maslman

I think the only thing that my insurance was interested in is that you don't gain before the surgery. That being said I was and still am so overweight that I was never concerned about getting insurance approval. And yes I think starting out some of the changes ahead of time made for less of a shock afterwards.

After my initial consultation I started making changes to my lifestyle and eating better. I ended up losing 78 pounds between then and my surgery date (mid March to mid September). I didn't at any point think that hey maybe I won't need to do the surgery, but I wanted to get myself in a good place to allow it to have the best chance of success.

I can't say that I've had a whole cheat day or even a cheat meal really. There have been a handful of times where I had a bite or two of something I probably shouldn't, but so far I've been able to keep it at that. Honestly I try not to even do that though because I don't want to backslide. I get that some people subscribe to not wanting to completely deprive themselves of something for fear of wanting it even more, but I am trying to take the approach of an addict where abstaining is usually the best option. I would say do what feels right for you and just be careful.

Swallowing felt a little painful / off for a few days, but other than that I pretty much felt fine right away. I was in the hospital overnight and went home late the next day. The day after I was out running errands with the wife and kids and I was back at work I think 6 days post-op.

I got my surgery date right after I completed my endoscopy which was the end of June. My surgeon's office didn't submit anything to insurance for precertification until about 2 weeks prior to my surgery. There were a few hiccups there due to an incorrect fax number, but it all worked out and I got my approval the day before.

The endo is pretty easy and doesn't last more than 5 to 10 minutes. You lay down in the procedure room on your left side, they put an O2 mask on you with a tube that goes in your mouth to keep you from biting the scope, and then they give you the anesthesia and the next thing you know you are in the recovery room. Some people have a sore throat after, but I never did. For me it was a very easy procedure.

A neighbor of mine who got a Tummy Tuck swears by silicone tape. Haven't tried it myself, but my wife has been putting it on our youngest who got stiches on his forehead a week before I got my sleeve.

Today I’m 2 months post op and I finally hit 199.4! I had my surgery on 08/27/2020. I’ve been a slower looser but wow, seeing that number felt so good.

I’m 5’8 1/2 and 43 years old. I also have Hashimoto’s (thyroid disease) and have struggled with my weight for more than 15 years.

In January of this year I started the long process with my insurance to get approved. My highest weight was #252. My BMI at that time was 38. I have comorbidities - sleep apnea & fatty liver

My insurance BCBS of Michigan required that I do the supervised nutrition for 6 months. My insurance used the weight I started at when I entered the program.

Prior to starting the two week pre-op diet (so mid August) I weighed #236. I lost 10-11 lbs doing the liquid diet pre op.

My surgery weight (8/27/2020) was #226 which I believe put me at a BMI of about 34 ish.

And today I’m officially #199.4! I am no longer morbidly obese, just “over weight”. 😂

I’ve also done something I’ve never done before- I finally enjoy exercise. I bought a Peloton bike to help me on my journey and it arrived 9/14 and I’ve been using it 6 times a week since I got it. I LOVE it, it’s so motivational. This bike/exercise might be transfer addiction but I’m totally ok with that. There is a very large weight loss community on Peloton. Many have done WLS.

So while I might not be loosing weight at a rapid pace, I’ve definitely gained muscle and have toned areas of my body.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to this group. Your posts have guided me through this journey.

And as my favorite instructor says: you are bigger than a smaller pair of pants. Your worth is so much greater!

I can't say that I've had a whole cheat day or even a cheat meal really. There have been a handful of times where I had a bite or two of something I probably shouldn't, but so far I've been able to keep it at that. Honestly I try not to even do that though because I don't want to backslide. I get that some people subscribe to not wanting to completely deprive themselves of something for fear of wanting it even more, but I am trying to take the approach of an addict where abstaining is usually the best option. I would say do what feels right for you and just be careful.

There are some decent low carb pancake recipes out there using almond flour. They aren't just like the real thing, but they aren't terrible either. I got in the habit of making them during a 7 month run of doing Keto and I still make them now because my kids seem to like them. But yes to echo some of the others trying to avoid food for comfort is a great way to keep yourself out of trouble. I struggle with that plenty myself. I've actually taken to carrying a "challenge" coin around with me that I grab when I'm thinking of going for something to eat and not really hungry as a reminder of what I'm trying to accomplish. It doesn't always work, but I think it works more often than not at getting me to refocus and direct myself towards a healthier activity.

Same for me. I didn't get any prescriptions until my surgeon saw me for my release from the hospital. I ended up with Percocet, Ursodiol, and Lovenox. Was also told to take Prilosec, but that's OTC. Didn't use the percoset at all and was told to stop the lovenox at my 2 week post op.

I can't say that I've had a whole cheat day or even a cheat meal really. There have been a handful of times where I had a bite or two of something I probably shouldn't, but so far I've been able to keep it at that. Honestly I try not to even do that though because I don't want to backslide. I get that some people subscribe to not wanting to completely deprive themselves of something for fear of wanting it even more, but I am trying to take the approach of an addict where abstaining is usually the best option. I would say do what feels right for you and just be careful.

Pretty impressive for 15 months. Nice job sir.

I can't say that I've had a whole cheat day or even a cheat meal really. There have been a handful of times where I had a bite or two of something I probably shouldn't, but so far I've been able to keep it at that. Honestly I try not to even do that though because I don't want to backslide. I get that some people subscribe to not wanting to completely deprive themselves of something for fear of wanting it even more, but I am trying to take the approach of an addict where abstaining is usually the best option. I would say do what feels right for you and just be careful.

I can't say that I've had a whole cheat day or even a cheat meal really. There have been a handful of times where I had a bite or two of something I probably shouldn't, but so far I've been able to keep it at that. Honestly I try not to even do that though because I don't want to backslide. I get that some people subscribe to not wanting to completely deprive themselves of something for fear of wanting it even more, but I am trying to take the approach of an addict where abstaining is usually the best option. I would say do what feels right for you and just be careful.

Sorry to hear about your pain. I had mine on 9/16 and I've had hardly any problems at all. I'm currently down 39lbs and am feeling pretty good.

Yep stigma is a huge part of it and a part of the reason it took me as long as it did to decide this is what I needed to do. Only a month out so far, but very glad that I finally did it.

I've been in 3 times since the end of June (endoscopy, colonoscopy, VSG). Each time they were strict about wearing masks, taking everyone's temp, and sanitizing like crazy. I also had to take a covid test 4 days before each procedure. I'm not sure how often the nurses, doctors, etc test, but they all followed the required protocols and I had minimal interaction with anyone besides them so I would say in general that yes it is safe. Also one of my neighbors happens to work at a hospital and at least at his they keep covid patients on a separate floor to minimize infecting others.

I think the main reasons have been nailed by the posts above.
1. Many view being overweight as solely the fault of the person from eating too much or not exercising enough, so the solution is also solely the responsibility of the person. WLS is the "easy way out". Of course, we all know this is not entirely correct and it is a lot of work. But the stigma is hard to get away from.
2. Lots of insurances don't cover it and surgery is expensive.
3. For me, food was a big part of my life (still is). It is a source of comfort and pleasure and wrapped in the fabric of everything we do. So taking that away from our lives, at least in the way that it always was, is hard to comprehend. I miss being able to be able to sit and eat a big meal.
WLS is a big decision that involves a lot of dedication and commitment and giving up our old habits is difficult. I'm glad I did it and I can't wait to get to my goal weight (over half way!), but I have had to change how I go about my daily life.

I have a very similar situation (except I was fortunate to be able to work mostly from home for the first couple of months after my surgery, but I have to be on site full-time now in a setting where I can’t have food or beverages). I’ve also been insanely busy this week and have had very little time to take Water breaks. All I can really do is make sure to drink water when I get the chance, like on my way to and from work, and a big cup of tea at bedtime. It also helps to have a Protein Shake for lunch because that counts towards fluids in addition to a nice amount of Protein. I don’t know if your job is like this, but I usually have some paperwork to wrap up at the end of the day, which I can do in an area that I can have food and beverages, so I drink some water while I’m doing that. I make myself finish a water bottle before I go home, so there’s an incentive.

It is hard for me to get in enough at work, as well, since I am in a clinical area. What I do is drink 16 oz of herbal tea as soon as I get up, and I try to get another 16 oz in on my way to work. By the time I get there, it is time to pee off the first mug. I then try to get 16 oz during the day, and then 16 oz again in the evening. By keeping on this schedule, I can get 64 oz in on a work day.

Does anyone else have trouble getting enough Water in while at work? I'm in an "essential" position meaning I never got to work from home during covid so I've been dutifully going in to work every day. That's not a big deal really as my workplace is doing a pretty good job keeping everyone safe and healthy. However most of my day (>90%) I spend working in a lab where food and drinks are prohibited. The closest I can keep my water bottle is on a little table near the front door. When things aren't too busy it isn't so bad for me to regularly step away from the bench and walk over for a sip. The problem lately though is that we are stupid busy and I find myself with less than 32 ounces so far for the day when leaving to go home. I know the obvious answer is to just remember to get up and go drink something and I am trying. Just wondering if anyone else is dealing with a similar situation.

There are some decent low carb pancake recipes out there using almond flour. They aren't just like the real thing, but they aren't terrible either. I got in the habit of making them during a 7 month run of doing Keto and I still make them now because my kids seem to like them. But yes to echo some of the others trying to avoid food for comfort is a great way to keep yourself out of trouble. I struggle with that plenty myself. I've actually taken to carrying a "challenge" coin around with me that I grab when I'm thinking of going for something to eat and not really hungry as a reminder of what I'm trying to accomplish. It doesn't always work, but I think it works more often than not at getting me to refocus and direct myself towards a healthier activity.

Congrats! You're doing great and an example of how well sticking with the plan can work.

I have a food scale that I generally use for solids, but because of the limited volume of my stomach right now I've mostly been going by volume. Instead of making a measuring cup dirty however I bought a bunch of cheap plastic containers that are either 2 or 4 ounces. I put what I'm planning on eating in there, snap the top on and go.

Mine was a bit easier. I had several forms or "tests" to fill out beforehand, but there weren't too many questions. Then I had a tele-meeting that lasted maybe 30 minutes where I was asked some questions about support and whether I understood what I was signing up for. After that I got the all clear and that was it. I think it ended up costing me around $145 on my high deductible insurance plan.