Hi All! :}

I'm in the Ithaca area & going through Cayuga Med with Dr. Bollo. Just curious if there's any others out there!

Thank you! I need to work on staying hydrated its so tough.

It's tough to keep sipping, but it'll get easier with time. And you'll have good days and hard days in terms of getting all the protein and liquid in. Just hang in there and keep going.

helloooo congrats on your surgery & success so far, mommy!!

& you, too Abby! wowza! it goes so fast...

my case is a mess. I guess the surgeon's office finally sent appeal paperwork Monday but as of today, Aetna still didn't have it. I'm not sure how long mail takes these days but if I haven't heard by next Wed (my next day off), I'm calling Aetna back. I'm beyond frustrated. I gained 15# since thanksgiving, & of course I can't find motivation to do the old tricks to get it off (liquid fasts, starving myself, etc). I've been exercising, but I know how my body is & exercise only makes me strong...but always stops weight loss. I can't lie, at any given moment I'm no less than 10 breaths away from giving up.

On a positive note, I got a new job assignment in another part of campus so I now have normal work hours & evenings to spend with my kids.

Don't give up!! If you really want this, you'll get it! Where there's a will, there's a way! And don't beat yourself up over the weight gain, that's why we're all here- things get us down and we eat. Do you have to lose the weight again to qualify or do you think they won't really need to see you until the Pre-op appointment?

If you need to lose the weight, then do what you have to- I know you can! If not the. Don't even worry about the scale. Just start mentally preparing yourself for this huge change by making small changes. Believe me- (mommy can probably attest to this too!) nothing can possibly completely prepare you for the huge change you'll go through.

I'm happy for you, getting more time with your kids! It's good you find a silver lining!

Keep your chin up, keep going Good luck- keep us in the loop!

Don't give up!! If you really want this' date=' you'll get it! Where there's a will, there's a way! And don't beat yourself up over the weight gain, that's why we're all here- things get us down and we eat. Do you have to lose the weight again to qualify or do you think they won't really need to see you until the Pre-op appointment?

If you need to lose the weight, then do what you have to- I know you can! If not the. Don't even worry about the scale. Just start mentally preparing yourself for this huge change by making small changes. Believe me- (mommy can probably attest to this too!) nothing can possibly completely prepare you for the huge change you'll go through.

I'm happy for you, getting more time with your kids! It's good you find a silver lining!

Keep your chin up, keep going Good luck- keep us in the loop![/quote']

Helloooooo I hope you all are well!! I've been sorta avoiding VST bc frankly, there's some people on here are so not nice. & I'd really rather not be discouraged by them.

So.....January was a pogo jump of a month. I found out yesterday when I called Aetna to follow up on the still missing (as of 1/30/13) paperwork, that I actually had been approved on the 31st!!! My surgeon's office didn't even know yet. Lol So I'm sure when they get my messages Monday morning (bc everyone took a sick day on Friday, apparently), at least one of them will call Aetna to "follow up" before calling me back & then they'll know. Lol & if not, I'll be happy to tell them!!

I actually already had my "pre-op" appointment in November bc they were fully expecting to do it on my winter break from school. And I won't have to lose it before surgery, though I'm still working on it. I've lost 5# so far, so I'm only 6# away from the weight they used for ins.

Helloooooo I hope you all are well!! I've been sorta avoiding VST bc frankly' date=' there's some people on here are so not nice. & I'd really rather not be discouraged by them.

So.....January was a pogo jump of a month. I found out yesterday when I called Aetna to follow up on the still missing (as of 1/30/13) paperwork, that I actually had been approved on the 31st!!! My surgeon's office didn't even know yet. Lol So I'm sure when they get my messages Monday morning (bc everyone took a sick day on Friday, apparently), at least one of them will call Aetna to "follow up" before calling me back & then they'll know. Lol & if not, I'll be happy to tell them!!

I actually already had my "pre-op" appointment in November bc they were fully expecting to do it on my winter break from school. And I won't have to lose it before surgery, though I'm still working on it. I've lost 5# so far, so I'm only 6# away from the weight they used for ins.[/quote']

Yay!!! Congratulations!!! super exciting!! I'm glad it got all straightened out.

Frankly, I can understand why you sometimes avoid the boards. I belong to the bypass version of VST and it's so different. I feel like there's a lot of judgemental people that post on here and it totally makes it harder to reach out for support!

Well, congratulations, again! And let me know when you're scheduled for surgery!

Yay!!! Congratulations!!! super exciting!! I'm glad it got all straightened out.

Frankly' date=' I can understand why you sometimes avoid the boards. I belong to the bypass version of VST and it's so different. I feel like there's a lot of judgemental people that post on here and it totally makes it harder to reach out for support!

Well, congratulations, again! And let me know when you're scheduled for surgery! [/quote']

Thanks!! I still haven't heard from my surgeon or coordinator, so now I'm getting nervous that maybe they (Aetna) goofed by telling me, again. I hope not. I left t the coordinator a message yesterday but she left early bc of the storm I guess.

How are you doing lately with your switch?? keep in touch!

Thanks!! I still haven't heard from my surgeon or coordinator' date=' so now I'm getting nervous that maybe they (Aetna) goofed by telling me, again. I hope not. I left t the coordinator a message yesterday but she left early bc of the storm I guess.

How are you doing lately with your switch?? keep in touch![/quote']

I heard...Lol they finally got the official letter & I should have a date by week's end. I'll keep ya posted.

Awesome!! I hope you have a date soon! Waiting is always So difficult!

Things have been rough since the revision. I just want to get better!! I have a stricture. They went in about 2 weeks ago and stretched the opening from my stomach(pouch) to my intestines. They wanted to get the opening a lot bigger than what they could- so they're going in again next week to stretch again. I had so much relief at first- but slowly it's narrowing again... (doctor said that would probably happen). I just have to believe that some day I'll stop vomiting! Haha! After 6 months of it, I can't imagine not throwing up almost on a daily basis!

Anyway, I'm excited for you. I'll tell you, it will totally change your life, completely. I thought I had an idea of how much things would change - but I really didn't. Yesterday, I was at the mall alone, and a guy flirted with me! So weird and awkward! (I'm engaged so it's not like I'm looking-but it was so awkward because that hasn't happened since like high school! I had no idea how to react!)

I know waiting is hard and there will be times after surgery (in the first few months) where you're seriously thinking "why did I do this?!" but just keep the outcome in mind

March 27th!!!

How are you feeling??

March 27th! So soon! it'll be here before you know it! I'm doing ok- ready for my endoscopy & stretch tomorrow- that's for sure! Getting tough to eat again. Do u have to do 1 or 2 weeks of liquid diet?

Hello locals. I am scheduled for surgery on March 6 - Dr. Kim at upstate community. Getting nervous but also anxious to have it done.

Hello locals. I am scheduled for surgery on March 6 - Dr. Kim at upstate community. Getting nervous but also anxious to have it done.

You're going to do great!! Dr.Kim was in on my surgery I think. (I had Dr. mcDonald as my primary surgeon though.) I wish I could tell you what recovery was like in the hospital, but my surgery had to be at Upstate and not community general.

Totally normal to be nervous- but I'm sure it will go well and you'll be on the road to a new you!! good luck!

You're going to do great!! Dr.Kim was in on my surgery I think. (I had Dr. mcDonald as my primary surgeon though.) I wish I could tell you what recovery was like in the hospital' date=' but my surgery had to be at Upstate and not community general.

Totally normal to be nervous- but I'm sure it will go well and you'll be on the road to a new you!! good luck![/quote']

Thanks for the support abbybeep!!!!

Abby who did your sleeve. I am in Utica

Max206, are you still around? I'm there too? Did you end up having the sleeve? I finally have a date but was wondering who you went to?