Smores

I'm so sorry. Hang in there. Prayers.

I won't speak to your specific surgery because it sounds like you've done your research and trust your surgeon's advice on it.
What I will speak on is being healthy and getting bariatric surgery, which I know well.
The first surgeon I met with didn't want to give me surgery. I am short and was about 80-100 lbs overweight. I have PCOS and struggled to lose weight for 5 years after giving birth to my daughter. I gained fifty pounds in that time instead. Even when I completely overhauled my life during my last pregnancy, I lost 20 lbs in two years... knowing full well that regain was lurking in my future, because that's just what the odds are.
But my sugars are great, my blood pressure is fine, i have some joint pain but I'm not disabled by it, etc etc etc.
The first surgeon I met basically said to me "I am looking at a woman who on paper is completely healthy, but obese, and I don't think surgery is worth the risks."
He was speaking complete sense and I 100% respect his opinion and his choice not to take me on as a patient. The second surgeon I saw disagreed, though, and thought that I was a good candidate for surgery and had made a lot of changes that suggested I could be very successful post-op.
Could I survive without surgery? Yes, definitely. With a lot of effort, I may have been able to maintain my lifestyle changes and my modest weight loss... but I could also backslide, regain, gain more, and get even sicker than I'd been at the very start.
Type 2 diabetes is riddled through my family. My dad is on the verge of losing a foot to it. I saw the pattern of my life and was afraid.
And I saw so many women in their mid fifties, sick and in pain and with BMIs over 50, saying they wished they'd done it earlier. I figured, what better time? I'm young, I'm healthy, I'm at good odds to get through surgery safely and bounce back in my recovery. I haven't done too much lasting damage to my body yet. Why wait for the stuff like the joint pain and insulin resistance and PCOS and depression to just get worse and worse and worse, perhaps irreversibly so?
I'm not advocating for some twenty five year old who's 20 lbs overweight and is worried she might be 50 lbs overweight thirty years from now once she hits menopause to have this surgery, but I think if you are already obese and have good medical evidence you will continue to get more obese and MORE sick... then getting the surgery preventatively is a valid choice.
I wasn't overly sick from my weight, but my life is still exponentially better now that those 50 lbs are gone off me, too. My knee pain has vanished. I have higher energy. But best of all, I'm not AFRAID anymore. Regain could still happen, of course it could, but it's not a given anymore. Type 2 diabetes isn't a given. I feel like I am in control of my own future, and that matters. I'm making healthy choices secure in that knowledge, and encouraged by that knowledge.
As for "the nuclear option", my surgeon initially suggested the RNY because that's the surgery he does most and he considers it the gold standard. I told him no, I wanted the sleeve. I felt it was wayyyyyyy too invasive for my situation and tipped the balance of the "benefits vs risks" of getting the procedure, and I didn't think it fit the lifestyle I envisioned for myself after surgery. he respected my choice. if you're confident about getting the DS, then do it. but if you think it's too extreme for your specific situation, you CAN talk to your surgeon about that. I expected to have to argue my case for why I didn't feel comfortable getting the RNY, since my surgeon was so gung ho about it, but he immediately was on my side when I told him I wanted the sleeve. your opinion does matter. it's your body, and you have to live with this surgery for the rest of your life. so make YOUR decision. and if it aligns with your surgeon's opinion, then be confident about that!

It's a sobering fact that kids may not outlive their parents. The obesity rates are very high due to all the processed food & imo kids don't get out like they use to. My parents kept us outside playing.

I can't wait to take family photos...
Shop in my own closet...
Ride a bike without fearing I'll end up on youtube (lol)....
Do naughty things with my husband...
Shoot hoops with my kid...
Fit my jewelry box full of rings that are too small...

YESSSS!

And also, I was 'healthy'. Even though I was a 61 BMI, my blood pressure was always 115/62, sugar's 75-80, and my cholesterol is 130. I thought I was healthy until I went through this. My liver showed signs of getting ready to riot. My gallbladder got destroyed by 37, filling with stones, which in turn caused me to have pancreatic attacks I knew nothing about until they opened me up.
This surgery saved my life, weight aside.
Even if you're healthy now, you're just running on borrowed time. There will be a point your body will begin to back pedal out of exhaustion, and your numbers will start climbing.

Today it's considered an extreme surgery, but I can totally see down the line it will be used like braces on crooked teeth. Out of all the bariatric surgeries out there, the vsg is so easy to do with everyday life.
I'm nine days out and can drink normally and feel better than I have in decades. My liver is shrinking, therefore allowing my body to heal itself, which in turn, gives me back my metabolism I haven't seen since my 20's. It's completely understandable to be nervous, but it's one of those things you just have to get past the surgery to reap the benefits, and remember, the uncomfortableness of the surgery is just a few days compared to a lifetime of doing things you may not have been doing due to being overweight.
What's wrong with feeling satisfied all the time, with boundless energy, and still lose 10-20 pounds a month and reclaiming who you used to be? Who wouldn't want that?

The real question is whether you've tried a few different methods of weight loss that haven't worked. For me I tried a very strict portion diet ( lost 17 pounds that found me quickly). I did 3 months of weight loss pills and lost a whopping 6 pounds and dealt with two months of severe ( I mean unreal severe) nightmares that plunged me into a severe depression. I carb counted and did shakes. Nothing was effective for very long.

So if those and other methods haven't worked you can honestly say that a WLS would be a good choice. I know that I'd be in a worse place mentally if I hadn't made this life-changing decision!

Good luck on your journey!!!!!

Just had surgery and I have highmark BS here in PA. Finished the 6 mo nutrition classes and psych eval plus other clearances. I was worried cause bmi was 38 and my other health issues were all borderline with little treatment or medications to date but it was approved in 3 days and I had surgery last week! One hospital said I wouldn't get approved and I went through another hospitals weight loss center last august and now I'm post op!

I just want to point out, from one public relations person to another, that you are doing far more damage to yourself and your company's reputability than @Alex Brecher could ever hope to do. And I thought United's PR was bad.
Please stick around, this is quite entertaining.

This just breaks my heart. I know the desperation she must have felt to go out of country for the surgery but sometimes it just isn't worth it. After care is so important for recovery and you don't get that if surgery is out of country. Of course there are always risks regardless of where its done. I just pray that this child has not been too terribly traumatized by all of this. I will keep this child and her family in my prayers.

I had the sleeve on May 29, 2016. When I started the process I was 540 pounds. At surgery I was 480 pounds and today (11 months out) I am 290 pounds. That is a 250 pound loss. I LOVE my sleeve and am glad I didn't do the bypass. If you have heartburn problems it's not suggested to get the sleeve as it can make heartburn worse. I have exceeded my surgeons weight loss expectations and I am finally able to the life I always wanted to but couldn't

It's not a dumb question. I had some of the same issues with my insurance. I have a primary and secondary and the primary required me to have a bmi at 35 or more for the last 5 years. Problem is I have not. My secondary insurance does not require me to be at that bmi for that long. The only reason I'm able to get it with having a bmi at 35 is I have sleep apnea, high cholesterol, stress incontinence and bad hips. I think you only need two. I was worried about this too at the beginning as well. I will pray for you. I hope the insurance will approve you.

Hey Sweet, my preop diet doesn't start till May 4th. I only have one week of low calorie and high Protein diet and 1 day of liquid diet before surgery.
My blood results came back. My potassium was lower but still little out of range. I am supposed to see my primary on Monday to see if he can put me on some meds to help control my levels. Right now I am just taking one day at a time. They will do my blood work right before surgery and if my levels are not in control they will postpone.
I am hoping my primary will give me something to help. Thank you for thinking ok me [emoji4].
How are you doing on your journey?

I'm going May 3rd!

I'm scheduled for May 3rd!

I imagine this is a very complex thing for most people. I totally understand why you would want to keep it a secret but on the other hand you will be dying to tell everyone because its such amazing feeling. I didn't tell anyone besides my immediate family and my wife's family but as time goes on and you're losing weight people will start to take notice. Everyone will want to know what your doing, what diet you're following. So tell them about your life style change. Tell them everything that you have been doing minus the surgery.. its none of their business! Tell them about the food you consume.. all your hard work in the gym. Try to inspire someone to reconsider their choices and also grab a little positive attention for doing such an amazing job even if you got a little help from surgery.
Be proud of yourself!

Beautiful.

My list goes on and on. Being able to wear old clothes and my wedding ring to start. Going up the stairs and not being in pain. Running around with my grandkids. Not dreading going somewhere and running into an old friend and seeing the look on their face when they see you. Most of all my health. I just want to be here for a long time living a very healthy life.

@ChaosUnlimited - Just got off the phone. May 31st! Let's do this thing!!

I love this thread! I most look forward to being physically comfortable in my body. I have a lot of pain and discomfort from my extra weight. I cannot wait to be free of it.

But I have to say, this post made me think that someday soon, I will be donating ALL my current clothes. The thought of throwing out an entire closet of fat clothes is pretty thrilling!

I didn't know there were 2 stages of approval.
I only have my psych eval left and then my surgeon's office is going to submit everything to Highmark BCBS of PA for approval.
I did confirm that in 12/16 they decided to get rid of the 6 month supervised diet

I hate to say it but I hope that you don't get to read those books. Hopefully after you have your surgery you will be too busy walking/exercising that you won't have the time.

giphy.mp4