So many people write in and say the exact same thing you say, which is what is the waiting period? I think that doctors should let patients know how long they're going to wait, because it can be agonizing. When I had mine done, I didn't even think twice about it because I always assumed that when you went to the doctor and got diagnosed with something, the treatment would follow immediately. I was surprised that my doctor said he had to write a letter 2 Medicare for me because I wasn't fat enough to qualify automatically. But the way he said he was going to do it it sounded like it works every time. So, I didn't even worry and as it turned out, my approval came very quickly and he scheduled me around his summer vacation and it was all bada bing bada boom hey presto! before I even had time to think about it.
I wish there had been a group around like this when I had my surgery because I definitely could have used some peer counseling. It was 13 years ago and this kind of surgery has been around for about 30 years, in different forms, but there really wasn't any Hands-On information for preparing.
I had just enough information from the handouts to stock my kitchen and set up my bedroom route to the bathroom. But I learned a lot that I have since been able to share with others that I wish others could have told me about before. The number one thing I wish I had known before was that I should be taking a fiber laxative before surgery and after for about a week both ways. I have heard Tales of constipation and diarrhea that would curl your toenails and they are very very serious things that can be prevented.
so while you're waiting, ask a million questions and never feel embarrassed about it. You are having your plumbing rebuilt and that is a major job you'd pay a lot of money for if you were hiring a contractor to work on your home.
The fabulous news is that we live in a time when this procedure, whether sleeve or bypass, has virtually been perfected. Everything that you should expect has already happened to somebody else and the information is out there for you to learn. If I were doing it today, I would spend a lot of time in groups like this and reading books about people's experiences in order to make mine better.
It's the not knowing if the surgery is approved, because we have all heard so many comments from people about surgeries being declined. I feel like the majority are approved so I believe you will be fine but your nerves aren't going to listen to me or anyone else until the insurance company gives their stamp of approval. 
