Hello!

[dahlia123]

Hello! Pending insurance approval, I will be having a revision from VSG to DS with Dr. Sudan on November 15th.

Please do not shame me into oblivion, but I previously used the account vsgtods on here. Although, apparently I used a fake email address to create it. And an unusual password. Because now I'm unsure of how to log into that account. I have been burned on previous WLS forums which were really spammy, so I thought I would be clever and use unusual information. However, joke's on me because I just don't have the brains to keep up with decoy emails/usernames/passwords. I have used my real email when setting up this one, and I apologize for any confusion. I'm sure I broke or am breaking a forum rule for having two accounts. I'm trying to be transparent, and I'll delete the other one if I ever figure out how.

Journey to WLS: I had the VSG in May 2010. Lost about 100 pounds, gained about 150 pounds. I did not maintain at all. Pretty much as soon as I stopped losing, I started gaining. I feel no restriction with my sleeve. My endoscopy and barium swallow tests did not reveal any strictures, and Dr. Sudan does not want to do a resleeve. So, I will just be getting the switch portion of the surgery in November.

I am really interested in seeing how the insurance part plays out. My insurance (sponsored by my place of employment) is a self-funded plan administered by United Healthcare. I am required to work with a Bariatric Nurse Case Manager (NCM) through United/Optum in order to have surgery. The very first thing I did when I decided I wanted to consider revision was to call United to see about my eligibility, and they assigned me a NCM who called me the next day. I had read my plan, and it specifically stated that only 1 WLS surgery was covered per lifetime. Obviously, I have already had an operation, which was self-paid. I did not think I would qualify. However, I told the NCM in our very first conversation that my first procedure was self-pay, and she said that it wouldn't count against me for the insurance requirement. The NCM and I have spoken several times since that first conversation, and every time she assures me that the previous operation will not count. I won't believe her though until I get the approval. I haven't seen many people post about insurance after a self-pay procedure, so I just wanted to put my experience out there. I will definitely let people know if I get approved or denied.

 

[Munchkin]

Makes sense to me. Insurance did not pay for your first op.

We don't spam you at all. Look around. No ads. The only place we have to spend your money is an Amazon store and you can use it or not. We put the vites we use into our store and the proceeds go towards paying for this site. If you like the site, I would encourage you buy through us. But you are never pressured to do so! If you want to, you can donate to support the site but we don't pressure people to do that either.

I bet @southernlady or @JackieOnLine can straighten up your account. They have superpowers.

The sleeve is just another diet with a smaller stomach. Long term success is based on an ongoing starvation diet and excessive exercise. MOST people can't do this forever. You did not fail, the operation failed you. You have a disease, obesity.

Read this several times. It is my favorite saying and I use it too much. You will get tired of it. Obesity is a disease, not a character flaw! Promise.

 

[dahlia123]

Yes! This site is great. I think I signed up for several forums on the same day but have only come back to this one. And now that I've been around it for a bit, I definitely trust it not to be sketchy. I would like to support the site! Once I get my insurance approval, I will use the amazon store for vitamins.

Thank you for the support! I got really upset with a local surgeon who said that I "must be drinking milkshakes all day" with my weight gain with the sleeve. I swear I don't drink milkshakes all day. I also don't eat green vegetables all day. I am hungry a lot, and use convenience food too often. I've been working with a bariatrician (I believe she is certified in Internal Med, but she specializes in weight loss- and no, it's not one of those weird weight loss clinics that gives you shots and phen), and I've gotten to a place where I don't lose, but don't gain. It's so much work, with very little payoff, but at least I've stopped gaining while I wait for the surgery.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

Welcome, and I certainly understand the "if I wasn't losing then I was gaining" thing, as that is exactly how I always was. I had virgin DS surgery June 10, 2016 in Mexico with Dr. Esquerra and everthing went well and still is. I am losing at a nice steady pace. You want to make sure that your levels of D and other things are where they need to be before you have surgery. Have you had any labs run recently to see where you stand on things?
Ask anything you are wondering about, someone here will undoubtedly be able to shed some light on it. Again, Welcome to you.

 

[dahlia123]

Thanks Susan!!

Vitamin D for me is always on the lower side. It was 20 in my blood tests from a few weeks ago. I've upped my supplement though, and am taking the 50,000 D3 dose once a week while I'm pre-surgery. My surgeon did not seem concerned, although I was. Something else my surgeon nor my PCP have been concerned with is my ferritin. It's at 16 right now, which seems low. I mentioned it to the surgeon, and he just told me to increase my slowfe iron supplements to 3x daily. My hemoglobin was the only other thing out of reference (11.6 vs range of 12-15.5). I don't menstruate due to my birth control method, so I'm not sure what that's about.

Other than those results, everything else was in normal reference range.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Welcome back and no shaming. The VSG simply doesn't work for most. It isn't your fault.

I think it is great that Sudan doesn't want to resleeve you. That can create isdues, severe often and the switch is the part that works for us long term.

Regarding your D I would highly recommend that you take 50,000 iu daily. You want it up around 100 and you need a high D going in to surgery for a couple reasons. First it will greatly help your healing and you will have more energY second, it is hard to bring up your D after the ds so getting a head start will help a great deal.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome back, @dahlia123

I'll go fix your accounts...

Okay, I'm back...there is no superpower that even I have to merge your accounts without going deep into the system. And going there can easily muck it up. So I will let your old account stand cause there is good info in there.