hi everyone! as made obvious by the topic, i am a new member headed down the WLS road.

i'll keep it short and sweet. i've always struggled with my weight. my mother is overweight and my situation is due to learned behavior. i am actually somewhat athletic, training and competing in brazilian jiu jitsu on a top performing team. but at 34 years old losing weight isnt getting any easier. i did the low carb crash diet thing and it worked great, but the pounds came back along with some new friends... my knees and back take a lot of punishment on the mat. a recent, somewhat serious knee injury has slowed me down and made me think more about the future. it's time for some extra help.

i have 2 small kids (5 and 6 as of this post) and a beautiful, healthy wife who i want to be around for. not only that, but i want to be a good example of health and vigor for my children. i could keep trying the old fashioned way and failing or i could go the WLS route and make a permanent change. i'm not 100% sold yet, but i have a good level of comfort with my doctor and feel that he will be give me the information my wife and i need to make a good decision.

i looked into WLS a few years ago but was put off by the cost. my employer at that time excluded all bariatric care, and i wasn't in a position to afford surgery. a recent change in employers, however, came with amazing insurance benefits which cover all bariatric care and surgery at 100% with no deductible. they don't require any pre surgery "work", so no 6 month doctor supervised diet or any of that.

my first appointment is this thursday, 12/13. we'll see how it goes. in the meantime, thanks for all the great, honest posts here. i know it's not easy, that it's not a silver bullet to solve my problems, and i am glad to draw from your experiences while making my decision.

alright.. all of my pre-op requirements have been met, and the surgeon's office is faxing my clinicals to the insurance company today.

i have requested clarification regarding this - does it mean i'm fully submitted to insurance, or are there more hurdles to jump?

either way, i am getting close. my insurance company told me they have a 5-10 day approval process. i am hoping that today's submission is the complete package and i'll have a determination by 2/7. i'm looking forward to being a little more trim on my birthday in late may this year

well i found out that as of this morning i am approved!

the scheduler is calling tomorrow to get me set up. wow.

Congratulations! and Good Luck!

well this has moved FAST.

i was just approved on 2/5.

the scheduler called today. i have another pre-op class and meeting on Monday, 2/11.

surgery is scheduled for 2/20, follow up at the surgeon's office on 2/28.

so less than 2mo from first visit to surgery. woop! wish me luck!!

well here we go!

had my pre-op with the doctor all day yesterday. the subject matter was very interesting, as it was more specific to what I'll face at the hospital, right after surgery, and for the next 4-5 weeks. i also visited with the anesthesiologist.

a week from tomorrow is the big day. surgery is scheduled for 9am. i'm ready, my wife is ready, and i'm at peace. i can't wait to be on the other side of this!