pumpkiinry

**sorry this one's a long one!!!!**
Hello everybody, I had an appt with my doctor a few days ago for follow up on my bloodwork and ultrasound on my gallbladder because she thought I might have needed to get my gallbladder removed. Turns out all my labs were perfect, no gallbladder problems but I did have a little bit of a higher cholestoral and I found out that I also have Fatty Liver we discussed how it happens and how you treat it and basically... She said I have to lose weight. I finally brought up weight loss surgery to her. She wrote down everything she could to try to get me to get approved. She wrote down how long I've tried diets, what diets I've tried, morbid obesity (she said if she just out obesity it wouldn't get approved), body pains, asthma, etc and she put in a referral for surgery. Since I have medi-cal I guess the referral goes to a referall center then it goes to the bariatric surgeon or bariatric program or something like that and I'm supposed to hear a call back within two weeks. My doctor said the program is going to take 3-4 months and that I can't do it through her, I have to do it through the bariatric office I guess. Like my nutrition appointments and things like that can't be through my personal doctors office. Anyways, I am super excited and hoping I get good news soon! On a side note the bariatric office/surgeon that the people in my county get reffered to (I'm in the central Valley of CA btw) has horrible reviews and someone who went to him is dealing with horrible complications. I do not want that to be me... Is there anyway that I can go to a different county to get surgery but still have it covered by medi-cal? If that place is my only option then I will hold off on surgery until I move or until I can pay out of pocket I guess 🤦🏻‍♀️ If anyone has any info that would be great, thanks so much.

Congrats !!!

WOW! I can't believe it's been 3 years since my Gastric Sleeve surgery! It feels like I had it yesterday.
I started out at 470 and I've pretty much maintained at 215 pounds for the bulk of this year. If anyone is on the fence about having this surgery, let me tell you, it's life changing.
I am so happy I did it. Not only is my health great, I've gotten very fit and am more active now than I have been in years.

My PCOS was my reason for surgery. I had been logging my food intake in MFP for 7 years - and at 1300 or fewer calories a day and exercising, I did not lose. Plus the other symptoms that come with PCOS like the facial hair, thinning hair on scalp, cycle irregularity, cystic acne, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance/diabetes.
I have been losing since surgery - but VERY slowly - and I was told that this is due to the PCOS. I'm about 3.5 months out, and have lost 30 lbs. I don;t regret it at all - I wouldn't have lost anything if I hadn't done it. And the silver lining is that I will not have a problem when it comes to maintenance, as I have been eating those smaller amounts for years.
I was able to get off the metformin that I have been on since 2004 pretty much immediately. That alone would have been worth the surgery, as I hated it and never built a tolerance to it. I felt like it cut my stomach to ribbons and I always had to be near a bathroom.
Just be prepared to lose slow and don;t compare yourself to non-PCOSers losing quickly.

I would love to see great stories on how you feel today after years from your surgery! My name is Char and I had my surgery 2015, I started at 230 lbs and I am currently around 160-170lbs. I can say that I feel so great with how my health improved, my self confidence, my love to myself and the people who surrounds me with positive outlook in my journey. Sure, there are frustrations in my journey but it is all part of the process! Being where I am today made me a better and stronger person... I don’t think I could have not done it if it wasn’t for my children!

6 months was on 5/1. Down 97lbs from 286 SW. 48 more to go.    
Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

Stalled right now. Still want to lose 3-10 pounds!

so today is one year since I had my surgery, I started at 249lbs or 17stone 11lb
As of today I am 128lb or 9stone 2lb
I have had good times mostly and a few down days but overall no regrets and who knew you could actually enjoy running

I’m close to 6 months out of gastric sleeve surgery. Everything is going well. Getting adequate hydration is getting easier, it had been a struggle. My body is still adjusting. But, all in all I am still feeling very glad that I made this decision. I was active and happy before, but some (a lot of) things are so much easier now. Being able to go into a regular store and buy a raincoat, fitting well in airline seats, etc. I worry less about my long term health. I worry less about how I’m perceived on a daily basis. Those small anxieties were taking far more of brain space than I realized. People in general are nicer to me, which is nice (it makes life easier), but takes some working through to not become cynical and jaded.
I’m stalled out at the moment (totally normal), and thought it was a good time for a collage. And some mad props to bigger Angie, who did so many cool and adventurous things even though it was hard. I feel pretty disconnected from how it was and who I was before, and I’m sure this will deepen even more as the years go by.
As you can see, surgery turned my hair purple and pink. My surgeon never even mentioned the possibility! Tsk tsk.

@pumpkiinry LOOKS like you will be at your first appointment while ill be having my surgery (its getting closer and I am a lil nervous and excited) I can only speak for myself I personally didn't ask that many questions ay my first appointment but I encourage you to ask as many questions that your wanting to know or curious about. Have you decided on which procedure you are going to have? I had questions on the other types of procedures after I had choose then the RNY which with my doctors advisement I switched to the sleeve …because it was the best for me I wish you all the luck !!! wish I could offer up more as far as questions I am certain there are other who will

GTL SUMMER 2019 LOOKBOOK

Yeah it was after cancer scare #2 in early 2018 that I was seeing a new, young, female PCP.
I was so horrified bc I was in her office seeing her for the first time and I started crying when I saw my weight. I’d managed to gain over 20 pounds in 2017 and was falling apart bc of it.

She wasn’t phased at all by the fact that I’d shown up as a hot mess. In fact, she’s the one who gently asked me if I’d ever heard of/considered WLS. I was stunned bc I honestly thought that WLS was just for the super-MO people (thanks to shows like my 600 pound life) so I didn’t even realize someone like me (bouncing between 36-42% BMI) would be a candidate.

If my PCP had not put that idea in my head, I would’ve never come to it on my own due to just assuming I wasn’t “fat” enough. It took me several more months of researching, checking with my insurance, going to a seminar, and—quite honestly— gaining intentionally an extra 15 pounds so I could qualify, but once the idea was there and I learned what I needed to do and determined I was ready it all fell into place.
Yeah, the months leading up to surgery after the decision was made was tedious. It took me over 8 months from decision time to surgery day, but now the reward is just simply life-transforming

I definitely have seen people and thought, I wonder if they considered surgery, but I have never been tempted to bring up the subject.
There is something I do differently now. I go out of my way to smile and say hi. (Not in a creepy obvious way)
So many people on this site have mentioned how invisible they felt which made me more aware.

I really hate seeing morbidly obese on my medical records, it just hurts me. When my GP recommended me to the Bariatric program last September, I cried and felt shame. However, I was crying out for help and my GP knew I had health issues due to my excess weight. I'm tall and my weight is pretty evenly proportioned, so ppl didnt know that I was 280. I cried uncontrollably and I have been on this journey since last September 17th, 2018. I'm 249 pounds now and having surgery (vsg) in January 2020, I get my date tomorrow. The Dr. wanted to perform the surgery in October or November, but I have to wait until January to assure I have enough paid time off on the books...I'm going to be working on my fitness routine and mental health, while I'm waiting. It will be here before I know it, time is going quickly.

I know, right?
Back a few years ago when I was in a running phase, I could run 3-5 miles at a time and even though it wasn’t pretty, I could do a 5 mile run in under an hour.
At that time I was “skinnier” at a weight in the 230’s.
Mostly I’d run on a treadmill at the gym, but from time to time I’d run in my neighborhood.
One time I was running outside and a really fit and trim lady was heading out to her mailbox.
It was a cul de sac and she waited for me to run past because she was actually cheering and gave me a “high five” as I labored past her.
I’m 100% certain her heart was in the right place, but it was humiliating to me.
I ran on until I got a couple of streets away and then broke into tears right there on the street and walked the rest of the way home. Don’t think I ran outside again for a few weeks after that

People run all of the time in my neighborhood and I’m willing to bet the skinny ones don’t get high fives from that lady. The pain and humiliation of that memory is what keeps my thoughts to myself.
I have told myself though that if anyone ever gives me an opening, I will share whatever health history of mine they want to know if I can just impact one single person to make this choice.

Oh gosh I hear you. But unless they have known "fat" you, (& even sometimes then too) it's still going to come across as another skinny person giving them shame.

Because my head still hasn't caught up to my size, I'm constantly looking at people trying to assess (privately) "am I bigger than them?" "was I bigger than them before the surgery?" Etc. I was almost always the fattest person in a room and I'm still shocked at not being that way anymore. And I want to go up to them all and tell them there's hope. But I don't of course because that wouldn't help. I'd have HATED someone to do that to me.

Ageee!

Although my grocery cart back in the past would sometimes look like a health guru, and sometimes it looked like a 30yo bachelor planning a super bowl party loaded it up

I’ve tried almost every fad diet known to humanity and then I’ve had periods where I got despondent and didn’t even try. I shudder to think what my cart looked like during those dark periods. To the average onlooker, it wouldn’t have seemed I would’ve been able to do this lifestyle, but the truth was that I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired in that moment.

Luckily I never stopped searching and refused to just lay down and die. I kept fighting and came to know that WLS wasn’t just for the “my 600 pound lifer” it could be for “normal” people like me who honestly needed the metabolic reset and I knew in my heart if the metabolic reset was real instead of being a myth, then I had a great chance at making this work.

Yes it’s VERY hard work and always will be, but so is being 100 pounds overweight.
My heart aches now when I see people in actual physical pain from merely walking in their own body.
Last week I went outside my pharmacy to give a lady her flu shot because she came through the drive Thru and when my tech asked her, she said she couldn’t get around very well and didn’t think she could make it inside to stand and wait.
I knew who the lady was (EXTREMELY MO) and told her I wasn’t going to let her miss out and that I would go to her.
I desperately wanted to have some kind of dialogue about my WLS, but just couldn’t figure out how to open it.
At the end, I simply gave the shot (had to use a 1.5 inch needle and I pray that was long enough to get in her muscle) and moved on with my day.

I talk about WLS when someone is genuinely interested.
My first year out, I had to realize my enthusiasm about bariatrics is not at everyone’s level. Learning the basics was eye opening and life changing. IDK. I would be offended by someone approaching me about WLS when I never asked about it.
Grocery shopping - When I see a cart of unhealthy stuff. It’s a sad reminder that I used to shop and eat like that.

I feel the same way. But hardly anyone really wants to make the lifestyle changes. Before surgery, my grocery cart was filled with veggies and healthy foods. I really did not eat junk or processed foods. I was trying to make the positive changes - I just couldn't stop eating and ate from emotional origins.
But look at the carts from so many MO folks - soda, beer, chips, donuts, sugary cereals. Surgery is not going to fix that. My heart goes out to them, it truly does, but at some point folks have to start helping themselves by education, first of all. The saddest ones are the kids. LIttle fat kids who don't have a chance.

If someone is MO and asks me how I lost weight, I tell them I had WLS and that I'm happy to talk to them about it if they want to. My doctor suggested the surgery to me and I was extremely against it until a couple of my close friends and my massage therapist all had it with good outcomes. After talking to them a lot, I finally decided to do it. And I've been VERY happy with the decision.