IdahoGirl32

I hope everything's okay today!

Is there a 24 hour quick care in your area? Or, do you have one of those hotlines with your insurance where you can talk to a nurse 24/7? It might give you some peace of mind just to have talked to a medical professional. And maybe they even advise you to go to the ER, just in case. I've heard that a sweet taste in your mouth can be the result of your body being in ketosis, so it could be that. It could just be gas and eating too fast, but better safe than sorry. Particularly if you have decent health insurance and a quick trip to a clinic won't break the bank. Do you get rashes when you're stressed out? I do. Or, did you eat anything new in the past few days? This could be an allergic reaction to something. Just some ideas. I know it can be scary when you're not sure what's going on with your body. Keep us updated!

I think the odds of dying are very slim. Particularly if you don't have any other serious health conditions! I think it's completely normal to worry, but I'd put money on you being just fine!

Hi Natalie! Congratulations on taking this big step! I'm going to have surgery in two months, so I certainly identify with the conflicting emotions. I also don't have much support from those around me, so this forum has been very useful. Keep us updated!

I am keeping it secret for now, which is not typical for me but its like I have this gut feeling that I would face a lot of negativity. When you let people in on personal things like this they seem to feel like they own a little bit of you and while some people treasure that vulnerability, a lot of people I know use it as an opportunity to abuse you or use your struggle to make themselves feel better. It can be subconscious, even, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

Hi! I'm scheduled for Nov 25!

I completely identify with this. I'm pre-op but I worry about not knowing what to eat when I can eat real foods again because I was never taught what is good to eat and what is bad for you. I grew up eating whatever frozen crap my mom wasn't too tired to throw in the oven and I never really developed good habits or learned what is really healthy. So, I plan to see a nutritionist. There are nutritionists/dietitians that will help you develop menus and grocery lists and give you recipes for healthy things. Some will even go to the grocery store with you and point out what to avoid and teach you how to read the labels on food! You should do an internet search and see if there's someone like this around. If you don't have the money to spend, you might be able to contact your local community college or university Health Science program and let them know you're looking to hire a junior, senior or grad student. This is great to help them build their resume and you can pay them like $20 for a couple hours consultation. You can do this! You CAN! Basics: Go carb free (see Atkins diet stuff online for ideas about how)! Protein first! Don't drink anything sugary (stick to water)! I'm rooting for you!

Hi Sherri, I'm having surgery with Dr. Illan in TJ on November 25. Good luck with your surgery and keep us posted!

I tested it out on a friend, but I'm not planning on telling my family until after. Just my husband. I feel guilty about it but I won't deal with the judgmental comments I'd get.

What about sugar-free gum? Could this help??

That is wonderful! Congrats! Hoping that'll be me someday!

You look great!!

Yay! Congrats! I've got some serious terror going on as well. Booking my flights tomorrow!

You should start documenting EVERYTHING. Try to get your conversations in email if you can, so it's permanent. Keep a log of all of your interactions with management. When he says you're not performing to expectations, tell him you'd like his issues specifically in writing including examples. If you end up needing to sue, you'll need this information. It sounds like you're getting pushed out. Do you have your FMLA in place for when you have the babies? If not, you should get that squared away immediately so your job is protected when you go on leave.

Congrats!!! Yaaaaaaaaay!!

I think Dr. Ortiz is a great choice! Yay us! My husband has been so supportive from the beginning. Almost tooooo supportive. lol I checked to make sure he hadn't taken out any extra life insurance on me. Kidding! (kind of) I'm just nervous. Sooooo nervous!

Confirmed! I'm getting sleeved on Nov. 25! O....M....G....

Hi Indigo. I'm pre-op and this site has really helped me make a decision about a surgeon. If you read through the Mexico board it really gives you a good idea how things go in Mexico. A few people actually detail their entire experience, which is amazing! I plan to do the same thing because I've found it so useful and want to provide that for others. I'm going with Dr. Illan in November, probably the 25th. So, if you decide to go with him and go in November, I'd be happy to be your surgery buddy! I'm terrified as well, but thankfully I'll have my husband with me and he is a spanish-speaker so that brings me a lot of comfort. The idea of being so vulnerable in the midst of a language-barrier can be really anxiety-inducing. lol

I think mine will be Nov 25 with Dr. Illan - but I'm waiting to find out about some financing this week to confirm. I'm scared! But, I know it must be done.

I think it'll be a turn-on for women that you aren't sitting back and passively letting things happen in your life, but taking the wheel and working hard to make yourself better. There's nothing better than a man with a plan! The loose skin thing won't be an issue, I bet, because once you're at that point she's already got a pretty good idea that she's into you. Good luck with everything and keep us posted!

Congrats! You look amazing! I'm pre-op and my goal is also to lose about 160-175 pounds. Now that you're so close to goal, do you notice a lot of extra skin? We're both young which makes our skin bounce back a little better, so I'm hoping you can give me an idea of what to expect. This is one of the (many) things I've been worried about.

Yes! This is me too. And also why I'm worried about what it's going to be like after surgery. If I was like this all the time it would RUIN my marriage, and life in general probably. I seriously panic when i'm hungry. It's insane. The easy answer is to just eat small meals throughout the day and not let it get to that point but my job is so busy I barely have time to take a lunch most days and I'm a crazy person by the time I get home. I really hope this surgery solves this problem, this alone would be a huge improvement in my quality of life.

So, I'm hearing that the sleeve surgery keeps you from feeling physically hungry. Currently, when I'm really hungry, I feel SUPER sick, like I'm going to vomit. My mouth waters and I get shaky and it's hard to focus on anything. Even maintaining eye focus on something i difficult. Plus I'm basically a terror (my poor husband!). I've been tested for diabetes and I'm not even pre-diabetic, so it's just a weird blood sugar thing I guess...? I'm wondering if anyone has felt this and if these things also go away after surgery? I'm just thinking if I had all of these symptoms that I've come to associate with hunger but without the actual hungry feeling I would probably think I was having some sort of episode. lol It's really bad! Any insight would be much appreciated!

This happens to me sometimes, mostly with my legs but sometimes with both arms and legs. For me, this is an anxiety attack. I take Ativan (1 to 1.5 mg). If you have some anxiety med you can chew it for a quicker effect. Another thing that helps is, if you know you're going to be anxious and will find it hard to sleep, exercise like crazy and just wear yourself out. This probably isn't an option for you right now. That sometimes works, but most of the time I just take the Ativan, have some hot tea, and try to distract my mind from whatever's freaking me out. I wish you luck!

I have Blue Shield of Idaho and they don't cover it either, so I'm headed to Mexico! I spoke to the bariatrics program at St. Luke's in Boise and they said they've met with Idaho insurers to try to get this policy changed, but not many have been receptive. I would bet that complications aren't covered, but I'm really hoping not to have to find out.