Rena's got this

I am 8 months out. I had a 2 month stall after 5 months. I was beginning to feel that this was it for me, and I would be stuck at the 200 lb mark. Then I got a 24-hour stomach bug during which I couldn't/didn't want to eat anything. The next day when I started eating again, I could definitely feel the restriction that had somehow disappeared. The weight started dropping off again, 2-3 pounds a week. I'm no longer going to be concerned with stalls, my body will just do what it wants and will adjust as needed. Last night I went to a pot luck dinner, and got a bit grumpy at all the wonderful foods that I could only take a small taste of, but it was just a little annoyance compared to not gaining any of this weight back. I'm happy... and that is something to really be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

Darn it! I LOVE fudge. Especially the kind with the walnuts. I bypassed some the other day and all day was kicking myself for not going ahead and getting it for just a small bite. I'm only 3 months out, and still trying to develop those good habits, but that nagging voice in my head all the rest of the day begging for just a small piece of fudge was a real bummer!

AMEN! There is one related subject that I won't be posting about anymore because I perceived some responses to be harsh. I was already down in the dumps and made a post asking for advice regarding food choices. Some of the responses made me feel like I was having my hand slapped due to my choices, and I understood their point, but I came out feeling a lot more depressed. Thanks Alex....we are all in this to support each other.

Well.... I finished my 6 months last November, and everything was submitted to my insurance. BCBS of Alabama has a reputation of denial on the first try, and yes, my initial application was applied. I rounded up some more medical records and my surgeon re-submitted everything, and whaddya know, I was approved a week and a half later. I'm not quite sure why they approved me the second try, but I'm happy. My sleeve date is February 25, 2014. It has been a long haul, and I'm not quite there yet, but the beginning is in sight!

3 more months to go *sigh*. It isn't going by very fast at all. Yeah...I know....whine, whine whine!

OMG....how creative you are! Your director should realize what a great employee they have and give you an appropriate pay raise for saving your organization lots of money from having to take and respond to those annoying calls!

I know....it will help me to prepare. I've already been preparing for nearly a year though. I've totally weaned myself off of any carbonated drinks, when I used to be addicted to diet cokes. I don't drink alcohol....except maybe once every six months or so. I don't really like the way it makes me feel. I only drink water now, but every now and then I'll have lemonade, and rarely, tea. I have found some protein drinks that I like, and I swap them for meals every now and then. The Premier Protein chocolate drinks are exceptionally good. I think my main problem right now is getting in any exercise. I had knee surgery in December, and my knees still bother me to the point where it is difficult to walk, much less walk any length of time. Swimming pools are not an option. I could join a local gym, but the motivation to go just isn't present. THAT is what I need to work on.

Finally got my PCP doctor to refer me for weight loss surgery, and am just now starting the 6 month diet requirement. I think this requirement is absolutely rubbish. I need the sleeve now! My PCP did a whole bunch of lab work on me, and my pre-diabetes is almost to the point where it IS diabetes. She put me back on Metformin...yuk! That stuff is difficult for my body to tolerate initially. I had to take half a day off work today sick with nausea and the runs. She also put me on Vitamin D, Lipitor, Thyroid meds, and Iron. Sigh... At least she told me that she has to get me healthy to get ready for the surgery. That made me feel better at least. My new cpap machine is wonderful, and I'm glad to have it, but the sleep mask hurts my face. I've swapped it out for a smaller one, and that one isn't much better. Still sooo tired.... Six months seem so long.....

Well I did have sleep apnea...pretty severe, so I have another co-morbidity. Yay...I guess. I missed my nutritionist appointment. Just totally spaced it and felt terrible, since I had been waiting nearly a month to get it. I'll just have to reschedule in a few more months. I saw my regular doc today, and she said she would refer me to Dr. Turton for weight loss surgery! I am so excited! I thought she would be totally against it, since she is so tall and thin. She just shook her head at me and said that this surgery would probably result in all your problems going away. I was nearly in tears. She set up the 6 month diet with one of her nutritionists and said they would accept it from them because they had in the past. I feel that I'm truly on my way now!!!!

Did my sleep apnea test last night. I couldn't drop off to sleep until around 3:30. They woke me up at 6am to go home. The technician was really nice. He told me that he thought I might have restless legs syndrome because my legs would twitch and that seemed to be keeping me awake. He also told me that I did have sleep apnea and I'd get my official results in 2-3 days. Lordy. I'm so tired right now. It took me a while to get all the gunk out of my hair from the electrodes this morning when I went home.

Even when I could, I hated running, but I did it. It has been one of the only ways I was able to keep my weight down. I actually got down to 130 in the 1980s by running 7 miles 3 times a week, but I couldn't keep it up. Now I don't run at all, and like you, can't even do a few steps. I live in a college town, and watching all these young folks jogging around the neighborhood makes me realize that I do want to be able to run again. I couldn't imagine I would ever want to do that again...until I couldn't do it.

Knocked out my psych eval today. The doc was very supportive and told me that I was an ideal candidate in his mind. He told me that in two weeks he would forward his report to my surgeon. Nice... Cost me $100.00 in co-pay, but if all goes well, it'll be worth it.

I get mine at either Kroger or Sams Club. Last week I got a pack of 24 at Sams Club for $18.00 ...maybe that was a pack of 18, I'd have to go back and check. I'm pretty sure that Walmart will have them too. I think I saw them at Walgreens and CVS, but I'm not sure. You can always order them online from Amazon.com, and sometimes I think they have sales on them! I've only had the chocolate, but they also sell them in vanilla.

Try the Premier Protein shakes, they have 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. Tastes pretty good to me, like chocolate milk. I haven't been sleeved yet, but it curbs my hunger.

You are NOT being petty. It seems to me she either has a narcissistic personality where she thinks the whole world revolves around her and heaven forbid that you get any attention, or she might see you as possible competition down the road for whatever. This isn't the type of person I'd hang around with a lot.

Thanks for all the comments ladies, I really appreciate them. I just found out that my sister in law is having bypass surgery in 25 days! We were both talking about it about a month ago, thinking that we might go this route, and now she has a surgery date for a bypass without having to do the six month thingy! (Tricare) I'm very happy for her, of course, but it is so soon! ....I'm so jealous!

Oh my gosh.... its going to be a busy month. I had my initial consultation with my surgeon and got the ball rolling. I've set up appointments with the nutritionist, the psychologist, with a physician for sleep apnea testing, and had my first weight watcher's meeting, beginning the six month weight loss management requirement (BCBS of Alabama). I felt really guilty during the Weight Watcher's meeting, knowing that I was just going through the motions, but who knows, maybe I'll actually lose more than 9 pounds this time. Looking back on my medical history I actually found that I'd been diagnosed with GERD in 2011, so that is one more co-morbidity that could help my case for getting my insurance to cover this surgery. I still have to get with my primary care physician and get her to monitor my 6 month requirement. She still doesn't know that I want to do this, and I'm afraid she'll try and talk me out of it. She is one of these tall willowy types, never ever been overweight, but she does make comments every now and then about my weight, so maybe....

I just got back from my initial consult. I officially weighed in at 242 lbs and 40.9 BMI. This was higher than I thought, but then, I was wearing all my clothes! I am very comfortable with my choice of surgeon and my only concern at this point is the insurance. I went over the requirements with the nurse, and she is also concerned. She tells me that BCBS of Alabama are very hard and fast with their rules, almost like they are discouraging people who try to get approved for this. My problem is that I haven't been at a 40 BMI the past 3 years. I don't appear to have definite co-morbidities either. I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, and given Metformin for a while, but am off that now. I have Gerd, and also went to the emergency room with one episode. I thought I was having a heart attack, but it was just a bad episode of heartburn! I was diagnosed with high cholesterol, but it is controlled through medication. So anyway, I am going to go ahead with the rest of the requirements. I meet with my nutritionist on April 25th, and that starts my 6 month weight management requirement. I'll need to set up some lab work that the surgeon wants to have done, and he also wants me to undergo a sleep study. This might help with my co-morbidity requirement. Oh.... I so hope that I'll get approved. I need this tool to help me get healthy!

I'm not sure, but your doctor might have put you on a higher calorie level because you are a tall man and you may just require a bit more than us shorties. I haven't had surgery yet, but I'll die if I can't tolerate my sugar free popsicles afterwards! I'm addicted. I've been slowly weaning myself off of sodas, and now for the past two months, I have only drunk water. Good luck to you, and yes, I remember Tab.

My very first reader! Thanks for your kind words. Last night I looked around for pictures to put on my profile, but like you, all my recent ones have been deleted if I even let them be taken. I told my sister because she is my go to person for rides with anything like this. She is about 70 lbs lighter than me, same height. Surprisingly, she was very encouraging. She even told me she had thought before I mentioned it that I might benefit from something like this. Yesterday, she even went as far as to tell me she was somewhat jealous that I could do this. She has been putting on weight too. I breached the subject with my boss, who is heavier than I am. She told me she could never do something like that, so I probably won't mention that I will be doing it if I can get the insurance to cover it. If all goes well, and I start losing the weight, I may let her know at that point. I'm also worried about that 2 week preop diet. But we do what we have to. Its not much longer for you is it? I certainly wish I was at that point, this 6 month waiting period is aggravating!

This week I'll have my first consultation with my weight loss surgeon, Dr. Wes Turton. Like most of us, I've struggled with weight for most of my life. The older I get it seems the faster the weight comes on, probably due to the fact that I'm exercising less and less. When I hit menopause, the gains seemed to go into overdrive. I don't recognize myself. I haven't always been morbidly obese. In fact, I was in the Army and most of the time I was within body fat limits. I was never able to meet the limits just by weight only, but always had to do the "Pinch Test" with calipers. In my minds eye, I still weigh around 150, and although I'm around 235 now at 5'4" tall, I still see myself as not that fat. I feel guilty about the fact that I can't lose this weight on my own. I've tried Nutrasystem, Weight Watchers, Adkins, and even used medically supervised prescriptions such as pentermine and Ionamine. All the results were short lived, and I quickly put back on the weight plus more. Still, I feel that weight loss surgery must be for people much heavier than me. Of course, that doesn't make sense at all. At this point, I look forward to getting this "tool" to help me with my weight loss. Even though I feel embarrassed at having to resort to this, I need to do it for my health. I'm pre-diabetic, have high cholesterol, low thyroid, and my knees are giving out. Diabetes runs heavily in my family and it is only a matter of time before I develop this devastating disease. Wish me luck...I'm just getting started!

Back in 1997, I had an emergency C-section after hours and hours of labor. The c-section was fast, and I was awake, although groggy during the whole thing. Still, I don't remember much pain, got up walking the next day, and healed rather quickly for an old lady of 40. Last year I had laproscopy on my knee, and didn't have much pain from that either. I don't think a Sleeve operation would phase me much.