mom2five

I'm still waiting to be sleeved. My doc told me that I will eventually be able to eat/drink whatever I want in moderation. He said its not a diet.. It's a lifestyle change and he doesn't want me to feel deprived. That being said, I think it's an individual thing some people end up not being able to tolerate certain things. It may come and go. And some people decide to give up certain things because they feel those things are detrimental to their new lifestyle. I know people who drink pop and people who eat Pasta at times. Its a very individual thing.

I ate like crazy the week I made my decision too. Finally got control of myself!! My first appointment with the surgeon is September 11. height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

Sending prayers and positive thoughts!! height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

I know how you feel. I am still waiting on my first appointment. It will be Sept. 11. I feel like my health is at risk. I already have a few comorbidities and I know more are on their way if I don't do something about my weight. I have tried to lose weight many times through my whole adult life and have had a little success here and there but always gained it all back plus more. I need to do something different, something that will help me succeed for real. I really believe that if I don't lose this weight soon, I am going to die. So, for me, the risks of not having the surgery are far greater than having it. This is a very personal decision, so I wish you the best while you research and pray. height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

Thanks. I appreciate the good info. I'm excited about starting this process. I will somehow talk to my sister in law and share your stories. I hear way more positive stories than negative! height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

My BMI is 52.5. I wonder if I will be able to have laparoscopy. I still haven't seen my surgeon. I will have to ask him. height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

Thank you all for your responses. Maybe when I have my surgery, she will think about having it. She has pretty much given up. She stays in her bed most of the time and has lost feeling in her feet because of diabetes. I think she has forgotten that she can be any other way. When she leaves her house she is in a wheelchair. She's never been in my house because she can't walk up the four steps to my porch. I hate that her life has become this way but I can't make her do it. I'm hoping that she will see me do well with the surgery and she will decide to do it too. Our other sister in law was sleeved a year ago and she's lost over 100 lbs and looks and feels great. I think her BMI was in the 40's at first. I'm happy to hear that others who are similar to her size have been sleeved with success. :-) height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

I'm just asking this because I'm curious. My sister in law and I are very close and we are both obese. She is a lot bigger than I am. (I'm estimating she may weigh over 600 lbs) She knows I'm thinking about this surgery but she said she can't have it because she is too big. She said she was told she had to lose a lot of weight before she could have it. Granted, it's been a few years since she talked to a doctor about it. And I think she was talking about gastric bypass. Has anyone heard of being too big to have WLS? height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

I do that too but I've come to the conclusion that if I don't have the surgery, I am going to die. I am starting to have health problems because of my weight. I think (for me) the risk of having surgery is less than the risk of not having it. So I have felt better since I thought of it that way. height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

Sorry if I shouldn't do this here.. I've been thinking about my future surgery a lot. I haven't even met with the surgeon yet. My appt is sept 11. I daydream about what it will be like when I lose all this weight. When I talk to my hubby about how awesome it will be, he always says he thinks I will leave him for another man when I get thin. This upsets me so much. Don't get me wrong, he supports my decision to have the surgery. He was actually part of helping make the decision. He wants me to get healthy and look and feel better. He is just so insecure!! It is annoying that he thinks I will fall all over myself if I get attention from men. Like if a man flirts with me, I will jump in bed with him. I wish he had more faith in me than that. I have never been unfaithful to him! I think of being able to have better sex with HIM because the fat won't be in the way. I think of looking good for HIM and really turning him on... Not other men! I have no desire to destroy my family like that. I've already been through one divorce. I know what it's like and what it does to the kids. I just hope he learns to deal with this because I'm not going to enjoy being accused or not trusted every time I leave the house. Thoughts? height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

I'm tired of hearing people say "Oh you're not that big. You are beautiful just the way you are!" This is bullshit and everybody knows it. All it does is give me an excuse to keep gaining. It's like enabling a drug addict. Of COURSE, I'm big! I'm 5 ft tall and weigh 270 lbs!! I am super morbidly obese and people want to say I'm "not that big!" I really don't know why other than I'm nice and they are saying what they think I want to hear but I know it's not true so it makes me feel worse. It's like telling an 8 ft person that they aren't that tall. height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

This is one of the biggest things I wonder about... After having the surgery, I know I will worry obsessively about hurting myself... like, moving wrong and tearing my incisions open, or twisting and causing my newly stapled sleeve to rip open.. I will be scared to exercise.. I know it... So, tell me.. is it that easy to hurt yourself after surgery? Or, is it silly to obsess over that? :-)

Good luck! I know y'all can do this. It's worth it!! I'm excited for those of you who are so close to surgery day! height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

Ok, I decided to login to my husband's insurance account and actually look at the policy to see what they require. It appears as if the policy for bariatric surgery was reviewed last November, and as of Jan. 2012, the requirements have changed. Unless I am misunderstanding this, it looks like they have removed the requirement of the 6 month doctor supervised diet. I will copy/paste what it says, so I can get your opinions. Here it is: Medically Necessary: Gastric bypass and gastric restrictive procedures with a Roux-en-Y procedure up to 150 cm, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (for example, the Lap-Band® System or the REALIZE™ Adjustable Gastric Band), vertical banded gastroplasty, biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch, and sleeve gastrectomy (open or laparoscopic) are considered medically necessary for the treatment of clinically severe obesity for selected adults (18 years and older) who meet ALL the following criteria: BMI of 40 or greater, or BMI of 35 or greater with an obesity-related co-morbid condition including, but not limited to: diabetes mellitus; or cardiovascular disease; or hypertension; or life threatening cardio-pulmonary problems, (e.g., severe obstructive sleep apnea, Pickwickian syndrome, obesity related cardiomyopathy); AND [*]The individual must have actively participated in non-surgical methods of weight reduction; these efforts must be fully appraised by the physician requesting authorization for surgery; AND [*]The physician requesting authorization for the surgery must confirm the following: The individual's psychiatric profile is such that the candidate is able to understand, tolerate and comply with all phases of care and is committed to long-term follow-up requirements; and The candidate's post-operative expectations have been addressed; and The individual has undergone a preoperative medical consultation and is felt to be an acceptable surgical candidate; and The individual has undergone a preoperative mental health assessment and is felt to be an acceptable candidate; and The individual has received a thorough explanation of the risks, benefits, and uncertainties of the procedure; and The candidate's treatment plan includes pre- and post-operative dietary evaluations and nutritional counseling; and The candidate's treatment plan includes counseling regarding exercise, psychological issues and the availability of supportive resources when needed. Sounds good, huh?

I called my insurance co. and asked about the requirements. The person I talked to said he didn't know what they are but my doctor will have a checklist. I looked it up online. I specifically googled BCBS WV bariactric surgery requirements and I found my checklist. I still have questions though. I'd say my doctor's office will be able to answer a lot of my questions though since I'm sure they deal with this all the time. I'm impatient though! height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

Mine is BCBS WV PPO height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

I've never done WW or JC. Never could afford it. But I've dieted my whole adult life. Hopefully I won't need detailed proof of that. Mgsmith72, I appreciate the encouragement. I had been hoping that since my BMI is so high, they would let me skip the 6 month diet but you have a high BMI too and you had to do it. Did you lose much weight on that? People really don't understand what it's like being obese... I am severely obese. I feel like I'm trapped inside a marshmallow. I can't physically exercise like people think I should. It hurts! But I do try. I have hypothyroidism too which doesn't help. My SIL had hypothyroidism but hers went away after surgery! How do you add people to your friends list on here? Or is that even possible? height : 5 ft, weight: 270, BMI: 53 Cant wait to get sleeved!

I might be skipping steps by going straight to the surgeon. I don't know. I just made the appt with him because that's where my SIL went. I believe he will put me on the right track though. I don't know how I'm supposed to prove I have attempted weight loss in the past though. I was prescribed phentermine for weightloss a few years ago. My old doc gave me diet advice. That was in a different state though. I hope I can get the documentation that they want.

Thank you both for the encouragement. I definitely plan to do it. I am getting impatient already! Thedogsmommy, you had surgery yesterday...how do you feel?

Hello! My name is Jennifer. I am 39 years old and I'm a happily married mom to 5 children. I am 5 ft tall and weight 270. My BMI is 53. I have tried to lose weight for years but I keep gaining. I have thought about wls for years but have always been afraid. My sister in law got a sleeve about a year ago and has lost over 100 lbs. she looks awesome and says its the best thing she ever did. So, I've been researching and have decided to do it. I have an appointment with her surgeon on September 11. I have the same insurance as she has b/c our husbands work at the same place. So I know they cover the surgery but there are requirements I have to meet. I have BCBS of WV. I guess I probably won't be able to have surgery for 6 months or so because of the required diet. So I'm kind of bummed. At the same time, I'm scared! I've been reading a LOT of posts on here and have been brought to tears at some of your progress and NSVs. I'm so happy for you and sad for the person I have become. I cannot wait until I am less than 200 lbs... And to think I might wear a size 8 again is almost unbelievable! I'm scared of surgery still but I think NOT having the surgery is probably scarier! I know myself though and I'm worried I will freak out at the last minute and chicken out. I know I have a few months to prepare but just wanted to introduce myself and become a part of the community. :-)