Hi everyone! I am hoping to find someone on here that is at the same stage as me or close. . I had my seminar a week and a half ago. I am approved by my insurance so that is good. I have my consultation on jan 15th. I already have my appointments scheduled for the cardiologist which is Monday, the psychiatrist and the pulmonologist. Things are moving quickly for me so that is a good thing.

I am a newbie too. I had my seminar in October, surgeon visit in November and now going through 3 mos of mandatory diet counseling, so I think surgery will be in March 2014. I have a lot of weight to lose... 150 lbs or more. I am new to this website (20 mins.) so not sure how to navigate it yet, but would love to share my journey with you. I need to surround myself with people who understand what I'm going through. I will be getting the gastric sleeve surgery. How about you?

Hi!! It is so nice to meet you! My name is Stacie. I have between 130 and 150 to lose. I am also going with the sleeve! I have a friend that had it in Nov. And she did great! My best friend had gastric bipass and was in and out of the hospital due to complications. I feel more comfortable with the sleeve.

I'm so glad you responded! . I love this app and I'm so glad my friend told me about it!

Where do you live? I am in IL!

Hi Stacie. I'm still trying to figure out how this app works, but getting there. Thank you so much for responding! I live in Kansas. I am so looking forward to this surgery. Can't come soon enough. I've heard really good things about the sleeve and though it is not reversible, I hear people lose the most weight on it and it seems like it is less intrusive on the rest of the intestines etc. Have you told everyone about your upcoming surgery? What about work? Not sure what to do there... My friends I think would be very supportive, but my family not so much and work? I don't know. Hope you had a great Christmas and look forward to talking again.

Hi! I have told my family and they are very supportive! Especially my husband, mom and sister! I have 3 kids. My oldest is worried! I don't work any more so I don't have to worry about work! That's good that your friends will be supportive but too bad about your family!

I have been checking out this app to see if there is like an instant messanger but don't see one. Do you have yahoo messenger?

Hi, hope it's ok for me to butt into your conversation. I am also new to this site and I would love to be able to share with others. I am meeting with the bariatric team (surgeon, nutritionist, etc,) on January 8 and 9 and should be getting my surgery within 3 months after that. I'm from Quebec, so it's a bit different here. My insurance will cover it and I have to be off work for 3 months, which I think is entirely too long. I am a teacher and mother of a 5 year old girl.I have read every book and watched every youtube video on the sleeve and I am terrified, but I feel like I have to do it. I also have over 100 lbs to lose and I don't feel like I can do it by myself anymore. I would love to keep sharing with you as we continue our journey to becoming healthy.

Hi, hope it's ok for me to butt into your conversation. I am also new to this site and I would love to be able to share with others. I am meeting with the bariatric team (surgeon, nutritionist, etc,) on January 8 and 9 and should be getting my surgery within 3 months after that. I'm from Quebec, so it's a bit different here. My insurance will cover it and I have to be off work for 3 months, which I think is entirely too long. I am a teacher and mother of a 5 year old girl.I have read every book and watched every youtube video on the sleeve and I am terrified, but I feel like I have to do it. I also have over 100 lbs to lose and I don't feel like I can do it by myself anymore. I would love to keep sharing with you as we continue our journey to becoming healthy.

3 months off! Wow! I think that would make the surgery worth it right ther=

e! Ok, I'm kidding ,but only a little. I'm hoping to be off two weeks. I w=

ould love to correspond with you as we share this journey. Sounds like we w=

ill have our surgeries about the same time. I am a dental hygienist in Kans=

as, married, no kids. I too have read every book and watched tons of videos=

. I think I am more excited than scared. Can't wait to finally have a chan=

ce to really lose weight and keep it off.

Hi! I have told my family and they are very supportive! Especially my husband, mom and sister! I have 3 kids. My oldest is worried! I don't work any more so I don't have to worry about work! That's good that your friends will be supportive but too bad about your family! <br>

I have been checking out this app to see if there is like an instant messanger but don't see one. Do you have yahoo messenger?

I do not have yahoo messenger... Not even sure I am replying correctly on my iPad....

Hi Shelly, I did that wrong. See my answer below.

3 months off! Wow! I think that would make the surgery worth it right there! Ok, I'm kidding ,but only a little. I'm hoping to be off two weeks. I would love to correspond with you as we share this journey. Sounds like we will have our surgeries about the same time. I am a dental hygienist in Kansas, married, no kids. I too have read every book and watched tons of video. I think I am more excited than scared. Can't wait to finally have a chance to really lose weight and keep it off.

Wow! 3 months off? That is great! I would love to keep in touch throughout this journey. I am not sure yet when my surgery will be. I'm hoping for feb. But we will see.

Thank you for replying so fast. I will keep both of you posted. Like I said, I will know more after my appointments on the 8th and 9th of January. I also have to bring home a machine to see if I have sleep apnea. I'm hoping I don't because they will make me buy this device that costs 2000$ here. Did you have to pass that test? I guess I am pretty lucky to get that 3 months off, it's not every hospital in Quebec that does that, most are 6 weeks off though. Two weeks in not a lot. I am really nervous about meeting all those specialists within 2 days. I hope everything goes well. It's great that I get to talk about this with you. I need to figure out how this site works so that I can message you privately also. Gonna try to figure it out this week. Talk to you soon.

Hi Shelly! I already have sleep Apnea and have a machine. I don't know if I will have to go through another sleep study or not. I hope not! I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2011. I hope you don't have it!

Not really a newbie to the board, but a newbie to the process. I have Kaiser and this is my last week of the Options classes (there were 12). So I am very stoked about that.

The only thing that is in the way at this point is the fact that I need to do a sleep apnea study but my appointment isn't until March!! So I will basically be twiddling my thumbs until then. Been bugging them about getting in to any cancelled appt spots though. Annoying thing is that I have no symptoms of sleep apnea but they are still making me do it. Oh well.. I figure these things happen for a reason.

After that I will have a series of pre-op appointments, such as psych, etc.

I'm excited though. Best of luck to all

Hi Ladies, I am a newbie also. Went to the Seminar in December and I have my first consultation with the surgeon on January 10. I believe my insurance covers bariatric surgery when medically necessary and I have a BMI over 40. I just hope I don't have to do the 6 month weigh in, keeping fingers crossed. I will follow up when I meet with surgeon and know more about what my requirements are. I have great support from my family, friends and co-workers! Good luck to all.

I'm also a newbie...I went to my last medical supervised weight management with my MD appointment. Fed BCBS demands that before they will cover the sleeve. I have done all my testing and now just have to wait for my surgeon to send all my completed task to BCBS....I have done everything the have required! It took about five months....I'm scared to death for some reason the will deny me. All the appointments between the psychological eval , pap, mammo, barium swallow and labs plus the four month long weight management appointments. My thing is I have nothing wrong with me. My blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar levels and sleep habits are all normal. I do have a BMI of 43..so they say that will work....still nervous. Anyone else out there with same insurance and health (non) issues?