lilyrose245

Preferably in Central NJ but Wimbledon open to traveling a bit...thanks!

***correction**** willing to travel

Where in new jersey? How did everything go? Whats the name of your surgeon if you dont mind me asking....im in need of a PS is NJ.....

Haven't posted in awhile, been a lot going on.....I will post that story eventually because boy is it a story but I want to ask just a few questions first....... I hope this is the right area to post in..... So I have been having gallbladder issues ( I'm pre-op)......has anyone had your gallbladder removed at the same time as your sleeve? Any problems? Any tips or things to know? Is recovery harder, with have two things removed? Also this may not be common but anyone have sleeve, gallbladder and hernia repair done? And this is off the above topic but hopin some of you have input..... My job is horses.....my technical title is "horse groom." Now anyone who knows horses knows that that means I'm not just grooming horses all day... I do everything and I mean EVERYTHING! ( i.e. mucking, cleaning, feeding, grooming, raking, picking fields, training, moving hay, the list can go on and on....) This is my job. I work with my sister at multiple horse farms. So my question is how long do you think with this type of work will I be out? I mean its not like a desk job where I can take paid leave...it either gets done or it doesn't. If it doesn't I don't get paid...My only saving grace is I work with my sister and she will just do double duty so I won't lose my job but I'm scared it will be a long time off......any input is appreciated! Thanks!

Thank you for answering! Horses are my therapy! I just needed an idea of timing....so thank you. Wish I got more responses. Should I have posted somewhere else?

Hey- sorry for the delay, i don't get notifications of responses.....its been a crazy week and a half.......I'm from central New Jersey. How about yourself?

For those who postponed......did you postpone before all the required visits were complete (i.e. dietician, psych eval, endoscopy) or after or in the middle? I ask because I'm worried if I go through with all the apps and decide to postpone, how long those tests are valid for? Would i end up having to do them all again if a substantial amount of time went by? I have asked this before with very little response.....i realize it depends on a lot of variables but those who had insurance, how much did you end up paying out of pocket with deductables and co pays and stuff? Also, how much do you all spend on supplements/ vits? Srry, have a lot of questions.......

Im new to all of this! I apologize if this is LONG!! Been researching wls religiously for maybe a year and a half now. The thing that really pushed me to finally make the first step in this process was... having severe undiagnosed pain in my back for 2 years and finally seeing a surgeon. Told me I had bulging discs and the only thing that he could do for me was shots and physical therapy, w/ a recommendation for getting fit and build the muscles in my back.....I'm 24, 310 pounds.... there are days that I feel like I'm an 80 yr old woman. Scared me to think I would have to live with this pain forever! Anyways, a family friend ( I'm still on my mothers insurance. The family friend is also my mothers co worker, so has same insurance) had the sleeve done so I took that step and made a consult app with the same office she went to. (Central New Jersey...Dr. Ballem/Dr.Rainville) Going in I thought for sure I would have to jump through all the same hoops she had to before getting my date (i.e. 7-8 months supervised diet). WRONG! With bmi so high I only have to do three months!!!! Going in I was okay with the 8 months, thinking it was a good time to prepare. Initially my mind was set on this surgery and I was thrilled to take this journey. When i heard three months at first I didnt know if I was happy or scared. Everything since the intial consult has been a whirlwind! My first consult i got a tentative date of May 5th for surgery. I have already been to 1 dietician app. 2 Left. Only have the pysch evaluation and an endescopy left to do..as a side note I wanted a sleeve to begin with. The surgeon agrreed it was the best option for me since I was relatively healthy. No co-morbids and (besides my back) full mobility. Now to the reason for posting..... I actually was very excited to be honest, about the three month thing because that meant the sooner I had it done the sooner i could start a new life. I have read information until my eyes bleed. Was prepared for the maintenance afterwards. I was very positive, had a great attitude about everything up until this past Wednesday when I had my first dietician app. My mom is not supportive of the surgery itself. She keeps reminding me of all the bad things that could happen. So she asks me how it went. I said it went great. I have to start changing a few habits now. (I.e. more Protein, less carbs, chew more, drink more). She goes on to tell me if I can make the changes before surgery why do I need it? I have been exercising for the past three months to help with the back pain and she says that coupled with the healthier eating should be enough to make me drop the weight. She thinks I have not exhausted all the avenues before resorting to surgery. To be honest I probably haven't done nearly as much dieting as some of you which I told the nurse, dietician, surgeon. Im gonna say I started gaining weight in kindergarten. Have only tried two commercial diets ( at 16 yrs and 280 pounds I did Michael Thurmond and last year at 23 and 330 I did Plexus) because I or my family could never afford any of the others long term. I have done numerous attempts on my own to cut back and exercise to no avail. The dietician seemed very positive that I would do great with the sleeve since my problem seems to be with portion control and obviously the sleeve would help with that. After that conversation with my mom the doubts of this whole thing came crashing down on me.....can you guys just answer some questions or input or calm my fears? I'm just gonna list them... 1.How many of you needed your gallbladder removed? Was the option on the table to do it with the sleeve surgery? 2. Long term what Vitamins do you take and how many? 3. I got two body piercings a long time ago. Nose and ear. Both of which i got keloids from. Will my stomach react the same to the staples, infections? Anbody else who has piercings/ had keloids? 4. I have a retroverted uterus. Anbody else have it that has had this surgery? Any complications ( The two questions above are noted in my file to be discussed with my surgeon on nxt visit) 5. Are there ever times when you can eat and drink at the same time? Even just a sip? I understand all the reasons why you shouldn't, just curious if months on out if its possible..my mind is having a hard time wrapping around that thought. 6. What happens if i do all the required visits and chicken out at the last minute? The dietician visits are included in surgery cost, would I end up having to pay for them? I think that's enough for now if I have more questions i will post in comments! Bless you and thank you if you've read all of that. I just need some support. With my back I was feeling the lowest I possibly could feel and thought that surgery was and is my last shot at living again. My weight has stole my childhood, teens, and now my 20's. I was teased in grade school but nothing like what I was in for in middle school. I ultimately dropped out because I couldnt take it anymore. Since then I have become a hermit. Don't know what to do with myself....weight scares me from doing anything fun in life. I was just ready for change....help!

I think I'm doing the same.....everything happened faster then i thought....I have 3 months to go and I'm not sure if this worrying is normal....have you gone to your seminar or support groups yet?

Thank you everybody! Crazy the differences between doctors. My directions for eating/drinking are 30/30 before/after. I'm confused when some say they are only made to take a multi vitamin and some have to take d, calcium, multi, iron, b12, etc......funny thing my surgeon said only a multi but my dietician said i would have to take all the other ones too. What do i do? Follow the dietician? Also, those of you who are months out, are you still going to your support groups every month?

Hey Harley! 24 years old here! Tentative date of May 5th! 3 months away and I'm already scared! How about you? What do you have left to do before the big day?

This whole post has made my day! Especially this response! I started laughing hysterically.....which was my first serious laugh since wednesday when I started getting serious doubts yet I still have three months to go! :-) Loved the part about toddlers! Calmed me down a bit! So thank you to the original poster and to jerseycitygal! I'm a jersey girl too!

Cupcake, can I ask what exercises your doing?

Hi all, Hope this is posted in the right spot. I'm really interested in the sleeve surgery but don't know where to start? How do I get this ball rolling? I have Blue Cross Blue Shield Of New Jersey for insurance, can anyone with the same tell me what all you had to do to get to your surgery date? I would really like to get out of this research phase and get started with the "real deal!" Thanks in advance!

Thank you everyone for your responses! Its much appreciated! ....I will take all your answers into consideration. I live in central NJ. I actually have been exercising religiously every day for about two months now as well as trying to watch what I eat, just out of sheer disgust.....I have lost around 10-15 lbs. Only wish I had contacted my PCP two months ago when I started so that it was documented and counted towards whatever my requirments are.......is there anyone who wouldn't mind giving me any insight on how much WITH insurance you had to pay out of pocket for the surgery? I don't think I actually need a recommendation from from my pcp, so that might be helpful. I believe insurance pays for 80% of surgeries after the deductable. In general what am I looking at roughly?

Don't know if I'm allowed to ask this here? .........( I'm not sleeved, still just in the "research phase" so to speak) Are you never allowed to have anything carbonated? I don't drink soda but enjoy a plain seltzer water occasionally........