HetKF

Just had my TT on June 11th and a bilateral arm lift. The TT has been rough. Swelling is pretty awful. My arms have not been that much of an issue. They both look great. It's just going to take time for the swelling to dissipate. I might wait a few years on the thighs. This has been enough for now Congrats!!!

Thanks!!! Dr. Zeni is wonderful!!!

Yes, great book!!! Definitely worth the read!!!

I just recently got my arm lifts and stomach covered by BCBSM. You will need lots of documentation of the issues your skin is causing along with pics from surgeon and letters from the doctors.

Ok....got Great news!!!! With pics, docs, and letters I got both my stomach and arms cleared for surgery. June 11 th baby!!!! Still need the thighs done but going to keep on documenting issues with PCP and try it again next year. This will be more than enough pain for now. So...yes...BCBSM does if you have the right stuff to prove your case.

Really? What surgeries did you ask about and what codes did you give them?

I was told by my family doctor that if you have a medical reason for the arms, like sores and rashes from extra skin rubbing that the will cover it

I was told the same thing but the plastics surgeon says no...they will not no matter the reason. I feel discouraged but I am going to be persistent that they send my documentation in.

This is an old post but I went to see my second plastic surgeon today. FOR SURE...if you have lost over 100 lbs. and you have over hang/skin issues I was told they cover it. the rest is considered cosmetic. Although, I am going to try my best to see if they will cover arms. Cross your fingers.

i live in Livingston County. Would like to know besides Livonia if there are any support groups closer to my area???? Thanks!!!

There are 3 other books I am reading that you all might find some interest in.

1.) EAT IT UP! the complete mind/body/spirit guide to a full life after weight loss surgery BY Connie Stapleton Phd.

2.) Made to Crave Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food BY Lysa TerKeurst

3.) The Metabolism Miracle BY Diane Kress (RD)

I bought it on my Android. Well worth the money

The book is by a woman who has had a VSG. Her name is Linda Ouellette and the book is called. "Beyond the Refridgerator: Navigating Life After Weight Loss Surgery". It is eerily similar to my exact experience that I still deal with on a day to day basis. She is dead on with everything!!!!! She is act ually a Therapist as well and offers wonderful advice!!!! Everyone should have a copy of this book!!!!"

I had my sugery November 2010. I'm down 108 lbs now and my weight loss is slowing way down. I have 58-60 more lbs to go. I find that my hunger is starting to come back' date=' (in my head) boo on that...

What are some tips you can give me to jump start this weight loss again... I know some things I'm doing wrong are not getting enough fluids each day. Why is it so stinking hard to get all my Water in each day!!! anyone else struggle with this.

Who else around a year out is having weight loss slowing down? What are you doing to speed it back up?

Thanks in advance.

Brandi [/quote']

I had surgery the same time as you. I too, am stuck. I have been in the 170's for 3.5 months now. Up...and down....up....and down. It is driving me insane. I go to the gym 3-4 times a week. And watching my intake....but NOTHING. I am beyond frustrated. I thought by doing weights and cardio....it would melt off. Nope. Sick of hearing muscle weighs more than fat. Yes, I see a difference in my clothes but the scale is evil. When I do get to my goal weight...I am taking a sledgehammer to it

Prior to surgery, my coping mechanism has always been food. I have had anxiety/depression issues for years. I actually went off my meds post surgery thinking I needed to "feel the pain"...so to speak....so I could deal with why I ended up as I did. Not a wise idea. I go to therapy weekly with a Psychiatrist. Who specializes in eating disorders....and have since before my VSG. Weight loss has been good physically but mentally....a total mind-f**k. Needless to say, I ended up back on my meds in September and will be on them for the forseeable future. I can't fight genetics or chemical imbalances that I had in the first place. You see....I consider myself a recovering food addict. I have weeks where I am ok....then there are days I get angry because I can not go back to my old behaviors to make myself feel better. I am still learning how to cope....it has not been an easy process. I have had to fight my way through it and am still fighting. I am trying to learn who I am again.....I lost her for 25 years.....and I am trying to not protect her with layers of fat and skin.

Hey, Het...I am a nurse and let me tell you this. Surgeons are some of the most tempermental little demi-gods on the face of the earth. Don't let your surgeon intimidate you or make you feel unsuccessful. You are doing great!!! You are the one living in your skin for the rest of your life, not him (or her, as the case may be). Slow and steady wins the race, and like I've posted before, this race is not a race between you and anyone else...it is a race to the goal. YEAH US!!!! Kathe

Thank You Kathe I am an RT and I totally agree...lol. It's just very stressful when all they look at is percentages and they compare you to the others before you. I am taking in everything that everyone has said here. It has helped me to not feel like I have been as of late. I will keep you all posted when my appointment finally comes up....and how it all goes down

Hi HeTKF, I believe we are doing just about the same, you're actually doing a little better than me. My surgery was on 11/1 my weight was (274 pre op) 265 and I'm now 188 with 43 left to lose. I'm nervous also about hitting that year mark without getting to goal. But than I think how could i not get to goal, I still only eat about 850 usually healthy calories and I keep increasing my workouts and my restriction hasn't changed in the last few months. I know I compare myself to other which I should not be doing but I still feel proud of myself and so should you. My doctor said we continue to lose for up to two years. We don't have that much left to lose, so it will be slower but a least we have the tool to keep going. Good luck, message me if you want. Janine

Thank You Janine I am finally down to 185 and i have roughly 45 more to go. If I want to be at 135 it will be more like 50 to go,,,,,but I will be happy at 140. Glad to hear there is someone that feels like i do about this. My anxiety has been very high and I wanted to be as close as possible by the time I saw my Surgeon. I am doing the same things you are but for a while there I was able to eat a lot more than normal. It seems to have gone pretty close to what it was before now. Some people seem to be pretty competitive in the WLS community and it can mess with your head a bit. That is why I try to limit what I read on here every now and again. Good Luck to you too!!! Feel free to message me as well.

Thank You for your much appreciated support ladies!!!!! Feeling a bit better and less stressed Here is to all of our continued success!!!

Anxious stressed out mess. I am a slow loser and I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself. Matter of fact, I feel like I have failed. I started out at my highest 288....pre-surgery 273...and as of today I am 190. A total of 83 lbs. lost since surgery. Problem is I have roughly 50 more to go....and 2.5 months before I see my Surgeon again. I feel like I should be closer to my goal but in the back of my mind I know it's slightly irrational. Everyone keeps telling me 83 lbs in this short period of time is a lot. I do agree, but Surgeon's go by percentages and numbers. Need some supportive opinions.....

I will be a year out in November and I had the same problem. I had every lab known to man drawn. All OK.....so my surgeon told me to increase my B12 and that helped me out. If I don't keep up on it my body seems to feel it.

Seriously, there's nothing we can do about the stall. It will come of when it's ready to. I think of weight loss like a feather... when you drop it, it falls, but catches a wind and floats up a little before it falls some more. Just keep getting in your Protein, making healthy choices, and using your sleeve to it's full potential and the feather will eventually hit the ground.

Love the feather analogy Great way of looking at it!!!!

Hi, my name is Cindy, 15 years clean and sober. Sleeved 3/3/11 and feel fantastic. I reguarlly go to meetings and sponsor women in recovery. We read literature and study the 12 steps. This program is theraputic in nature - different than meetings - but it appears they use the same tools when talking about recovery. I really like watching it.

From thier perspective it does not matter what the addiction is (overeating, bulimia, anerexia, etc...) the problem is the same. Also the solution is the same.

I'm also touched by another common theme - people in addiction appear to have childhood trauma. Interesting.

The childhood trauma your speaking of is usually sexual abuse. People overeat so that ppl will not find them attractive as to not be touched etc... a barrier of fat...so to speak. I wish that Ruby on the style network would get the sleeve....along with her therapy.

You should be so proud of yourself!!!! Good Job!!!!

Nov 29th 2010.....59 down. I'm bad though.....I go through spurts of being really good getting in my Protein and other days......not so much.

You look great!!!!! Congrats!!!!!

I just bought a ProForm StepUp Personal Trainer Treadmill from HSN for $699.....it is $1200 treadmill. You can do 5 monthly pmts of $139.99 and it's free shipping right now (saves you an additional $125.00). It has a 300 lb. weight limit. Check it out....I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting mine