peatie

I'm going out on a limb here and asking this because I don't know... when it's hidden by the fat pad, does it appear enough when you're 'excited' (for lack of a better term) to do the deed? I'm trying to be as discreet as possible, but it's hard to when asking this kind of question..and i understand if no one wants to answer... :thumbup::ciappa::w00t::001_tt2:

I would def see an endocrinologist to manage your thyroid levels. they test more than just the TSH that most regular Dr's just test you for. Your experience is what i'm totally afraid of. :thumbup:

I'm Hypothyroid (Hashimotos) and have been on Synthroid since 2001. My weight went up and down throughout that whole period, so I can't really say if the meds ever made me feel any better to be honest. I get my blood tested every 3 months and basically have been stable other than the times I was pregnant. I was hoping that since my levels were normalized I wouldn't be a slow loser..so we'll see when the time comes, but i'm prepared to be anyway. ALSO, my bariatric Dr required a REE test (Resting Energy Expenditure) just to see HOW many calories you burn at rest (basically just to live and breathe). I am LOW (63%...they want you to be OVER 85%) and only burn 900 calories a day. Which means if I go about a normal work or school day and EAT more than 900 calories, i'm already gaining weight. So with this info, I will need to see the Nut and PT again to determine how to help bring up my metabolism... Oh, and it's not so bad with the Synthroid...i take it the minute I pop out of bed and by the time i'm finished with my first cup of coffee, it's over an hour later and i'm ready to eat. The only caveat is you cannot take Vitamins at the same time as they interfere...so all those vits need to be taken in the evening - which i have a horrible time remembering.

I agree. The best way for him to get on board is to take him to a seminar so he can see for himself, speak w/the surgeons, ask all the questions he needs. I was a nervous wreck when i told my husband because he had been away for a week while this all came about with me and my decision. I was afraid he wouldn't understand and would never leave me again for a week alone. haha I just asked him to hear me out and listen with an open mind. It went much better than expected, and it's not to say he isn't still hesitant about it (for other reasons, not about the surgery itself or the reason). Bombard him with all the info you have, have him lurk here so he can read the good AND bad. Once he's informed, hopefully he'll understand and be completely supportive. Good Luck! It's a scary place and exciting time for you... i'm right here now too.

Great Job!! You're making amazing progress (and hubby! :laugh0: ) And i love that you're smiling even in your FIRST pic, b/c when people get those taken, they are beyond 'had it' and never smile! It's nice to see the change in your face in the last month... like your scalp lost weight too. lol Keep up the good work!!

Although i haven't been sleeved yet and don't know what others' experiences have been like, I'd say that if you're late it's totally normal given what your body just went through. Much like if you got it twice in 6 weeks.... Your body just went thru stress and trauma and will need to adapt. I hate being irregular too since i don't like sudden 'i'm here!' surprises...so i know it would bother me too. :lol0: But hey....if it's your current biggest problem then I'd say you're doing pretty well. :thumbup1: haha

I looked at your ticker and think I'd like to have my weight in kg as opposed to lbs. hehe I'd love to say i 'only' weigh 75! LOL

I'm curious to hear the responses as well. I'm 5'1 and 190, so am in your boat. I plan to have the sleeve in early Dec. Good luck to you!! :thumbdown:

I'm sorry you were denied and now have to go thru the additional stress. What exactly is a peer review??

I think if you're seeing the results that are anticipated for you with the sleeve, then i wouldn't worry about it. If things don't 'seem right' and you're doing everything you can to be successful, then it's just another facet to figuring out how our bodies are functioning.

if I didn't know my number, I wouldn't think to do anything about it...but now that i know, it's more imperative that i weight train or do whatever it takes to increase my metabolism to ensure i have a successful weight loss once sleeved, kwim?? My PT said I HAVE to weight train in addition to cardio to be successful, but i see a fair amt of people who don't do it and would probably fall into the category of "well if they can get away with it, then maybe i can too." Now i'm seeing that my body is mine and it may not react the way others are...so instead of doing the status quo...i need to actually DO what is required of me. Does this make sense?? The last thing i want to do is eat 800 calories whiles sleeved and wonder why the heck it's taking a MONTH to lose one pound! I think it's proactive.

I'm 5'1. I know building muscle helps increase your resting metabolism, but there's gotta be something else as well to help train your body not to hold onto energy stores. My body is just overly efficient in holding onto energy.. LOL

COngrats on your surgery! I'm very visual and love taking pics of my various procedures as well..so it was lovely to see yours.

puree eggs, vegetables, soups, boiled chicken, etc... Whatever you can toss in the blender! Make a big batch, freeze in ice cube trays then toss them in ziplock bags. It's easy to microwave small portions when you need to eat. Good luck on your journey! :scared0:

Ooh shopping at Cabazon! Lucky lucky you!! COngrats on being on the 'other' size of the sleeve! WIshing you a speedy recovery! :scared0:

if you're going out with the girls, do they qualify as telling them the truth? i would probably tell them or they'll find out the truth at some point anyway and wish you just told them from the beginning. The others who you don't necessarily have 'dining' relations with, i'd keep it mum until you're comfortable. I plan to let my close friends know after the procedure has been done.

I have kids and hate cooking. I would prefer to eat 'assembled' food. Think sandwiches, salads, anything i can just throw together. My husband does grill chicken a lot for me..so that helps in re-heating throughout the week. Crock pot is good, but it takes 'planning' which i hate. lol

I wouldn't if you're not comfortable or ready to talk about it. Just mention you're on a supervised diet by your Dr. That should solve any inquiries. Good luck! Other than my spouse and immediate family, i'm not saying anything (and i'm in nursing school!).

I had it done at a hospital in the same dept that does sleep studies. I needed to fast for 8 hrs so there was no artificial calorie burning. I just had to have this dome-shaped egg placed over my face w/incoming air. It creates a 'controlled environment' and measures my carbon dioxide output. I laid in a bed and the test took 10 min. Painless and easy. The bariatric center i am using started this test on all patients starting in Jan because it helps to address factors that may have an impact on weight loss after surgery.

Yay! Good Luck to you !! :001_tt1:

I love a big cup of joe in the morning as well. That will probably be harder to kick than getting the actual surgery for me. lol I like my coffee black. anything wrong with it then??

As part of my program, I needed to have a REE done, which determine my actual metabolism. I know it's low b/c i am 1.) fat and 2.) my thyroid levels are off. But i didn't expect to be basically non-existent. My basal metabolic rate indicates I should be burning 1500 calories a day just by living and breathing. I am burning 900. Which means if i go about my daily routine and EAT more than 900 calories, i'm in the gain zone. SO, where do i go from here? Anyone know how to effectively increase their metabolism?? I'm assuming my Dr will call to set up an appt once they receive my results. Until then, i'm just worried once sleeved my weight loss will be terribly slow. :001_tt1:

I have all the same fears as you... you are not alone in thinking this is another gimmick that we're willing to go thru to see if it works. It works. it's proven. We just need to change our mindset and WORK with the sleeve, rather than against it. I'm deathly afraid that i'll get lax after a year or two and revert back to 'old' eating habits. We are all here because WL in the past has obviously not worked. I too am afraid of being 'thin' only to find out my Dr wants me to lose less weight than I had envisioned because it's a 'more realistic' weight to manage for years and years. Don't put so much pressure on yourself to 'be a certain way' or look a certain way. Just look at being a HEALTHIER you... that's all anyone can ask. Good Luck!!

We're in a lot of the same situation. I have Aetna and it requires (per their bulletin) 2 yr weight history... My Dr's office said when they contacted Aetna to get the official criteria for my case, Aetna never once mentioned a weight history was needed. However, all the other Aetna patients in the Dr's office were required to have the weight history (5 years per the Dr. ??huh??). Anyway... it may be that my husband's employer doesn't REQUIRE the weight history... going off on a tangent here, but you might want to find out from your DR for SURE before you start down another path. Likewise... I consider weights from 2009 and 2010 to be two years, kwim?? Even if they were almost only 12 mos apart...i still considered it ON MY OWN to be within the calendar year of 2009 and 2010 so those are TWO separate years of documented weight history... You might want to find out from your Dr when you go for the RN appt. I was in the same boat. I could not wait until next summer to have the surgery so i'm doing everything NOW within my power (totally proactive here) to get the 3 mo hoop jumping completed mid-Nov so I can have the surgery in Dec during semester breaks too. You're still not too late in getting started on the 3 mo deal if you do all the first month appts in Sept. Your Dr's office will totally need to work with you on the timeline, but let them know you're a student.. mine totally worked with me once I communicated my issue with them. I was thinking about doing self-pay in Mx as well...but figured since i have Aetna... I might as well TRY to get them to pay for it first. Good luck!!! And sorry this was so long winded. lol

Ok, i know i'm totally crashing in on the guys party, but i'm a nursing student and have a question. I have taken care of obese patients with this issue so i'm quite familiar with it. My question is...at what point of becoming overweight does it begin to ... well... hide? Like what is the process? At 50lbs overweight is it halfway gone? All gone? what?? Just trying to understand the male body and appreciate all it's facets.