyond, the UK transported felons to the Americas, then as they traveled toward their own independence from " Mum England" then they transported to Australia etc. Not sure if New Zealand had transporters also or the the emigrees WANTED to go, but just consider how many distant cousins I have world?wide! Does rather boggle the mind!

I had to get out my workbook for this.

(3 support group meetings I attended before my first apt. to get them out of the way.)

8/22/18 - Met with surgeon, psychiatric nurse, and dietician

8/22/18 Sleep study ordered, insurance denied it, we decided not to do it

8/28/18 - Harvard Pilgrim approved my VGS surgery!

9/19/19 Upper GI series

9/28 - Blended diet review

10/10/18 - Surgical Pre-testing/Pre op weight taken

1 week reduced calorie diet, 2 shakes and a Lean Cuisine, sorry everyone who had to starve!

10/15/18 Surgery

I think they did about the minimum so everyone understood what they were getting into and what they were supposed to do, and got me through it super fast! I could have called if I had more questions or needed more help. I could have gone a bit sooner but I had a work trip. So 7 1/2 weeks from start to finish!

Feb - First Dr Visit. He recommended RNY vs sleeve due to reflux and prior lap band. So I didn’t go back because I really wanted the sleeve.

Feb - June Researhed RNY, started monthly support meetings, sleep study, chest X-ray, upper GI tests completed.

July - came to terms with Dr recommendation. Decided on RNY. Started water aerobics and low carb diet consistently.

July -Sep - three months group nutrition visits and evidence of weight loss on my own.

Oct - Nov- Met with surgeon three times, nutritionist three times, blood tests, psych, and exercise therapist consultations.

Nov - two week liver shrink diet / two week liquid diet.

Nov 29 -RNY

Approval thru Aetna was two weeks. Good luck with your journey.

October 1st- PCP

October 10th- Bariatric Seminar

October 24th- 1 appointment with Dr. Gagne.

October 30th- had all of my labs done

November 5th- PCP

November 7th- Meeting with Nutritionist

November 7th- Meeting with Psych

November 29th Support Group

December 10th- PCP

December 12th- Appointment with Dr. Gagne

My new insurance takes effect January 1st. I don't want to start doing the EKG, etc until after the 1st of the year so it all hits the new insurance and the same deductible.

Bring over 40, I was supposed to get a mammogram as part of my approval, but I had gotten one within the year so I was good.

Wonder they didn't demand an Mammo from me with everything else, had one every year, delayed this year's because I was centered in on RnY or Bust a Gusset Trying, so actually waited until October, that's Breast Cancer Month so I got a tote bag of goodies and coupons for vitamins and a Lemon Bariatric Bar. Made the boon squeezing almost fun!???

boobs not boon, although a boon is rather a gift!

Oh I soooo get you. Here is my timeline thus far:
8/3 required education class
9/16 1st wl class (classes done monthly)
10/31 doctor meeting to discuss vsg
11/5 blood labs
11/16 endoscopy (erd)
11/30 4 hour wellness visit (met with RN, psych evaluation, exercise physiologist, nutritionist); cleated by all. Just have to finish attending 3 remaining weight loss classes.
12/3 required bariatric support group meeting (today and optional to continue after today)
Scheduled: Feb 2019 pre-op consult before docs submitted to insurance.
My insurance said it takes 4-6 weeks for approval.

Early December 2017: Convince myself that I need surgery, start obsessively watching every youtube video I can find. Fall in love with every single person. Find a surgeon.

Mid-December: First consult with my surgeon. Set a tentative date of March 14th, 2018.

December 21st 2017: First nutrition class.

December 30th, 2017: Normal routine visit with my psychiatrist where I say "Hey I want my stomach removed. Am I stable enough for that?" and he goes "Eh. I don't see why not!"

January 5th, 2018: set up the first appointment with a cardiologist. Set up more testing, which I did legit like the next day.

Mid-January 2018: set up appointments for my gastro and pulmonologist. Scheduled endoscopy.

End of January 2018: Endoscopy and sleep study.

February 2018: Sleep study showed I need a CPAP. The ENTIRE MONTH OF FEBRUARY was spent trying to get my insurance and DMS company to SEND ME the damn CPAP. Finally, have my second and final nutrition appointment, and get set up with the pre-op diet.

Last day of February: Start of pre-op diet.

March 3rd: CPAP is FINALLY delivered.

March 13th: Pre-admission testing completed, clear liquid diet started.

March 14th: Show time!

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by BeanieSprouts

1st visit 30 days later I started the mandatory 6 months of classes. Durning the 6 months in no specific order I had cardiac clearance ( ekg, stress test), x-rays, blood work, upperGI, h. Pylori, head shrinker, already use a CPAP all I need for that was a letter from my sleep doctor, clearance from primary , because I am childbearing age I had to start birth control pills . That caused 24 blood clots in my lungs and pushed my surgery to January or February . I was scheduled for surgery when I ended up in the Er and admitted for 4 days. I had already stopped the birth control pills to have surgery. I was one of the lucky ones that have that awful reaction. So when it’s all said and done from March 7, 2018 to today I have lost 89 lbs. I will have time to lose more by surgery. I am shooting for another 15 lbs.

10/17: first appt/meet surgeon

10/18: pulmonary clearance

10/29: behavioral health class

10/29: nutrition 101 class

11/5: psychological clearance

11/6: cardiac consult

11/8: EGD procedure/ stomach biopsy

11/9: ECHO (cardiac)

11/12: cardiac clearance

11/12: dietitian clearance

11/15: nutrition 201 class

11/21: surgeon followup - final clearance

12/11: SURGERY DAY

2 minutes ago, Gingerness said:

10/17: first appt/meet surgeon

10/18: pulmonary clearance

10/29: behavioral health class

10/29: nutrition 101 class

11/5: psychological clearance

11/6: cardiac consult

11/8: EGD procedure/ stomach biopsy

11/9: ECHO (cardiac)

11/12: cardiac clearance

11/12: dietitian clearance

11/15: nutrition 201 class

11/21: surgeon followup - final clearance

12/11: SURGERY DAY

Congrats! Holy cow, that's quick! Who's your insurance?