staceymeaux

I am in the final approval phase. I should find out by mid-May if I am approved. I find myself eating everything in site. My nerves are terrible. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like a total nut.

I am in the final approval phase. I should find out by mid-May if I am approved. I find myself eating everything in site. My nerves are terrible. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like a total nut.

I am in the final approval phase. I should find out by mid-May if I am approved. I find myself eating everything in site. My nerves are terrible. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like a total nut.

I am in the final approval phase. I should find out by mid-May if I am approved. I find myself eating everything in site. My nerves are terrible. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like a total nut.

I am in the final approval phase. I should find out by mid-May if I am approved. I find myself eating everything in site. My nerves are terrible. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like a total nut.

We both had plenty leave from our jobs, but we chose not to let them in on our surgeries, returned to work right away and planning to take a 2 week vacation when we hit our 50 lb loss!

To all, it really does get better after day 3 or 4. I am surprisingly not starving. I just miss eating, which is what got me so overweight. I am done with week 1. Half way there.

I am on day 3 of the liquid diet in pre-op. I too am struggling emotionally. It really is not the hunger, I feel like I have lost my best friend. I really just don't know what to do with myself. Feeling anxious.

I am on day 3 of the liquid diet in pre-op. I too am struggling emotionally. It really is not the hunger, I feel like I have lost my best friend. I really just don't know what to do with myself. Feeling anxious.

To all, it really does get better after day 3 or 4. I am surprisingly not starving. I just miss eating, which is what got me so overweight. I am done with week 1. Half way there.

To all, it really does get better after day 3 or 4. I am surprisingly not starving. I just miss eating, which is what got me so overweight. I am done with week 1. Half way there.

Oh, thank you for replying. I would love to hear about your experience. I think my biggest fear right now is what surgery will they choose. The sleeve would definitely be my first choice. How long did it take after your second screening visit to know you were approved and actually have the surgery.

Decide
I have struggled with so many things during my life mostly my weight and my finances, but those two things combined have led me to some pretty dumb decisions over the course of the past thirty years. I have managed to just be complacent in my misery and poor decision making which has kept the disease of depression in full gear.
I have had to do some soul searching over the past couple of weeks when I received the call that I may get to have WLS paid for by my insurance. I was literally in a lottery drawing for a year waiting to be called. My first thought was pure elation, like I had actually won the million dollar lottery. But quickly that elation changed to anxiety, fear, and depression as I began to learn more about the surgery and the process and talk to others about their experience. I had done enough research to know already that WLS was not a quick fix even though that is really what I wanted, a quick fix. But the more I learned the more I was awakened to all of the emotional baggage that I needed to let go of if the surgery would ever be a success. You see I do not eat because I am hungry, I eat because of everything else, boredom, loneliness, happiness, sadness, and every emotion in between. It was going to take hard work, just like any other diet or lifestyle change. It was only a tool, not a cure.
At my first appointment in this long process, I asked a lot of questions. Just hoping that someone would say this was going to be easy, but no one did. Everyone said how much work it would be, and how strict they are about the process and following the guidelines provided by the doctors, even prior to ever having the surgery. But my nurse named Gretta told me I needed to just DECIDE that I was going to do it. She talked to me about how she was finally able to quit smoking and it just came to her one day that she needed to just decide not to do it. She has not had a cigarette in nearly 3 years. So is it really that simple. Just decide. So it seems that everywhere I have turned this past week I keep hearing the word decide, from scripture, in my devotionals, from other people. It sounds simple, so that is what I am going to do. I am DECIDING today that I want to have WLS and I am DECIDING that I will follow the rules and I am DECIDING that I will lose weight, and I am DECIDING that I want to be able to do so much more with so much less of me (physically). So I say to you, if you want to overcome obesity and change your life, just DECIDE. Let’s do this together.
The bible says, “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them so that everyone may see your progress.” 1 Timothy 4:15
It is possible to rise up, do battle with our issues, using the Lord’s strength in us, defeat them – spiritually, physically and mentally – to the glory of God. ----From Made to Crave Devotional.
Some Quotes:
“Whatever you decide to do, make sure it makes you happy.”
“Decide in your heart of hearts what really excites and challenges you and start moving your life in that direction.”
“Once you’ve made the decision to move on, don’t look back. You will never find your future in the rear view mirror.”
“I am NOT a product of my circumstances. I AM a product of my decisions.”
“You will know you made the right decision; you feel the stress leaving your body, your mind, your life.”
“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”

Thank you for sharing your story. I too have many of the same conditions. I am praying that I get approved for surgery next month. I am currently on a 2 week liquid diet (day 2) as part of the process for getting approval for the surgery. I love this site, it is very helpful.

I am on day 3 of the liquid diet in pre-op. I too am struggling emotionally. It really is not the hunger, I feel like I have lost my best friend. I really just don't know what to do with myself. Feeling anxious.

I go for my first appointment Tuesday to learn more about WLS. I have struggled with my weight since I was very young and lost my first 100 pounds when I was 14. I have been up and down ever since. I am at my highest weight ever now. I am so scared that the surgery won't work and that I will wake up just as hungry as ever and nothing will change. Did anyone else have this fear? How have you managed it?

Tomorrow I begin my journey to hopefully get approved for WLS. I work for the state of Louisiana and the process for getting approved is a little complicated. They have created a "study" through Pennington Biomedical Research. You apply to the program and go through some basic screening up front which I did 1 year ago. Once you get through this screening you are put into a lottery drawing to move to the next stage of the study. I had my first visit last week where they did the next round of medical screening. I passed this round and now begin a 2 week liquid diet (they provide the shakes). I do this for 2 weeks and go back on January 31st and if all goes well then my case will be reviewed by the surgery review panel to determine if I am eligible for surgery. The other catch to this process is that you do not get to chose which surgery, because it is a study. It will be either the lap-band, sleeve, or bypass. If you get approved and do not like the surgery path that has been chosen you can always drop out. I am excited to see what happens next. I am nervous about starting the 2 week liquid diet, but I know it is good training for once I have the surgery. Any thoughts, words of wisdom and support are welcomed.

Thank you all for your encouraging words and great advice. This is truly helping me process all of what is happening.

I go for my first appointment Tuesday to learn more about WLS. I have struggled with my weight since I was very young and lost my first 100 pounds when I was 14. I have been up and down ever since. I am at my highest weight ever now. I am so scared that the surgery won't work and that I will wake up just as hungry as ever and nothing will change. Did anyone else have this fear? How have you managed it?

Thank you for sharing. I especially like your comment " There was no way it would work and I will be known as the fat guy who couldn’t lose weight with WLS". That has been my thoughts and hesitation about ever having the surgery. I am now in the pre-approval stage doing the liquid diet. So hopefully by the middle of next month I will know if I am approved for the surgery and get a surgery date.

I am on day 3 of the liquid diet in pre-op. I too am struggling emotionally. It really is not the hunger, I feel like I have lost my best friend. I really just don't know what to do with myself. Feeling anxious.

Thank you for sharing. I especially like your comment " There was no way it would work and I will be known as the fat guy who couldn’t lose weight with WLS". That has been my thoughts and hesitation about ever having the surgery. I am now in the pre-approval stage doing the liquid diet. So hopefully by the middle of next month I will know if I am approved for the surgery and get a surgery date.

Thank you for sharing your story. I too have many of the same conditions. I am praying that I get approved for surgery next month. I am currently on a 2 week liquid diet (day 2) as part of the process for getting approval for the surgery. I love this site, it is very helpful.

My Favorite NSV's are:
Not having to ask for an extension on an airplane
Walking down an aisle of an airplane without apologizing for almost knocking someone out.
Getting off the coach on the first try
Crossing my legs
Getting dressed without sitting down
Being able to ride any coaster at an amusement park
Not having to worry if the ladder is going to hold me or not
Tying my shoes without almost passing out.
Taking the golf ball out of the hole without getting on my knees first
Having the grand kids get tired before I do
Leaving food on the plate without feeling guilty

Taking a road trip down memory lane everyone, so please bear with me.... October 2013, SW: 275 I am a 38year old mother of 4, newlymarried. Beautiful house, nice vehicle, great kids, loving hubby....I should be happy right? No, I was not...was not happy with myself & that turned me into a monster.
I have been diagnosed with PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder with severe anxiety & panic attacks,OCD Hypothyroidism, Elevated Triglycerides, Asthma and PCOS just to name a few.
I was trapped inside of a heavy drum and could not climb out and break free, I began hurting myself b/c I could not feel anything anymore. On the brink of suicide. I wanted and needed help.
I met DR. SAMUEL BLEDSOE, and HE & HIS STAFF, literally saved my life! He is a wonderful surgeon with an outstanding bedside manor. They walked me through the whole process with a checklist that needed to be done before the surgery could transpire. From his seminar(which he does on a Saturday)to sleep study, to lab work, to meeting with the nutrionist...I was able to contact his nurses PAM & HALEY at anytime with any questions or concerns.
The information packet they give is so very informative and I did my homework to prepare...Fast Foreward to January 2014...I had the SLEEVE surgery at CHRISTUS CABRINI HOSPITAL in ALEXANDRIA, LA.
The most kind and compassionate surgeon ever... Dr Bledsoe talked and even prayed with me before taking me to surgery. He, along with the hospital staff, took such great care of me during my one night stay...one night!!! Cheering me on with every little step I took and every little sip I drank!!
Looking back, I not only did I feel mentally prepared, by attending the seminar, but to know that I had a team of people, standing behind me, to pick me up if I would fall...and that was a relief in itself! I cannot leave out SANDRA (nutrionist) for she gave me great ideas on foods and Proteins when my taste for things changed or getting stuck in a little rut on eating the same foods...
Now, here in the present, I am 14 months out...weighing 184 pounds. I am not at my goal weight just yet, however, I AM HAPPY WITH MYSELF!! It has been a journey that I wanted to take for ME..no one else!! I still struggle with depression and the like, but it is tolerable, and I do still take meds for it. But I have the energy to move myself and stay motivated! I no longer have asthma, no longer take meds for high triglycerides and I am on a lower dose of thyroid medication.
What I want to say to those of you who are thinking about the surgery...make sure you find a surgeon who is compassionate and caring. Without that, you are just a number... Thank you for allowing me to share and to brag a little on my surgeon????