Good morning all. I've been reading up on VSG for several years now but was never to the point where I was really truly ready to make the life-altering changes required. In that time, I've lost and gained 40lbs twice. I've been put on hypertension meds, and my knees creak when I walk. I've been miserable about my weight for as long as I can remember but wasn't ready to never eat a full meal again, or chug a glass of water when I was parched. But something finally clicked when I was planning a family vacation (which should be the most exciting thing ever) and was focused on "will I fit on the plane? How about the rides? Will I run out of energy halfway through? Will my knees give out?" etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. Not the stuff I want to be focusing on!! So, now I'm ready and I'm signed up for three different information seminars at three local hospitals over the next two months. I'm hopeful to get sleeved around Sept/Oct depending on insurance and doctor requirements. That would be the best timing for me. Unless for some reason they could get me in before the first week or so of June (which I know isn't likely) so I'd be on my way to recovery by the time school is out for my kids. Summer is a bad time for me to be on my butt, with 2 very active boys running around.

If anyone has any tips/suggestions for someone at the beginning of the journey, please share. I'm going to be spending a lot of time on this and other forum soaking up the experiences and knowledge. A little about me - 36 year old mom of 2, married, current BMI 43 . Been struggling with my weight since I was 10. Tried alllllll the things - Weight Watchers, FitnessPal, very low calorie diets (which work, until you eat normally again), etc. The weight always comes back. I'm sure most people here know exactly where I am and how I feel. I do have someone close to me that had the surgery 5 years ago and has been talking me through the overall process but I'm big on getting as much information as possible.

Thank you for your support

Oh, and if anyone has used Harvard Pilgrim insurance and has any info related to that I'd love to hear it


CJ

Edited March 31, 201610 yr by CJ'sready

@@SarahSleeve Will the move affect your surgery? Will you still be using the same surgeon and insurance?

@@SarahSleeve Will the move affect your surgery? Will you still be using the same surgeon and insurance?

I'm actually moving closer to the surgeon and hospital, so nothing should change.We're only moving about 30 mins away from our current home.

I had my sleeve on june 6th, I have had no problems at all just nausea when I woke up from surgery but other than that not even a sore throat. I can eat most anything I never get sick and I can drink Water just fine. so don't be scared. you deserve this

I've been poring over the before/after threads and the success stories and keep breaking down in tears. I *so* want to be a success story some day, so bad that it hurts. It also scares me though. Not the actual surgery, but the changes that will come in my life after. If I have the surgery in early Fall I could feasibly be up to 100lbs lighter by this time next year (I have 125 to lose to get to the middle of "normal" for my height). That's terrifying. I've never really been a normal weight, not since I was 5 years old. I was bullied (majorly) as a fat kid, ignored as a fat teen and adult except for my close groups of friends. Always been insecure and hiding myself from others. I learned to survive in my own head, ignoring the haters and loving myself regardless. I am incredibly lucky to have found love in high school and am still married to him now (together going on 20 years). How will my relationship change? I've never been thin with him, not really. Maybe a few times when I starved myself for a trip/event I got down to a size 12. But otherwise - I was even 225lbs at my wedding (size 16 dress). And now I'm a size 20, have been for years. He's always been a healthy weight. He has NEVER complained about my weight, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind a more agile, active wife/mother of his kids. Who wouldn't?

I've been fat so long that I don't know myself any other way. How do I do this and not lose who I am?

Just rambling. First info seminar on Friday. It's starting!

August 12, 2016

===========================

I have my first of two 3.5 hour lifestyle classes tomorrow.

I did my at home sleep study this week (wasn't too bad), no results yet. They set me for a follow up in the 2nd week of September but I'm hoping they can at least call me with the results before then. My program requires 2 months with a CPAP prior to surgery if apnea is diagnosed and if I don't even start that until September my timeline will be pushed back at least a month past what I was hoping. But I'm still pushing forward. If I can get sleeved before my birthday that would be fantastic (mid-November)

Coming up next:

-Monthly check up next week

-2 lifestyle classes

-Dietician and exercise follow ups last week of September

-At least one more support meeting (offered monthly)

-Lose my pre-op weight

I think that's it??? The weight loss is proving harder than I thought. The stress of moving has made me crave carbs, it's not good at all. I need to crack down big time. Summer was a bad time for me to start this process. I should have started back in February or something! Hindsight!

September 26, 2016

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Been a while since I updated! We're all moved and settled in the new house.

Got the results from my sleep study and I do have very mild apnea, which I am required to treat for 2 full months before surgery. I picked up the CPAP last week. It'll take some getting used to but I did manage to leave it on my face all night last night (other nights I'd pull it off after the required 4 hour minimum use time).

Completed the 6 hours of lifestyle classes and have completed 1 of 2 counseling appointments (second is in 2 weeks). Had my 3 month follow up with exercise and they were happy with my progress and gave me guidelines for where they want me to be before surgery (5 days per week, working up to 60 mins/day of moderate activity, along with some strength training). They told me that if I can get to that before surgery it'll make it easier on my body to tolerate the surgery and heal afterwards so I'm working on it!

I have about 14lbs left to lose to meet my pre-surgery goal. I've been very focused this past month and am losing steadily so I'm planning to continue what I've been doing and hope I can get there in time to have surgery sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas (yeah, foooood season, but this is a life change and I'm ready to make the sacrifice )

Dietician appt this week. 2nd pre-op support meeting completed earlier this month, but I'll likely continue going until my surgery because I do find them useful. Next month they're taste testing Protein drinks, might be helpful

I think I'm just about done with most of the pre-op stuff!

Left to do before surgery:

2 months CPAP (started 9/22)

1 more counseling appt

monthly check ins and support meetings

14 more lbs to go!

It really does take longer than I thought it would to get all this done, and my insurance was very easy in the way that it doesn't require anything more than a high BMI. The requirements are all from the hospital. The sleep study was the longest process, I had to wait 6 weeks to get in there, another 2 weeks to get the study done, then another 5 weeks to go back in for the results (that was irritating, I was in there for 5 mins, they seriously could have just called me with the results), then another week to go pick up the CPAP. It's OK though. Until a few weeks ago I was still crazy with moving stress so honestly the timing was probably better this way.

Now that Summer is over and Fall is here and I'm back in my long pants and sweatshirts (where I've always felt most comfortable - covering up as much of me as possible); I keep getting excited that by the time next Summer starts and we open the pool up I'll be 6 - 8 months post op with the possibility of being 75+lbs down. I can't even imagine what that's going to feel like, but I'm ready for it! Will I be able to spend my first Summer in years without carrying a sweater around for those times when I don't want my rolls and flabby parts on display???? I can't wait to see what happens between now and then!

Off to do my 35 mins of exercise (ramping up to the 60 mins, 5 mins at a time as directed by the exercise counselor!)

Good for you. You're on your way. All the best to you!

Sounds like you are steadily progressing towards your surgery! The wait can be a pain, but you are making improvements that will continue to help you post-op as well. So just keep your eye on the prize!

October 14, 2016

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Getting down to the end!! Just had my October check in and I'm down a total of 12lbs out of the 23 they want me to lose pre-op. Not the best but at least I'm going in the right direction. They said if I can get to within 5 lbs of the goal by the time I see them on November 21st they'll schedule me to meet with the surgeon. Once I meet with the surgeon, if they like what I've done they'll submit to insurance and once approved they'll schedule my surgery.

Fingers crossed I get in before the end of the year - otherwise I have to start all over again with respect to insurance out of pocket costs/deductibles! I'm hoping I'll end up getting sleeved somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Left to do:

Monthly Support Meetings

Monthly Follow Ups

CPAP follow up mid November

Lose at least 8 lbs before November 21st

Meet with Surgeon

Insurance Submission/Approval

Surgery!!!!

Glad to hear everything is still chugging right along. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can get in before the end of the year!

December 10, 2016

======================================

Ok so here I am, 8 months later - still pre-surgery. I've got everything done. Been wearing my CPAP every night since September. Mental health evals done. Been attending monthly support meetings. All done. Except.... the weight loss. I'm stuck. No matter what I eat, I'm stuck at 12 lbs gone. I'm supposed to be down another 5 - 7 lbs before they will even schedule me with the surgeon. Then it's another 4-6 weeks before surgery depending on insurance, etc.

5lbs should be so easy. why am I having so much trouble? This is the last step. I really thought I'd be post-op by now, the only thing holding me back is ME.

I think the most frustrating thing is that I have been eating fairly well, just too much of it. I eat lots of Protein, water/tea, veggies, fruits. I eat very few processed carbs, cut out coffee and alcohol a while ago, but I'm stuck. I think I'm going to have to be extremely strict the next 10 days (my next appt). They told me back in September (when I was the same weight I am now), that if I could get to within 5lbs of my doc's presurgery goal (which is about 5lbs less than I am now) they would let me meet with the surgeon after my October appt. So they set me up with the program coordinator for October (the one who decides if you get to see the surgeon). I maintained for October. They tried again for November. I maintained again. I'm back to meeting with the dietitian for December. I could have easily been post op but because of my lack of willpower, here i am. Into the new year now.

On a positive note, at least I don't have to worry about recovery during the holidays. With the kids, family, hosting parties etc - I wasn't looking forward to that. And I'll still have 4months or so before Summer to lose some of this excess weight. Not as long as I'd hoped, but maybe I'll be one of those people that drops like 60lbs in 4 months. That would be nice.

I'm just so ready for this change. So why am I holding myself back?

Jan 4, 2017

===================

A new year and here I still am on the pre-op side. But it's OK. I've got 3 weeks to lose 6 lbs. I can do that! Then I'll get to meet the surgeon and it should be quick moving after that. By the end of March I should be sleeved and on to the next chapter.

I'm SO ready!

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Sorry you've been so stuck and can't lose those last few pounds you need to get your surgery scheduled. You know what you have to do, time to execute!

Sorry you've been so stuck and can't lose those last few pounds you need to get your surgery scheduled. You know what you have to do, time to execute!

You know it! 20 days to push myself and be incredibly strict with my diet. I can do this. It's only going to help me prepare for after, anyways!

Thanks for all your support @@JamieLogical !

Thank you so much for writing out your journey. I thought I would be able to get sleeved before the summer then it turned into fall and I was just sleeved on 1/5. My surgeon didn't have any weight loss requirements pre surgery so I didn't have to do that. I look forward to following your journey. You are a pretty talented writer and enjoyed your posts very much.

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@@SarahSleeve thank you for posting your updates! Keep pushing forward!

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