cas

You know funny thing last nite, I was thinking about all the comments of what people are going to say as they lose weight and the explanations. Now understand that I am a fairly private person when it comes to my feelings and life. However, I feel I have been on this journey for most of my life and now I am embarking on another journey where I will be healthy, happy and skinny! lol There are things in life that I am sure that people do not approve of, just as there are things in life that I do not approve of, however, it is very difficult for someone who has never had a weight issue to understand WLS and the need for it by some; and that is an opinion that will never change. I do not live my life for others and I do not expect they live theirs for me. If I am not truthful about why and how I am losing weight, I am not being truthful with myself and that is what got me into this, as well as some genes! So, I will be honest about it and if I meet those staggering looks, so be it......I am excited about this journey and the light at the end of the tunnel and will not allow that excitement to be taken from me. Besides, this surgery is no different that anyone needing cardiac, orthopedic or otherwise, if it is broken you fix it.......And that my friends is my wisdom of the day...LOL!

I just completed the last of requirements for insurance this week. Submission to insurance sometime next week by my surgeon. My endoscope is scheduled for Feb 1st. I am told that it takes about 2 weeks for insurance to make a decision, I have Humana PPO Healthy Living, so I guess we will see what they say....I am shooting for a date the 1st week of March. I also have not told many, only my parents daughter and life partner (all who are very supportive). I am so ready for this as it has been many years of researching, thinking, diets etc. A little nervous though as I am 58. My BMI is 35.5 with approx. 70 lbs. to lose. I think I am more nervous about the insurance company than anything else, it is a battle that I do not feel we should have to endure after everything we have done to come this far! Good luck to everyone...hope all goes well and we will be in this together...March 2013 will be independence month for us!

You know funny thing last nite, I was thinking about all the comments of what people are going to say as they lose weight and the explanations. Now understand that I am a fairly private person when it comes to my feelings and life. However, I feel I have been on this journey for most of my life and now I am embarking on another journey where I will be healthy, happy and skinny! lol There are things in life that I am sure that people do not approve of, just as there are things in life that I do not approve of, however, it is very difficult for someone who has never had a weight issue to understand WLS and the need for it by some; and that is an opinion that will never change. I do not live my life for others and I do not expect they live theirs for me. If I am not truthful about why and how I am losing weight, I am not being truthful with myself and that is what got me into this, as well as some genes! So, I will be honest about it and if I meet those staggering looks, so be it......I am excited about this journey and the light at the end of the tunnel and will not allow that excitement to be taken from me. Besides, this surgery is no different that anyone needing cardiac, orthopedic or otherwise, if it is broken you fix it.......And that my friends is my wisdom of the day...LOL!

I am scheduled for March 8, and can't wait! My wife wanted to go around the same time, but someone at her job is out getting bunion surgery, so she'll have to wait until the end of April for hers.
Like a lot of people here, I'm also hesitant about telling people about all of this. I've only told 2 people I work with: my boss (because there are days I need to leave work early for appointments), and a woman I work with who had the lap band surgery (my wife and I were originally considering lap band until we did more research and decided on the sleeve). I'm just not sure i can deal with people thinking I "took the easy way out", or any other negative things. My wife asks what I'm gonna say when people ask how I lost the weight, and I tell her I'll just say that I put less food in my mouth, which isn't a lie (just a half-truth).
I'm 6'1", and 274 lbs. I'd be thrilled to get down to 190, I'll reassess once I approach 200. I'm on medication for high blood pressure and GERD, have sleep apnea, and slightly high cholesterol and triglycerides. I hope to be able to get off my medications.

Hi Nana, glad to see another Granny. My doc does not actually require me to do the shakes before surgery, just kind of taste them. Strict low fat diet 2 weeks before surgery and Clear Liquids right before. I am kind of glad because didn't want to get burned out on them before I get started. I also found out the normal progression he does after surgery, each doc is different. In hospital and a couple of days after you go home is clear liquids, then he goes up to full and clear, for a week or so and then full and within about a month to the soft. I don't have the exact progression in front of me, I have not been but a friend who has same doc just went, so that helped a lot on planning what things to have on hand and I don't have to worry so much about the clear Protein because I can have the choc and vanilla etc. fairly quickly. Love following all the posts, I wish I had more time, sometimes I don't get on everyday. Busy weekend so won't be on much the next two days. Byeee for now.

I have been waiting sooooo long to post to a thread like this. I have my date!!!!!!!
March 14th!!!! I have a 5 day liquid diet prior, so March 9. Cool thing about he timin of it is that I get to have my food funeral at Disney World, lol. I'll be there for a week end of feb. MARCH 14th!!!!!!
I am 5'9" and weigh in at a whopping 290. I don't know what my goal is. Ultimately 150, but I hope to be down 100 pounds in a year. Hell, anything in onederland sounds good right now.
YAY!!!!!!!

Thank you. We will all be sleeved and helping each other out

Wanted to update everyone that my doctors office called today and has bumped up my surgery to February 28!

Hello everyone
I'm new to this site. I have decided to have the VSG because I have not succeeded in dieting or with diet drugs. I have battled with my weight most of my adult life. After having my first child 28 years ago, I kept my pregnancy weight on and only lost 20lbs. I went from 145lbs to 190lbs then down to 170lbs after I delivered. Two kids and a hysterectomy later, I currently weigh 276lbs. My highest was 283lbs. I am limited when it comes to excersise because I had a fall back in 2001 where I fractured my tail bone and injured my lumbar spine. Having the VSG will be the greatest thing to ever happen to me other than my children and my three beautiful grandchildren.
I am currently in the preop stage of my journey. I have gone through the initial orientation and had my first visit with the M.D. Next month (February 2013) I will have my second M.D. appointment and my Psychiatric Eval. Because of my insurance I have to see the Bariatric M.D. for 6 months. If anyone has any suggestions for me please feel free to leave comments.
Thx, Rhodaj

danyellhoweth 24.1 lbs - thats how much weight you've lost in 40 short days!!!! WooHoo
like all my predecessors said you are doing great, walking, eating right, -(patting your tummy at the same time too??)
you are losing perfectly
don't worry, don't be hard on yourself -
its true - we didn't go to sleep one night, all of a sudden "heavy", same respect to waking up one morning..and all of a sudden be thin- won't happen no way no how!!!
weight will continue to come off - you/we can hurry the weight loss process with your proper eating and exercise, but the truth is - the weight will come of when "it" is ready to
god grant me patience, just hurry up about it
keep "up" the good work, while you watch your weight go "down"
good luck

I am waiting on insurance approval, paperwork was submitted on Wednesday.

Approved yes in two days, I have AARP SecureHorizons/ Medicare, Drs office kept telling me not not covered yet so I called and they said yes its covered called Drs office told them they said no its not covered Medicare in Oregon yet So i call insurance back 2 more times they said yes 2 more time called Drs office again they said if I want and gave them permission they would send it in but that it would be ugly if I got turned down and lots of work... 2 days latter its approved

Congrats to everyone...waiting for ins approval, so glad to hear that so many have not has issues with their insurance...gives me HOPE! And, Granniegoforit....this Nana is onboard too! lol

Hi, I am not sure if I will be the middle of March or 1st of April. I am in the process of getting everything done and the last classes that are require will be at the very 1st of March. Once I get all the medical requirements finished I will try to get them to set an actually date. Enjoyed reading all your comments.

Okay I was nervous waiting for approval and 2 of my good friends one who had the sleeve herself said call them, bug the heck out of the insurance company, well I called and I was approved 30 mins ago and now I am really nervous as all get out. I have BCBS of IL insurance, I got approval and did all the requirements done in less than a month about 3 weeks really. I am stoked and nervous for real now......

March 14th here!!!!!

I am trying to schedule my sleeve for March 27 in Langhorne PA, Batrix Clinics.

Me too. My surgery is 3/14... Congrats

having my surgery March 21st!!!!

Hi everyone! I'm a longtime member of VST but after a couple years of on-and-off lurking, this is my first actual post. I'm excited to share that I'm tentatively scheduled to have surgery with Dr. Perez in Cancun on March 8th. Just need to make sure I can expedite my passport delivery and such! It's something I've waited a long time for, and it's been extremely frustrating because my insurance coverage specifically excludes weight loss surgery or treatment of any type. I finally realized I could just take a loan from my 401K to pay for the surgery in Mexico, and honestly, I am floating on Cloud Nine with the realization that I'm finally going to have the tool I need to change my life forever. I've been struggling with my weight from an extremely early age (let's just say I was always embarrassed of my school photos from second grade onward), and I never thought I'd see the day where reaching my ideal weight actually seemed like a realistic goal.
I'm excited to be here with you guys to share our experiences and thoughts as we make this journey, and I'd love to make some sleeve buddies! If anyone else is planning to be in Cancun on March 8th, please send me a message - let's chat!

You know funny thing last nite, I was thinking about all the comments of what people are going to say as they lose weight and the explanations. Now understand that I am a fairly private person when it comes to my feelings and life. However, I feel I have been on this journey for most of my life and now I am embarking on another journey where I will be healthy, happy and skinny! lol There are things in life that I am sure that people do not approve of, just as there are things in life that I do not approve of, however, it is very difficult for someone who has never had a weight issue to understand WLS and the need for it by some; and that is an opinion that will never change. I do not live my life for others and I do not expect they live theirs for me. If I am not truthful about why and how I am losing weight, I am not being truthful with myself and that is what got me into this, as well as some genes! So, I will be honest about it and if I meet those staggering looks, so be it......I am excited about this journey and the light at the end of the tunnel and will not allow that excitement to be taken from me. Besides, this surgery is no different that anyone needing cardiac, orthopedic or otherwise, if it is broken you fix it.......And that my friends is my wisdom of the day...LOL!

You know funny thing last nite, I was thinking about all the comments of what people are going to say as they lose weight and the explanations. Now understand that I am a fairly private person when it comes to my feelings and life. However, I feel I have been on this journey for most of my life and now I am embarking on another journey where I will be healthy, happy and skinny! lol There are things in life that I am sure that people do not approve of, just as there are things in life that I do not approve of, however, it is very difficult for someone who has never had a weight issue to understand WLS and the need for it by some; and that is an opinion that will never change. I do not live my life for others and I do not expect they live theirs for me. If I am not truthful about why and how I am losing weight, I am not being truthful with myself and that is what got me into this, as well as some genes! So, I will be honest about it and if I meet those staggering looks, so be it......I am excited about this journey and the light at the end of the tunnel and will not allow that excitement to be taken from me. Besides, this surgery is no different that anyone needing cardiac, orthopedic or otherwise, if it is broken you fix it.......And that my friends is my wisdom of the day...LOL!

Best of luck to you, i am 5'7" at 284 right now hope to get to 150

I will tell people the truth once I start losing the weight. It's not that I enjoy lying to people, honestly I prefer to be honest right from the start, however there is so much negativity attributed with WLS. Even from those that I have told I still feel they have their "doubts" that this time will be different from all the stuff I've tried over the years and that I'll actually be successful this time. Once I am proving I can be successful with this "tool" then I will feel more comfortable being honest about it. I would never feel right if someone ever asked "did you have WLS?" saying no and denying it. I feel like being honest could help someone else in a similar situation-I just want to get comfortable with my sleeve before I feel everyone's judging me!