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Gmanbat...This is one reason I chose to use someone of my choice, someone not affiliated with my PCP, bariatric surgeon-insurance company or anyone else. I also used a licensed counselor instead of a psychologist. If you read your insurance requirements you may find you can too. I was not given a test. Instead I discussed me, my life from childhood to adult, my traumas and tragedies and my successes. As I talked to her I could actually see my issues forming and my triggers being created. She was the perfect person for me and i actually plan to return to her just because it felt rather good to finally verbalize some of what had been crammed down deep below the layers of garbage I had covered it up with over the years. I paid cash and did not bring my medical records into it. My past records were not given to her and my visit with her was not placed in my ongoing patient records. All of that was ! not neccessary. The only thing that was neccessary is determining whether or not I would likely be a successful WLS candidate. Everything is is private IMO.

You might have been in my local GNC.

I can't be 100% sure but I think they want to know the below list. It is what I went over during my eval. You clearly understand the surgery and what will be done to you and that is is not reversible. How the survey will change you and your life. That you have the ability to follow through will Drs orders That you understand the importance of following Drs instructions. That you have the proper expectation of the surgery(what it will and will not do). That you understand the issues you have/ have had with food that caused you problems in the past. That you have learned to control the issues that caused you food issues in in he past ( your triggers, your binge foods). Maybe someone else can add to the list.

I went into surgery at 229. Several nurses told me the same thing. It upset me actually. I kinda felt like someone was about to take a gift away from me.

Madame Reverie, I've enjoyed all of your posts so far and this one is great too. I know exactly what you're talking about. Right now, losing too much is the farthest thing from my mind though. I spend too much time whining that I'm not losing enough/ fast enough lol. Lord I hope I have to worry about that some day! I have seen people after losing all of their excess weight that looked terrible, in a sickly kind of way. I have always felt that comes along with loss that is too fast and done without constant attention to Vitamins and Water. Although we all know there are people that are attracted to people that are morbidly obese I think it's safe to say most do not prefer that look on anyone, including themselves. As for me I'll strive for perfection and hope I recognize it when I see it.

You're beautiful and inspiring!

I will admit doing the same thing. Do I advise it? No I sure don't. I put on 8 lbs that is now just more to deal with Grrr! I knew that when I was doing it but did it anyway so I deserve what I got.

That is huge. I forgot to mention that before i quit altogether I quit smoking in my smoking zones 1 by 1. I banned it from my car first, then each of my other spots. Smoking in the car and after meals were the 2 biggies to kick for me.

I wish you all the best.

All the best for a very fast approval. I think you'll sail through.

Of course it will depend on your coverage I suppose but I did not use the Surgeons Drs for any of my pre-op. in fact, for my psych eval I used a licensed counselor, not a Dr. I cleared it prior to keeping my appt.

I'm open about my surgery with people that matter but I would never have explained my "no sides" order with the staff. "Yes, I'm sure" would have been my only response. Of course, I don't think I need to be questioned about my order. I think I'm smart enough to know what I want and expect the waiters to just follow my instruction. I don't think he meant anything bad by it though.

2 months start to finish for me. I saw my surgeon the first time on May 16. I left there and right away scheduled and completed my pre-op requirements at my own Drs, not the surgeons. The same day the last thing was done we submitted to insurance and was approved a couple of days later. Surgery was on July 16 exactly 2 months after my first appointment. I have Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Fiddleman. Thank you so much. You have helped me make sense of this.

Fiddleman, thank you for posting the chart for calories. Do you have something like that for protein and carbs for the same time periods? I am 3 hrs from my NUT and she really doesn't seem to know much about post surgery diet needs.

I think you might be right. I had a complete hysterectomy in my 30's i think i cried or screamed out every hormone I had in the next 10-15 years. I've got nothing left.

Please don't take offense to my question but is your sister in law ignorant or mean? I'm sorry but for an adult to bring chocolates to a new bariatric patient she must be one or the other in the extreme. Unless she's a dunce it sounds like cruelty, sabotage or both to me. I would be looking at her in the distance for along time if it were me. I am where you are. I haven't been emotional yet but i hear that most are at this time. Walking will help as you've already learned. What really makes me feel good is really upbeat music while walking. Personally I love oldies for that. Just know that it will pass and when it does you when unveil a much more awesome and healthy you. Then hand those chocolates back.

Yea, congrats on finding the strength to do what you needed to do! I'm from TX and I had no idea you oud be considered married ithout being married.

If I really wanted a bit of soda i would go to my soda stream and instead of tapping it for full carbonation i would tap it for very light carbonation, maybe 3 taps instead of my usual 12.

I don't like coffee and bever drank it. My surgeon told me i could though and didn't say no caffeine. My daughter suffers from terrrible migraines and her daughter told me to allow her to drink sodas or other caffeine because it would open the blood vessels and relieve her migraine. It worked for her.

When i say dent or crease i mean it is well over 2 inches deep. It looks as if a fine wire is being pressed down deeply and the skin on each side is touchy at least 2 inches in. That is the stitch I mentioned. Not all Drs do this stitch and not all patients get one this tight. At 15 days out mine is very painful and every day i wKe up I hope today will be the day it pops. Until then i can't exercise or do much of anything.

I have a deep dent in my left side from the internal stitch from the large incision to the muscle. Its suppose to break loose from the muscle from 2-6 weeks and I hope it hurries. I am one of those that have a very tight pull on my stitch and its very painful. I don't know if the big crease will stay or go.

Why don't you have a sip of coffee? It was allowed on my plan before and after surgery.

Consider yourself lucky for being able to sample it. I stupidly bought a gallon size jar of it and another of some other fruit flavor. Yuck! I fight back and forth between different brands of chocolate. I actually hate them all and its a daily struggle for me. I hope you can find one you like.

I felt my husband wouldn't agree with my having the surgery but I was not willing to accept that. I had no intention of asking him for permission but i did want him to be supportive. I sat my husband down and told him" this is what i want and this is what i need to survive and because of that this is what i will be doing. i told him that i loved him and hoped that he would be supportive but i needed to do it either way and would. i had done the research, i knew what our financial part wold be and what it would take to qualify. I didn't rely on memory. I printed out all the information i could find including on the Dr i had decided on. He has been very supportive.