careya123

Do you have a good nutritionist and therapist to talk to? They can help you find solutions you may not have considered. They can also help you visualize being successful long term. That might be key for you. I have the same worries about maintenance. I've never maintained a weight loss for longer than five minutes. When I was researching bariatric surgery, the first thing I did was look up the five year outcomes of surgery vs diet and exercise alone. I was amazed at the long-term success of bariatric patients, especially considering that this is a group not known for handling food well. You are far more likely to be successful than unsuccessful. (The reverse is true for diet and exercise, according to medical research.) So this experience is not like what you've experienced in the past, and you should have every expectation of long-term success.

I'm in Sandy. What's the SLC store called? I'm thinking about getting some sugar-free Torani syrups to flavor the shakes. I also just got The Bariatric Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes. I haven't tried any recipes yet, but I am hoping it makes them edible. Is it rude to call your PCP 5 times a day to check on medical records? It's seriously making me crazy. I submitted my request a week ago, and still no word that the records have been received.

I have a friend who carries most of her weight on her abdomen. She lost ~40 lbs, had another 40 to go, and the only fat left made her look 7 months pregnant. She had super skinny arms and legs after the weight loss. She had people asking her multiple times a day about her "pregnancy." She got so depressed that she gave up and gained the weight back. Nobody looks great fat, but wow, I'm glad for my build. My butt may have its own set of zip codes, but nobody congratulates me on it. To quote a friend, "at least I'm fat everywhere."

Hey, our stats are almost identical! Let's keep in touch. In the patient portal, on the left side of the screen there is a button labeled Criteria. That's where they put all the requirements, individualized for you specifically. Each item gets checked off and dated. I've been on there every day to make sure things are moving along. I'm about to pester my GP again for medical records, today; it's the only thing left. I'm worried about the pre-op diet. I will often drink what I call a super shake: a fruit, a vegetable (spinach or Kale, usually), plain Greek yogurt, Water, and sometimes a healthy add-in. I asked if I could drink this instead of protein shakes; the nutritionist said that would be fine after the surgery, but not before. I've been getting into a more whole food diet lately, and I don't know how I'm going to choke down those fake Protein Shakes 3-4 times a day. Blech. Good luck to us both! I'm hoping for mid-March too. Keep me updated.

I always said that if I was thin, I'd break my budget on clothes. I could see that becoming a transfer addiction for me. Any other current or future fashionistas out there? Has it been, or do you anticipate that it would be, a problem for you?

I went there a week ago, and I really liked it. You can tell that they have a lot of experience and know what they are doing. I liked that so much of the process is in-office, as opposed to running all over town for appointments. I also like their online patient portal. It's a little clunky, but it's nice to track where I am in the process, and know that they are too.

Ditto on the CPAP. I don't know how anyone manages to use them long-term.

That helps a lot, thank you.

What qualifies as documentation of non-surgical weight loss attempts? I've done Weight Watchers, but it was so long ago that I don't have any records left. I guess my real queston is this: do they want documentation or do they want proof? I can write down the facts of when-where-how (documentation), but I'm afraid they'll want proof by a third party. I know I need to check with my insurance, but for everyone who has been through this--what was your experience? Be sure to list your insurance company.

I'm getting into yoga myself. I really like the channel called 'Yoga with Adriene' on YouTube. Here's a link to one of her beginner videos.

I'd recommend using an online dating site that is known locally as being reputable. For whatever reason, some sites attract better candidates than others. I've met some great people through online dating. I recommend being very upfront on your profile. I had a friend who was very blunt on her profile about her likes and dislikes and personality and history, and she found the best guy who is a great fit for her. She attributed it to not trying to attract everybody on the site, but just being very honest to weed out the ones who wouldn't be good dating candidates for her.

Now might be a really good time for marital therapy. I'm so sorry for your struggles.

It's so good that you're acknowledging it to yourself and making changes to improve. When I was deciding whether or not to get surgery, I looked into the five year outcomes of popular diets vs bariatric surgery. Five years after diet and exercise alone and almost everyone has gained the weight back. Five years after surgery, and almost everyone is still successful. That showed me that it's possible for people like us, who have struggled with our weight for long and have deeply ingrained bad food habits, to be successful. So you may not be perfect, but as long as you keep trying, everything will work out. Love this, and I totally agree.

I just did my psych eval. The psychologist asked about my weight history, my support system, what I do when I'm stressed, and my relationship with alcohol, drugs, coffee, tea, and soda. She also warned me about depression after surgery, why people get it, and how to deal with it. She seemed primarily interested in making sure that I know what to expect mentally after surgery and how to deal with it. I had to fill out two questionnaires also, and those will be evaluated later, and the results added to my file. The longest questionnaire (175 questions) seemed to be looking for signs of a variety of major mental issues. The second questionnaire was focused on depression only and was perhaps 30 questions. Overall, it was a very good experience and quite informative.

I'm in Utah and I have insurance, so no need for me to go to Mexico.

I went to my first consultation yesterday, and the insurance counselor assured me that BCBS-IL is a good insurer. No diet required. They are requiring medical records for proof of co-morbidities (I'm under 40 BMI). No other requirements for me other than nutritionist and psych eval, which the surgeon also requires. The insurance counselor did say BCBS-IL is slow, which is odd because I've heard the opposite on this forum.

I take everything as a compliment, if it can possibly be construed as one. I do it for two reasons: 1) I don't like the drama of wondering what the person is really thinking, and 2) my social skills are sub-par, so I'm forgiving of others. I think I have offended many when I was trying to be friendly or supportive.

Yeah that.

Mmm, cake!

I think that's a great idea too. Once you're in the smaller sizes, I've heard thrift stores can be great too. If you like skirts, that can work well for weight loss, especially knit skirts. In fact, knit anything works better than woven. If you have some nicer clothes, take them to a tailor to be sized down. Pants can only go 1-2 sizes down before you basically have to take them apart and re-cut them. Not worth it at that point. Also, see if you can shop a friend's closet. And clearance racks. Congratulations on the weight loss! Edit: Maybe dresses would work for a longer time too. Have a tailor narrow the arm, side seams, and deepen the front and back darts as you lose weight. Perhaps a shirtdress style would work well, or a wrap style.

As an engineer-type myself, let me apologize for him. We are sorry. We have no social skills. We know this. lol

Please tell me cellulite goes away at goal. Please.

I have never gotten that! I don't get any comments on my looks, but I know that is a common one for overweight people. Sometimes I think, "do I not have a pretty face?" LOL!

I had lipo under my chin. It was a quick procedure under local anesthesia, but I was surprised at the discomfort later. I didn't expect to feel much pain since it's such a small area, but it took a long time to heal and it was bruised for weeks and lumpy for months. The swelling took a year to go down. I remember thinking a day or two after surgery that my body really hated me for doing this to it. It wasn't painful so much as uncomfortable with all the swelling right around your throat. Made me feel a little claustrophobic. I had one of those necks that looked like I swallowed a small animal, so it was definitely worth it. I didn't get the perfect chin/jawline afterwards, but it's definitely improved. Edit: My profile picture is months after chin lipo. It's a little deceptive in that it's the only pic where my neck/jaw look that good. Of course, that's why I love that image.

THATS why I never have issues! Got the RBF mastered! Lol Me too!!!