danielleleigh90

I had to stop partaking, I was honest with my Bariatric Team and I stopped smoking. It's been awhile and I don't have any desire to resume the habit again. I feel better, breathing is great and I'm learning to cope with anxiety in other ways. I want to maximize the opportunity of the sleeve w/o complications of old behaviors.

Hey!
i too have really bad anxiety.. I officially quit smoking (weed) back in January but man has it been hard lol. I called my primary & asked for help honestly.. I got a prescription for mirtazapine (for sleep but also for anxiety).. however that caused me to gain weight so now I’m on trazedone. I’ve tried to find other things I could do when I feel anxious, I even have some stress Vitamins lol. for me, my doctors actually have me doing labs to check if I’m not smoking today & also said they will a few days before surgery. Definitely not lecturing AT ALL because I know where u are coming from but I def would stop smoking & see what else u can do.. I would hate for them to cancel anything over it! Keep me posted and BEST of luck!

I was never tested for smoking and i actually smoked in the parking lot on my way into surgery, I then lit right back up as i walked out of the hospital. This is my goal this year to quit smoking I have smoked thru this whole journey, Really sucks to do all this work and still know you are killing yourself another way. But as a long time smoker I know what a b***h it is to quit and feel you pain. But do not let smoking take this tool from you! Trust me on that

Congrats love!! So how many days total did it take for approval. My paperwork gets submitted Tuesday 🥳

Congrats on your beginnings! I’m about to be 30, and about 20lbs from my heighest point. Like you I have no comorbidities (although I have an endoscopy today to check everything out for GERD). I wish you the best of luck!! These forums are the best for support too ❤️

Congrats on your beginnings! I’m about to be 30, and about 20lbs from my heighest point. Like you I have no comorbidities (although I have an endoscopy today to check everything out for GERD). I wish you the best of luck!! These forums are the best for support too ❤️

You look great! Congrats!!

Congrats!!! This is random, but do you (or anyone else who sees this) obsess over the surgery? Wondering if it will be approved, worried that something will change, etc.? If so, how do you manage it?! I literally have a hard time sleeping now bc it's always on my mind! ALWAYS!

Howdy everyone!
I have lurked in the shadows for a while now and finally feel like I am at a point in my life where I can come out into the light and say, I have started this journey -for real- now!
loss surgery has been on my radar for years thanks to my dad-I've been obese if not morbidly obese since 4th grade (I am 30 now). I have started the process of getting sleeved twice before this year. First time I only got past the initial consult with the surgeon and maybe one weigh in for the supervised diet but then we ended up moving and I let it fall by the wayside and the second time I actually moved in with my dad and started the process (I was still on his insurance) as Duke has a good program and my step mom has achieved success after having the gastric bypass so the hope was to use her as a resource as I plugged away at the insurance requirements. I even had a good therapist to work with. Alas though, it was not meant to be as my mental health staying with my dad was no bueno.
Fast forward to last October, my birthday. I've turned 30. I am now a good 10 pounds heavier than my heaviest. Finally at a point where I was ready to really pursue this, during open enrollment with my work provided insurance I opted to pay more each paycheck but have a 10% reduction in my co-insurance, as well as lower deductible and out of pocket max. Even if it was just for a year, I was going to do this. Found myself a PCP I really like, and made the consult appointment with the surgeon-Dr. David Provost with Baylor Scott and White in Temple(who I REALLY liked). The appointment went really well, I have 7 months of supervised diet, which is just fine with me, I have a lot of head work and habits to work on. I also have to do a psych test and sleep study, go to a lifestyle class and at least one support group meeting(I am stoked about maybe meeting people!). Best part so far of working with Baylor Scott and White? I have a WHOLE BOOKLET of information ranging from what to do several weeks pre-op to months post-op, they also made every appointment I will need (with the exception of I think the psych-they will call me to set it up) so I can see how my next few months will progress.
My last weigh in with my PCP is September 28th, my birthday is October 29th....maybe, just maybe I will get to be sleeved as a birthday present(crossing my fingers)?
I have no co-morbidities----not sure how I lucked out on that one. I love hiking and my most recent accomplishment was a 7ish mile hike on Christmas Eve. I don't know what has clicked that wasn't there before but y'all....I am READY! I have enjoyed reading your triumphs, set backs and learning along with you and am finally ready for this!

Thanks y’all! I literally have no idea how I’d get through any of this without these forums lol

I would call! The waiting game is just too much for me lol

All systems Go, surgery March 3rd.....And I begin my liver shrinking diet today. It's getting real people..I can't wait Happy Dance

Don't have many before pictures I always hid from the camera. This is me 2 months prior surgery at approx 275 lbs and me 28 months PO approx 180 lbs. I definitely still have work to do!! Feel free to post your own progress. I can use some visual motivation   
Sent from my SM-G950U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

I remember posting in December 2019 and a poster wanted to see a male before/after pic. The first one is from my highest weight ever at 314 in August 2019. I am now 244, 70 down since then and 46 down since surgery on December 17. I've been active as a basketball referee and playing pickup games in basketball. I also walk around 3 miles a day at work; not all at once, but in spurts throughout the collective day. Aflac paid me for my surgery through my hospital indemnity policy so I thought that was great! My health insurance paid their part 100% so I'm looking at getting a loan soon to pay off the rest. It was well worth it!

Just an update-really good news guys! The cyst is actually forming from my kidney. Soooo the doctor has decided to monitor it every 6 months since cytology came back with everything being non-malignant. This means after my March 3rd psych appointment everything will be sent into the insurance! I’m super excited & ready.

Congrats!!! This is random, but do you (or anyone else who sees this) obsess over the surgery? Wondering if it will be approved, worried that something will change, etc.? If so, how do you manage it?! I literally have a hard time sleeping now bc it's always on my mind! ALWAYS!

Thank you so much!!! I will look for it

Sooo true! My families first thought when celebrating is grabbing a bite to eat. My sister struggled with this at first, she said not being able to physically eat what she wanted was trippy & probably the hardest part for her. Good luck with the 14 days!

Don't feel bad. I'm to do a 14 day liquid diet as well. It's to shrink the liver.

I wanted to share what I took to help me quit smoking. My Dr put me on Wellbutrin, I took it for a month and then quit smoking. I will tell you that this was the easiest time out of probably 8 times I quit and it has stuck. I noticed no crazy side effects from it like other stop smoking meds and a great side effect is you can lose some weight on it. Now, as far as insomnia, I have had it on and off my whole life, but about a month after surgery I started sleeping though the night and I would hardly move in the night. I am not sure if this is surgery related or not, but if so I'll take it! Let us know what your Dr says today!

So I’ve been on my journey since December 31st and am quickly approaching my psych evaluation & the submitting of my paperwork (yay!). So I’ve always had sleep issues, and since I was released from the military have been on a plethora of things for sleep. Well, the best thing that worked for me was weed (if you’re judging you can judge your way out of this post). Back in January I began taking mirtazapine to help me sleep so I could stop smoking... well one of the biggest side effects is appetite increasing & MAN have I felt the increase. At this point, I’m just worried that I’ll gain... it’s freaking me out! I want this so bad and I’m sooo confident that this tool could assist me in getting where I want to go, I just don’t want to mess it up! The dietician suggested I drink a Protein Shake at night, to help with my crazy cravings.. but this has not worked so far. Pray for me guys! This sh*t SUCKS! I go see my primary tomorrow to talk about possibly changing meds.. wish me luck!

So I’ve been on my journey since December 31st and am quickly approaching my psych evaluation & the submitting of my paperwork (yay!). So I’ve always had sleep issues, and since I was released from the military have been on a plethora of things for sleep. Well, the best thing that worked for me was weed (if you’re judging you can judge your way out of this post). Back in January I began taking mirtazapine to help me sleep so I could stop smoking... well one of the biggest side effects is appetite increasing & MAN have I felt the increase. At this point, I’m just worried that I’ll gain... it’s freaking me out! I want this so bad and I’m sooo confident that this tool could assist me in getting where I want to go, I just don’t want to mess it up! The dietician suggested I drink a Protein Shake at night, to help with my crazy cravings.. but this has not worked so far. Pray for me guys! This sh*t SUCKS! I go see my primary tomorrow to talk about possibly changing meds.. wish me luck!

My paperwork gets submitted after my last appointment March 3rd. Good luck!

Gahhh I hope it only takes them 4 days for me lol. I’m hoping to get an April date!