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I was kind of in a weird emotional state that day. Now that I have had a couple of days to think on things I feel better. I remember why I wanted to have the VSG in the first place and still want to go forward. I have lost and regained weight so many times I can barely keep count. I think I will check out the partner, I just don't know much about him yet. I have an appt at the end of the month. So until then, I will continue on and start the research phase again. @JackieOMonroe: I am not offended at all. I really appreciate the input. Thanks girls for the support

I just got an office Memo today informing me that my surgeon is retiring next week, I work for the same organization he does. Only problem is I haven't had surgery yet!!!!!!!!!!!! I am on my 4th month of 6 mos of insurance required NUT appts so I haven't even been able to submit for approval yet. A couple things are going through my mind. First, no doctor announces their retirement a week before they actually do. Sounds like something else is going on there. Second, I feel really let down. When studying out this procedure he is the one I chose. He has 6000+procedures under his belt, he has been a surgeon for a little over 20yrs and works at a hospital recognized as a Bariatric Center of Weight loss excellence. He and a partner are the surgeons there. He has an excellent record. To top it off I trusted and liked him. Sounds crazy but I feel abandoned. Only a few people know that I am working toward surgery. Since I have been losing weight and they are seeing results all of them separately have told me they think I can do it on my own and that I should reconsider surgery. None of them have weight problems. Even though I know in my heart I need to do this, I have been questioning myself. I almost feel like this is a sign I shouldn't have surgery. My mind is going a million miles a minute and my fingers can't keep up, sorry. I am not really seeking advice on this one just venting since I feel you guys might understand why I feel the way I do and no one around me does.

Hello, It's nice to know I am not the only one here that has the 6 months of supervised diet. It seems like everyone else has a 3 month obligation or less. I am one month behind you. I am doing well, I actually talk to the NUT on the phone for appts about twice a month. She is based in Alabama and I live in Washington. I also have a nurse that calls about once a month that checks on me too. I don't have any co morbidities so our conversations are pretty short. I am slowly losing weight about 11lbs so far. I am working on getting the exercise in too. I am on my feet a lot for work by the time I get home exercise is the last thing I want to do. A good friend of mine is a personal trainer she says she will show me some exercises to get started. Good luck to you.

This is one topic I don't think I have come across yet. Are you able to tolerate spicy foods as well as you did prior to surgery? I am guesing you would. Do you have to wait awhile before doing so? Just curious.

Hi all, Earlier this week I had a physical exam with one of my doctors a GYN and informed her I was in the process of being approved for weight loss surgery. She shook her head and the first thing out of her mouth was Ut uh. She then went on about how having your bowels rerouted is a bad idea and starting going on about malabsorption. I stopped her and tried to explain that with the sleeve bowels are not rerouted and malabsorption issue are minor if nothing compared to the other surgeries. She didn't seem to be familiar with the sleeve gastrectomy. I respect her as a physician and surgeon, I was just very disappointed that instead of getting more information from me she just shut me down. Here is the big kicker, she said if you want to do something drastic why not try the HCG diet. I was stunned. I feel like there is far more statistical information on the Sleeve than the HCG diet. She was serious too, she referred me to a local ARNP who provides the treatment. A few weeks before I saw my PCP who told me that WLS is too drastic and wanted me to do anything else. I am 31 years old I have been overweight most of my life. I am experiencing joint and foot pains that make me feel like I am a much older person. My BMI is 41. I have been on and off diets since I was 8. Isn't it enough to consider WLS? My surgeon feels I am a good candidate and the nutritionist I am working with thinks so too. I have made up my mind and am going to have this surgery. I know that this is best for me. I just assumed I would have more support from my medical "team". Have any of you been told by your doctors that they did not support your decision for WLS? *On a positive note: I have lost 10lbs since working with the nutritionist. I have completed my EGD and psych eval and am just waiting to complete my 6month insurance required nutrition program I should be done in September.

Thank you all for your kind words, support and advice. I find it so helpful since outside of this forum I don't feel I have anyone that understands what I am going through. There is a local support group that I plan on checking out though. I had just assumed that my Doctors would agree with my decision so that is why I was suprised by the reactions I received. I am going to need my PCP to write a letter for insurance approval so crossing my fingers that I will be able to convince her to do so. Thank you losetobemeagain, for the tip. I think she would be agreeable to write a letter that I would be a good candidate for surgery. Thanks so much, Gina

I don't think you have a thing to worry about. You meet the two major criteria. Good luck to you!!

Congratulations on all of the "newness" in your life

Thank you for posting that and the TMI stuff. I really like how you broke down what you experienced each day. I want to do something similar when I get there in October/November

The only thing I am afraid of regarding the surgery is being put under anesthesia. My first experience with it will be for my EGD in 10days. I feel so confident that this is not only the right choice but the best choice for me. Thank you for putting yourself out there as a resource, it is greatly appreciated. Many hugs back,

I have BCBS of IL also. I am currently in my second month of the 6 month Nutritionist supervised diet. I was told when I was enrolled that I am pre-approved for surgery and that as long as all of the preliminary testing turns out ok I should receive final approval once finished with the program. I hope that helps. Best of luck to you!

I have BCBS of IL and they cover at 95%. I wouldn't be able to do it otherwise. Best advice is to call your insurance and find out if they cover the sleeve. I also asked if they covered the pre op tests which is something I was concerned about. I do have to pay a bit out of pocket but it's doable. Its good to ask what you need to do for approval. My plan requires me to meet with a Nutritionist for 6 months and a psych eval before I can offically submit to insurance. I hope it helps

One thing that I am looking forward to is not hearing, "you have such a pretty face....". Because eventually, I will have the body to match

Meggie, I am so excited for you. Thank you for sharing your journey here and on You Tube. I am rooting for you! Best Wishes, Gina

Welcome to the forum! I am just about to go into my 2 of 6mos of supervised diet as well. I have BCBS and I was told my documented starting weight is what they would use to make their decision. If I should happen to lose weight and fall below the 40BMI they would still consider me for surgery. They do want you to lose weight to show that you will be able to follow through. My surgeon recommended that I lose 10% of my excess weight because it will help shrink the liver for a safer surgery. I would call your insurance and find out to be sure. Best of luck to you. I look forward to seeing you around

Hello Everyone! I have been lurking around here for a couple of weeks now and am now ready to join the ranks here I am in the beginning stages of this journey, currently in the 6 month dietary program required by insurance. One month down almost. Tomorrow I have my first consult with whom I hope will be my surgeon. I am feeling excited/nervous about it. Its' almost like being excited for the first day of school as a kid. I haven't felt like that in a loooong time. Two years ago I started researching the lapband. My weight at that time was 272 which is my current weight. I didn't have any co morbidities but did have a qualifying BMI. I went to a seminar and there were only 10 people there, which was nice because we all got to speak with the surgeon individually. He told me that I would have to under go a year long medically supervised diet (all out of pocket) required by my insurance at that time. I asked him what would happen if I lost weight to the point where I was not at a qualifying BMI. He gave me a smug look and said, "that's not going to happen." Whether he meant it or not I took it as a put down. I left the seminar determined to lose weight on my own and I did. I joined a Biggest loser competition at work lost 30 lbs and got an honorable mention. For the next year and a half I was up and down the same 40 lbs. Fast forward to 3/5/11. I went and saw a podiatrist. I had been experiencing terrible pain in both feet for about six months, I am on my feet a lot at work. I just accepted that because I was so overweight that they would hurt. Turns out one of my toes on one foot had a stress fracture and I had plantar fasciitis in the other. I was given a cortisone injection for the PF and insoles for my shoes which helped a lot. That was a turning point for me. I realized how out of tune I was with my body and that all of these aches and pains were real and valid and that something needed to be done. I have been overweight since childhood and have tried many diets, I was always successful in the short term but could never keep the weight off. I started thinking about WLS again. I was considering the band since that was covered by my insurance and seemed to be the safer option. At the seminar 2years ago the doctor talked about the Sleeve but said insurance companies considered it experimental and didn't cover it. Summer of last year a coworker got sleeved in Mexico since our insurance didn't cover it. She has had amazing results with it. I called my insurance to see what my benefits were and turns out they now cover it 95%! Since then I have enrolled in the insurance required 6 months of appointments with a nutritionist, went to a seminar with a different surgeon and have an appt for a consult tomorrow:) Sorry for the long post. They will be shorter in the future. I just want to thank everyone who posts here. This forum has been an invaluable resource for me (I have done other research as well). I do appreciate the TMI things by the way. I feel confident, that I know what to expect and how to prepare myself for the steps ahead of me. Thank you all!!!

My fiance and sister are the only ones who know that I am starting the process to get sleeved. I won't feel comfortable telling anyone else until I get insurance approval. I am actually a pretty private person and have been debating whether or not to tell co-workers and extended family members should I get a green light. At some point it becomes obvious that someone has had WLS. What do you guys think? How did you go about telling friends, family and co-workers? What part of the process did you do it? Did any of you choose not to tell those around you?

Thanks everyone for the input. It is really nice to be able to ask those who have been there. I told my Clinic Manager today since I have been requesting a lot of time off to go to all of the needed appts. She said she was happy for me but thinks I am too young. I told her that most of my patients that have had WLS all tell me they wish they would have done it sooner. You win some and you lose some, I guess.