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Hello and Intro from Jill



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OK. Here goes......

I think I should say a little something about myself since I am reading all about y'all. I got my referral from my PCP on 10/16/13 and go for my orientation/class, meeting with insurance counselor, and first apt with the surgeon/team on 11/7/13. I am going to UVA (University of VA) and am not sure who my surgeon will be yet (because it is a teaching hospital).

I have been overweight my whole life and I am sure like many of you I have struggled to control it. I know I have a food addition...more like sugar addiction. I have tried so many different things; most recently I tried a drug called Qsymia with no results. It has been very frustrating. Add the fact that I have some other medical issues that have developed in the last few years and between the conditions and the meds, the weight keeps piling on.

What made me decide to have the surgery is that my PCP (and my Rheumatologist) told me that loosing the weight would make me feel better. Less pain can't be a bad thing and I am willing to do almost anything to get there. I am realistic; I know that loosing weight is not a "cure all" for my medical issues or for emotional ones.

I am very excited to start this journey and am happy to have found a community to share it with. I have a great support system at home, but they will not understand everything my body and mind are going through. I have found inspiration and knowledge here and want to thank you all. Sharing your stories have helped someone (me) and I look forward to sharing my journey with the hope of helping someone too.

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OK. Here goes......

I think I should say a little something about myself since I am reading all about y'all. I got my referral from my PCP on 10/16/13 and go for my orientation/class' date=' meeting with insurance counselor, and first apt with the surgeon/team on 11/7/13. I am going to UVA (University of VA) and am not sure who my surgeon will be yet (because it is a teaching hospital).

I have been overweight my whole life and I am sure like many of you I have struggled to control it. I know I have a food addition...more like sugar addiction. I have tried so many different things; most recently I tried a drug called Qsymia with no results. It has been very frustrating. Add the fact that I have some other medical issues that have developed in the last few years and between the conditions and the meds, the weight keeps piling on.

What made me decide to have the surgery is that my PCP (and my Rheumatologist) told me that loosing the weight would make me feel better. Less pain can't be a bad thing and I am willing to do almost anything to get there. I am realistic; I know that loosing weight is not a "cure all" for my medical issues or for emotional ones.

I am very excited to start this journey and am happy to have found a community to share it with. I have a great support system at home, but they will not understand everything my body and mind are going through. I have found inspiration and knowledge here and want to thank you all. Sharing your stories have helped someone (me) and I look forward to sharing my journey with the hope of helping someone too.[/quote']

Hello Jill and welcome. I have some of the same things also. My arthritis does not require a rheumatologists. Hopefully I will be better once I have the surgery. I would like to let you know I have learned so much and I hope you will too.

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Hello and welcome!!

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Welcome. The best thing I did was get the band. I am off all medications except for the Vitamins and minerals that are required. I can walk more and longer. I have a very bad back and bad knees but I go to the gym and do what I can. Aquatic exercise is the best for sore joints but where I went closed and I never went else where.

A few things I didn't do before the surgery. Take pictures and measurements. Measurements seem to go down faster than scale I have found.

Good luck and keep us posted on your meetings.

Arlene

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Hi Jill and welcome aboard :)

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I am also just starting my journey. Hello and welcome!

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Hi there, very excited for you! I've been on this forum for a few months and have learned so much from the people here. Now everything is falling into place and in two weeks I'll be banded. I look forward to being on the forum together!

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Welcome aboard. You will learn a lot here

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Hi & welcome to your new home.

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Hello Jill and welcome. You're going to find some amazing tips, friends, encouragement, and a whole lot of other things on this site. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

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welcome welcome, this site is a lifesaver. nice that you found it so fast. good luck on your journey

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Welcome. I am new also. One week post op and doing good. This site is great. You also will find a lot of motivating stories.

We are all here for each other and we can not fail.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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      1. This update has no replies.
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