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congratulations Jennifer! What is so great to me (being that I am going to be banded sometime after 4/1/06) is those who are able to come home from the surgery and just 4 or 5 hours later go online and post they are home and doing well! Another plus I am thinking of is that I have never thrown up in my life...really! I do get nauseated with viruses etc. and after my laparoscopic tubal ligation but that is because they fed me breakfast AND lunch as soon as I woke up....ugggh! I was really sick but didn't throw up and I have a good gag reflex too...can't brush my tongue at all when I brush my teeth!

Me too, my last dr supervised and NUT appts are on Thursday. Already did psyche. And that is all my surgeon checked as far as my testing goes. I already had an old sleep study done so supposedly i won't have to re-do that. Surgeon did not mark endoscopy or cardiology appt. Boy am I gonna be PISSED if he changes his mind. I should be ready to submit on Friday according to his initial surgery requirements sheet. My husband, on the other hand, had to do all the aforementioned appts/tests and I can only assume it is because he is 9 years older than i. His surgery was approved in 1 day by BCBS fed and is scheduled may 2 for surgery. Keeping fingers and toes crossed for both of us!

I am really wanting to get back on birth control. I know at the start of being post-op I couldn't keep down even chewable Vitamins. I haven't tried anything in pill form since. I was sleeved June 11th, 2010. Was wondering if any of you ladies have gotten back on BC after having surgery and if you had any issues. I know my hormones are all outta whack because I havent had my period since surgery, and I already have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome.) Just wondering if anyone had issues with it or not. let me know:) Thanks!

Thank you for this post. I had my sleeve done 1.11.11. I am very insulin resistant, taking at least 200 units of humalog a day on a pum and still uncontroled. My bs was 376 the morning of my surgery. It went down while in the hospital, and the day I left it was 135. Now home it is 190-250. It frustrates me, since I am still on liquid only. But hearing that it took a couple months, relieves me. And I know it takes time, I am just impatient! Lol.

Maybe you should think before you make a smart ass remark like that. These types of surgeries aren't for vanity reasons. They are medically necessary. I was in an accident on ice and subsequently acquired severe spinal stenosis when my hip was injured. Couldn't walk for over a year unassisted. At that time I wasn't overweight and was very physically active. Having to be sedentary caused me to gain over 140 pounds. In 2 years. Then I developed HBP and severe sleep apnea Bc of that weight gain. This surgery could actually help me to lose enough weight that it may take the pressure off my spine and allow me the opportunity to get off disability. You can kiss my fat ass

I'm 4.5 months out & find myself getting discouraged occasionally but have had some incredible moments & I'm writing them down to come back to on my "I'm making no headway" days!! Since 06/18/12 (start my 10 diet) I've lost 87 lbs & 55.5 inches! Bras at Lane Bryant didn't come small enough so I went to Victoria Secret to make my first purchase there ever! I bought a cute outfit that the mannequin was wearing at Old Navy (after grabbing the XXL & finding I could really wear the XL)! I can cross my legs. I can easily see my collar bones! My whole family is now healthier (my hubby lost 50 lbs just being supportive & eating what I eat)! We are now those "granola loving, organic, locally produced, no processed food" weirdos & I'm ok with that (although I do have a huge cheat of sugar free chocolate covered toffee as a treat pretty often & I know that's terrible for me but its oh so good)! I have very few clothes bc even the big stuff I was continuing to wear literally falls off while I'm walking! My little girl shows me with her arms how big I used to be & how big I am now! I'm sure there are more but since I've been stalled at this 85 lb mark, I need a visual of how far I've come!!

I did too at first then I got fed up with level 65 I had too! Lol that's how they make all that money. They won't let you pass a level until you pay for something. Now I'm stuck on level 130. Been there for three weeks. But I'm not paying this time.. Lbvs

Thank you!! I'm ok right now. Just relaxing and listening to my new yummy gurgle as I chew ice. There is a special area dedicated at Norman Regional Hospital to bariatric patients and they are such great staff. I've never had nurses so on the ball. I'm glad I chose to have my surgery here. I figured out that some liquids just make me nauseated do am sticking with ice for now. The gas pain us very bad Bc of referral pain. When gas pushes against your diaphragm, since the diaphragm itself doesn't register pain, it refers that pain into your left shoulder. I'm getting up and down out of bed on my own and walk when I feel up to it. All on all, even after the dry heaving this morning, today is a better day. April

Ty 4 posting this!! Idk who he was either but had decided to start watching m.c. bc of a Wendy Williams show that i watched today. So whenever I read this post i was so excited, I even went nd read it to my husband and my daughter because it made me excited to see that a real life celebrity, not master chef, have the same struggles as we normal people do, and yes he has to go threw the same things we have to do in order to get approved for the surgery, as well as, to get prepared for the surgery. It was such a huge inspiration to read his story thank you so much for posting. I'm a presleeve hoop jumper:/ gl you all:)

Hey rj i sure am sorry to hear your having such an awful time I'm praying it all works out for u as soon as possible I see your posts often and agree with all that u are so inspirational and positive and yes u do have the right to be fed up with complications and mad as hell Anyway sending u hugs and good thoughts and thank u for being here a friend of mine likes this kabooti cushion sold on Amazon and contour living

hey all, just wanted to let u all kno i finally got a date. im scheduled for surgery november 8 which seems like forever away but it fell on a good time bc i have alot of state holidays so i wont have to use all my sick time. the last hurdle is my insurance. pray for me guys, its been smooth sailing so far i just need this one last thing to follow through. thank u guys

Hey. I was banded on the 13th. I feel ya! I am tired and light-headed too. I made a batch of 1/10 Oj to 9/10 Water to drink. I get a litte sugar with each drink- just enough to keep my BS stable. It seems to be helping. Also, I need to listen to my body when it asks for rest. In my case, it is a nap every 2-3 hours. I drop like a rock! We are in the healing mode! When I had my gall bladder out, I felt pretty bad for about a month, so I am asuming it will be the same for this. Good luck! KatW

This is what is wrong with our countries health care system. I was a cash pay and I paid TOTAL $12,500. and that included 2 nights stay at a lovely hospital in Dallas that specializes in WLS and my Dr.'s fees. Our insurance rep has always told us (if possible) negotiate surgical costs before hand to avoid hopital overages. This is how they make money (to pay for those who doen't/can't pay). It is also why so many americans can't afford insurance. The insurance companies must recoop the money somehow. Think about it..... if your bill is $44k (let say) and you owe 10% you are still paying 1/3 of what I spent and I was cash.... didn't have to deal with the BS before hand. No long waits etc. Decided in January I wanted surgery. Had surgery in February. $66k is rediculous

Okay I was banned on 7/20/2011 I am pretty much the same size I was when I left the day of surgery. I have no restrictions I can still eat whatever I want or desire. I am slowly starting to understand my band after my 3rd fill. So this is were my problem starts everyone talks of restriction and you will know when u get there bc u will puke your brains out. Okay so are we promoting bulimia? Everyone I know who has had the band raves about this sweet spot and that is pretty much it or am I mistaken?

"She said that I should just let them think I did it on my own." Oh, please! Like I waved a magic wand and you're skinny? OMG, you still have to make the right choices every day or the band is worthless. I personally didn't, and don't, care who knows I had this wonderful thing done! I've never heard one negative comment about making this choice. There is nothing shameful about having the surgery. It takes a brave person (okay, yeah, lots of us were just fed up, too) to decide to do something about this awful problem we all share. So you tell whomever you choose to tell! There will times when the scale isn't moving the way you want and a pat on the back for taking the giant step will make you feel so much better.

No, but I have the nutritionist appt set for April 1, have done the psych eval, the TSH test and that's really all they need! Once I get my tax refund back (any day now), I'll be able to pay the deductible and schedule. It's frustrating bc I have a 3-week break starting on Friday and really want to have it done during this break as opposed to waiting until June. I graduate at the end of this year and really want as much weight off as possible but also want time to get into my routine. I REALLY don't to wait until June but I understand it's not in my hands.

Hiya...check out the threads on the Canada thread....there was some mentioning of some docs. in BC there! Good luck.... :canada: :canada:

LOL..that sounds hilarious about the doctor in Texas.... What is his name, just curious bc I am having surgery on 10/16/07 In Dallas with Dr. Fox. I love Dr. Fox... He is great. VERY VERY strict, but great! He has actually refused to do surgery before bc the patient didnt do the preop diet! Now that means business!!...lol

BC/BS Federal is the best. Because you have met all of the requirements, you will be approved fairly quickly.

Hi, glad to see so many other youngsters out here I am 23 and was banded on 12.15.10 ...being this young was defintely a concern my surgeon had..I think I was one of his youngest patients. Like many of you who posted I had to explain myself to both him (and some others) that yes I am young, I have lost weight on my own, but with the amount I need to lose, it was going to be a lot more difficlut without having help and also, I too didn't want to be one of the more common 50 somethings who wait until they are fed up and have to lose weight or else. This is an issue that I really want to address NOW while I am still young so that I have the rest of my life to be healthy.... I just wish I was there, unfortunately not even close. But I am definitely headed in the right direction!

Boy I am in sympathy with all who feel hunger pains while I really do have a hint of jealousy because to think that during my first days I felt nothing else besides sick and tired. I force fed myself my protein shakes and often felt ill after. I am three days shy of four weeks and still prefer my food in liquid form; porridge, shakes, soups, juices ( diluted ) pieces of frozen pineapple which I suck on like ice- cubes. Oh and I do do coconut water. The process has been challenging and some days I ask myself why but it's a welcome change from eating the wrong things and feeling badly about it. I al also on a stall but I am riding the tides and hope it moves soon.

If you are like most busy women with too much on their plates, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to practice indulging—really indulging. Interestingly, most women who really need to indulge more will tell you that they believe they ought to be indulging less. What’s this about? Let’s get really clear about what indulging is. From my perspective, to indulge means to allow yourself to experience something really wonderful. Indulging comes from a place of compassion and kindness and respect. It’s a gift, freely given. Indulging means to allow yourself to enjoy fully. It means to thoroughly experience something and soak up and savor the experience. An indulgence is not a candy bar from the vending machine that you shove into your mouth while driving to your next appointment. It’s your favorite food on a beautiful plate in a setting where you can truly savor it. Indulging isn’t just about food, but it’s something that feeds our senses in a wonderful way. You might indulge in a bubble bath or a foot massage or a solitary walk in the woods. Your indulgence might be your favorite CD played in your car or fresh flowers on your desk or a glass of red wine enjoyed on your deck. Indulging is a full-body-use-all-your-senses experience. It fills you up, brings you joy, refuels you and adds color to your life. Indulging feeds your soul and is a necessary ingredient for thriving. Your inner champion, or what you may think of as your “best self” absolutely purrs when she is indulged. So why does indulging have such a bad rap? Why do so many women think that indulging is selfish or nonproductive or just plain wrong? I’d like to bust some myths about indulging, and while I’m at it, let me remind you that many bad habits such as overeating, procrastination, and spending too much time online or “not doing” what you really need to do, happen because you aren’t indulging enough. When your spirit and soul aren’t being fed, you will grasp at straws (or potato chips or chocolate chip cookies) to try to make up for it. When you don’t allow yourself to truly indulge, you will find yourself reaching for poor substitutes that might help you feel better temporarily, but that don’t make anything better in the big picture. Here are some more truths about indulging: 1. Indulging is not about greed or sloth. Indulging isn’t about excess. It’s about allowing yourself something wonderful or special and allowing yourself to really experience and savor it–without guilt or shame. It’s not eating the whole box of cookies or bingeing on clothes at the mall. It’s about allowing yourself just the right amount of what you really crave and fully enjoying the experience. Indulging is not about gulping, it’s a melts-in-your-mouth experience. 2. Indulging is not laziness. Indulging is a way of feeding an important part of yourself and adding dimension to your life. Some women worry that if they start to indulge they’ll “lose control.” The truth is, when you really allow yourself to indulge, you tend to be more satisfied with less. 3. Indulging does not have to be earned or “deserved.” Some women believe that they haven’t “worked hard enough” or “accomplished enough” to indulge. When you don’t allow yourself this kind of self-care, it’s easy to become caught in a cycle of working harder and harder and feeling more and more behind and burnt out. Again, indulging yourself is a way of refueling. It actually enhances your productivity. 4. Indulging does not decrease your productivity or make you fat. I’ve already addressed this, but this is such a common myth, it’s important to restate. Allowing yourself truly indulgent experiences, ones where you are completely present and savoring the moment, satisfies you. Real indulgences don’t leave you hungry and craving more—they rejuvenate you and fuel you to be your best. What does leave you primed for a binge of food or laziness is the feeling that your special treat is forbidden or undeserved. The message that you are never going to be allowed to rest or feel like “enough” or eat chocolate again will almost certainly create a craving for the forbidden that can be almost impossible to resist. My challenge to you: Start indulging. Make a list of things that you experience as special treats. Keep it somewhere where you can add to it as new ideas occur to you. Begin scheduling these into your life on a regular basis and enjoy.

I have BC/BS Federal. They won't give prior approval if it's outpatient surgery. They will, however, tell the dr. (and you) if you meet their eligibility requirements. That should suffice for the dr., especially since you have to sign all kinds of stuff that says you'll pay if the insurance doesn't. If they don't know how to deal with BC/BS Federal, I'd find someone else. See what the insurance person says next week. Stephanie

Thanks everyone. SO tell me how does this gas ever come out? I am not burping or tooting....but I am walking around my house like crazy bc that's the only way I am comfortable! The pain is mostly in my shoulder and back....over it! I'm not sure how I will sleep tonight...can't sleep on my feet.

Thanks for all the responses, but to answer all the questions... No I'm not getting sleeved, but a little heavier thang avg(185), I used to go to the gym by myself before work and he never wanted to go( too early for him) so when he started going post op I told him I wanted to go with him. He got laid off in late June and was having health issues so he has been taking the time off to get better and no he is not in school. According to him he only eats bc he has too and nothing tastes good to him really, so it's hard for me to adjust when our thing was having a date night every few weeks. We would go out and the conversation (since we were dating) always starts off with what are you ordering? I know I don't need to change my habits, but it makes me uncomfortable eating out, he thinks I'm just being vain about what peopl think, but I'm sure it's going to get looks and questions. It took me almost a year of dating to get used to him telling a waiter about his peanut allergy, it made me feel like a spectical but I never told him that it made me feel weird