Well, i started out needing to so a 3 month diet. Then my insurance through work changed, and i had to do a 6 month diet. Then I submitted everything required by my insurance and they came back and said I had to get pulmonary and cardiac clearance. This has caused a delay of at least another month. I jumped through the last hoop today. Or maybe I should say I slung myself, gasping and wheezing through this hoop. I did the stress echo and had to go on the treadmill. I only lasted a very few minutes. I was super short of breath and only was in the segment after the warmup. When they had me hold my breath to do the echo, I felt like I was going to die. It's just disgusting and pathetic that I'm so out of shape. The ARNP said, "Your exercise tolerance is less than stellar". Lol. That was diplomatic. It's embarrassing and I hate the fact that I've allowed myself to get like this. I wonder if my insurance is ever going to approve me. I wonder if I will ever feel like a normal human again. Embarrassment/humiliation/shame is just a constant companion and i hate it. just feel like a big fat loser. And not the kind I hope to be:).

I love this thread! Thanks for making my day Elaine!!!!!

Fiddleman, I think that's a great idea. Women shouldn't have all the fun! And yes, my insurance company is making sure I get my money's worth. God love them.

Off topic, but LauraVen, I love your thread on addiction. I wouldn't say it there bc there are too many posters and I'm a wimp, but the vast majority of the ones who say they aren't addicted are, in my opinion, full of s&!t.

Thanks to all. This day is ending better than it started:)

Off topic' date=' but LauraVen, I love your thread on addiction. I wouldn't say it there bc there are too many posters and I'm a wimp, but the vast majority of the ones who say they aren't addicted are, in my opinion, full of s&!t.

Thanks to all. This day is ending better than it started:)[/quote']

I think you are right!

Girl and what you had to go through? You are not a wimp! Jump in and join the conversations!

Ah yes, the braless, shirtless run on the treadmill. Been there and done that one too. My echo tech was a very handsome young man (think young George Clooney). He was very professional as he maneuvered around my sweaty, floppy boobs to get a good picture of my pounding heart. Oh Lord, I was totally mortified! But you gotta laugh about it, it's so ridiculous! Hopefully you'll get your insurance clearance soon. I definitely think men should have to take this test in the biff! Thanks for the laugh everybody!

pre-surgery weight 325; surgery date 2/28/2013; surgery weight 307; 8 weeks past-op weight 281.4; 12 weeks post-op 274

Chelenka, I'm so happy to have a sympathizer. Misery lives company:). Why can't they ever use women or hundred year old,ugly men for the really embarrassing tests? It ALWAYS has to be a young hottie. Oh. Did you have to hold your breath too? I loved that. Each time they let me breath again, I made a wheezing gasp, like an end stage lung disease patient. Nice.

You just wait until a "young hottie" (think Angelina Jolie in my case) puts a catheter in you while you are awake, not once, but twice. True story. This experience of echo test may be quickly forgotten once you get the pleasure of waiting for time to pass while the catheter is navigated...

A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. You are on your way! Nothing is going to stand in your way! You will do it! Bless you!

Fiddleman, catheter trumps echo for sure. It sounds horrible. Is that a little known complication of the sleeve?.

Ms Petthecat, thanks for the kind words.

Fiddleman' date=' catheter trumps echo for sure. It sounds horrible. Is that a little known complication of the sleeve?.[/quote']

Yes, for me it was. I had serious issues with drinking and peeing for about 5 days after surgery. Pretty minor now in the grand scheme of things, but it was a minor complication at the time. Almost everyone does a catheter after surgery, probably because of the pain medicine and not the sleeve directly. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones and wake up with one instead of getting one while awake.

I think catheters were invented for interrogating spies.

It's awesome to see people posting and having fun at the same time.

I was cathed for my hysterectomy (where I could walk) but not for my knee surgery (where I couldn't. Had to use a bed pan. Yuck). Wasn't cathed for my sleeve because they expected me to be up and walking before I needed to pee. And this was the case.

Yes, for me it was. I had serious issues with drinking and peeing for about 5 days after surgery. Pretty minor now in the grand scheme of things, but it was a minor complication at the time. Almost everyone does a catheter after surgery, probably because of the pain medicine and not the sleeve directly. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones and wake up with one instead of getting one while awake.

Interesting, I had the same issue after surgery but only for a few hours. Two and a half IV bags and I could only pee a teaspoon full. They did an ultrasound on my bladder and it was bone dry!

They said they would catheter me if I couldn't do better. It worked itself out hours later but I didn't start peeing until later when I got home.