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i stopped taking chantix on day 5 only because i forgot. i also noticed my cravings have subsided and before i used to have a cig in the morning before i even took a shower for work. now i wait for my drive to work. i plan to start it again. it did make me very light headed if i was hungry. dreams were fine just alot more detailed as if i was living out every single moment. i want to start again because i want to be cig free. i know i can do it its just really really hard. i promised myself by Sunday i would quit for good.

test what exactly? it depends on your insurance requirements. it also depends on what your surgeon and pulmonary come back with. i personally was toldto quit a month before surgery. im struggling really hard and i started to take chantix in hopes of quitting. its very. very. very. hard. but i know it will be worth it in the end. healthier and a better me!!! i currently have no cigs and money to buy them so thats a start

wow im so sorry about that. it must be really frustrating. do you have FMLA or short term disability at work? they should pay you for the time that you are out. maybe the hospital can bill you for the time that you are there. it should only be two nights. i wish you best of luck. please dont give up. i know how easy it is to do that. but youve come so far. most surgeons only ask for 2 week liquid diet. to make it 3 thats dedication. i have hopes and i will pray for you. keep trying <3

lol yup! my parents are straight from jamaica my dad currently lives in Mandeville we had a restauraunt growing up. hence the weight sticking on years and years!!!

so....im not exactly in your boat but i am 25 and been smoking since i was 16. i quit for 9 months when i was pregnant with my daughter. i just recently started taking chantix. i was smoking 10 cigs a day....i was on day 5 running late and forgot to take it. i am pre op and hopefully having surg end of the month. my surgeon asked for me to be cig free a month before my surg date. he also pushed the sleeve because he saw that i was struggling with quitting and with bypass you will get ulcers alot quicker. anyways im big ive been big all my life. i lost 60 pounds on my own pre pregnancy and it honestly is about motivation and determination. i stopped taking chantix and really feel in my heart that i will be off cigs by this sunday. FOREVER! but when i go to the gym i start own with low impact cardio maybe the bike for 10 minutes. this gets me amped and ready for the ellyptical which is my fav machine. i always use the weight loss program on there which automatically times you for 30 minutes.(headphones are a must). despite my gym flow i still get winded going up the stairs!!! if i dont get to the gym ill do two miles around the track and this is about 4 times a week. my lungs are 42 years old based on the damage ive done from smoking but for some reason when im working out i feel the need to keep pushing myself harder and i dont associate me getting tired w/ my smoking. this is because of my weight. i think it will come to you in time. once you lose those first 10 pounds. your going to want to work out more and more and more and just slowly watch yourself shrink. its fun and motivating. hey good luck to you (im thinking of starting the chantix back up again im not having WEIRD dreams just very very detailed and makes me feel like im actually living these moments)

hey i am pre op as well! my last nut appt is september 5th then hopefully my approval and surgery date will be near!!! i am so jealous you are in the beautiful land of jamaica!! enjoy it and live it up!!! im just as addicted to this site and the sleeve is going to change our lives for the better. i can't wait!! good luck to you and in your journey. also i hope your not on your liquid diet and if you do decide to cheat please have some rice n peas w/x oxtail gravy and fried plantain for me please? k thx!!?!

dude. 7 months. u look sooo beautiful im so happy for you!! i hope this is me soon YAYYYY

hey i hear you on that. it is very frustrating. im surprised that your INSURANCE cleared you without the PCP referral. that seems odd because my insurance wont even look at the paperwork without that clearance first. good luck to you and im sure everything will be fine! i actually love and look forward to each appointment. that way i know im that much closer to my goal. i went through the same frustration i finished my 5th dietician appointment last tuesday and they didnt leave me a vmail until this morning saying they need me to come in and sign a HIPPA form to have them fax it over to my surgeon. thank god thats done. all i have left is my last dietician appt and im done. you got approved so quickly im not sure why the hospital is making an issue out of a pcp referral. and based on your BMI your PCP should have just typed that up and sent it right over to your surgeon. sorry they are giving you a hard time. good luck with everything i'm sure you will be fine!!!

awww im sorry! do you have to appeal this now ??? good luck to you!!!! im praying everything works out for me hopefully!!!

i wanna try the tummy tuck from the as seen on TV commercials. my friend has it and it looks great!!

Patients who should consider this procedure include: Those who are concerned about the potential long term side effects of an intestinal bypass such as intestinal obstruction, ulcers, anemia, osteoporosis, Protein deficiency and Vitamin deficiency. Those who are considering a Lap Band but are concerned about a foreign body inside the abdomen. Those who have medical problems that prevent them from having weight loss surgery such as anemia, crohn's disease, extensive prior surgery, and other complex medical conditions. People who need to take anti-inflammatory medications may also want to consider this. Usually, these medications need to be avoided after a gastric bypass because the risk of ulcer is higher http://www.endobariatric.com/sleeve.htm

wow this sounds scary. i already wear contacts, have a corneal abraision in one eye and astigmatism(sp?) in the other ahhhh.

you need to call your insurance and ask what their requirements are to cover bariatric surgery. then go to all the appointments, after that your surgeons office will submit a packet to your insurance. then they will call you and let you know if you've been approved, then you get your surgery date! every insurance company and surgeons office is different. my insurance requires pcp referral, 6 months with the dietician,psych,cardio and pulmonary clearance. two support group meetings and blood work hope this helps. honestly my dietician is amazing and very helpful and i didnt feel she was trying to stop me from having surgery, they need to know that your serious and ready 2 make the lifestyle change. you have to be honest and write down everything you eat! (some people use apps which might be easier) but if you are confused the surgeons office is always there to help. i call mine at least once a week with questions and im sure i annoy them but that ok

i was in the same boat as you. but my bmi is also VERY high and my surgeon continuously suggested bypass or sleeve. i tried to convince myself otherwise every other day! ive seen my friend go through the journey of the lapband and just reading about it puts it into perspective. lets put it this way theres a reason why "band to sleeve revision' is a sub topic under forums. it happens too often too many times. im scared of having that port under my skin and with a 2 year old, going to school and working full time fills and unfills are just not something id like to add to my schedule. id rather heal up and be done and im also scared of my intenstines being rearranged which is why im with the sleeve (and a million other reasons) i would read up and youtube as much as you can about it. i personally have made up my mind good luck to youuuu!

omg u look sooo wonderful! congrats!!!

how motivating!@ good to hear and you look greeeeeat

hey ive also ready a ton of requirements that i didnt have to go through but...every insurance plan is totally different and has special specific requirements. also my nurse at my surgeons office wrote out an entire 'work up' for me to make sure i dont miss anything. between the surgeons nurses and your insurance you should be able to get a clear answer

sorry but BCBS sounds dumb. y would you get denied if you meet all the requirements??? good luck to you i'm sure you will be fine. also ive read a ton of people here have the same BCBS (not sure if depends on the state) maybe reach out and see if any of them heard the same

Ill pray for you as well!!! My Bmi is 50 and I can imagine how anxious I will be September 5th!!!

I've never heard of this but I have the same fear. I read on here one girl got denied from her surgeons office forgetting to send pcp referral. I am extra paranoid so I literally go to all my appointments with the same folder and get copies of my clearances THEN I call my surgeons ooffice to make sure they got it. Just be prepared we came too far to get denied! !!!!

that is really crazy! hmmm well i know my surgeons office already knew the requirements SOME insurance companies require 6 months worth of dietician appointments others only require 2 or 3. it really just depends. i would post your type of insurance and state that you live in. maybe some others have the same insurance and know the requirements. i would think they would be way more helpful than directing you online. again i would call them back and advise them that the description on the website just isnt clear. if they dont help you i know one of the nurses at your surgeons office can provide you with a clear answer (there is a department that submits your paperwork directly to the insurance for approval) and they should be able to help as well! good luck to you!!!!!

please CALL your insurance directly and ask them the requirements of cover bariatric surgery. they will be happy to help you. this way you dont miss anything at all

hey andrea, i am pre op and i feel the same way! i actually discovered this site through an app on my droid and its soooo freakin amazing. im addicted lol its the first thing i do when i get home from work and the last thing i do before i go to bed. i even sneak peaks when im at work its just sooo positive, insightful and motivating!!!!!!!

im sorry can you clarify if you are going to the gym and doing weights? she said the loose skin would stop during this time period??

wow thanks for sharing your story. i cant imagine what going through that would be like. iwish you good luck and send prayers your way!!! im just curious, did you have a cardiac clearance or a heart echo before surgery? kudos to you for being sooo strong and going in for a 2nd time