actuallylosingit

On 08/02/2018 at 05:06, BostonWLKC said:

I guess it depends on what your goal is or how much you want to lose? I chose bypass for max loss quicker ( although sleeve can slower people have lost equal weight in long run), also BC I had reflux . I also saw many converting from sleeve to bypass and I didn’t want two surgeries to be a possibility at all.



So I guess it depends on your preference and medical factors.



Plenty of people with both surgeries here with a lot of success.



Good luck with your decision.

I just came across this. I didn’t realize so many people had converted over. Thank you!

I follow many people stories on social media and several have brought up a stop in progress. One in particular, was a sleeve patient. For several months they could not lose any more weight. Then was told by the doctor that this must be all the weight they would lose. While being over 100 pounds still overweight. I had my mind set on the sleeve but I would hate for this to happen. Has anyone ran into this before? Would you recommend one surgery over the other?

14 hours ago, newmebithebypass said:

See if you have anyone in your binder that does them over the phone ours had some listings and they accepted insurance

Thanks for the idea! I didn't realize they offered it over the phone.

15 hours ago, Timey said:

I live 2 hours away from my psych as well, matter of fact I am traveling now to make my very last appointment which is to see them. In my opinion I would travel and make the appointment just to get it over with and get the ball rolling for my surgery instead of prolonging time trying to find someone who will give me an appointment 2 months from now, but everyone is different. Anyways good luck on your journey

Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you! Did you get in fairly quickly with the team psych? Thank you, and good luck on yours as well!

16 hours ago, FLHappyGirl said:

Do you have to visit your doctor for anymore monthly visits? Maybe you could schedule two appointments on the same day so the trip seemed more worth it. That said, I would go with the known in order to avoid any insurance complications.

I go to him next month and he said to complete all my tests and lose thirty pounds. Based on them he makes the decision if i can set a date. Thank you!

18 hours ago, nibble said:

Your last sentence just answered your Q in my thinking. Make the 2hr trip for almost guaranteed clearance, or risk denial going somewhere else?

Lol your right. I just wanted to see if anyone had been in my position. I'm willing to make the drive if need be but i'd still rather go to a local. I wanted to see if anyone knew whether your average psych has bariatric knowledge or if it was an elective for them. I know its not their specialty. Just curious i suppose.

14 hours ago, George OG said:

Yes I had to do a liquid diet for 2 weeks.I stuck to it exactly and lost 40 pounds in 2 weeks.Its imperative to do it because that area will be where the surgery will happen.The liquid diet was difficult the first week,but then it was a breeze.

Thanks for sharing! Mine is typically a two week clear liquid diet so i believe i will be on a 3 week clear liquid. I'm glad to hear the second week was easier. Great job! 40 pounds in 2 weeks is quite a bit of weight to lose.

1 hour ago, Bryn910 said:

I would try and see if your team could recommend another therapist that was closer to you and covered via insurance (if that’s your route).

It all varies. For my sleeve surgery I just went to a licensed counselor/social worker & for my revision I had to see a psychotherapist whom literally followed a list of questions from the bariatric team. I thought the social worker wa better than the therapist lol.

the only way I would go see someone 2 hours away is if the team said it was deal or no deal and it were the only way I would get approved.

I talked to the secretary at my surgeons office and was told they didn't know anyone to recommend me to in my area and i could go wherever i'm covered. I called my insurance company and they said i could go anywhere accepting.

I just wasn't sure if I should bite the bullet and drive up there just because it is who they typically deal with. My surgeon has brought up several times that the psychologists they typically deal with know the lingo and have a better shot at getting accepted. Opposed to the denials they have from outside psychs based upon how it is written out.

I have heard it is either a huge list of questions, surveys, or a quick twenty minute chat.

That's funny you say that. At my job so many people say the same thing.

At this point in my journey i'm willing to do almost anything for a date to be set.

On 7/21/2018 at 6:40 PM, ScoutCR said:

So true! I know in my head that I am done and yet I take one bite, literally 1 bite more than I should and am I am in agony. I always loved shrimp before surgery but now they are my go to meat (they are not really meat), low in calories and good Protein and last night I had 1 shrimp too many and I paid the price. Gotta start listening to my head, 6-7 shrimp are good 8-10 are too many.

I need to get used to the idea that so little makes so much difference.

On 7/21/2018 at 3:31 AM, barney116 said:

Just getting into my 2nd week of my 2 week preop diet. Its not so bad. Been drinkn ton of water(80-120 oz/day). No hunger pains. Surgery 7/30.

I got almost the same paper at my nutrition class. I'm glad to hear that. Good for you! Hopefully I have the same results. I struggle getting all my Water in.

On 7/21/2018 at 2:23 AM, Frustr8 said:

And that is one of the main reasons I'm starting a 4 week prep diet August 1st for a September 5th surgery.😛❤😛

Did your surgeon put you on the 4 week for fatty liver? Or are you going the extra mile? Congratulations on your surgery date! With that prep diet i'm sure your going to do great.

Hello all,

One of the final things I have to do before having a date set is my psych eval. This may seem like a silly question, but... Can i go to anyone? During orientation, I remember my surgeon preaching that we go to one of their recommended psychologists. His reasoning was these psychs knew exactly what to say for insurance companies approval. I live close to two hours away from said psychs. Has anyone run into this issue? I would assume they would know what to do with having an order and being a licensed professional. But after hearing about other patients being denied i'm concerned.

Thank you!

Suggestions/advice?

On 07/21/2018 at 15:34, Frustr8 said:

Boy there are some heavy assessments in this thread and see to say,many resonate with me. I too heard,about Mr Happy Clean Plate, I also heard about "the children in ( enter 3rd world country) who would be happy to get these mashed potatoes, gravy and meat you are leaving on your plate" Most of the people from Third World countries I have met in my adult life got along fine without my,leftovers. But it was so firmly ingrained that as a mother I finished up the leftovers if there wasn't enough to save for another meal and I did it without thinking. But at this late stage I can look back and say " OMG why did I do that?" But I thought this was the right thing to do and else I did do it. I have had a dumpster full of emotional baggage to dispose of. But I am going to rise above it, I am going to take back control of my life, appetite isn't going to control me, family,isn't going to control me and most,important, faithless easy come- easy go food isn't going to control me. This is my last best chance to live, live victorious and I am not going to waste it. It may be the hardest, most tear-laden thing I have ever done, but with all of my strength I AM GOING TO DO IT!😛👍🌈

Exactly! I too have been told about the “third world countries. “ Taking back control over my life is such a huge goal for me. I don’t think I’ve ever fully been in control. I love how you put that and will use that mind set

On 07/21/2018 at 14:18, sideeye said:

Yeah, there are a lot. You'll go overboard a couple of times in the beginning and then lie on the couch thinking "THIS IS THE WORST" for about 20 minutes; pretty soon you'll be able to gauge when to stop eating to avoid that feeling. I'm 4.5 months in and a couple of days ago I had a forkful of salad halfway to my mouth when I suddenly said "Nope, done" and put the fork back down. It can be that decisive.

It's best not to drink Water or liquid while eating, but you might forget if you're at a restaurant and they serve it regardless. That's a more urgent "DONE" because the food in your stomach's a lot more Fluid and so you're extremely aware that... well, if you keep eating it might all come up.

Some people hiccup, some people burp or have other very solid tells. Mine is more just a realization that if I eat that next bite, I will feel a certain way, and I can decide whether or not to eat it since I know exactly what the consequence will be. And sometimes you get an assist from the food itself: ice cream, hot chocolate and other high fat/high sugar things now make me gassy, which naturally encourages me to eat very little of those things. So I still get to drink cocoa, just out of much smaller mugs.

One thing for me in particular has been getting a good variety of food in, but not being psychotic about limiting myself. I am now perfectly capable of taking one bite of a brownie at a conference and either thinking "this is not good" and binning it or thinking "this is not worth it" and doing the same. It is not the last brownie I will ever eat, so I can hold out for the high-quality stuff. Similarly, if I DO eat a high-quality brownie, I don't have to eat the whole thing - I can enjoy a much smaller portion. Your assessment of what you WANT to eat (and in what quantity) shifts dramatically.

Thank you! Those are great tells for me to look for.

I love the idea of holding out for “high-quality” foods. I know I’m the past I’ve tasted things that weren’t great but ate anyway just because they were there. That’s a great way to look at it.

On 07/21/2018 at 07:55, Mattymatt said:

I am a former food addict. I say former because Gastric Bypass effectively cured the addiction. Much of the foods that I used to eat disgust me. For example: I used to go hog wild for pizza, wings, and fries, and not only can I no longer eat them, but just the smell is enough to make me nauseous. It could very well be that your relationship to food will take a 180 degree turn. I really and truly eat to live now. At times I miss being able to wolf down an entire large pizza but those moments are usually short-lived once I remember I was 366 and dangerously diabetic. Now I am a much better 294 and only have 104 pounds left to lose. This looks a lot more surmountable than the 176 when I first began.

A psychologist once told me that people generally don't reach the weights that we get too that don't also have a terrible relationship to food. They almost make a basic assumption that you have a psychological issue with food. The psychologist with my program only looked for Bulemia or Anexoria because those two conditions could cause severe problems with weight loss surgery.

That is great to hear. I love the idea of having the foods I like the most and are the worst for me to become unappealing. Great job that is awesome progress!!!

True statement. Also I didn’t know they looked for such disorders. But it makes perfect sense

On 07/21/2018 at 07:30, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

Growing up, you could not get up from the table until everything had been eaten. The glorified clean plate club...

We called it "The Happy Plate". If you finished everything, that was a"happy" thing. You only got dessert if you had a happy plate. I'm sorry to say that I passed on this "noble" traditional to my children.

---------

I could feel the pain and sadness in every word of your post. For good or bad, you also have a "toxic" relationship with the English language. You're just too darn eloquent.

Why are you convinced that the sleeve, instead of the bypass, is for you? I'm biased, of course, but I'm also curious.

I wish I had something equally as eloquent to say in return. I guess I never had the foresight to buy multiple drinks in the drive-thru, though I did ask for two Big Macs and two fries in separate bags once.

The encouraging thing I see in your post is that for each "sin", you seem to have an inner plea for change and a determination to end this toxic relationship. You want to succeed but fear is holding you back. Is this a rational fear or a defensive and irrational one? By the latter, I mean you've already put up a defense of sorts by "pre-convincing" yourself that you won't be able to stop eating despite having surgery. Why, then, get the surgery, it won't work for me anyway? That's a defensive fear.

The person with whom you have the psych evaluation doesn't have to be the person you talk to about your relationship with food. That said, I don't think that merely having a toxic relationship with food precludes you from surgery. The psychologist wants to know if you are committed. Are you? You sound like you want to be free of the hold food has on you. It sounds as though there is a deep, but hidden urge to get healthy. That fear is blocking your urge to act. Deal with your fears first, so you can move on. Be your own self-advocate. Do what you would do for yourself if you were your own best friend. And you should be your best friend. I know that sounds corny, but it is often the turning point to action. Help your best friend; she needs you!

Lastly, you broke free of one fear already (to a certain extent anyway) by baring your soul here. So now that you're here, continue to use us. Misuse us. We don't care which, just keep talking. Hopefully, the feedback you receive will help you to make some life-changing decisions. If you've been lurking here for a while, you've no doubt read posts from people who think they're ready but who are trying to make bargains involving food before they even start. "I want to have surgery, but I still want to eat and do this." or "I'm okay with getting healthy, as long as I can keep doing certain unhealthy things." I don't want to reveal this post to you here, but I can private message it to you so you can see what I mean by a bargainer. You don't appear to be a bargainer to me. I think you're ready, by virtue of what you've said above, to put on and lace up your walking shoes. (I'd say running shoes but those come later.. Heck, I've had surgery and I'm far from running.)

I hope my words aren't too trite because I desperately want to say something --anything-- that is encouraging and meaningful to you, but if I continue to ramble on... well... I...uh...

I am leaving towards the sleeve because it helps with the Vitamins and absorption so to say. My doctor said he thought i would be a good choice for me. Also my nutritionist said that they average around the same weight after five years.

I’m just so tired of being tired. I just don’t know what to expect. The thought of being small is so foreign to me. It seems impossible. I have read so many threads about the new full feeling. I sit here thinking I don’t know what it’s like now and it kind of scares me to feel it again.

I watch people’s stories on you tube almost daily now. The psych evaluation worries me because I have seen people say they were denied after previously approved based off their future sessions.

There wasn’t any nutritional teachings at home growing up. Only grab a snack until you were full with no set meals. I do shakes and am trying meal prepping now and it’s hard but I’m getting there. Pinterest is a big help. Psychologically; anything exciting or worth being acknowledged growing up was always “You could do better. “ So I have so much self doubt. But I am determined to change my life.

Thank you so much for your kind words! I went back and fourth for probably an hour whether or not to post it. I also read a lot of people complaining of seeing the same questions repeated. I’m trying not to become one of those people haha. Please share I’m pretty new on here and don’t know how to private message. I have joined a gym close by. Now it’s finding the self discipline to set a day to go and stick to it. I know I feel so much better after I have exercised. So much more energy. If I could just get the nerve to not to care what people there think once I walk in.

I keep telling myself you eat to live. Not live to eat. I have eaten a snack while making a snack because it took too long. Eaten things just because it was there and didn't want someone else to have it. My car has been know to magically appear in the McDonald's drive through. Ordering multiple drinks so it didn't look like all of it was for me.

Growing up, you could not get up from the table until everything had been eaten. The glorified clean plate club... I don't remember what being full even feels like anymore; unless i'm already in pain from so much food. I have read so many terrible things that can happen from overeating post sleeve. I'm worried I wont recognize what full feels like and suffer the consequences. Any tells of when you feel full post sleeve?

I'm hesitant to talking to anyone about my toxic relationship with food. I don't want anything to hold me back from being eligible for the sleeve. I know it is essential for progress but I am desperate to get my life back. I have been overweight my entire life. The smallest I remember being was 180 in the 6th grade. In the past I stuck to diets until i lost a little weight and treated myself with food that i knew was terrible for me. Thus gaining the weight back plus more. I am determined to get healthy and to have inner me match outer me.

Any advice and/or suggestions?

After having my EGD my doctor pointed out that I have a fatty liver. I know the liver rests on the stomach and it can be an issue. During my nutrition class i was informed that those with a fatty liver may have to do an extra week of the pre op "liver shrinking" diet. Has anyone else run into this issue?

AshAsh1-

Thank you for the helpful information. Definitely taking that into consideration. I have done Herbalife before and it worked well for me. Just looking for an alternative shake per preference. A lean Protein veggie diet is possible. It’s just easier for me to stay on track/meal prep if I know I have that shake. I want to lose as much as I can by my next appointment. I want my surgeon to know how serious and committed I am. It’s just hard for me to lose weight and keep it off. Nutrition is new to me and I feel safer with a shake right now. Although I know I need to get familiar with nutritional values of food now. My plan at the moment is to do the shakes for two meals. Then a protein and veggie meal like you recommend. So far I’ve cut out all bread, rice, potatoes. As of today I am having five small meals per day. Once I get closer to my goal I plan to eliminate the shakes and just eat clean.

Dr-Patient

I have not heard of Syntrax but willing to give it a try. I can see myself getting tired of consistent flavors as well. Should be a great option to have.

Great job! Four pounds is a great loss. I’m glad you know what works best for your body.

I thought the same thing! At this point in my journey I know it can’t hurt. But i also know it won’t be easy. So far I’ve only fluctuated losing two pounds one week and gaining one the next. I need a consistent diet change to keep things on track and keep the scale moving further down.

Macadamia-

I’m going to look into Sam’s club for sure. I just paid almost $8 a four pack at Walmart. Keep up the good work, that’s great progress! Good luck to you as well!

Missouri-Lee’s Summit. Thank you! Very helpful information and I would have never thought to look at dollar tree. I will definitely give it a try.

That’s great news. Than you!

Hello all!

I've had my first visit with my surgeon and he has asked that I drop THIRTY pounds. I go back next month to set a surgery date (his schedule is 2 months out.) I have used Herbalife and lost some weight. But i can no longer tolerate the taste, nor the price for a potential long term tool. Today I discovered Premier Protein but i have read mixed reviews as far as using as an actual diet. I have a lot to lose in a little bit of time. Any tips/advice as to what i should expect?

Thanks in advance