hopeliveshere

So guys I've been approved for my August 5th surgery date...Can you say excited!!!

Yessssss!!!! Called Cigna @ lunch and got an approval code!!!! Sooo excited, waiting on scheduling to call me!! God is good all the time!!!!!!

If we "tried hard enough" we could be olympic athletes, get 5 doctorate degrees, be a hit on Broadway, make a billion dollars, and beat up Chuck Norris.
We can only do what we have the desire and energy to do.
It's up to us and noone else to decide what that is.

My boyfriend still doesn't fully understand.. He simply can't wrap his head around someone wanting to cut out 3/4 of the stomach. I finally made him understand a bit when I served him a portion of food that was the size that I need to eat in order to create a caloric deficit large enough to lose a significant amount of weight. Of course after eating that he was still hungry (he's skinny but a huge eater) so I explained to him that how he was feeling is how I would have to live every day of my life without the surgery and that WITH the surgery I would be able to be satisfied after eating a small portion. He still maintains that nobody should ever have to eat portions as small as what I do, but he recognizes that without the surgery it would be impossible to eat so little on a consistent basis.. so I guess he's half on board... he's not super supportive, but at least he's not hostile about it. Also I found I don't really NEED his support.. I get plenty from other places.. as long as he's not being negative about it I'm good.

Update! The pathology report from the endoscopy came back negative! I had the barium enema procedure done this morning and my doctor's office called back with the results saying that everything was negative!!
SO!!!......we are full steam ahead for surgery on Monday, 7/22!
I couldn't be happier!! :)

I love this I'm at my half way mark as well. I've completed all of my required testing early in hopes of getting an earlier date. My insurance is a 6 month nutritional classes requirement but, we will see and I will hope.
I hope this lifestyle transition is working for you. I know once we have the procedure it will be an even bigger change. Prayers and blessings are coming your way to support you in this decision. Just continue to believe and God will help us along the path. Motivation and dedication to an healthier you.

hopeliveshere hi there
as you said, "heavy people" have a tendency to have fatty livers
many/most/all surgeons will have patient on a pre-op diet to help reduce that fatty area
the liquid diet will help you lose lbs
some docs say you must lose 5% of your weight before WLS
ie 5% of 200 lbs - you would be required to lose 10 lbs
some docs don't require a pre-op diet (mine didn't)
just tell you to make sure not to gain any weight
try not to stress over this
this is just one the many new rules you will have to follow while you are on the road to health, happiness and a longer life in SLEEVELAND
good luck with WLS
speedy recovery
kathy

I believe that alcoholic and non alcoholic fatty liver are quite different and cirrhosis is far less common with non alcoholic. The fat is actually in our liver cells (though if we are obese we'll almost certainly have more fat than is ideal around our organs too), and the overall size of our liver increases. The Optifast pre-op diet is aimed at decreasing the fat in our liver cells and so the size of our liver. I believe we can decrease the size of our livers by diet, so VSG should really help. Amazingly it's low carb that is most important.
Good luck. It's v common these days (due to growing rate of obesity) but far better to be without!

APPROVED! Insurance just called and Im approved, my drs office should be calling later today to set up pre op appointment.....I cant believe how fast it was approved once they actually got the fax....3 days...Its getting real now!!

/blush. /whistles innocently

From what i have understood the liquid pre-op is to shrink the fat around your liver making the surgery safer. I guess every surgeon is different. Mine also requires a 2 week liquid diet

My coordinator emailed me right before 11 AM today - said that everything was sent up to BC/BS of FL...I thought - now the waiting game begins. She warned me that it would be about a 10 day waiting period before we would hear back - but, she was very confident that it would be approved. Mind you - another co-worker just had her sleeve done last week (same employer/same insurance) and it took about 10 days for her to get a response.
At 4:30, my coordinator calls me - she had contacted BC/BS to ensure that they had gotten everything, etc. They told her that everything was in order and it was approved!!!! Unreal!! She said this was a first! A 6 hour approval!!! She was astonished as I was!!!
Now, it's real....

Hello Sleever People!
I had my surgery January 25, 2010 with Dr. Aceves in Mexico and have never once looked back. I was on this board pretty much 24/7 pre-op and for a long time post op and one of the things that I desperately wished for more of was feedback from people that were "long term" sleevers. We seem to be few and far between and I swore I would provide regular updates... fail!!! And I apologize to any of you that, like me, wish for more of the "big picture" - no pun intended! It's true that we simply get on with life after surgery and before we know it, life has been blowing by and suddenly it's been some fantastic years gone by - you'll see, trust me!
So, the long and short of my sleeve experience has been incredible – there truly are no words to describe one of the absolute best decisions I’ve ever made for myself. I started at 254 and lost exactly 100 pounds well before the end of the year. I ate low carb and drank Protein Shakes forever it seemed. About a year and change after surgery, after maintaining a size 4/6 154# for months, I started gaining – eeekk!!! – I attributed this primarily to nursing school (which I started the same week of my vsg and have since finished and am now working in an ER – whole nuther story!) and grazing all day. Cashews are the devils work, btw!! I was scared and worried but stopped gaining after slowly putting back on 20 pounds. I’ve lost five of that since, am now in a size 8/10 and have been holding there for some time. I truly eat what I want within reason. I’m in a good place mentally and physically. I have been at this weight for over a year now.
I 100% BELIEVE THAT EXERCISE IS CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS LONG TERM!!!!! So commit to it, the sleeve, while a fantastic tool, WILL NOT solve all of your problems if you aren’t prepared to take care of yourself and having the sleeve makes it easy!! Like any “diet” or whatever, the long term is the trick; you will be able to eat A LOT more as time goes on yet nothing like before. You WILL be able to eat enough and often enough to gain weight if you are not aware. But it’s different. I would have easily gained that 100# back by now, that I know.
So, for me, to compensate for eating so-so, I bicycle competitively and long-distance; average 50 miles every other day at about 19mph. I have a group that I ride with but do it often on my own too. Burns a gajillion calories.
I guess the bottom line is that your life is going to be absolutely incredible post-op BUT, you will always have to be aware of what’s going in and out. The story about the woman who gained all her weight back cuz she would order an xl pizza and work on it all day? I can see that!! Yikes! But, you know what? Don’t buy the stupid pizza!! Easy!!
I wish you all the very best and please feel free to contact me to vent, ask questions, whatever, I’m happy to help and happy to be here for you.
Carol

No! You are not alone I have doubts every other day, and on the days I don't have doubts, someone else in my life has them. What I have found, is that when I talk to the other people having doubts, I end up reassuring myself that i'm doing the right thing.

Its 5:30 and I'm about to join the losing side

I have reached my goal and am in top shape. I am above average in strength and endurance for a man of 64 years as attested to by the 20-30 year olds I work with shoveling dirt and wheelbarrowing in the hot and humid Florida summer. If I try on clothes now I am making sure they are not too big instead of making sure they are not too small. I am set in cement on my resolve to remain in shape and train like an athlete for the rest of my life. The fat shall never make a comeback.

Weight obsession took up a great deal of my attention. It demanded and received it because of the health drain that it was on me physically and emotionally. The enemy has been conquered but my body requires a garrison to be situated to guard against an insurrection. Peace is only sustained through diligent observation. I will continue to observe my exercise and diet but not obsess. I don't obsess about brushing my teeth but I do it several times a day. My time on this forum is also a part of that diligence.

Isn't freedom what we are wanting through all of this? Free to move with ease, free to breath normally, free to wear what we want, free to look attractive, freedom from self-consciousness, free to have confidence, and most of all, freedom from obsession about weight. Now we can go about life's other aspects: love, God, family, work, fun, fulfillment of dreams,... exploring our hidden potentials and turning them into actuated realities. We can fill up the space formerly occupied by weight obsession with life itself.

So in the end weight loss is not an end in itself, it is one leg of a journey to the goal of freedom to live out our humanity to the maximum.

Have an awesome time. I didnt go on any coasters last year at dorney park due the fear of being too big. I also have a fear that my weight will push against the restraint too much and itll give out. Enjoy! im going to hershey in aug but ill save the coasters for next year

Alright my fellow Singletons...Ya know that thing we all dread? Just happened to me....about an hour ago...Now I have only talked to this guy for two weeks or so (so it's not like heavy emotions were involved) and he made the comment that this one girl wouldn't leave him alone and when I asked what was wrong with her, he said it was that she was too big. Like 280 pounds....I asked him "Would you totally freak out if I told you I used to be that big?" and he said "No, "used to be" is used to be." I should have known this was too good to be true. Today, he saw some pictures of me when I was at my heaviest and he FREAKED OUT! He even told me "I'm freaking out, you were really large." and I told him "If you can't handle it, I understand, but you had better let me know becuase there are plenty of people that can handle it." well...we went back and forth and I was (admittedly) a little on the defensive... he asked me "How big are you now?" and I told him I was 208 lbs (77 lbs down in 4 months *woot* *woot*) and what my goal weight was and all this stuff but I just felt like he was patronizing me at this point. It was humiliating, and I have to tell you, it made me HOPPIN' MAD! I could chew ten-penny nails right now. I told him I was done with the conversation and he said "I think someone is being a little oversensetive." and I told him "well, I told you before that I had issues with this type of thing, so how do you think I should act?" and the HE said "I don't know, maybe I should just quit talking to you because I don't want to keep hurting your feelings." A real peach isn't he? I told him "No, don't you use my feelings as a scapegoat. If you can't handle how big I was, then you tell me the truth!" (like seriously...grow some balls) well he didn't say anything and I said "nevermind...whatever makes you feel better", and that was the end of it.
Listen, I am a very emotional person and I am totally a cryer. But even though my feelings were hurt, the biggest thing I feel is anger! I went back to my Facebook and almost deleted every fat picture of me I could find...but then I stopped...there are memories in those pictures, and even though I was very large, I still love myself...I love myself NOW and I love myself THEN too! That large person is a part of what made me who I am. I know it sounds silly, but to someone that really cares, it won't matter all that much!
This is just my little testimonial...Y'all, if I can survive that, ANYONE can! So if anything like this ever happens to you, DO NOT LET SOMEONE MAKE YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT YOURSELF!!

My last 6 month appt is in sept too! it feels like its taking forever. everytime i see ppl posting there surgery dates i get so anxious. i cant wait until its me posting that. i just want it to be done already.

Called my insurance company today to check on the status of my case and was given the best news. I've been approved!!!!! OMG!!! I never thought I'd be soo happy. Called my surgeons office and they said they hadn't heard anything but will call me ASAP when they eat the green light. I don't know why they (the insurance company) calls when you get denied but when it's approved they send a letter snail mail. But anyways I'm excited and can't wait to schedule my surgery :-)

It will happen for you when it is meant to be. This is hard to hear, but I truly believe there is a reason for everything. Keep your head up, because when it is supposed to happen things will line up. I will pray for you and your whole family. I am truly sorry that everything is so overwhelming right now. Try to see the silver lining...stay positive!

So I went to go see the shrink yesterday. So not what i expected. I thought i was going to have the big lost of questions to answer as so many of you have. He literally asked me like 20 questions. Most of them were about my family history and he described some symptoms of depression and anxiety. He said i do exhibit anxiety sypmtoms (im not surprised since my mother suffers from this) but i am ok for the surgery. He didnt even ask me that many questions about the surgery which i was surprised at. So after about 40mins he sent me on my merry way and said he would fax the report... To tell the truth the shrink looked like he needed a shrink himself lol. ]
At least its one more checkmark on my lists of testing! next up is weigh in #3 of 6 with my PCP on saturday!

So I went to go see the shrink yesterday. So not what i expected. I thought i was going to have the big lost of questions to answer as so many of you have. He literally asked me like 20 questions. Most of them were about my family history and he described some symptoms of depression and anxiety. He said i do exhibit anxiety sypmtoms (im not surprised since my mother suffers from this) but i am ok for the surgery. He didnt even ask me that many questions about the surgery which i was surprised at. So after about 40mins he sent me on my merry way and said he would fax the report... To tell the truth the shrink looked like he needed a shrink himself lol. ]
At least its one more checkmark on my lists of testing! next up is weigh in #3 of 6 with my PCP on saturday!

I like the oikos greek yogurt a lot

I have this at home.
I complain.
My wife complains about my complaining.
I complain about her complaining about my complaining.
On it goes.
I have learned that I'd better stop the train before she gets out the Iron fry pan.