I suddenly feel hopeless. Sometimes reading the difficulties is hard because I don't want anymore road bumps- I had enough. My hopelessness is because during my 6 month requirement I have done nothing but gained weight. My PA is telling me not to worry about it and she has seen this before. That is the only thing my insurance required. The program put me through other testing including psychological which I passed. I read it actually. I said I am likely to follow through with Dr. recomendations after surgery (however unlikely to follow an exercise routine. Duh- I have said that since day 1- I hate exercising- traditional exercise anyway. I like swimming- playing softball- walking with friends and even love lifting weights. But put me in a gym- no thank you).

Anyway- I'm really trying to hold on to my doc's words but it's hard when i read all the stories of denials on here.

Need positive thoughts.............

(((((HUGS))))) It's awfully frustrating when the scale moves the opposite way of what we want it to. I do not know your insurance company's specifics, but from what my insurance company and what I've read, it sounds like the pre-approval diet is for a few reasons 1) to give people time to possibly rethink it, I have a feeling many people feel it is a hurdle and give up 2) to have documentation that weight loss surgery is not the first option the person has turned to, they don't wanna fund it if there's a possibility that something else could help

Whatever you do, don't give up! If this is really what you want, you can do it. Even if you gain the whole six months, at least at the end you will have that documentation.

Yep, I'm thinking you all are correct. I was panicked last night- I even emailed the NUT I can't control this anyway. The PA told me that they just want to know that I will follow through and the NUT had once told me that if anything, this just shows I can't do it on my own. I've always said that I'd probably be fine (maybe a little overweight) if it wasn't for all the attempts to lose. I really have insight into it now. I CAN lose about 25-30 pounds at most. I have NEVER kept that off and ALWAYS gain that plust more back every single time and VOILA- here I am. So you are all right. I HEART U ALL

i felt that way the other day it will past. just think this time next year we are going to be talking about all the new cloths we bought

I can't WAIT to get rid of my fat clothes. CAN'T WAIT- stay tuned We'll keep in touch on this journey

Hi there,

I have to wait another 11 months for surgery. In Australia I can pull the money for surgery out of my Supperannuation (retirement) fund but will still be a few thousand in the hole

I'm getting the surgery because at 25 years young I was over 300 pounds, had my gallbladder removed, suffer depression and hair loss, spent five days in hospital with aspiration pneumonia because my sick body couldn't handle a simple cold, and to kick it all off have bulging discs in lumbar causing EXCRUCIATING pain all down my lower left leg CONSTANTLY...

I have "dieted" since I was 13 and only ever put on more weight than I lost. Like quitting smoking, getting into the proper mindset to start making lifelong changes has taken many many many attempts.

I now see a psychologist weekly to help me control the panic that usually surrounds my weight loss attempts. I always used to have to stick to under 1200 calories a day, usually preferring to be under 1000 (no wonder i started losing my hair)! Now the surgery is just another tool for me to get off excess weight in the future, for now i am focussing on what I CAN achieve!

YOU CAN:

Avoid drinking your calories... that is, avoid full cream milk, soda, iced teas, cordials. (I always have 1litre bottles of the Water in the fridge to alternate throughout the day instead). Avoid doesn't mean cut out, it just means find things you can swap them with!

Avoid Take-out and/or chose the healthiest (and usually the tastiest honestly) options.. today I had KFC- A salad with two crispy strips- under 400 calories and tasted GREAT without the guilt... At McDonalds I had a Bagel for Breakfast.

Make sure you are NEVER EVER hungry! I always have apples, oranges, pre-made fruit salads, tasty nuts (macadamias and almonds), yoghurts, healthbars, strawberries, olives, grapes, frozen vegie bags, pre-made salads ON HAND in the fridge for Snacks, I have at least 3 of these a day in addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Make sure you don't feel deprived! If you really want it, EAT IT! you are a grown person, no-one is going to take your food away from you, ice cream and soda and chippies will ALWAYS be there if you ever want them. If you know you are allowed to have it, and it sates you then you wont feel guilty and over-indulge. If you are less hungry from eating snacks you also won't need as much. You CAN enjoy "guilty" food like a "normal" person!!!

Try some new health books that are not about fads or diets, even books about the surgery can boost your motivation:

Try

If Not Dieting, Then What?

by Dr Rick Kausman

'For anyone who's unhappy about their weight, confused about food and fed up with diets that don't work: finally someone making sense!'

Kaz Cooke

If Not Dieting, Then What?, is the winner of the Australian Food Writers Award for Best Nutrition Writing.

The book explores how to:

- enjoy food without feeling guilty

- increase your eating awareness

- improve how you feel about yourself

- fit some sort of activity into your day

- achieve and maintain a healthy, comfortable weight for you, without being deprived of food or quality of life.

or

WEIGHTY ISSUES: Getting the Skinny on Weight Loss Surgery by Dr. Scott Cunneen.

Dr. Cunneen heads up the bariatric surgery program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and has thousands of these operations under his belt, so if anyone has the answers to your questions...he does!

Also, in regards to exercise- set achievable goals! Can you walk around your backyard once a day?

Can you go to the air-conditioned mall and walk around for 30 minutes?

Can you do a couple of sit ups while dinners on the boil?

Can you wiggle your fingers and toes while watching tv? (this burns 100 calories an hour!!!!!) LOL

If there is something you can do that is a little more than what you are doing now, why not try it!

Finally, stay away from people who can't recognise the significacne of every new goal you reach! there are people out there who just ASSUME you should be eating a particular way or doing a certain amount of exercise and cant be happy for you when you do something that is an AMAZING achievement for you!!!!!

Please keep up the good work, remember take small steps for a lifetime of health and happiness!!!

Grover

justine i told you you were not alone. i feel so blah right now im feeling i cant lose this 10 lbs. if i can only workout i would be ok

newgrandmother do you have physical trouble with exercise or mental? I usually have the physical- unless I'm swimming my leg (sciatica + nerve damage) aches until it feels like a sledgehammer hit it! Sometimes I'm lying down and have a desire to jog around the garden but am in too much pain once I stand up!

Just do what you can and remember it would be much worse if you were still in old habits and gaining weight!!! Time is still on your side!!!!

justine i told you you were not alone. i feel so blah right now im feeling i cant lose this 10 lbs. if i can only workout i would be ok

Sorry you're struggling right now. I have a couple questions: why do u have to lose 10 pounds? What purpose is it serving (insurance company?) also- when do u have to lose it by? If it were me I would be so stressed about that. I would personally do nothing but Protein shakes and Water for a couple weeks of it meant qualifying for the damn surgery. Is it really hot where u live? If it is and you're anything like me - I'm not doing squat in this weather. So- Hang in there. Switch your thought process a bit. You already lost some of the 10 so youre on your way there. Don't you give up. If you give up. Then I'm giving up (how's that for guilt?)

Justine,

How're you feelin today? Any better? You're sounding more positive, which I'm glad to hear =)

Yes, I'm feeling better. I talked with my PA and she told me not to worry about the insurance at all. So...I'm not..... as much I still feel the time is going so slow and really pray this goes through because if it doesn't then I don't know what I will do......

You can get this done without insurance. If you want it, don't let anything stand in your way.

I know it seems like it's going slow now, but you'll look back and it will seem to have flown by =) I'm glad that you're feeling better.

Thank you and thank you for checking in...

justine. the doctor wants me to lose it. because of the liver he needs it to shrink

But isn't that more about the liquid phase right before the surgery? Doesn't really make much sense to me to make you lose now. hmmmmmm.

I have been told that going into the surgery losing weight will help shrink the liver also. Different plans for different doctors =)