Next week, I go in to get my referral for GS surgery; hoping to have insurance pay for it at Madigan Army Base. My husband is supportive, although worried for me as he is concerned about actual removal of the stomach. I started out thinking I wanted the lap-band, but through research I have decided to go with the sleeve.

I lightly experimented and told ONE person about the decision to have surgery. Her reply was, "Why don't you just do Opti-Fast?" I literally wanted to strangle her and she will be the LAST person I tell about my decision.

I'm sure many people have the same story as me; trying every diet in the universe, yo-yo up and down and a basic struggle for 20 years. Working so hard to lose 5 lbs and finding those 5 lbs over the weekend. I am 5'7" and 250 lbs with a BMI of 39.8 and I have obstructive sleep apnea. I have a serious family history of diabetes and I am terrified of getting it, as I know how it ravages the body.

Over the last year, I have completely changed my lifestyle, but I have only lost about 10 lbs. I am active and go to the gym 3-4 days a week and active on the weekends with family stuff. I track my calories (1200-1500) on MyFitnessPal. I eat real food. I do not eat sugar. I drink tons of Water. I eat mostly Protein. I have a very active family and I am tired of being the one who always slows us down. I want to zip line. I want to kayak without stuffing myself into it and being embarrassed. I want to paddle board. I want to ski. All of these things are almost impossible at my current weight.

What if I this surgery doesn't work for me? The big answer to weight loss is supposed to be eat less, move more and it will work for you. Well, I have CONSISTENTLY done that in the last year with little to no results. I do feel good though and I have also spent the last year working on why I compulsively ate and I use other tools to deal with those issues now. Is this surgery really going to be the final answer? I am nervous...

I'm no veteran, but it sounds to me like you are a prime candidate for the sleeve. The key to long term success with the sleeve is a permanent change in lifestyle and faithful adherence to the dietary guidelines. Seems like you have already made great changes, now you need the tool.

The fact that at your current weight you are not losing weight on less than 1500 calories a day means that the extreme low calorie diet generally prescribed after weight loss surgery is probably necessary for you. Even though you have become more active, your metabolism is interfering with weight loss. And as you know, an extreme low calorie diet without weight loss surgery is just a yo-yo waiting to happen.

Whatever you decide, don't give up your new healthy habits. They will serve you well.

Hmmm ... if you have really eaten only 1200-1500 calories/day for the last year, go to the gym regularly, weigh 250 pounds, but and you have lost only 10 pounds in a year, there might be something going on.

Have you been tested for hypothyroidism?

You should definitely tell all this to your surgeon and see what she/he thinks about this.

Very best wishes.

Edited September 1, 201411 yr by VSGAnn2014

There is nothing wrong with my thyroid. My past doctor says I just have a super efficient metabolism. He told me this story about different colored tabby cats. He called me an "orange tabby cat"; saying he has never seen an orange tabby cat that has not been overweight (as opposed to other color of tabby cats) and that it is just the way my body is built and I should accept it. I changed doctors. The new doctor told me to cut out grains and that would do the trick. It has not. I eat mostly Proteins and veggies and it has not made any difference.

I have been able to lose when I cut my calories down to about 1000, but I can't sustain that for long on my own.

Don't let anyone change your mind. They don't understand the dynamics of our eating habits. I'm 59 years old and I have been on every diet there is since the age of 18. Fen-Fen, weight watcher, nutra system, Jenny Craig , low fat low carb, just to name a few. I lost weight on all of them but when I finished the program I would gain all the weight back and then some. What I have learned through all my research and consulting all of my many doctor ( due to weight related health issues) is I will probably have a shortened life if I don't due something about it now.

The sleeve surgery removes the part of the stomach which houses the hunger hormone. Without this hormone our drive to eat will greatly decrease. This hormone tell the brain that you are hunger. You will be able to eat again, you will just eat much less and be satisfied. Listen to your doctors, and nutritionist not your friends or Family who wish to sabotage your decision. My new motto is " I eat to live not live to eat"

Good Luck,

You sound 100% ready for this surgery. If you have changed your life that much and still can't drop weight, the restriction of a sleeve may be what you need. Madigan is a great hospital. I did many of my nursing clinicals there. Good luck at your first appt; I hope you get approved right away.

Are you a military wife or just trying to have your surgery done at Madigan?

I am a military wife.

But also I have heard great things about the surgery at Madigan and they are my choice even though I could probably go to a civilian doctor and get it done.

Madigan is a great hospital. I'm a military wife also, and if you get the referral to the weight loss surgery program, you're already approved. You'll have to go through their "program" of nutrition visits etc. but you start out with an approval and the only thing that'll get you kicked out of the program is weight gain. You don't have to lose weight, but you can not gain weight. That's it!

Don't you just love those types of comments!

I especially like when people remind me that "if you just eat less and work out more you will lose weight naturally. Have you tried that?"

I want to reply with "Wow, that is amazing! Where did you ever learn that? No one ever told me that secret knowledge before, you may be on to something here. Have you ever considered sharing your knowledge with the public? "

It's either that or send them to the throat punching ladies from one of the previous threads........that would take care of it.

Lol at "sharing your knowledge with the public"!! Hilarious!!

The throat punching ladies! Rotf:)

I needed that!! Thanks!! LOL!

I am in a very similar boat. Hope all goes well for you. We recently pcs'd, but as a recruiter, so having to deal with the civilian side of it all. My new pcm told me to just walk.. even after I told him I use my elliptical, do ddpyoga, have been to a nutritionist and all the other jazz. Some people, even doctors just don't get it. Good for you for changing doctor's and moving forward.