M2G

:roll: I am married so I don't date, but I have been to group dinners where no one noticed what I ate. You can always say something like "oh I wasn't thinking much and ate _____________ (fill in the blank with your favorite snack) just before leaving the house, and now I'm pretty full. Soup is great or ordering off the appetizer menu sometimes is ok too. The other thing you can say is that you are watching your carbs and order a chicken sandwich and leave the bread off (you won't be able to eat the whole chicken breast, but you might be able to hide some of it under the bread .) :wink1:

Ditto!

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal LilMissDiva.......235..................235.............220..............15 MRSKOUBIK.....317..................283.............267..............16 Sleeve 4 me.....166..................166.............154..............12 Yolanda240....236............203........170..........33 Mommy2Girls...275................240..............228............12

I was told that even though my weight was being monitored, I didn't have to lose weight during the 6 month time period. In order to qualify though, my BMI could not go below 40 (it was 44) and that my last NUT visit would constitute the weight that my approval would be based on. That being said, I sort of used that as an "excuse" not to diet, and looking back I really am okay with it. I didn't gain or lose any in the 6 month time period (well except for 2lbs from a vacation to Hawaii, but I lost that fairly quickly) and my approval went through just fine. But when I see someone's ticker that says they lost 20 or 30 (or more!) weight pre-op, then I sort of feel like I should have been dieting. My advice is to call your case manager (if you have one assigned to you from your insurance) and ask them directly about weight loss/gain, etc. And I totally agree with the frustrating wait-time. In all of my documentation about our health insurance coverage, that isn't mentioned at all. It's like no one wants to talk about it...lol, then they hit you with it and it feels like running into a brick wall. But as frustrating as it was for me, I am eternally grateful because it gave me time to learn about the sleeve and do that vs. the band. Phew. So in the end, for me, it was a positive thing. Good luck with everything!

I had my gall bladder out about 12 years ago, and don't think I gained weight due to having it out. But I had the same concern that you did, talked to my surgeon and he said it makes no difference at all whether you have one or not. Basically just one less thing to worry about down the road (since there is a higher incidence of gall stones post rapid weight-loss). Hope that helps!

WOW!!! What an incredible year! Congratulations on making all those great goals happen, that is very exciting!

Ok, I do not have any "before" pictures to compare this to but if I were to be walking down the street and saw you, I would not think that you look like a man who has to lose weight. And I know this journey is not just about how we look (when do we look "normal" or feel "normal" etc.??), it is more about that healthy BMI or having your own personal goal, etc. so even saying that I know you are not done losing and I don't say that to suggest that you should not lose more. I've always had the comment "but you don't look like you weigh THAT much" which I guess is a compliment, I wear my weight well? lol.:embaressed_smile: Guess I'm trying to say GOOD JOB!!! You look great!:thumbs_up:

I agree. Playing all the insurance games isn't fun, but it certainly is cheaper than self-pay. I had an insurance 6-month required weight monitoring and THANK GOD I did because during that time I learned about the sleeve and switched from the band to the sleeve! Phew!

This most definitely is a process. There are lots of friends and family who do not know that I've been sleeved. I will tell them when I am ready. As for my support group every single person that I have shared with has been super wonderful and supportive! Good luck, it is not easy stuff.

Good luck with your upcoming surgery. This is definitely not an easily made decision to have surgery, most sleever's I know their only regret is that this wasn't much of an option 5-10 years ago!

Well, I agree with the others, try not to freak out, and I have heard of that "sleepy" syndrome with different organs following any type of surgery (not just VSG) so I am thinking you are very swollen and that it will get better with time. Hang in there!

I do not drink orange juice, but I do drink orange flavored Benefiber, per my NUT's instructions. It reminds me of Tang (remember when you were a kid?) and it fits my diet plan. As for real orange juice I have no clue. I would imagine once you hit 6 weeks post-op it would be fine...don't forget to include it in your daily intake (or however you keep track.) My NUT is big on not drinking your calories. Honestly orange Benefiber, Water, and a short decaf coffee once a day is all I ever drink.

You are just in "catch up mode" your body is trying to figure out what the heck you are doing to it. Stall, plateau, whatever you want to call it ...happens to everyone at some point and happens multiple times to most people. Hang in there, keep doing your surgeon's plan and it will start moving down again!!

Losing weight on my own --- SURE! Keeping it off --- NEVER!

I am trying to seize that window as well, and doing my best to lose as much as I can during the first 6-9 months, for sure! Sometimes I feel like a slow loser, but then when I quit comparing myself to others and think about all the diets I have been on over the years, there is NO WAY that this is slow for me personally. With that being said, I also have not completely banished treats from my diet. I did notice myself enjoying a teeny sliver of key lime pie at thanksgiving and a smidge of pecan pie at Christmas, oh yeah, and there was those bites of fudge and Cookies throughout the month of Dec. When I do indulge it is small amounts, but I know it obviously isn't helping my weight loss, so I try to have a planned time/place for those treats and then get back on track with my next meal. I am happy with my loss and am thinking that my body will know when it is time to slow down without me having to be very deliberate about it.

Congratulations Pam!!! Ohmygoshyouwillbeinwonderlandsoon!!! Yep, that is one excited run-on sentance!

You look wonderful!!! I agree with Julie too, I see such a difference between you at your highest and what you look like now. WOO HOO! So happy for you!

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal Avilda .................270.............196..............184............12 (12-9-10 191 down 5) Back on track!!! BlackBerryJuice...........208...........155...........155..............0 (Dec. 19th goal - reached a week early!!!!) Brendasgonnalose 335......244.............235............4 ( 12-20-10 239 down 3) Chilo1.............216...................169..............154................15 (down to 160- so back to original goal of 154!!!)) Dansha...........220..................220...............195................25;) DJackson........246.................230...............220................10 Filosophia Scandinavia...205...205.............187...............17 (Will be sleeved on the 30th November) Fit ..................290.................250.8..............235.8............15 GayleSBennett ....232.................201................189...............11 Good Luck everyone! =) Juliarh............303.6.................236.6..............225................11.6 Kgremmy........225..................221..............199................22 (being sleeved 12/14/10) Labrys............238..................208.................193...............15 Laylasmojo......242.................200.6.............185.............15.6 LilMissDiva........247...............236.............226.8..........9.2 Lisalu..............210..................137..............130.................7 livelovelaugh....236..................216................196...............20 Maddie............257.................167................147................20 merieri............240..................206...............190................16 Mini-Me...........203...................128.6..............125.............3.6 (Getting Better!) Mommy2Girls....275..................256.............240...............16 - GOAL REACHED! mp8btpc.........199...................160...............145...............15 pattimomof3NJ.....203.4..........168.1............170...............-1.9 BELOW GOAL!!! Pumpkin97....220...................150...............143...............7 (this is my goal for Jan 1 2011) Sleeve 4 me ...204...................167..............164..............3 Stacy160.........258..................174...............148...............16 StaySea........299...................299.................275.............24 twoboysandagirl..226..........212................199..............13( made goal 8 days post op) NEW GOAL 185 FlyGirl...........260.................227.................219...............8 I just had to share that I reached my goal today! I've lost -35lbs in 2 months since surgery and 16lbs since we started this thread. I am over the moon happy! Hopefully I'll be below goal by New Year's Day!

WOO HOO!!!

Phew! Glad it won't have a negative effect! Probably high Protein, low carb will get the lbs of quick.

I would send him a few helpful links via email and let it go. If he asks or wants to learn more then he will ask. It will become more clear maybe when your eating habits have to change. I have found that while many people are supportive of my decision, they don't have that same hunger for knowledge that I do. I basically took to the computer for the last 8+ months for information and research and have learned as much as I possibly could. Other people are much less interested in all the details, etc. I think as long as you are feeling that he supports you (regardless of how much he knows or wants to know) that is the most important. Maybe that is what the conversation needs to be about...basically do you support my decision?

You definitely need to ask. Every company is different and even within the same insurance company there are many different policies. I called my Nurse Case Manager (the ONE who decided that I was a good candidate at the beginning of my 6 month required check-ins and the same nurse who decided yes or no once my case was submitted) and I asked her point blank, what happens if I gain weight during the 6 months? She said it didn't matter, but for me personally what did matter was that my BMI needed to be ABOVE 40 to qualify (I have no co-morbidities) and further more she said my BMI at my FINAL 6 month check in would be the one they used to consider my approval. To be honest I used that sort of as my 'excuse' to not have to "diet" during my 6 month time...but I will say that the only time I gained weight was a family vacation to Hawaii and I gained 2lbs when I got home. I lost it within a week or so, but basically my weight stayed the same for the entire 6 months that I was being monitored. Just call and ask ...just make sure you are asking the right person. But at least then you will know what specifically applies to you.

Congrats you are doing so well! It would be hard to have surgery right before Christmas, but you are handling it really well. I totally know what you mean about food looking good, smelling good and it is sort of torture to watch other eat while you sip broth. Ugh. Hang in there, everything gets better each day that passes. Definitely listen to your body, my mind was rearing to go, but I had to wait for my body to catch up. And I think your mind is in the right place, I truly believe attitude has such a HUGE part in our recovery process, so I think you are doing great!

Wow, you look great! Cute sweater too!

Congrats! I never thought much about 250 being the upper limit on rides, skydiving, etc. That is really cool that you are BELOW that limit...feels great doesn't it? I'm in an 11 day stall currently and ready to say goodbye to the 240's...soon I hope!