TexasMommy80

Try getting up and walking. I had my gallbladder out on Friday and couldn’t believe how painful the gas was. Anytime I felt it, I would get up and walked, and that took care of it (until the next time).

I just had my gallbladder out (sleeve hopefully in April), and I feel like that. Any movement hurts, although it’s pretty localized to my belly button. We forget that although it is laparoscopic, it is still surgery.

I have Cigna and have been told that most plans require a 3 month diet, but sometimes, certain employer policies do not require it. I am assuming mine does but I am just curious. If you used Cigna for your insurance, did your policy require a three month supervised diet. (I will find out the specific requirements on Monday)

I had my first appointment scheduled with a bariatric surgeon on Tuesday, January 9th. This particular bariatric center was highly recommended by my brother in law, and they provide services to our local area and surrounding cities. The one problem though is that I have had difficulties getting appointments at the clinic in my city, although there always seem to be openings in the surrounding areas, so really it wasn't too bad. There is another bariatric clinic in our area and I decided to give them a call, just to get a vibe. I figured that I would chat with them, and perhaps meet with both clinics to see which was a better fit. To my surprise, the new clinic was so much more involved, especially in the educational process before the surgery. We scheduled an appointment on Monday already, to start the program. They also provided me with a personal website that I can use to track documents needed for insurance, required classes, vitamins, etc. Right away, I felt so welcomed and so excited. They had a series of 5 videos that I had to watch before the appointment on Monday, so I watched those today and they were very informing. I am also required to attend a series of 6 educational classes with them, before my surgery. Those classes consist of pre-surgery nutrition, post-surgery nutrition, vitamins and supplements, and exercise. I will also have my regular psych. appointments and other appointments as needed for the surgery. The thing that really made me feel good about them though was reading the glowing reviews online. I think the choice was pretty clear at that point. I am so excited to get this all going. I start a three-month supervised diet on Friday, so when I think about it, there is a lot to do in those three months. Time is going to fly by!

I saw this on Facebook last night and was curious about it.

I have Cigna and have my first appointment on January 9th. I’ve already talked to my patient advocate and he warned me that once I start my three month diet, if I gain a single pound, I will be denied. He also said if you lose too much, they also deny you because “you can do it on your own.” Basically, you want to be no more than a few pounds away from your starting weight. Ugh, I am more nervous about those three months than the actual surgery.

I will be able to schedule anytime after may 15, unless my doc does not require the two week pre-op diet. With how everything will fall, if he doesn’t require that, I could schedule during the last two weeks of April. I am not sure if every doctor requires the diet, as I hear some do and some don’t. I have my first appointment on Jan. 9 so I will have a better idea then. [emoji123]

That would be ideal but the three month diet is throwing that timeframe off. I think it’s going to end up taking place in May or June.

Definitely call your doctor. I had that after one of my knee surgeries and it turned out that mine was a cramp from hobbling around, it they said it presents just like a blood clot.

Thank you! [emoji3][emoji3]

Good news! My parents and my boyfriend have started to come around more to the idea of the sleeve. My mom may even go to my first appointment with me, just as another set of ears and perhaps she might have questions that I don’t think to ask. I feel a bit better about it now, and am excited to get started.

My brother in law was the same way, easy peasy. I think the recovery is just different for everyone.

I had my gallbladder removed yesterday and was not expecting the pain that I am feeling in the belly button. Saying that though, I’ve been up and around and would be fine to go back to work by Monday (I work from home though and can take breaks as needed). I feel like I delivered a baby from my belly button, LoL! Next up is my appointment with the bariatric surgeon. I am ready to get this started! Hope y’all are all doing well and Happy New Year!

Maybe you were eating too little? In the past when I have lost weight on my own, if I did it using a really low calorie diet, I would have the same thing happen. It was only temporary and eventually if I continued, I would end up gaining. It did help to break stalls though, sometimes you have to eat more.

I’m getting mine out tomorrow actually. I am hoping to have the sleeve in April.

My insurance covers one appointment and I was so excited to hear this. I am definitely taking advantage! I work out all of the time already, but I want to shift my focus to almost all weight lifting after the surgery, with only cardio as a warmup. In the past, I used jogging to control my weight, and I absolutely loved it. My knee replacement doesn’t allow me to continue that, at least at this weight.

I went to my PCP on Dec 15 to get the referral for a bariatric surgeon. We discussed my weight and how to best lose it, and she gave me the referral even though she is against weight loss surgery (for anyone). I have a three month diet requirement, and my bariatric surgeons program sets all of that up for me. My question though is whether I can use the Dec. 15th appointment as my start date of the three months, or do those appointments all have to be with same provider? I prefer to go a dietician for those three months and I will not be returning to my PCP for several reasons. I will be setting up a new one at the beginning of the year.

I’m getting this too, and I’ve just learned to keep this journey to myself for now. My family had seen me up and down, from 160 lbs to 269 pounds and my highest. They know I can lose it, but my patterns prove that I can’t keep it off. I am done with the yo-yo dieting. SW: 239 GW: 150-160

Oh and Cigna will deny you if you lose too much too, because you “can do it on your own.”

I have Cigna and my patient advocate warned that if you gain a single pound during the three months supervised diet, they will automatically deny it. I am more worried about that than the weight loss surgery itself.

I am starting the process for the gastric sleeve on January 9th, and if I am lucky , I am looking at an April surgery date. My family is not supportive though. Saying that, they are not rude about it and don’t outright say not to do it, they just generally ignore the topic. My whole family is large, with all of us weighing just over 200 pounds. Of the three girls, I have always weighed the most (5’6 and 239 lbs right now). I have yo-yo dieted all of my life and I am ready to do something more stable. I felt amazing when I weighed 160-170 pounds, and I miss the feeling of not being tired and having more energy. I miss working out without my knees screaming at me, and I want to save my right knee from a TKR, like I had on my left knee at just 36 years old. I want to play with our three year old and feel more confident in my relationship that I’ve been in for the past five years. I have a million reasons why I should have this surgery, but it is as if my family thinks that I should just be content as I am. They don’t see the need, and I don’t see why. So at 37 years old, I am taking the time to focus on me. I am taking this step and making the change, with or without the support. I may schedule counseling sessions for a few months after the surgery, depending on how I am feeling mentally, and especially if the lack of support continues. Time will tell and I hope things change, but who knows at this point. Goodness, I am so ready for this, I wish it was April already! [emoji123][emoji123][emoji123]

I worry about that too but then I remind myself why I am going to do it (not until April). When you see what is on the other side of those two weeks, it seems a lot easier to stick to.

How long have you been back to work?

Your stats are almost identical to mine. I am 5’6 and 239. I am hoping to have the sleeve in April and my GW is 150 (ideally 160 but I want to leave a rebound cushion).

Thank you for this! I actually just looked at the calendar and if everything worked out and insurance didn’t deny me (I have Cigna and it seems they deny everyone at first, lol) then I have a three week window in between testing sessions. It might just work out! I really don’t want to give my summer up to another surgery. Three years ago I had knee surgery over summer break, two years ago I had a total knee replacement over the break and last summer I worked summer school. I really want to take a summer to focus on myself and the kids. [emoji3]