I have my consult tomorrow and am very nervous!! I guess I'm worried the most about the insurance not covering it. My PCM gave me the referral for "morbid obesity" and I was excited! Kind of sad that I was excited to get a referral for that. I have tricare and have been told that they don't go by bmi but by weight. If they go by the lowest weight on the scale I am 100lbs over weight. But I don't know how they will figure it. I guess I just have to wait and see what the insurance says.

Sorry for rambling! Just kind of nervous. Does anyone have any advice for the first visit to the surgeon?? All would be appreciated.

Thanks

Amy

How did your consult go. Mine went well.

StLouisGal,

My consult went great. They don't think they'll have a problem getting me approved because of my other health problems. I have my psych appt tomorrow, my dietician appt Wed & my pre-op class Wed. So they're proceeding like I have been approved! But they won't actually run it by Tricare until after I meet with the dietciain on Wednesday. I don't want to get my hopes up though, just in case.

Glad to hear that yours went well. keep me posted!!

Amy-

Glad to hear your consult went well. I have a sleep study tonight and then my consult is tomorrow. Hopefully all goes well. Keep us posted how your psych and dietician appointments go!

Jaime

StLouisGal,

My consult went great. They don't think they'll have a problem getting me approved because of my other health problems. I have my psych appt tomorrow, my dietician appt Wed & my pre-op class Wed. So they're proceeding like I have been approved! But they won't actually run it by Tricare until after I meet with the dietciain on Wednesday. I don't want to get my hopes up though, just in case.

Glad to hear that yours went well. keep me posted!!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your approval. Waiting is impossibly hard but once the approval comes things move fast.

Glad everything is going well for you all. I am nervous but excited. I know I can do it...with help from my family, they are very very supportive. I think hubby more than anyone else. So waiting till Feb 11th seems like a long way ahead...but it will go by fast. My regular shrink appt. is on the 5th and I'll talk to her about this I can hopefully have her do the evaluation. Shes really very nice like her a lot.

Checking to see if my stuff works here.....the weight loss ticket

Well, I suppose then that I should be thankful for the high cholesterol, the apnea and the fact that I am a smidge over 150 pounds over weight... Never thought I'd see the day. I have my first appointment with my primary care next Wednesday. I already have one doc saying I need this surgery. I have been battling obesity for 6 years now with no success... Just losing the same 25 pounds over and over again. I hope I get quick approval so that I can have this done SOON! I know it is a big commitment, but of course, I won't know how big a commitment until I talk more with the docs. I'm going to a class at the hospital where it's performed once I get the chance to go (got to find out when the next class is).

Yes, I think I will be going crazy while I wait this out. As everyone else on here has experienced. I just keep having these visions of myself actually in a bathing suit on the beach this summer! I wonder if that's unrealistic!! God I hope not!

Looks like it's working! I like the shamrocks!

Hey everyone-

I had my consultation on Friday. It went pretty well, I think. I'm scheduled to go in on 2/27 for an EGD. Apparently the doctor will stick a camera down my throat to see if my stomach has any signs of cancer (I think because my family has cancer history, although I have had none). I am supposed to go to a support group meeting to hear from other patients. And then follow up with him will be 3/12. He's a very busy doctor, waiting room was packed. Found out that my best friends sister in law used him for her gastric bypass too and loved him. Go figure!

Jaime

StLouisGal,

My consult went great. They don't think they'll have a problem getting me approved because of my other health problems. I have my psych appt tomorrow, my dietician appt Wed & my pre-op class Wed. So they're proceeding like I have been approved! But they won't actually run it by Tricare until after I meet with the dietciain on Wednesday. I don't want to get my hopes up though, just in case.

Glad to hear that yours went well. keep me posted!!

I am working with tricare too. Man they really are slow sometimes. I have been trying to get referred out, but since the hospital does the gastric surgeries I can't. I would really prefer to go to a clinic that that is all ALL they do instead of the multi purpose docs at the hospital.

So far I have just had my seminar, one class. Still need 4 more and only ONLY then can I get my psych eval. *rolls eyes* Tri care really does hate its patients I think ....

Hey everyone-

I had my consultation on Friday. It went pretty well, I think. I'm scheduled to go in on 2/27 for an EGD. Apparently the doctor will stick a camera down my throat to see if my stomach has any signs of cancer (I think because my family has cancer history, although I have had none). I am supposed to go to a support group meeting to hear from other patients. And then follow up with him will be 3/12. He's a very busy doctor, waiting room was packed. Found out that my best friends sister in law used him for her gastric bypass too and loved him. Go figure!

Jaime

Jaime,

Have fun with the EGD, ugh! My psych eval went well on Friday, I felt like I had been put thru the ringer, but I passed. I go tomorrow to see the dietician and pre-op class and then they submit my paperwork to the insurance for approval. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

At least you know someone else who has used your doctor so you can pick their brain. That should make you feel more comfortable. Keep me posted as to your progress!

Amy

Has anyone had a chemical stress test. They say I can't use the treadmill because I'm too large(???) so they will inject something to make my heart go faster? Anyone able to explain this to me?

Hey StLouisGal-My mom had to have the same thing done because she's overweight and a smoker. Basically they inject you with whatever the medecine is (no idea, sorry), and she said it feels like you're running on a treadmill without actually doing anything. Have to make sure her heart was strong enough to withstand her back surgery. So I imagine it's similar. Probably not fun, but wouldn't be too worried!!

PS-So at the doctor's office, the nurse marked my height as 5'9", which is funny since my whole life I've been 5' 11 3/4", but I think they might do this on purpose as it made my BMI 46 instead of 41. Go figure. But I know I haven't shrunk almost 3 inches!!!

My height was 1/2 inch taller than I had ever been. :confused:That is really the only way I want to grow at this point.