kristlynngirl

I've never even had stitches so I have a lot of questions about how I'm going to feel after this surgery. I know everyone is different but I'm just looking for general answers. First of all I live by myself with just my cats. When I started this process I was living with my now ex-fiancé so I was planning on having some help. Now I'll just have family and friends checking in on me. Depending on how I feel, my dad said he may sleep on my couch my first night home. My parents offered that I could stay at their house, but they don't have an extra bed and I'm fairly certain I won't want to sleep on a couch two days post op. I'm also flat out broke because I had to move after the end of my engagement at the end of March. So, I'm now paying all the bills 100% on my own and have nothing saved up due to moving expenses. I scheduled my remaining vacation days around my surgery to have some time off. I cannot afford to use FMLA because AFLAC does not pay enough to pay my bills. I am scheduled to return to work 8 days post op. The PA at the surgeons office said I should be fine. The surgeon really wishes that I'd take more time off....and as much as I would love to, I can't afford to. My job is not physically strenuous, and I can get up and stand and stretch and take a few steps around. I also can go walk outside on my breaks. I will be on Lovenox or Coumadin post op because I do have a blood clotting disorder, so I know I have to be up and about. Also, what about all my prescription meds? Will I be able to take them post op? I can't imagine trying to survive summer without my allergy medications. And I'm also on two anxiety pills and if I so much as miss one dose I get violently ill with withdrawal symptoms. Sorry this is long. I guess I just have a lot of questions!

I'll only be back to work for three days before I have two days off again. So it'll be like 13 days post op before I have a whole 5 day work week. I figure I gotta do what I gotta do. My bills aren't gonna pay themselves.

I was on Coumadin for a month with the last blood clot. Aspirin for the rest of my life. I was taken off if hormonal BC and I'm never allowed to take estrogen for anything ever again. And if I ever decide to get pregnant I'll be high risk.

I don't know if I'm the only one who's dealt with this, but some of my friends and family seem to be judging me for making this decision. "Are you sure you really need to do this?" "Have you really looked into this?" "Don't people gain the weight back?" "Why don't you just exercise and do Weight Watchers?" I feel like I'm always defending myself. People think this is the easy way out. They don't realize how different my life is going to be from be moment after surgery until the day I die. They don't get that the extra 130ish pounds has caused health problems that prevent me from hitting it in the gym. Everything always hurts. I get winded so easily. And all the embarrassment I go thru at places like amusement parks where I damn near need a shoehorn to fit into the seat of a ride. I'm so frustrated by people who are supposed to support me being so hurtful.

I had the occasional break out when I was on hormonal birth control. Had to come off of it last year. Found out I have a blood clotting disorder after having two DVTs within a few years. So I was told no estrogen ever again. Had a Mirena placed. I've had worse acne than I did as a teenager ever since.

I must have a great doctor. I don't have any specific diet before surgery. Was basically just told don't pig out. lol And liquids the day before of course. As for insurance I also have BCBS and had my approval quickly.

Thank you all. So glad I'm not alone! I know this is the right choice for me. I know I want to have energy and be healthy and live a long time.

My mom and my dad have been awesome! Other people tho its been hit or miss. They need to understand this is my life and my body and I want to reclaim it. I have a lot left I want to do, and I'm only 29 years old and about 275 lbs. If I don't stop it now, I know how out of control it could get.

Ahhhh me too!!! Had my last appointment with the surgery team yesterday and found out my insurance gave us the green light for June 5!

My surgeons office is submitting my case to my insurance company today! I'm so nervous. I did everything my insurance requires, I just know nothing is a guarantee. So long as everything is approved my surgery is June 5 - that's only 4 weeks from today!!! I felt like it was so far away and it's already almost here. I'm getting panicky nervous!

June 5 for me so long as I get the go from the insurance. They are submitting everything today and I have my final appointment with the dietician and surgical staff next Tuesday!

Hi all. Just had my first meeting with the surgeon on Wednesday and now I'm so confused. I originally went in thinking I wanted a band and not a bypass. However, now I'm leaning towards the bypass....and all the research I've done has been for the band! They explained the average success rates with both surgeries, and my head started spinning I think. If I'm going to have major surgery, I want to give myself the best chance at success. My insurance will pay for either, and they said I don't have to make a final decision until I schedule my surgery. I'm going to be 29 in February. They said I have 132 pounds to lose, but the goal in my head was 100. I have no diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol but I do have sleep apnea and some quality of life issues. Anyone else go thru thinking they wanted one then thinking they wanted another?

I have to do the same. I don't think there's anyway around it. Unfortunately.

If I'm going to have surgery, I want the best outcome possible......not a maybe outcome. They said the lapband is "you on your best diet." Well, had that worked I wouldn't need the surgery in the first place.

Had my first appointment with the surgeon this morning. Lots of information and I'm a little overwhelmed. They explained all 3 options they provide - roux en y, sleeve and band. They explained the typical success rates of each and how much weight I could expect to loose with each based on the averages of their 3000 patients. Now I'm even more confused than I was before. He said he can't recommend 1 surgery over another, but that I'd see the greatest results with the bypass. However, he also said I'm the perfect candidate for the band because I'm young and have few health problems and no mobility issues. The target he set for a healthy bmi is a loss of 132 pounds (I can't believe I'm carrying around an extra person, I've been in denial). He said based on the averages I'd loose 75% with the bypass, but only maybe 30-40% with the band. He stressed this is only an average....but there's no way to known if I'll be average or outstanding. He also said the band doesn't always work. I hate the thought of going thru the surgery and seeing no result. His PA said if it were here, she would go "all in" and get the bypass. She described the band as "you on your best diet." They said I don't have to decide until we set the surgery date. I'm just feeling really overwhelmed and this is the first place I wanted to go.

Thank you all. Having somewhere to come and ask questions has been a great reassurance to me. Luckily my insurance will cover the band, bypass or sleeve. There's just some hoops to jump thru - 6 month supervised diet, note from my primary doctor, BMI over 40, etc.

I go the 18th and they told me to expect to be there 3-4 hours! Every surgeon is different I guess. I have no idea what may take that long.

I have a sleep study scheduled for next Tuesday, after doing a nocturnal pulse ox last week that showed I have some degree of sleep apnea. I have so much trouble sleeping in the first place! Will have to see if I can take a sleeping pill.

I was at my pcp's office last month and we discussed the band and he had me make an appointment to come in 4 weeks later to get the weight check ball rolling. That 2nd appointment is a week before my first with my surgeon. If I take the two filled out weight checks with me, will that put me 2 months ahead of schedule? I also just did a nocturnal pulse ox and it came back that I probably have sleep apnea so I'm waiting for the sleep center to call for a sleep study and to get fitted for a cpap. I'm trying to get the ball rolling because to get time off from my job in the summer can be extremely difficult, and I don't want to use FMLA and have them take 15 of my paid days off away to then be off unpaid for the surgery. Especially when I hope I don't need more than 10 working days off.

The surgeon requires monthly weigh ins with my PCP which is why he scheduled me to come back 4 weeks after my last check up. As for what my insurance requires, it's a BMI over 40 or over 35 with a comorbitity; proof you've been overweight for 5 yrs; and the 6 month supervises diet.

911 Dispatcher. I think this is the longest I have stuck with a job. Previously an EMT, patient care technician in an ICU, worked in retail, waitress, bank teller, tax collection clerk, web master for a hockey supply store... ...but I'm still not sure what I wanna be when I grow up. Finally found something I'm really good at. Maybe I should just stick to it, lol.

I'm curious about the slips too. One of my coworkers had a slip and had to have a revision surgery. She still doesn't regret it because she lost 50 lbs, got off her BP meds and got rid of her sleep apnea. She just told me to be careful and hope to have better luck than she did.

This thread has me so excited. It just seems like this is so far away since I don't even see the surgeon until 12/18. I wish I could make time fly!!!

I am one of the most anxious and paranoid people I have ever met...glad to meet someone else the same! lol