MeltsIntoWonder

I'm on day 4, and I can tell you it does get better. The last couple of days, I was so tired and hungry, but today when I woke up I felt much better. I'm still struggling with temptation (and I did give in a little, on day 2), but I've found that keeping myself busy is the best way to deal with it. I've also found that as long as I'm pretty constantly sipping something (water, SF juice, protein shake), I'm okay. Hang in there - you got this!

I also had to do the home test, and was told that most insurance companies won't pay for the one in the lab right out of the gate. When the home test came back negative, THEN insurance agreed to the lab (which also was negative).

I've really only had one person that reacted quasi-negatively ("If that's what you want, I guess it's ok." and, "I couldn't do that, I want to lose the weight on my own."). I think WLS is definitely becoming less stigmatized, especially here in the Midwest, where all the fat people live.

Obviously, every insurance plan is different (sometimes wildly so), but I wouldn't think a vitamin deficiency would impact things, no. I have low vitamin D, and the nurse practitioner that works in my surgeon's office prescribed some RX vitamins a few months ago, but it hasn't been mentioned since then, and I was approved for surgery about 3 weeks ago. I think the vitamins are something they worry about more post-op.

It's frustrating for sure. Especially with everything we have to think about before surgery. As an office manager, I can tell you that when someone is unexpectedly out sick, it can cause a lot of strain and backup, especially in a busy office like a medical office. You are likely not the only patient experiencing a delay. I would give them the rest of the week and call again first thing Monday morning. If the person who submits paperwork for your doctor is still out sick, and they still haven't submitted your information, I would nicely ask for the office manager or a supervisor, and just calmly explain what's been going on and ask of she can help you and get your paperwork sent out. Take a deep breath - it will all work out!

With my surgery date fast approaching, I've started to tell more people than I originally planned to tell. I've been pleasantly surprised by the mostly positive/supportive response. Many of the people I've told have said that they know at least one other person who has had WLS, so I think that helps. Ultimately, it's a very personal decision whether or not to tell, but others may react way more positively than you think.

Day 2 for me as well...I don't have headaches (yet), but I'm SO TIRED. I know it will get better though!

My date is 4/4 too! Not going to lie, I'm struggling with day one of the pre-op diet.

Welcome! These message boards can be a great resource - good luck on your journey!

Yep. My deductible has to be paid on the day of surgery.

Yay! How's day one going for you so far?

I'm starting my diet tomorrow, surgery is 4/4. I'm trying not to freak out. We can do this!!

Just got my date today! April 4th!!! I start my pre-op diet tomorrow.

I've had a really hard time finding protein drinks that don't taste awful to me. Premier isn't too bad, and I like the Syntrax Nectar lemonade flavor (I mix it with water or decaf iced tea).

I've been lucky and so far only have had to pay my standard copays for office visits ($20). For the surgery, I'll just have to pay my deductible, but I don't know when. My pre-op appointment is on Monday, so I'm guessing I'll find out then.

First of all: Yes, I realize this is a total first world problem, and I'm very lucky. I apologize if this rant makes me sound like a jerk. I have my pre-op appointment on Monday, so today I started getting my ducks in a row RE: FMLA. I have read, re-read, and read again our FMLA/leave policies, and one of the provisions we have is that we are allowed to hold back 40 hours of paid leave while on FMLA so that we don't have to exhaust all paid time off for medical reasons. My husband and I love to travel, and are fortunate enough not to technically "need" my salary (I mean, we do, but we can get by without it here and there), so we decided that we could forgo using all of my paid leave for the surgery and save it for vacation. Great, right? Except today, when I talked to payroll, I was told that I didn't have "enough" PTO banked in order for them to be able to hold any, therefore I have no choice but to use every last minute. When I said that I was willing to take the entire time I'm off without pay and that I understood I would have to still pay my insurance premiums, I was told I can't do that either. I literally told them they don't have to pay me for two weeks, and they we all, "Nope!" That makes NO sense to me. I'm sure there's some kind of legal red tape-y reason why, but that doesn't make it any less dumb.

It actually makes total sense when you put it that way and force me to put my manager hat back on. Still irritating though.

Definitely agree with the airplane seats/seatbelts! My husband and I love to travel, but I always dread being cramped in that tiny seat and the embarrassment of asking for the seatbelt extender. Some other things I am looking forward to: Being able to bend over and tie my shoes and still being able to breathe. Going on hikes with my dogs. Finding knee high boots that don't have to have elastic in the shaft to be able to zip up all the way. Being able to shop for clothes in just about any store.

First - I'm sorry to hear about your brother. I'm sure that is an incredibly difficult and stressful situation for your family. Second, while haven't had my surgery yet (just got approved through insurance), I have definitely done a TON of reading about others' experiences on these message boards, and have talked to several people I know who have had some form of bariatric surgery, and most of the advice is the same: Listen to your doctors and your NUT and follow everything they say exactly, or as close to exactly as you reasonably can without making yourself sick/getting hurt. Join a support group, find a surgery buddy, and/or a good therapist. The surgery doesn't fix your head or any issues you may have with food, and finding the right support for you will make all the difference. Set non-weight related goals for yourself, and don't get too dependent on the scale to measure your success. Remember this is a major surgery, and there will be times - especially in the beginning, where you may feel completely awful and experience "buyer's remorse", but as long as you are following your medical team's advice/plans, it WILL get easier. I hope that helps at least a little bit. If you can, try to do as much research as you can to get yourself prepared in the next 17 days. I also suffer from anxiety and depression, and for me at least, being armed with information and feeling mentally prepared goes a long way to helping me feel calm and confident. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, I actually found the book about VSG written by Alex Brecher (the dude who started this website) to be pretty informative and helpful. In terms of getting excited and motivated - I like to look at others' before/after photos and read their stories. It's a great reminder that you're not alone and that success is possible for you too! Good luck on your journey - you can do it!

I received an unexpected call from my treatment coordinator this afternoon letting me know that my insurance company has approved me for surgery! I'm not medically cleared yet - I have some very stubborn h-pylori bacteria, but as soon as it's cleared up, I'll be good to go! I can take the test to check next week, so everyone keep your fingers crossed for me!

Honestly, I don't know. I thought they weren't even going to submit everything until I was medically cleared, so the call today came as quite a shock! Some of my coworkers who have had surgery said that their approvals only took around 2 weeks, if that helps. (We have United Healthcare.)

Thanks! You too!

So far they're the only protein drink I've been able to tolerate without gagging (and I've tried A LOT), but everyone is so different regarding what they do and do not like, so it's hard to say. The variety pack from My Bariatric Pantry was less expensive than here (Only $20 - although it only came with 10 packs), and I think I've seen a 7 pack sampler elsewhere online for under $15.

I don't know about free samples, but the bariatricpal store sells a sampler variety bag so you can try all of the flavors. I also found a variety pack on mybariatricpantry.com.

I don't haul mine out for the powder shakes either, but I use it for smoothies, soups, and salsa. I have also used it to make my own almond butter.