Nancy Rivers

I have always been happy with myself. It has never really mattered to me what others have thought of me - because only I can control how I feel. If others don't like me because I'm heavy - well that's their loss. So in that regard, I'm probably not your typical morbidly obese person. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2003. My A1C was just over 7 - so not too awful. In the years following, it had remained in the low 7's. In the last year it has leaped up to the high 7's. My doc still says that I don't need an endocrinologist - I just need to loose weight. But he has no suggestions on how to do that. So, I research and try different diets just to have my weight increase to the highest I have ever been. Yup, that worked... NOT. But still, that wasn't the tipping point for me. In 2005, my back started bothering me. My doc has me do physical therapy and it helped. Then 2 years later, it acted up again - this time the pain went down my right leg and I woke up one day and was not able to get out of bed. I had to use the restroom of course, but it took me 2 hours to get out of bed so that I could walk to the bathroom - just 10 steps away from my bed! At this point the MRI showed I had a bulging disc and they did surgery to fix it. Now, 4 years later, I am finally able to stand straight, but can't stand for more than 5 minutes without breaking out in a sweat. I also can't walk more than 10 minutes without having issues. My health has really gone downhill since that surgery and I regret having it. My left leg is getting the same pain that my right leg had, but I will deal with that pain for as long as possible before having that surgery again. I know that loosing weight will help my back (at least that's what every doctor says), but again, that's not the tipping point for me. In 2008, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and given a CPAP. I tried it for a year, trying different masks and machines, but felt that it was actually making my sleep worse and not better (I was more tired after using it), so I stopped using the CPAP. But this was not a tipping point for me. In the last year, I have had to get new clothes - size 28w. I have never in my life had to wear clothes that big. That was depressing - but still not the tipping point for me. My new avatar was a picture taken at Christmas last year. I was helping out at a Christmas program, and decided that I would dress as an elf since there was already a Santa. I found the largest elf costume that I could find - and it barely fit. The tights weren't even close to fitting, but luckily, I had a pair of dark green pants that worked well with the costume top. The gentleman who played Santa used a pillow to make him "fat" like Santa is supposed to be. But, as you can see from the picture, his elf was larger than he was! That was depressing! But again, it's not the tipping point for me. Over the past year or so, I've noticed I have had more issues getting myself "clean" after #2. It's been harder and harder to wipe everything. It just occurred to me that it's probably because I'm bigger and thus can't reach as well now. So, yeah, this is a definite factor in my decision - but still not the tipping point for me. (Sorry for the TMI.) So with all of that said, what really is the tipping point for me? It's the fact that although I have insomnia big time, I could fall asleep easily during the day and I am so lethargic that I don't do activities that I used to. It's getting worse too. I've seen my parents do this, and some friends and I hate that they do this. I have realized I am becoming like them and I really do not want that to happen. So how crazy is it that the reason I finally decided to do this is because I am literally tired of being so tired?

I've been diabetic for 8 years. I have decided to have the surgery and will be meeting the surgeon next week. I'd love to hear your story.

Congrats. Just don't over do it.

I'm now 3 days without a diet coke. I had a headache yesterday, but today was feeling fine again. I am getting tired earlier - which is not necessarily a good thing as I work 12 hour days, but it's probably just my body adjusting to the no caffeine now. I have replaced the diet coke with water - something I know I don't get enough of, so I guess I'm killing two birds with one stone as it were. So far, though it's not been as bad as I thought it would be...

You should call your insurance company to find out for sure. I say that because I have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and while others in my state with that insurance will have their surgery covered, it is NOT covered with my policy - in fact it is specifically excluded. So, while one person may get it paid for, another may not with the same insurance company.

I have already attended his informational seminar last month and he seemed like a good doc. I've checked some of his credentials and stuff and it all seems good. I was just wondering if anyone else has had him do their surgery and what was your experience with him. Thanks!

Congratulations! I can't wait until I can say some of those things too!

Good luck with the CPAP machine. The weight loss doctor that I went to about 3 years ago first suspected that I had sleep apnea and I went for the tests - sure enough I had it. However, I have stopped using my CPAP because I couldn't stand it. I did try different masks and tried it for a year, but no matter what, it felt like someone was trying to suffocate me with a pillow. I finally decided that I had slept just fine for 35 years without the machine, so I would go back to that. However, I know a few others that it really does help - so I hope it helps you as well.

I made the decision to have the sleeve done just 2 days ago and don't even meet with the surgeon until the 18th, but I took my first step today. I typically will stop at McD's each weekday morning and get a large diet coke to get me through the morning (yeah, it takes me 6+ hours to drink a large from McD's). Today, I did NOT get the large diet. In fact, I skipped getting a drink at all (I did get their oatmeal though as I needed to have something for breakfast and didn't have time to fix it at home first). So, for me, it's day one without my crutch. I figure if I can do this one step now, it will help me out in the long run. So far so good today - but it's only the first day. I don't usually drink it on the weekends, so I know that I can go a couple of days without it without any "withdrawls". Which means this weekend I might not be too pleasant to be around... LOL

Definitely call your insurance to find out. I have BCBSM as an individual and it is specifically an exclusion on my plan, but your plan MAY cover it. The only way to know for sure is to call and find out.

When I did a liquid diet with a doctor before (it was medifast), I too had diarrhea. When I asked him about it, he told me that it was most likely due to lactose intolerance and to use "lactaid" before each shake. Apparently the lactose that was in those shakes was a different type of lactose that is in milk and cheese (which I can eat with NO issues) and it was that different form that apparently I couldn't tolerate. Using lactaid about 1/2 hour before each shake took care of of the diarrhea for me on that program. I don't know if that is an option for being sleeved, but check into it - it might help.

Thanks for the feedback. I have decided to have the sleeve done. I will be meeting with the doctor on the 18th to discuss all of my options (it's the first appt after attending an informational seminar). I had wanted to have a decision made when I went to see him, so I'm glad I've made the decision. I'm hopeful I can get the surgery scheduled for in July sometime after the 9th (Family reunion that day - and I don't want to be "newly sleeved" when there). I suppose I will find out more on the 18th when I talk to the doctor. The hardest parts for me I think will be giving up my diet coke and living on a liquid diet for a while. I've tried liquid diets in the past (including medically supervised ones) and haven't been able to loose weight or keep going due to my being hungry even after taking the drink or craving certain foods. Hopefully the sleeve will "help" with those things. I usually get a large diet coke from McD's each morning before work as I have 12 hour work days and it helps get me through the day. I'll need to find something else to do that now.

I am trying to decide and am doing my research. I know I need to loose weight, although I am happy with myself right now for the most part. I have had back surgery once and it still bothers me. I also have type two diabetes for the last 8 years, and my A1C is unde 8, but keeps increasing. I am now wearing size 28w. I have never been this large in my life. I have tried nutrisystem, weight watchers, and several liquid diets, and a few others over the years. My sister who is a nurse is dead set against me doing a surgery. Frankly, I am not entirely thrilled with the idea either since it is a major surgery. However, all of the other things are not working for me. I am tired of my health going downhill and just want to be able to stand for 5 minutes without breking out in a sweat and my back killing me with pain. I cannot count on support from family or friends which I know will make this harder. My insurance will NOT pay for this - it is specifically excluded. Therefore I will be self pay. The sleeve will be cheaper than bypass for me, and I am considering it for that reason. I went to a seminar already and based on that, I thought bypass would be "better" because according to the stats the doctor provided, it had the better weight loss. I want to loose 120 to 150 pounds. Is this possible with the sleeve? Or would the bypass be better? Or should I not even do surgery and attempt some other method? I know this is a decision that only I can make, but I need info to make the decision. Thanks for listening.