jillian01

Hi Everyone I've been snooping around on this site for almost two months now and this is my very first post. Just wanted to let you all know that I met with my surgeon (Dr. Silva in Paramus' date=' NJ) on Friday 7/1/11. I was pro-active and found out all of the tests I would need in order to have the procedure, and had everything done just in time to meet my surgeon. The same day I met with him, I submitted all my results (psych eval, ekg,upper endoscopy and letter from my pcp). The young lady in the insurance department was not in in Friday 7/1/11 and Monday was Independance day so she couldnt submit for approval until today Tuesday. I thought it would take about a week or so to get any news back, but I recieved a phone call by 4 p.m. from the surgeons office letting me know that Oxford approved without any problems. I am still freaking outttttttt!!!!!!!! It literally only took 8 HOURS to get the approval. This is truly a blessing. The young lady that works at my surgeons office told me she knew I would have no problem getting approved because my BMI was 53% (I'm 5'3 and weigh 290 lbs) and I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I wanted to share my experience with you all in case there was anybody looking for a little more information on the Oxford Freedom plan [/quote']

Great to hear! I have oxford freedom as well one of my main concern is they won't approve me for whatever reason. I'm 5'2 247 right now. I just started my 6 months of weigh ins! Can't wait to get sleeved. Hope you have a great journey to the losers bench!

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1. I confess that I have not told anyone about my choice to get sleeved besides my kids and my fiancé.

2. I confess that my biggest 2 fears are the pain after the surgery and I won't be able to give up Pepsi ( I know it's been a stable in my family as long as I can remember.

3. I started my 6 months of supervised dieting yesterday and I'm headed to red lobster as we speak.

4. I think about the surgery every day. The reason I joined this forum.

5. I have considered self pay to avoid the 6 months of weigh ins! But I'm afraid to go to another country and that's the only way I could afford it.

P.s this is by far the best post ever!

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Hello everyone' date='

So I got a call from my doctor's office yesterday and they called to schedule my upper GI... I know this doesn't seem like much but for me that call put this in reality. I am really going to have surgery in the next 6-7 months. I am really going to achieve my goal of being healthier and happier. I know that to some people it was just a phone call but for me this is the start of my new life. I just had to share my excitement with everyone. Thanks for tolerating my ramblings. Lol![/quote']

Hey,

Good luck to you! Looks like we are on the same schedule. I look forward to getting sleeved in May 2012 and although all this has just begin I am supper excited.

Upper GI scheduled for 11/30/2014

Again good luck!

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I haven’t even had the sugary yet and I have already noticed my husband being distant. At first he seemed to be real supportive but now that he sees this is really going to happen I have noticed changes. He doesn’t want to talk about it and seems to get annoyed if I even bring it up! He says we will talk about it closer to surgery date. The other night he had the nerve to say he sees me changing. I just don’t get it. I am so hurt that he would feel that after I lose the weight I will crave other men’s attention. I tried to tell him that has not even crossed my mind! I mean even being overweight I get male attention so wtf is he really saying?

I am trying to show him that I am doing this to get the healthy not just for me but him and our kids. Being overweight has changed me so much. I am often depressed and isolated. I don’t even want to get out of the house because I hate being overweight! I have tried and tried to lose weight and I always fail! Another man is the last damn reason I would be having surgery. If a man didn’t want me at my worst I sure don’t think he deserves me at my best.

He also has gained weight over the years and I really thing that he is not happy with himself either. He just tries to hide it. Our 7 year daughter told him last night he should have the surgery with me and he said he was going to lose weight on his on! Well good for him. I will support him either way. However the fact is don’t try to bring me down because you are miserable with yourself and try to put this on me..

And to top that off he keeps bringing JUNK in the house after I have told him not to. I am trying to lose as much weight as I can during my supervised diet. I know I don’t have to eat it but I’m also trying to not only get myself in better eating habits but our kids too. So why bring it in period!? Every time I go on diets I always used to joke that he tries to sabotage it but now I really believe that’s exactly what he is doing!

I have been in tears all day today because his whole altitude has changed. He is so damn moody. The fact is if our marriage does happen to fall apart after the surgery it won’t BE BECAUSE OF ME! It will be his own damn attitude and lack of support that will push me away.

Does anyone have any advice?

This most be an epidemic!!!! My fiancé is acting the same way. I have tried my best to include him in my choice to get sleeved. He has said things like you can do this in your own, just go to the gym, really? I can't even talk to him about it anymore. I decided I would write all of my appointments on my calendar so if he want to go an be supportive he can if not then I will have to go alone. When I do try to talk to him about it he keeps saying stuff like you can't be skinny! Buying junk food and soda seem like some type of evil way to get me to fall off the wagon so to speak.

I hope things work out for myself and all of you guys!

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I'm from Brooklyn NY, getting my sleeve at Mount Sinai hospital by DR Herron. The entire team has been great. I'm only one month in for my six month supervised diet but I have nothing by great things to say so far. All my appointment are set up and things are rolling faster than I expected. Going for my upper GI next week.

Wishing you all the best of luck!

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Congrats!!!

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I work in a hospital and we had a new admission. I was assigned to that patient but I overheard the nurses talking crap about patients with WLS and how lazy they are! The big nurses were saying how they rather die fat than get WLS and have complications in the future. Well I felt bad for this poor patient.... She didn't even know what was being said of her' date=' and she's to trust these women with her life? It hurt me as well!!! They don't know I had sleeve done and this jus why I kept it a secret with my coworkers! I went home Feeling rather depressed. How do you all handle these type of peeps?[/quote']

This is the reason I decided to keep my sleeve to myself. Shameful how people judge others!!!

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How are you feeling? I'm so nervous for some reason. I can't wait to be sleeved but the pain and recovery process scare me....maybe I'm just being big baby lol I start my preop tomorrow.

I am super nervous about the recovery! I just started my journey and won't get sleeved until may 2013( hopefully) but the recovery has been on my mind since I first started researching the gastric sleeve back in June of this year.

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I'm also facing the same issues. I promised myself I would be done by 12/1/2012. I'm also interested in any advise!

Thanks for posting this.

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I have not set a target size but look forward to being 150. My current weight is 250 and I wear a size 18-20. I'm bottom heavy so I have no idea how my body will look as the weight starts to fall off!

Looking forward to not shipping in the plus size department! Looking forward to not ordering my boots off line so they fit over my calfs and most of all looking forward to being healthy!!

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You are more than welcome!!! I wish you the best of luck! Keep us

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I am shooting to have surgery the end of February...early March but I am dredding telling my boss. I work in a office full of catty women that gossip and so does my boss. Can I lie about what type of surgery I am having(like gallbladder surgery) ? I think I need to take 2-3 weeks off.

I have a similar situation! I work for a food company and there is always sweets, and food around. I have decided not to tell my co-workers or my employees! I don't like the feeling of everyone looking at me whenever food enters the office. A co worker of mine had lap band surgery not to long ago and people often ask "can he eat that" really?

I'm taking medical leave and that's all thy need to know. I have started dieting (again) so my weight lost over the next few months while I'm on the supervised diet should ease the transition.

I wish you luck and remember you have to do what's best for you!

Hi Cookie monster,

I didn't get my surgery there but did go for a consult there and was not happy with the practice. The dr was to willing to do the surgery.... I know sounds weird but he didn't talk about anything in my past . He was only interested in what surgery I wanted also they didn't give me much guidance just a "to do list" so I switched my doc and decided that the travel to the city was well worth it and mt Sinai is where I will be getting my surgery hopefully, sometime in may! I felt at home from the very beginning. Saw my surgeon and my nut on the same day. A referral for my psychological evaluation (cheaper than Brooklyn) and the nurse practitioner was great as well

P.S Brooklyn charged me a $45 co pay mt Sinai $0...... I just wanted to share my experience!!!!

Good luck on your journey!!!

My story is very similar, I have been thinking about the lap band since 2008 After the birth of my daughter. Finally this year I said no more excused for me and begin my journey to a new healthy me. My first consult was with a doc of was not comfortable with, he was letting y make this choice for the lap band didn't give me much information the. At the end of the appointment he states oh you do have a third option the gastric sleeve. The one good thing he did for me was his advise to do some researching so I came home and goggled my little fingers away.

I ended up switching my doc but my up my mind that the sleeve will be the best choice for me. I attended a information seminar early this month and that sealed the deal for me. I learned then the lap band is being done less and less these days and removal Is on a steady increase.

I had my first consult with my Nut today and the consult with my doc who is great. I guess the 45 dollar co pay and month I waited to see the first doc was will worth the visit. Hopefully I will get sleeved by may 2013!

Good luck to you!

I have a consult with a surgeon a few weeks back and I didn't like the fact he kept saying you can do whatever you wanted to do. Now do t get me wrong he was very informative and answered all my questions. Adding the fact that my first appointment was a waist of time and money $45 co-pay. He didn't really do anything other then tell me what I had to do and sent me in my marry way. My current surgeon first made me go to a information seminar which was free then I have a consult with him on Friday. During the seminar I asked if I could pick what I wanted and his answer was..... He has to speak to you one on one and find what best suites my needs. Knowing that he takes the time to make sure im making the right life altering choice make me feel so much better. It sucks that I wasted 2 months waiting for the other appointment and finding a new surgeon but at the end I the day my life is going to be in someone else's hands and being comfortable should be step one to this long process.

loose skin.... started my plastic surg saving fund already!!!

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Me too!

_{You are so right change is never easy. However' date=' I think when we look at the purpose not only to change our bodies but to change our life. I have beem overweight all my life but never really thought about it until recently that this is a time in my life were diabeties, high blood pressure, etc is a part of my reality because of my weight. I know that I have a problem with the way I think about food and need help and to stop those diseases from catching me I have to do something. I will pray that you will find the road that is best for you. Best of Luck lady!!![/sub']}

_{You are absolutely correct. If my health was not a concern I don't think the surgery would be an option. I'm pre diabetic accompanied by back and knee pain. food has always Been my vice as I got older and my weight started to increase I didn't think It was that big if a deal. When I look at my family most of them look just like me. This is what I was used to. Until my 4 yeast old started to ask me if I was pregnant. That was the most hurtful thing ever. Worst than not being able to walk up the subway stairs without worrying about passing out, worst then listening to my family doctor tell me year after year you have to do something about your weight. The surgery is a tool. A tool to set us up for success for a healthy comfortable life......best wishes Jill}

Hi everybody! My surgeon suggested that I go to this website as it's a great source of information' date=' support, etc. I only ust started this particular journey last week, with my first visit with my surgeon, nutritionist, and insurance advocate (called a Navigator). I haven't completely decided whether or not to have the surgery and to be honest, I'm not sure what's holding me back.

I spoke with my therapist about it yesterday and we determined that I'm probably afraid of the change it will bring about. Most people don't handle change well and I'm no different. It takes me a little while to get acclimated and for the change to become a new normal. So, I think a lot of my fear is based on the fear of not feeling "comfortable" within myself. Don't know if that makes any sense.

Anyway, I look forward to reading through as many posts as I can and being an active member of this site.

Jodi[/quote']

Hi Jodi,

I am also at the very start of my journey. I went to the seminar and my first consult is next Friday. I preciously saw another surgeon but was not comfortable with him. So that was a minor set back because I had to wait a month for that appointment then spent another 3 weeks reading and doing as much research as I could. Then I found my current surgeon. In happy with him. I think we are all nervous about making a full blow change in life but, I can say this is the best thing I have done for myself in a long time.

Good luck on your journey!

Congratulations on taking your life back. You will have many ups and downs and we will be here to help you through your journey.

Thank you Tamara I appreciate the support!!!

Not being sleeved yet' date=' I probably am the wrong person to answer but I personally like bigger breasts. I am a 44D pre-sleeve and wish I was a DD. Post surgery, I would go for a D cup because in high school, I was a C and it was too small for my liking.[/quote']

Totally agree I am a 38D cup already thinking about implants and I have not been sleeved as of yet.

Soooo, Today officially started what i like to call my road to recovery. Today I attended the information seminar at Mt Sinai hospital in NYC. This feels like the best thing I have done for myself in a long time.