Mrs. Reid

Ok, so I am in my pre-op visit, the doctor has just told me he is going to clear me for surgery and I am on cloud 9. He says the only thing I need is for the CMA to come in and draw blood for my tests. This woman comes in and she is overweight. She starts telling me that she had considered wls too, but decided she was not big enough to do something so drastic. This woman is practically prancing around the room as she is setting up the stuff to do the blood test. She starts talking about how she lost weight through diet and exercise and the tone of her voice was so superior....like she was so much better than me cause she didn't need wls. I told her I lost weight that way too....many many times. I told her it was not about losing weight it was about keeping it off. Then she starts talking about how it is all about self-discipline. How she is in control of her impulses to eat and setting a good example for her daughter. She was talking about smelling food and starting to crave...but no, she knew she had to take control of the situation and take care of herself. I was just about to tell the b**** where to get off, but I thought about her sticking this needle in my arm so I just kept quiet. It was over pretty quickly and she left the room. I was still overjoyed about being cleared....and she didn't mess up my mood. But had I been in a different state of mind...this could have ended very badly.

I wish I had the opportunity to do this in my 30s. How different my life would be now! I feel like a person has to be all in to get wls. If there is doubt then I'd say don't do it. I first started thinking about wls about 15 years ago. But I said no....I just need to workout and make wl a priority. And I did...I lost a good 70 pounds ..then put it all back on again. I started looking into wls again about 3 years ago when two of my cousins had it and lost over 100 pounds each....and are keeping it off. It wasn't until I had a comprehensive physical in August with blood work and organ testing did I find out how my body is starting to break down after 52 years of carrying so much excess weight. That is when I asked for a referral to the bariatric clinic. Nothing can convince me that I can lose weight and keep it off without this surgery. I have been overweight since I was 9 years old and it is going to end on February 24th!!!!

I have heard of a lot of the things you are talking about because I work in a food coop. Most of the people I have talked to say to take L-Glutamine as an amino acid after major surgery that helps with the body rebuilding itself. It is used by body builders and professional athletes to assist in the process of recovery from heavy workouts. It helps to heal body tissues. It is also a precursor to dopamine in the brain which helps you feel more positive and happy. I have a bottle of the stuff that I use to maintain a positive attitude and to reduce anxiety. I will be taking it every day after my surgery to help heal and stay happy. Also 5HTP is another amino that helps you sleep and increase serotonin in the brain....another natural happy amino.....I will be depending on both after my surgery. ACD and E are the basics with recovery from physical trauma as is Arnica which helps tissues.

I'm feeling you! I got depressed over the past month as I am getting closer to my date. For me it is anxiety related depression. This is going to be a major change in my life. Who am I going to be when I go through this process? I have always said "When I lose weight I'm going to......" Well, now I have to be in control of my life. I can't blame being fat...I can't create comfort with food. Now I am responsible for creating the life I was meant to lead. That is some heavy s***t to bear! It is far to overwhelming for me to handle by myself. I have to make a commitment to taking care of myself because that is where depression hits me most of all. I get the dishes washed...I take a shower...if something happens at work I stand up for myself....I make sure my clothes are clean and in good shape....brush teeth...use deodorant....all the self-care stuff. Try watching stand up comedy on youtube. What makes you happy? Try to find things that make you smile.

Congrats!!! How is the pain?

The waiting is so frustrating! Hopefully your team is a lot more efficient than my team and they don't sit on your case for weeks because they are just inept.

Congrats! One day soon I will be posting the same message!

You and I are going on the same day!!!

I was originally going for the sleeve, but have changed to the bypass. I need to fear dumping syndrome to keep myself off sugar. I am such a sugar addict that. I need food that I shouldn't eat to make me sick. I need to be forced to slow down and follow the rules. I consider it tough love for myself.

Great! Something else to worry about!

Walking Dead and Criminal Minds!!!

I am batiking a bunch of head scarves to use in prep for the hair loss phase. I was terrified of my hair falling out but now I just see it as part of what I have to go through to get what I want.

Got my date!!!! February 24, 2015 Got to meet with my doctor this Thursday, Pre-op on Monday and then start my 2 week pre-op diet on the 10th!! It has been so frustrating waiting!!!! Today I go into work and put in my request for time off!!!! Yeaaaaaa!!!!

Preferred One is known for being barbaric friendly - for the bypass not the sleeve. It just took a long time to get things done....but a lot of that had to do with my insurance person at Hennepin County blowing me off. Are you going for the bypass or the sleeve.

Sounds like you have a bunch of negative people in your family. Maybe you could use this move to Miami as a chance to change that. You can find someone else to take you to the hospital. It does not need to be your mom. It sounds like your mom is using your weight to keep you in your place....off balance and dependent. Maybe she thinks that if you are thin then lots of people would love you and you would not need her anymore. Maybe you should start keeping your own secrets. Just go through the process, meet new friends, have the surgery and when you start losing weight tell them you didn't let them know because of what happened last time you told them about your wls. I believe we teach people how to treat us. Your family will only do what you allow them to do. If you don't stand for mistreatment, if you make an effort to stay away from negative people they will learn that they cannot be negative around you. In order to be successful with wls we have to change the way we behave. Add getting rid of negative people to that list of lifestyle changes.

My BMI is 39 and I have hypertension. I just got approved today. Usually if you have hypertension or some other comorbidity, you only need a BMI of 35. Good luck!

APPROVED! APPROVED! APPROVED!

UPDATE: talked to insurance today and my paperwork is complete! Now I just have to wait for a decision!

I know what you mean. My weight is my misery too. I am so sick of being fat. I am waiting for insurance approval right now...waiting to restart my life.

This is one of my biggest fears about wls! I soooo don't want my period to return. I told my gyn at my last visit that I was going for wls and told her I was afraid of having my period came back. She said it was impossible. Yet then I hear of it happening......nooooooooo!

I have decided to give them one more week and then I am going to write a letter to the chairman of the bariatic department describing the problem I am having and asking for his help to get things straightened out. Monday it will be one month since my last NUT appointment. I am going to call the insurance company on Wens and Friday to see if the problem has been cleared up. If not, then I am going to write my letter on Friday and take it to the hospital myself. I really don't take lightly to being jerkerd around and that is what I feel is happening.

I really wish I could go to a different hospital. I would have to start the whole process over and that means another 6 months of waiting. I would say it's not possible for these people to drag it out for six months...but I don't know. If I had the money to go to Mexico I would schedule my surgery today and forget about Hennepin County (where I am having the surgery done). But I don't have the money....and so I sit in limbo waiting for this thing to work out.

So far it has been 5 months since my initial visit. I am currently waiting for insurance approval and that is taking quite a while. I am glad for the time it took for me to jump through hoops to qualify for the surgery, because it has made me look at a lot of the behaviors that got me into this situation and it has also helped me make some changes to my lifestyle that will help me succeed once I have the surgery. I am not real happy about the wait for insurance approval because I am so ready to go!

Does anyone know why whey Protein powder isolate is supposed to be better than plain whey Protein Powder? Does it really make that much difference? Has anyone tried Isopure unflavored protein powder or Now Foods whey protein powder isolate?

MORE FRUSTRATION!!! Called the insurance company this morning and they say my pre-authorization is pending due to errors! So I call the program coordinator and she says Kelly the insurance person is off today but they will look into it and give me a call on Monday. Kelly never calls back...I'm going to have to call them. It just seems so amazing to me that this is what these people do for a living...this is all they do...and yet it has been a full month since I met all the requirements for the surgery and they still have not been able to get my case properly submitted to the insurance company! So now the soonest I would be able to have surgery is the beginning of February. My whole life is on hold waiting for this to happen. This is just unbelievable!