Leaderboard

Very happy but scared about my surgery coming up I dont know how to feel but I'm ready Sent from my SM-A102U using BariatricPal mobile app

I started this journey last spring. I did everything by the book but did not loose weight through the process. Part of it was I had to have a major surgery a couple months back before I was eligible for the sleeve. So going into the insurance submittal, I thought for sure that was what would hang me up. I got my first denial 3 days in. They said my surgeon wasn’t in network. However they sent me to his office and his partners in the same office were . That brought appeal 1. I was then denied again after 2 weeks. This time they said I didn’t qualify because I didn’t do all of the steps. Turns out some person at Cigna forgot to look at the whole packet of paperwork that held my nutrition visits, the extra steps, psych evaluation, etc etc etc. but because this was the 2nd denial, opening my case back up required a peer review appeal. I am happy to say as of this morning I am approved for surgery on Monday (18th)!! I have spent today going to appointment after appointment to last minute get things in. I am sitting in the room now for my ore admission counseling and all I can think is please God let there be no other hurdles! I am ready for this! I’ve prayed in this! Let’s do this!

OMG! Wow, thank you so much. I have never known about oral fixation, but it makes so much sense, and it explains so much, so much. Here are some examples I keep a cherry stone in my mouth for hours, playing with it. When I cut of tags of new clothes, I'll put the plastic thing in my mouth and play with it for a long time I chew on headphones cables I put everything in my mouth. I don't suck on candy, chew it. I chew soft candy, hard candy. There has to be something going on other than sucking. (it sounds so pervy lol) I most definitely need to find other solutions to this But just knowing there is a name for it, that it actually is something.

Every surgeon is different. after 10 days my doctor told me there was no physical activity i could do that would damage what he did to my stomach, only being sore could hold me back. Well it didnt and i started crossfit on day 11 and havent stopped with zero issues. But thats just me. Everyone is different.

The stomach ache is the cramping from the sugar alcohols causing a stimulant laxative effect when you eat more than your body can handle. Sugar is addictive. Can you find a lower sugar style candy that at least provides vitamins/minerals/probiotics so you will have to limit your intake. In the States there is this product https://smartsweets.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAqqTuBRBAEiwA7B66hRdJyvSKmdcZ6Gg6FAZo-DjaRj6GI5utdXr8jPF9B2YkEspwrhn2-hoCDWgQAvD_BwE

You can make your own sugar free gummie bear candy out of sf gelatin. And you can flavor it with essential oils, liquid stevia, and add citric acid to make them like sour patch. Then you start stepping down from the candy. But you will likely need to replace the cals with some other source cuz otherwise you will likely start losing again. Also, you can make keto candy like fat bombs with healthy oils/fats + cacao powder, nut butters etc. They add up VERY quickly. But they are usually more satiating. SF peanut butter cups are the bomb. You can also try getting delicious protein bars, cutting them in 8 pieces then freezing them. Pop them like a candy bite. I think you're in a pretty special situation because of your super endurance exercise. I think @Healthy_life2 and @BigViffer could help you with this. They are both power athletes and have to eat in a method to keep their cals high enough for training. Congrats on your losses. The candy is an addiction. Addiction to sugar is as powerful as heroine addiction. I'd also see your doc/RD and ask for help. They may have a temporary medication that can help you with cravings as you try to detox.

That's where cutting a protein bar into 8 pieces and freezing them come in. Then instead of popping candy, you pop a bite size "candy bar" in your mouth! And you get nutrition and protein in at the same time.

Thanks. I'll look into that. Going to the states in February to run a 10k and a half marathon in Disney, so if I can't get it before then and I haven't kicked that addition yet, I'll have a look.

This was a good article thanks for the recommendation. It covers a lot of the real emotions around weight that I had before college before I realized nobody had to be happy with my weight but me. This led to me looking at myself and realizing how beautiful I am and accepting myself. Yes I do get frustrated about clothing at times (big women don't need flowers on everything lol) but I learned ignore it all and confront the negativity. As long as I'm comfortable in what I have on (unless one wants to buy clothes for me there's nothing to be said, and yes I do offer to let people buy my clothes if they don't like what I have on). Thank you for the suggestion and congrats. Sent from my SM-J737A using BariatricPal mobile app

See if you can download the Medicaid requirements. My insurance company had a lot of very specific stipulations and requirements. I read those papers so many times, and it was good to have a hard copy. Don't try to lose right now - not before you know the plan's requirements. Some people have to actually gain a little to meet BMI requirements for surgery. Once you have information from the insurance, see how your PCP feels about working with WLS patients. Even if there is not a prolonged PCP supervision program required, you are going to need your PCP support and most likely letter of recommendation for the surgery. You can also start researching surgeons and then checking to see if they are approved by insurance. The insurance company can certainly give you names, but you may find others that may also be approved, but the insurance list is not up to date (not unusual). You want someone who not only does a good job and has been doing these procedures for years, but also a program that will follow you for years afterward. For example, my program has 2, 4, 6, 8-9, 9-12, 18 month followups, with yearly followups for 5 years. You will need that support and supervision. Absolutely start going to free seminars that many programs offer. Even if not approved by your insurance, it will give you a lot of information and ideas of what will happen. It is a good place to start your education. Just remember that they are selling a product. Keep that in mind. Focus on facts and not the sales pitch. You can also start watching YouTube programs. Dr. Matthew Weiner has a ton of good information - all the way from choosing the right surgery and how surgery works, to long term maintenance. Bear in mind, his post op diet will probably be different from your own surgeon's (MW starts soft veggies very early on, while mine made me wait 8 weeks). But he does have a LOT of good information that is sound and will give you a good foundation. You want to go into this armed with all the information and education you can get. It's very sad when someone has surgery and then says, "I didn't know about such and such" or "why didn't they tell me this or that." You have to take responsibility for your own education on this - no excuse for ignorance with all the good info out there. So there are some ideas. It is a lifelong journey, not a sprint. It's great you are in a place where you are really ready to make the changes at such a young age - before you get all the degenerative breakdown and health issues that many of us have from decade upon decade of obesity. Keep us posted on your progress.