zenmagic

I am starting my process as well. I met with my doctor yesterday. So I am in the process of scheduling the appointments and losing the required 20lbs on my own.

Seriously your mourning your clothes? Skinny clothes are better than fat clothes any day.. Go shopping.. A little retail therapy will cheer you right up

I am with you, I'm only 5 months out but have lost 72 pounds. I was in a size 24 and now am in a size 12. It's so weird because you think getting dressed should be one of the most exciting parts of your day but for me it's very uncomfortable because well to be honest I don't even know how to dress at this size. I to was in high school last time I was this size and I don't want to dress like that again, lol. But I am excited also, it's like I get a new start. I can make and mold myself into whomever I want to be and I love that. It sure has turned into an amazing adventure I am excited to see where it takes me. I'm am sorry you have lost friends over this, I know how that feels. My family is still very angry with me for making the choice to have this surgey and when I eat around them they constantly mention how unhealthy they think my ratting habits are and don't want to listen to my explanation. Oh well is all I can say, my husband and I are both super happy with the results so far. They will come around, and if they don't oh well, other people will come into my life that can love me as I am. Good luck and remember your not alone on this journey!

I am starting my process as well. I met with my doctor yesterday. So I am in the process of scheduling the appointments and losing the required 20lbs on my own.

I am starting my process as well. I met with my doctor yesterday. So I am in the process of scheduling the appointments and losing the required 20lbs on my own.

I knew almost immediately that I wanted the Roux en Y. I am heavy and I think, after all my research, it's the BEST option for me. I meet with my surgeon on the 28th and I am almost certain he is going to recommend the same thing for me.

I knew almost immediately that I wanted the Roux en Y. I am heavy and I think, after all my research, it's the BEST option for me. I meet with my surgeon on the 28th and I am almost certain he is going to recommend the same thing for me.

I already have my appointment with my surgeon on the 28th of this month, and I go to my doctor's on the 19th next week to get my physical and referral. So everything is moving smoothly so far.

Approved!!!!!

Get going...move fast ...you won't regret it!

I'm one of the ppl who called,lol. The first day I called I just (very politely) said I wanted to make sure my paperwork was received- which they said no it wasn't. So I called the next day, same thing- they said it was received this time so that calmed me down some. Then I made myself not call the next morning, but my coordinator called me around 1pm that day and told me I was approved!
Call them!!

I grew really frustrated with my insurance company.
I am generally an easy going and polite sort of person.
I was 3 months into the deal and getting bounced around by UHC and lost my patience with them. I felt as if I was being manipulated and delayed on purpose. I wound up cussing out every level of supervisor I kept getting escalated to. It didn't do a thing to help my situation.....but I certainly felt better after letting it ride on every one of them that I could.
I opted to self fund and had my surgery a moth later. I would still be waiting for surgery right now had I not done so.
One of the best decisions I've ever made in my life.......EVER.
UHC can form a single file line........and pucker up and kiss my big shrinking arse.
I've got something they can manipulate.

I knew almost immediately that I wanted the Roux en Y. I am heavy and I think, after all my research, it's the BEST option for me. I meet with my surgeon on the 28th and I am almost certain he is going to recommend the same thing for me.

Be honest: How does your extra skin make you feel?
I was watching the new show "Skin Tight" on TLC with the young lady who's name is Lauana, mentioning her excess skin and how it REALLY made her feel. I personally have always had the knack of pushing my feelings aside and just being happy with 'Good Enough'... but then she spoke.


Be honest: How does your extra skin make you feel?
I was watching the new show "Skin Tight" on TLC with the young lady who's name is Lauana, mentioning her excess skin and how it REALLY made her feel. I personally have always had the knack of pushing my feelings aside and just being happy with 'Good Enough'... but then she spoke.
I have always wanted to eventually get my skin removed, someday. I've been at or near goal for about 4 years now, or something like that. I've never really counted. But I also never acknowledged the fact that I may be more fit, healthier, smaller.. whatever, but I am not a finished product. I still have one more step to go and with watching that Television program I was slapped in the face with it. I need to have my excess skin removed.
To this day I've never ever shared photos of my excess skin, and I probably won't until it's gone. Kind of the Before and After effect. I can't stand it. The gal who was on there, we look exactly alike naked. And when she said, "Sometimes I wonder if it's just better to be fat and filled out rather than be left with this saggy skin..." I felt that a little too much! I almost cried. Honesty came to the forefront and it made me realize that until I get it through my thick skin... (pun intended?) that I will never feel complete. Later during her consultation, the surgeon pulled her excess arm skin to the back, revealing a slender beautifully fit arm. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing at that point. All I could do was reach next to my bed and grab a tissue and wipe away the shame of what I had done to my body. I could see in my imagination the many times I'd done that in front of my mirror when I'm all alone in the room. Wondering what it must be like.. going out in public without worry someone is looking at my saggy arms, or what they must be thinking. I want to feel that general confidence that come with that.
I have always said that yes, I wanted to have my excess skin removed, but not with as much certainty as I was at that moment.
So why am I sharing this here? Why am I not sharing this in the skin removal category? Because, this is something that majority and I mean 90ish percent of us will think about at some point. With WLS comes a lot of fat loss, and with a lot of fat loss comes a lot of extra skin. Of course there will be some lucky people out there without the extra skin, and God Blessed them. But me? No, I have it. I hate it. I want it gone. I also hope that through this channel of communication I can bring others some comfort. That you are not alone, you are not crying alone. You are not wishing and hating your skin alone.
I have gone through more than my share of surgeries since my Lap Band in 2008, so the thought of more surgeries has me turned off. That said, when I see my friends who have had the skin removed... my heart aches for that feeling that I know nothing about. What it must be like to look tight, and finally feel like a normal person (whatever that means!). I want to say however that I wouldn't change a thing about my journey. I am glad that I made the choice to have Weight Loss Surgery. I am glad that I kept fighting when things didn't seem to go my way. I am glad that I stayed positive and kept moving forward when it felt like I wasn't losing. I am glad I stayed strong mentally and kept working toward a new day.
I am mostly thankful to myself that I kept that part of me in the background when I really needed to focus on other health issues I was having. I most likely would have gone crazy otherwise... but I've gotten all of the other health issues resolved. So now, this issue is ready for me to fix.
I am now in that fork in the road of, do I just take one course and keep the skin? Or do I take the other road and help myself achieve what I always imagined in my head I could be?
Thanks to the new TLC show, I have finally made my choice.
Loving myself doesn't have to be accepting myself the way I am. It can also mean loving myself enough to be everything I imagine in my head. There can always be room for improvement.

My surgeon highly recommended the full gastric bypass for me. I have a very high BMI, I've lost 25 lbs prepping for surgery and my BMI is still over 50. I also have terrible acid reflux and a complication from it, Barrett's Esophagus. She explained that the reflux would not go away with the other procedures.
My mother-in-law had the gastric sleeve last year and that's been perfect for her, but I'm a whole lot heavier.

Welcome @@Good apple
I initially went into the process dead set on the sleeve. I too had no compelling medical conditions, and was given the choice of either the sleeve or bypass. My BMI when l started the process was 46, but by the time I got to surgery it was a high 39.
I had a number of reasons for finally opting for the bypass. One was the GERD issues that some, but definitely not all, experience with the sleeve as post ops. There are even a few who have had to revise from sleeve to bypass for this very reason. I just didn't want to take the chance that I might be one of the unlucky ones to develop this issue. I don't think I could have handled the possibility of a revision down the line.
I also thought that I might benefit more having the restrictive and malabsorption components working together to help me reach my ultimate goal weight, and more importantly, maintain it. I had a very wicked sweet tooth and knew the mere "prospect" of dumping would aid me in keeping that in check. I was never really concerned about the Vitamin deficiencies as I've always taken them.
Now at five months out I can say in all honestly that I made the right decision. I feel better than I ever have, have more energy, and I'm only 22 pounds away from goal. I've never dumped, had no complications, an easy recovery, and I stick to a very healthy diet. I finally kicked a lifetime soda habit, don't eat bread, Pasta, rice, or sweets. I never could have accomplished any of this on my own, because I've certainly tried. I was always hungry before, no matter how much I ate, but now I'm in control of my life again. It is amazing, simply life changing. I feel reborn!
Either procedure is great. If the sleeve had been my only option I would have taken it in a second. But I had a choice and this was the best one for me. Good luck!