JerseyCityGal

.......then my surgery dream is shattered and over. I can't go thru this again. It was an emotional roller coaster.

So in other words .... if your surgery can't be by 12/31/2015, it's your own decision to not have it done.

Your dream is not "shattered and over". You are making the choice to not have the surgery if it can't be done by the exact date you want it done by. You are willing to spend the rest of your life obese because you want to cut your nose off to spite your face.

You are basically saying "If I have to wait x more months, I'd rather be obese forever". Has anyone ever spoken with you about your decision making skills?

Lots of people have a long approval process. Lots of people have delays. I had one litigation matter in its 5th or 6th year (not related to my surgery) that managed to postpone my surgery for a full year. It was delay after delay. I couldn't schedule until it settled or went to trial. I had no choice but to wait, but there was nothing that was going to keep me from my goal. It was what it was. Rather than waste my energy on something I couldn't control, i focused on what I could control. Was it sometimes frustrating? Sure, but you just keep going and moving ahead.

Your "restriction" at this point (and maybe always) should be MEASURING your food and not eating more than that!!!!!!! Putting down the fork is a restriction too.

I didn't, and still don't, feel full most of the time. My "full" is when I have had my portion. You don't have to feel full to have had enough food.

Eat 2 oz (or how much for whatever stage you are at) and put the rest in the fridge. The food isn't going to run away. It will be there for your next meal.

@@Chrystee gotcha!

I'll never forget when I was listening to a podcast by Jillian Michaels (I know some hate her, but I love her).. and she said, the muscle makes you gain myth is total bunk.. its something people to say to make someone feel better and that its really, really hard to gain that much muscle.

People are explaining it wrong. Jillian is right.

A pound of muscle and a pound of fat weight exactly the same. A pound.

A pound of muscle looks better than a pound of fat because fat takes up a lot more space. Muscle makes you look leaner and harder. Plus, the MORE lean muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. You can weigh the same if you are muscular and look significantly smaller than the person of the same height and weight standing next to you who has half the lean muscle you do.

The part about gaining "muscle" weight while weight lifting being really hard to do is completely true. It takes significant effort to become jacked up or bulked up. Like eat 2 pounds of chicken, 2 pounds of potatoes, etc per day while following a crazy workout schedule. It's like having an extra job.

A very thin person who starts weight training would experience a small weight gain without trying to become bulked up, but anyone else, not really. You would get an increase in blood volume and muscle gain but that would be offset by a much more significant fat loss.

Why are you still talking to these people or sharing your private information with them?

They are your husband's family. He can go to their house to visit without you. They can call him on his cell and he can take the call out of the room. When the subject of you comes up, your husband can just say "Jangy sends her regards" and then drop it like a hot rock. Switch the subject. They bring you up again, he now "has to go".

It's like dog training. It takes a few times, but people get the picture if you are consistent.

There is no law that says you have to interact with them. The drama trolley runs both ways. Stop participating, don't feed into it. Don't even think about it. They don't exist as far as you are concerned.

It actually has nothing to do with you. If you evaporated 10 minutes from now, they would find someone/something else to harp on. If you do the above, the focus will eventually get off you.

Don't use other people as an excuse for you not living or having the life you want. You are married to your husband, not these other people. You don't need anyone else's support or permission to make lifestyle changes or to go ahead with surgery.

@allycatt98

As I said, I have a CPA who does my taxes and advises me.

I repeatedly asked for personal experiences, not "What should I do?".

Maybe you will see this better with the "you" taken out of it:

Me: Has anyone here tried a Blue Hawaii Martini? How was it? How did you feel after?

Answer: Blue Hawaii Martinis are made with 6 oz of vodka.

Me: I know. I have Google too. I am asking people who have tried one how they taste. Was it as good as it looks? How did they feel afterward?

Answer: Here's a ton of drunk driving statistics and other crap you didn't ask about.

Me: I really am just asking for people who have actually tasted a Blue Hawaii Martini and their experience. I keep telling you this, but you keep being stubborn and egotistical about answering when it's crystal clear I really just want to discuss personal experiences, and not watch you try and school me in things like martini's vs white russians (standard vs itemized) when I was a specialty go-go dancing bartender (Analyst structuring merger transactions for one of the top investment banks in the world) while you were in grade school.

Answer: I'm going to keep shoving things you didn't ask for down your throat and derail this thread and you should be grateful because I'm a Bartender (CPA)!

Me: All women should have an Bartending Degree (education) and good on you for having one, but that doesn't change the fact that a) I am not asking you for your advice on my situation which you somehow cannot stop yourself from giving despite being repeatedly told that I am not asking for advice on what to do. I am asking for other people's personal experiences with Blue Hawaii Martini's.

Answer: Ha. Ha, Ha. I just shake my head and laugh at all the people I assume are not educated and do not bow down to my sage words of advice even if it's not at all what they were asking. I'm going to keep being disrespectful to this other person and ruin any chance she has of getting people giving her answers and talk down to her, never once imaging that her level of education could possibly exceed mine and that I am just being a jerk.

@@allycatt98

I don't recall asking anyone for advice, but you insisted on giving it in heaps despite repeatedly being told that wasn't what I was looking for.

What I DID ask for, and I was very specific, were other peoples experiences in taking the deduction; as in a) they had skin removal surgery, b ) took the deduction, and c) what, if anything, happened.

But thanks for totally derailing my thread!

Just OMG ...

Please ... what part of "No layman guessing please, I'm looking for yes I did it and it was ok or I did it and got called on the carpet by the IRS or I'm a CPA and ....." is not getting through?

I am looking for PEOPLE WHO DID THIS AND ASKING THEM WHAT HAPPENED.

I have Google.

I can read.

I have a phone and can dial the IRS.

I have a CPA.

What I am looking for are PEOPLE WHO HAD SKIN REMOVAL SURGERY, TOOK THE DEDUCTION AND CAN TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE IRS.

JerseyCityGal,

I understand your question, but everyone's situation is different.

Let's say you took a deduction in 2014 for your Sleeve and were audited, would you be able to prove that it was medically necessary? That's really the issue here. You could definitely attempt to take the deduction. I've done it for dental work that was considered cosmetic. But if I were audited, I have the documentation to prove that my dental work was medically necessary even if it wasn't covered by my insurance.

I don't think one answer fits all situations.... It's not the same as an itemization for home office expenses (it would be so much easier if it was ). It gets really murky when you start comparing medical procedures and services. My sleeve was approved by the insurance company on the first submission within 48 hours, but there are tons of people on the board that have been repeatedly denied by their insurance company. I think this one is going to be dependent on the documentation that you have to support your deduction in the event of an audit.

I know that's not the answer you were looking for but it's the truth and audits are evil.

Ally

No offense, seriously, but you are not getting it..

If you have an official medical diagnosis of Obesity, yes, your VSG is deductible (% of AGI and all that). If you had it done for shits and giggles and were not obese, it won't work.

"Medically necessary" does not appear in the Cosmetic section of the tax code. What does appear is " if it is necessary to improve a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease." It does not seem to me that Obesity falls under any of those categories, but I did find one US tax court case that allowed a woman with an over 100 lb weight loss whose abdominal skin got in the way of her movement for her job to take the deduction.

I am SPECIFICALLY asking:

1) people who have had reconstructive types of plastic surgery after massive (over 100 lb) weight loss; i.e. skin removal/LBL, arm lifts, etc (not a tiny Tummy Tuck but major surgery)

2) Did you claim these surgeries as a deduction on your tax returns?

3) How did it work out for you? Was it questioned?

Want some straight up honesty, no drama?

You two are used to each other and it's comfortable. You know what to expect. That's not love, it's a habit.

He found you, he'll find someone else.

You both need to get healthy, not just you.

@@allycatt98 Typically plastics are not considered deductible even though they are medical expenses.

I know all about itemized vs standard deduction. That wasn't my question.

I was asking people who had plastics after weight loss for skin removal/lbl etc (not just strictly cosmetic but extensive reconstructive types of surgery) if they were able to claim it as a deduction on their taxes or if it didn't fly.

I read the IRS Code on Medical Expenses and it says:

You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay for legal operations that are not for unnecessary cosmetic surgery. See Cosmetic Surgery under What Expenses Are Not Includible, later.

and

Generally, you cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for unnecessary cosmetic surgery. This includes any procedure that is directed at improving the patient's appearance and does not meaningfully promote the proper function of the body or prevent or treat illness or disease. You generally cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for procedures such as face lifts, hair transplants, hair removal (electrolysis), and liposuction.< /p>

You can include in medical expenses the amount you pay for cosmetic surgery if it is necessary to improve a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease.

I had my surgery on June 16, 2014.

This time next year when you look back, you won't believe how much better your life is and how much happier you are. It's like night and day. Just remember that any time you hit a little bump in the road. Keep your eyes on your goal and remember what really matters and why you are doing this and all the other stuff will just fall away.

I remember reading somewhere that it takes your skin 2-3 months to "catch up" every time you lose weight.

Tell that to my skin! I think it's in 1978! lol

Seriously, mine would need a Gulfstream jet to catch up. I can grab piles of skin everywhere. I can haul up 8 to 10 inches of skin on my abdomen and roll the skin on my arms around like a crescent roll. When I run for the bus, my body keeps moving after i come to a halt.

I keep myself clean and dry. That's the best I can do for now.

I was just thinking about this. I've lost over 100 lbs so far and am planning on having plastics before the end of the year.

No layman guessing please, I'm looking for yes I did it and it was ok or I did it and got called on the carpet by the IRS or I'm a CPA and .....

I was only able to find one tax court case, and they ruled in the woman's favor for the deduction.

You can eat a burger without the bun ... use lettuce as the wrap and stuff Tomato slices in between.

You can slice up a parsnip and roast it to make fake french fries. It's a bit high in carbs (24 for 1 cup), but that's still 1/2 the carbs of what the same amount of fries has, and it's delicious.

You are going to have to change your eating when you are sleeved. You may as well start now.

Well the cups that were being served was about 6 oz but not filled to the top, so I would say maybe 4-5 oz. I really believe it depends on the individual. 5 days after the wine and I'm doing great and still loosing weight.

You're lucky you're not in the hospital.

Well, what happened was.......you did not measure out your portion before you started to eat it. I have found that even at 15 1/2 months out, if I do not weigh and measure I can lose my perspective of volume and quantity very quickly.

I have to keep repeating to myself a scientific principle I learned from my father, who was a science and biology teacher. He said that in the lab, you cannot control that which you do not measure. I miss him, but his guidance did not fall on deaf ears. I have had a couple of mishaps like yours and agree. It's over and done before you know what hit you.

And this is exactly why I measure and log every damn thing that goes into my mouth.

I would eyeball myself back up to 268 in no time if I didn't.

If I am eating out, I take the rest home.

If I am at the market, I buy (and cook) enough fresh food for at least two meals at once .

It isn't you that caused the upset...it was me expressing my annoyance with this aspect of the forum. I do not go into the men's forum , read posts and look for ones to respond to. I often respond to new posts with no awareness of which forum it is in. Even this rant was in the wrong forum until I moved it.

I feel as though perhaps some are a bit overly sensitive and read motives into actions that are just not there.

I have no intention to "invade" someone space but accidents will happen until the posts are removed from the new posts feed on the webpage.

I do that too.

I see something generic under "New Topics", click and respond and then later on I can't seem to find it only to discover that it's in the guys forum.

I wear Born wedges and platforms all the time. I can't wear regular heels because I have has a few foot surgeries and have rods and pins in my feet and toes. Most of my toes don't bend because of this and Born shoes have the wide toe area so I can wear them without any issues.

I think their wedges with the flower painted heels are so pretty.

Dr. Jordan garrison.. he works through the carepoint hospitals... his office is next to christ hospital... a family friend told me bout him he does it in christ hospital and takes 1 of the medicaids and stuff... i didnt wana travel crazy i dont have a car ... i meet him june 23rd so im hoping all goes well lol

I don't know him but my knee surgeon (Dr. Foddai) is in the same building as he is. So was my old GP before he moved. My ENT is in that building too (Dr. Behin).

@@libbyyum

Which surgeon in Jersey City? I had Dr. Sebastian Eid from Advanced Laparoscopic in Paramus but they did the surgery at Jersey City Medical Center (which was great by the way).

Surgery itself & the hospital was $500 out of pocket, but pre-surgical co-pays and reports ran me quite a bit.

I had a small slice for hitting Onederland. I really really really wanted it. I swear some days I lived for the thought that when I hit Onederland, I was going to have a slice of pizza, lol.

Once in a while I'll have a few bites but it really doesn't have the appeal it once did for me. I don't want to start eating it out of habit so I mostly stay away from it.

I don't do carbonated ever so I can't help you with that.

I am 48 days out. *(maybe I should start counting weeks) and I'm recently down from 3 to 1-1.5 a day just to make sure I get in my 75g a day. I like them. They are very convenient and I have to be in class 3 nights a week....

I use GNC Lean 25 pre-made and they are very tasty.

Funny, this topic should come up. I just met with my nutritionist this past Saturday and she explained why we should wean off Protein shakes. Basically, we have to learn how to eat enough to get our Protein from food so we can keep ourselves feeling full longer. That will help avoid cravings for bad stuff. Protein from shakes is protein received, but in liquid form doesn't help to keep our tiny tummies full. Therefore, we can end up eating bigger portions than we should as time progresses. Our portions will eventually get bigger as the months pass from surgery. Our goal is to eat 3 distinct meals with small Snacks, but if we use fluids instead of meals we leave room for more bad stuff. Also she warned that patients will think "oh I've made my protein quota, I can eat this and this..." and they can bc there is room. Too much protein with bad stuff will cause weight gain.

She gave me a scheduled ratio for protein to carbs to ensure continued weight loss. BC if you eat too many carbs (good or bad) with protein you will gain weight back.

I don't have to worry about sugar or calories or fat - yet. She said focus on protein and carbs ratio and if you plateau we will examine the food log and see if sugar or calories or fat comes into play. I can't eat that much yet anyway- and still rely on at least 1 shake a day to meet.

That's why measuring your food and tracking on a App like MyFitnessPal is important ... so you know if you have hit your limit for the day.

Your measuring cups will never get bigger. They stay the same size.

Yeah, he is very against his patients drinking their calories and wants me to get my Protein in from food.

My doc and NUT are the same. They want me to focus on eating "real" food and not getting Protein or nutrients from the shakes. After all, you wouldn't be able to eat everything in the shake you're drinking with your tiny stomach, right? It sounds crazy (and did to me too), especially with all you see on this site about counting protein. I would just say listen to your body and do what's right for you.

Yes, exactly! My doc and NUT are in the same space and they believe the same thing. He doesn't want me to drink my calories and would rather I eat them. He's thinking more long term and people going over their calories because they're drinking the majority of the it calories and not feeling full for as long as they would if they actually ate food.

A Chike shake is 130 to 180 calories and Marley / Garden of Life is 80 to 90 calories.

What 17 gram protein food is 80 calories and keeps you full for 3 - 4 hours? Marley / Garden of Life does that for me and I'm just a couple weeks shy of a year out.

A full Chike shake takes me over an hour to drink and keeps me full from Breakfast until lunch. 28 grams of protein and 130 to 180 calories.

I love to eat, but shakes can really fill you up and help keep you under your calorie limits while meeting your nutritional goals.

I drink 1-2 shakes a day. I think I will continue this forever. When I was playing sports or working out during the off-season and when getting myself ready to join the Army I did the same. Now that I am active again and work out a lot I am back at it. Unlike a lot of people on here I LOVE my brand of Protein and would not drink anything else! It is part of my daily routine. I agree "eating your calories is best but with as hard as I workout and as active as I am outside the gym it is hard for me to get all of the Protein I need just in my food intake! Plus my shakes range in the calorie count between 130-170 cal. depending on how I make it so even at 2 a day I am only drinking 340 calories, I used to drink 3x that a day just in soda and beer!

I love coming home from the gym and tossing some fruit and ice in the blender with some Garden of Life vanilla raw Protein powder. 90 calories plus whatever fruit I added. 17 g of protein. Much better than sitting around eating cheese sticks.