ChiGirl

I've had it on and off for years. I saw a podiatrist and he gave me a brace to wear at night while I'm sleeping. I alternated the brace between both feet for about two weeks. (Wore it on one foot one night, the foot the next night.) It worked wonders. Stretching your feet in bed before you get up also should help. Flex your foot as if there's a string around your toes and you're pulling it toward you. Good luck!

Thanks so much for the link. I read every post and wrote down a lot of information. I may start on the pre-op diet next week since I'm hoping to get approved for a late August surgery. Better safe than sorry!

Just remember that all the reservations other people have you've already had yourself, and then some. I told everyone close to me one or two at a time and was patient in answering all their questions. With the exception of one person, everyone could see that I wasn't making a rash decision and that it was in fact well thought out and researched. Once you've gone to the seminar and you start the process with your doctors, etc., you'll have more information to share with your family/friends, which should help with their concerns. This forum has been a huge help along the way and I'm sure will continue to be once I have surgery, hopefully in the next month or so. I already know that this surgery is the best decision I've ever made for myself.

I'm hoping for a late August date but might not be approved before September. Have about 200# to lose. Hoping to get approved this week!

The best thing you can do for yourself is board the plane with confidence. It's much less embarrassing to ask the flight attendant for the extender as soon as you walk on the plane than to wait for her to walk up the aisles making sure folks have buckled and you don't have it yet. I'm around 400# and have been buying two seats for a few years now. The first person you see when boarding is the flight attendant. I just smile, say hello and quickly, politely (eye contact important) ask "Could I get a seatbelt extender for seat 12C please?" (or whatever seat it is). They've always been extremely polite back and discreet when delivering the belt. As long as you're not encroaching on someone else's space, other passengers shouldn't bother you. Maintain your confidence. You have as much right to be there as anyone. Good luck to you!

I have all my ducks in a row to schedule a surgery date except insurance approval. They will be submitting next week. Has anyone gone through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee? I made a call myself and they told me that they cover weight loss surgery if it is deemed medically necessary. The woman I spoke to said they had no information regarding specific surgeries. I'm usually pretty patient but now that I've jumped through all the hoops, I'm getting antsy. I so appreciate all the people who post and ask questions here. I look forward to being as helpful to others after I'm sleeved!

Sorry for your unsupportive doctor experience. I would hope that instead of urging against surgery, she would try to help you get the surgery closer to home so that she could be involved in your care. You're doing the right thing -- surgery or not -- by taking control of your own health. If I were you I'd find a new doctor as soon as you get back from surgery. My experience is completely opposite. My doctor suggested surgery as an option almost two years ago and I've resisted it. It wasn't until I learned about the sleeve that I started thinking about it. Now I'm at the insurance approval stage.

Try not to let your tight schedule and doctor's unwillingness to help (red flag!) sway you. You will only regret it later and you do not want to add stress to your life post-surgery. I just had my surgical consult and was worried he would try to talk me into a RNY. I got lucky, he didn't. He thinks the sleeve is good for me. Also lucky (I guess) that my BMI is over 50. Now it's up to insurance to OK it. If they don't, I'm willing to wait until they do. I, too, am feeling a sense of urgency because my insurance carrier may change in the next couple of months. But I had to step back and decide that it's one step at a time. This decision is going to impact the rest of my life in a big way and I don't want to screw it up. Good luck with whatever you decide, but if you really want the sleeve, try to wait it out. My surgeon told me that insurance companies are changing their policies every week.

I am also new to forum but have been reading it for a while. This is my first post. My story is so similar to yours, PlannerGirl. I'm about midway through the surgery process. The hospital I'm working with in Chicago puts you through about a three-month program, I think so that by the time it gets to the insurance company all your pre-op stuff is done and they have fewer ways to deny you. Good for you for making the decision. I resisted surgery as an option for a very long time, but my thinking has changed quite a bit, mostly due to my learning about the sleeve procedure. It's the only surgery I'll consider, and even though I have a huge amount of weight to lose, I'm confident I can do it. I told everyone close to me, my family and close friends. Everyone is supportive. Of course a couple of people tried to get me to consider other options, what they consider non-drastic, but they've since turned around. I feel much better that I told them...it frees me up to just get their support right away rather than have to explain everything afterward and wait for them to process. I haven't told anyone at work and don't plan to unless they ask afterward. I'm trying my darnedest to start losing now so it doesn't seem so drastic right after surgery.