Tenshi

Good job! This kind of head hunger is one of my downfalls as well. I expect to have the same issue with feeling "hungry" in the evenings post-surgery, too. I'm glad to hear from someone who is overcoming it!

I will be sleeved on January 23rd, so if this is a longer term project, I would be happy to share my experiences as well.

LOL, I know how you feel. I was on pins and needles the whole time waiting to hear back.... I started to annoy my nutritionist and the insurance company, vowing to call or email them twice a week until I heard back. It worked.

PS - Would that be Boba Fatt in your icon?

Carrie, that's my job, too! My nutritionist recommended four full weeks, actually, because the activity level of the job. (I told HR that I expected three weeks, but maybe four.)

I had suggested January Jumpstarts several posts back... it's gender neutral!

I'm glad to see so many January sleevers coming out to say hello.

As for me in the RNY vs. VSG argument.... I was very VERY against the malabsorption that goes along with RNY. My cousin's wife had RNY a few years ago, and is now so severely anemic, that any further surgical procedures she may need (for anything) in the future could kill her because she would bleed out so easily. No, thank you!

I am going through the same thing... my insurance approval came through about two weeks ago and I'm scheduled for January 23rd.... I gave myself "freedom" through Christmas (freedom meaning absolute food insanity, much along the lines of what I see above - eating dinner, then stopping at McDonald's anyway; ordering enough for two or three people, then sitting in my car and secret-eating it myself, etc).

I have felt terrible, physically, doing this, but I also say to myself "Think how good you'll feel when you're being good, then!!" Like I need this crappy food binge addiction period to make the comparison between now and January 24th that much starker.

Also, I'm very glad to see that I'm not the only one going through this... I, too, felt alone in this behavior!

Congrats! I gained, too, but was approved just last week (yay!!!). Mine is scheduled for January 23rd. I can not. freaking. WAIT!!!!

There's a 2012 specific thread now, peeps! See you over there!

How about the January Jumpstarts?!

I'm so happy to see so many month buddies!

I, too, am now facing a journey of 200-pounds to lose. My "ideal" is probably 170, but just under that would be glorious.

I'm scheduled to be sleeved in January, and I can't WAIT. I feel like I can finally look forward to a new year without being bound for disappointment. Welcome to the journey!

I am being sleeved on January 23, 2012, so my resolution is going to be that this is the LAST TIME I resolve to lose weight in a new year! I have had the same resolution(s) for the past 20-years and I am SO.OVER.IT.

2012 is gonna be my year. Finally!

I've gained weight since my initial weigh-in... and have been having trouble being motivated to "diet" before my liquid diet begins in January. I, too, have been shoving whatever I can find into my mouth lately. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one!

Rather than keeping the old January (2011) thread resurrected, I thought it was about time to start a 2012 thread.

I'm scheduled for January 23, 2012, and just got my official insurance approval yesterday.

I am absolutely PUMPED about this surgery. I can't wait... I'm anticipating crazy nerves as it draws nearer, but for now, I'll ride the wave of excitement, thank you very much.

I've been completely open with family, friends, and coworkers (most of whom I consider friends anyway)... and everyone has been very supportive and enthusiastic about my future after surgery.

The only people who've expressed any negativity at all about the surgery are my parents... and that's more out of worry than anything else, I think. I'm not letting it get me down, regardless.

Oh, my... the list could go on and on... I have a lot of similar things on my list and would add...

Fitting into knee-high boots.

Wearing skirts/dresses without the burning fire of chub rub! Ow!

Fitting into arena seats without having bruises on my hips for the next two weeks.

Not being embarrassed to the point of apologizing for my size every time I take a bus and don't get a seat to myself.

Learning new things - SCUBA, maybe a martial art?, training to be a runner/run a 5K

Oh, there's so much more....

I will be in this boat come February next year! I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this thread for ideas.

This is a FANTASTIC resource. I have just started investigating/fighting with my insurance company over the BMI 50 requirement, and will definitely be forwarding this on.

My insurance company is haggling right now because my initial weight in February (my first appointment) had me at a BMI of 49... and they say the sleeve is approved for 50 or higher. The thing is, I have gained weight and now have a BMI over 50, so they are really trying to push for the sleeve approval for me. Just a couple of pounds at my initial weigh-in should not be damning me to RNY (which they would approve with no problem... wtf?!?!?!)!!!

islandmom, I'm scheduled for January 23rd, too!! Nice to find a comrade in surgical arms! I just got my date yesterday.

I have gained during my pre-op weight and once I got past all the hurdles and got green lights from everyone, it really didn't seem to matter what I weighed in at when I went to see the doctors and the surgeon.

That's amazing. I was just given my surgery date today, and have come back to this site for inspiration and relief for my nerves. Your story serves as both!

Who is giving you the runaround since Feb? Your surgeons office?

I got a yellow light from nutrition the first time I went in to see them, then a green the second time (I asked for a competent dietitian the second time... the first one and I have history from waaaaay back and I did not want to continue to work with her!). The psychologist gave me a yellow light twice and then a green after a follow-up phone interview. I was told by other post-op folks that it's because I simply wasn't telling them what they 'wanted to hear.' Well, ok, so my going to see a therapist bi-weekly and showing these skills and improvements in the way I handle the day-to-day of having emotional eating issues and being completely truthful about that.... isn't what they wanted to hear. The truth has always gotten me in trouble! I should have known! Sigh.

I KNOW that success with surgery is in the follow-up and keeping in touch with the surgical and nutritional team and everything, but I have not had surgery yet and feel like I've been getting the runaround since February and just handing out co-pay after co-pay with nothing to show for it! Finally, FINALLY, last week, the doctor called and asked me a few questions so she could write the letter to the insurance company.

I am anxiously awaiting the result of the letter to insurance... I'm also sort of avoiding yet another (pointless?) follow-up before the approval comes back, because I am just so sick of shelling out $30 every time I go into the office, step on the scale, get scolded for not losing 'enough' pre-op, and leaving. I can figure that out on my own! /rant

Am I crazy for wanting this to push through before the holidays? So that I have a valid excuse not to gorge over the season?

Your progress, in particular, is very inspirational for me as somone who will be starting at a higher weight! Thanks for sharing.

I, too, am very sick of all the appointments (and co-pays! ugh!)... and my trip is almost 2-hours each way... AND I don't have a date set yet. Sigh!