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

Can someone tell me how long it took



Recommended Posts

Can anyone tell me how long it took from start to finish, first doctors visit to actually getting approved and a surgery date, also I am in Maryland anyone had surgery in my state that would not mind helping me, I am literally just starting. I had my initial visit with the surgeon at AAMC in annapolis, and have just started the nutrition portion.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Believe it or not, the time goes by really quickly. I had my initial appointment in October 2018 and had surgery May 2019. I actually went through GW hospital just because it was closer to where I worked and it was easier to get to appointments. But once you start the nutritional portion, it usually depends on what your insurance requires. I was required to attend 6 nutritional appointments and have a psychological evaluation. Once I completed my 6th appointment, I was scheduled shortly thereafter.

My husband went through AAMC several years ago and his time frame was similar to mines, so I think it mainly depends on your insurance and you not missing any required appointments. If you do, usually the time will start over. But both hospitals have good programs, I think AAMC was a little stricter in the after surgery eating requirements. I hope this helps.

Edited by lyladyp

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

5-6 months. I completed everything in April but corona hit in March. We were shooting for May but looks like June or early July. I'm in the Atlanta area.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started on 10/7/19 with the first appointment with the surgeon. I had my surgery on 3/3/20 so right at 5 months. I had to fulfill a lot of appointments with others doctors in that 5 months per the required guidelines of my insurance. I was dedicated and got it all done within the timeline. Mine was supposed to take 6 months but I got it done in 5 months. Whatever your surgeon’s office asks you to do and whatever appointments you need to make, do it. Good luck.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My first appt was 10/7/19 and I had surgery on 12/18/19. I had a somewhat unique situation in that my insurance was going to expire on 12/31/19, so my surgeon's staff was awesome about pushing everything through quickly. I also stayed on top of things as far as getting all of my mandatory clearances (EKG, PFT, Cardiology and Psych clearances) completed ASAP.

Best of luck to you!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My timing info will probably useful/of interest for anyone in Australia and who have a revision from ESG to sleeve.

ESG is not covered by medicare or private health insurance in Australia so no real requirements other than some blood tests. Could have had my ESG within three or four weeks of my initial appointment with the doctor, however, I delayed the procedure for some leave that was already planned a few months away.

18 months later for my revision to sleeve I went out of state to a surgeon who had already done ESG conversions to sleeve (some will only do bypasses). I was fortunate, the office arranged for me to have an endoscope the day following my initial consult and from there it was less about one month to my sleeve. I had some bloods taken in between, Medicare/private health insurance covered this one but I did have out of pocket costs. There were no required to lose weight prior to the surgery or pysch clearances. There was one appt with the dietician (did that the same day as my initial consult) and two appointments following the surgery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Many take 6-7 months start to finish. I was fast tracked. First surgeon consult May 20 - surgery Sept 4. Of corse, I do think it took 1-2 months from my PCP to get to the surgeon.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 months

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I've seen people self pay and get surgery in weeks other people have very strict insurance or doctors and can take years... There is many many factors involved...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The length of time, consult through surgery, is largely dependent on your insurance carrier. Your doctor's office can affect it, but the insurance plan may require a 6 month (maybe more) monitored diet. They may also have a history of back-logging or slowing down processes for elective procedures.

For me, my initial consult was in September 2017 and I had the surgery April 2018.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started the process 01/02/2020 and should have had my bypass on 04/07/2020. Because of Corona its been moved to 06/30

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started in August 2019, had a health scare in September 2019. I was on blood thinners so I had to wait until Jan 2020 to continue my appointments. My estimate schedule date was May 2020 then COVID hit. And my surgery date was pushed out to June 17th. So my timeline is not as streamlined but a typical person takes about 6 months.

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?
      · 3 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..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • 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

    ×