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It's good to take your time to make such an important decision--there are lots of factors to weigh. If you do decide to take a longer flight, just be sure to get up and walk the length of the plane every hour or so. I personally want a non-stop flight, especially for after the surgery because I don't want to deal with potentially/probably being sore and making my way through an airport for a connecting flight, even if I do get someone to wheel me in a wheelchair, as suggested. Btw, flying is really safe (and fun, IMO), so don't worry about that part. I am not sure if Dr. Lopez works with Ready 4 a Change and I can understand being attached to a good coordinator, but I ultimately decided on A Lighter Me because of the reviews I read here comparing the 2 (basically that the A Lighter Me drivers are more attentive/accommodating while you're there). I can't remember--when are you thinking about having surgery? Take your time making up your mind--it is a big decision.

You have to fly into PV, but it looks like it's beautiful. I considered getting it done there, but I'm going with TJ because it's closer to home, which means a shorter flight. I am worried about a long flight because blood clots/DVT are a risk when flying long distances even if you haven't had major surgery. You do also know that you can have Dr. Lopez in TJ, right?

I was able to do an extremely low-carb diet successfully about 10 years ago and lost a good deal of weight, but I couldn't sustain it and gained it all back, plus lots more. The other problem that I'm looking forward to alleviating with my sleeve is that it is so hard physically for me to exercise at this weight and exercise is a big deal in sustained weight loss/maintenance also. I'm afraid I can't think of anything as effective as WLS, so do you mind if I ask why it is not an option for your daughter?

You look great and you look happy! Wishing you continued success!

I personally would do the math and figure out how much I would wind up spending on COBRA to be covered throughout the entire process (including follow-ups) and also how much I would spend if I kept COBRA for as long as it can last. Then, I would compare that to how much it would cost to do self-pay either in Mexico (as low as ~$4500) or in the U.S. (the lowest I've seen is ~$11,000) and see which one makes most sense financially. I know a lot of people don't feel comfortable with the Mexico option, but there are lots of people on here who've done it and I will be one of them, come March. You can read lots of reviews and such in the Self-Pay/Mexico forum. There are also a lot of people who have done self-pay in the U.S. and you can read about their experiences also--it just depends on your comfort level and finances. I would also find out if it's possible to get on hubby's insurance (and if they would cover it) and keep my fingers crossed about Medicaid. Best of luck to you!

Being nervous right now is perfectly normal. Try to remember that you have lots of people wishing you well here (as well as any loved ones you may have told)--that's part of what's going to help me when my surgery date finally arrives. I wish you a smooth surgery, a speedy recovery, and much success!

In addition to the great suggestions already given and depending upon where you live, you might either host or see if you can find a clothing swap party. Here are instructions on how to do it, which also explain what it is: http://www.moneycrashers.com/clothing-swap-party-exchange/. There is even a website for online clothing swap: http://www.swapstyle.com/. I know it's frustrating to not quite fit into any of your clothes, but the fact that it's because you're losing so much weight is kind of a happy burden, isn't it? Best of luck!

You look great! Thanks for sharing your pics!

You look great (and from your recent pic, it doesn't even look like you have 70 more pounds to lose)! Wishing you continued success!

I am self-pay also, but I am in grad school, so I have to work around my school schedule. I'm getting it done in March, during Spring Break. I wish I didn't have to wait, but it also gives me plenty of time to research and read about everyone's experiences--good, bad, and in-between. You should definitely make up your own mind about when is the right time for you and not worry about what others think (even your mom, as hard as that is) because you are the one living in your skin and you know your struggles in a way that no one else possibly can. I also think TheGamer's suggestion about changing the subject with your mom (or anyone unsupportive) is a good one.

This is precisely why I'm not telling my mom until afterwards--she's a worrier and she'll stress me out. I'm 37, but I'm still her child. I wish I had some good advice for you. I do have an unsupportive best friend and it's not nearly the same as a disapproving parent, but I am seriously concerned that my decision and her reaction/attitude might end our friendship.

Yes, it's true. Also aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and any other NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) because they can cause ulcers. Someone posted a link in another thread to a book about pre- and post-op care that explains this. Here is the link (see pg. 12): http://www.muhealth.org/documents/bariatric/Bariatric%20Booklet%20VSG.pdf

That is fantastic! Thanks for being one more source of inspiration--it really does mean a lot to us pre-ops to see great successes.

I'm having surgery on March 22 with Dr. Lopez in TJ.

Congrats! Do you mind if I ask how long it's been since your surgery? I'm always really inspired by before and after pics and can't wait until I can share some of my own!

I haven't had my surgery yet, but I have read that the emotional rollercoaster happens a lot as you lose so much fat and release the estrogen stored in your fat cells (I don't know why it doesn't happen to guys as much--maybe testosterone counteracts it? maybe women are just more conditioned to be in tune with our emotions? I'm just speculating, really no clue). How long ago did you have your surgery? I have also read a lot about the 3-week stall and I know to expect other stalls along the way. Keep in mind that even though you might not be losing pounds, you're probably still losing inches. The body takes time to recompose itself. I know it's easier said than done, but try to stay focused on the positive--you've lost 29# already! Try to look at your non-scale victories and know that more loss will come. Wishing you great success!

In addition to those already mentioned: Fit in seats better (e.g. at the theatre, on the bus/airplane, etc) Be able to buy sexy bras (and clothes and shoes) Be able to go into pretty much any store and find clothes that fit Be able to walk more than a few feet uphill without being winded Not be horrified to look at myself in pictures (or try to avoid having them taken at all) Have better odds for good employment opportunities (hiring and salary) Have better sex I may add more as I think about this, but this is a good start.

Thanks very much for this. It looks like it's going to be very informative.

Like everyone else has said, you look great and it's good to have more muscle because muscle burns at least 4 times as many calories as fat does (Dr. Oz, on metabolism). Keep up the good work!

Yeah, as much as it pains me to be patient, I'm going to wait until March, as planned. Probably the biggest problem with getting it done sooner and either missing Tuesday or totally being out of it is that I'm a teaching assistant and Tuesday is the day that I will have to teach 3 classes back-to-back (which can be challenging even on a normal day). I'm trying to look on the bright side: I have been taking the extra time to take advantage of sales on things that I will need pre- and post-op that I can stock up on, such as Gatorade, soup, jello, etc. Slowly preparing helps me to feel like it's not so far away.

I know activity on this thread is pretty sporadic, but I just wanted to say hello. I am the B in GBLT, presently in a heterosexual relationship. I love all of my GBLT (and straight) brothers and sisters! I am still pre-surgery, but I am glad to have found such a supportive space to share this journey.

I think that Valentine's Day is probably a bigger deal to me than to him--in general, not if I had to choose between celebrating something we could do any day and having the surgery, though--but I could see him giving me a hard time about it (hopefully jokingly). I honestly think he would be more concerned with me missing school and not having enough recovery time, which of course, is also my main concern.

I know you weren't asking me directly, but my b-day is Feb. 12, so that's another reason I wanted to move surgery up to Feb. 15 (or Jan. 18)--would be the best birthday present ever. Even going in March, I'm considering it a belated birthday/Christmas present to myself (because Lord knows I can't afford to buy anything else for myself until then).

Thank you so much for the reassurance. I'm really not scared of TJ or the surgery, especially after reading everyone's stories, and I've decided to go alone in March. My main problem now is a lack of patience--I'd do it tomorrow if I could. I will PM you with my questions. In the meantime, I wish you great success!

This is bad--I was seriously just sitting here looking over my school calendar to try to see if I could move my surgery date up by a month. I have been told that some college students do it over a long weekend and I do have one in February, for Presidents Day. To make it happen, though, I would need to leave on Valentine's Day (I'm guessing my bf wouldn't exactly be pleased) and I would miss at least 2 days of school (the Friday before and the Tuesday after). Technically, along this same line of thinking, I could even potentially move it up by 2 months (long weekend in January for MLK Day), but still have the same school issues. The whole point of choosing Spring Break (my actual, sane plan) is that I will have almost a week to recover at home without having to go to school. So this is crazy, right? I know it is, but going 1-2 months sooner--anything to shorten this wait--is so attractive. Patience, sadly, is not one of my virtues