SassySenior

Sweetie, I am so sorry you're dealing with jerks. If you haven't paid cash, now is the time to get away from them. In fact, even if you have paid cash, I'd still switch doctors. You can get out from whatever hold they have over you. You can threaten to report them to the Medical Board of your state. Post online about them, every chance you get. Whatever you can think of ... including suing. That's what I'd threaten them with if they don't reimburse you. After all, you're kinda like a girl who's just gotten engaged ... all excited about the event ... can't wait for it to happen ... doing everything you can out of sheer joy. And then ... wham! ... they hit you with their nasty selves. Sad to say that bariatric surgery is a money business and once they get you in the door, you're dust. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are many wonderful, supportive doctors out there. You can check on this site for other doctors in your area. If you do decide to switch ... which I highly recommend ... do your homework before you pick a new doctor. Check all the sites, including lap band and gastric bypass, to see what others think about their doctor. This step is vital if you want to have a good experience. Good luck, sweetie!

How awful for you ... and how scary for us pre-ops! This is the first time I've read about the complications of a VSG. I am definitely gonna ask my Dr. about it. Btw, my surgeon is Dr. David Provost of Denton, TX. He is considered the WLS guru in Texas, if not the entire Southwest. He is the one other doctors send their patients to when they run into a problem. He gets patients from all over the U.S. and abroad. He taught just about all the Dr's in this area how to do the surgery. In fact, he was a professor at Southwestern Medical School for many years. I would definitely contact him, certainly before surgery. He is well known for his work with WLS surgery problems. In fact, one lady was in very bad shape and he stepped in and fixed her at no cost because she couldn't pay. I was referred to him because I am at high risk at 400 lbs, my age, 66, and co-morbidities. I've run across several doctors who refused to operate on me. Dr. Provost's name came up at virtually every Dr.'s office. Just wanted to let you know in case it helps. Like everyone else, I will be thinking of you from now on, sending spiritual wishes that Tuesday's procedure is what you need. Hang tough, Honey! (((Hugs)))

I'm still pre-op so I can't say Mondays are much different for me now. Although, it seems the closer I get to surgery, the more I think about the life changes I'm going to have to make to be successful. Just tonight when I was on the phone with a friend, the topic of drinking Water came up. I have managed to cut down from 3 diet cokes a day to 1. It's probably going to be the hardest thing for me to give up totally. BTW, I was "on the throne" when this conversation occurred. And there may be a lesson here for others. When I woke up today, I didn't feel good, stomach a little queasy. Hmm, I thought, maybe it's because I'm constipated ... better do something about that. I decided to take a swig of prune juice that I recently bought. Not sure how much to drink, I gulped down a random amount -- probably about 6 oz. A couple of hours later, I did "an Al Roker." Like Al, I popped out a tiny fart and was surprised it was not all air. I made the mistake of doing it again ... to be sure ... and voilla, explosive diarrhea! Needless to say, I didn't make it to the bathroom as soon as I'd like. Can anyone relate to this? I really didn't think I drank that much prune juice! Well, that's how the end of my weekend went. Sure hope Monday is much less dramatic! Hope to hear back from you guys!

Welcome to our new group. So far, I think I am the only one who is pre-op. Most of our members joined after I invited them. I wanted a less public, semi-private group so I've been surfing this site to find Baby Boomers with a great attitude. For that reasons, we only have a few people right now. I'm glad you posted and I'm happy for you that your surgery is upcoming soon. Sorry, you couldn't connect here with another newbie. I cannot even imagine how you must feel about your big day in just a week or so. I know I'd be both excited and scared at the same time. We'd all love to hear your journey, so please keep us updated. Good luck! I'm sure you're gonna love the new you. Oh, btw, people with low bmi's don't have to do the liquid pre-op diet.

Congratulations to debisbo, how did it go? I really appreciate hearing about individual states that have approved the sleeve. I'm sure my surgeon knows, but I'm afraid to call and hear anything but good news. WBGone, I did the search, and it came up with varied results, including supplemental policies, which is very confusing to some, I would think. I did click on one of the links and got nowhere. More specific instructions help seniors like me get to the exact source. Thanks anyway.

Carol, I'm sorry you didn't like the Quest bars. Did you get a sample pack or just one flavor? I started out with the sample pack. I only really liked a couple, but that's OK. I would be happy to have 3 flavors to choose from. So #1 is Vanilla Almond, #2 is Mixed Berry Bliss and #3 is their new Peanut Butter Bars (like Reese's Cups). If no one else takes you up on your offer, send them to me!! I eat one bar a day, usually in late afternoon or late evening. Like you, I don't have boo coo bucks, so that's all I can afford. What's really great about Quest is that not only do you get 20g of protein, you also get 20g of fiber, which is what keeps your appetite away. Plus they are soooo healthy at only 1g of sugar and 5 carbs. I have heard others say to heat them in Microwave first. But I love them any which way. To others: try them out. Buy from GNC or online at Amazon.

Chris, Congratulations! If you wait a day, you can be married on my birthday!

Congratulations Beebee! You must be thrilled. Whenever I get the word, I know I'll be. Do you have a surgery date?

A couple of points for discussion are: -- SAVE & SAVE AGAIN - How many times have you written a long, perfectly composed post ... only to have it disappear in cyberspace? Sadly, for me, it is almost a daily occurrence. When I remember, I compose my posts offline, using Notepad. Then I copy and paste it online. As a minimum, I constantly use the command, Ctrl C, to copy whatever I've written. If the page disappears, you can still paste your words again online or anywhere else. -- I.E. SPELL - You can easily download I.E. Spell and use it for all your communications. I love it and know it will clean up my posts with just a click or two. -- COMPUTER ISSUES - Unfortunately, I am having boo coo issues with my computer. So if I'm offline for awhile, you'll know why. I trust you to take good care of our group if I'm gone. When the same happens to you, let us know so we won't worry. -- SHARE WISDOM - We have been around long enough to have picked up a few special tips, shortcuts, online tools for this site, etc. Please share them with us. Start your own "(name) SPEAKS." -- ARE YOU A NEWBIE? - Us newbies have to stick together. Keep our group up-to-date on where you are in your journey. I started this group because I wanted a spot where I fit in. I want to hang around with my peers. We have issues that relate to our age and where we're at in life. So stay current. I have a lot of newbie issues. For example, I can't figure out how to return to Baby Boomers home page after I post. You can start your own "(name SPEAKS)" -- BE SUPPORTIVE - A kind word or compliment goes a long way. We all feel better when someone takes the time to reply to our post. Let's try to do this in our group. A simple "Atta girl" "Way to Go" or "Impressive" is guaranteed to leave a smile. -- ACRONYMS - Those 2-4 letter abbreviations for common phrases are great ... if you know what they mean. Don't assume we all do. After all, we're napping in our rocking chairs (ha ha). Please spell our what the acronym means the first time you use it, like WTG, TTYL, BBL, NW, etc. Way to go, talk to you later, be back later and no way.

Hello to Coco.c, Suzee279 and Chris, Kudos to you for joining the new "it" group. Don't you feel special that we were the first group of people to get a special name! Gen X and the rest came after we paved the way! You are home, now, surrounded by your peers. We're looking forward to hearing your story and responding to each fascinating post your write. Feel free to send me a private PM for any reason. This, as you know, is a brand spanking new group. It's success will be dependent on members like you. In fact, I think I'll call you charter members since we have just begun. This group will be closely monitored to avoid chaos, negativity, feuds and offensive content. I guarantee you have landed on a happy, supportive site. Do not hesitate to post whatever's on your mind. Be reassured, that only members in good standing will remain. So, let's get it on ... or whatever it is we said ... back then. One last thing ... be sure to check out Moderator Speaks for bits of miscellaneous info.

Hi Chris, I am so glad you joined our fledging new group. It is actually gaining ground faster than I thought. I have several more people to invite, and please do the same if you run across a pleasant addition. I both love and hate your story. Love - kudos to you for sharing all that you did. You made it real. Plus, you gave us a lot of details without rambling. That is high praise coming from me since I am a professional writer/editor. I am balled over at the amount of weight you lost pre-op. Amazing. I was shocked myself when I dropped 20 lbs. in the first 2 months of my own "just eat less" diet. Thanks for explaining your post-op diet in such detail. It sounds like one I might use. You are doing so great! Even tho you think 225 lbs. is a lot more left to lose, heck ... you started out at 450! You're a rock star! Now to the Hate part - I hate that your son has to go through this, too. Poor baby. Gaming, huh? For me, I find that the longer I stay awake, the hungrier I get. I've been eating Quest Protein Bars when that happens. They're #1 for taste, nutrition ... you name it! With 20 gr. of Protein. 20 gr. of Fiber and only 1 gr. of sugar and 5 carbs, they're the best on the market!! However, they ain't cheap at $2+ a bar. Best buy I've found so far is at GNC, 2nd best is at Amazon, but they don't carry the full line. BTW, I think they help the urge to chew ... because chew you must with Quest. More hate ... sheesh, you are sooo far ahead of me, and I don't even have a surgery date. That, plus it is obvious now that I'm gonna have to be on a strict pre-op diet because my bmi is a whopping 68. <crash ... pick yourself off the floor> ha ha. I can't wait to hear about your continued progress and that of others as our group grows!

Great topic. I'm new (pre-op) so I haven't yet looked into in-person support. But I do believe it's a real plus to meet face to face with people in similar ciucumstances. I'm so big right now, I can only go out in a wheelchair. But when I am post-op, I will definitely start attending these meetings.

I have been eating one Quest Protein Bar daily. They're somewhat expensive, depending on what deal you can find (anywhere from $2-4). But each bar has 20 mg. of protein, 20 mg. of Fiber and only 1 g. of sugar and very low carbs, 5 gr. or so. Best retail price I've found is at GNC. Walmart is very high, as are gyms. Online, Amazon has the best price, but doesn't have the entire line. Quest.com is way too expensive, and eBay is high as well. So far, my favorite is vanilla Almond and Mixed Bliss. There's a couple of new flavors I haven't tried, namely Peanut Butter Cups and banana Nut Muffins.

When I was a teen, I had a fabulous life. I was very active: In high school, I played basketball, folleyball, badmitten, swam in competition, was a member of the Saddle Club, and was a "modern dancer." After I graduated, I went dancing 3 times a week, joined a Ski Club, spent summer at Lake Michigan and Wisconsin, danced often in sock hops at roller rinks, went almost weekly to the world's largest amusement park, and had at least 2 boyfriends at a time. Interestingly, I weighed 116 lbs. at 16, 120 lbs. at 20, 130 lbs. at 30, etc., etc. For the most part, I was pretty slim, never really had a problem with weight or eating. Then a series of medical events led me on a downward path where I began to gain weight. Took steroids while receiving chemo, and began putting on weight like mad. Like others who didn't gain weight until a major life event occured (having babies, etc.) once I started to put weight on, it was like a train rolling downhill. The more time passed, the faster the train went, picking up a lot of extra weight as it rolled along. By 2011, I weighed over 400 lbs. It is now 2 years since I began my Quest for surgery. I went from being totally rejected by the first doctor, to rejecting the second doctor (we actually got into a confrontation) to wasting my time with more doctors, who wouldn’t take me for various reasons, mostly because they wouldn’t take Medicare. Finally, I went back to my first choice, Dr. David Provost, some 40 miles away. One of my challenges was finding a way to get there. I’m too big to drive my car. I no longer use a walker and need someone to push my wheelchair. Once I solved the travel issue, I was ready to surge ahead. But I had to jump through a bunch of hoops first. I’m on my last hurdle, cardiac clearance. My cardiology appt. is next month, so I hope surgery will follow soon afterwards Getting everything arranged for the surgery is hard enough, but since I live alone and have to take care of everything myself, it’s even harder. My size at nearly 400 lbs. creates a lot of problems. Couple that with arthritis for which I take Vicodin and Ibuprophen, and things get complicated. Some say they wouldn’t have my persistence. As I see it, however, it’s my life I’m dealing with. Between being in pain and not able to do much, the future would be unbearable if I didn’t have slimming surgery to look forward to. It has been a very long road. It’s hard to imagine a time when it will be over. But that goal keeps me trudging forward, one step at a time. I stay positive most of the time because opening the pity door is a dead end to nowhere.

drea, I don't want to take the wind out of your outraged sails, but I did write an apology to you, which I'm not sure ever appeared, I will repeat that I am sorry for my remarks. It was wrong to question your post, especially since you're new. I'm glad you stayed and made a new friend. Best of luck to you on your surgery. BTW you can delete your profile. There's a thread on this if you care to look at it.

Quest are the best. They have many flavors, taste good, have 20 g of Protein and 20 g of Fiber. I eat one a day, for both these reasons. I ordered mine online from Amazon, but you can get them at local gyms, elsewhere I'm sure but don't know where. My personal favorites so far is #1 vanilla Almond (YUM) and #2 Mixed berry. About 200 calories.

Sophia, I did start a group for Baby Boomers. I don't have any members yet. But I think I'll be an active member of your site. Us "Extraordinary Sleevers" must stick together. I saw your post on waiting. It's unbelievable how many hoops there are to jump through. In my case with a high BMI, age and multiple co-mordibidites, it's a paper chase. Every time I think I've cleared one hurdle, another appears. Part of it is because I'm using Medicare which has its own set of rules. That plus I belong to a special program for people with limited resources and it's a bureaucratic mess. To sum it up, glad you started this group, glad I have someone I can relate to, sorry you have a hurdle of your own hoops to jump though. My dr. won't give me a surgery date until I have completed everything. Oh well, never a dull moment.

Don't answer questions with a question. I'm glad you're happy. But our friend, drea0325, still doesn't have an answer. So, my response will be at least as valid as yours. I haven't been even sleeved yet, much less gone on a post-op diet. However, there is a ton of content on this site. If you are to survive wls, it's time to learn how to navigage this site. There are plenty of answers to your question ... just look!

Not well said. I just joined and aready I am sick of hearing you rant. You ought to start a group called Ranters. That way you can get a whole bunch of people ranting back and forth. Heck, they'll probably even agree with you.

Hello, Welcome! Baby Boomers are are special, don't you think? We grew up at the best time when creativity was at its height. When incredibly talented artists introduced the world to a new musical genre. When moms stayed at home, baking Cookies for us. A time when we didn't have a lot of "things" but had so much fun playing with what we had. And there's more ... so much more. And now we older and fatter, in fact bulging at the seams. Thank heavens, medical technology has kept up with our needs. I got Medicare at a time when I needed it the most, at a time when revolutionary techniques like the Sleeve are now considered reimbursable. I'll tell you more about my story and issues if you'll tell me yours. Help me make this "our" group!

Dee Dee, I am, if nothing else, peristent. Hey I tried my hand at starting a new group for Baby Boomers. I got it going, but I can't figure how to post. What do I need to do?

Thanks Dee Dee. I've been trying to get the surgery for 10 years. When I got Medicare coverage 2 years ago, I began a long search for the right doctor and started jumping through all the many hoops Medicare requires. Then I had to wait until now before the sleeve was approved. I've ony got a couple of hoops left. My next big one is cardiac clearance in April.

I've always liked Sundays. I can't imagine how I'll feel when I get the sleeve, but boy do I relate to the IHOP booth and fitting in my car. I've been paying the insurance and other fees for my car, and it's probably been a year since I've been able to drive it. For me, I look forward to the opportunity of going out to a movie on Sunday. Taking my sweet doggie, Shiki, for a walk. And other "normal" things.

I'm new to this site and I'm pre-op, I weigh close to 400 lbs. I can relate to someone who's 300+, but below that is not in my wheelhouse. A group like this is a good idea. I may start one for people closer to my weight and possibly my age.

Thanks, all. Dee Dee - great idea to start a brand spanking new topic. What shall we call it? Mark - Thanks for your offer to help. I really appreciate it.