Kiddles

Hi there. I wanted to let you know I am getting my surgery and I have Florida Medicaid Share of Cost. There wasn't much info when I first started out and wanted to provide some info. First of all it was very hard to find any office who participates with this insurance. But I prevailed and found one not too far from me. The thing is that you have to meet your share of cost in the very beginning of the month and get the bill over to Medicaid as fast as you can. Typically they have 10 days to activate your Medicaid. You may have to pay for more appointments out of pocket until they open it. I did all my preop appointments in the month of July. Starting with my Endoscopy on July 2. After the tenth day after you submit the bill to them if your Medicaid is not activated, call, call,call Customer Service at DCF and request a supervisor and tell them you need surgery and they need to open your case. If it takes you all day to get through to someone who will help you, do it. I did and my case was opened the next day. Once it is opened the surgeons office can do the pre authorization. Mine came back approved in one day. That was last week and my surgery is tomorrow!
Message me with any questions. It was very hard to get everything done, but if you want it badly enough, You can do it too!

I think you’ll really be happy. And we’re all here going through it with you! Congrats!


Surgery Date : TBD in Jan 2018
Status: final appts and insurance approval

I like it a lot. I was looking at a couple others on Amazon, but this Psych said this was best so I let that make my decision

My surgeon's office (the psychiatrist) told me about this book, I bought it and read it- I am sure others have as well- it's called Emotional First Aid Kit. I liked it, usually I start these books (anything self help) and about 2 chapters in I get bored and never go back- but I read this cover to cover, and did the little exercises/lists she suggests. I really liked it, so I thought I would share.
https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-First-Aid-Kit-Practical/dp/0976852659/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

UPDATE: So I called my insurance company, UHC Oxford, and they gave me the great news...... I've been approved!!!! So I can keep my scheduled surgery date (12/14). Now it feels real.

If they ignore you and put you off now, they won’t be there for you post op if you have a complication. . I made every excuse for my surgeons failure to return my phone calls or the fact that he was never there and I never could discuss my pain and swallowing issues cause the nurse said I had to talk to him and she couldn’t do anything. It wasn’t until my other dr was angry I was being ignored that I realized how inappropriate it was. And all the very serious complications he didn’t care about have caused damage to my esophagus and sleeve. I now have attempted a revision from sleeve to bypass once which couldn’t be done due to damage at top of my sleeve caused by GERD. so I was referred to a third surgeon to attempt a revision again.
I suggest you make it clear that you need to be a priority or find another surgeon who will make you one. I immediately realized how awful the first surgeons office was after getting many additional opinions and no other office treated me like that.
Make sure you are confident and comfortable with the person you are letting put a knife to you.

I’ve committed to “the program,” 3 appointments in the first year and then annual as well, but it’s with the NUT and endocrinology. The surgeon himself would only get back involved if surgery was required. And if I want plastics I’d be referred to their plastics dept. so yea, he’s hands off now. It’s okay, I have a good report with the NUT team and my endocrinologist has good bedside manner... so did the surgeon and his team, but yes! His role is done.

Amazing job, @Henning!! You can really see it in the pictures
I'm a little over 4wks out. I weigh once a week - week to week any variance in normal fluctuations will work themselves out in the grand scheme of things.
So far, I've lost 21 lbs since surgery!
10/27 surgery day: 279.4
11/3 1 week out: 269.8 (-9.6)
11/10 2 weeks out: 266.8 (-3.0)
11/17 3 weeks out: 261.4 (-5.4)
11/24 4 weeks out: 258.4 (-3.0)
From my highest of 300, I'm down 41.6 lbs total. I couldn't be happier with my progress so far. I'm prepared for the inevitable stall, and I know to just keep doing what I'm supposed to be doing, and it'll work itself out. Same here, no regrets on deciding to embark on this journey

I’m 6 weeks post op and feeling great. Have no issues with any food or dumping. Eat 6 meals a day. Small bites and get full quite fast.im not having any issue getting 80 oz of Water a day. 60 grams of Protein a day and record everything I eat through the app Biactrics as reccomended by my NUT. I am back working out at 5 am every morning like I was prior to my surgery. Best decision in my life to undergo this transformation
HW 431
SW 404
CW 366

I forget how this is not a once size fits all journey sometimes, and that we all have different programs. I am amazed at the diversity in this field. Medicine is such and interestingly glorious thing. I am at 7 weeks out and I am only allowed to have 1.75 oz per meal (3 meals daily) and then 2 Protein Drinks for Snacks. Oh and I am not allowed to have carbs yet still only animal Protein. I wont get to start adding carbs in until I am at 75% of my weight loss. The goal is for my new tiny stomach to hold about 3-4 oz at a time when this is all said and done. Just incredible

Whoooo Hooooo! That sounds great, CONGRATS [emoji106]


5' 5"
HW: 259
CW: 231
GOAL: Healthy

Weigh in Wednesday since my next Dr's apt isn't until January I have decided that Wednesdays are my days to check the scale. One of the biggest things I have done for myself is to cut the chain that used to bind me to the scale no more daily weigh ins no more constant worry about being up or being down nope I have decided to have faith in my Dr and my program.
So the good news is I am down another 4 pounds woohooo that makes it 49 pounds down I am so excited!!!!

wow that is so weird I a with my surgeon for life I committed to seeing them at least 3x a year for the first two years then 1x a year after that. That is crazy that they cut you loose so early

Thankyou !! I came home and still got sickies after drinking plain Water . But after that I was ok . We shall see in the morning how I feel . If not they want to do an upper gi . I definanately do not want to have to get another procedure like you had to do !! Are you feeling better now ? But I do know that my surgeons office doesn’t charge for something like that . They say it’s all included since I’m still in their care



This is my Journey to Joy !

You look fantastic !



This is my Journey to Joy !

Well I think you should be getting in more Fluid than that and if your nauseated and dizzy you could be dehydrated. I was dizzy too , I almost passed out in the shower this morning but I caught myself . And so nauseated and dry heaves . You should call your surgeon right away . I am glad I did and soooo hoping I wake up felling better tomorrow after 1 iv if potassium chloride and 1 iv if sodium chloride . If I’m still stuck tomorrow they want to do an upper gi


This is my Journey to Joy !

I’m 6 weeks post op today. I started in size 24/26 and now in 18. My program has my goals set at BMI and I didn’t include it in the picture, but I started at BMI 48, surgery my BMI was 45 and today my BMI is 39.

Guess what down another 3+ pounds that puts me at just over 52 wow incredible

That’s amazing!
I just checked my stats. I’m down 59 lbs since I started the program back in January 2017 and 43 lbs since surgery. I’m at the 2 month mark. Kind of remarkable

Just an update - my husband's surgery on August 14 went AMAZING! He is down 58 pounds since then and feels great. He has zero regrets and hasn't thrown up or had any dumping whatsoever. I am so proud of him!
My surgery is October 17.

Hello!!
I had surgery 15 days ago and all is good. The surgery was (thankfully) uneventful. I was released the next day and felt very little pain. I started driving 8 days after surgery and I haven't ever felt any pain. My starting weight was 185 and today I am 172, so 13 pounds in two weeks (which is 21% of the weight I need to lose). The hardest part was the two week Protein liquid stage, after surgery. I have also struggled with drinking Water too fast - which has caused immediate and temporary pain but no vomiting. I have zero hunger and fast food smells are no longer appealing. I had a bite of my son's McDonald's french fries and they tasted like nothing. I have pretty much zero cravings for food now - which is CRAZY. Not feeling psycho hungry is amazing and really relaxing. If you asked me 11 days ago, I would be regretting this decision because I was hating the liquid stage. But I am feeling better - it really does get better.
I got my staples out today and my blood pressure and pulse was significantly better. So that is awesome!
As also an update, my husband had surgery on August 14 and has gone from 348 to 285. He is still losing 5 pounds a week!!

@AHappierMe Congrats on your surgery and your weight loss. So glad you're already seeing improvements in BP and pulse! And OMG, men! (your hub's losses) Can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em! hahahahaha Mr. Fluffy will lose so easily if he just blinks. My losses are like carrying a 50lb bag of feed uphill, nekkid, barefoot, over hot coals--both ways! *snort*
I'm so hopeful the RNY will help with my hunger. It is truly psycho hunger!

Hello!!! I wanted to provide an update. HAVING THIS SURGERY WAS THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE!!!!!
NO, ABSOLUTELY NO NO NO NO NO HUNGER - ever!!! I am FREE to live life and focus on things other than food!!!
I am happy, not anxious anymore - I feel better, I look better, I am just a nicer person all around!!
As of yesterday, I am 161 which is a 24 pound loss in 6 weeks. This means I have 41 more pounds to my ideal weight of 120. I cannot emphasize enough how AMAZING I FEEL!!!! I am a totally new person - completely in control and beyond happy.
Update on my husband, he weighed 268 yesterday - which is a loss of 82 pounds since August 14!! He is still going strong and feeling and looking better.
When we married I was 128 and my husband was 215 (this was 12 years ago). We are moving ever closer to seeing those numbers again. I would do this surgery a million times over -- all the pain and anger and frustration that I felt in the beginning has melted off - just like the fat!
Toodles!

Thanks for all of your thoughts and advice everyone. I am going to move forward with surgery. My official date now is 12/20/2017, and I feel relieved now that I have committed to a decision. Starting to get excited too!

I agree with this- I would say really consider whether you are scared or whether you really think you can/want to do it on your own. I, too have had a health spiral down as my weight has gone up progressively after every diet. I have Hashimotos and suffered endometriosis and a myriad of other things that affected my weight. You can feel good when first on thyroid meds but if it's like my thyroid it's up, down and all over the place and you are constantly battling exhaustion and weight gain.
So if it were me, I'd probably lean towards doing it because I have lived the years since one of my besties did it - watching her get and stay healthy and me slowly getting bigger and more unhealthy. I wish I'd done it then.
That said, if you don't do it I fully support that.