HalloweenBaby24

Well for me, my first pregnancy started when I was 190lbs and through it had high blood pressure which resulted in pre-term labor at 35 weeks. Thankfully my daughter came out perfectly healthy at 5lbs 8oz (you would never know she was a premie now!) And I was fine after delivery. Fast forward 3 year's later 2012 I found myself pregnant again, this time at 230lbs and still suffering with the high blood pressure. I went 12 weeks before we lost the baby (heart stopped beating), whether or not it was directly related to my weight I don't really know but I'm not willing to take the chance of getting pregnant again before I lose a good amount of weight this time around.

I didn't know that my co-pays don't count towards my deductible.

Are you taking any Biotin pills and all your vitamins?

I'm also going through Dr.Abkin. My first appointment was May 17th, The "Insurance Specialist" told me with my insurance I had no Pre-surgery diet to follow through with (BCBS ppo of MA) but I had to get a letter of medical necessity, Clearance from Gastro Dr, Physiological Eval, Nutritional counseling, Lab test and the Online Patient course. So far I've blown through most of them, Have the Gastro appointments left and that's it. My Tentative Surgery Date is September 8th.

I was a normal size Baby at 7lbs. When I was 31/2 I suffered my first seizure, After that I was put on medication that cause me to be hungry all the time therefore gaining a good amount of weight. By the time I was 7 I grew out my seizures but not the weight, They took me off the medication by my 8th Birthday. By the time I was 11 I was 166lbs with high cholesterol, I dieted throughout my childhood and on into my teen years where I continued to gain despite my efforts.

I worry when I read about insurance denying other people because they have no "Documented" weight loss attempts. Of course like everyone else I've been on numerous diets, But none of them were documented other then Weight Watchers but when I called to get them to sign over papers that I attended meeting's they told me they couldn't find me in their system anywhere (Figures). So I'm relying upon a few medical records I found, Some from childhood documenting my weight gain, Another from when I was 11 (I was 166lbs then) and I was sent to a Dietician for my high cholesterol and the last from 2008 (188lbs) when I had my gall bladder removed, In the hospital records it says "Patient states she's on a diet" (Weight watchers at the time). I'm hoping for approval, wish me luck!

I'm in the Pre-op part of this journey and I have all my appointments set up and ready to go, All I have to do is get through them before August! As a lot of you I am doing a lot of research online (Youtube, Pintrest, Bariatricpal and just about every other website relating to bariatric surgery out there) while trying to prepare myself for the VSG and like a lot of you I go back and fourth on "is this necessary for me?" "Will I be happy?" "Am I doing the right thing?"...And once I come up with the answer of YES, I run into a new article or person trying to convince me otherwise. I found this article a while back (Before I ever started looking into surgery) and was thinking back to it today... http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13018/5-things-i-miss-about-weighing-more-than-300-pounds.html And I'm just curious as to how many of you have regrets about getting the surgery, Do you miss being Fat at all?! (Disregarding all health issues). I guess for me I feel like there might be a few thing's I would miss, Since I've been fat my whole life I have no idea what it's like to live in a normal body. It's basically my identity!..I fear I'll miss my old self a little bit I guess. What about you?

I have BCBS ppo of MA and was told I don't have to do the 6month diet, I have a BMI of 41 with no other comorbilitys.

I know I've asked about this topic a few time's now, But I finally have appointment's this week with my PCP and OB in which I plan on bringing up the letter and my plans for WLS with them while I'm there. My PCP I've only been with her for about 3years and have seen a handful of time's so I thought it was important to sit and talk with her about thing's instead of just faxing over the letter and expecting her to sign it. My OB should have records from my last Dr which date back to early 2009 so I'm hoping she has no issue in signing it for me. I guess my worry here is that the "Sample Letter" my surgeon gave me to give to the Dr's list a whole slue of thing's they won't be able to provide like 5 year's worth of weigh-ins (My OB yes but the PCP no), one part say's "I have personally supervised Mr/Ms.______ in his/her efforts to lose weight thru diet and exercise" (And obviously neither Dr has done so), and it goes on to ask for a list of diets and exercise.. I'm hoping both Dr's agree that the VSG is the right solution to my weight, But neither have known me for a long period of time or long enough to know I've been overweight since I was a child so I worry they will be against it. How important is this letter regarding the insurance approval and should I be worried that I don't have 5 years of recorded weight from my PCP, or records of me ever going to her with weight related issues? Appointment with my PCP is tomorrow at 9:20am, Wish me luck!

When I asked WW for records of mine they claimed they looked through each state in which I had "Supposedly" been a member and couldn't find anything. Said if it was past 3 years most likely the records were erased. Every insurance is different (I have BCBS ppo of Mass), thankfully I found past weights of mind from 2000 when I first visited a dieticain at 12 due to high cholesterol, till 2008 when I had my gallbladder removed. So I'm hoping that's enough for the insurance company.

I think as a new comer and in the process of Pre-Op (As myself) it's natural to have many fears and concerns going into a major surgery. This fourm is a very useful tool when it come's to connecting with others and learning, But it can also be overwhelming and filled with honest opinions some of us don't want to hear or face in the future. With that being said, I to found myself feeling like maybe this isn't the path I want to pursue because of the many post's about complications. But after watching this video a few day's ago I've calmed my fears and realized that I'm ready. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/e_central_new_york_teen_loses.html If a young man such as that in the video can make such a drastic change in their life and survive, So can I. No path traveled is ever easy, Especially those worth traveling.

I'm pre-op still and have not sent in my papers to the insurance yet, But I read through their policy and was given the paper work by the surgeon of things I need to get done, Not anywhere do I have to agree/sign to anything like that. But all insurances are different.

I'm not 100% sure of the answer, But I've read plenty of stories online regarding other woman who went through with the sleeve then 3-7months (some earlier) later got pregnant and did just fine, other then having to see a nutritionist and really paying attention to their bodies during the pregnancy. I have a friend who had gastric a few years back, 4 months in she got pregnant. She obviously didn't lose a lot of weight or nearly as much as she would have after the surgery due to the pregnancy, but that's the risk she took and her choice. For me, I'm pretty much in the same boat I have a daughter from a previous pregnancy who will be 5 this November and needless to say I feel as though time is running out to have another one. I really didn't want to have two kid's so far apart in age but it's the hand I was given. So weather were suppose to or not I'm giving myself 6 months past my surgery date which is September 8th till we try again, I look at it like this I'd rather lose 60lbs and become pregnant then gain the 60lbs on top of where I am now.

I think I may do a pre-clean out of bigger thing's ive kept over the year's. But a lot of what I own is from year's back that fit at one point and now no longer, I still have jeans from High School! (Graduated 2008) But the day I start fitting back into those suckers is the day I'm going to lose it!..Most are 15/16s, But still last time I fit those numbers was 2008.

I had something this past week. It started Sunday night I started getting the sore throat along with stuffy nose and sneezing, But by Wednesday thing's started clearing up. The kids had it too, I think it's just the "Pre-Summer" Cold going around. Hope you feel better and that surgery goes well, Good Luck!

So right now I'm post-op, But I've been reading a lot online here and other sources about the onset of acid reflux and GERD after Bariatric surgery. My concern is that my family (on my father's side) has a history of horrible heart burn and GERD, but they also have a history of bad eating habits and smoking/drinking too excess (lots of alcoholics), My grandfather also died of throat cancer and my father followed a year later due to lung cancer. Though I've never suffered any sort of acid reflux or heart burn related issue outside of "once in a great while" if I eat something specific. Is GERD as big of a problem for post-op patients as I hear it is?, or is the Internet just trying to scare me out of getting the sugery? Do any of you suffer horribly from GERD? Is it something you had before surgery or is it something that came with it?

I plan on asking the surgeon about it when I see him next. From what I've read online it seems to affect band and sleeve patients most. Was just wondering how many people had an issue with this post-op.

@@Denise73 If interested here's my Pintrest Page: http://www.pinterest.com/dawson1738/wls-vsg/ (That applies to everyone else as well, Feel free to follow)

YES!!!... Try Pintrest, OMG! I've been spending a lot of time on Pintrest, Pinning recipes,products and inspiration.

@@Dulce_jtrivera Just an update. Went to the OB today and she was more then happy to fill out my letter of medical necessity.

That's a horrible thing for a "friend" to do. I know what you're going through though, I too was a big part of the "Fat Acceptance" movement and have many friends who are as well. As soon as I mentioned my plans for WLS due to my health and well being there went all my FA friends!, As much as it sucks and it hurts because I was real close to some people I have to let them go and understand that they were no good for me in the long run. As far as I'm concerned now, Their loss. I'm awesome and anyone would be lucky to have me as a friend Fat or Not.

I know she's scared and everything, Her feeling's are valid one's. I just wish she would talk about it with me instead of getting defensive. That being said, I'm glad I can always count on the people here who are supportive and a great group of people to talk to @@Pugmadkate I was in therapy from age 12-16 being a "Tween/Teen" of just then divorced parents. After going through with my Psych Eval last week I've decided now would be a great time to go back and I plan on making another appointment with the Physiologist sometime in the near future.