circa

contact your human resources department - demand that they add an obesity clause for coverage in your health insurance! They are the ones that excluded it. They do this to pay lower premiums. In the long run though, from all the health issues associated with obesity, they'll actually be paying more. It makes no sense to exclude it.

What a great feeling that must be! Keep it up - happy tears are good tears!

good luck to you!

One thing I saw on this board that really peaked my interest about the Protein Shakes is to buy sugar free instant Jello pudding in your favorite flavor and add a teaspoon of the dry powder to your plain old Protein shake for some great flavor - try it! it couldn't hurt! :tt1:

So i told my husband of what I'm planning and he's supportive. His mom had GB surgery a couple years ago and he wanted to make sure I looked into what I was doing. I explained to him the differences between the surgeries and he's very supportive of me getting the lap band. He loves the idea. He just wants me to be healthy and happy and if this gets me there sooner, he's good with that. We had some issues a while back when I was really quite ill - he just really wasn't there - he said he was, but he wasn't. He didn't put forth any effort and it really got to me. We nearly split up - and I'm still working through that and he's still working on it as well - I have in the back of my mind that when I'm back to my old self and healthy again, how do I get past the fact that he wasn't there for me when I absolutely needed him the most? He's working on that and so am I. So his support here, whether he means it or not is a step in the right direction :tounge_smile: I made it quite clear to him that I didn't want anyone to know. Its a trust issue and I need to be able to trust him - not just with this, but with anything.

So i told my husband of what I'm planning and he's supportive. His mom had GB surgery a couple years ago and he wanted to make sure I looked into what I was doing. I explained to him the differences between the surgeries and he's very supportive of me getting the lap band. He loves the idea. He just wants me to be healthy and happy and if this gets me there sooner, he's good with that. We had some issues a while back when I was really quite ill - he just really wasn't there - he said he was, but he wasn't. He didn't put forth any effort and it really got to me. We nearly split up - and I'm still working through that and he's still working on it as well - I have in the back of my mind that when I'm back to my old self and healthy again, how do I get past the fact that he wasn't there for me when I absolutely needed him the most? He's working on that and so am I. So his support here, whether he means it or not is a step in the right direction :thumbup: I made it quite clear to him that I didn't want anyone to know. Its a trust issue and I need to be able to trust him - not just with this, but with anything.

Its only too much if you keep calling after they approve you I mean, I wouldn't call them every 5 minutes, but they said it might be ready today - nothing wrong with calling them to find out - and once a day every day till you do get the answer :laugh:

I just realized that I have, in part, been waiting for someone to do something for me. I think because I wanted to make sure the surgeon saw me how I am. But he's got my weight from my PCP - I need to start the pre-op diet now. Maybe that'll help to speed up things. And if it doesn't, I'm just that much more ahead of the curve. If I falter, I have more time to recover from falling off the wagon. I just need to do something now. I ordered new parts for my exercise equipment so it'll be easier (I have a home gym - I actually used it so much in the past that i wore out some parts! haha - yeah I used to be a real health nut - and hope to be again!) so once those come in, I'll even be able to start working out again - with no excuses! I'm off to the store on my lunch to pick up some pre-op goodies. Screw this waiting around - i need to do more on my part to make this happen. Maybe if I can prove to the surgeon that I'm more serious than anything about this ,I can get my surgery sooner. Here's hoping!

I just realized that I have, in part, been waiting for someone to do something for me. I think because I wanted to make sure the surgeon saw me how I am. But he's got my weight from my PCP - I need to start the pre-op diet now. Maybe that'll help to speed up things. And if it doesn't, I'm just that much more ahead of the curve. If I falter, I have more time to recover from falling off the wagon. I just need to do something now. I ordered new parts for my exercise equipment so it'll be easier (I have a home gym - I actually used it so much in the past that i wore out some parts! haha - yeah I used to be a real health nut - and hope to be again!) so once those come in, I'll even be able to start working out again - with no excuses! I'm off to the store on my lunch to pick up some pre-op goodies. Screw this waiting around - i need to do more on my part to make this happen. Maybe if I can prove to the surgeon that I'm more serious than anything about this ,I can get my surgery sooner. Here's hoping!

YAY! Congrats! I can't tell you what an inspiration you are to someone like me. I'm hoping that my OCD will kick in and I can be as strict as you are. I know I have been in the past. Hell, I did it for years before I got sick. I know I can do it again I'm pretty good at kicking my own ass haha. Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

So do you think that you have enough skin to remove to actually put you AT your goal? I would definitely get it documented by my PCP and get that ball rolling!

can't you just call and schedule an appointment with the surgeon? I mean, you have to have some followup, right? Can your PCP give you a referral to a plastic surgeon?

what surgeon are you using? I'm having trouble finding one that accepts priority health

I'm still waiting for the surgical center to call me and schedule my appointment. If they don't call me by end of day today, I'm calling them tomorrow. I don't like waiting for things! I'm not very good at being patient :tounge_smile: I couldn't wait I called them today and the NP is reviewing my letter and it will be given to the scheduling coordinator who will be in on Thursday and Friday this week - hopefully I'll receive a call. The advisor there said that I could probably get in for an initial visit at the end of april/early may. But that its going to be 4-6 months for the process to continue after that - so I'm not too happy about that.

I'm still waiting for the surgical center to call me and schedule my appointment. If they don't call me by end of day today, I'm calling them tomorrow. I don't like waiting for things! I'm not very good at being patient :thumbup: I couldn't wait :thumbdown: I called them today and the NP is reviewing my letter and it will be given to the scheduling coordinator who will be in on Thursday and Friday this week - hopefully I'll receive a call. The advisor there said that I could probably get in for an initial visit at the end of april/early may. But that its going to be 4-6 months for the process to continue after that - so I'm not too happy about that.

It varies based on insurance provider and even surgery center. This is my second go-round with this and its so much easier this time around. I have to jump through a few hoops with priority health, but none that are on FIRE like they were with Aetna The surgery center in some ways was easier to deal with in Dallas - just because they're bigger. Here, not so much - but they're very very nice.

I think the bigger picture here is the lie involved. It doesn't matter what he promised to do, he broke that promise. He lied about this. I for one don't give a rat's ass what my husband looks at on the internet. I don't care if he goes to the nudie bar. I know where he's at each and every night and i know where his heart is. That's what matters to me. What I do care about is whether or not he's honest with me. Lying to your spouse is breaking more vows than I can sputter out right now.

I'm just waiting for the surgeon's office to call me to come in for my first of 2 consults. I'm apparently going with Dr. Nizzi at Grand Traverse Surgery at this point and time. If they tell me it'll be 6 months, I'll be checking into other option in Grand Rapids, etc. Ugh and I left my cell phone at home today - hope they didn't try to call me!

I'm just waiting for the surgeon's office to call me to come in for my first of 2 consults. I'm apparently going with Dr. Nizzi at Grand Traverse Surgery at this point and time. If they tell me it'll be 6 months, I'll be checking into other option in Grand Rapids, etc. Ugh and I left my cell phone at home today - hope they didn't try to call me!

I'm pretty sure my biggest problem will be my upper arms - they've always been a problem. I'd love to get "the girls" put back where they belong too - which I believe I can have done with a breast reduction - even when I was very fit (3 years ago) I still had a DD chest that killed my back and my bra straps cut into my shoulders - I was going to have a reduction done back then - well I can get it done when I'm done with this now

Just a question, but is your sister's friend overweight? I think that anyone that can't be supportive in a health-improving situation has something they're covering - either their fear that something will happen to that person or a jealousy factor. Maybe she's afraid it WILL work too well and then she won't be the only sister that gets noticed. One of my sister in laws used to ask why I spent so much time running and lifting weights since it "really didn't help anyway" - this didn't start until I actually was giving her the clothes that were too big for me. I'm just sayin....some people have that sort of defense mechanism. I wish I still had that size 10 body. BUT I will have it again And I'll give her my clothes....again :thumbup:

1. Backpack the entire length of the Manistee River 2. Fit into the clothes I want to wear. 3. Take dance lessons.

I've been looking at all these before and after pictures....and I think what scares me the most is taking that before picture and looking at it. I know my view is distorted - I know what I looked like before all this happened - and it wasn't all that long ago. I know I don't look like that any longer and I know I carry my weight different from everyone else....and I know what I looked like 50 lbs ago - kinda... I SO do not want to look at that before picture. I'm afraid I'll literally get sick to my stomach. I've avoided mirrors as much as possible - I don't do pictures since I'm always the one with the camera. Its going to be a difficult thing. Probably the hardest thing of all - seeing the reality for what it really is.

I've been looking at all these before and after pictures....and I think what scares me the most is taking that before picture and looking at it. I know my view is distorted - I know what I looked like before all this happened - and it wasn't all that long ago. I know I don't look like that any longer and I know I carry my weight different from everyone else....and I know what I looked like 50 lbs ago - kinda... I SO do not want to look at that before picture. I'm afraid I'll literally get sick to my stomach. I've avoided mirrors as much as possible - I don't do pictures since I'm always the one with the camera. Its going to be a difficult thing. Probably the hardest thing of all - seeing the reality for what it really is.

you're the one I have been looking for. you say it like it is. You bust your ass and don't apologize for it. I just needed to know that it can be done and done like this. Thanks and keep it up.