VIN_IN_AL

47 minutes ago, MsMocie said:

They are made to be low calorie, which means they used some chemicals to make them. The reason why you feel more full on regular foods are because they are more nutridense

Unless you live on a farm and "self provide" 100% of what you consume your going to have chemical's in one form or another in just about whatever food you eat, including Organic grown.

16 hours ago, WinterFish said:

I don’t want people to tell me what I want to hear. I guess I just want someone to say they understand what I’m saying and feeling. I don’t have anyone in my family or friends that are even overweight. I feel like no one can relate. Has anyone else been through this? Did things get better as you lost weight?

Honest advise?
Similar situations for me, making excuses to avoid being around friends, families and others due to my excessive weight.

At first, I also felt "guilty" until I learned the excuses I made to friends and family were simply lies. The reality was the guilty feelings I was experiencing where more related to what I call the "self-preservation mode to avoid embarrassment and shame". Why did I feel embarrassment and shammed, I can probably write half a book just on that topic alone. There is a good write up in Psychology Today that discusses the similarity between feelings of Guilt, Embarrassment and Shame, I would say it's recommended reading for those who are morbid obese.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-pathways-experience/201709/embarrassment-guilt-and-shame

Battling excessive weight goes far beyond "eating less and excising more", there are many Psychological related factors that MUST be addressed or your chances of successfully loosing weight and keeping it off will be reduced substantially. The lies, specifically to yourself have to stop. Perhaps if you told your friend the REAL reason why you did not want to participate they would be more understanding to your weight situation? And if they are not, I would say perhaps it time to surround yourself with new friends.

When you say "I feel like no one can relate", I find that hard to believe, this forum is FULL of people who can probably relate to your situation in one form or another. You have already taken the first step by posting your message, never be afraid of asking for help, within this format or professionally.

3 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

hmmm....I wonder if there are sugars or something in there? Simple carbs make you hungrier faster.

It’s amazing how sugar creeps into just about everything we eat, including the so called “low-fat” foods. Looking at the nutritional information of the Meal Replacement packages from BariatricPal they appear to have very low sugar, 2 grams or less, although I would have liked to have seen the standard nutritional label on the package.

I tend to avoid anything labeled “fat free” these days since I feel they provide a false sense of security. I had a habit of consuming a larger the quantity of fat free foods only to find out I was consuming MORE calories and sugars when I was eating equal amounts in normal form. The nutritionist I see now simply says I need to focus on “Good Fat’s” not “Fat-Free”.

1 hour ago, Mello1 said:

I just want to say that I appreciate that you still post here after 5 years. I learn a lot from you.

1 hour ago, catwoman7 said:

thanks!! You just made my day!!

I would also like to say THANK YOU for sharing your experiences and congratulate you for achieving something that I feel is the BIGGEST hurtle in weight loss, you have manages to keep your goal weight after almost 5 years, I find that amazing!

I never wanted WLS and tried just about everything available in the weight loss industry to avoid it, including attending a weight loss “boot camp”. Unfortunately, every time I lost weight; it slowly came back. When I encounter people like you it gives me hope.. 😎

13 minutes ago, SM16 said:

Apparently they think it’s too dangerous and not worth it.

Curious on what information your husband’s family used to formulate their group “assumption” of WLS being dangerous and a waste of time/money; are members of his family in the medical profession?

Print this and hand it out to his family at the event your attending tomorrow:

https://asmbs.org/resources/studies-weigh-in-on-safety-and-effectiveness-of-newer-bariatric-and-metabolic-surgery-procedure

On 1/15/2020 at 11:24 AM, KlaPV said:

Why did you choose the type of surgery you will have or might have? What factors were deciding factors for you?

I never wanted WLS and tried just about everything available in the weight loss industry to avoid it, including attending a weight loss “boot camp”. Unfortunately, every time I lost weight; it slowly came back.

I decided to see four surgeons from different health provides when I finally decided the surgical route would have to be considered. I left it up to them to tell me what procedure I should have. Of the four, only one recommended a full bypass, all others suggested Gastric Sleeve so that is what I am planning to do in April 2020.

If you’re going down the financing highway to pay for your surgery, check the interest rates of the health cost financing programs that may be available from your surgeon’s office. They offer “instant” approval if your credit rating is above average. I got a very decent rate from Prosper but was able to get an even better rate from the Credit Union that financed my truck.

7 hours ago, MaineDoc said:

Whenever I’m out and about, I still have a perception that people look at me as the “big” guy but that may not be the case....

Even when I hit 389 lbs last January 15th, which was the highest amount of weight in my life, It never bothered me much knowing what other people may be thinking of me, I have more important things to focus on.

12 hours ago, Mimiwumba said:

I had my first appointment with surgeon yesterday. It was a little disappointing when he said I could expect to loss about 70 to 80 lbs. While that is a lot and I would love that weight loss, I was actually hoping to hear more like 100 lbs.

I have had appointments with 3 surgeons overt the last few weeks and when the question of "expected weight loss" comes in all three were very conservative in the numbers with a range of 60 to 70 lbs in one year. I am assuming they keep the suggested weight loss numbers within reason, this way the expectations are more realistic and there is less disappointment when the weight loss begins to slow down

Like you, I would like to loose 100 pounds, even more if I can, I have done it before, in fact more than once using non surgical methods. I would not focus on the expected or desired weight loss but more on keeping whatever pounds that do come off from returning... this is where I have failed constantly.

I am hoping the surgery will help me break my yo-yo weight loss history.

25 minutes ago, Isabelmonster said:

Kinda wanted to see if there are Other people who are struggling to see the weight loss because we have a larger frame. I’m 5 foot 10 and I have like a large bone structure and even though I went from 256 pounds before surgery and now I’m 189 I don’t see a change in clothes or a change much elsewhere only like my shoulder and thighs. Anyone else like this?

From 256 pounds to 189 pounds you must be experiencing some change, at the very least your pant size.?

I have a very large frame also, I am also 5 foot 10, my chest is 56. When I was 389 pounds, I was wearing 56 x 32 dress slacks. At my current weight of 365, I am 54 x 32 dress slacks, can probably do 52 x 32. I know from experience that when I am under 300 pounds, say 280 pounds I am at 48 x 32. At my goal weight of 225 I hope to be 40 x 32

9 hours ago, Dani B said:

I recently gained a few pounds. I am shocked! I am under 600 calories a day and I exercise pretty much EVERYDAY. I did the surgery last month. Did anyone experience this ?

The scale should not be used as the only measurement of your weight loss success, I have experienced STRONG desires to fling my scale like a Frisbee in the general direction of the nearest wall. Measurements and photo's need to be added to your process to track progress.

5 hours ago, Keatsy said:

1. Will there always be loose skin, regardless of the situation/weight lost/type of surgery? For example, I'm 5'5", female, 32 and weight 240 (with other weighted related health concerns). Loose skin is my biggest concern out of all of this.

I know 4 people I see almost daily who have had WLS within the past 3 years and I keep open communication with 3 others from my WLS support group from last year. The question of loose skin is a complex one, as someone already mentioned in a previous message there really is no consistent diagnosis, simply to many factors that are involved.

So it’s nearly impossible to come up with a pre-surgery answer to the level of loose skin you may have to deal with, however you do have some options to consider when you do find yourself with that extra skin. Obviously, a man’s situation may be different then a woman’s when it comes to dealing with loose skin, also one’s financial resources will be a factor. If you think of it, you only have two options. You either deal with the loose skin and consider the weight loss a major positive over the negative of loose skin or you have it surgically removed. Here is a quick survey of the people I know and what they have done:

• Female - 46, lost 85 pounds, spent a boat load of money on plastic surgery. I must be honest and say it was money well spent, she looks fantastic, totally different person.
• Female - 62, lost over 175 pounds in 2 years, her plastic surgery to remove loose skin at the stomach level was deemed a medical necessity and was completed. However, the loose skin on her legs and arms was not and currently she is trying to save money for a future visit, she will be heading to Mexico to get it done I am told.
• Male – 55, lost 79 pounds year 1, gained back 45 pounds in year 2, struggling to get back on track, schedule to revise sleeve to bypass later this year, no loose skin issue currently.
• Male – 60, lost 103 pounds year 1, gained back only 20 in year 2, history of gaining and losing weight over the last 10 years, does not care about loose skin at the moment.

4 hours ago, Mark1107 said:

For the last 6 weeks I’ve stopped losing weight. I’m stuck at 204.

Experiencing those pesky repetitive weight loss plateau’s and the “Yo-Yo” dieting affect it seems to produce is one reason I am doing WLS this year. Unfortunately knowing that a plateau can happen after WLS is a reason why I opted out last year.

When I was on other non-surgical weigh loss plans over the past 5 years the only thing that worked for me when I got stuck at a certain weight (usually between 320 and 330) was to get a clear understanding of what I was consuming daily by using a food tracking program called MyNetDiary. There are many different food trackers available Apple as well as Android, but I felt the paid “Pro” version of MyNetDiary had the best combination of tools.

To get the scale to move in the expected direction I always reduced my net-carb intake, reduce my total calorie intake by 200 for the week and increased my physical activity. It always worked but eventually I would slide back a few months later after breaking the plateau, would stop that extra day at the gym, start overeating on those so called “healthy” Snacks and before I knew it I was back to square one.

I know what works, at least for me but I simply can’t do it consistently. I sure wish there was an easy answer but if there was, likely this forum would not exist and everyone would be fit and trim. 🤪

4 hours ago, AJ Tylo said:

I am seeing a trend towards new people asking the same fears that a ton of us had....

I am thinking this is due to the boatloads of miss-information provided by (unfortunately...) the professionals we depend on and our health insurance companies where it seems surgical pre-approval policy is always a moving target.

I am thankful there are people who have already ridden the WLS roller coaster (or are still waiting in line....) and then take the time and effort to share their experiences, good and bad.

On 2/15/2020 at 3:26 PM, TheAngryMeow said:

Well, I ended up having some crackers. I read somewhere that you can put them in Soup an it makes it liquid? Idk.

Assuming your bariatric surgeon’s office has a dietitian, I would bounce that question off them first. I had all kinds of issues with the liquid pre-op diet last year, it was one of the reasons why I opted out at the last minute, 2 days before surgery last year. I am not looking forward to doing it again, but health matters dictate I must get past it this time around.

I kept in contact with three others who were in my pre-op support group who went through the sleeve surgery in 2019. All three are now reaching a year post-op and the feedback I am getting is encouraging, but cautious. One of them has not been as successful as the others but she knows what she is doing wrong. From what she tells me, she “grazes” and eats small amounts of food constantly during the day and evening. She has gained back about 35% of the weight she initially lost and is now considering revision surgery and moving to full bypass. She says her biggest mistake was not reaching out for help.

I plan to be active in this support group, I know I am going to need help and I want to make myself available to help others.

Open and equal channels of communication with your Spouse is the foundation of a successful relationship. If you did not keep her “in the loop” during your decision process, then I can’t blame her for being upset. I would think that with the pregnancy in the picture she may be upset and/or worried that there may be complications and she is worried about what would happen if a worst-case scenario comes into play.

My Spouse has been involved in all decisions I make concerning my health and I am involved in all her health related decisions. In 2016 I had full right hip replacement surgery, a week before my schedule hospital stay I sat down with her and outlined exactly what she needs to do “IF” a worst-case scenario came into play. This pre-surgery discussion included location of financial paperwork, insurance documentation and a checklist of what she needs to do if something unexpected happens.

The mortality rate for bariatric surgery is VERY low yet I plan on having the same conversation with the wife whenever I have a confirmed surgery date.

I have been told the average is three to four weeks for the sleeve. Assuming no complications I am going to take a full five weeks off. I have access to short term disability, however since I am doing self-pay the short-term disability is not available and I have to use personal leave time (sick and/or vacation time).

Native Floridian from West Palm Beach now living in Daphne, "Sweet Home" Alabama

I went from 398 pounds in January 2019 down to 319 pounds at the end of June 2019. I was on a Saxenda prescription since February 2019 and I also attended a live-in weight loss boot camp where I finished 6 of the 10 weeks I had paid. I stopped the Saxenda injections when I started the boot camp and canceled my weight loss surgery at week 6 thinking I got this handled.

On week 7 there was a death in the family and I had to stop the boot camp and return home to deal with the mess. I am a stress eater, it's been a problem the majority of my life.

Old habits are hard to break so before I knew it I was putting the weight right back on. By October I had regain just about everything I lost, it simply amazes me how easily the weight comes back if you deviate from the process that helped you remove the weight.

Have you tried Premier Protein's Protein Shakes? They have 30g of Protein per 11.5oz, You can find them at Sams, costco and Amazon.

They come in 9 different flavors, depending on your taste some you will really enjoy and others.. well, its still a good source of protein.

https://www.premierprotein.com/products/protein-shakes

Setbacks are normal, no one is perfect, if we were, then we would not need the surgery. Recently my current PCP provided a prescription for Contrave to help control my appetite, unfortunately after 2 weeks I feel no difference. I have been on several different weight loss prescriptions over the last couple of years and unfortunately no long term changes either. The only thing that really worked for me was being active in Weight Watchers, going to the weekly meetings and actively participating in the support groups. Although I am going the self-pay route to avoid the insurance company BS my PCP wants me to loose about 20 to 30 pounds before usury. I plan to rejoin Weight Watchers a month or two post opp when I am back to eating somewhat normal.

I have gone through 3 surgeons over the past 18 months while I was doing my research. All three of them warned me about Caffeine, they provided similar "warning" but none related directly with post surgical issues but more related to the affects of Caffeine on the body.

Caffeine causes dehydration and acts as an appetite stimulant. I am not a morning coffee drinker but was told to say goodbye to those "sugar free" Monsters (I like the Orange Can flavor) I used to replace coffee for a morning Caffeine fix.

Don’t you just love insurance companies?

The one-page fact sheet is a joke, what you want is the same document, the official policy document they send to providers. What you got is the fluffy not much detail customer document. It may take a few phone calls and some persistence on your part, but it will pay off. If the person you’re talking too at BCBS is not helpful, just hang up and call again until you get someone else.

Also make sure your calling the number on the back of the insurance card provided by your employer and if your employer is in one state and you work at another location in a different state, make sure you validate what plan your in since as I have mentioned before the pre-surgery requirements are different from each provider group.

Here is an example, my employer’s main offices are in Virginia and Maryland, I am employed at another office in Florida, yet I live in Alabama. Within the last 5 years my member plan has changed three times from BCBS of Florida, to BCBS of Alabama to where it is today as of January 1^st 2020. Not one of the pre-surgical policies are the same, some have more restrictions others have less, it VERY frustrating. The one thing that is common to all requirements is that you have to follow it “as written” 100%, any of the slightest deviations and your starting over.

Think of it this way

Knowing you "messed up" is one-half of the solution that will help you avoid a repeat event.

I have Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), and the structured diet requirements it varies between the different carriers within the BCBS network.

I strongly suggest you get on the phone and call the customer service number listed in the back of your insurance card and request a copy of the "Medical Policy for Obesity and Morbid Obesity Surgery".

It took me several calls but I finally received a current copy and I was amazed at the "official" wording, it was much different from what I was told on-line from support forums such as this one and from what the coordinator at the surgeons office was telling me.