SarahSleeve

Just that he's been certified as a general surgeon since 2003 and then it lists all his education and training info and awards (honor student, surgical awards, etc). I think he'll be a good choice

Thank you for the replies! I guess I was thinking the PCP would be more involved than she actually will be Looking over the papers it doesn't look like she needs to provide much more than the referral, recommendation letter, and lab/physical history. That should be easy for any PCP I'd think. I just have to hope she's supportive of my choice Now to find a psychologist for the eval. That has to be completed before I can even submit my intake form!

Step #1 complete! I've registered with the program and completed my introductory seminar. They said their average pre-op time is between 6-7 months, sometimes as short as 4 depending on what the surgeon and insurance require. So that should line up for late Sept, early Oct which is what I was thinking. Would I like an earlier date? Heck yes. Do I know I need to give myself the full 6-7 months to truly absorb the changes that are about to happen? Absolutely. This time next year I could be 6 months post-sleeve and in a completely different place when Summer comes around. I can't even imagine! More energy, better sleep (Hoping my snoring subsides - it usually does when I lose some weight so fingers crossed!), more beach days with my kids enjoying the sun and sand instead of hiding in my house. MORE MORE MORE!! Up Next - meeting with the PCP to get the referral in place, get labs organized, and see if she'll go off my own spreadsheets detailing my weight loss attempts over the past 5 years. I will also be required to lose up to 10lbs (the surgeon will let me know once all my papers are in) and complete three more informational seminars along with the labs/paperwork. I could actually be losing serious weight already by my November birthday!! And up to 3 months out by Christmas!! I am so excited and ready. Oh, and I had to giggle at myself when I walked into the meeting today. I looked around and saw the 25+ other prospective patients and finally felt like I wasn't alone. I was like "these are my people". I mean, I knew everyone attending would be overweight, but I didn't feel like I was being stared at or judged. Is this what "normal" people feel like every day???? I cannot wait for this to be my life!

Oh, I will. I already requested the appt and will organize everything before I go. I was just curious

**Sorry if this has already been asked, there are so many threads here!!!** Has anyone switched PCPs for the purpose of getting through surgery requirements? I haven't been seeing my doc very long (previous doc retired in Sept after being my doc for almost 10 years) but I don't think she's done many bariatric referrals. At my info seminar today they said some people choose to switch to a doc more knowledgeable with bariatrics for this process and either switch back after or stick with the new one because they know more about post-op stuff. Just curious if anyone has any experience with this. Oh, also - the surgeon I'm getting started with has done about 900 bariatric surgeries.~600 bypass, ~150 sleeves, the rest lap band. Are those good numbers experience-wise? It seems pretty good to me. Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

Excellent! Congrats Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

Thank you! It was kinda funny walking in the room. It felt like it was where I was supposed to be. That this is where my life needs to go right now. I made the first step towards a healthier future. It was a great feeling Now to organize the notes and forms and figure out what the next step is....

I had my first meeting with the hospital today and they said they generally run about 6-7 months pre-op depending on insurance requirements, sometimes as fast as 4 months. My ins doesn't appear to require a supervised diet, as long as my doctor will sign off on my previous attempts. I have a bunch of spreadsheets from the past 5 years with weights and what I was trying (with calorie intake, etc), so I'm hoping this is one of the times that being note/spreadsheet obsessed will work out in my favor. I guess the next step is to get an appt with my PCP and go from there getting the documents in order and referral on file.

I'm heading to my first info meeting at the hospital I believe I'll be choosing to do my eventual surgery. I've been told the surgeon requires 3 monthly support meetings (after this first info meeting) and a 10lb weight loss; the rest is up to my insurance. From what I can tell they require my doc to sign off on my weight struggle and any 'diets' I've tried. I have a new PCP as of last Sept so I'm not sure how that will work but I've tried WW, FitnessPal, etc over the years and my old doc was aware so maybe my past records and weight fluctuations will be enough. Not sure how that will all work. Anyone have experience with Harvard Pilgrim and know how specific/detailed they need us to be? I meet the BMI requirement and also have hypertension (controlled with meds) so that part won't be an issue. Anyone have any questions you wish you'd asked at your first meeting? Anything specific I should be looking at? Thank you!!

Thank you for this. This is exactly what I hope for myself. Congratulations on your surgery, I hope recovery is kind to you Up until now I've avoided being in pictures, too. I have so many awkward pictures of me trying to hide behind people. I don't know why I try, a person my size doesn't hide from anyone, ha! I'm taking my kids to Disney in a few weeks (their first time!) and we bought the photopass so I'm preparing myself to be in as many photos as possible and to just smile and enjoy myself without worrying about how I look. My kids will see my happiness, not my stomach. One of the things that's making me OK with that is knowing that next time we go on vacation, I will be many pounds lighter and much healthier Kinda like a chance to get some "before" pics to compare to later. I know I'll have a blast regardless of my weight, but it does always sit there in my mind no matter what I'm doing. Heading off to my first info seminar in a couple hours. I'm excited to find out what the process will be and when they think I might be able to get on the table

Some people just love to pick on other people's choices. I don't see the reason to give the people around me the fuel to poke. I'll keep this one to myself with the exception of the people I'll need to help me with my kids during recovery and get me to and from the hospital (husband, mom). For the married folk - was it hard to keep it from the ILs? I have a feeling my husband will tell his mom at some point, not necessarily on purpose but he's not awesome at being careful what he says. (He accidentally shared our last pregnancy with her before I was ready without even thinking, he was just talking about something unrelated and said "when the new baby is born". Yeah, oops! I'd had a very painful miscarriage a few months earlier and wanted to wait a bit.) And once SHE knows, it'll spread like wildfire through her family of 9 brothers and sisters, all who are ridiculously judgmental. I don't want to have to deal with their snickering and sideways glances. I know I have to learn to block people out, and being fat my whole life has helped me learn to do that, but still. People can be so mean. :/

I haven't had surgery yet but I read more than once that around week 3 lots of people stall for a bit. I hope things get moving again for you! Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

I've been poring over the before/after threads and the success stories and keep breaking down in tears. I *so* want to be a success story some day, so bad that it hurts. It also scares me though. Not the actual surgery, but the changes that will come in my life after. If I have the surgery in early Fall I could feasibly be up to 100lbs lighter by this time next year (I have 125 to lose to get to the middle of "normal" for my height). That's terrifying. I've never really been a normal weight, not since I was 5 years old. I was bullied (majorly) as a fat kid, ignored as a fat teen and adult except for my close groups of friends. Always been insecure and hiding myself from others. I learned to survive in my own head, ignoring the haters and loving myself regardless. I am incredibly lucky to have found love in high school and am still married to him now (together going on 20 years). How will my relationship change? I've never been thin with him, not really. Maybe a few times when I starved myself for a trip/event I got down to a size 12. But otherwise - I was even 225lbs at my wedding (size 16 dress). And now I'm a size 20, have been for years. He's always been a healthy weight. He has NEVER complained about my weight, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind a more agile, active wife/mother of his kids. Who wouldn't? I've been fat so long that I don't know myself any other way. How do I do this and not lose who I am? Just rambling. First info seminar on Friday. It's starting!

I don't know about anyone else, but being pre-op I want as much information as people want to offer, explicit or not. Sorry you're in pain today, hopefully you'll wake up tomorrow much more comfortable

You went home same day? That's great! I'm hoping for a limited hospital stay. I prefer to recover at home once the serious complications are ruled out

I've been focused on the sleeve from the start because someone close to me had it done. But then I realized I should consider all options. I know the surgeon/docs will discuss the differences and suggest the one they think would be best for my situation, but I'm just curious why you guys chose the way you did. Thanks Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

I'm just getting started but only my mom and husband know and that's the only people I plan to tell. I may change my mind once I actually have surgery and start losing, but for now I figure it's no one's business. Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

So exciting, you're so close!! Good luck Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

Hope it goes well for you today!! Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

I've told my husband and mother. I will not be telling my ILs if I can help it. They are some of the most judgmental people I've ever met and honestly it's none of their business. Haven't decided if I'll tell my sister. We aren't close and she's also pretty judgmental (never been overweight). I don't need that. Maybe after a year or two when I've lost most of my excess I'll be more open to sharing, after I've proved that it worked for me. My mom had the surgery several years ago and I'm almost regretting saying anything to her :/ She didn't have a great experience, lots of complications in the years since, gained back a bunch of the weight (but is still down over 60lbs!). I keep hearing all about how I'll be "on my ***" for a month, exhausted and in serious pain, will need 24 hour care for the first week. How I'll be starving and probably end up 'cheating' and eating solids (since she did) before the liquid phase of the post-op diet is over. I don't know if things have changed a lot in the last few years since she had it done or if she had a bad surgeon (she was one of their first sleeves), but from what I've been reading repeatedly on the Post-op forum it's not going to be nearly as bad as she keeps telling me. She's going to be helping me with recovery so I'm trying to play nice, but sometimes I just want to say "quiet please!!" I was hoping for support, which I am getting, but I'd be happy if I didn't have to hear every negative thing she experienced :/ I'm glad I have this forum to read and see that she's the exception, not the rule.

Thank you for your replies

Thanks for the responses! I'll have to grab some Stevia or erythritol. I did try Stevia a few years ago and didn't care for the taste, but I don't remember if it gave me a headache. Glad I've got a few months to work out these details

For years now, I've been unable to eat most 'sugar free' items due to getting an instant headache from the sweeteners. I can't use splenda, aspartame, etc. The only one I can tolerate is Xylitol. Is this going to be a problem post-surgery? Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

I intend to, thank you I'm sure there will definitely be stuff that comes up I never considered, even with all the reading/researching I've been doing.

Nope, married for many years now Plus my Mom lives in the same town as me and plans to come over daily to assist as needed.