Katcloudshepherd

Congratulations, You're very fortunte. I have Humana PPO, under the Federal Employee benefits program. I had to pay $600.00 for the two night hospital stay, $1,187.00 for surgeon's fees and a portion of the pre-srugery lab work, can't remember how much. Welcome to the loser's bench! Kathleen

Recycled, Congratulations on your weight loss. You're doing great. For me, dealing with the mental issues has been a daunting task as of late. Without the food to numb me and stuff the emotions down, I've had to DEAL with the emotional issues that brought me to WLS. I agree about proding yourself to work out. I want to blow it off every darn time. I exercise after work, since I am in San Antonio for work and live in the next county over, (Wilson county). That is why I pack my work out gear the night before and have it in my vehicle. Gives me less of an excuse to blow it off. I tell myself: "you've got the gear in the car--get your butt to the gym." I can only do one day at time. Something that really stuck with me during my time attending Overeaters Anonymous meetings--seriously thinking about going back to them. It would help me spiritually. The one thing about the meetings I remember was the absolute acceptance I felt at those meetings. No one judged me and I was accepted for who I was. Kathleen

Holy frazzoli!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations on your weight loss!!!!!! I hope your lower body lift goes well and you have an easy recovery from the surgery. Blessings, Kathleen

proudgrammy, Good for you! I've been getting Botox for a long time. Just had some neck tightening done yesterday. The procedure I underwent uses radio waves to tighten the skin. I am doing this on my neck and face. The Botox helps with the wrinkles. Several years ago I had a filler-not Juvaderm, starts with an "A"-Artifill? The filler I used lasts several years. Juvaderm lasts one year. I'm goling to continue to use as many non-surgical techniques, (Botox, fillers, radio wave tigtening, etc.) for as long as I can. Plastic surgery only lasts so many years. That's why you see those celebrities with the distorted faces. They start having plastic surgery, it runs it's course and is no longer effective and they have another one.... and on and on until they look freakish. I wish you luck. My advice would be to research non-surgical techniques--they have given me the most bang for the buck. Blessings, Kathleen

Ivowtodoit, I wish you the very best of luck with which ever surgery you have. I visit this site so often because only those of us who have undergone WLS can truly understand and emphathize with each other. Which ever surgery you end up with, walk, walk, and walk as much as you can to get rid of the CO2 and also so important once they allow you to---sip, sip, sip. I have found so much support through this computer screen and truly wish I could meet people from this site face to face to thank them for their words of wisdom. Blessings, Kathleen

jennynoblemiller, Is it "normal" to question undergoing major surgery to treat an ongoing health problem? Is it "normal" to question removing a viable body organ? Is it "normal" to have doubts and fears about undergoing major surgery? Well YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd say VERY NORMAL. IF you didn't question your desire for surgery--that wouldn't be normal. If you didn't have doubts, fears or anxiety--that wouldn't be normal either. I hope you have an uneventfull, sucuessful surgery and easy recovery. Blessings, Kathleen pbucks, I understand your trepidation about changing your eating habits. I think the mental part of this trip down the losers road is so much tougher than the physical part. That being said, I wouldn't change my decision at all. I am so much better off without 80% of my stomach and the problems that stuffing it with food brought me. I hope your surgery goes well and you have an easy recovery, Blessings, Kathleen

leeann71, I'd say the root cause of my obesity was the sexual abuse in my childhood. Only happened once but what a profound, deep scar it imbeded on my spirit. I turned to food to soothe me in my alcoholic, dysfuntional home. Food was my friend and was AlWAYS there for me. It never turned away from me, called me names, made me feel unloved or inadequate. It was readily and easily available. Overeating put me in a stupor and buried those emotions I didn't want to deal with. I think food was the way I survived my "childhood". I put it in quotes because at times, it wasn't much of one. One of the results of this is I live in South Texas, a few thousand miles from my family. I'm going to Michigan in July to attend a wedding. I'm actually not looking forward to being in that environment again. I wish there was some kind of "brain cleaner" so I could flush those memories out. God, why is it so hard to put the past IN THE PAST and just move on? What I wouldn't give to flip a switch and just get on with my life without the past. I guess I need to see the flipside and realize--that very past which was so difficult at the time, has made me the strong, independent woman I am today. It also gave me the absolute determination to loose 75 pounds and join the Army so I could leave that small town and get an education, in both the world and at college. Got out of the Army and quit smoking--weight came back with an absolute vengence. That's what brought me to weight loss surgery. Took the same determination to escape that small town I had in my twenties and applied it to the surgery. Now here I am, strong, independent and a smaller size to boot! Clothes are falling off and a regular thrift store shopper--out of sheer necessity. Sorry to go so long and off on a tangent. Blessings, Kathleen

I'm right there with y'all. Had my surgery 12/11/13 and my hair has been coming out by the handfull. I'll start saving it and putting it on my roses. My scalp seems to be drier than before too, very itchy. I try my best to stretch out the time between washing and use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner AND a leave in conditioner. I'll be glad when I'm through this phase. Kathleen

Ladies, I alas am also an "L" in the ta-ta area. I guess my big belly was in the way before? Now they hang down low, travel to a fro--if I'm now wearing a bra ; >-- Well, I wouldn't trade my two "L's" for what I had before any day! Have a good one. Kathleen

Welcome to the losers bench! I was a fat child and was teased all through school. Lost about 75 pounds to join the Army. Spent seven years and a few months in the Army and as soon as I got out and quit smoking--weight came back with a vengence. Just a tiny suggestion, please turn the Caps Lock off on your keyboard. Text that is all capitalized is the equivelant of shouting when you're posting. Like I said, just a tiny suggestion because I know you want to shout about your positive turn! Blessings, Kathleen

hopeful2 be slim, I understand. I am off all of my Non Steroidal Anti Inflamitory DrugsS, (NSAIDS), since before my surgery and even though the weight loss has helped--still a lot of pain. I am so blessed to have an excellent chiropractor who is keeping my back aligned with the weight changes. The only kind of aerobic exercise I can do is in the pool. Fortunately, I have a membership to a gym with a pool made for swimming/exercise. I've been tired as well lately. I don't know if it's the pain, allergies or what. I'm getting my sleep, Protein, Water and exercise so I'm at a loss as to what it could be. I know I can take tylenol for the pain but I fear of the impact on my liver. I wish you luck with getting in the pool. I know how much effort it can take just to get in the pool. I know I feel so much better for it. On the days I do work out, I sleep so well. Kathleen

I agree with don't beat yourself up over it. I fall off the horse too often. Sometimes it's less of a fall and more of a jump : ( BUT I was eating badly for DECADES. You cannot change that overnight--if I could have done so, I wouldn't have had to have 80% of my stomach removed. Kathleen

I'm 6 feet tall--would be over six feet if my back weren't so dang crooked. Surgery was 12/11/13. HW 358.--several years before surgery. SW 327. CW 267. My goal is 200 pounds. I'll be happy at that weight. Kathleen

Blondiee, Thank you. I've become a regular shopper at Goodwill and the Texas Thrift store in San Antonio close to Walzem road. Saturday I made out like a bandit at Texas Thrift. They had a sale going on where the women's clothes were 50% off!!!!!!!!!!! I think the men's clothes were too, but I wasn't looking for men's clothes ; )-- I looked through the ENTIRE plus size rack and got a large plastic bag of clothes for under $57.00!!!!!!!!! I absolutely LOVE it when they make the plus size seperate from the regular sizes so you don't have to look through all the racks! Not only that, found some "cheater" floweres. They're the old fashioned heavy plastic kind. Put them out by my garage. No watering needed. I'm sure the sun will fade them but heck, they're inexpensive and I'll just pick up some more at another thrift store and recycle the old ones. Take Care, Kathleen

Mama Spike, I had my surgery 12/11/13 and I had serious orthopedic issues before surgery. I had to stop taking Naproxin, 500 mg. twice daily. It has NOT been an easy adjustment even though I have lost a significant amount of weight. I see a chiropractor on a regular basis, (back is a crooked as a politician), and I'm getting another injection in my knees today. If I were you---I'd see a doctor. My chiropractor said as you loose weight, the way your body carried the heavier weight is not necessarily how it will need to carry the lower weight. That is why I'm still getting regular adjustments even with a significant weight loss. I hope you get relief. Kathleen

LindafromFlorida, Good point. I know my body better than anyone else and I know when something is amiss. Kathleen

Marlin Collingwood, You are doing great!!!!! I lost 10.5 pounds pre-op and my surgeon was so happy with that! I started mine early so I could lose as much as possible. When I saw him for my final pre-op he said: "You're going to do really good." When you have your sugery, walk, sip when you're allowed, rest, walk, sip, rest, walk. For me it was: pee, walk, pee, rest, pee, walk, pee, rest, pee, walk, rest........ I walked as much as I possibly could and my surgeon had 2 IVs going the day of surgery. I was full of Fluid and thus had to pee every couple of hours. Sending thoughts and prayers you have a routine surgery and easy recovery. Kathleen

I'm thankful my insurance covered the surgery which is allowing me to LIVE not just exist. That would be my greatest blessing. I'm thankful for my husband who even when I'm in my Restless, Irritable and Discontent, (RID) state still puts up with me. I'm thankful I have a decent job when so many Americans don't. I'm thankful for the friends I have who accepted me before surgery and after. Too many other blessings to list. Thankful you started this post! Great idea. Wishing many blessings to come your way, Kathleen

meledl, I have terrible arthritis in my spine and my knees are completely shot. I had the sleeve because I didn't want the malabsorption problems which come with the bypass. I was on 500 mg. of Naproxin taken twice daily before sugery. I took an antidepressent before the surgery and was actually given Zoloft while still in the hospital after surgery. I was able to wean myself off of Zoloft after surgery. I'll be honest, going without the prescription NSAID for several weeks after surgery was inconvienent. It's a lot easier to swallow a pill than to use what I was prescribed after the surgery. I was prescribed Voltarin, a topical cream that somewhat takes the place of an NSAID taken by mouth. It helped me to get through the transition time when I was loosing enough weight to make a difference in my joints. Now that I've lost enough weight to take some of the stress off the joints, I don't even use the Voltarin regularly anymore. I can actually use Tylenol for the pain if it gets too bad. Like others have said, Do your research and then decide what is best for you. I wish you the best with whatever surgery you decide to have. Kathleen

FABULOUS IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been stuck in the Restless Irritable and Discontent, (RID) state for some time. I will begin today in making a list of things to be grateful for to get me out of the RID state. I have much work to do to overcome the faulty programming I recieved growing up. Blessings, Kathleen

Jeremiah, Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so proud of you and so happy for you. It takes courage to embark on this journey and even more strength and courage to do what you need to do every day to be successful. I went to Overeaters Anonymous, (OA) for several years and it was referred to as an "Attitude of Gratitude". I taped a small note to my bedside light instructing me to be grateful for at least one thing before I get out of bed. I also wrote on there to "Make up your mind to be happy". Blessings, Kathleen

Hello fellow December sleevers, My stats: HW 368 well before I even thought of surgery. Weight at beginning of process: 338 VSG Date: 12/11/13 SW: 327.5 CW: 267.0 Size 28 to 20 fitting into 18 REAL soon. I am blessed in that I was going to the pool regularly before surgery. I'm still going to the pool 3 times a week with weight training during the week as well. Kathleen

Hey y'all from TEXAS!!!!!! I live in Lavernia but work in San Antonio. My ta-ta's are going away but frankly my dear, I don't give a da!n. What I've lost in my boobies, I've gained in health!!! I would NEVER trade my weight loss, to include my breastisis, for the impoved health I now have. Kathleen

Ladies that wear a size 12 I FEEL YOUR pain, I'm still able to wear my size 13's. I have long feet, of course my body is long too. I have to order all my shoes online. Can't find them in a brick and morter store. Distinct disadvantage in that you can't try them on. I love my walking cradles--get them on Amazon. They provide great support for my bad knees and back. I've been able to wear some 12WW's that I couldn't wear before surgery--guess my feet were fat as well as the rest of me ; ) Have a good one, Kathleen

I'm not that far out from surgery but I would do it over again. I had no physical complications so that would be 0. The mental ones--I'm still dealing with. I'd put that at a very high number, above a 5, some days close to 10. I'm desperately trying to develop a more positive outlook. Because of my upbringing, I am ALWAYS waiting for the other shoe to drop or the next bad thing to happen. This faulty mental programing is an absolute buggar to change. Something said at a support group meeting by one of the surgeons has really stuck with me. "Before your feet hit the floor in the morning think of at least ONE thing you are gratefull for." He also said he thinks of things he is grateful for with every step. I think the man could easily become a motivational speaker. I'm working daily to improve my outlook on life. Overcoming bad childhood programing is a lot of work. That being said---it obviously is a common need. There are so many motivational speakers and programs out there--I'm obviously not alone and it takes daily work. YES and HECK YES I would do it again in a heartbeat. A short period of pain to begin LIVING life not just existing but actually living life. Blessings to all, Kathleen