Hey y'all. Sarah here. I was active on the boards until about a year ago...now I'm BACK! I am a 30 year old retirement planner, living the dream in the SF Bay Area.

Oh wait- almost living the dream- first I need to take off this 160 lb fat suit I've been dragging around the last 7 years.

See, I've always been fluffy, voluptuous, "a big girl". Still, I was ususally happy with who I was and how I looked. It wasn't until I broke up with my college boyfriend of 4 years at age 23-24, that I started gaining serious weight. I was about 170 back then, and had always worn a size 12 or 14...now I'm a 22. I just started eating to deal with the serious depression, then I would get more depressed because of the way my clothes stopped fitting, and thus began the ugly cycle that I've been in since 2006. At this point, I'm in treatment for depression (for WAY more issues than just the weight) and luckily, over the last 3 years, my depression has become manageable. It still rears its ugly head once in a while, but I can handle it now. The meds have really worked. I KNOW that WLS isn't a cure-all, but I also know in my heart of hearts that if I wasn't super-morbidly-obese, I would be loving life a lot more. Just ask anyone who has lost weight and kept it off. ANYONE. I also have co-morbidities: carpal tunnel syndrome, joint pain, foot pain, back pain, mild-to-moderate sleep apnea, hidradenitis suppurativa (its BAD right now), GERD. Most of the time, I can still buckle my airplane seatbelt, but I know it's because I have a pretty small frame (I'm 5'0")...still, I had to "fake it" during one flight because I couldn't bear the burning shame of asking for an extender. I'm effing fed up with this bs.

I have been trying to lose 35 lbs for the last 18 months. I have not been successful thus far. It seems like I have an overeating issue.... HENCE WHY I NEED VSG! Unfortunately, Kaiser Permanente NorCal approved me but only if I can get my weight down to 250. I have been in counseling and I've been trying to eat right...GOSH ITS ALMOST LIKE I NEED SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL RESTRICTION TO KEEP ME FOCUSED ON THE GOAL. Kaiser offers no ongoing counseling or diagnoses for overeaters, compulsive overeating, or binge eating disorder (even though it is in the DSM...they don't care). I was allowed one appointment with their eating disorders clinic therapist: She told me to buy Judith Beck's book, "Diet for Life"....that's right, that is the treatment offered to me by Kaiser: buy a book. They don't offer personal training or exercise programs, they don't offer ongoing counseling for overeaters, they actually told me, "Ma'am, if we did that for you, 20% of our patients would qualify for these programs". Ok, so....too many people need help, so they're just NOT GOING TO OFFER IT.

Look, I know that ANY surgery is safer if you're at a lower BMI. I know about my fatty liver, too- but I also know that the liquid pre-op diet DOES help to shrink that down. I know KP is VERY conservative when it comes to treatments, hey, they're a health maintenance org. However, I have begged just about every department I can (including seeing my surgeon, Dr. Baggs, personally & begging for the surgery)- no one cares. It's up to me to lose 35 lbs, or self-pay. Because you know what?? Chris Christie (governor of NJ) just got the lap band. His BMI must have been sky-high, but HIS TOP NOTCH WORLD CLASS DOCTORS still gave HIM the surgery... I truly believe that I am a fine candidate for VSG, and that is why i am now considering, very seriously, self-pay. I'm confued, is there ANYONE out there with a similar sitch?

If you respond, please don't lecture me on the importance of a high-Protein, low-carb diet. Please don't SHOCK me with the news that exercise is good for me & necessary to achieve lifetime results. And yes, I've met with the Kaiser dietician several times- I know what to eat. I eat too much of it, and that's not something a NUT can fix. Thank you for allowing me to rant.

I can really identify with your distress over the pre op weight loss. I tried many approaches for years without success. However once I committed myself to doing this surgery I have been able to lose weight. I was 455 march 1 and last week I was 395.5. You will find an approach that works for you! My approach was 1500 cal or less a day, 90 g of protein a day. I've started walking daily now that I have had some positive success. I think the reason this worked for me is I tried to select foods that I really liked that were not too high in cal and had some protein. Also I fill out myfitnesspal menu the day in advance in order to minimize spur of the moment food decisions. I know you've probably heard of these things already, but if you keep trying you will make some good luck for yourself. Thanks for sharing your experience, and we are all with you! Sirbrewz.

My insurance does not offer any kind of WLS coverage at all. As a matter when I called about it the girl at the insurance company asked my info and then proceeded to tell me I wasn't fat enough anyways..... I thought well geez that's real nice. I looked at self pay in the US and just knew I could never afford it. So I started looking at surgeons in Mexico. ( I tried to talk a friend out of this option until I did the research) my story is on another thread called my journey with a lighter me. Anyways it cost me $4650 to go to Mexico and get it done. A friend and I got it done together. They even offer financing. I used my tax return. My surgeon was Dr.Lopez @ a lighter me.

Good luck on your journey!! If you want something bad enough you will get it!!! If you have any questions about how it was feel free to contact me.

This surgery is the best thing I have ever done for myself !!! I was sleeved on May 23rd and am down 23.5 lbs. do whatever you need to do and get this done for yourself. Your depression will turn into self confidence !!!! I can't say enough good things about my surgery !!!

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Just wondering if you have been tested for any medical issues as to why you cant drop weight or is it just purely over eating? My insurance requires me to lose 10% (30 lbs for me) over the course of a 6 month program. I am 43 and have struggled with food addiction, emotional eating etc I have enough knowledge to be a Nutritionist myself lol but hence I reached my high weight of 293 this past year. I have wanted surgery since 2004 but unlike you I have not been able to live the dream nor have had the money to self pay, but thankfully my job switched insurance companies this past January so hell yeah I have struggled to lose the required weight and yes every day it is a struggle and most days I go over but I do log everything in My Fitness Pal keeping track of my calories.. Im not going to say hey if I can do it you can to but if money is not a problem for you and dont want to lose the weight head south of the boarder, there are a lot of positive Mexico stories on here....if not your gonna be 40 something and feeling like your 60 something

Also the is Overeaters Anonymous if you really feel you need help...its free and you will be welcomed no matter what your issues...good luck

You are all so helpful & supportive, thank you. It's always so great to hear "you're not alone". My doctor put the kibosh on any shakes or Protein supplements, but I am thinking I might just need to "creatively document" those meals for my food diary (aka My Fitness Pal- so awesome-seriously-it is amazing).

I kinda felt like OA was weird after I mentioned my intention to have the surgery. And maybe it was just the meeting I was at, but did you ever feel like, idk, judged or something? B/c I know that's not the point of OA meetings, but the people at my meeting seemed pretty anti-WLS?

Well as a "NOT SLEEVED YETTER", It is very important to take that extra weight off prior to getting approved.

1. It shows a commitment to bettering yourself.

2. It is putting you into a "new" routine to help you make the LIFE changes that are necessary when you get sleeved.

3. If you have some weigh off, your surgery and your recovery will be much easier.

You should follow the diet that your doctor/and or dietician gives you. Remember they are the experts.

Secondly, you must have some type of physical activity incorporated into your lifestyle.

These are the keys to success for WLS