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Getting Started - What to expect?



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I'm about 5'0" and 200 lbs. Diets have worked, but I always give up after a couple of weeks and 10 lbs., mostly because it is difficult to make "regular" meals for the family and special meals for me. Not only is it time consuming, but it is hard on the budget as well.

I guess b/c I'm not quite 100 lbs over weight, I'm worried I'd be shot down right away (I have trust issues with doctors, as it seems they tend to immediately dismiss my opinions - wrongly so with 2 of my son's pediatricians). I'm not sure if the issue is with me being oversensitive or them being jerks, but to me it feels that doctors (and other people) think that because I'm fat, my opinions aren't important or can't be correct. I think if I were 3 inches taller with the same proportions, I would be 100 overweight (my frame is more medium than small - I think if I weighed 100 lbs I would look skeletal).

My questions: What are doctors looking for when deciding whether one qualifies for LB surgery?

How much time does it take to get approved for surgery, and then how much time elapses before one actually has the surgery?

I have health insurance that I need to look into for coverage, but in case they don't cover it, what can I expect to pay?

Thanks in advance,

Nic

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The biggest thing they are looking at is what your BMI is, and if you have any co-morbidities.

As far as the time it takes, it really does depend on whether or not you have insurance. If your insurance approves the surgery, many of them require you have a specified amount of months of a supervised diet before they will allow you to have the surgery.

My insurance did not cover, so I was self-pay. I went to a seminar and then had my psych. eval, nutritional consult and sleep apnea study done within a week of the seminar. Then I met with my surgeon, who immediately approved me. I immediately started my pre-op liquid diet and was banded two weeks later. During the pre-op time, I also had an EKG, blood work and physical done.

As far as cost, I paid $16,500.00. Everything in the first year was covered under that. Now that I am past my first year, I pay $50.00 for office visits and $150.00 for fills. There are less expensive options available, such as in Mexico. I suggest you do your research and find a good surgeon who will be able to meet all your needs.

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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