MissMellyMell

Please help! I am going nuts trying to find a therapist who is familiar or experienced with bariatric surgery patients. I have Molina insurance and I am really having a hard time finding someone. I have started seeing a therapist and she has no game plan. She is no help and I feel really let down when I see her. There has to be someone in or around Vancouver Washington who is knowledgeable and accepts my insurance.
Anyone out there know of someone? I would appreciate any refferals as Molina has not proven to be helpful either. I was on the phone all day calling various offices and Molina. I'll be back at it tomorrow!
I should be having surgery in December if all works in my favor! I'm on my 3rd round of appointments. Approved for stage 2 in June!
Thank you!

Wow, you look like a whole new person! Amazing! Good work, and it looks like your surgon knew exactly what they were doing, absolutely cool, how exciting. I can't wait to get a date for my RNY, you are inspiring!

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So I had my 6 months check up at the hospital on Thursday, 1 day before 7 months.
I saw my surgeon who could not be more thrilled with me. I have lost 82% of my excess weight. (which is a little strange as I have lost 91% of what will give me a normal BMI) They don't want me to loose too much more weight as I'll start to look sickly. They don't think I'll need any plastics, as I don't have an over hang and my blood results are great (the doctor at my support group will probably disagree. All my values are within range, but some are in the lower end, and since she is a specialist on supplements for bariatrics, she prefers us in the upper range). They also have a score that they calculate, that I don't remember, but it was very high, and she called me a success case. I don't go back until my 1 year check up. (I'll just have blood drawn in 3 months and show my support group doctor)
They were actually fully booked for the BIA test, but the surgeon wanted med to have one, so she called and asked if they could fit me in, and they could. They are done by the nutritionist.
She was also very impressed when she saw me, and after the test she could not be happier. I have the values for all 3 tests (1 month pre op, 6 weeks post op and 7 months post op) I managed to gain another 4 lbs before starting my pre op diet, so it wasn't at my very highest.
The only negative thing was my phase angle. It has dropped. It's a measurement that shows how well your muscles are getting nutrition. That along with my total Protein (from the blood test) she wants me to eat more, and get more protein. Other than that, everything was great and she was so impressed, especially how much muscles I still have. All the working out and walking has helped tremendously.
I have included pictures from about 6 months and 7 months post up. It's only like 5 lbs between the pictures, but I see several changes.

I love sweet tea too, I've found that going to Starbucks and ordering a Trenta iced tea with no classic Syrup, no water and 5 splenda is an amazing alternative! It's just as sweet without all the sugar and calories! I believe your story, some will hate, ignore them. Good luck on the rest of your journey! Mine is just beginning!

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The pre-op diet sounds easy until we actually have to do it. Some people want to start it early & run full steam ahead but too quickly run out of gas. This is hard. You're in one of the hardest phases of this whole thing. Know that every one of us who've made it to the other side has gone through exactly the same thing. Dig deep. Deeper than that. Find that source of inspiration. Good luck!

to answer your question, CLEARLY you should have had RNY from the beginning. that question has answered itself! the LapBand has been proven so ineffective that it's barely done anymore. and I predict that in 5 years, doctors won't touch the sleeve either because SO many patients (like you) suffer debilitating GERD.
let me try to address the fears you listed one by one:
1. i'm afraid i'll never have an ice cream cone again - in my opinion, if the occasional ice cream cone holds that much power over you, you have other food addiction problems you need to address. first of all, dumping is rare in RNY patients. usually around 25% experience it ever. and a lot people who experience it LIKE it because it keeps them off the sweets and avoids regain (something that sounds like it might benefit you too). i have never experienced dumping. and i have no desire whatsoever to eat ice cream. zero. last night there was an interesting dessert placed in front of me at a restaurant. i had a bite purely out of curiosity, enjoyed it, and didn't need/want anymore. best of all worlds if you ask me.
2. i'm afraid of Vitamin deficiencies - again, this does not happen to everyone. it doesn't even happen to the majority of people who don't take the prescribed vitamins!!! your doctor will definitely tell you to take a Multivitamin for the rest of your life as INSURANCE that it will never happen. but - and this is important - that doesn't mean it's guaranteed to happen if you don't take Vitamins. it's still rare. but it is a small risk. so, take a damn vitamin! it's not that bloody hard! it boggles my mind that people who have been heavy their entire lives and suffered thru all that entails can then turn around and whine about having to take a pill everyday. jesus...
3. i fear i won't be a blessing to stop losing weight. - please tell me of any instance, ever... on this website or elsewhere, that someone has gotten RNY and wasted away to anorexia-like emaciation. IT. DOESN'T. HAPPEN. yes you will lose more than the sleeve and a lot more than the lapland. but your weight loss will stop at a healthy level. because your body will tell you (and allow you) to eat more when you reach that level.
in less than two months after my bypass surgery, the thing that i marveled at most was how NORMAL i feel. like... the surgery never even happened. i eat the same whole-food, delicious, paleo-style diet i ate before my surgery. can tolerate virtually any food (even beef and salad). i just eat a little less. and I'm rarely hungry and have great energy. no nausea. no throwing up. no GERD. no dumping.
please take this website for what it is... a place for people to come and complain and make things into a lot bigger deal than they are. the chances are very high that you will turn out just like me and MOST patients of RNY. just fine. BETTER than fine. amazing actually. i mean, life can't get any worse than what you're going thru, right? so you have to look forward to more weight loss and the complete remission/curing of your GERD problems. what is there to be afraid of? i'd be running towards the hospital right now if i were you!

If you are constantly getting some type of Protein in, and Fiber as well, you should not experience hunger. I made sure that every 2 hours or so, I was eating or drinking something. I never got hungry. Before cooking meals, I had a Protein Shake. I then would not be hungry when dinner or Breakfast (on weekends) was ready.
I did a 2 week liquid diet even though I only had to do 1 week. I lost 25 pounds during this time, because I was determined to make it work. My advice would be to get your mind right. This is for you, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You've just got to look for it. We've tried and failed at every diet we've ever tried our entire lives. This tool is worth the trouble and hardships, because it tips the balance in our favor.
It may sound crazy, but self-talk works wonders. Everyday, wake up and look into the mirror. Tell yourself that you are beautiful...That you will work hard to achieve your goals that day.....That you are worth happiness.....That you are going to SUCCEED!
It will happen for you. Good luck on your journey!!

I decided to share my story with you all. I'm a sudden cardiac arrest ( also known as sudden cardiac death) survivor. I was at work on October 30th 2015 when I was stricken. I was clinically dead for over 5 minutes. I was revived with the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator). I also suffered from mild cognitive impairment, kidney failure and laryngeal edema (swelling of the larynx) which was so severe an emergency tracheostomy was performed on me. I spent 30 days in the hospital with majority of them in ICU. The total survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest which kills 17 million people every year worldwide is only 1%. I am a walking and talking miracle and thank God everyday for my miracle. I was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ( severe thickening of the lower left ventricle in my heart) which was the cause of my cardiac arrest and had an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) surgically implanted in my chest to shock my heart back into rhythm if my heartbeat becomes irregular. I have been advised by my cardiologist not to engage any strenuous exercises due to my enlarged heart. I've been obese since my late 20's (I'm 51 now) and decided to have WLS after years of failed diets and exercise, I decided to take control of my health once and for all. I had RNY surgery on April 11th and to this date, I am 93 lbs. down with in just a little under 5 months with 50 lbs. to go until I reach my goal weight and I feel great! I accomplished my current progress without exercise due to my restrictions. Follow your post-op meal plan closely and with time, you will see and feel the weight coming off. I just want let you all know, if your journey is slow and your faith is low, I want you to keep your head up! Just remember this, you did not become obese overnight, it took time and it will take time for the weight to come off. I'm sorry for taking up your time but I just felt compelled to tell you my story since we're all brothers and sisters in this journey.

Finally time for my 6 months before and after pictures.
I have lost over 90 lbs.
A week ago I completed a Nordic Walking half marathon.
I have prevented a second back surgery, and life is pretty good.
I have under 15 lbs until I have a normal BMI. I started at 42.

2 weeks of a modified diet, which is 3 or 4 Protein Shakes and one low cal low carb meal, then they want me to do a all liquid diet 2 weeks prior to surgery!

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Turning into a hermit and not wanting to be seen.. Giving up of life and love

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I couldn't wipe my bum without being a contortionist

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1.hard to walk around everywhere
2. Finding clothing that actually looked good
3 worrying all the time about how much weight I was gaining
4.social anxiety
5. Working was hard as I'm a beauty therapist in a day spa sore back feet and there wasn't much space in the rooms so I was embarrassed
I'm sure there's more stuff

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There we're many reasons but the one that bothered me the most was not seeing my VAGINA. I SAID THATS IT!!

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I think I posted on this thread months back but it's worth a revisit.
So many reasons, but in a nutshell I was tired of hiding from life and not living. Living in shame and making excuses to not participate in life due to weight shame. Life is way too short and we only get one shot. I didn't want to waste this precious gift of life!!

I wasn't going to have the surgery because I was losing weight naturally since attending the Healthy Balance class Givin by Kaiser. But when I saw the Bariatric Dr ( NOT the surgeon) he explained to me how my diabetes can get worse the longer I have it an that having the surgery can cause my diabetes to go into remission. He used a very sensible illustration of termites being confined in 1 part of my house & how I may be okay with that and not being willing to pay the money to get rid of them. But what if of those termites started to move out from that spot? Now you will have to pay more money than you would have if you would've takin care of it when it was just a small area that was infected. He helped me to appreciate that I should focus more on the health benefits of the surgery than the weight loss part!

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My straw that broke the camel back was watching Dr. Nowzardin and people on the show that were obese. I heard their pleas and saw myself as these people saw themselves. I thought about how I felt going up stair and barely being able to breathe. I saw myself for the first time in a mirror..........I mean really saw myself and I remember crying out that I was tired of being fat and out of shape. Then I saw an advertisement on a commercial with Alexian Brothers about Weight Loss Surgery and that was the beginning of a new day for me. It was the best decision I could have made because it allowed me to take back my life!

HA. A chair. I didn't break the chair or anything but that chair broke me. Last semester I was going to taking a sociology class. Some of our classrooms are on the older side and in this building, some of the rooms had like original furiture. They had the desks attached to the chairs but not the nice ones I remember from my high school years (15 years ago, man I'm old), these were like from the 70s. Looking at this small pathetic little desk I wasn't even sure I would fit! I did fit, but I was very uncomfortable. Looking around, most students had no issue, they had plenty of space at their seat. There was a few people that looked uncomfortable, but I really feel I was suffering the most lol. I don't know how I survived those 2 hours in that room. I ended up withdrawing from the class..... because I didn't fit in the chair. Now before I pick a class I physically check the class room to see what kind of seating arrangement there is. That was really my last straw. I knew it was bad, but not that bad. Especially as a nursing student heading into clinicals in the fall, I need to make this change now.

Omg yes! I can relate lol. I am 27 as well and I wake up everyday with back and hip pain that sometimes extends to my legs. I feel like my body is deteriorating as well. I wish you luck on your journey! We got this 👍😀

My last straw has been feeling as though my body is deteriorating at 27. I feel old and tired all the time, like a 70 year old with bad knees and a bad back. I don't want to feel like this at 27! I actually had no idea that I would be eligible for WLS at 170kg (375lbs) because I'd only seen extremely big people on My 600lb Life get surgery. It was only when the dietician recommended me seeing a surgeon that I starting thinking about WLS.

One thing I've learned from this board is that everybody's situation and everybody's surgeon is different! I'm just curious, what did / does your liver shrinking diet consist of?
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I love the apple pie candle during the holidays, if baking it doesn't fill the house, let it be a candle It's almost THE FIRST DAY OF FALL!!!!!

Dang.....I just realized I misspelled pumpkin lol. My fingers dont type as fast as my brain i guess!

I found this and added to my vanilla shake

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Woohoo, happy pumpkin season! Just harvested my first two from the garden!