MizzouFan1

So glad to hear you are feeling well! My surgery isn't until May so any postive stories are great! Good luck with your journey!

I'm scheduled for sleeve with Dr Hoehn this Thursday, the 6th

From Kansas City and hoping to use Dr. Hoehn at KC Bariatric in May.

Thanks folks! Just in case anyone is interested in organic non GMO powders I have included a very trusted list. http://foodbabe.com/2012/12/13/the-healthiest-protein-powders-on-the-market/ I think I will probably have to mix it with more than just Water but it will be worth it to bypass fake sugars which are a curse for me.

Folks, What are your favorite Protein shakes/supplements for pre-op diet and post-op? Anyone had any luck finding organic/non-gmo protein shakes/supplements? Thanks!

Thanks so much for the response folks! I think we decided to stagger it a few weeks apart. We are soooooo excited....now for May to get here!

Hi Folks, My hubby and I are both getting the sleeve in May ( I know forever far away) but I am curious to see if anyone else has done it at the same time with their spouse or if they staggered? We have a 4 year old (almost 5) and I am thinking it might be easier to stagger the surgeries so we can take care of each other. My other main concern is complicaitons. What if we both have complications while doing it at the same time? It just seems risky when we have a kiddo to think about. THoughts...experiences? Thanks!

I would kill for you body! Don't let comments like the one from Dylan bring you down! Obviously his communication skills are poor or he is a jerk. Either way you are an inspiration to everyone and we appreciate your courage to post yourself in bikini and flaunt your kick ass curves!

Thanks ladies! I am going to work with my PCP for my pre-op since I haven't picked a surgeon. I am willing to push the surgery back a month or so but want to avoid a significant departure from my original date. I just don't want to do 3 months of pre-op finf out I am preggo and have to begin again AFTER the baby os born.

Thats great! You are so lucky! I am still in the waiting period. My stupid insurance makes everyone employee endure a 3 year waiting period before you become eligible for the surgery. My eligibility date is May 31st, 2014. I am just starting the pre-op stuff now! What state are you in?

No I am new here too and it does take awhile to get noticed. I just keep harassing people! Are you thinking about getting the sleeve or have you already scheduled your surgery?

Hi All, So here is the deal. I will be scheduling my sleeve for May 31st, 2014. I have and almost 4 year old and am thinking that I might try and get preggo now before I have surgery because I don't want there to be a huge gap between my kids and once I undergo surgery I want to focus on myself and body. I am NOT pregnant yet. I am just starting the 6 month pre-op but am wondering if they will let me complete the pre-op SHOULD I end up preggo? Of course I would love to time this out perfectly (in my wildest dreams) but I don't want to be 3 months into pre-op requirements to only find out that if I do get preggo I have to start all over once I have the baby. Any info would really help!!! Thank you in advance you guys are great!

I see a huge difference! You have done amazing to lose that much weight! I am so impressed! Keep up the good work!

WOW! Thank you eveyone for your responses! I have always like sex but as I get older, fatter and slower I just don't care as much. I am sure it is a mixture of things. I find most of the time, I just have no desire or am too tired. It just seems like a lot of work. Lol By the time I hit the sack I am exhausted and just want to sleep. Did I mention I have a full time career, an almost 4 year old boy and almost 17 year old boy? I am soooooooo ready to have more energy and enjoy my 30s the way I wished I could've enjoyed my 20s. I turned 29 in Feb and won't be eligible for insurance to pay until May 31st, 2014. However, I have been waiting this long and I have started the pre-op process so I figure it will be a kick-ass 30th bday present! Thanks again for all of the repsonses! Its wonderful to have something to look forward to! Please keep up the posts! ***** the 17 year old is not mine. He is my younger brother-in-law who lives with us permanently.

Thanks Makemyownluck! We have been together for 7 years, when we were thinner and younger now older and fatter with kids. lol I am hoping it increases all around. Libido but my attraction for my DH would increase as well I would think.

Hi All, So I don't have my sleeve yet ( I am in the pre-op phase) but my husband and I are both planning on having it done. I am just curious to see if your love life has improved at all since losing weight. I adore my husband and think our sex-life is average...of course I am sure he would love more of it but I figure just the sheer energy and sex appeal has to increase....or is that wishful thinking? I would love to hear any experience feel free to be as private or detailed as you wish. Thanks!

I have Hoshimoto's which is the thyroid autoimmune disease. I have flares where I swing back and forth between Hyper and Hypo but for the majority I am hypo and so are all of my symptoms. I was on Levo and Synthroid for 6-10 years until last fall when I had enough. I switched to Armour 120mg a day and it has changed my life. Unfortunately, the weight didn't change at all but that is fairly typical at least for women. However, my symptoms, tired, achy, brain fog, lethargic feeling all decreased dramatically…some of them completely. I found a doc who treats by the symptoms not just blood work. Just because you are in the 'appropriate" blood work range doesn't mean that you feel any better. I know for me I am at my best when my blood work comes back at around a 1.5-2.0. Some people do better lower. My doc is not an endo either. She is internal med. I had 4 prominent endos in KC and they all refused to listen and went solely on blood work results not how I felt. Their answer to everything was losing 50 lbs. Well autoimmune disease and thyroid issues typically aren't affected by weight high or low. One key to the success I have with Armour is I chew it up and i take it the same time every night with water… nothing else because it can affect absorption. The nice thing about Armour too is that if you are having a flare you can break a pill in half during the day and supplement so it will counter the flare. Your doc could explain more about that. The best thing I did for myself was research, research, research. http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/ is by far one of the best thyroid sites out there. Please check it out. It helped me tremendously. Good luck!

NurseGrace, I have heard the same thing about Malley. The aftercare is horrid. Two woman in my office both used him and BOTH had horrible complications due to negligence and had to have the band removed. They refused to order tests, refuse to listen to the patient. One of my friends was a group leader and she ended up having an erosion and Malley refused to believe it. He "fired" her from her support group role because he didn't want the bad publicity. She ended up having to go to the ER and having it removed and the hospital called Malley and he refused to do the removal. BAD BAD BAD experiences. I am leaning more on the side of the sleeve but there is no way in HELL i will go to Malley. Now, I am nervous about KC Bariatric which means I am getting fairly limited on whom is available. I had a similar experince with my spine surgery as well. The facility was fancy, the doctor was right there, the service was great....the aftercare was like out a horror movie. I never saw my doc again only his PA, nurse or med students. They couldn't get me "scheduled" to take out my staples in my back so the skin had grown around them leaving knarly scars. I won't make that mistake again. AFTERCARE is just as important as pre-care. I want the same kiss-ass, they want my money service after the do the surgery. I have heard from several women that as soon as complications arise their doc is nowhere to be found because they don't want the negative stats. I hope I can find a better surgeon than these two.

So, my hubby just got a new job and I was all excited about the possibilty of them covering lap-band which they do but one of the stipulations is that you have to be with the company 3 years before they will approve. I am so totally bummed and just defeated. Has anyone heard of this or had luck with talking to HR about changing the time restraints. My husband works for the a large state university. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Thanks for the comments ladies. I probably would have gone with Dr. Malley. I hear nothing but amazing things about him and I thought I heard he himself use to be overweight so he can relate. I am hoping that maybe I can plead my case to the HR folks to let me have it sooner. It was such a let down. I guess I will just keep on plugging away and count the days until the waiting period is up.

Soooo, just as I was beginning to feel hopeful I found out they cover it....but you have to be with the plan for at least 3 consecutive years. WTF? What a load of BS. What does it matter? I am paying $350 a month regardless. I just can't believe it. I am so disappointed. :(

So, my husband just got a job offer today and they have better insurance thought Coventry of Kansas City. I am crossing my fingers big time that maybe this insurance will cover Lap-band as our current BCBS of KC does not. I feel like I have been waiting my whole life for this and I sure hope they cover it and if they do that the restrictions aren't ridiculous. I am thinking Malley Surgical or Weight loss surgical Center? Anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks for the replies ladies! I know all about exclusions... I have BCBS of KC and they exclude all bariatric surgery. I know the coverage depends on the company but usually if they do cover it the requirements and such are the same across the board. I was basically just wanting to what experiences people had with them. I am going to start the diet requirement early so when we do switch and everything will already be in place. Any other info y'all have would be fabulous! Congrats on all your weight losses.

You look fabulous and gorgeous! What and inspiration!

Hi guys, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Coventry of Kansas City? My husband is possibly getting a new job (we are waiting on the phone call any day now) with the largest Missouri University and they have Coventry which I am desperately hoping will cover lap band because our current health insurance excludes it. I was just curious if anyone knows the ins and outs. Even if the employer is different any information would be much appreciated...the suspense is killing me. Thanks!