New to everything

Hello from southwest Iowa! I just decided yesterday to start the battle towards weight loss surgery. I am in need of the next step. Sounds like weigh****chers for about 6 months...do I go see my regular doctor in the mean time. I have 7 years of documented hypertension...but not really saying I am dieting. They just look at me and say "you know you need to do something..." and then I just leave with my head hanging low as if I had been bad.
Anyway, should I start by going to a seminar at Mercy in Des Moines? Or am I pushing it? Just need to know what the best step forward would be.

Thanks!

Hello!   Welcome to OH!

I suggest that you go forward with attending an initial seminar at the office of the surgeon you are interested in.  I am going to Dr. Eibes at DSM Bariatrics and, at my initial seminar, they provided me with a binder full of information, including the requirements that I needed to meet in order for them to consider me for WLS (weight loss surgery).

Also, I suggest that you contact your health insurance company to find out their requirements to receive pre-approval for WLS.  If you find that you are required to complete a doctor supervised diet and exercise plan, I suggest asking them for specifics - frequency of monitoring by the doctor, frequency of weigh-ins, acceptable diet plans, acceptable exercise plans, etc.

It seems that most insurance plans do require at least a 6-month doctor supervised non-surgical weight loss regimen.  And that they do not want the doctor to be the WLS surgeon - they want it to be your PCP (primary care provider).

It has been about 16 months since I began my quest for WLS.  I will get a date for gastric bypass surgery when I see my surgeon today!  Hooray!

I sent you a friend request a bit ago.  Please contact me anytime with questions and I'll do my best to answer them with what I learned so far!

Again, WELCOME!!!  And I look forward to learning more about you and keeping in touch!  Take care!

Thanks Kim! Good luck with your doctor's visit. I'll be very interested as to how your visit went. I feel like I'm walking into a room and nobody and have no idea what I am doing.
Thanks for the starter course!

Take Care

Kim

Good afternoon Kim,
Congratulations on your surgery date.  Like you I had to jump through all of their hoops but finally I had my RNY done Aug 4, 09.  I had mine done by Dr. Thomas Brown in Denver, Co.  They were wonderful and I could have not asked for better care or qualified surgeon.  I went in for pre-op weighing 302 and today I am at 277.  Yea, it does work. LOL  I feel like a new person in so many ways.  I don't know what this surgery does to your body but it changes it instantly in so many positive ways.  I am 66 years old and no spring chicken by any means but now I am out walking at least a mile a day and some days twice that.  I had the laproscopic surgery and I had little or no pain after surgery and was up walking the halls of the hospital 4 hours after surgery.  I only stayed in the hospital 2 nights and was released at 11am on Thurs. and rode home that same day to Raymond, Iowa, with a stop overnight..
I wish you the very best and if I may be of any help please don't hesitate to contact me.  These groups are a blessing to us that are going or have gone thru the process.
Duane Briggeman
Raymond, Iowa

I agree with everything that Kim said.  I did some research on the various programs and then talked to my primary physician.  He gave me a recommendation based on who his patients have gone to and had luck with.  I'd recommend you involve your primary doc in every step - they're there to be your partner in this journey.  I'm a step behind Kim in this process - one last step to go through before I try to get approved.

Congratulations for taking the first step- that is the hardest. i also started out with Dr Eibes- went to the seminar and got great info- take your time and ask questions and you will find the right surgery and doctor for you.
You will need to find out what your insurance requires and if WLS is covered. When you know that you will be able to start making a plan.

Good Luck

I agree with everything everyone else said!  I went to Dr. Eibes's office--although Dr. LaMasters did my surgery as I wanted it done laparoscopically and Dr. Eibes will only do the open procedure with the RNY.  Their information seminar is excellent and gives you a much better (and realistic) idea of what to expect. 
I had my surgery done 9 months ago and I am down 111 pounds (and holding!).  Good luck!

I have bc/bs and it was required to see my regular doctor, I have two of them, and they both filled out papers requesting the surgery and listing and verifying all of my health problems,, ww would not do,for the insurance,,, also had person from the insurance company that helped me all the way,,
so get started early, I had mine done by Dr. Glas**** in cedar falls,,
bonnie