BlessedBeyondMeasure2012

I found out this past Friday that I won't be having surgery on July 27 as I am scheduled. I won't be doing a preop diet or my EGD in the next few weeks as planned. Instead I'm scheduling my first OB visit. This was a total surprise for us! My husband and I had started trying to get pregnant back in November and had not had any luck. I talked with my OB who told me that he thought my weight could be an issue. I asked what he thought about WLS and he was all for it. He thought that would probably be my best bet. He hasn't had any patients who have had WLS that have had any problems through pregnancy so I met with a surgeon. He also said that he had no WLS patients who had problems with pregnancy after having surgery so we decided to proceed. My surgeon has a policy that you must use protection other than OCPs for at least 6 weeks before and after surgery to help to reduce the risk of blood clots. Well, he didn't say anything about EIGHT WEEKS before surgery to reduce the risk of babies!!! (ha ha ha) I'm planning on calling him tomorrow to find out how long after delivery that I can have surgery. If I could have surgery while I'm off on maternity leave that would be amazing! I'll find out and go from there. I may end up and have to wait until next summer and if I do then I'll do that too. Right now we are letting family and friends know our change in plans. For any of you that read my last blog entry you know that my mom was trying anything she could to get me to change my mind about surgery. Come to find out my mom, dad and aunts have been praying hard and apparently this miracle was the answer to their prayers LOL! What a special blessing we have been given. I know God has His plan and it is far better than my own. He sure does have a sense of humor! Until next time, best of luck on this journey that is our life! Jeremiah 29:11

I'm sad to say that I won't be having surgery on July 27 like I'm scheduled. I'm not so sad to say why but it is a little bittersweet nonetheless. I found out Friday morning that we are expecting again! So now, VSG will have to wait. God's timeline was different from mine and He pretty much just laughed at my plans. Oh well! I did cry when I found out I was pregnant, tears of sadness over not being able to have surgery, and tears of happiness over getting to be mommy again. One thing is for sure, at least the Good Lord willing, I will be having a sleeve just at a later date! I'll be keeping watch to see how all of you guys are doing. I'm keeping you all in my prayers and wishing you all the best of luck!

A high TSH does explain why you could be gaining weight. The function of the thyroid is inversely proportionate to the actual result. Your result was high therefore the function of your thyroid is low. That equals weight gain, fatigue, skin and hair changes and blah blah blah. This is great for you though. Being on something like synthroid or levothyroxine should make it easier to lose weight. I'm not saying it is going to be to the point that you won't need a sleeve (I'd cry if someone told me I couldn't get mine next month) but it should make it easier for you to lose before and after your surgery. You also may get some additional energy and feel better too. It's good to get all this stuff straighted out before surgery. Your hormones will be going crazy enough after surgery you don't need anything addition to add to it. It usually only takes 2-4 weeks for the medication to be effective enough to change your labs and then they should make a decision on surgery. Good luck! I hope all works out but I am sorry for your bump in the road

Thank you so much MinaT! I know she will and I know she will be happy when she sees the results of my decision. I think it's hard for her to realize that her "baby" is now an adult and has made a very adult decision. My best friend put it into perspective for me. I found out just a couple of weeks ago that my 4 year old has to have surgery on his eye and I cried. My friend said, "See, that's what your mom feels like right now" and it totally made sense. She just made me laugh so hard today I couldn't help but share!

So, I have amazing parents. And I love my mom and my dad like crazy. They have been married for 40 years as of this past March. They are an amazing example of what a marriage should be and what it can be. My dad is a little goofy. He LOVES telling people in public that my mom is off her meds and he just can't do anything with her. My mom, everytime, looks shocked and offended but then he gets her to laugh and then the laughter just contagious. My mom, bless her heart (yes, we are from the south!), is not excited about my upcoming surgery. For years she has been against diet pills. A few weeks ago, she was telling me about a new diet pill that is out that she would like me to try. Two weeks ago it was raspberry ketones that she wanted me to look into. Today, she told me the best one yet. She told me she wants me to get "one of those band things". Now, I think she means a lap band which I have looked into and decided it's just not for me. But, NO! Before I could tell her about my research on the lap band, she continues. She now wants me to go to Home Depot and get one of "those band things" that people use as back support when they are doing heavy lifting. She wants me to wrap it around my upper belly so that it will restrict how much I can eat! She thinks that this will help me get an idea of what my post-op will be like. I laughed so hard that I cried! Her thought process is that when she wears a pair of tight jeans she doesn't want to eat as much because it is so uncomfortable. Again, laughing uncontrollably! She ended our conversation by saying "I just had to get that out there." I thanked her and told her I appreciate her advice but I won't be going to buy a back support for my belly. I'm going to stick to my pre-op diet when it starts and go from there. I'm so excited about my surgery on July 27th and I hope she can find some excitement for me too

Congrats on the weight loss! Take care of yourself and that arm. They will be keeping a close eye on you

"(you know the kind I am talking about....the ones where when you're done you feel like you've lost five to ten pounds)" Seriously almost spit my drink on my computer screen! I love reading your blogs, you make me smile everytime as well as giving me things to "look forward to"!

I'm not Tijuana but I am July 27th! I'm excited too! Good luck!

You look amazing!!! You are such an inspiration!

I found out on June 13 that I was approved too! (it was the day before my birthday and I have to say the BEST birthday present ever!) my surgery is scheduled for July 27. Another July sleever! Yay!

Another July sleever!!! Woo hoo! I'm scheduled for July 27 and start my preop diet on luck 13th! Good luck!

I know that all surgeons are different. All of them prefer one surgery over another. That's no surprise. But to my surprise, my surgeon wouldn't even recommend a surgery for me. He wanted me to choose. He gave me his opinion on each of them (and I think was a little offended when I told him that the RnY scares the crap out of me) but wouldnt tell me which way to go. I work with another surgeon who does lots of bands and some sleeves. She told me that she WILL NOT do RnY on anyone anymore because of the high risks and the malnutrition that happens with it. I get that malabsorption is the way RnY works, I just dont like it. I have around 190 pounds to lose and I am going with the sleeve. (Was a toss up between band and sleeve) I have done TONS of research. I know some people that have done really well with RnY and I know lots more that have had problems and gained lots of weight back with it. I think that the sleeve is the best way for me to go for my long term health. You have to decide for you. I am scheduled for surgery on July 27 and I absolutely can not wait. One thing I will tell you, if you do decided to go with a sleeve, this is an AMAZING place for support. The people on here care so much about one another and there so many that are willing to help out with questions and concerns. GOOD LUCK with your decision and your weight loss!

That's amazing! I hope to have a story like yours!!!

I'm there with you. I'm really wanting to lose about 190 or so. I have to admit though, I cant even remember being 200 pounds less than I am now. I know I was at one point cause I had to pass it to get here. I'm going to judge how I'm doing as I go and see where I am happy. If I'm happy when I get to 150 then I'll stop there but I'd love to be able to say I'm less than half the woman I once was!

I'm pulling up the rear on July 27 with Ymabme! I'm so excited!

Talked with my insurance company a little earlier and I am APPROVED FOR SURGERY!!! (I cried tears of joy!) I now am set up to see the nutritionist again on July 11, EGD and preop labs/xray on July 12, start preop diet on July 13, preadmit on July 26, SLEEVE ON JULY 27!!!!! I can't believe that it is just a month before I start my preop diet. We have a vacation to Hawaii planned for July 2-11 and then I will be jumping into preop mode full force! I'm so excited I can't contain myself! I can't wait to be sitting on the losers bench! WOO HOO!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I can't wait to get that call! I'm hoping I hear something this week, I can only imagine! I'm so excited for you!

Yes, I'm chanting it this morning! I haven't been sleeved yet so I haven't gotten many victories yet but this morning I did 5 minutes on my elliptical without stopping! I did it at a pace of about a 15-min mile and I DIDN'T DIE! YAY!!! I haven't been on my elliptical in months but I'm trying to prepare for my surgery in a little less that 2 months and I want to do all that I can to give myself the best odds at getting to my goal. I'm going to do another 5 min this evening and then I'm going to start adding time (okay, maybe only 30 seconds at a time) to my time on the elliptical. I can't remember the last time I was this excited about losing weight. My arms are sore this morning too from the resistance bands I started using on Sunday. I can't believe I'm happy to be sore!

You have done great and are looking amazing! Keep your head up and keep trucking along. To repeat what lots have said, mix it up with the foods. Fruits, although good for you, are high in carbs and sugar. I haven't been sleeved yet (July 27) but even now, if I eat too many fruits in a day for a week and keep everything else the same, watching calories and staying at or under my recommended for losing, the fruit stops me from losing. My mom is the same way. I have to limit myself to 1, maybe 2 at most and that not on a daily basis, a day to lose weight. That really stinks too because I LOVE fruit! Maybe try adding more veggies as opposed to the fruit. Protein too but I know that sometimes I just need something with a little crunch too it that is healthy too. Best of Luck! P.S. I can't wait til I'm 87 pounds down! You are an inspiration to me whether you know it or not!

I completely agree with you Kathy. I consider myself blessed not to have additional comorbidities I just hope BCBS feels the same way. Thank you Giselle for the encouragement!

So I went for my preop nutrition evaluation and my psych evaluation last week. I called my surgeon yesterday and everything has been submitted to the insurance company for approval. Now I'm just waiting. I'm so not a patient person. I have a BMI of 51 but no other comorbities. I know that even when/if my insurance approves my sleeve I won't have it done til the end of July or the first of August. But STILL! I want to know! I'm afraid that they will come back and say that if I would just exercise and eat better that I could lose the weight on my own. True, I can, but as soon as I stop dieting, and I mean immediately, the weight starts coming back and I gain more than I lost in the first place. I am so excited about the thought of how this could change my life! I normally am such an optomistic person but with this I just keep thinking about how disappointed I will be if they deny it...

Take them off and leave them off. The incisions need to stay open to air heal well. The bandaids keep them too moist and they will have a harder time healing. The steristrips will fall off on their own. Dont pull them off, you can even trim the ends as they start lifting up to keep them on for a little longer if you want to. (Sorry, I don't mean to sound bossy, I just do this for a living lol) Congrats on your surgery!