This is my own personal experience. Yours may be completely different. And that’s ok.
You gotta love medical insurance. You have to jump through a bazillion hurdles, get every referral under the sun which will still cost you an arm and leg. This dance doesn’t even mean that insurance will even approve your procedure.
When I started the process, the clinic called my insurance to see what bariatric coverage I had. Hooray for Blue Cross Blue Shield for having great coverage! They covered all of the procedures that my surgeon offered except for one of them.
For more information about the procedures my surgeon offers, please click on the link below:
https://www.centerforweightlosssurgery.com/weight-loss-surgery/
Every month, I would see my surgeon and would have to complete a full health questionnaire. Every. Single. Time. This questionnaire also inquired an example of my daily intake of food, most importantly, the protein amount consumed. My weight and vitals are taken.
From there, the doctor would discuss my weight loss and continue to tell me to continue my “sandwich diet” - switching between a low carb and full on liquid diets to maximize my monthly weight loss. The goal of 10% of my body weight is always addressed and I was slowly chipping away at it.
He would also check how my stomach “squishiness” was. He would push on my stomach to feel my organs to see how pliable they are as an indicator of aiding in the surgery. Smaller and softer organs makes it so much easier.
The following month, wash, rinse, and repeat.
My last appointment was in February 2020. Fun facts about my last appointment: it was on the day after my birthday.
More on that next time.