Sophia Bubbles

Well I still have not had surgery due to insurance issues but now I have a new job and just started a new insurance I'm hoping to get the journey started again. I know I will have to go through everything all over again but to me it's worth it. I know I can do this I just need that tool that is going to help me stay on track. So many times before I would be doing good and something would happen and I would fall off the tracks and boom I've gained it all back and they brought friends! I hope everyone is doing well and if this forum has only helped one person I am grateful! Just know no one is in this alone!!!

Well I still have not had surgery due to insurance issues but now I have a new job and just started a new insurance I'm hoping to get the journey started again. I know I will have to go through everything all over again but to me it's worth it. I know I can do this I just need that tool that is going to help me stay on track. So many times before I would be doing good and something would happen and I would fall off the tracks and boom I've gained it all back and they brought friends! I hope everyone is doing well and if this forum has only helped one person I am grateful! Just know no one is in this alone!!!

Well I finished my three months of being on the cpap machine and the results are supposedly being sent to my surgeon (after 3 phones calls!!). I will be calling again Monday to see if they actually sent them THIS time. I also have to fill out an application at workforce for a very promising job, come home and start my summer semester online and then go to work at 2. Ahhhhhhh!!! Monday is going to be very busy. So as of right now I still DO NOT have a surgery date. Sigh.... It will happen, it will happen, it will happen. That's what I keep telling myself. So those of you who are starting out it will take time for some of you. June will be a year for me. Hopefully my one year of waiting will turn into me actually getting surgery. Hope all of you are well and doing good on your own journey. Keep sharing it helps those of us who haven't actually went through it all yet.

Welcome everyone! I am so glad to finally have some members. This group was started so I could find people who were in similiar position as myself. I noticed most people were either in low 200's or lower. It's wonderful to know we're not alone! In this group I would like to share each other's stories and support each other through the hard times. With that being said, let me introduce myself. My name is Brandy and I am 37 (for the next four days at least). I am a single mother of a four year old named Abigail. I have been heavy most of my life. I was only about 40 lbs overweight when I finished high school but once I entered the work field the weight started piling on. I gained a great deal after the pregnancy. While I was pregnant I gained the normal 26lbs but after almost two years and a bad breakup the pounds really started packing on. So here I am today over 300 lbs and making the hard decision to have surgery. I am excited and crazy nervous at the same time. I hope all are well and I can't wait to read your stories as well.

If there is anyone on here who I have not personally welcomed to the group, I sincerely apologize. Took some time off from it all. If anyone has read my story you will know that I am still waiting on a surgery date. Even if I wind up not being able to get the surgery I figure at least I could read all of your success stories and they can motivate me to try to do it on my own. Again, for those of you I have not welcomed to the group, WELCOME!! Good luck on your journeys and remember share, share, share. Nothing is worse than following someone and then all of a sudden they quit sharing. I was following two ladies on You Tube and they just stopped posting. It broke my heart because they were so interesting to watch. I did find a group on there that post every day of the week. They have a different blogger for every day of the week and they are always posting. So keep talking and sharing even if you don't think anyone is listening because there are those of us out here who do watch or read what you have to say and it helps! LOL, sorry I rant sometimes. Anyway, I will post any new developments in my journey but as of right now I am still waiting. :/

So my laptop is about to die on me and I hardly ever get on a desktop. I have not visited in awhile because it is depressing to see everyone else have their surgery dates and beginning their journeys. I have finished all the requirements but I am still waiting on an approval from my insurance for the surgery. They tell me it will take up to 30 days to hear something and on the 24th of August it will have been 30 days. So that was yesterday but I am not getting my hopes up because I have almost given up on them. If they deny me then I guess I will have to figure out a way to pay for it which will take a long time for me. On a brighter note I have started a new job and am able to have a normal working schedule which gives me more time with my daughter who just started kindergarten on the 20th. I will try my very best to keep you guys posted on what's going on with me. For all of you who have started your journey or are on your way to starting your journey I wish you all the best and would love for you to share your experiences with all the wonderful members here in this group.

Welcome Joyce! Glad to have ya. Looks like you're doing pretty good already. Thanks for sharing your advice. Good luck and keep us posted.

Still learning this site. Just now read your post. I am so happy for you!! I think you may have stumbled upon something with the habitual thing. I find myself eating also when I am not really hungry. So glad you have found a tool to help you. Looks like you are making great progress and getting your mind in check will only help you make it further in your journey. Keep on keepin on! TTYL

Sassy you'll do great. I'm sure once people figure out the site and read your posts they'll open up. Just give it time. I read your story and when you were talking about the bad experience you had at the doctor's office it reminded of my horrific experience once. I went to this clinic and they were cramming everyone into this little waiting room and there was a scale in the middle of the room. I didn't think anything of it until they came to me and ask me to get on the scale so they coudl record my weight. So here I am in my early twenties stepping on a scale in front of a room full of people! I wanted to die!! I was no where near as big as I am now but still I was a young impressionable woman at the time and thought I was as big as a barn. (Little did I know I was no where near as fat as I thought I was.) I could not believe it!! Needless to say I never went back to that doctor.

Truckerchic - My phone tells me the same thing. Welcome to the group. My doctor doesn't believe in giving diet pills so I am really struggling with the hunger. Going to try alli I think. Hopefully that will help. SassySenior - I love that you're a writer. I wanted to be one when I was little. I asked for a typewriter when I was like 8 but my mom wouldn't let me. She said I needed to learn how to type the correct way. She was right in a sense so I use to keep journals but I never persued it. Writing is a tough business. It's hard to make a really good living from it. I know what you mean about the "when is your surgery date". I haven't told anyone other than my mother so no one knows to ask me, thank god. TTYL!

I am also using Medicaid so I've had to overcome alot of paperwork as well. My respiratory therapist will not fax results of my cpap machine use until after 3 months of use so that means another 2 months of waiting for me but I've come this far! So we'll see in another 2 months if I can finally get a date. :/ Until then I will work on getting some weight off. Another member mentioned something about a liver detox diet. She said she heard it helps with the post-op. I'm gonna look into doing that. Anything that will help the surgeon during sugery and help me heal faster is worth trying I think. "Extraordinary Sleevers" I like that, cute name! Talk to ya soon Brandy (sorry that's my real name sophia bubbles is a nickname)

That's a great idea SassySenior. I didn't realize there were as many people in the same weight catagory as me until I started this group. Most people I saw were in the mid to low 200's. You are very welcome to stay in our group of course! Congratulations on your choice to get the ball rolling. I am still pre-op myself. Been on this journey for 8 months now. I just finished the last thing before I speak to my surgeon about a date but I haven't gotten an appointment with him yet. Hopefully when I do I will at least get a date. I think when I get a date then reality will set in but as for now it still seems far away.

Thank you! I kinda haven't been on here in awhile cause I was over stressing about it all. I did receive my cpap and it is amazing! I still have issues with something on my face but I cannot begin to describe the difference it has made in me. I no longer feel like an 80 yr old when I wake up. Energy level is up and my attitude is even different according to family and friends. I love this thing and look forward to wearing it! I still can't seem to get it together as far as food goes. I really don't have any support in that area. I work and go to school and it's too easy just to grab something. I need to get me some veggies and fruits and make some little ziplock bags so I can just grab and go. Still waiting though because the doctor has to see the results of month long use of the machine and that will be Feb. 15. After that who knows how long it will take me to get my last appointment and get a surgery date.

Well still waiting for a surgery date. Diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and waiting on doctor to call me and get my cpap machine. Sleep study was done over a week ago. Called doctor last Friday and they said they just received a phone call the day before but no results had been faxed over and they were waiting for those. Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, WAITING SUCKS!!!!! I will be so glad when I get a date at least and then I will know for sure that this dream of mine is a reality. Stuck in a rut!

So I finally got my machine on January 14th. Starting to feel alot better. It's taking some getting use to having to sleep on my back and side (stomach sleeper here). Called the surgeon's office and they said I will have to wait at least another month because I have to send in the chip in the c-pap machine after 30 days of using it. Then I will be able to maybe get a surgery date then. Sigh.......

I love seeing all the new members and want to welcome you all. Would love to respond to each and every one but the computer is soooo slow. Hopefully getting a new one soon. Anyway, love that you guys are already chatting with each other. That's what I wanted, support and understanding from people in the same boat because it's easy to feel like the only person on an island sometimes. So welcome everyone! As for me, still waiting on my surgery date but at least I'm finally getting the c-pap machine on Wednesday. Man I hope it gives me some energy cause I need it!

Welcome Michelle2948 and congratulations on your surgery! Thank you for sharing. Did your surgeon require you to lose weight before the surgery? If so how did you do it? 40 lbs WOW A-mazing. Great job.

I dont know how to email you but I would like to see the pictures of the clothes.

I think it depends on the person. If you are motivated and determined to get the weight off and keep it off then you will but if you sit there and think you can't do it then you probably won't. It takes discipline and drive to change your lifestyle. Nothing is impossible when you set your mind to it. Good luck!

I wanted to start a group discussion about what motivated each and every one of you to take charge of your health. Was it your kids, work, or just not be able to do the things you enjoy doing because of the weight. And how did you kick start your weight loss? Would love to hear from everyone.

Wow I am still getting use to this site. I just found all of these wonderful comments. Just want to say thank you all and I appreciate the kind words.

So I've been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. The guy on the phone said he'd never seen anyone with as low level of oxygen as me. Apparenlty 60% is really bad. So I go Sunday to do another sleep study to get fitted for a mask. It's kinda taken my attention off the surgery for a bit but I'm still keeping my eye on the prize. I've come too far to fail now. I still have to lose the 10 pounds the doc wants me to lose plus about 3 that I've gained since then so all in all 13 lbs needs to vacate my body! I had gained 7 lbs but I've lost 4 lbs of that thank God. Boy this is gonna be tough but I don't have a choice I have to do it. I'm not getting any younger!! LOL! Wish me luck and encouraging words would be nice. Thanks!

Welcome Newbie. I just read your profile and that is so me. The camera thing, yeah I totally get that!! Congrats on having a surgery date already. I'm still waiting on mine. It's been a long process for me. But I'm still trying to be optimistic about it. Hopefully this group will help. 2013 here we come!!

Congratulations on your surgery! Looks like you're doing great! 2013 is gonna be a fantastic year for you!