Hi all,
My name is Annabelle. I have not yet been banded. My surgery date is April 20th. I am 5' 10" My highest weight was 390. I am currently at 369. I wear a size 34-36 (4X) pant and 38-40 (5X) shirt.
I have been looking at getting WLS since September 2010. In October 2010, I went to the hospital because of chest pains and was kept overnight for observation. I woke up three days later in an ICU ward. I had stopped breathing suddenly during the night. I was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea. I also have borderline high blood pressure. This situation was a wake up call to me. My weight really was having a negative impact on my health. When the doctor gave me my release instructions, he recommended that I look into WLS. I had never considered it before. I went to an informational seminar and thought it sounded like the procedure would work for me. I checked my insurance coverage and found that they sometimes cover the surgery. I met with the surgeon's PA the next week. I had to undergo a psychological evaluation, and exercise evaluation, a nutrition evaluation, and because I also have asthma, a pulmonary clearance for surgery. Although my insurance denied the procedure once, I was able to get approval on appeal. I found out on Friday (three days ago) that the procedure will be covered. I meet with the surgeon and do all my pre-op blood work and meet with the dietitian on April 6th. I will have to do a liquid diet for two weeks prior to surgery. Did anyone else have to do that?
I look forward to meeting people who are also undertaking this journey. Thanks for reading my post!
Annabelle