ShoeLover

I live in Texas and the health insurance through my employer has an exclusion as well. I was able to pay for my surgery by signing up for an HSA last year during open enrollment. The maximum I could put in was $5000, which they take out of my pay over the course of a year in increments, but I could use all of the account money as of January 1st of this year. The money was put on a debit card, and I was able to use that to pay for my surgery this past February in Mexico. All I had to do was submit an itemized receipt for the surgery, and a letter of medical necessity to verify that the charge on the card was for medical expenses. I think most employers' open enrollment is coming up soon, so if it is available at your job, sign up. I think some places also call it a Healthcare Reimbursement Account.

I can honestly say that day was the first time I thought about my weight being a serious issue. I kept thinking about all those helpless people trapped in the towers, and that if I had been there it would have been a tremendous struggle for me to get out even if I could reach the stairs, because I could barely climb down 8 flights of stairs, much less 80 or more. That day started me on my journey that led me where I am today. Prayers to all those who lost their lives and to their families.

Why does anyone you're dating have to know that you are sleeved? I wouldn't divulge that information to a suitor until we become serious.

How much was the cost for all that?

Just checking in....Welcome to the new additions! Does anyone know if there are any AA WLS Facebook groups?

LOL - I guess he was full of it.....LMAO

I am 6 months out and I started close to where you were. I'm trying to figure out what size I will be in six months because I'm going to the Caribbean for vacation. Your post is inspiring. Can I ask you, what is your excercise regimen? How much had you lost at your six month mark?

I think I've mentioned this on here before, but when I was flying back home after having surgery in Mexico, one of the airline reps had wheeled me up to the line where they check your ID before you get violated, sorry I mean scanned, to go your gate. The little heffa who was checking my ID said to me, "Wow, you've gained a lot of weight since this picture was taken." I wanted to slap her. There I was, just 3 days out from my surgery, and this little b***h was throwing my weight in my face while I'm sitting in a wheelchair. I get heated every time I think about it, because I really wish I had cussed her out, but I think they probably would have arrested me if I had.

I confess that I do compare my weight loss to others' on this site and get pissed off almost daily. I confess that I bought a 4 pack of Moscato Rose this past weekend and drank them all in 2 days. (I'm still proud of myself though, because I used to buy the big bottles and have 3-4 glasses every day, before I had the surgery.) I confess that I just cannot get motivated enough to exercise like I should. I confess that I always look at myself when I pass a window at work because I can't believe how small I'm getting. I confess that I still eat fast food a lot, I don't like to cook for only myself.

Frza, I would love to know what your findings are if you get enough responses.

Ok, I'll play. Libra 10, hardly any pain at all. Stopped pain meds after the 3rd day. 8, I was pretty optimistic - it was a little hard since I was alone. 8, I probably threw up less than 5 times total since surgery. 9, I feel like I am on track to meeting my goal. No complications at all.

Wow, you look wonderful - I wanna know where you got that pretty red dress!!

I think Raven Symone may have had wls, she seems to have gotten very small pretty quickly. Not sure if she was mentioned earlier in this thread.

I'm 51/2 months out, and at times I experience a sudden feeling of nausea, it usually passes within a few minutes, but it really feels crazy to be just fine one minute and then suddenly feel like I'm gonna hurl, only to feel just fine again in a couple of minutes. Does anyone else experience this? What could possibly be the reason that this happens?

I'm about to call you Rico-Suave.....ok, telling my age now. LOL. But seriously you look wonderful.

Wow Lissa, she sounds extremely immature also. What is it about us changing ourselves for our own betterment (is that a word?) that affects other people? Last I checked, I did this for me, not anyone else, so why do they act so ugly towards us about it, as though we did this to THEM or to piss them off.

Zeta, I'm glad you're feeling better now.

Good for you! You will love him! I am extremely pleased with the work he's done for me, although I probably could have lost more weight since I haven't been exercising regularly. But you don't have as much to lose as I do.

Yeah, I wanted to be private about it as well, but as the pounds dropped, people at work were asking me how am I losing all this weight? I decided not to lie about it if they asked me, but I am not volunteering the information. Of course, there are people who know about it who I didn't tell, so word is getting around even though I told the few people who know that I am trying to keep it private.

I believe Jennifer Hudson had some type of surgical intervention as well, the way her body is shaped, it doesn't look like she's done a lot of exercise to build muscle, and she lost the weight extremely fast. I also wouldn't believe everything that the celebs or the media says, these people's careers are about selling the public a fantasy - and there's not really that many actors who gain/lose weight for specific roles.

Ugh, I hate when people make comments like that. So insensitive. I was in the airport in San Diego coming back from having my surgery in Mexico, and the girl at the airport checkpoint looked at my drivers license and said, "You've gained quite a bit of weight since you took this picture." I was totally flabbergasted that she would say that, it took me by surprise because I usually have a snappy comeback ready at all times, but since I had just had surgery and was in a wheelchair, I wasn't prepared for rudeness at that moment. I still wish I had said something back to that little heffa.

I have a similar issue. I have a "friend" who is self centered, and probably used to being the prettiest one (in her opinion) and the smaller one of us two. She has always had a little bit of a weight problem but not like mine. She used to always go on diets but not stick to them, and exercise only occasionally. Now since I've had surgery, she is really trying her best to lose weight and she is making all kinds of effort. She bragged to me about losing 15 pounds recently. Normally, I would be happy for her if I felt like she was doing it to better herself, but I know she is only doing it to compete with me, and it irks me. She told me I was her "inspiration". I was thinking, "No, you just don't want me to look better than you."

Sooooooo, what did you say to the guy? Inquiring minds want to know.

I guess I shouldn't have said credit card, because its really more like a debit card that has FSA funds on it.

I did exactly that. I had my surgery in February, and I paid for it using my FSA credit card. It is not illegal, I just had to supply a letter of medical necessity and an itemized bill to validate the charge on the card.