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March 16th is my new date. I started this process in dec 2013. After a long 6 month supervised diet and all- my insurances at the time UHC, denied it. My doctor appealed it and won. But it was towards the end of the year, so I wasn't able to schedule it. Then the new insurance denied me bc they felt the WLS surgeon, NUT, and psychologist stuff was too old ... So then I had to redo all of those. After all is said and done, with two insurance denials and two won appeals/resubmission. I'm slated for March.

I dont understand the "calling authorities" part over testing positive bc of "adderall" but in your case was cold meds. I would def ask to take blood test especially for a job. Iv taken adderall for ADD an I wasnt addicted it does help. just felt the need to clear that on my end on the use of this particular drug. in fact I was suppose to take 2 daily an I did well to get 1 in daily. I couldnt feel the differance other then brain fog from the autoimmune diseases cause. Im sorry your dealing with the false positive hopefully this can get cleared up quick. if they really wanted to know the truth they could have checked on the drug list to see if your on it..anyone who is subscribed by dr legitimatly their name is on the data base for controlled substances. I know its stressful but the truth always comes out hang in there.. keep us posted ...I hope it works out for ya

I know everyone has differant diets or protocol to follow but my instructions were bread, pasta, rice , crackers this simple sugars I was to avoid till I reached goal or 1 yr after surgery date. I was 4 months out before I even tried eating a somewhat normal "within" my protocol limit. only bc my tummy was sensitive still. I talked to my internist an he said it takes a good 6 months for this type of tummy surgery to heal properly an completely so I needed to not venture out an eat to test an see if I could handle certain foods. I dont want to sound like a know it all or arrogant or perfect by any means (dont want to be judged here) but the fact that breads or these kinda foods can ball up in the tummy an get stuck was enuff to scare me into not eating certain items. everyones tummy is differant but the mental thinking of "wanting to eat a normal meal" everyones normal meal is usually eating our old way which for me was the wrong way but thats just for me(again not meaning for others dont want judged here just saying this from me) but you are fresh out plz be careful your . did you get a print out of a eating plan to follow? I do no that some dont an I feel bad for those who didnt. we are here to help an I surely dont want you to hurt your tummy an Im not goin to tell ya what to or not to eat but theres a reason for the starches to be avoided an if the tummy is hurting or making you feel sick its letting ya no it still needs babied an take it slow...plz dont take this as me jumping on ya thats not my intention..just trying to give some friendly support hope you feel better

congrats on your way to your new life an healthier you!! your amazing your strong an we are here for you! KEEP YOUR PAST IN THE PAST!! Iv had a bad past I was in a bad 20 yr previous marriage that I heard the little words here an there "I would like to be able to count your ribs again like I used to"?? what a JA**! yea he was a womanizer I was young an fooled. my parents they were judgmental about "overweight" ppl. they didnt come across as bad in their younger days nor tell others but as they got older in their 60s an 70s OMG I totally ended up putting them in their place! dad was the worst! mom now everytime they see me which we went to FL an spent the wk with them they hadnt seen me in 2 months an the first words out of moms mouth was "HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOST"? my first words were "A 5th GRADER"! she repeated again bc she had to hear numbers! I said to myself oh gosh if I dont just give her a number she isnt going to let this rest..so I said 100. she said GREAT! how much more you going to lose? I said how ever many my body does! I dont care! it took dad a few days to finally bring it up I was just waiting for it. he finally asked "HOW MUCH YOU DOWN NOW"? I said "A 5th GRADER"! an I left it at that..I told them to STOP with the number game...grrrr...I no what it feels like. they both are very health conscious an dad especially is vain! oh yes he is the vain one! always has had a number obsession on the scale. thats where I get mine! but I had had enuff of the living fat, unhappy with myself I was angry at myself but even though I was finally told my weight issue wasnt not ALL my control it was mostly medically induced yet I also used food as comfort over the yrs due to abuse from ex an I wanted to take CONTROL BACK! an so I did. I had 10 yrs of therapy, finally got to underlyning medical issues it was my time! with drs referring me, right meds great surgeon an a great supporter cheering me on I DID IT FOR ME!! no one else..I have learned to say NO an I am truly happier for the first time in my life honestly! proud of you!! this is the hardest surgery I have ever done an I have had a dozen surgerys over the yrs. it takes strength, bravery an courage..an your on your way! yaaaaay for you! keep us posted dear!! best wishes..

you have come to the right place for "Proper Education" an "Personal Experiances" ..Im not male nor a chef however being married to an Italian we do luv to eat! we do enjoy going out an he LOVES to cook! trying to make a long story short bare me: Im 51 have battled yo yo dieting an weight since I was 17. my body started falling apart in my mid 20s. I have seen countless drs, specialists, thru countless testing blah blah blah..5 yrs ago I had to quit work for the 2nd time in 2 months my body refused to cooperate. the past 12 months I had gained again 40 pds in 2 months. finally got referral to endo after putting my foot down on seeing one. my immunologists couldnt understand why no other dr I had seen would refer me to well it was bc my thyroid panel was always on the low side of the "NORMAL" gold standard range. he did as I asked ...within 2 wks I was having an in office US on thyroid, (I had been complaining for 2 yrs of trouble swollowing) low an behold goiter on side the other thyroid "dead" shrinking. the PROPER bw on thyroid panel that I had researched from mary shoman had those tests ran sure enough I ended up on the biopsy table confirmed hashis, insulin resistant. with over 25 yrs of yo yo dieting an already the past yr of slashing calories down to 500 or less still having a difficult time of the numbers dropping I was prime canidate for sleeve to be done. that was farthest from my mind even though 20 some yrs ago I did think about it yet I never dreamed my ins would pay for it. now all of a sudden I have 2 specialists sending me to the surgeon, saying the sleeve way was best no switiching of organs an getting rid of the portion of the tummy of the stomach hormones that would never shut up an down sizing the tummy from a 40 oz to 4 oz would make all the differance in the world! before I knew it I was accepted online by our hopsital over here insurance was verified immediatly an within 2 wks I had started preop classes, going thru the mental evaluations didnt have to repeat the stomach endoscopys bc my internist had already done one a yr before , had all bw done by then I was on armour thyroid an got my levels where they are approved for surgery an released by my endo to go forward with it I also had severe apnea, fibro, lupus, polymyalgia , GERD, prediabetic, insulin resistance an hashis an list goes on, I had a surgery date within 3 months from start to table! I am 7 months PO..100 pds down would I do this again? YOU BET!!! best thing I ever did besides marrying my bes friend an hes my biggest supporter an having my 2 beautful adult kids! I am 51 (I dont know if I mentioned age earlier) but I am feeling now that my life is actually starting new! If I hadnt had this surgery for the tool it provides(its not "the miracle" but a tool) I saw myself with all the health dx I had there is no doubt I would have ended up being over 300 pds more miserable an bedridden! for me I dont wish that on anyone! thats honestly UNHAPPINESS UNHEALTHY (an no one can convince me that being fat is healthy) Im sorry I was FAT an theres no other term for me I use...I refused to be delusional anylonger an just living. I actually wasnt "living" I was merely in survival mode an that term I use bc I was merely breathing an a couch potatoe. no life! now I am all of a sudden able to actually keep up with my home , I am not out of breath as bad I do get some asthma a little an my meds for my autoimmune an inflammation do flare but controlled better. I have another 40 or so pds to go to make goal I havnt broadcasted my tool yet but only to a selected few I didnt need others "UNEDUCATED" neg comments bc the majority of ppl have no clue of the facts. this was hard enough the first month especially fighting with head hunger an going thru craving with drawls that the brain an body do go thru I needed positive support around me. but to eat there own. I will eventually help others if asked. I hope I have had a positive impact an answered some questions. your at the right place. my only regret is that I didnt do this 10 or more yrs sooner! I would do it again in a heart beat regardless of what I endured the first few months!! best wishes an keep us posted!

I had Medicare and BC/BS Blue Options , Florida. both paid . I think it only took a few weeks to get approved.

Hey everyone! Been a while since I posted. Im sure Im not alone in this subject or maybe I do Have a issue going on upstairs an I am the odd one. IDK but I am 7 months PO 100 pds down an the last few months I have been fighting mentally about this new body image! I am estatic about this so far but at the same time I have really became insecure in my looks. as crazy as it sounds this is really getting to me. been having some anxiety an still dressing in seperate room etc...also sjograns is really doing a number on me the last 6 to 8 months I go to another dr this wk getting a second opinion hoping that will get straightened out soon. I am having fun shopping again! But the fact of the matter is I dont like this feeling of insecurity or feeling exposed if that makes any sense. I went thru 10 yrs of therapy stopped bc I reached a point where I got the results it was intending to do. its been 2 yrs since talk therapy I was still fat at the time but it was what it was. I was told by my therapist that some ppl go thru this after losing a ton of weight well it has hit! like a brick wall. theres days I walk an strut (got my self confidance back) but on the other hand theres days that I want to hide so no one sees me...ugh..such an inner struggle. am I the weird odd one here going thru this or has gone thru this ? any input would be appreciated..and BTW I have another 30 to 40 pds to go yet! my hubs tells me daily how hot I am looking an can't keep his hands off of me he has always been my biggest supporter ever since we'v been married. 16 yrs this yr. we were both married 20 yrs in previous marriages whom our ex's used us. now we are happily married yet with me adjusting to this new body is kinda freaking me out....TIA

we eat at panera, ruby tues, tx roadhouse, mexican. rubys is first pick bc of organic choices an I luv their salmon! I also get their grilled zuchinni an green beans.an chedders..I like their world class grilled chicken an I get no bun an no tomatoe an no lettuce. mexican (good real mexcian) I get chicken fajitas! onions grilled well done! when we go out to breakfast I'll get scrambled eggs with chedder an bacon. these are my usuals when going out..an yes to go boxes!

This happened to me about 3 weeks post op. It was horrible. I thought it was ok bc I wasn't taking in much of anything. I put miralax 2 x a day in something I was drinking. Miralax is slower to work but it will work and it doesn't cause any cramping. It took about 3 days. I hope you get some relief soon.

Have done a sprint tri and was signed up for a March oly but had to drop down to the sprint bc I had wrist surgery and will only be out of my cast/brace for 3 weeks and they aren't even sure j should be doing that--physical therapist will give me the go ahead (or not) in early March. Good luck to everyone on their Tri!

I had my surgery and i am on day 6. The doc said 2 week fluids but i have been getting a little hungry. I tried to eat one egg slow and it did not take. So today i bought a lemonade and a small fry. The lemonade was pkay but i ate about 6 fries and it came up. I am just really grtting frustrated. I am just trying to get better so i can start eating again healthy food or whatever. I feel a lot better bc i am working out some and driving. Not eating is bothering me. I will just have to keep trying but go very slow.

Ok is anyone else having their surgery in a surgery center? The doc office called today this is what I am to expect so far: surgery at the surgery center bc I am cash pay. It is joined to the hospital....I'll go home same day with a drain and return the next day for drain removal...everyone else I know has had it and stayed overnight....so now I am freaking out. I may cancel all together.

I'm interested in this as well, because one of the main reasons I'm having surgery is to improve fertility. My husband and I have been trying for like 2 years now. It's frustrating and hard. My surgeons office says 12-18 months. I am worried about getting pregnant too soon, bc I'm anti birth control at this point (I'm convinced it messed me up and that's why I can't get pregnant now--this might be completely false, but it's my thoughts). And condoms..are helpful, I guess. But it's going to be SUPER weird to use them after 6 years lolol. But yeah---anyone get prego after the sleeve? How soon after? How did everything go?

I have told my close family members, boyfriend, boss, one Co worker, and 2 best girl friends. I have never felt more support in my life. I'm truly greatful that everyone thinks this is such a great decision and are willing to support me . I don't want to tell everybody bc frankly it's not their business and I don't want to hear any negative comments . But once the surgery is over , if a friend does ask I will be honest . Most of my friends are over weight , but scared of the thought of having surgery. But i think if they know I went through it , and see how well I'm doing I can maybe help them along their journey . I'm a social worker so i'm always trying to find a way to help others. I just want my journey to be positive along the way with no negative energy.

Personally no bc I wasn't mentally prepared for all of the changes. I think many people have it at your age and are very successful.

It's probably more than lactose intolerance then bc whey contains no lactose. Try the Jay Robb ones with egg protein!

I had my first appt with my surgeon on 1/12/15. I completed all my testing and my surgeon's office sent all the information to my insurance (BC/BS) on 2/10. I just received my letter in the mail today that they also approved my surgery on 2/10. Who would've thought that they approved it in less than a day when the surgeon's office told me it could be 2 to 8 weeks. Now I wonder what happens next. Do you automatically get a date from the surgeon and then it is surgery or do you have to go through pre-op classes? I do know from seeing the nutritionist that I have a 1 week pre op diet consisting of liquids and lean meats and vegetables. I would like to hear others experiences from approval to surgery and any tips you have on shopping for pre-op and post op diets. Thanks

I'm two months po, have had nausea for the last 3_4 weeks. Taking PPI, ACTIGOL, reglan and cerafate. Last two meds started for nausea 3 weeks ago. I never throw up and it doesnt relate ti any th hing I eat, matter of fact I barely eat or drink bc im soooo nauseous. Reglan and carafatw seemed to help at.first, but now not so much. Ive stopped losing wieght, I'm sure due to lack of calories/fluids. I have talked to nurse about it, they say "sometimes this us how it is for some people for a few months." That's not too reassuring. Anyone else deal with this?

Thank you for this bc I was getting worried

I have been having the same questions too! I was just diagnosed with Hashimoto's in October of this year. Through my research, I have found that I also have a gluten sensitivity which might have triggered my Hashi's. I have cut out most gluten...I am not super strict with Soups, broths, salad dressings, etc. I have noticed a big change in my tummy and some in my energy levels. I know I could be more active but I get bouts of gout too...sighs...it's a viscous cycle. I work with a trainer one day a week, bootcamp one day, and yoga one day. I know I need to kick up my cardio. I carry most of my weight in my midsection. This is bad bc it causes higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. That makes it even harder to loose!!! Smh...I am really hoping wls will give me a boost in the right direction. It's just going to take tweaking and trial and error.

Hello, had my surgery 02/03 and lucky me (not), I was on my period during my hospital stay (but no cramps bc of the pain meds). Not sure how I survived the pre-op diet and PMS but anyway... My period should come again early next month and now that I can't take ibuprofen for the pain I'm wondering what do you all take? Thanks!

I wanted to catch up bc I love reading about everyone's lives and I don't like that Ive missed so much. I'm caught up now. Denis, oh my, this has been just horrible for you. I am so sorry. I hope you are finally on the road to recovery. I can only imagine how hard this must be for you. Sheryl, as always, I love reading about all of your adventures. You and Kim seem to live such fun lives. I am such a boring person. Lol keep us updated on the dance lessons. Thanks, Cathy, this has been really rough. The hardest part of it is dealing with my FIL who refuses to realize she is not getting better. He still thinks she is ok and should be doing the same things she has always done. She's in the end stages. She can walk at times but is unsteady. She can still feed herself if she is awake and someone gives her food. She messes her diapers and can't bath or clean herself up anymore so she is constantly getting UTI's. She is now having seizures, too. My FIL yells at her and she just cries bc she doesn't understand anything anymore. She doesn't even remember who ppl Are a lot of times. One BIL also doesn't think she is as bad as she is. So he feeds his dad with telling him she is going to get better. It's all just terrible. She is 87 years old and still living at home. The state has had to get involved bc she is not getting the care she needs. Doctors keep telling my FIL and BIL how serious things are but they will not listen. My SIL is almost 50 and living in the house with the inlaws and she is mentally unstable herself so it's not good. Last week my SIL was trying to change my MIL diaper when she had a seiZure and fell into my SIL arms. She thought her mom was dying in her arms. Along with the fact that the house is seriously like an episode of hoarders. I'm not exaggerating. We have brought my SIL here for a while so she can get a break and I'm trying to work with her to get into a dr and get on some meds. It's exhausting dealing with her bc she is paranoid and depressed and has severe anxiety and her mind cannot think clearly. My grandma has also been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She is in beginning stages so it's not as bad. Plus my mom and our whole family are working well together to all help out. She will be moving into assisted living in the next couple weeks. My mom wanted her to move in with her but my grandma has a boyfriend and will only move with him. He needs more care than my grandma and my mom can't take them both. So for now they will move into an assisted living place that is right up the street from my mom. I think it's so sweet that at 89 my grandma has a boyfriend!! My accident and concussion have taken a toll on me. It has been a long recovery. My concussion has caused short term memory loss that I am praying will come back. It's getting a bit better so I'm hoping I will have a full recovery. Not working out as I usually do has been driving me insane!!! Last week I was just cleared to start 15 min workouts every other day. I'm used to working out 5-6 days a week!!! I love working out. It's also my stress reliever. I'll get better I know but it's been rough. I just started physical therapy also. Apparently the impact of the accident also shifted my hips which has been painful. Also frustrating bc after I lost weight my hips were a mess and I had to learn how to use them the correct way again. I was where I needed to be with all of that and now it's like I'm back to where I was, thankfully not weight wise. Part of the problem was that my accident was only 5 months after plastics so my body wasn't wasn't even completely healed from that yet. I know it could've been much worse so I try to keep that in mind. The good news is that I haven't gained any weight. I've been between 137-140 and I'm ok with that. I haven't been doing 5:2 bc I need all the nutrition to keep my body healing. I've lost a lot of muscle tone but it'll come back quickly when I'm back to working out on a regular basis. I like to have a lot of muscle. I just like that look for myself. So that's been my life lately! I'm glad to finally catch up with all of you. Cathy I need to post pics. The last ones I had done were a few weeks ago with my plastic surgeon. He takes the pics and then shows them to me right away while I'm there. He puts it up next to my Preop pic and it's so cool to see the difference I'm going to email him and have him send me the pics so I can post. I am so happy with my stomach especially! Going a shout out to everyone else that I didn't mention!

I think it's not all for vanity tho... It's partially bc we've needed fewer of the smaller sizes (humans have just gotten bigger not fat, taller and bigger bones) and more sized added at the other end as the population has added more obese.

Yup! It's weird bc some things are still sized that way like uniforms. My sister is a paramedic and typically wears an 8/10 but her uniform is a 14!

So all my paperwork has been submitted to insurance last Friday 2/13. I'm nervous bc I weighed 284 at the initial weigh -in and at my last appointment on Friday I weighed in at 293. I've worked so hard this entire time to try to get the weight back to the original 284 but it's been such a struggle, the lowest I've gotten is 290. I've cut out carbs, eaten high protein, and drank about 120 oz of water a day. I've also been working out every day but he weight won't budge. Will I get denied because of this? I've worked so hard and my doctors know it too.