Just got my date: July 10, 2017. I have what seems like a fairly typical lead-up to WLS: losing between 20-50 pounds repeatedly since reaching adulthood and always managing to put the pounds back on plus some. I have tried many diets, including Weight Watchers, Atkins, Paleo, Nutri-System, Slim Fast, Isagenix, and various other meal replacement shakes. It is only recently that I have really recognized that I have a very unhealthy relationship with food. I don't know that I necessarily am an emotional eater, I just really like to eat and I really like the feeling of being full. I have started to work on the mental aspect of my food issues and I anticipate that this will be the biggest struggle for me after WLS. Basically, food is my vice.

I also have been in denial about my size for some time. I have always carried my weight in a way that kind of masks my size. I have always figured that I am doing OK as long as I can still find cute clothes that fit me. I also have a healthy sense of self-confidence and have never let my weight hold me back. However, I finally realized that it was time to take control of my obesity through weight loss surgery when I was diagnosed with sleep apnea earlier this year. I cannot allow my weight and my obsession with food compromise my health or lead me to an early death.

I am also totally nervous! I am not necessarily afraid of the surgery itself (I have had three C-sections and NOTHING can be worse than that!) but I still need to get to the place where I am as close to 100% sure as possible that I will be able to commit long term to a massive life style change. I know myself, and it will be difficult, if not impossible, for me to moderate around certain foods. Thus, surgery may mark the end of my relationship with some of my favorite things.

I have learned a great deal from lurking on this site for the better part of 2017. I am hoping to find some fellow July 2017 sleevers to commiserate with and I would love support and advice from any experienced WLS veterans, especially when it comes to post WLS surgery veterans who feel like they may have/had a dependence or addiction to food.

July 7th surgery date in Mexico!!

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July 14th in Cabo [emoji7][emoji7]

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Thank you for being so welcoming! I am not telling anyone but my parents about the surgery. So this group is going to be good for me.

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7 hours ago, LosinItOverHere said:

July 10th 2017 is my surgery date too!! I have only told a few people because I am embarrassed to be fat.

Sleeve Date twins!!!!

I have told my closest friends and my family! Other than them I have told people that I am having surgery but not what it is. I had a bad relationship years back, afterwards I promised to learn to love myself how I am. I think that gives me a lot of confidence. Also my hubby is super supportive, aaaaand I have my therapist hahaha! I still struggle with "what are other people going to think of me" when they find out I am having/had weight loss surgery, but at the end of the day I try to remind myself this is my body and my life, and I want to be healthy more than I care about almost anything else.

Recently I was reminded of that, I don't know if any of you know who Ashley Nell Tipton is, but she is a plus size designer who won project runway. It recently came out that she underwent WLS and I keep seeing articles where she says that mantra over and over "It’s My Body, It’s My Health, It’s My Choice"

She wrote a great post on FB, but of course I can't find it. But here is an article

http://stylishcurves.com/ashley-nell-tipton-reveals-she-had-weightloss-surgery/

Hope this message give you, and everyone else on our feed some positive vibes! We are here to support each other!

Edited May 25, 20179 yr by Kristen0912

I have a therapist too. I told him I want to go through this with someone. I have depression and they were afraid to approve me in the first place because I am an emotional eater. I need to make sure I stay in therapy through this ordeal. Maybe we can all get a group discount on tummy tucks afterward hahahaha!!! I am scared of the way I am going to look after losing the weight. I hope not too bad because I don't think i can ever afford plastic surgery unless I go to mexico. This group will be good for us cuz we can share right from pre-op to post-op and beyond! Nice to meet all of you!!

Edited May 26, 20179 yr by LosinItOverHere

My date is July 12th. I just got insurance approval and surgery date today. Excited!

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Hey there everyone! I am scheduled for July 21st for the Gastric Sleeve procedure. I am choosing to complete this journey because I have been battling against the same 40-50 lbs my whole adult life and looking with determination to avoid another yo yo diet. All the woman in your family are over weight and my mother has type II diabetes and has had heart surgery at 60. This will not be my fate and I am making an aggressive move while I am still relatively young and in excellent health to avoid these issues in your future. I am super nervous and excited all at once. I am 5'2", 174 lbs, and am looking for support, guidance, and looking to support others. Good luck to all the other posters starting their journey this July as well.

Hey there everyone! I am scheduled for July 21st for the Gastric Sleeve procedure. I am choosing to complete this journey because I have been battling against the same 40-50 lbs my whole adult life and looking with determination to avoid another yo yo diet. All the woman in your family are over weight and my mother has type II diabetes and has had heart surgery at 60. This will not be my fate and I am making an aggressive move while I am still relatively young and in excellent health to avoid these issues in your future. I am super nervous and excited all at once. I am 5'2", 174 lbs, and am looking for support, guidance, and looking to support others. Good luck to all the other posters starting their journey this July as well.

I am with you on the preventative aspect of the surgery. I do have a few weight related health issues already and it scares me. Are you on an pre-op eating plan?

I am with you on the preventative aspect of the surgery. I do have a few weight related health issues already and it scares me. Are you on an pre-op eating plan?

Not yet. I am sure the doctor will place me on one on July 6th for my pre op visit. I am practicing the chewing and experimenting with some protein shake recipes. Stalking up on my protein mixes and vitamins.

Sounds like we have similar concerns! So far I have only told my husband. If I had it my way I would not tell anyone else! Truthfully, I am embarrassed and I do not want to deal with judgment or unsolicited advice. I do not think that any of my close friends or family members will support my decision. I will likely tell my mom because I will need her help with my children after surgery. I know that she is going to be super critical and probably will try to talk me out of it. Who have you decided to tell?

I have been trying to work on the mental aspect of things for several weeks. I am very scared to permanently alter my body only to find I lack the will power to make a long term change. I found a podcast called the Weight Loss Surgery Podcast that I have found very helpful. I highly recommend it. I've listened to every episode. I've also been reading a Geneen Roth book that has some good ideas about changing mindset with regard to food. Thanks for responding! It's nice to have someone to bounce concerns off of!

Great idea about the podcast. Also I have only told 2 people of my surgery. My husband, my sister in law who had the procedure herself. I figure everyone else is on a need to know basis. [emoji57]

My date is July 14th....They submitted to Insurance last Friday and I was approved today! I am excited but scared.....Some people know about it but I a really tired of hearing...you really don't need this! So annoying!

June is well underway! Some of us have less than 30 days until our surgery dates! OMG!!!!!!

Where is everyone at in the process? I have my Orientation next week, so that's my next step!

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 4:11 PM, Tazzy31072 said:

My date is July 14th....They submitted to Insurance last Friday and I was approved today! I am excited but scared.....Some people know about it but I a really tired of hearing...you really don't need this! So annoying!

Congrats on your approval! I am scheduled for July 10th and I am FREAKING OUT! I am nervous about the permanent change to my body. I struggle with whether I am doing the right thing. I have only told my husband because I do not want to deal with unwanted comments from other people. I do not want my decision to influenced by people who do not know what I am going through health-wise and psychologically from being obese. I told my brother (who is also obese) when I was just thinking about surgery, and his response was, "isn't that a bit extreme?" Of course, that comment has stuck with me. What are you doing to combat your fears and shake off people's input? I need ideas!!

Congrats on your approval! I am scheduled for July 10th and I am FREAKING OUT! I am nervous about the permanent change to my body. I struggle with whether I am doing the right thing. I have only told my husband because I do not want to deal with unwanted comments from other people. I do not want my decision to influenced by people who do not know what I am going through health-wise and psychologically from being obese. I told my brother (who is also obese) when I was just thinking about surgery, and his response was, "isn't that a bit extreme?" Of course, that comment has stuck with me. What are you doing to combat your fears and shake off people's input? I need ideas!!

My mantra is it is all mind over matter....i don't mind and they don't matter....i have to do this for my own healthy life and honestly...i had always thought that bariatric surgery was a last resort but in reality when you're stuck and you can't go any further you look at all the options and you tend to see exactly what you should do ...you can't enter into this lightly and you can't let people make you feel bad or weird about doing it. I go for my pre-op appointment on the 21st and I'm hoping my surgeon will make me feel a little better and a little less freaked out about the procedure itself he has a great bedside Manner and he's very easy to talk to so I'm hoping that's going to help and then I see the anesthesiologist on the 27th so hopefully that'll help too

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On 5/25/2017 at 0:38 AM, LosinItOverHere said:

embarrassed to be fat.

@LosinItOverHere and @Redo2017

such a sad statement

true for many OP

i felt the same way

knowing the problem is 1/2 the solution

never, never, ever compare yourself to others

ie time it takes in losing weight

if someone lost 10 lbs one week and you

"only" lost 7 lbs - don't worry or be upset

concentrate on YOU - no one else!!

(except me of course)

July 10th or 14th are the best date of the year for

the sleeve LOL

actually any date/month of surgey is the best

for any individual - this becomes your day

nerves, excitement are normal feelings

you'll probably experiment these and other

feelings during this pre-op phase

read the boards, books etc

continue to ask questions

some ??"s might come up that

you were curious about too!!

wealth of info "out there"

one more thing IMO

don't get on that devil

of a scale too often

it can make you crazy

"Knowledge is Power"

good luck

speedy recovery

kathy

I get my date today:) I'll ask for June since I am self pay- I am required to do two weeks of a pre-op diet