InProgress

Even though I'm a newbie I would LOVE to do this but I wont even be sleeved until June at the earliest so I'm guessing that having a fat chick aweighing you down is going to be counterproductive. That being said, I'm in WV and Allegiant Air has some SUPER CHEAP flights to Ft. Lauderdale. Perhaps some of the rest of you could go that route and then rent a car together. It might make for an extra few hours at the airport but it could end up saving ton$ in the long run. Good luck guys and put me on next year's guest list for sure!

One of my major goals aafter being sleeved is being able to go and "play" at a roller Derby practice even though I know I'll never be team worthy! Just to be able to say I did it once would be SO awesome!

Where in southern, OH? If you're close enough, Dr. Blaine Nease in Huntington, WV is amazing. His insurance girl had a bypass a few years ago and more importantly has never had a denial. They are very helpful and kind. I haven't seen a lot of stuff about him online but I'm telling you, go to his seminar and you'll just know.

Keep us posted. Don't worry about your stuff. I know you're like me and have it all memorized anyway. Good luck!

Yay! I'm SO excited for you!!!

I'm praying for you. I'm fasting for a 30 hour famine at church so I'm doing a lot of praying today. Lol. I'm still only on my 3rd month (of 6) of fat camp and I'm already stressing about approval so I get what you're saying. My insurance coordinator is AMAZING but I'm still a little nervous. She also gets approvals quickly usually buy I'm afraid I'll be the one that takes the full 30 days. Maybe they'll post your results over the weekend and you'll wake up Monday morning to great news - though I realize it'd be better news today. Good luck!

So sorry to hear about your mom. The death of my mother was one of the things that prompted me to begin this journey as well. Please keep us posted on your progress. Have you received any word from Kaiser yet?

Omgosh! This post made me so happy! I'm on my 3rd month of my 6 month fat camp and am desperately hoping for a June date (the AMAZING insurance gal at my surgeon's office says it's a possibility!) so to see May dates posted makes me realize that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Congrats to those of you with dates. Please keep us posted - I can't get enough info on this.

You look amazing. Congrats!

Six months?! Wow. You're a rock star! My excitement level just went up again. I can't wait to get sleeved!

I can not wait until yard sale season! I won't be finished with my 6 month fat camp until June and I'm sure that it will take a while for me to get going after that but I am going to start shopping as soon as yard sale season starts. The way I figure it, I can spend 50¢ or $1 on something I like and even if I only wear it once it'll be worth it. Talk about fueling optimism! Knowing that I can buy a smaller size and eventually fit into it will be a huge incentive! Plus, that way I can spend money on clothes before I'm sinking all of my 'excess' funds into protein drinks. It won't be long now!

Ok, so first I have to say I LOVE this forum! I've had so many questions answered and appreciate the time and effort put into providing the advice more than you'll know. Ok, on to my questions - first, whose scale do you use when tracking your progress? I HATE scales but have recently been weighed at my house, my office, the Dr's office, my gynecologist and, on Friday, the surgeon's. Obviously I'll have easiest access to mine but its about 10 pounds off. What does everyone else do? Second, do you normally track your progress from your heaviest, first doctor's appointment, first surgeon's appointment, what? I see people with trackers for all three but I didn't know if there was a place the surgeon or nut suggested starting? I know I'm obsessive (though hopefully not enough not to qualify for the surgery ) but I'm laying out my own tracking sheets and would like some input on what works for everyone else. Thanks so much for your help!

I agree with sleevemeplease about the stalking. I know a lot about some people here who don't even know I exist. Except, well, that's a buy like life as a fat (invisible) person. Anyway, I get the "talk" thing too CBL. We were discussing right to die and end of life in Bioethics and I did my paper this week on my wishes so there'd be no question. I'm doing my big final paper on this surgery so I have a legitimate reason to obsess.

I've seen SO many different approaches to this. My surgeon didn't tell me I had to lose anything (even though my BMI is 59.9 and I am trying anyway) and he only makes his patients do full liquids (and no NSaids) 48 hours before. He does use a drain which you have to go in and have removed in his office the next week and I'll have progressed to normal food by a month out. He doesn't automatically prescribe a PPI either - he says he wants us to be aware if we're eating too fast or the wrong things. I want all the info I can get so I love reading everyone else's stuff here but I know that I also need to follow my surgeon's protocols because he will literally be holding my life in his hands at some point. I disagree with some of his stuff but I can't argue with his success rate so I'll do as he says - but this forum gives me other alternatives to suggest if necessary. I love that!

Good luck to all of you! Please keep us posted. I'm so excited to hear your updates. I still have 4 months of hoops to jump through but I know I'll be where you are soon. Well, except I doubt I'll clean the house. Lol. Jk!

Omgosh! I just did the bar code scan. As a geek, this makes me super happy. I just hope it doesn't make me want to eat processed food just to scan it. Lol.

Thanks guys! I have used Fat Secret in the past and really liked it. I'm glad to know 'there's an app for that'. As far as the Excel spreadsheet - thank you! That makes me feel so much better about my tracking system. I'm utilizing Excel as well and have incorporated what you mentioned as well as percentages per weigh in, overall and percent to goal. Additionally, I have had rewards in place for a long time for losing and my husband kindly agreed to let me keep them even though my losses will be nontraditional and, hopefully, much quicker. Those are based on some of the criteria above and I want to track how long it takes me to get to each of them. Right now I'm "hungry" for information about people who started at my weight and I'm hoping by tracking my progress I can help someone in the future.

Congratulations! I just had my 2nd (of 6) appointments Monday and have my 1st actual appointment with the surgeon Friday. On the one hand I'm so eager to get this going, on the other hand, I agree that the wait has given me time to prepare. Waiting for approval will hinge mainly on your insurance but if your surgeon's office has good insurance staff it will definitely help. Talk to them to make sure everything is in order. Depending on your surgeon's patient load, March might very well work for you! Keep us posted and again, congrats & good luck!

I've struggled with this question as well. If we ate foods that were bad for us and had heart, cholesterol or high blood pressure we would take medicine or have heart surgery to fix them, right? This really isn't that much different. If we consider obesity a disease and we are going to the doctor to get help with it, isn't that similar? (I wont be so bold as to claim it's the same thing exactly) . Another point, aren't we technically doing it with diet and exercise? We can't just eat crackers, cheesecake & milkshakes all day and lose weight. We have to make a conscious and concerted effort to change our lifestyle or it will not work. That being said, some of us will lose weight easier with the sleeve than others just like some of the "naturally skinny" people do in real life - or so it seems. This is not an automatic cure for us but it does help - just like living on a ranch with a fridge stocked with healthy foods and our own personal trainer would most certainly help. This isn't the easy way out - but it is (for MOST of us) going to be easier.

Thanks so much for this list. Can someone clarify the heating pad thing? Is a heating pad really helpful? I have some reusable heating gel packs and I'm wondering if they would actually be helpful. I know they're amazing for cramps but I'm wondering how that could help after surgery. Thanks again.

Just to clarify: I am not suggesting these at 2 weeks out, I am pre-surg and profess no knowledge of what your doc will suggest. Tiffy's advice rings very true not to put too much stress on yourself at this point and she is definitely a veteran. I just heard about these this morning at work and was excited to share my new 'knowledge' because this seems to be an issue a lot of people struggle with and I am rarely able to add anything of any significance other than the occasional attaboy or thank you, ma'am.

I just heard about some tea they sell at Kroger here and another you can find at Walmart. The WM one had Senna in it (which makes sense since Sennacot (sp?) is a laxative or still softener. I'll find the names and post them. I plan to stock up just in case.

Good luck! Keep us posted. I'm sure ill be doing the same thing when its my turn: Worry. Text. Smile. Repeat.

You look great! I'm so happy for you! Look at that smile - that's not the face of a failure. That's a strong woman who, unfortunately had to take a different, windy road to get where she needed to be. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!

Congratulations! How long ago was your surgery?