Newme17

Hearing stories and seeing pics are motivating and inspiring. But actually seeing someone in the flesh a few months later really puts it in to perspective. I saw an acquaintance tonight at church. Didn't get to talk, but I had to do a double take because I honestly thought she was a different person. Wow! ...and she had a big beaming smile on. 😊 Love it!!!

Hearing stories and seeing pics are motivating and inspiring. But actually seeing someone in the flesh a few months later really puts it in to perspective. I saw an acquaintance tonight at church. Didn't get to talk, but I had to do a double take because I honestly thought she was a different person. Wow! ...and she had a big beaming smile on. 😊 Love it!!!

Updates: Sorry I have not posted any updates. 
3/26 - Surgery went excellent. I was up and down, out of the bed. Enough energy to laugh and smile and walk around. Everything was awesome. I had a better reaction then everyone in my recovery room. I found out the hard way it was because the good ass drugs they were shooting in my IV.
3/27 - Released from recovery at 7am. I had an excellent recovery. They gave my mom instructions for me and she has been up my ass and around my corner in regards to it. I get released and we go to Home Depot and Target. Her saying is the Surgeon said you have to walk and I am going to make you walk lol. Love you mom. First night home was miserable, could not get comfortable.
3/28 - Took a chair into my shower and sat under the warm running water. BEST IDEA EVER! I do that 3 times a day. Helps soothe the aching. Had my first dumping. Surgeon prescribed pain kills with a cruncher to be mixed and taken like a shot. I have been sipping slowly throughout the day. I tried to take the shot and immediately got sick and puked. I called and told them what happened.
I have a breathing test tube thing and a thermometer to check my temperature 4 times a day to ensure I am not getting a fever or infection.
3/29 - Slept way better and got more comfortable. Will try my protein shakes today. So far I am getting down 5 sips of water every 30 minutes. I have to set reminders because I cannot tell if I am thirsty. When I drink, I get up and walk around after.
So far, just missing those lovely IV drugs. I was on cloud 92 and I miss that feeling but it could be worst.
 

Been doing a lot of reading and scaled back on the number of posts mainly because I've been doing a lot of homework about plant based diets and WLS. I'm am not sold on high protein low carb diets. Never have been and it won't be my lifestyle. With that said, I do believe I need to have a good amount of protein for certain factors in the diet and exercise. I was impressed to find a post from a few years back of a person doing plant based and losing weight just as well as any other. She doesn't have to take all the vitamins because she gets them from food. Her blood work showed it....now, that is inspiring. 

Hello everyone....  What a ruff week it has been.  What started with a bug... Ended Thursday with my BEST friend leaving me.  Tina (my band)... is gone.  After 8 years 4 months and 13 days....  It was a great journey for sure.  
The slip was pretty bad.... i was less than 24 hours from a perforated stomach.  But i feel much better.  The pain i was in was the most unbearable pain i have ever felt..... and everyone who knows me here, know how much of a high tolerance i have for pain.
So, it's up to me now.... i must continue on my journey with only the knowledge i have gained over the years and pray that i can do it alone.  
But, even though i don't have my band anymore... i will still come here, because you all are my friends and i treasure your support.
xoxo
Chris

Hi I'm new I haven't had surgery yet I do  have surgeon his name is Dr. Uchal, Miroslav Jacksonville, Florida I just got approved from insurance and can't have my sleeve after April 23, 2017 that is from my insurance

After reading pages and pages of information here, I feel very confident in my decision to get WLS. Hope to share my journey that is only just starting out and to give and get support from others on this site. 

Just an update on the liquid diet: 
Starting Weight: 260 lbs
Week 1: 251.6 lbs 
Week 2: 248,8
Total loss: 11.4 lbs. 
Not what I was hoping but I will take it. It is better than I have ever done before. Long live my achievement. 

Had a nut appt yesterday. Same old thing, keep practicing on the sipping, no drinking for at least 30 mins after meals, and two bites of protein-then one bite of veggies. I've already went to decaf (the withdrawal was awful) and I replaced my breakfast with a protein shake with green bombs. (Bombs are a frozen mixture of kale, spinach, ginger root, green apples, and cucumbers blended together with some water and poured in to ice cube trays or silicone molds). Great way to get veggies in. My nut says I can continue that with my protein post op too. Yay! 
So I've got one more nut appt left (April 19th) then I'm DONE! They'll submit my papers to insurance and then I wait. I'm suspecting my surgery to be in May instead of April now. So we'll see. Until then, I wait. Hopefully the month goes by fast. 😊

Just did about 30 squats at my desk.  I can't lift weights due to injuries, but I can squat and dance (to a limit).  So while the bosses are out of the country, I'm jamming out and squatting.  LOL

Had a nut appt yesterday. Same old thing, keep practicing on the sipping, no drinking for at least 30 mins after meals, and two bites of protein-then one bite of veggies. I've already went to decaf (the withdrawal was awful) and I replaced my breakfast with a protein shake with green bombs. (Bombs are a frozen mixture of kale, spinach, ginger root, green apples, and cucumbers blended together with some water and poured in to ice cube trays or silicone molds). Great way to get veggies in. My nut says I can continue that with my protein post op too. Yay! 
So I've got one more nut appt left (April 19th) then I'm DONE! They'll submit my papers to insurance and then I wait. I'm suspecting my surgery to be in May instead of April now. So we'll see. Until then, I wait. Hopefully the month goes by fast. 😊

hi guys i am new to this my surgery date is on 4/17/2017. I am just trying to get some tips, meet some people so we can support each other and not feel like we are all alone. I am getting it done at the Barixs Clinic in Langhorne.  

March 5th can not come fast enough now! Next week is all the pre-op appointments and labs! Crazy!! Can't wait to be on the losers bench and hopefully not need insulin anymore!

Hi All,
guys I am so excited about my surgery. I have been through heck these past five years. This is honestly one of the best things since my son was born. I cannot wait. To get my body back!!!!!!!!!!

Got on the scale today. Lost 8.4 lbs in 5 days. Idk if this is healthy or right but I do know that I am not hungry and excited that for once my hard work is paying off!!!!

Day 6 of this diet is actually going really good. I am depending mainly on Protein Shakes today. I will however order a garden salad later since I can have leafy greens in my diet. I may just need fiber to kick this bowel issue I have been having. 
Also, I should have never had carnation milk. Idk what I was thinking. 

I'm glad I found this website. It is awesome to see other people and what they have been through and what they are currently going through. This is very helpful for me on my weight loss journey. I'm so anxious about finding out if my insurance approved me that I'm dreaming about it!  Oh boy!!

Update to original post:
 
Well Insurance ended up paying for all of my surgery including the hospital bill.  My out of pocket was only $3,000.00.
Thank you Jesus!!!

Whelp I just got off the phone with the insurance company Federal BCBS and the representative told me that my case is still pending and that it is waiting on nurse review!  I hope this is good nurse. The representative said that this step takes 3 to 15 days.  So my goal is to remain patient and do what I can do on my end!! 

Getting nervous and excited and anxious! offcially got my approval from Blue shield CA this weekend! Just over two weeks now! Only liquids for 4 days before! 

The following updates for 3/16:
1) Did my stress test. They got my heart rate up to 185/bpm. We did the sonogram as well. I found out that I have a very strong and healthy heart.  I got approved right there by the cardiologist. 
2) Went to see my new PCP. Honestly, she seemed very judgmental. She asked me why I did not take other types of appetite suppressants. I was like, "I don't know....maybe because the ones that I have tried has not worked." She then started naming other brands and I was just confused. I really thought that she was going to denied me surgery. I ended up receiving her approval after she did my blood work and a EKG of her own. 
IDK. I am just glad that I am getting surgery. 

Had a couple of hours before getting my kids from spring break camp.  Took a nice long walk downtown on the shoreline.  Great overcast and somewhat cool day.  Enjoyed every bit of it.  Now, my left knee and feet aren't taking it too kindly though. 

Here is after picture August 2016

So I posted a big thread on heartburn the other day. Not even sure if there was any traffic. Haven't checked yet. But anyway, right about now, I'd be burping before I lay down to sleep and then would have awful acid reflux. Well, I just burped and nothing. Yep, no acid reflux! All day! Even yesterday! I bought Betaine HCL, hydrochloric acid supplements. Take one before each meal. So far so good. I can go to sleep peacefully. Good night y'all. 😊

found a new place to shop.... (well when someone else is buying .... lol)  Chico's....  according to THEIR sizing... im a Double zero..... no matter that a 00 is 3-4.... the tag says....00.... hehehehe
and i got two new bikini's in.... they fit like a glove..... ill take pictures and post in a couple days.