Nervous for the future.

Hi everyone! This month marks my 5th appointment (out of 6) for the sleeve. I am very nervous but so, so excited. I can't wait to start my new life. I'm 21 and feel like I'll be able to live the life I always wanted after I have the surgery! The biggest worry I have is whether or not my insurance will approve me. Did anyone else worry about this? I wasn't sure how picky these companies were. I know every insurance is different so I guess we'll wait and see! Any pre-op advice anyone has will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Everyone "holds their breath" until their insurance approves the surgery.  As long as WLS is covered and you've met their ceiteria you should be all set.  I was worried about the "one year supervise diet" provision on my policy -- luckily, I had been seeing my PCP for other health issues for over a year, and he had been recommending the surgery all along.  Every appointment included a weigh-in, so I drafted up a letter for him and he signed it, so I was approved on first submission.

I congratulate you on making the decision to have surgery at your age -- so many of us say "I wish I did this years ago".  Hopefully, you'll avoid all the problems associated with long term obesity.

My only pre-op advice:  Read the forums here religiously; you will learn so much.  Also, don't get discouraged when you reach the pre-op liquid diet stage, and the post-op liquid and pureed stages.  They are tough to get through......but well worth it.  Also, have you checked out Eggface's site?  She has lots of recipes for shakes and pureed foods.  Preparation and pre-planning are key.

Good luck to you!!

Thank you so much for the reply, Mary. It means a lot to me. I also am glad I am doing it at this age. I get to start a whole new life(: I will check out that website for recipes, I know I'll be needing them! I'm glad I was told about this site, it is great and has such supportive people!

Try not to worry about the insurance, as you can't really do anything about it yet anyway. (And if they don't approve you, you can always dispute it).  You are so lucky to be able to get this surgery at such a young age.  (I am 55 and I wish I was able to get this done many, many years ago.)  You have the rest of your life ahead of you and it will be a normal one without the burden of excess weight.  My advice to you is to follow the plan. Do what the doctor and nutritionist say and you should be fine. The surgery, liquid and soft food stages went by so fast for me and since you are so young, you should bounce back quickly.  I agree with everything Mary Gee told you.  Keep checking into this website and let us know how you are doing.  If you need quick answers, use the search (magnifying glass at the top of the page) to see previous posts for your question.  Good luck to you! 

Any age is good, but yes, I am glad I am taking this opportunity now! I plan on using all the advice I've been given so far, I want this to be a success, for now and long-term. Thanks for the response! (:

I think your worries are pretty common!  Just spend your time learning as much as you can - reading all the posts here, etc.  You've got this :)

Glad I'm not the only one who worries over stuff like that. This website is great. I'm glad I found it when I did. Thanks for the response! (:

Hi Madeline - I will keep my fingers crossed that your insurance approves you!     I'm happy that you're having this done at a young age because it will allow you to get to a healthy weight before you cause too much damage to your body - especially your joints.  30 years of lugging around an extra 100 or so pounds does nasty things to the knees, hips and joints.  And some of that just can't be undone with weight-loss. 

As for pre-op advice:  make sure you take enough time off work afterward.  I needed a good 7-10 days at home.  Have all your food (liquids or whatever) and vitamins on hand before you head off to the hospital.  At the hospital you won't need much.  I took magazines and my iPad and never used them.  I was so focused on breathing, drinking and walking that there wasn't time for anything else.  

And take LIP BALM!  You will be dry like the Sahara becaus they won't let you drin****il after your leak test.  For me that was almost 24 hours after my surgery.  

Thanks! That means a lot! I am so blessed with a wonderful family that supports me in my decision to do this at a young age. Thanks for all the post-op advice. I love water so I'm dreading being thirsty! This website is great and actually counts as a required support group for my insurance. Glad there's so many people who know what I'm going through. Thanks again! (: