makemyownluck

good luck!

Good luck! Hope to hear about your victories soon.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope everything work out!

Glad to see that you that you finally found a surgeon that performs the sleeve. Good luck !

I have the same fears. I have been at my job longer, but I just know telling my boss that it will eventually get around the office. The fact that your boss only thinks of the negative (i.e. you missing work for surgery and not you potentially dying by being obese) just confirms that there is still a lot of stigma around this type of surgery. I'm so sorry that you have to go through it.
My suggestion is to let it go. Going to HR or talking to her about it will just make it worse, and right now you need to stay positive. If word gets out, it gets out - all you can do is be true to yourself, be honest and do what you need to do to secure your physical and mental health. The only opinion about your medical history that matters is yours and your Doctors. If your boss does anything to specifically call you out, that would be the time to involve HR. Otherwise, save yourself the stress, stay off the boss' radar and keep doing your job so you can get PAID. That's all that matters, bottom line, is that you do your job and that they pay you to do it.
Don't rock the boat. You have way more important things to deal with than someone elses prejudice. Be the example of how WLS is a positive thing.

Well Hell there Beautiful !! Are you kidding ?? you're a knock out !!
Things may seem bad now hun but you have made the first step towards the rest of your life.. You have finally acknowledged that you have a weight issue and are taking steps to rectify it. You are owning your weight and now it's time to say "No more !!" I'm 32 years young and I want to LIVE !!
I hope you had a wonderful birthday and that your best friends mom is hanging in there until her family is ready to say goodbye.
Hope your having a great day.
Lisa

I never saw myself as transparent until you described yourself this way. While honesty is admirable, being completely transparent is not! It takes more strength to keep some things private. I need to set parameters also. Your comment made me see something about myself that I hadn't considered before! Thank you!

I want to say first & foremost, there are so many people the Lapband has failed. You, like me, blamed myself. If it was such a success rate, there would not be so many complaints about it. It has been successful for some but STOP blaming yourself. I had mine removed last week and got Sleeved same surgery. I was excited about my Band at the time and being a transparent person, I shared what I was going to do.....then later felt like a public failure. This time, I did not do that. I told 5 friends and my family. I told my friends to NOT share it with anyone and eventually I will in my own time. My point, I set my parameters. So if you tell no one but your husband & your bff, it is your right. People are used to me being transparent and I'm used to being transparent but I told myself, I will share when I am ready. I need to see success and plus not feel the self inflicted great expectations of others. Good luck.

This fear is what has kept me from getting surgery when I first considered it at age 22. I'm (almost) 32 now and have only ballooned even bigger in the last 10 years!! I look back now and WISH I was the same weight I was at age 22 - and I thought I was at my max BACK THEN.
Also, I have worked in health insurance for the last 10 years as well - In claims, pre-authorizations, AND in underwriting, so I've seen the good, bad, ugly and UGLIEST of things people have gone through with these surgeries. I feel like I've seen it all!! But on the flip side, I could also be one of those unfortunate people that strokes out or has a heart attack in their 30s simply because they're too fat. Would I rather give up cake for the rest of my life or be paralyzed? Uh, I'll pass on that cake...
What really made me open my eyes and say this is the better choice is that I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. Despite lifelong obesity, I've remained relatively healthy. The only major medical problem I've had is gall stones and I had my gall bladder removed right away with zero complications. Other than that, good blood work, good bp (until recently), good everything else except being big.
I just know that without this tool, I'm going to fail at losing weight as I have been doing for my whole life. Weight gain and/or complications are just bridges I'll have to cross when/if I get to them. In the meantime, the best thing we can do for our health is to THINK POSITIVELY! Whatever weight loss plan you ultimately choose, surgery or not, it's gonna require patience and commitment - and plenty of setbacks. That is what makes our journey our own. Good luck! You can do this!

I am in the same boat with you. You are right, each step seems to break us down a little more. But perhaps this is like military boot camp. We need to be broken down in order to be remade in a better way. I now have Lee Ermey screaming in my head "you will eat, sleep, #^%, @*&$%, WLS! Do you hear me private?!" Sir Yes SIr!
I swear just the seminar ruined me on the majority of food out there. If it's not protein or a good veggie, I feel bad and a bit guilty when I eat it . Oh well, I'm ready to feel good about my food- and soon, about me.
And Planet Fitness is a pretty good place. They pride themselves on being a place where normal people workout.

As far as the gym goes, most machines have a big QUICK START button that starts the machine slowly so you can go at your own pace and at least be moving while you figure the rest of the buttons out. They're not hard, You will be fine. Any life-changing endeavor is something to think long and hard about, and you have. We'd all be lying if we said we were never scared. I'm more scared of dying fat.

it is normal for your mind to go crazy. I would say one more day I can do it. I gave up and just did it. I still struggle with my diet. But it is worth the weight drop. Stay strong if you want a new life. Yes we all say We are happy with are bodies. But it is alot of nice thing with being thinner. Good luck... Find someone close to talk to. Alot of peaple dont understand unless they had the surgery.

I have the same fears. I have been at my job longer, but I just know telling my boss that it will eventually get around the office. The fact that your boss only thinks of the negative (i.e. you missing work for surgery and not you potentially dying by being obese) just confirms that there is still a lot of stigma around this type of surgery. I'm so sorry that you have to go through it.
My suggestion is to let it go. Going to HR or talking to her about it will just make it worse, and right now you need to stay positive. If word gets out, it gets out - all you can do is be true to yourself, be honest and do what you need to do to secure your physical and mental health. The only opinion about your medical history that matters is yours and your Doctors. If your boss does anything to specifically call you out, that would be the time to involve HR. Otherwise, save yourself the stress, stay off the boss' radar and keep doing your job so you can get PAID. That's all that matters, bottom line, is that you do your job and that they pay you to do it.
Don't rock the boat. You have way more important things to deal with than someone elses prejudice. Be the example of how WLS is a positive thing.

I've worked in insurance 10+ years and can tell you from my experience, we don't sit on paperwork. We have print outs and spreadsheets tracking everything we do. Any correspondence is time stamped and every company has turn-around-time goals. If something gets "old" we're going to be asked what the hold up is. When it comes to pre-approvals, on our end the hold up is with OUR medical staff.
Why is that? IDK. Doctors run on their own time, I think.
And as far as your doctors office not getting back to you, I'd ask if there's an office manager and speak to that person. If they can't help, then tell your surgeon that their staff is irresponsible with returning phone calls. That's not a responsible way to run a practice, and the MD should be aware if an office manager is unable to resolve the issue. I would normally err on the side of patience as well, but when you're lied to (i.e. them saying they didn't get the letter/it's still in nurse review) that's the end of being patient! Did you offer to fax a copy of yours to them? It should have most of the same info...
In any case, try to keep your cool, but don't lay off hounding them to get their jobs done.
good luck!

Yeah--process sucks. Try not to get sucked in too much. I got to where it was all I could think about--not healthy. Go to your appointment and then, if it were me, I would go and have that fantastic birthday dinner with my family and friends and enjoy every bite without guilt. Even after you are sleeved you will indulge from time to time (although it will be with much smaller quantities).

I started this process quite a bit ago with the gym and the NUT etc. My doc suggested counseling due to high stress so I do that too. My NUT said to chew every bite 25times. I can tell you that once you chew something 25 times you'd be surprised at what you find you don't really like. Try that. I've noticed that on the days I count...I eat a LOT less. When I don't count I eat too fast and stuff my face. It took a while but I realized that it's a process. I just hope to change my worst habits before the surgery so I don't have to struggle so much after. Good luck to you! keep going and if you mess up just try again.

I won't give you a pep talk because we have all been thru this. So you know the end result will be worth it. So instead I am sending you a big ole HUG. Feel better soon.

This fear is what has kept me from getting surgery when I first considered it at age 22. I'm (almost) 32 now and have only ballooned even bigger in the last 10 years!! I look back now and WISH I was the same weight I was at age 22 - and I thought I was at my max BACK THEN.
Also, I have worked in health insurance for the last 10 years as well - In claims, pre-authorizations, AND in underwriting, so I've seen the good, bad, ugly and UGLIEST of things people have gone through with these surgeries. I feel like I've seen it all!! But on the flip side, I could also be one of those unfortunate people that strokes out or has a heart attack in their 30s simply because they're too fat. Would I rather give up cake for the rest of my life or be paralyzed? Uh, I'll pass on that cake...
What really made me open my eyes and say this is the better choice is that I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. Despite lifelong obesity, I've remained relatively healthy. The only major medical problem I've had is gall stones and I had my gall bladder removed right away with zero complications. Other than that, good blood work, good bp (until recently), good everything else except being big.
I just know that without this tool, I'm going to fail at losing weight as I have been doing for my whole life. Weight gain and/or complications are just bridges I'll have to cross when/if I get to them. In the meantime, the best thing we can do for our health is to THINK POSITIVELY! Whatever weight loss plan you ultimately choose, surgery or not, it's gonna require patience and commitment - and plenty of setbacks. That is what makes our journey our own. Good luck! You can do this!

GOOD LUCK! I'm still wayy pre-op, but I'm hoping for a surgery date sooner rather than later!
Can't wait to see more from you and hear of your progress!

This fear is what has kept me from getting surgery when I first considered it at age 22. I'm (almost) 32 now and have only ballooned even bigger in the last 10 years!! I look back now and WISH I was the same weight I was at age 22 - and I thought I was at my max BACK THEN.
Also, I have worked in health insurance for the last 10 years as well - In claims, pre-authorizations, AND in underwriting, so I've seen the good, bad, ugly and UGLIEST of things people have gone through with these surgeries. I feel like I've seen it all!! But on the flip side, I could also be one of those unfortunate people that strokes out or has a heart attack in their 30s simply because they're too fat. Would I rather give up cake for the rest of my life or be paralyzed? Uh, I'll pass on that cake...
What really made me open my eyes and say this is the better choice is that I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. Despite lifelong obesity, I've remained relatively healthy. The only major medical problem I've had is gall stones and I had my gall bladder removed right away with zero complications. Other than that, good blood work, good bp (until recently), good everything else except being big.
I just know that without this tool, I'm going to fail at losing weight as I have been doing for my whole life. Weight gain and/or complications are just bridges I'll have to cross when/if I get to them. In the meantime, the best thing we can do for our health is to THINK POSITIVELY! Whatever weight loss plan you ultimately choose, surgery or not, it's gonna require patience and commitment - and plenty of setbacks. That is what makes our journey our own. Good luck! You can do this!

You Found me! Someone with the same issue's I am still going thru the process good luck to both of us

Okay so I definitely have the sense of humor part down!! lol I was like you and (excuse the pun) have weighed the pros and cons for years on having the surgery. While I pondered, I got increasingly bigger and in worse health. I am a severe asthmatic and it had gotten to the point that I couldn't walk across my small apt without gasping. Basically, my quality of life sucked. I also have a disabled son that needs his mom to be around awhile and 7 grandkids that I want to watch grow up. So at the tender age of 51, I had the surgery on July 17. I started at 340 and today, at my 2 week check up, I am down a whopping 32 lbs!!! I'm thrilled with that but what I'm the most excited about is I can BREATHE!! I have not felt this good in over two years and its only going to get better so please hang in there. And as a side note, I will say there are very well meaning people out there who will be naysayers but you have to decide this for you and not worry about what others say or think. You are the one who has to live in your body, not them. Alot of people are afraid of change and not willing to take a chance even if its to do something to improve their life. I know some people who are afraid I'm not going to want to be their friend and even my dear sweet wonderful husband has asked if I'm going to leave him when I get thin!! That would be a great big NO!!! He loves me like I am and I'm going to reward him with who I will be. Okay I will shut my trap now! lol Good luck to you hon and Hugs!!