Buzza

I'm 51, and was 50 when I had this surgery 10 months ago. I've lost 122 pounds and have around 30-40 to go. Weight loss has slowed in the past three months, but still coming off. I look and feel better, and I'm so happy I did this every day. It really changed my life for the better. Even if I never lose another pound, I'm so much better off than I was!

Almost 50 lbs down and I'm still struggling to Celebrate as I'm still wearing the same clothes and comments about my losses are rare. But I noticed something this morning, something I can do now that I could not before, and now I'm feeling upbeat again. After I started thinking about it, SEVERAL things came to mind.
1. I can trim my toenails easily!
2. I can put my blue jeans on while standing up, and without leaning against anything!
3. I can reach, and dry, EVERY BODY PART after showering!
4. I can lace up my shoes now (as opposed to leaving them loosely laced up and slipping them on and off)!
Woo Hoo! Here's hoping you'll share what you can do now as well!

It has been a very long time since I've posted mainly because I couldn't log in with my password, but that is definitely not the point here. Just thought I should explain the absence!!!
A little history of me! I started preop on Halloween last year and had my surgery on November 12, 2012. To date, I have lost 135 pounds!!!! I went from 327 to 192. I was a size 26 jeans, 4X shirt. I am now in a size 12 jeans and an XL shirt (the "girls" haven't shrunk hardly at all, unfortunately!!!). I've even had to get my wedding ring sized down two sizes and probably needed to go down one more. My feet are smaller too and I now wear my beloved "hooker heels" simply because I can!!! I had been working from home for the past 5 years because I couldn't physically handle my nursing job anymore. I am now in the process of getting my nursing license reactivated so I can get back out in the real world. I never knew life could be so good! When I met my husband when I was a senior in high school 13 years ago, I weighed 208 pounds. Even he has never known me this size! I made a surprise visit to my surgeon's office last week. Unfortunately he was not in hype office, but my coordinator was and she was thrilled with my progress! She asked me if I would be willing to come back to town (we've since moved 3 hours away) to be a guest speaker on my success at my surgeon's seminar he is hosting in December. I accepted and now am trying to write my journey down on paper. I sure wish I would have kept a journal. Fat the first time in my entire life, two people have told me that it was time for me to stop losing weight. If I keep losing too much, I won't look healthy. Never did I ever think I would hear those words.
So, I present my latest progress pics!!!!

Good Morning Ya'll,
I step on my scale this morning and I am down to 230lbs from my highest of 289. When I started my BMI was 243 and I was classified as morbidly obese. I was excited when I lost enough to be classified as severely obese. But now I am overjoyed because I just hit under 35 for my BMI. I am now just OBESE! Yippee, Yahoo! My next goal is to be overweight. I am hoping to reach that goal by New Years.

Hello,
I sat at the hospital yesterday while my dear friend had her VSG surgery with the same doctor I used. As the time passed, I thought about where I was two years ago and my journey since then. While it hasn't been all butterflies and rainbows, I wouldn't do anything differently. I achieved my goal weight and found the person I had buried away long ago. I've been blessed with many supportive friends and family members and adapted to those who were not so supportive. These forums helped me soooo much!
My diet is fairly normal now. I eat mostly what I want (within reason), just a lot less. I exercise 6 or 7 days a week. While I appreciate the results of exercise, I really don't like to do it! Thanks to iHeartRadio though, I push through. Losing the weight came in spurts and stalls in my case. I would have 2 months of nothing and then a consistent 6 weeks of loss.
If you are just thinking about surgery, it is well worth it! If you are a "slow loser", don't despair. If you are an old pro, congrats!
Blessings,
Leslie
At my highest weight, about 240.
This was taken on 9/19/13 at my current weight of 142.

Hi. Before I even went to a weight loss seminar (with my doctor), I contacted my insurance company to confirm gastric surgery was covered. The insurance company sent me an information packet on what I needed to do (physicals, pap smear, weigh in's etc.). I was assigned an insurance coordinator through my insurance company and I have a coordinator through my doctors office. Apparently the doctor's office that I going through know's everything that has to be done, so my insurance coordinator has asked me to refer all my questions to the doctor's coordinator (strange I know). I have contacted my insurance to verify my only co-pay is the hospital stay. That is it, the insurance will cover the rest and my doctor's office coordinator answers all my questions. If the clinic is good at what they are doing you will not need to fight with your insurance company. My insurance told me that the doctors office would not even let me get this far if I wasn't a candidate. I am hoping for a December surgery. I am soooo keeping my fingers crossed! :ph34r:
Good luck to you!!!

Yes, my insurance covers weight loss surgery. I did speak to them to confirm. Just wondering if I need to keep in contact with the insurance? I see on here that people have an insurance coordinator they talk too. I haven't done this, is it something I should do??
I started my process with the wls clinic in August. Yes, I do have a six month supervised diet requirements. I did start in June with my pcp she prescribed me phentermine. Do you think that would count as part of the six months?? So with that being said I would say November would be six consecutive months, what do think??? Would like to have this done before the end of the year only because not sure what my insurance deductible will be in 2014!!! Right now it's $1200.

Throw em' girl!!! Especially if they were ruffles!