i don't know what to expect

Hi everyone.. I'm just starting on my journey. I have Dr. Krueger. My dietician appointment is tomorrow. Can anyone tell me what to expect? I see that everyone has to lose weight before surgery. What worries me is my BMI. If I lose weight, does it affect my approval from the insurance or do they strictly go by my first weigh in at the doc's office? I try to do my "homework" with all of this new stuff, but I'm still finding that there's still a lot that I don't know about. Jeanette

I Jeanette.. I saw that you live in Hyannis and wanted to say hello to you.. I'm in West Yarmouth. I didn't have the same surgeon as you so I don't know the answer to your questions specifically but I did want to say hello and offer some comments. Sooo HELLO!! hehe I am pretty sure insurance companies go by your initial weight.. most programs ask for a 10% weight loss before surgery. I had lost that before I walked through my surgeon's door (supervised by WW) so I did not have to loose any weight before surgery. In Fact.. the guy who finally cleared me said to "stay exactly where I was at" and to stay on WW if that worked.. which was pretty hard in itself to do. My BMI was about 46+ so I definately had some room to loose more before surgery but that's what I was told to do so I followed my orders. It also depends on your insurance.. mine was Harvard Pilgrim which is pretty good about WLS from what I hear.. I was cleared in less than 24 hours. It doesn't look like your surgeon has any comments on this site yet.. If your surgeon is registered with OH.. then they have a profile that members can state what insurance they have had and makes comments about such and so.. for example here's my dude's page (I actually picked him from this site.. and thank god everyone was right.. hehe)http://obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeon+insurers+Donald+Hess+kfb.html Perhaps looking at other surgeon's insurance lists you can get more information about your insurance.. hope that helps!!! Looks like your dude is on this page.. http://obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/nonsponsoring+bariatric+surgeons+in+massachusetts.htm l perhaps you should urge him to register.. hehe Don't know if you know but we do have a support group on Cape Cod so that people don't have to go off cape every month to get support.. we meet the 2nd thursday of every month at Cape Cod Hospital 2nd floor, Martins conf room at 7:30pm. Everyone is welcome. Don't know if any of this helps but I thought I'd say hello anyhoo April R

Thank you for replying April! I'm definitely interested in checking out a meeting at the hospital. I do have to go pre-op groups, but I don't know yet it they have to be in Wareham or if I can do them here. My surg. calc. my bmi at 41 or 42, so it makes me nervous to lose weight before getting my approval. I just added boston medical health plan, so i need to check them out. i'm sure I'll find out more info at my dietician appointment tomorrow.. i'm just on edge now. i'm just so fearful that i'll get denied by the insurance. i have a friend that lives in yarmouth that had surgery almost two years ago.. maybe you know her... "Heather". I also haven't told many people about my surgery plan. Partly because I don't know if i'll get approved, but more so because i can't deal with any negativity. I battle with myself inside on whether this is the right thing for me or not, which i know in my mind it is, but i don't think i can bear to hear anyone talk down to me about it. how was it for you?

It's a Cape Cod Party!!! hehe I lived on Castlewood for like 4 years.. which is the other end of Buckwood.. hehe ok.. Telling people about the surgery is unique to every individual and such a delicate thing. I know what you mean with the negativity.. everyone knows someone who hasn't been lucky with WLS if you talk to people on Cape Cod about it.. hehe. I only told my fiance, best friend, and parents that I was going through the process. Once I was approved, I told the important people to tell. It's really all about the support you need and I realy needed certain support in order to made the hardest decision I have ever made.. WLS. I remember wondering if this was right for me too.. it's harder having a lower BMI with WLS because it makes you feel even more stupid guilty for never being able to take that damn 100 pounds off. Well taking 100 pounds off is super crazy hard.. even with WLS. Except with the surgery you can recreate your relationship with food and you can forgive yourself much more.. and then you can actually do it and keep it off.. for real this time!! hehe You should definately frequent the "lightweights" board. It's for people like you and I who only have to loose 120 pounds or less and what that entails in the whole process because it's a really different experience... hehe "lightweights".. I still get a kick out of this one.. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/wls_lightweights/ People have been very supportive and cool with me. I think it's because I have a way of reframing WLS for people to understand what it really meant for me. I dieted and exercised my whole life and I could never get below 220.. that was soo frustating. And.. I was done with that.. I was done living in the wrong body.. mostly.. I was done hitting my head upside the wall with all the diets that just made me magically fatter in the end.. So in the end.. WLS was a real no-brainer for me. So far it's been wonderful.. I would have never been able to understand my relationship with food and deal with it if it weren't for WLS.. so I am forever grateful. Everyone is different.. everyone has different reasons for this.. regardless they are all OUR reasons.. so they are All good reasons!!! Good luck at the nutritionist's tomm.. usually they just go over what your diet should look like up until the sugery and then what it will entail after surgery. All the programs are different.. follow the one that they give you even if it's hell. hehe Usually at the psych consult they do quiz you about post-op life.. the answers are: everyday and for life I will take vitamins everyday, eat 60g protein a day, drink 8 glasses of water min, and exercise as much as I can. hehe so fun welcome April R

Just wanted to ay hi and Good Luck. I was not told that I had to lose before although it was recommended, I was only told I could not gain any but every Dr is different. Do you know what your insurance requires for approval, you may want to call them and have them fax you their guidelines. Gwen

I'm not exactly positive what my insurance requires, but according to the nurse at the office, I'm doing all the right things. I had to fill out a lot of paperwork about my "everything", so tomorrow is the dietician and over the next two weeks I'll get the psychological appointment done. Then we see from there. I'm really nervous! Thanks!!

Hi Jeanette, I am also going through Dr. Kruger, and I just got my Nutritionist appt. today, for Dec. 6th. I also have no idea what to expect, so dont feel bad....Im wondering if you and I were at the same informational meeting...at the Cape Codder, not long ago? I had my initial visit w/Dr. Kruger on 11/11. So far things are moving right along. I have not told anyone that Im doing this, except for my husband. He is supportive, as long as it's what I really want. Like you, my BMI is only like, 41, so I just made it. I have BCBS insurance and they have a guideline of 40...so whew! I just squeeked by! Best of luck, and please let me know how the visit with the Nutritionist goes--I'm right behind you!

Hi! It's really nice to talk to someone with the same surgeon. I went to the cape codder meeting in september. my initial visit with Dr. Kruger was nov. 6. My insurance is bmc health net & I haven't heard anything alarming from either the doc or the nurse that would make me worry. I'm just worrying because..lol My friend had it done by another surgeon a couple years ago and she has masshealth. she was denied at first, but after going through a 6 month diet plan with her surgeon, they resubmitted and got approved. I'm just hoping I have better luck than she did. How did you find out about the guidlines for the insurance. Did you call them? I'll definitely let you know how my appointment goes tomorrow. Do you live around Hyannis? Thanks for being here! Jeanette

I did live in Hyannis, for about 10 yrs, on Buckwood Drive! but now Im back in Dennis where I grew up. Maybe sometime we can get together for coffee or something some weekend, and compare notes! I found out about the guidelines by calling my insurance company (Blue Cross). They actually sent me out a packet of information about what is covered--just got it in today's mail. I wish I could just skip all the appointments and get it done already!!!! Im very impatient, lol. Good luck--I have to go print out the directions to Tobey again...I almost got lost when I went to see Dr K.

That's so funny. I have a friend on Buckwood Dr.! Anyhow, I'll post again tomorrow after my visit...