Here's a few questions. Answer based on your own experience. I'm just curious, really

1. For the most part, the process to becoming sleeved isn't always an easy one. Insurance throws us hoops and loops and then we're sometimes asked for a 6 month diet or weigh in, and a ton of various dr. appointments we need to fit into our busy schedules. My question is...during that long process that seemed like it'd take forever, what convinced you to be patient and hold it out? Knowing that even after you completed all the requirements, insurance could still deny you, what kept you going?

2. If gastric sleeve surgery was completely out of the question...you couldn't self-pay, couldn't go to Mexico, and insurance kept denying you or didn't cover WLS...what would have been your plan B? Would you feel hopeless or maybe even hopeful?

3. We all have had our doubts before deciding on if the sleeve was a good choice for us or not Post-op and after losing a good amount of weight, was there a particular "ah-ha" moment that stood out to you and made you realize you made the right choice (or not)?

4. Now that you're post-op and (most likely) enjoying your new life...thinking back, is there anything you miss about your old life? The consolation of food, how you felt, etc.

Thanks! Answer 1, none, or all...I'm just really interested in hearing about experiences from a different perspective.

1. It was easy for me. I made an appt with a surgeon, decided to have the sleeve, the next day she confirmed a surgery date just over two weeks away. I started pre op diet immediately. Saw a nut but other than that, nothing further needed. Self pay makes it easier from what I read on here compared to my own experience.

2. I would have continued to try.

3. I feel amazing. I am just short of three weeks out and I feel better than I ever have. I can't pin point an aha moment but I know in my core I have done the right thing for me.

4. I would love a glass of wine! Other than that, food does not have the appeal it used to have. I am not hungry and this leads to an amazing feeling of not wanting to eat.

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1. I had no choice but to self pay.

2. I am so glad I had good credit and get most of financed through care credit. If I couldn't get the financing I would have felt hopeless or would have really starting saving all my $.

3. I probably could have had bypass or the band, but I was really scared of those two surgeries. The day I applied for care credit, thinking I was going to get the bypass surgery, is the same day I found out about the sleeve. The only doctor who took care credit was Dr. Salameh and it was on his site that he spoke about the sleeve. I was sold immediately! Not one doubt about the sleeve, not for one second!

4. I miss nothing about my former life. Nothing. I was a slave to food and now I can actually keep a pint of ice cream in the freezer for a long time. It is liberating. I can eat whatever I want, but just not a lot of it. I don't miss anything. Even right after surgery I didn't miss anything. I occasionally miss chugging water down quickly...I loved fluids...but now I can do better than sip, just no gulping. I don't even really miss fountain sodas. I sometimes want a ginger ale, but the thought passes quickly.

I was self-pay, so no insurance hoops to jump through. If I hadn't had the option to self-pay, I'd probably be in a box right now. I had no choice, it was take off the weight or die. That conversation with my doctor was also my ah-ha moment when I knew that I had to do something, and it had to be something big!

I'm still going through the insurance process. I started this journey in April and I'm waiting for Cigna to approve me.

Although I have enough money in my savings to be a self-pay, I know my insurance covers it, so I'll wait. I didn't get this big in 5 months, so waiting 5 months for surgery is no biggie. If anything changes, I'll be a self-pay with my current surgeon.

I was self-pay; if I had not been able to afford the surgery, i would have continued to get fatter while dieting intermittently. Maybe I could have had insurance approval if I reached their required BMI but that would have taken several years.

My "a-ha!" moment was a month or so post-op when the tummy noises are tapering off and I could eat real food and I realized I was not interested in food. Somehow, it became fuel and not in-the-mouth deliciousness.

I don't miss anything from my fat life. I was full of shame and guilt when I was fat and now I don't feel that way. When I go grocery shopping I don't feel like people are looking in my cart and judging me for what's in it. If I could change one tiny thing, it would be that I'm cold all the time now. I wear sweaters in July!