emily_0192010

Thank you And I will for sure!

So I haven't had surgery yet (Monday!) but the other day I realized that I could wrap my fingers around both of my wrists... I haven't been able to do that for years!! I should also mention that I have pretty small hands lol. A lot of people talk about not having "cankels" anymore, well I am just excited that my wrists are getting small again! So yeah, odd I know, but really made me smile and I thought I would share

Wow...losers bench next week. I can't wait! Thanks

Thanks for updating the list

While I can't say what I would do in your position, since my position in life is very different, but recently I have been through a lot (especially financially) that made me question whether I should postpone or cancel my surgery. I am having surgery on Monday and I am glad that I didn't cancel it. Everything ended up working out in the end. It wasn't easy and it is going to be tough for a couple month, but it is so worth it. If I don't do it now I don't know when I will. Continuing with the surgery won't hurt you. I think you and your husband will ultimately make the decision either way and it will be the right one for you.

Sounds yummy Do you think if you added some espresso powder or coffee to it and blended it with ice it would taste anywhere close to the pumpkin spice frapp at starbucks? that is one of my favorite drinks and I would love to be able to re-create it.

This is awesome to read Gives me hope that I won't have that feeling of being deprived or missing out. Thanks for sharing

That is amazing Congratulations on your little boy!

I read this and my jaw dropped... I swear you stole the conversation I had with my grandmother word for word. I did not willingly tell my grandmother. When she moved and changed her address all of her mail was forwarded to her. Since we have the same initials.. a LOT of my stuff went with them. Including my information packet from the WLS seminar I attended. Of course she opened it "accidentally" and questioned me about it. The whole turning it around to make her situation always seem more dire and the "god made you the way you are" speech is exactly the same as well. It has gotten to the point where I won't listen to her anymore. I hate that our relationship is strained, but I couldn't deal with the guilt trips and the "poor me" any more (there was a lot more than just my WLS too). I know this post doesn't really help you figure out how to deal with it or make it easier having someone like that around, but I just wanted to let you know that you aren't the only one

I did curves for a year about 4 years ago... it was okay. At first it was good exercise but to be honest I got really bored with it and the way it was set up I felt like I was always on display (everything is set up in a circle so you can always see everyone else and they can see you). That being said you may enjoy it. Many people did. I am one of those people if I could have a total gym in my basement I'd be set... I would never set foot in a public gym lol. Unfortunately I can't do that. I have found a local community center that has a full gym and I love it there. It isn't as intimidating as a "normal" gym because of the variety of people who use it. good luck!

Why does everyone use shapeware? Is it just for looks or is there a medical plus to wearing them? I have a couple that I wear when I have to wear a dress and I was starting to wonder if they might help later down the road with the saggy skin. Would it act as a compression garment?

I've had this problem on and off for years. At first I used neosporin and it took forever to go away. Then I tried using athlete's foot cream (it was all I had and I didn't want to go to the doctors lol... I was 15...). It worked, a bit, well better then the neosporin. Finally I talked to my mom and we grabbed a tube of miconazole cream and it cleared it up right away I keep a tube around and whenever I notice it starting to get irritated I use a tiny amount and it clears it right up. I would definitely try it!

That quote is very similar to one that I've loved since high school and is actually in my profile pic! "suceess is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts" seems like we think alike in a lot of ways!

Wake up call indeed! At least you recognized what you were doing and are making changes to correct it thanks for sharing, it will be a reminder for me later on not to just let the sleeve do the work for me.

I am right there with you!! I even received different information from two people at my surgeon's office!! For full liquids my surgeon said it was anything that would fit through a straw. Well, that was pretty vague so I asked my dietitian for some examples and she stressed that it was Protein Drinks ONLY for two weeks. So with everything that I have read, all of the research that I have done I have decided that I will stick to the two weeks of protein drinks. And I will stick with their rule of low carbs (under 30carbs/day) until I am trying to maintain. At that point I will probably add in more carbs to my diet and stop "dieting" and just watch my portions and eat healthy overall. It is super confusing. I am being sleeved on Monday and for a while I tried to plan out each stage afterwards... and I can't do it. So i've decided to do it one at a time. For me step one is full liquids for two weeks. Then once I get the all clear I'll figure out the next one I really do believe it is about finding what is right for us as individuals. The surgical community is heavily divided and you will get opinions one way or the other. Some swear you have to do it the one way and the next swear it is the opposite. I find it frazzling and confusing but it just tells me that I need to pay attention to my body more and rely on myself the most.

I have Aetna as well. The three month visit with the nutritionist will be reviewed by your surgeon (most likely) at the end and it should count as the PSWL (physician supervised weight loss). I had mine with a weight loss counselor twice a month for three months and then the surgeon signed off on it. I was required to provide a 5 year history, but I do that Aetna recently changed their guidelines to needing less. I didn't actually have 5 and I was approved. The pulmonary clearance and the cardiology clearance and the two support group meetings were not required for me. Those may be things that your surgeon requires and not necessarily Aetna. My surgeon requested a bunch of bloodwork that went beyond the "standard" pre-op. That was something that he required but wasn't required for my insurance. I also had a pre-op class (though it wasn't called that exactly) and then a pre-op meeting with my surgeon. So to me it sounds right. I am not yet sleeved but I will be on Monday It took two weeks (10 business days) for me to get my approval and I called and asked the status they day they approved it. So it probably would've been another couple days if I had waited for the notification to get my surgeon's office. Technically the insurance has a maximum of 30 days to approve or disprove. So you might not make 2012. However I have never heard of Aetna taking that long before. It also depends on your surgeon's office. I would talk to them now and see if it looks like it will be a possibility. They should know or at least be able to give you a good guess. I know my surgeon's office schedules about a month out after you get approved. Every office is different though. They may even be willing to put you on the schedule now, conditionally waiting for your approval. I know if it ends up being 2013 that will not be great because the insurance year starts over and you will probably be required to pay your deductible again right? I was very happy when I was able to get mine done this year for that reason. Good luck with everything! Oh, and I just want to stress communicating and talking and asking tons of questions to your surgeon's office because I assumed something and it ended up biting me in the butt and nearly cost me my surgery. So please, don't hesitate to double check anything.

I agree with what Foxbins said. The reason most people don't drink 64 oz of water and don't get dehydrated is because they are getting the majority of their liquids from their food. Since you (and me soon!) are eating a LOT less you aren't getting very much liquid from what you are eating and you have to make it up by drinking it. Also, when we are losing weight our body needs about 4lbs of water to "flush out" 1lb of fat. So that is why when people are in stalls they suggest drinking more water, because it is believed that the body is collecting the water it needs to dispose of the fat. The last thing is that I have heard that we often cannot detect signs of dehydration until it is severe. You may be a bit dehydrated and not realize it. I would say drink it anyways!

LOL! I was thinking of that too...I was lucky enough to be able to lose 32lb before surgery but I can't really see a difference on myself, so being able to suddenly wrap my fingers around my wrist was the first "sign" other than the scale that I was losing. I just had to share! I am finally getting excited about monday I am going to do my best to put a post up afterwards and if I can't my mom said she would if I want her too.

Hey everyone! I see that we have a few new people in here I am going to be sleeved on Monday (sep 19th) and I can't wait. So far pre-op I have lost 32 lbs and have lost 21% of my excess weight. I have been losing consistently so far and I hope that at a minimum my sleeve will help me keep it up and at best boost my weekly weight loss! I am also hoping that being young will help my skin bounce back, but I can already see some saggy-baggy-elephant skin so I'm not terribly hopeful. I, along with everyone else it seems, have really bad stretch marks as well. I'm not opposed to having this "fixed" later, but I am really hoping that I won't have to.

I haven't been sleeved yet but I am very similar to you. I have lost 32 lbs pre-op and every time I saw the number drop I didn't get excited at all. I forced myself to be proud that I got it off but I am always "okay, I am BACK to ....". I don't feel like I have actually "lost" anything since I "gained" it to begin with. I have never lost a substantial amount of weight before but I have definitely gained it steadily. So in my mind I haven't lost anything, I've just gone back to where I was before. I think for me when I am in onederland I will start being excited, because I haven't been there as an adult. Please feel better soon And try to be happy!

Another september sleever! YAY! Congrats

Wow! You have been through an extraordinary amount of grief in the last few months and look how strong and confidant you sound now! I can't even imagine losing my sister and for that to happen, and then your injured son it is amazing how well you have done! I wouldn't look at it as "only 57 lbs"... I would look at it like "heck yeah, I lost 57 despite everything going on in my life". Thanks for sharing with us and I hope things start looking up for you and your newly expanded family

Well it can't hurt to ask your surgeon's opinion. Some good points were made before about small vs larger sleeves and the amount of reflux you can expect. What you said about being a compulsive overeater though, that won't change with the sleeve. Whatever is causing you to over-eat is still going to be there. Having a smaller sleeve would only force your body to react quicker. I would suggest going to a therapist to figure out why you do this in the first place and then work on methods to change it. All the while using your sleeve as a tool to help keep you on track. No matter what going to talk will only help so it is worth a try

That is awesome!!!! And 45 lbs is great! I agree that it is the little things that really matter overall. Thanks for sharing with us