becky2013

Hi prestons_nana, I am doing really good. Just broke a stall myself and hoping to lose some more lbs. down 61 lbs and feeling a lot better. I find when stalls happen my body is losing in inches so I don't mind them at all. lol If you have been on one for a long time try something different with your eating. Maybe go back to all liquids or eat a little more carbs. Sometimes you have to trick the body so it will start working again. Sorry it took so long to answer you. Hope you are doing well.

This is from a post I made a few weeks ago' date=' it does not answer everything you asked about but it fall into the "tool" part (with an additional comment to follow):

"It was asked of me last weekend if I could clarify one thing about WLS, if I could make one notable point that has not been mentioned what it would be. So I thought, hmmmm….

We are constantly reminded that after WLS our stomachs have gone from being a sources of distress, these large cavernous things that CAUSED us to be overweight, FORCED us into eating poorly, etc. to valuable tools we use to lose weight. We have changed our stomachs to be sure. What, however did we change them to? VGS is generally a laparoscopic procedure that removed most of the body of the stomach. Starting generally below the pylorus, the suture/staple/cauterizing procedure extended along the length of the body of the stomach and removed the greater chamber, and may or may not have removed the fundus. So now what, what does that mean?

Now we have our tool. We eat less, we have to. The weight comes off. It may drop like a rock or progress slower. Different body types, health issues, meds, and still the foods we choose to consume will help determine this. So we have a tool for weight LOSS.

Then we maintain. Now we just eat less and it stays off, right? If you have been on the forum for even a little while you will see it is not always that easy. There are still many questions, lots of issues and answers still to be figured out, each in our own way and time. Many questions are about how to use the tool in maintenance.

BUT this post is not about maintenance; it is about the in-between, one of the less mentioned but in my opinion more profound things we do with this tool that affects our success. I define success not by an ideal size or shape but ability - ability to be a size that allows me to be active, and healthy, and off at least some medication, to name a few things. These are not the only goals I have, but they are the achievements I have that I now use to have a far superior lifestyle to the one I had before.

A big shift I have undergone is that I recognized that my tummy did something I did not expect. It provided a way to eat less and it has definite, defined physical ways it has assisted me, no doubt. Mentally it has assisted and even raised more questions! Beyond that, however, there is something more, and whether or not I embrace it I think is the true test of how successful this will be for me. I am talking about the “gap”. I have tried to find any reference to it in the articles and such that I spend a bit of time reading but so far I have not found that many.

The gap I refer to is that space that we never met successfully when we dieted. The ‘ –‘ in yo-yo. That point where the adulation of successful weight loss, and health and compliments began to lose momentum. It lagged with stress of home life, maybe. It was the burger and fries when, honestly, even if it had been a lackluster salad one could have ordered that instead, heck ordered TWO, whatever to be full – but did not. It is the sinking feeling one get when 50 lbs. of weight loss did not make the ailing marriage better, or the bills did not pay themselves. Maybe the issues that were under those layers were still there and still hurt. food was there, with food came feelings of comfort and simultaneous guilt, and a yo-yo began before the weight even crept back on.

Here is the “gap” the ‘ –‘ in yo-yo, and here is where our new friends, our new tummies, kick in. I think it is much underrated in the WLS journey. Our sleeves fill the “gap”. In between that space that we could not overcome, that ‘– ‘ in the yo-yo. We do not eat the burger and fries, we cannot overindulge by volume. We have a means to bridge that gap, if we want it. I think our longest terms of success can be affected by how we choose to take advantage of this bridge over the gap. Better habits, educating ourselves on food choices, understanding what got us here, learning to forgive and set vanity aside. Repairing the mental damage from being in the shells we were in, this is something our sleeves offer us that we did not have before. Much more important than just eating less and as vital as exercise - we have time. Time to recover before we even stumble, time to get equanimity from our minds and bodies at the same time we do not regress to bad habits and start that journey back up the scale.

We have time to make time – days and months and years to in turn create space to enjoy those days and months and years. If we did not gain a day from this, we gain quality. You know the sayings about rather have quality of years over a lot of years? We get an opportunity for both!!! From VGS and the bridge it gave over the “gap”."

Now, as far as everyone struggling years later, that is falling back into habits, and eating foods that they ate before. No one wants to hear this but you are undergoing a permanent, life altering event. To enjoy a long-term success, you will need to permanently alter your choices of foods, exercise as you can, get control of emotional triggers and I would seriously recommend reading “The Power of Habit” by Dughil.

If you are asking why incorporate this, and make the struggle easier, and yet still struggle – but say struggle at 250 lbs rather than 400, or 180 rather than 250. Well, that is your answer.[/quote']

Well said. Bravo Bravo.

I just got my approval today after 3appeals' date=' this being 4 and I wanted to jump thru the phone and hug the operator - it has been an emotional journey that I'm now looking forward to a new uplifting mix of emotions on the journey to new me[/quote']

Hey urbangal22 how are you doing? Hope all went well for you and you are starting to feel much better. The operator had a good laugh at me for all the craziness I did when she told me I was approved lol it's like you just won a ticket to fly to the moon.

When I am released for exercise I am joining a gym that has a large pool that does Water exercise and I can also swim laps. I so can't wait to get this started. Good luck on your hip replacement chris54.

I'm just a week post - op and i sure hope it helps. I have osteoarthritis in both knees and back. Doc said i would need double knee replacement. Trying to avoid this. I will sure keep you updated.

I'll tell whoever ask. Once I told Mom and Dad they were spreading the news. Lol you gonna get neg. and positive feed back. My body my decision I don't want the stress of hiding this from anybody because I know they will find out sooner or later, rather deal with it now. But I can truly say I've had almost all good support. Start my new life tomorrow morning @ 7:00. Best of luck to everybody in whatever decision you make.

I'm worried about being able to get my liquids and Protein in also. My job is only allowing me to be off the Wednesday of my surgery and expects me to be back on Monday. I've done it before, but it was just a lap gallbladder...not something major like having the biggest part of my stomach cut out! They just don't understand!! I might just have to take the risk and call in sick for a few days to allow myself to get used to things!

I'm sept 25. I'm very nervous. Ansthesia...just thought of being put to sleep makes me nervous! But I'm so ready for this surgery:) mix emotions I guess.

I'm September 16th, too, and nervous and excited all at once! I woke up at 2AM holding my stomach and saying to myself, "You're about to have 85 percent of your stomach removed. Have you lost your damn mind?"

Hello cbware, I turned 51 on Aug. 31 also. I will be sleeved on 9-16-13 and can hardly wait. I need to start eating healthy and quit eating all these good old southern foods that we were raised up on. lol Good luck to you and so happy about the weight you have already lost.

No diet for me required. Doc said only for BMI 50 and above. I am doing one meal a day and the rest liquids just to make sure. So ready for my Sept. 16 day of surgery. Good luck to everyone.

Hello All, I'm having my surgery on Sept. 16th 2013 and So Excited. So happy for everyone.

My date is Sept 16th. I'm excited and nervous

Hey I'm also from Louisiana

Hello Sept. Sleevers I am also scheduled on Sept. 16, 2013 and I am so Happy. Seems like a life time of waiting for that Approval. Lol

Ready to get this done and start feeling better. So Happy for everyone that is having their new life started. Hope and Pray that all goes well with each and everyone of you. No leaks or issues.

Hey Fat Pat No More, hope you get your Approval really soon. Nothing like the feeling of hearing them say it is approved, you want to jump up and do a dance, maybe a slow dance lol.

Hey Jeanie S Looks like you are doing great. Your a La. lady. I'm from Denham Springs. Glad to Know another La person.

Hey Smryan this is the best site ever. It covers any and everything you could want to know about WLS before and after. I love this site. Been on it for quite a while. Hope you are feeling well.

Thank you Bellahugz I sure can use all the prayers I can get. I also pray for everyone's surgery to have no complications and great success.

Thank you PattyGee for the congrats, so ready to get this done. Feels like forever.

It seems like a life time from my start date in March 2013 on inquiring about this surgery. I was denied in July and after an appeal I have been approved by my Insurance today and received my surgery date today.

I am so Happy to finally get a healthier me. Praying for a surgery with no issues. Want to thank everyone for their input into this site y'all made it much easier know what is to come from the good to the bad. Life is sure a mixture of emotions and that is what make the world go round.

Here's hoping for great success for everyone.

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Doc. submitted paper work on Friday 7/12/2013. Still waiting to hear something from Aetna. If approved I think my surgery date will be 8/12/2013. Will be so happy to get this done and hope to get off my BP meds' date=' CPAP machine, Fluid pills,and hope my Knees feel better. I pray that the Lord guides the Doctors hands while he preforms this surgery on everyone having the surgery. NO LEAKS!! AMEN[/quote']

Man that stinks. So sorry you had so much trouble. Sure hope the letter the Doc sends will be enough. So glad you got your approval and good luck with your new life. Praying all goes well with you.

Aetna did the same thing to me after my first denial. I was told I did not complete my 90 days when in fact I completed 120 days over 4 consecutive months.

Someone had there dates wrong!!! Call them yourself they will answer any questions you have.

Well found out today that Aetna denied my surgery due to not completing the 90 days.

I counted up and I had completed 97 days. Doc will appeal and there will be a Pier to Pier review.

Sure hope it doesn't take to long for them to approve this. Surgery was scheduled for Aug. 12, 2013.

Can hardly wait to get this weight off and new improved health. Come on AETNA help me make this happen.

Doc. submitted paper work on Friday 7/12/2013. Still waiting to hear something from Aetna. If approved I think my surgery date will be 8/12/2013. Will be so happy to get this done and hope to get off my BP meds, CPAP machine, Fluid pills, and hope my Knees feel better. I pray that the Lord guides the Doctors hands while he preforms this surgery on everyone having the surgery. NO LEAKS!! AMEN

Hello Jeanie, I think you will do just fine. I hope to have surgery this Aug. not sure the date yet. Just submitted my paperwork today. I will be 51 this Aug. 31 and I am so excited to have this done. Would love to have some of my health issues corrected by having the suregery, and I am told it should help.