Medically Supervised Diet- Newbie Here!

Hi all! Newbie here! My insurance company requires the standard 6 month medically supervised diet before they will approve me for my WLS. I don't attend my first info session for my surgeon until Monday and of course I am totally impatient and am looking for answers right now-- I know I need to get over this impatience :-) Anyways, who monitors your diet is it your surgeon and their team or is it your primary care physician? If it's your primary care physician can you start the diet process before you get into your initial process with your surgeon?

I have SO many questions! But I am trying to utilize the search function first --- thank you!!

Cici

For me, it was my surgeon's dietitian. Your surgeon might be different. Why not call and ask?

Great idea I didn't even think of that!!

The nutritionist at my surgeon's office weighed me in after I had attended the first informational session (had to attend that first).

It can be either, depending upon what specific rules your insurance company has. I used my PCP on a somewhat self-directed but officially physician supervised program. We (wife and I) started the program long before we checked in officially with the surgeon, though we were attending their support group seminars throughout the process.

it depends on your insurance. Mine required a six-month supervised diet within the last two years. It had to be with a physician or registered dietitian, and I had to meet with them at least once a month. I used a dietitian. She kept all the records and monitored my progress.

I had to change insurance policies because my original policy didn't cover WLS. In spring or summer of 2014, I decided for sure I was going to have the surgery. I couldn't switch over to the new insurance policy until January 2015, so I did my six-month supervised diet in the mean time. So once I started the process with the surgeon in Jan 2015, I already had my supervised diet behind me.

but like others said, check with your insurance company - they're all different.

I am finding myself in this exact situation. Stupid, stupid me did a doctor supervised diet fall of 2015. My insurance changed & doesn't cover WLS. So now I have to enroll in fall of this year & coverage will start Jan 2018. Maths. My previous diet will not count!!! I wish I had had my epiphany sooner.

As stated, your insurance company will have rules about who can supervise the weight loss and how often you must be seen, so call and get that information from them directly. I too had to have 6 months of "medically supervised" weight loss visits. They had to be with a Dr, and there had to be notes proving that we discussed my weight (even if I didn't lose weight). The visits had to be at least a month apart, but could be anytime in the last 2 years. That last stipulation allowed me to only need 4 months supervised by my WL surgeon (insurance counted 2 prior visits with my PCP).