chelsey211

I just got a tentative date of December 11th for VGS! I have everything completed, just have to have 2 more weigh-in's for my insurance. I am SO excited!

I just got a tentative date of December 11th for VGS! I have everything completed, just have to have 2 more weigh-in's for my insurance. I am SO excited!

I just got a tentative date of December 11th for VGS! I have everything completed, just have to have 2 more weigh-in's for my insurance. I am SO excited!

Hi Everyone,
I just joined this site after finding it yesterday. After a recent 20lb weight loss and regain (for like the 100th time) I have decided to pursue sleeve surgery. About me: 50 years old. Current weight 270. 5'7. I have been hovering around 270 for about 5 years now after previously living in the 250 world for a few years. For about 10 years before that, I hovered around 230.
I am sick of the weight being in control of how I live, dress, socialize, travel, my career, etc. I want this lens removed from my vision of myself.....and want to deal with the challenges of life without also worrying about being fat, feeling sick, breathing heavy, struggling to keep pace, SWEATING, etc.
I live a pretty interesting life IN SPITE OF the weight. I have an amazing career and I travel across the globe for it....but I now feel uncomfortable in airplane seats - thank God I can still fasten the seatbelt without the extender, but it ISNT easy. I now know I cant put the tray table down and work on my laptop because I am just too close to it with all this weight.
I am an executive. I look at my peers and see all the pretty clothes and gorgeous shoes around the office. I try, but it never looks as good on me and forget wearing heels, they just hurt too much! I am pretty sure I am being judged at work for my appearance and missing some advancement opportunities because of my weight. Of course, nobody would ever SAY this....but I know it's true.
I love good food Not fast food, not chips, not fries, not burgers....not pizza. This body fat is curated from the best risotto, beautiful foie gras, velvety red wine, lobster thermidor.....you get it :-( .
But I have decided that my gourmand lifestyle in exchange for a smaller body is one I am willing to make. And I am sure I can also figure out how to eat well AND low fat/high protein/small portion and still enjoy life.
As my weight has climbed, I have avoided people and experiences. Just recently I was in the south of france on a little relaxing beach trip and a friend of mine texted me that she, too, was there with her husband. She was staying at the hotel next to me and wanted to get together for dinner...I was all for it...until she said "and we can take photos"...which meant she and her 110 lbs gorgeous self (she is a fashion consultant and VERY superficial - it's all about the "look" - a term she uses on everyone "I love your look" - clothes, hair, makeup) wanted to post photos on social media of me next to her.....nope. I told her I'd made other plans and never did see her. I think she's insulted...but I had to do it and one day I will explain to her, but not now.
Anyway, putting the psychological reasons aside, I feel crappy these days. I'm always hot. My body is always achy (legs ache every day), I have a chronic cough (it's bad - I am working at 50% lung capacity) for which I have seen one of the country's top pulmonary specialists - he says I am asthmatic and prescribed an inhaler. I now snore like a buzz saw - THAT's attractive, eh? My boyfriend likes to say I was building houses overnight - sometimes apartment buildings. I have already had a sleep study and was negative for apnea - doc just said "well, you're heavy!".
I am carrying the fat in my belly, chest and arms. I am pre-diabetic and brain fog like mad. NO way to live.
Being heavy AND being peri-menopausal are NOT a good combination. One has to go.
I have confirmed that my insurance generally covers the surgery and my personal approval is pending for the surgeon's submission.
I have done the intake interview and now have an upcoming meeting with the surgeon. I am hoping to have surgery in Early December/late November, as timing is important for me given that my travel schedule picks up in mid January.
I am reading your advice and your stories and appreciate every one. Focused on understanding what you are eating pre and post op and what I may need to buy. Figure this may be a good time to start a walking routine and hitting the weights a few days a week to build a little muscle in advance of the loss. Also plan to start taking Biotin for my hair.
Anyone have any other "now" advice?
I also entered my height and weight into a BMI/ideal weight tool and it said my ideal weight in 134 and I have 136 to lose. I thought that was cool to know - I am carrying around a full extra person. It's really time for her to go.
Thank you for reading and for sharing your stories with me.
Suzanne

Submitted on a Thursday, approved on Monday

Hi. I waited about 5-6 days. I had my dr office try to reserve a surgery date too. I was approved in like November ish but wanted surgery in late December.

I have BCBS of WNY and I got approval in less than a week. My doctor submitted on a Thursday and by the next Tuesday I was approved. BUT my doctor's office has a specific plan that you have to go through including a pre-submission insurance review where they check everything over and match it up with your insurance to give the best chance of approval before they even send it out.

Ok that's fine, ill do me and you do you.

Confessions! They make my catholic schoolgirl heart flutter. Anyway, ten days into the two week liquid diet I screech into the Burger King parking lot like the getaway driver in a bank robbery. Order a small onion ring (sans sauce-I'm health conscience like that) and woof them down. As I'm licking my fingers I think how guilty I should feel and I should probably cry or something but I couldn't squeeze out a single tear. Funny thing is, I don't even like Burger King and there were way better options across the street but I couldn't be bothered to do a U turn.

In the words of the timeless Rick James
" Cocaine is a hella of a drug "

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 169

So, there I was in Salt Lake City last Friday for my psychology test, third pre-op nutritionist, and psychology interview. (I started the pre, pre-op diet June 29, 2018, and have lost 17.8 pounds so far.) After the interview, I had a ticket to see the comedian, Pablo Francisco, at Wiseguys Comedy club in an SLC suburb. While I was driving from the hospital to the club, I passed several places where I could have eaten but did not stop. At the club, I ordered a buffalo chicken sandwich without the buffalo sauce and no french fries. I planned to just eat the meat and watch the show. When my plate arrived, it had fries and I just unconsciously started eating them. By the time I noticed what I was doing, I had eaten half of them. Well, I stopped and started eating the chicken sandwich, bun and all. In between bites (I was practicing to eat slowly), I would sometimes eat another fry, until they were gone. So, I had the intent of eating just the meat and ended up eating all the fries and bun too.

But wait, there's more...
After leaving the club, I was driving north and stopped at a Del Taco and ordered a spicy chicken burrito, a chicken soft taco, a macho (large) fries, and a bottle of Water. A couple of hours after consuming all of that, I needed to stop for gas and a bathroom break. When I came out of the bathroom, I walked past the donut case and bought two chocolate iced long johns. I also got a chocolate milk. For the rest of the way home, I had intestinal cramps (I'm lactose intolerant) and had to stop a couple of times to "relieve" the gas - I was not sure if they would be dry or wet, so I took no chances.

I got right back on the horse on Saturday morning...

The watching me is the main reason I will not tell anyone at work. I don't want anyone to watch what I'm doing or eating.

I very scientifically bought and tasted about 10 different products...had my family taste them, too.
Premier Protein, hands down, was the most tolerable (to us, anywho)
Some were truly gagworthy.
Best Wishes!

None of them. Honestly, I am living for Premier Protein shakes (premade ones). You can get them at Walmart or Sam's Club, and the they are awesome. 30g of Protein, 5g of carbs, only 1g of sugar and they taste great! Especially the chocolate and the caramel!

I love Premier Protein. They have it at Walmart but the costco price is better. More flavors

The only person at your job that needs to know what is going on is your HR person. And they should not tell anyone what you have told them about your health. Tell your supervisor you are having stomach surgery and leave it at that. The truth is you will be losing weight on your 6 month pre-op diet, you are changing the way you eat and you will be exercising. So after surgery you can tell them the above.

I don't understand the need to tell coworkers, even a supervisor - other than - surgery - and fill out medical leave and be done with it. People are too nosey, too opinionated - they have all kinds of opinions, advice, scrutiny, comments and even if they publicly seem supportive - believe me they have private opinions that might surprise you. You do not need this validation/acceptance/scrutiny, etc. If you tell they will be watching you and watching you. Do you broadcast a hysterectomy or prostrate surgery? Medical issues are no one's business. Do you share your checkbook balance or what you do in the bedroom?
These days it seems like we are perpetually on Jerry Springer with the over sharing.

My surgery is in a week and I've told EVERYONE! Friends, family, coworkers, total strangers, and everyone is super excited for me. Luckily, I teach sex ed for a small nonprofit, so we're all pretty open about our bodies. I even have a coworker who had the same surgeon as me! The only unsupportive person I've come across is my neighbor who is even bigger than I am, and I think that's more due to jealousy than anything else.

My advice; don’t tell coworkers. You tell a couple, soon everyone knows. So unless you are comfortable with everyone knowing. Just don’t

I gave 1000 different responses to nosey coworkers... anything from hernia repair to vaginal rejuvenation.... eventually they got the point lol

Absolutely.
Revealing too much on the first few dates is not a great idea. For one thing, you don't even know if you are interested in them. Then some ****** is going around with private information about you. Wait until the relationship deserves that kind of personal information investment. It can also be overwhelming for people to know too much too soon. Get to know each other without all the past there hanging over everything.
Not to mention all the dung brains out there who don't know anything about this surgery or what it's like to struggle with weight. You cannot just trust everyone.
Get to know someone and go slow. Reveal as deserved and desired. In dating, go slow.
Plus, when I date a guy I want to know if he is s superficial a*****e. I've had so many guys start talking trash on over weight women in front of me now that I am thin. I hate that and it helps me see their true colors of they do it, assuming I've always been thin. Jerks.

I don't understand the mentality that you have to be completely open about your surgery on the first couple dates/early in a relationship lol... there's plenty of other ways to explain dietary restrictions without putting everything out there. it's a sensitive/vulnerable topic. honestly, i'm a bit over 7 months into my relationship (9 months post-op) and he doesn't know and probably never will. it isn't a necessity for him to know. a few people got mad at me for posting a thread here where i was feeling a bit upset that he got me chocolates for vday after i asked him not to but the thing is that that's an inconsiderate thing to do just knowing i'm on a diet and have digestive issues, he didn't need to know i had WLS to know better, you know? it's your business who you share it with. i'd explain that you're on a diet and maybe elaborate that you have a hard time digesting certain foods if you want a more solid reason but if they're worth the time they'll be able to respect that you're choosing to eat a certain way.
i don't know what the nightlife scene is like by you and what's accessible but i live inside chicago city limits so generally i like going to cheap shows on dates--there's always cheap improv shows or local bands for $5-$10. if we do get food i make sure i have suggestions in mind for places i can actually eat. bars seem to work ok as well once you're a bit further post-op, if you get 1 drink and drink it slowly over the course of the date.

My surgery, my business who I tell upon meeting or not. These are first-second-third dates here, he's not proposing. I will reveal personal information about my health when I am good and ready. YMMV, but that's how I am doing this. I don't tell them my salary or my mommy issues on the first date either. There's honesty and there's oversharing too soon.
I'm not asking anyone to cater to my restrictions, either. I simply want to have suggestions on hand for other things to do besides going out to eat so I can steer the interactions that way.
Love live music. I have done a lot of concert dates, those are probably my favorites. I'm also adding paddleboarding to the list.
OMI- I like that you make them choose the dates. After about the first or second, I expect them to do that otherwise I dump them too.

I agree with that it is a personal choice. Just know if you tell one then I am sure most will eventually find out. For just the time off work you don't have to tell them anything. Just put in your time for personal reasons, vacation or what ever you want really.
Even if you don't tell people at first down the road when they see your progress you can then if you feel comfortable tell them that you had bariatric surgery. Don't need to give details or anything that may make you feel uncomfortable.

At the start of my journey I did not tell anyone. I had already gone through my 6 months once before and was originally scheduled for surgery in Feb of 2018 but two days before my insurance denied me. But right before I was due to go off work and I didn't know about my denial yet I did tell two of my coworkers. Kind of felt a off when I didn't have it and I told them I was but they didn't treat me any different. But again it all depends on the person. So now that I am due to have surgery next month they are supportive.

So in the end it is your choice and whatever you feel comfortable with. Just know once they know they may ask questions so be prepared for that whether it is a positive or negative response.

Thanks everyone. Appreciate the tips. I’m just extra nervous considering the situation. Don’t want to mess up.

For the record @creekimp13 I was “following medical advice” I was on birth control. It failed. I’ve already talked to my doctors and my surgeons and the nutritionist. They haven’t been very helpful so thanks but no thanks for the lack of advice and support. Everyone on my medical team has said this happens sometimes, it’s known this surgery can increase your fertility. And btw I work in medicine so I’m aware of the risks, hence the birth control.