I am going to a seminar tomorrow, but I am wondering generally, how much time does it take, and what all do you have to do, between first meeting your surgeon and actually having the procedure?

That depends on many many factors including your insurance and it's requirements, you and your general overall health, your surgeon and how busy/booked his schedule is, and the facility he uses and how busy IT is.

For me it was about a month. Some it takes as long as a year. The surgeon should address timing tomorrow at the seminar.

I've been to 2 diff. surgeons before having it done (ins. issues) and they are all very different from what I experienced and the postings I've seen.

The only sure common denominator was seeing a bariatric psychologist and I am not sure but think that's always 2-3 sessions with an MMPI to be done. Then the dr's want you to lose wt. to shrink up your liver so various amounts and styles. Mine ultimate surg.office was just to lose it before surg. on my own, no liquid diet but a lot of dr.s will do a liquid diet for a time before surg. to accomplish the same thing. I'd count on 3 months for the whole process. Mine took 9.