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I'm very grateful to have found this site prior to any surgery. I am currently in the process of doing seminars (June 6th), scheduling doctor visits (after seminar) and getting ducks in a row with insurance.

I live in Las Vegas and have Aetna PPO insurance. I have already chosen a physician here: Dr Francis W Teng. He performed a cholecystectomy on me in August 2010 and I feel extremely comfortable with him. Also he does still work with his brother in the OR (he's the Anesthesiologist).

Me: I am approximately 6'3'' and weigh 430lb and 36 years old. I really wish I had listened to Dr Teng when he did my gallbladder removal in August last year to go forward with this. But hey, I'm doing it now, right?

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Welcome to our family. I believe there are some other peeps who have had Dr. Teng as their surgeon. Hopefully they will chime in.

I think you have made a very good decision on having the sleeve. One of the best decisions I ever made. :D

Good luck and best wishes with the insurance hoops.

Deb B)

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I would definitely welcome anyone's perspective, especially Dr Teng's former patients. I think he's the best surgeon for me. I'm nervous with excitement. I feel like I am taking the necessary steps to reclaim my life!! I'm already daydreaming of of the adventures that unlock as a result of the surgery...

I feel good about this.

I was told that Aetna here is requiring six months of the pre-op regimine of counseling, dieting, etc...

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Welcome to the forum! I definitely agree that this website is an invaluable resource.

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Welcome to VST!!! This is truly a wonderful site! You will find so much great information, advice, and inspiring stories! Good for you that you decided to have the sleeve- better late than never!!!

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Welcome. You have a life changing opportunity in front of you. This forum is a great resource and offers lots of support to everyone. I wish you all the best.

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:welcome:

Hi, welcome to the forum!! You will get lots of info and support here, we have a great group.

:)

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Thank you all. Right now my wife and I just finished looking at a video of a VSG. Very interesting indeed! I can't wait to get going!!!!

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Hey I always say better late than never. I too took my time making up my mind. I lurked on this site for 2 years before I made up my mind that I was ready for this change.

Welcome and you will find a lot of information on this site.

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Welcome!

It is never too late to change your life in a positive way like getting sleeved!

I am 20 years older than you and was sleeved ONE WEEK AGO! If I did this 20 years ago I wouldn't have gotten VSG and that is the absolutely right WLS procedure for me. Maybe that is why I didn't do this 20 years ago. I never liked the idea of gastric bypass surgery. I don't need or want my intestines rerouted. My food leaves my body fast enough and I sort of thought that intestinal adaptation issue was going to be discovered. Our bodies are pretty, pretty clever at finding ways to grab calories if they are feeling deprived. So if I had surgery 20 years ago I'd be trying to get a revision without an intact pylorus!

I am happy I decided to do this just as co-morbidities were looming large but before they destroyed my health! You are young and vital...this is a great time to rock your sleeve!

Plus VST is the absolutely BEST PLACE for information, advice, pep talks, support, encouragement, recipes, you name it the folks on this site will try and help you out or just listen sympathetically.

Good luck and let us know if we can be of assistance!!!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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      1. This update has no replies.
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