1- I was lucky. My insurance company did not impose a waiting period. I was approved immediately. (BMI of 43 + asthma and high blood pressure)
2- No requirement but I followed my doc's diet to the letter. Between my first consult (May 20) and surgery (July 8) I lost about 25lbs.
3- For two weeks I was on liquids - milky shakes were too hard for me, so I lived on Syntrax Matrix (Fruit flavors), Isopure Zero and chicken broth from Whole Foods. In week 3 I added Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, etc.
4- Officially 4 weeks, but I added them back very slowly. I wanted to understand my sleeve before going back to a full range of foods.
5- I was okayed for 3-4 weeks out, but I went back after two. I felt good and was bored at home.
6- Walking right away, heavier exercise after about a month. I wanted to swim but had to wait for my incisions to heal.
7- Laparoscopic

Good luck!

1- Not long at all. About 1 week after I completed the pre-op requirements. Every insurer has different procedures. The surgeon should be able to tell you what to expect in your situation, with your insurance, as they do this all the time.
2- None. Just could not gain weight. The surgeon told me that if I didn't lose at least 8 lbs the week before surgery on the pre-op diet, he would know that I cheated. I followed the rules of the pre-op diet and lost 11 lbs that week.
3- Only liquids. I used protein shakes - Premier Protein 11 oz shakes from BJs, have 30 grams of protein each.
4- Two weeks post-op could have pureed foods, then solids as able to incorporate. I am 5 weeks out and can eat small amounts of almost any food.
5- One week. Could have gone back sooner, but was low on energy due to low calories and surgery recovery. I was not allowed to lift more than 10 lbs for a few weeks. Considering your work, you may want to plan for that. Generally, the heavier you are pre-op, the longer you need to recover post-op. It is different for everyone. Better to plan for 3 weeks off and come back after just a week or two. That way your employer thinks you are diesel.
6- Walking, right afterwards, and ramped up as tolerated.
7- Laparoscopic.

My insulin intolerance and PCOS symptoms, along with type II diabetes, resolved almost immediately post-surgery.
Last year, I was at my current weight. Then I gained and lost +30 lbs. I am definitely healthier now at 196 than I was last year at 196.

I'm a bypass patient.
1- My insurance didn't require any supervised plan or anything. I had a BMI of 36 with sleep apnea and GERD. I think it was 86 days from when I first saw the surgeon and had surgery. He required 3 monthly visits, plumonary, psych, GI and cardiology clearance.
2- None -- in fact if I lost I would drop too low so I just maintained my weight.
3- My plan post surgery was clear liquids the first week, full the next, pureed the next and soft the next. That first week was hard getting protein because I couldn't stand the taste of any of the clear ones and I also landed back in the hospital for pneumonia. So, I probably got about 100 grams total the first week with those drinks they give you in the hospital (Crystal Light with Liquid Prosource added).
4- Week 4 I could have soft -- tuna with mayo, chili not blended, refried beans, yum...
5- I could have gone back at one week if not for the pneumonia. I worked from home a couple of days the second week except for one day when I rode to work with a friend (long hairy commute on a high-speed turnpike). You usually have a restriction of not lifting more than 10 pounds... so that might factor into your job.
6- Walked in the hospital (laps around the floor with the IV pole)... I couldn't really start more walking until after rebuilding some strength after the pneumonia. Walking a lot at week 3 -- cleared to lift weights again after 4 weeks. Feeling great!
7- Lap

Hi Everyone!

My name is Diane and happy to find this group! Thank you for asking great questions that I needed answers too! I have 6 pre-op sessions with one completed. Excited - nervous but so ready to move forward! I am leaning towards the lap band but still not sure - I am sure the doctor will help with this. I have lost 6 pounds so far and starting ball exercise tonight - I have two herniated discs that I tap dance around.

The one question I am wondering about is - Was there anything you wished you would have done before having the surgery - physically - mentally?

Thank you all for your response.

Diane

Frankly Diane the only thing I would have done differently is I would have had the surgery a long time ago. My only regret is waiting so long to do something about my obesity.

Pat

Hi Everyone!

My name is Diane and happy to find this group! Thank you for asking great questions that I needed answers too! I have 6 pre-op sessions with one completed. Excited - nervous but so ready to move forward! I am leaning towards the lap band but still not sure - I am sure the doctor will help with this. I have lost 6 pounds so far and starting ball exercise tonight - I have two herniated discs that I tap dance around.

The one question I am wondering about is - Was there anything you wished you would have done before having the surgery - physically - mentally?

Thank you all for your response.

Diane

Frankly Diane the only thing I would have done differently is I would have had the surgery a long time ago. My only regret is waiting so long to do something about my obesity.

Pat

I SECOND THIS!

Hi all!

So I've been trying and failing since puberty to get myself in shape- the only medical issue I have is PCOS and insulin intolerance, and my doctors have been insistent on waiting longer to start medication (It's been 10 years since my diagnosis but I guess that's none of my business). Anyway, I'm looking into VSG and had a few questions that really are best answered by people that have had the surgery.

1- how long did it take for your insurance to cover your surgery? I have heard of a basic six-month period of medically supervised weight loss, and a 3-month fast track on specific insurances.
2- How much weight were you required to lose before your surgery?
3- How did you get your protein for the first few weeks? The hospital I'm looking into includes anything but meat, blended until it can fit through a straw, for the first few weeks and I wanted to know if it's really like that for the first leg, and which protein powder (if any) you used to help out.
4- How long until you could incorporate solids back in?
5- How fast were you able to go back to work? I'm a medical assistant and concerned that my first week back I'm going to bust something carrying charts.
6- How did you start exercising again after surgery?
7- Open or laparoscopic?


If anyone can answer, please do! I want to know all the gory details, everything that has gone beautifully and everything that could go wrong. Thanks in advance!

I had RNY 3/16/2012. I'm 46 and I've lost 180lbs so far and would like to lose 30lbs more.

My insurance co did not require a waiting period or medically supervised diet. I went to my info seminar in mid January, had finished my pre-op tests and had insurance approval and was in surgery on March 16th. But, every insurance policy is different so read your policy declarations to know for sure what your plan covers and requires.

My surgeon request 10% pre-op loss as a matter of course. I did not meet that, but I also did not gain.

In the 1st few weeks I got my protein in through protein shakes and elixirs, Beans, eggs and chicken.

My surgery was on a Friday afternoon and I had my 1st solid meal on the following Tuesday at my post op class in my surgeon's office. It included a strawberry, some refried beans, and some hard boiled egg. Every surgeon has a different protocol though. Mine requires no period of liquid diet pre op either, (except the don't eat or drink anything 24 hours before surgery). And my surgeon starts you off on solid food relatively quickly compared to what I've read on this board. We also had no pureed food period. Different foods were allowed and added back at 1 month, 2 months 4 months and 6 months.

I am a stay at home mom. At the time of surgery my boys were 3 & 5. I had surgery on a Friday, came home Sunday morning and my husband went back to work on Wednesday. He easily could have gone back on Tuesday, except I needed him to drive me to post op class as I was not cleared to drive yet. I never took a pain killer after leaving the hospital. That being said, I tend to recover quickly. I was up walking around the hospital 5-6 hours after each of my C-sections and never took a pain killer after being released from the hospital on those either. I felt pretty fully recovered post op from RNY after about 1 week. My surgeon will not write ANYONE out of work for more than 3 weeks regardless of what kind of work you do. My husband had RNY 6/1/2012, he's a computer engineer and was back to work 1 week post op, and could have gone back 3-4 days earlier.

I started walking the day after surgery and so did my husband. I didn't start seriously exercising for a year (I would not recommend this however). I could have within 3 weeks of surgery had I chosen to.

Laparoscopic.

1-6 month program imposed by my medical insurance.
2- I didn't have a requirement to lose just show the ability to control my intake and lose some
3- My surgeon told me not to worry about protein the first week. He said I had enough reserve for my body to feed off. Drink some protein shakes like slim fast but was on soft food in 5 days.
4- My doc told me not to buy purred food to just chew it good.
5- I could have gone back in ten days but was approved out 4-6 weeks so used that time to readjust and walk, walk , walk.
6-Walking every chance I could, then doing the gym supervised for three days a week since last august
7- laparoscopic

Hi all!

So I've been trying and failing since puberty to get myself in shape- the only medical issue I have is PCOS and insulin intolerance, and my doctors have been insistent on waiting longer to start medication (It's been 10 years since my diagnosis but I guess that's none of my business). Anyway, I'm looking into VSG and had a few questions that really are best answered by people that have had the surgery.

1- how long did it take for your insurance to cover your surgery? I have heard of a basic six-month period of medically supervised weight loss, and a 3-month fast track on specific insurances.
2- How much weight were you required to lose before your surgery?
3- How did you get your protein for the first few weeks? The hospital I'm looking into includes anything but meat, blended until it can fit through a straw, for the first few weeks and I wanted to know if it's really like that for the first leg, and which protein powder (if any) you used to help out.
4- How long until you could incorporate solids back in?
5- How fast were you able to go back to work? I'm a medical assistant and concerned that my first week back I'm going to bust something carrying charts.
6- How did you start exercising again after surgery?
7- Open or laparoscopic?


If anyone can answer, please do! I want to know all the gory details, everything that has gone beautifully and everything that could go wrong. Thanks in advance!

As I'm sure you heard and know from these posts everyone will have different answers for your questions. I have 9 months out from being sleeved. Here is my experience:

1 - I went to a informational meeting at my local hospital system and they are so on top of things that they actually knew what most of the insurance requirements would be for us and actually asked us who our insurance providers were when we walked in and had different information folders based on our insurance (although - different company policies have variations). They also do not, even if someone walked in with cash just do surgery. My insurance and the hospitals weight loss center requires everyone to go through a six month medically supervised diet that includes meeting with a nutritionist, the surgeon, and taking a couple classes. The six months few by and I sometimes cannot even believe I'm so far out from my VSG

2 - I was not required to lose any weight by either my surgeon or my insurance. My surgeon encouraged us to try, but said, "If you are here then you obviously struggle to lose weight on your own, so we don't require weight loss pre-op" I admit, that while I started exercising and eating healthier food I did not lose. I maintained, which to be honest, is ok, because before I started the process I had been steadily gaining weight for the year prior to that. Also, while I did not lose weight I did lose inches because I was doing regular strength training.

Also, I was required to do a 2-week mostly liquid pre-op diet. Three shakes a day along with one under 350 calorie meal (they encouraged us to just buy lean cuisine meals) and a cup of non starchy veggies. I lost about 10 lbs in this time. The purpose is to shrink the liver a bit to make surgery easier.

3 - Protein - Shakes and pureed food. All plans are different and mine did not have a liquid phase. Mine went straight to purees for the first month. The first week or two they wanted us to get in as much protein as we could but to just focus on staying hydrated. I could have pureed meats or whatever I could stand in puree form. I made a protein heavy italian soup with homemade chicken meatballs, white beans, chicken broth, and some spinach, tomato paste, herbs, garlic, carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms. I pureed this and ate it nearly every meal that first two weeks. You can eat so little at this point that a batch frozen into smaller portions (enough for a couple days each portion) lasted the whole time. I also smashed up cottage cheese.

4 - I was allowed to have soft solids at 4 weeks out. I handled things well and stuck to things like moist baked fish, protein heavy soups including the pureed one just not pureed, a hamburger, cheese, and so on. By the end of month two I was able to eat pretty much any solids except crisp fruit and veggies. I was allowed those at three months out.

5 - No lifting over x amount of weight (I cannot remember the limit) for two weeks. Just take it easy.

6 - I was walking right away, and had an amazing recovery from the start - I didn't take or need my pain meds once I left the hospital the day after my surgery. I took is slow with just walking, though, then started low impact exercise at two weeks out via doctors approval, then started with my regular exercise around 4 weeks out.

7 - Laparoscopic

Good luck and Congrats on taking steps towards a healthier you!