anninva

shannon -- you have my love and i know how hard it is to focus one's love on oneself. i'm right there with you. the talking-to-different-parts-of-yourself therapy can be really powerful. i recently used it to combat some old traumatic stuff and it actually worked! for me, too, it was a question of figuring out why i was holding on to whatever bad things part of me felt like "she" had to hold on to. i'm not going to give any advice other than to think of kind things and advice you'd give a friend if she were having the same problems you are and then really try doing it. ((((((((((hugs))))))))))

that's absolutely fabulous!!!!!!!!!!! you're such an inspiration. i can just see myself getting out of the 20's and into the teens!!!!! i'm waiting for okay from insurance co. sigh. i hope you're super proud of yourself!!!!!

Congrats!!!!! Very exciting!!! i'm hoping that my proposed surgery date goes thru and i'll be starting pre-op in exactly a month! fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly with my ins and i get my 12/13 date!!!! so glad things are finally moving for you!!!!

hi all! so excited that i have a surgery date -- 12/13!!!!!!!! i talked to surgery coordinator yesterday (i called her just as she was about to call me -- spooky) and she was about to submit my file for pre-authorization and wanted to set surgery date. also set pre-op, post-op appointments as well. trying not to get excited b/c it still hasn't gone thru insurance, but still!!!!!!! i can't believe i've gotten this far. i really, really want it to go thru ins now and to be able to move forward!!!! what do you think? possible to go thru the first time?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? wooooo-hooooo!!!!!!! :)

Thanks y'all!!!! i love the REALLY GAY confusion. i love us all from the sorta gay to the super gay!!!!!! i'm that way about Pride day too -- love the trannies! i found out yesterday that i have a date set for surgery (and now going to insurance company for pre-auth). it's 12/13!!!!!!! i'm trying not to get too excited about the whole thing until i know what the ins co says, but i really want it to be true!!!!!!!!!! i'll let you guys know as soon as i do. do you think it could really happen so soon?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!!? thanks for the warm welcome!!!!! not sure where else to post on the board, but will figure it out bit by bit!!!!! hugs to all, Ann

Hi everyone! I've posted before but wanted to start a new thread, telling my story. I've been through the mill so far. finally chose a surgeon about a few weeks ago and went in for my consults last week. had the usual worries: my bmi has to be over 50 for my ins to cover vsg and i was worried it would be 50 or less. i wasn't worried about the other consults, but maybe i should have been. went thru them all, nutritionist, trainer, psych. i've got a kind of funky psych history, though i've been great the last two years. well, that blew up in my face, so i spent the last two days in a total adrenaline fueled state of high anxiety. really bad. psych had to talk to my therapist, the whole nine yards, and then THEY had to make a recommendation about whether i was fit for surgery. awful, awful couple of days -- sick, couldn't sleep, etc. However!! Got word on Weds afternoon from psych that he had decided to clear me, FNP who runs program called me Weds evening told me he would recommend vsg or rny NOT band, which seemed to be what psych was going to recommend (though not what he does, after all) and that i needed to pick one. so, i said VSG!!!!!! FNP called me yesterday to go over my chart, my bmi is 50.77 which he says is "over" enough that ins will cover and he told me i only need one more piece of info before submission to ins co -- letter from pcp saying i was a good candidate. i know he'll write it b/c i went to see him before i even started going to seminars. so, i seem to be on the road . . . hard to believe!!!!!!! finally starting to sink in today and i'm finally off the roller coaster and feeling hopeful and relaxed!!!! sorry this is so long!! thank you for reading!!!! hope to have more news soon! Ann

thanks so much for your post. i'm just in the pre-op stage and it's vital for me (and others who are just starting out) to be reminded that this is serious surgery and that we will be living altered lives for the rest of our lives. it's easy to read about success stories, but so important to hear the other side of the coin as well. i'm so sorry that things suck so much right now. it just sounds awful. lots of good ideas from others, so i won't go into advice that i'm not even qualified to give, but it does seem like your surgeon sucks at aftercare and i wonder if another doc would help?? take good care. you are in my thoughts.

hi all, just wanted to let you know that i've chosen a program here in the dc metro area and have my first set of tests and consultations next tuesday!! i'm so excited to have the ball rolling!!! next worry is insurance and hoping my humungous bmi qualifies me and that the insurance folks can get me int!!! after that, who knows? i'll really be pre-op and have tons of questions. i'm very excited to be having the vsg (i hope!!!) and joining the vsg world!!! and away we goooooooooooo!!!!! :scared0: :001_smile:

hi all, ann here. i'm on the hunt for a good vsg surgery program. i live in the dc metro area, so you'd think it would be fairly easy, but i'm really struggling. i'm going to a seminar at fairfax hospital on tuesday next week (my 4th seminar -- boy am i sick of seeing stomach pictures!) but they may only do vbg!!! i'm hoping to get any feedback about their program or any info about programs nearby in maryland (balto for instance). thanks! i know i'm going to like being here!! i hope i'll be a good member of the forum! ann :thumbup1::confused1::thumbup:

thanks for the info! i just signed up for a seminar on the 25th. i'm hoping that i'll just be able to go with fairfax hospital since . . . well i just want to get moving -- i'm very antsy. good luck on the 15th!!!