kmoore

I started my 6 months with the intention of doing this myself, no surgery. And I lost 27 lbs in 3 months, became STUCK for 3 months, then gained 5 lbs, now am down a total of 33 lbs and am stuck again. I still have 70 lbs to lose. I have yo-yo'd my whole life too, and have decided I need the sleeve as a tool for permanent weight loss. I am on several meds for 3 co-morbidities and I need to get my life together before I no longer have one! Good luck to you whatever your choice

Don't crush...most antidepressants will tell you not to crush or chew. I would call your bariatric MD and ask him/her. They would know what meds are ok and which one's are not.

LOL! Yup, I have had my hubby ask if the sleeve came off too

I'm really beginning to think the same, DesertRat. I am not going to tell my mom and my step-mom though until the insurance approval comes through and the date is set...but I am going to tell them both before I have it done. How would they feel if the worst happened during surgery and I died...God forbid? They would always struggle with why I didn't feel I could trust them to tell them and I just could not do that to them. It's hard enough losing someone unexpectedly anyway...but if you were to find out that they kept something like this from you...devastating! At least this way, they are informed and can form their own opinions and either support me or not. Of course, I will not say a WORD about death as a possibility

Don't be discouraged. You can fluctuate 2-3lbs each day normally. This is why weighing every day can be depressing...though when that close to onederland, I would be compelled to do the daily weigh-in too.

Yup, lost 31 lbs....for the last 2 months I have already been doing 2 protein shake smoothies for 2 of my meals daily. So the fast shouldn't be that big of a deal to me. Just have to eliminate the skim milk for water in the shake and not add the Chobani yogart and frozen fruit I am the type that researches everything completely, and yes, follows 100% of what I should to accomplish what I am trying to accomplish. I see no point in going through surgery if you are not committed to a before and after life change.

Too cute! I like my husband's name with initial and last name...smoore (Scott). Makes me want a campfire, marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers though...lol

I actually saw what you are talking about 1st hand, watching someone who was supposed to be on a liquid diet 5 days prior to surgery consume many things she shouldn't have. Using the excuse that at some point in the body it will turn to liquid. Needless to say, she did spend a bit of time in the bathroom purging after lunch for about the 1st 4-6 weeks post-op (due to the same things).

Mine is quite boring...1st initial (Kim) and last name (Moore). After reading some of y'all's...I'm thinking I need to engage my more creative side...lol I used to have ferrets as pets, before they all got old and passed away that is. And my name on my ferret forums was slinkybink, after my 1st ferret. Maybe I need to just use that...at least it's more fun than kmoore

Got ya Thanks for explaining that. I was a bit worried.

At 600 and 400 calories a day, how is your body functioning? The brain, by itself utilizes 20% of every calorie taken in just to merely survive at rest. And what about the organs in your body? The heart burns many calories a day to pump blood...and so on. Is the extreme lack of caloric intake being supplemented somehow as to not damage your body? Not judging or anything...makes me a little leary of having the surgery if we have to harm our bodies in this way beforehand. With me already having high blood pressure issues and heart disease in my family, it kind of scares me to think of having a heart attack because I didn't give my body it's daily requirements to survive. I hope you feel better and sleep well

Refried Beans with cheddar and salsa! OMG that sounds good and I'm not even sleeved yet! LOL I bought "Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies". It has quite a few yummy ideas for all stages of post-op. I'm sure I'll use it alot after surgery

It is "smart-ICE". I have the paid version...there is a "lite" version also. I think I paid $4.99 for the app a couple of years ago.

Definitely good points there, Calikat. I do plan to tell those that would need to know for emergencies for me. Plus, I have an app on my phone that EMS can access that will give all info for me, surgury, meds, insurance info, ER contacts, etc. These I.C.E. apps are great, and most EMS services are well aware to check phones for these now days

Most surgeons and anesthetists require their fees be paid up front. After they figure out what your insurance will pay, they will figure what you owe above that and charge before doing the surgery (co-insurance and any deductible not already met). If there happens to be any overpayment...lol...you are refunded that later. Not sure about the hospital stay charges. I also work in the medical field and have seen it over and over, plus having gone through this for cardiac catheterization too.

Welcome! I am 43 and started at 100lbs over weight, now down to 70lbs over (30lb loss) during my insurance required medical management over the last 7 months. I am in the final steps towards approval and hope to schedule the sleeve around the beginning of October.

{{{HUGS}}} Sending you healing prayers. I hope this swelling lessens soon for you.

That is how I convinced my husband, bogeydog. I clued him into the fact that I am on 5 different medications for 3 co-morbidities, 3 of which have lowered libido as a side effect, which is sometimes an issue ever since I started taking them 5 years ago. And that although my "numbers" are controlled with the Rx's I take, I am at a MUCH higher risk of complications because of the co-morbidities. I told him that the risk of me dying young without having the surgery is higher than the risk of the surgery itself...which is the only thing he is really concerned with. He supports the procedure, but is concerned about me having any surgery because of anesthesia risks and so forth. He will remain concerned about that, but is supportive of the decision I am making. I am waiting until insurance approval before telling anyone else (besides my co-workers who already know).

Definitely nothing to be embarrassed about, LDallas. Though I understand your feelings there. I thought I could do it on my own too, and was in tears after being stuck at 25lb weight loss for 3 months out of 6. I know that the weight that I have lost with diet, exercise and the help of phentermine is nothing to sneeze at, I love that I've lost that much...but I am still 70lbs overweight, and still have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. I want more than anything, to get off of meds and be healthier so I can lead a longer, healthy life. My medical management PA assured me that I am not a failure for deciding to go the surgery route. I just am one of the lucky ones for having "bad genes"

I'm in Rock Hill. Hoping for sleeving around October 2012 with Dr. Voellinger at Southeast Bariatrics in Charlotte.

Congrats and good luck. Sending you speedy recovery wishes

I went to bariatric with my mind set that I just wanted medical management to help me lose weight with diet and exercise alone. I am now complete on my 6 month insurance requirements and though I did lose weight, I am struggling and changed my mind about surgery. So now I have my appt's with nutrition, exercise and psych on June 14th, and my final pre-op consult with Dr. V. on July 5th. I have to wait until I see him to see if he wants a full endoscopy or just a barium swallow on me. After that, it will be waiting on approval. I have CIGNA, and another girl in my office who has same insurance and had the VSG was approved quickly after she completed all of the above with BMI of 43 (I think) and zero co-morbidities. My starting BMI was 42 with 3 co-morbidities, so I don't see an issue with approval on mine.

Thank you for all of the ideas everyone. I think I will tell both my mom and my step-mom, though I am not going to say anything until my insurance approval is done. You're absolutely right, Calicolea, it is my body and my decision. I read WLS for dummies last night (yes in one evening, cover to cover...lol), and though they do not really cover the VSG much at all, the precept is the same. I think reading that, along with all of the information here will help me to explain better to my mom and step-mom. Everyone at my work knows...and is completely supportive. The perks of working in a small medical office...and that 2 of my co-workers have had WLS already I will also tell my bestie from childhood. She had always supported me, as I have always supported her. And, of course, my husband knows. He is scared of me having any surgery, but understands and supports my decision completely. I think I will have a pretty decent support group here, even if my mom and step-mom do not jump on board.

I do not plan on telling a whole lot of people about this surgery, as I have read from some of you and I also have a friend that has received negative feedback from friends and family. That being said, I see my step-mom every week...for choir practice and at church. But she worries about so much, I am afraid to tell her. However, I know that she will end up knowing afterwards and then be mad I didn't tell her to begin with. How would some of you approach this? Also, my mother lives in Tennessee, I am in South Carolina. I would hate to give her something to worry over unnecessarily, but already feel guilty for not telling...lol. What do you think?

Just an FYI, the person at the insurance that checks on the statis is not the one/s that are determining whether or not to approve you, so it won't slow the process down by calling. It just might not speed it up either. I work in a medical practice and have to deal with insurance on a daily basis, so believe me, I know...lol Good luck to you Hope a yes answer comes quickly for you!