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So, my name is Jecca...not legally but everyone calls me that who knows me. I currently weigh roughly 326 lbs. and I'm 5'10. I've heard that journaling and blogging thoughts can help relieve stress and stress is bad, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm currently trying desperately to finish my BS from Radford University in biology. It's taken me 5 and a half years but hopefully it ends this december! The class I'm taking is a very hard one, and is only taught by one professor, who just happens to be the one who failed me last semester. The man truly has no soul, if I can pull a 60...just a 60 in that damn class I'm done! Not to mention that I've had all sorts of other things going on this semester and trying to prepare for my surgery. I'm so excited about my surgery that I can barely sleep at night. I just know that what I look like right now, isn't what I'm supposed to look like, isn't healthy, and I'm soo tired of the social stigmas that come with the package. I'm not ashamed of who I am, I know I've tried to lose it on my own, but I can't, I need help, I need a tool, and that's what the lapband is going to give me, the help I need to succeed. My Dad and middle sister Ann, don't believe that it will help me, they think I'm wasting my time and money, that if I just tried to lose weight I could do it, no doubt my Dad's girlfriend (who no one really likes) thinks the same is true. That really hurts. My oldest sister Lisa, believes that it can help me, that maybe I need this, but hates me to have to have any surgery because of the risks. I understand that, but I KNOW I need this! At times it seems like the only ones who TRULY get me, are my boyfriend Jeremy, and my oldest neice Ashleigh (she's 15). Jeremy has seen me try, he knows I give it my all, he knows what this surgery means to me, and he wants me to do it, but worries about me during the surgery. Sometimes I think I forget how much he cares, until he talks to me about the surgery and then I remember that he wants me to be healthy, and will love me no matter what I look like (although he says that he really doesn't want to see my butt or boobs go lol). Ashleigh on the other hand, I think she sees the social stigma parts only. My first surgical consult, she and my Dad were with me, went to the classes and everything! When the doctor asked me about how my weight effected my life, and I told about the kids in elementary school teasing me, the boys laughing at me if I had a crush on them, the people treating me like I'm a leper and not being able to do what I enjoy...she cried...my Dad asked her why, and she said it was because she didn't know how hard it was to be me. She of course is a bean stalk, but I think she sees more now that it's hard to be obese. I know that she's excited for me to have this surgery, and swears that on my post-op diet until I can eat solid foods again, she's going to eat only what I can eat, I won't hold her to that, but it's sweet. My Dad just wants me to be healthy, I know that, and I think that once I have the surgery and come out ok, and then start to lose the weight, he'll fully support me, Ann on the other hand, I've grown to almost not care what she says/thinks. As for my friends, the ones who know, they support me, and I know that's what I really need right now, less stress, more support, to get done with school, to finish reading the Beck Diet Solution and to have a good Thanksgiving. I've already told Dad that Thanksgiving is going to be basically my last supper, and so I'm going to literally pig out! I have 1 more class till Thanksgiving break, then 6 classes and 2 exams and it'll be time for my surgery. I can't wait, I just hope/pray that I can survive this class, and reward myself with the best Christmas present ever, starting a new life, of being healthy and a lot thinner. I remember in high school I weighed 180. I thought I could still stand to lose ohhhh another 40 or 50 lbs, maybe so, but when I look back at those pictures, I was slim, but not skin and bones by any means, and I looked good. Now if I can only get back to that. :willy_nilly:

I had a terrible psych eval experience. Like you, I thought if I was sane and in charge of my life and making the decision for the right reasons, I'd be fine. WRONG. Not only did I fail, the therapist went up one side of me and down the other. It was awful. In hindsight, it had everything to do with her and zero to do with me. I spoke with the director of the bariatric program, but there was no budging, no second opinions permitted, and certainly no possibility the therapist was the one with the problem. It derailed my journey completely. I wasn't against therapy (God knows I have food issues or else I wouldn't be here), but the woman who did my psych evaluation wanted me to come back after a few months of therapy to see if I was "better". Such BS. I was so anxious about the idea of being judged by her again, I stopped going to therapy after a few sessions and really thought about whether or not I wanted this surgery. Just so happened, when I was really to get back on the path, it was 11 months since my psych eval. It expired after a year. I let it expire and redid it with a different therapist, who felt so sorry for me after my tale of woe she apologized and approved me saying, "I think you've been through enough already!" My brother-in-law was going for his psych eval this summer and I told him exactly what Ed told you. LIE. Tell them what they want to hear. That's what he did, and he was approved on the first go-round. I will say, the extra YEAR it took me to get this surgery did give me an awful lot of time to think about it, and the changes required for it to really be successful. When I went for follow-up therapy, I chose to go to a therapist I'd seen years earlier for something else. Would you believe she'd had gastric bypass twelve years before, and in the two or three years since I'd last seen her, she'd gained about fifty pounds? That was the most valuable thing I got out of therapy. Staring at her and thinking I'd really have to change if I didn't want to follow in her footsteps. I hope you find a way back on the path quickly, and with as little BS as possible!!

Thanks...yeah she uses staples bc ppl were overdoing it and the glue wasn't holding sites closed n ppl were healing up

I'm at my wits end right now and it's only been a week. I will have had my sleeve for exactly one week tomorrow (sleeved 5/15/11). I am about to be very over-dramatic and say that i am dying...i am so sick of Clear liquids. I am so "HUNGRY" i just want to chew on something. I don't know if I can wait until Saturday to just to start drinking milk, and eat pudding...wow I'd give anything for celery and ranch dressing right now which I would have been saying chicken nuggets before this. And then wait another week just to begin on sweet potatoes? It seems like eternity. I'm crying. I'm losing it. I know this is for my health, I know in 6 months I will be healthier, happier, and eating REAL food just not binging on it. I know all of these things but I am so fed up with myself right now and needed to vent. I am sick of popsicles. I am sick of Powerade zero/tea/vitamin water/etc. I'm sick of snowballs. I'm sick of all these sweet things like Jello. I just want a bite of real food. Anything. Sorry. I just really needed to have someone hear this.

I had a feeling Cheryl was going to have a say in this one. I don't take Fiber. if I become irregular I will take miralax and night and if that doesn't work and than I will take 2 dulcolax the next night. tonight I drank a 4 oz drink of warm prune juice; it just has so much sugar and will make my bs whacky. so don't make a practice of it.

I need some help ASAP i currently have Tri Care Prime and have meet with Dr.B and I am scheduled for surgery on the 14th of this month(and i am currently on the 10 day liver shrinking diet:eek:). Beverly from LWM submitted the authorization to Tricare and it was declined because they needed a consult to be submitted from my primary care doctor. I met with him yesterday and he submitted it but he told me the way it works was that he would submit the consult to Balboa Naval Hospital and that they would either accept the surgery or have it discharged and returned back to tricare and then it could go to a third party.Has anyone heard of this or is it BS? I spoke with Balboa this morning and the accepted the consult. so does anyone have any advice on how to get Tricare to authorize it through La Jolla Weight Managment instead of Balboa because i have already done everything through Dr. B (i.e met with dietician and blood tests) and Balboa has a bunch of hoops they make you jump through befor they do anything. So I would prefer to do the surgery through him because he has great reviews and an awsome staff. Any help is greatly appreciated, Devon

Well, it'll be 4 weeks for me on Monday, and I officially cannot eat. Tried a soft scrambled egg, got through two bites. Tried a super soft, ripe avocado, cldnt even get two teaspoons down. Even made the ricotta bake, nope. Just turning me off. I need to drink more water but it has to be super cold or I get nauseated. I'm terrified weight loss will stall bc of this. I've read how getting calories up to close to 1000 and staying hydrated is key but I just can't. Protein shakes cooling in the fridge so my goal is two today. I guess I'll just keep drinking my bariatric hot chocolate made with milk, despite it being over 100 degrees here today and my protein waters. I want to get my nutrients from whole, real foods but I just can't. Never thought I'd complain about not being able to eat but am terrified of my hair falling out bc of poor nutrition. ☹️[emoji20] 5'7 HW: 256 SW: 248 CW: 235 At 2 week post op GW: 150 Fantasy GW: 135 Sleeved 8/7

Stay strong ! Im doing the optifast pre liquid diet as well .. the first 3 days were the worst !!! But if you make it through those then your good ! Ive been doing it since June 5th and my surgery is July 3rd so im on it for almost a month . Ive lost 10 pounds so far . But i slipped a few times . But if your going to slip make sure its not with like french fries or something .. i had a piece of grilled chicken the 4th day bc my headache was horrible and it definitely helped. Whenever i feel like i cant do i look at instagram pages of people who have done this surgery and their success it really helps or I distract myself with like a computer game or a game on my phone something to keep me busy . I also have been trying to stay outside alot and not in the house with a kitchen full of food. Its hard but youll make it !!! Add me on Instagram we can follow each others journeys ! [emoji846] @crystallconrad

Hi Argon: I have had so much difficulty in locating a fill nurse/doctore in N. Van. I was so elated when the TLBC found a doc. in Delta that would take me. I paid $400.00 for the visit only to find out 25 minutes of trying to do the fill, the doc (who is a surgeon trained by Dr. Yau) told me the port had flipped. He has since stopped taking patients of other surgeons because of his experience with me. I am still hoping, that he will keep me on if Dr. Yau anchors the port. If not, I will fly to TO and stick with whom I know. I am so tired of being rejected time and time again so will wait to see if the TLBC comes thru with a fill nurse in BC. I understand they are working on it. Doddie

Every since being filled a month ago to 7.5cc's in my 10cc Allergan I've lost 13lbs but the night coughs progressed as the weeks went on I went in today (bc I just cldnt take puking my lunch out at 3am in the morning anymore) & had .7 removed he explained that the shallow breathing while sleeping & lying flat allows the contents in your stomach to rise back up thru your esophagus, & into your mouth & cld even come out your nose Even if I had not eaten a single thing that day I'd cough up a brown/black fluid I just want a descent meal now & a good solid 8hrs sleep! Is that too much to ask?!?!?

Hello- Im new around and have made the first step towards having vsg, meaning that my Dr has referred me to the bariatric surgery center and they have me scheduled for an information session in November. (Ive made an appt with a dietician and a Dr. (to start sleep study process). I have called my insurance company and they said that my plan does cover BS long as it is medically necessary and my Dr submits required authorization. They were not able to answer my question of "how long must I do a medically-supervised diet to qualify" the surgery center just told me to start with 3 months...hopefully by then I know. I have no medical issues besides being obese....I am at the borderline of qualifying with no medical issues. My BMI is currently 40.3. If my insurance requires a 3-6 month diet plan and I loose weight and go under the BMI of 40 does anyone know if they deny surgery from that point? I was also denied by the surgery center about 6 months ago because my BMI was under 40. Now they have accepted me because Ive gained and its just over 40. This whole process is already stressful and I feel like my insurance co (blueshield ca (thru employer) is not giving me direct answers to the questions I am asking.

Hi all. My surgery was Dec 9 and I have "only" lost around 30 lbs. I say only bc I know a whole bunch of folks r probably going to jump on my back saying you couldn't do that pre op etc etc. I started out at 318 day of surgery. I had an issue w an incision so I was really limited in my motion for the last month. So 30 lbs according to my dr was what he considers average for the first month. He said about 10% of starting weight is what he likes to see. He just gave me clearance today to start working out so I'm hoping that I can get some more off.

yes, I found that out the hard way. Tall about gross, I nearly hurled just to look at it lol. I saw some Isopure powder that claimed it goes in hot and cold ..I'm dubious!!! Right now, I'm just blending it in skim milk with a stick blender. Yum the nurse allowed me to have milk bc of all the throwing up etc so I suppose that's nice.

Anyone out there who has had the sleeve surgery - do you remember how your pre-certification approval was submitted? I would love to get more opinions on this. And thank you Jersrose43 for your input. 20 years insurance vet! Impressive! You certainly add an interesting perspective on this issue. I hear what you are saying and appreciate the input. However, it is in conflict with what bc/bs told me. Please be patient with me. I do have high blood pressure, diabetes, history of blood cloths and am 63 years old. Wouldn't you think that is enough to get initial certification for inpatient status? I do not want to put myself in a position where I am at the mercy of the hospital administrator. Is there anyway to get the hospital to request pre-certification for inpatient approval now?

I was tachy afterwards too n they said I was dehydrated plus pain bc I was stubborn n didn't want any narcs

Hi, I'm looking for a recommendation of a Bariatric -Lap Band doctor in MD, VA or DC. Getting information from Insurance is difficult, I have CareFirst Blue Choice (FED) and the list of Gastro physicians within the network is huge and I don't know how to make a selection. Do all Gastro physicians do Bariatric Surgery? I've spoken to several people that have had the procedure in my area but none of the doctors are within my network. Any advise is really appreciated! I just want to get started.

First off i would drive the 200 miles and be seen . Second off i would tell the doc what the Nurse said ! taht's BS My response to her would have been YES YOU CAN THAT IS YOUR JOB !!!! I would call ask if there is an office manager and let her know what is going on and how you are being treated as well !!! I dont care if she's over worked or not ! Mindy

October 29th I was officially 1 year post op. I'm curious though if anyone else has experienced being on a crazy emotional roller coaster? I talked to a friend I met bc we had surgery same day and she said she's felt the same way. Like you can feel a meltdown coming on and there is nothing you can do about it. It's awful!

Attended the Wellbourne Seminar. Opted against it because of the requirement by Dr Wellbourne for the patient to pay $4500 up front. I have Federal BC/BS which pays all but $100 copays for the hospital stay as well as the surgery. When questioning the staff at the seminar about this, they seemed to get snippy about it. I guess they prefer to only take patients who are self-pay so they can gouge the hell out of them. My wife and I both are going to undergo the lap-band procedure. We would have to cough up $9,000. We are opting for Dr. Baker instead who requires no money up front.

Attended the Wellbourne Seminar. Opted against it because of the requirement by Dr Wellbourne for the patient to pay $4500 up front. I have Federal BC/BS which pays all but $100 copays for the hospital stay as well as the surgery. When questioning the staff at the seminar about this, they seemed to get snippy about it. I guess they prefer to only take patients who are self-pay so they can gouge the hell out of them. My wife and I both are going to undergo the lap-band procedure. We would have to cough up $9,000. We are opting for Dr. Baker instead who requires no money up front.

I know what you mean. I started the process on April 14th with a weight loss surgery seminar, since then it was the dr./nutritionist appointments every month (at first I was only supposed to go to 4, then it switched to 8), then my psych eval (which was absolutely pointless), finished all the appointments in beginning of December. In end of December, they called and said that they decided that I needed to get a letter from a psychologist stating that it was okay for me to get the surgery (which they were supposed to have let me know back in August). I go and get the letter, call them, and than they tell me that I don't need it. On January 3rd, I have the surgeon consultation, and a week & a half later I got the approval letter from BC/BS. Now, last Thursday I finally got a preliminary phone call about April 29th maybe having the surgery, but they were supposed to call back and let me know for sure the date & time, and whatnot, and I haven't heard anything since than. It seems like all I have been doing is waiting, I've called a few times because I've heard from other people where the hospital that I'm going through, has "forgotten" to call them, and all I've been told is that my "name hasn't come up on the list yet." This has been crazy, it seems like now each day I check my phone at least every five minutes to make sure that I haven't missed "the call" because I'm told that they don't call back. Hopefully soon...........

I had my lap band slip after 7 years in April, 2013, had ER surgery and quickly gained 25 pounds. Thankfully the doctor agreed to sleeve me while i was at 30 BMI based on passed and co-morbidities. I just had my sleeve on 6/26. I'm not going to lie. It hurt. A lot. But I did have some additional Complications due to chronic steroid use from arthritis. This resulted in my stomach being paper thin and frayed. Surgery was 2.5 hours. So, I'm attributing the additional pain to that. I stayed an extra day bc they had to staple, stitch and glue my new stomach. But I'm completely independent now. No pain Meds for over 36 hours. Waiting on doc to show up so I can go Home. My Husband asked me on the Day of surgery if it was worth it and I said no. Now, I'm saying yes as long as the post lap band weight comes off. I had read on here that it was no worse than the lap band. So i only scheduled three days off of work. Which is what i did with the band. Probably not the best idea, but ill make it. Good Luck to everyone and I will keep you posted on my progress.

The hormone levels in BC pills are a lot less than were once prescribed. I did 5 straight years of BC pills and did not gain weight on them.

Hi All, I love this board! Here's my question... my GYN just put me on birth control pills (loestrin 24 FE) to help combat a fairly significant ovarian cyst. Will this interfere or slow down my weight loss? I've been doing really well. Since surgery in July, I"ve lost about 18 lbs. and I don't want to suddenly freak out if I stop losing. I'm only on the BC for about three months, so if I run into a slow down, it won't be forever. Thanks.

I was denied because my BMI is 61. I am currently appealing that decision. (Empire BC/BS).