New to the site

Hi Folks - Another one joins the club! I put an intro in my profile if you care to check out how I got here. I want to do the gastric bypass and I don't want it to take two years from when I first started considering it as I have heard it usually does!

Welcome to OH! I'd like to invite you post also to the Men's forum here at obesityhelp - it's a fairly active and 'manly' board and I'm sure you'll get a lot of responses to any questions. You can find it by clicking forums up top in the yellow bar and then choose "Men" from the Other Forums drop down menu. Best of luck in your endeavors! ~Tooter

John: It doesn't need to take two years. My husband and I both had the surgery in July. It took about 8 months from when we first met with our surgeon and part of that delay was on our part. It depends on your insurance and their requirements. With some insurances you are required to lose weight or keep a weightloss journal for six months. We had Oxford and had no such requirements. This is a big decision, make sure you know all the facts before you decide to have the surgery. For us, it was the best thing we ever did for ourselves. But the start of the process is very challenging. You need to get to about 6-8 weeks post op before you "get-it". It is a different way of relating to food and most of the battle is mental. Good luck, Ann

John, I doesn't always take that long. If you are self paying a surgeon will do you right away.. If you have to go thru insurance, check out with them the requirements. Most now require 6 months of medically supervised dieting within the last 2 years and that requires dr's notes of your meetings with him. That is what held me up.. no one understood the requirements my insurance co had put in place. Good luck to you in this journey and I know the waiting is the hardest part. Donna

Hi John I had my first consult with my surgeon in September of 2005. I had my surgery in December of 2005. It doesn't take long at all, as long as your insurance company complies, and you get all the proper paper work in first. I wish you all the luck and I can't wait to see you on the losing side! Good Luck! Tracy

Im going on 10 months, partly over the diet issue, and fighting for a DS, cannot have a rny or banding and had to see or talk to 9 surgeons to find a team to take on my case due to previous bariactrc surgery and rare form of diabetes management issues. now to get the insurance companies to aggree to pay for it. normally exclude the DS. more expensive.

Hi John, I had my first consultation with the surgeon on October 21, 2005 and had my bypass surgery on December 22, 2005. A lot depends on how aggressive you are in getting things done such as doctor's visits, testing and staying on top of the insurance matters, doing whatever is necessary to expedite the paperwork.