Today will be the start of my WLS journey!

Soooo excited to start my journey today by doing the first step. The informational session 4:30 - 6:30! Woooohoooo!!! I so can't wait but will have a long one. Once the office receives the pre-auth from my insurance, the only insurance requirement I have to do is a LONG one! A 12 month health education program. Ugh! lol Well I guess that will give me plenty of time to go through all the hoops for my surgeons requirements.

I'm so giddy! lol

Good for you! So worth it. 12 months is long. Patience grasshopper. :)

it IS exciting. Good luck to you !!!!

:) me too! I have done my information session (there was an online option). I have my first appointment with the surgeon May 16th. So excited!! I don't think my insurance has any lengthy process but I'm not 100% sure yet. 

Thanks all!

Here is what my surgeon's office's first steps are:

Step One. Register for a bariatric information session. DONE
Step Two. Attend a bariatric information session. TODAY
Step Three. Return the packet of information received at the information session to the address or fax number provided.

Step Four. Once packet is received by our office we will contact you to schedule a bariatric consult appointment.
Step Five. Attend consult appointment and bring completed psychological packet. At this first appointment you and your bariatric health care provider will develop a personalized health care plan.

Step Six. Office will submit for pre-authorization with insurance.

A year flies by... I am from Canada and our process is different than in the US but from the time my family doctor send in the referral to our Bariatric network to the time of surgery was a year for me (referral sent October 2012, surgery November 2013).  In that year I did a multitude of appts (Info session, Dietician, Nutrition class, Nurse, Social Work, Psychiatrist, meet the Surgeon and then pre op work up, then two weeks of the required Opitfast liquid diet and then surgery, the time actually flew by. So many many things will be coming at you, and it has been said a million times before and we vets will continue to say this, work on your eating issues now in the year you have because they do surgery on your stomach not our brains and our eating disorders.

Hope you enjoy the info session this afternoon!

A year is quick, Daisy. My journey was 32 months from referral to surgery. I was worried about aging out of the program before reaching the top of the list!

Every insurance company has different requirements. I was lucky mine only required a 3 month program which i was short by 2 weeks but they approved anyway. 

Good luck on your new life journey

Welcome, Terri! One year does seem like a long time but it will fly by with all the appt. and in the mean time there is so much to learn so that you are prepared for your life changing event. This site is so wonderful with people so willing to answer your questions and give you support! Congrats on your decision!