dashofsunshine

I knew my insurance didn't cover it (my insurance is through my husband's work and they just don't include it - simple as that), but I tried anyway and of course, got denied. They told me that I could try to pay more for a different plan, but even then, I had to have been morbidly obese for 5+ years (apparently that is standard for BCBS TN across the board?) I have been overweight all my life, obese for about 5 years, but only MORBIDLY obese for 2 years. My BMI is 49. I guess they just want you to wait until you keel over from heart disease and diabetes before they will cover it ???? anyway, I chose to self pay. It is a lot of money, but I would rather get it now while I'm young and have no co-morbidities than wait 3 more years and gain another 100 lbs and diabetes and THEN have it....there is nothing in this world better to spend your money on than your health. Good luck!!! ????

I'm 11/20 too ???? good luck guys!!! Keep us updated and I will, too!!! We can do this!!

Hey Matt! I'm a 26 year old singer/visual artist from Nashville, TN. I have spent my entire life being overweight (except for a small period in high school when I was anorexic). I have never had a healthy relationship with food. In high school, I lost 70 lbs and was absolutely terrified of food. Now, it is my best friend. I wake up in the morning thinking about it. When I'm bored, I get on yelp and find local restaurants to try out. Food has been my comforter for so long...it doesn't care what I look like or how much I weigh and it is always there. But it has destroyed my life - I love to travel, but can no longer fit in an airline seat. My body aches every night when I go to bed. I used to run five miles a day and now I get out of breath climbing a flight of stairs. I would love to have children with my husband sometime soon, but my weight does not allow for that. Obesity has stolen so much from me....so I'm not waiting any longer. My surgery is this Thursday and I am so nervous. There is no going back. I am so excited but also, a part of me is sad. Because I AM addicted to food, and the way I view food is going to change forever. And that's scary to me. But spending the rest of my years like this is even more scary. I totally understand where you are coming from. I'm so afraid that I won't be able to do this. That my mind is going to ruin everything. That I won't be able to lose the weight, even after surgery. So many fears! But this is necessary for survival, and happiness. For both of us, it seems! Be brave! And I will, too ???? Best wishes and good luck! -Kati

@@kimmerzj29 I felt the same way at my wedding ???? it was the happiest day of my life, except I didn't feel beautiful. Everything around me was gorgeous, but I felt huge and undeserving. I've decided that after my sleeve and weight loss, we are going to renew our vows at some point so that I can really enjoy the day and feel beautiful ❤️ good luck with your sleeve!!! ????

@@raquel_c He said that technically, the sleeve and/or gastric bypass should have nothing to do with delivering a child - he said it might be a little more touchy if you get pregnant right away and have to deliver before your stomach has completely healed, but if you wait the recommended year, your stomach literally grows back together and around the staples - making them part of your body, basically. So he said natural birth shouldn't be a problem and never has been for any of his patients. He DID say though that after you have bariatric surgery, a lot of other doctors/surgeons are a little freaked out by you (go figure - I guess because not all doctors know everything that bariatric doctors do about the surgery?) and that could lead a doctor to want you to have a C section just to avoid "possible complications." Of course every doctor out there now days prefers C sections anyway because they can schedule them and it's "less of a hassle" or whatever ????

Girl, I am right there with you. I had a small piece of chicken and some veggies yesterday (my two week diet is liquids only) and I cried for like an hour, doubted my decision, beat myself up, etc. I am so miserable (today is day 6), food has ALWAYS been my comforter and I am addicted to it (duh). But nothing worth having comes easily! We can do this!!!! Keep your chin up and I will, too!! ❤️

I had tons of questions. Wish I still had my list but this is what I remember.... 1) staples. I wanted to know if I would feel them at all when doing sit ups, that kind of thing (may seem like a stupid question lol but the thought of having staples inside me forever was scary!) 2) loose skin 3) pregnancy and whether the sleeve would cause me to have to have a C section (read that somewhere online!) 4) hair loss 5) be sure to ask about the pre-op diet (if he has one at all) 6) ask if he does a leak test! 7) I also asked my doctor approximately how many surgeries he has done, and how many of those have gone wrong (leaks, death, complications of any kind!) I had a huge page of questions but that's all I can remember! If I find that piece of paper I'll comment again and tell you some others ???? in terms of sleeve vs bypass, my doctor had a flip chart that talked about pros and cons of both, which was really helpful. Statistically (by the scientific "averages" or whatever) they say that there is a greater possibility to lose more weight with the bypass vs the sleeve, but I'm here to tell you...I have seen people on these forums lose MASSIVE weight with both the sleeve and the bypass. Don't rely too heavily on the statistics, because everyone is different and the statistics also include people who didn't follow the recommended diet, exercise, Water intake, etc. Talk it out with your doctor and make the best decision for YOU - don't fret too much about "oh but I want to lose more than 60% of my excess weight, so I better do the bypass!" I have almost 200 lbs to lose, and my doctor told me if I work hard and do everything I'm supposed to do, it is obtainable with the sleeve. Good luck!!!! ❤️

I'm on day 6 of my 14 day pre-op diet - surgery on the 20th. Mainly just miserable because I can't eat anything. Not starving anymore but miss being able to chew ???? my doctor does 3x protein shakes per day, broth, sugar free Popsicles, and water. The nurse said if I was absolutely dying I could have half a cup of low fat cottage cheese. It is the hardest thing I have ever done. Would kill for a can of carrots! I'm down 6 lbs in 6 days (I feel like it should be more considering I can't even have veggies or any kind of solid food whatsoever, but that just goes to show you how messed up my body is, I guess ????) So ready for surgery and for this to be over! Stay strong guys! ❤️

If anyone else wants an uber cute sleeve or gastric bypass plushie, we got it off of Etsy ???? here is the link to her shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/Plusheez Best wishes guys!!! We can do this!!!

@@DylanRae my husband got me one of those plushies like in your picture! It is personalized on the back with my name and surgery date ❤️ I'm taking it to the hospital with me!!!

Mmmmm refried beans...I would totally put some fire sauce from Taco Bell on some refried beans and eat that...sounds amazing right now, lol. Better go drink my protein shake!! Ugh ???????? haha!!!

@ girl yes!!! Salad sounds so good! I have been craving a can of carrots for four days, Haha so weird. When you can't have anything, I guess your priorities change, lol. I hated cottage cheese before this but we are best friends now!

In terms of pre-op diet...I am starting day 5 today. Not going to say I didn't cheat a little bit, but I'm trying to eat things like...a pack of tuna, or a chicken breast if I do cheat. Unlike others, I have 14 days of LIQUIDS - that is, no veggies or solid protein of any kind (well, I can have a half cup of low fat cottage cheese every day), just 3-4 protein shakes, broth, sugar free jello, and sugar free Popsicles. There are 3 doctors at my hospital and my doctor does the 14 day diet, one doctor does 10 days, the other 3 days. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done, not being able to actually chew anything. I also haven't lost a single pound (maybe the plain grilled chicken breast I ate is holding me back! Lol), but that's just further affirmation to me that my body is freakin' crazy and I HAVE to get this surgery to have some help losing this weight. Surgery on November 20th. Good luck guys!!!

I am loving syntrax nectar protein powder - they have not only chocolate and vanilla and cookies and cream, etc but also juice flavors - lemonade and fuzzy navel and stuff like that. They are all realllllllly tasty and the juice flavors are nice for when you get sick of vanilla and chocolate type stuff!!! Good luck! ???? I would suggest going to GNC or vitamin shoppe and getting some one shake pouches of different brands to try before you buy a tub of anything!

I also take seroquel....and Wellbutrin....and like 6 other medications...my regular doctor swears that none of my medicines have had anything to do with my rapid weight gain....yeah, right!

We are going to look at protein powders today and pick some samples out to try! I start my 14 day pre-op liquid diet on Nov 6. I'm nervous but starting to get a little excited, too!!! ????

@@happymama2014 you ROCK!!! Thanks so much, very helpful! ????

I am self pay and it is 18k for sleeve surgery. That includes EVERYTHING minus your vitamins and diet. Anesthesia, hospital stay, surgeons fee, insurance for any complications afterwards, and a year of post op visits to my doctor, psychiatrist, nutritionist, and exercise science doc. Every program is different!

I get so hangry it's not even funny, I feel your pain. My husband is more worried about the pre-op diet than the actual surgery, lol. He knows I will be mean even though I try not to be ???? I'm allowed to have some veggies one meal a day but the rest has to be all liquid. Sigh! We can do it!!!! ????

My surgery is November 20th and I prayed and thought and gathered research and opinions for months before I decided to have surgery. I know that it is the right decision. There is not a doubt in my mind that I am doing what I have to do to enjoy my life and live a long time in good health. However, I cried in bed last night to my husband about how scared I am. It is life changing. It's major surgery. Anytime you go under anesthesia, there is a risk. But I like to think of it like this: I'm also afraid of flying in airplanes. Do you know how many airplanes take off every day? Thousands. And we so rarely hear about complications...surgery (of any kind) has risks of pneumonia, blood clots, not waking up, etc...the same kind of stuff they tell us about before the sleeve...and doctors, all over the nation perform hundreds of surgeries every day. If there were tons of people dying, we would know about it. Just like an airplane, there are SO many success stories and so very few tragedies. Just try to think of it like that when you get scared ???? and think of how great it will be...to climb stairs and paint your own toenails and live a life full of happiness and adventure as a new, lighter you!

November 20th here! Nashville, Tennessee ????

I take nine pills every morning for a variety of major depression/anxiety/ADD issues. I have my pre-op appointment on November 4th and have to bring all my pill bottles so that the psychiatrist can talk to me about what I can and cannot take normally leading up to and after the surgery. I am so prayerful that getting the sleeve and finally losing some weight will get me off of some of this medication. I am only 26 years old and my depression/anxiety is so debilitating sometimes that it makes me sick. My doctor had absolutely no issues with my mental state and thinks that the sleeve will hopefully help with my disorders. However, I am self pay - insurance would not approve me for several reasons, although I don't know if any of the reasons had anything to do with my depression. I hope you figure things out, and good luck!!! ????

My sister who also had this surgery a few years ago gave me a great tip - she told me to buy a baby sippy cup and start sipping out of it to learn how to "sip" water instead of drinking or gulping it. I've been trying it for the past few days and it isn't easy - you basically have to sip all day to not feel thirsty. But everyone says it will get easier so I hope they're right!!! Good luck!! ????

@@vsgchick haha you are so right about thanksgiving!!!! Oh well. There will be more thanksgivings in the future!!! We can do it!! It will totally be worth it ????

I take abilify and have for years, as a "supplement" to my Wellbutrin. It is actually my hope and ultimate goal to get off of all my medications after surgery (I take 9 pills every morning and I am 26 years old). I would never dream of doing this without of course speaking to my doctors first, but that is what I'm hoping for, eventually. I go to my pre-op class/appointments on November 4th and will be asking the nutritionist which pills will affect me in certain ways after the surgery, including abilify. I will let you know what she says! Good luck! ????