Bariatric Life

So here I am, laying in my bed all comfy and snug attending the bariatric seminar. It was so great to be able to attend this from the comfort of my bed. Not only was I so exhausted every day from being so overweight, but I will be the first to admit

I AM LAZY!

I always have been lazy and I am still lazy. So being able to take the seminar online was a dream come true for me.

So you are signed up for the seminar (if your physician requires it), now what? My seminar was good for a year, so even after you take this first step, you still have plenty of time to think things over.

In the initial seminar you will be explained the general types of bariatric surgery, insurance usually will pay for the sleeve or the bypass. You will need to do your research and decide which you think is the best fit for you. I opted for the bypass because the research I found is that the bypass will hold you accountable a little more (this will be explained a little later).

Also during this seminar, you will be able to ask any questions that you want to, and since it is online you don't have to worry about thinking you are asking a stupid question or being shy and waiting for someone else to ask, just type it in the chatbox. And by the way, even if you do go to an in-person seminar, there really is no such thing as a stupid question. Ask all the questions you need to and do lots of research, this is literally life-altering and you will need to make the best decision for yourself.

Things you will learn first:

• If you smoke...QUIT! You can't heal as easily and it is very dangerous to be intubated if you are a smoker, you don't want to risk it. What about vaping? Again you are putting something foreign into your lungs, don't risk it.
• You will have to eliminate fizzy drinks from your diet...PERMANENTLY. Go ahead and start now. I haven't had a soda or any carbonated drinks in 2 years. This didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.
• Surgery should take about 2 hours if everything goes smoothly. You will need to stay overnight or two nights (I stayed two nights). If you are opting to go to Mexico and have the surgery, most people will stay in a hotel under the doctor's care until you are able to travel. Yes, lots of people will go to Mexico to have this surgery because they have to pay out of pocket for it and it can be affordable in Mexico. People heal differently and at different speeds. It took me two weeks to start to get my energy up and start to feel normal. One lady was power walking the halls the afternoon after her surgery. Allow enough time for YOU to heal, you will know what you can and can't do.
• Call your insurance company as soon as possible to see what the requirements are. Most will pay for it if you meet the criteria.
• My insurance company required 6 months of doctor visits with my PCP to document weight loss attempts. But don't sweat this, you will have plenty to do in the meantime.

And that is the seminar in a nutshell. It really wasn't so bad, don't wait as long as I did. If you are thinking about bariatric surgery and you have to attend an informational meeting, go ahead and do it to get it out of the way.