Roo101769

While it seems like and odd question with an obvious answer, maybe she was curious if there was something specific going on. A lot of people want to lose weight for a reunion, for a wedding, to try to get pregnant, going on vacation etc. Perhaps that is what she was trying to ask, but failed miserably doing so! LOL

I have to do a pulmonary evaluation then I should be done and paperwork submitted to insurance. I did not have to do any classes with the NUT, just a consultation, no 6mos diet or anything. Psych eval was quick and fairly painless. In fact, everything was going along smoothly until the hiccup of waiting for the pulmonary doctor. ( schedule issues) I saw my PCP today and he asked if I had a surgery date yet, so even he is anxious! LOL I told him no, but he better have all his paperwork submitted so not to hold me up...Once insurance approves me I will be given a surgery date. In the time between I have to have the EGD and on online education course. I am holding my breath and crossing my fingers hoping I can get an October surgery date.

Hmmm... Makes me wonder. Post op VSG you produce little to no ghrelin, so you are not really ever "hungry". But over time many start to regain some of the "hunger" feeling as ghrelin production increases. But right after (post op) is also probably when people who have VSG are getting their highest amounts of protein. ( Isn't that what they stress?? Protein, protein, protein) In the study they say researchers have found high protein diets reduce the amount of ghrelin produced.....So, maybe it is a combination of surgery AND high protein diets that creates the desired effect. Therefore sticking with a high protein diet should, in essence, delay or eradicate the return of ghrelin. Love for them to do a study on that theory!

Excess weight can have an effect on your cycle. Changing that can also effect it, but seems like right after surgery is a bit soon. ( of course given weight loss from pre op diets could be the reason) But the good news is things will be SOOOOO much easier to reach with the extra weight gone!!! LOL

I wrote one for good measure, before I knew I would need it. It was kind of cathartic to put into words everything that has lead me to this place. It is needed for my insurance, and my surgeon learned more about me and my struggles from it. ( I submitted it on my first visit) I detailed my past, my family (briefly) and what I have tried for weight loss. I also explained where I am currently at physically, and how my weight effects me. I ended by telling what I hope to achieve with the surgery, and that I hoped I would be considered and approved.

Thanks for the suggestions! I am trying to figure out ways to dine out without guilt or undoing what I have accomplished. My main go to is looking up menus in advance and checking the nutritional values and making up my mind what I want from that. Makes it easier to not have to think about it when I am hungry. But on the fly is still an issue. I know I will figure it out over time. I am a food addict in some ways. While I do not eat mass quantities for the most part, I do eat junk. My choices are a huge part of my weight issues. I am just trying to get a grip on that now. I have been journaling. Not so much the food (although I do write some about what I eat) but about my emotions. And I have been blogging here. I know now this is going to be about 70% (or more) mental for me, so I am trying to get "my head into the game" so to speak. And my biggest victory of all will be when I am no longer in pain daily from arthritis. I am not on any meds that will be stopped due to weight loss. While I cannot imagine how great I will feel when I can wear smaller sizes, I long for the day when I can walk without pain. That is my biggest goal. The rest will be hummus on the tofu as icing on the cake is no longer part of my world!!! LOL

My momentive is slowing down. Does that mean I throw in the towel and forget it? Nope. But I will admit I am having a little problem staying on track. I have lost 13lbs on my self imposed pre surgery diet. I am already practicing for life after surgery. It has been pretty easy for the most part, but I have had a little bit of backsliding. I am not talking chocolate cake and pizza kind of backsliding. But I have overindulged in some of my "healthy" choices. Too much cheese, too many protein bars. Today I had an errand to run at lunch. I had already come into work late, so I needed to grab something quick. Taco Bell ( not normally a choice for ANYTHING healthy) had the protein bowls/ burritos this summer. The chicken bowl is pretty low calorie and good protein. I would even allow myself a "cheat" of guacamole & chips with it. Well I get into the drive thru ( this one is designed that once you enter you cannot exit) and low and behold the protein items are gone! Ugh!!! I went with the cantina bell menu as a back up option and got the chicken bowl. But I really wanted the guacamole and chips, so I got the combo. MISTAKE. First off they screwed up the order and I ended up with a side of guac and a side of salsa- plus TWO bags of chips. Then my bowl just was NOT what I wanted. I realized the Cantina bowl is very similar to the protein bowl, just bigger and loaded with white rice. I should have never ate the chips, but I ended up eating most of them with the guacamole. Then I started to eat the bowl. After about a third of it I realized I was full. A guess a small victory in the fact I stopped eating it. In the past I would have ate every bite because I paid for it! But today it was just not what I wanted and I was able to easily stop eating when I was full. ( side note- I realized after the fact I had ate more than "just full" as I sit here with a rock in my stomach) I debated whether to keep the rest and eat later but decided to just pitch it. Why eat something that was not what I had intended in the first place? So now my quick food options (pre op) are even further limited. My other issue is with eating fast/drinking with meals. I know both of these things will have to be changed once I have surgery. I really, really need to practice both now to get into the groove. Yet I keep putting it off. I can eat sometimes w/o drinking. But not all meals. And I still eat way too fast and too large of bites. I need to get used to chewing my food to oblivion and pausing between bites. Otherwise I will have a very rude awakening if I forget to do this post op! I guess my biggest problem right now is time. Having to wait to get to the next step in my journey. Knowing that I will worry until I hear my insurance has approved me for surgery. Not knowing if I will be able to get the surgery when I hoped. ( original goal was October) Just a lot of variables that are out of my control. I won't go as far as say I am a control freak, but I do feel better when I can create my destiny. ( at least in something as life changing as this) I just want to get there. I want to be past the "scary" parts and get to living the life I dream of....

Perhaps it is genuine concern she approached with when saying you are too skinny. Don't get me wrong, I personally think you look fabulous. (Not "too skinny" nor "an old man") But this woman has spent years accepting (and loving I assume) you as you were. Sometimes it is harder for those around us to accept we are obese and need help than it is for us to decide it for ourselves. You did what was right for you, for your life. Be proud every second of every day that you cared enough about YOU to do that. In time the family (and others) will come around and get to know and love the "new" you the same as they did the old you. BTW- I think it is awesome you and your wife did this together. That is an amazing support system built right into your marriage!

I am like others in the regards of every day life should have been enough for me to decide. And I was even starting the process when I had a DVT(blood clot)/ PE. This was my second go 'round with it. First time was after knee surgery, but this time was "unprovoked". When I was released from the hospital ( 5 day stay) I saw my paperwork said "morbid obesity" as a factor of hospitalization. No, I had a clot. But my weight is a factor. Well this time I suffered a lot of vascular damage in my right leg. Living went from uncomfortable to down right unbearable. I looked into disability. But I thought about it long and hard. I could be "disabled". Stay home, sit on my rear and let my weight go up and up. Or I could finally do something to get the weight off for good. Fight back the only way I could. So I chose to do what I truly believed was the best thing. I am doing this for me, but also so I can be the best mommy to my daughter I can be.

I would say bake up the rest and take them in to church with you. That gets it out of your house, you don't feel like you have wasted money and your fellow parishioners will certainly love the little treat.

I am trying out things now to get an idea pre op. I ordered Unjury sampler for around $30. It has two of each chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, unflavored and chicken broth. It also comes with a Rubbermaid shaker bottle and a thermometer. ( Because the protein powder cannot be heated above 140 degrees or it clumps and congeals) So far I have tried the strawberry and chocolate. I can tolerate the strawberry but preferred chocolate. I just want an idea now of what is out there.

You have all of us on VST to support you too. You are not totally alone, although I do understand where you are coming from. I wish you the very best journey and that you have the best healthy long life!

Do NOT beat yourself up. We are all bound to have moments when we are weak and eat something we wish we had not. And yes, there will even be days where we wish we could rewind and try again. But you know what? You know it makes you feel bad. You know you do have craving control issues. And you know next time you will look back at today and remember how it feels. Don't let the food monster win. It isn't just a battle with the scale, it is a battle in our hearts and minds too. This is NOT an easy process for any of us. If it was easy to be thin and healthy for us we wouldn't be here. ( As if we would choose to be heavy and carry the burdens we have) Chalk it up to a learning experience, part of life. This is a marathon, not a sprint. If the majority of your days are spent making wise and healthy choices then the occasional slip is not going to be your undoing. This is forever. Do not let one day bring you down...

My company had Medical Mutual but switched 6/1/2013 to Anthem Blue Cross. I know the Medical Mutual plan we had did cover WLS, but there was a 12 month medically supervised diet requirement on it. New insurance does not have such a requirement!

I am in a pretty good mood right now. Have to admit I am one of those emotional rollercoaster types. Not that I am into drama or anything, I just feel things strongly. ( and often wear my emotions on my "sleeve"...LOL) You know it is bad when you shed tears watching really crazy things on tv and your four year old scolds you.."Mommy, you need to do something about all the crying". Hey, mommy is hormonal and emotional and changing her entire relationship with food after 43 years. I am entitled to a little random crying now and then. But I am getting away from the reason I am blogging today. As I have said several times I decided to start eating a diet similar to post surgery. Very high in protein, low in fat, calories and carbs. My thought process was I needed to make eating like this habit now, to make it easier on me later. I will be dealing with enough at that time, why compound it with trying to change everything I have ever done at the same time? So, as of August 1st I took on the challenge of changing my brain and how I relate to food. It has been hard at times, but not as bad as I had imagined. I guess the fact I am very focused on where I need to go makes it a little easier. IDK. Anyway, I work in a manufacturing plant and we have industrial scales used to weigh rolls of paper before shipping. They are calibrated often so I feel they are fairly accurate. I was unable to get on them August 1st because there were just too many guys around in the plant to do so. ( I am NOT ready to weigh in with an audience) So on August 2nd I was able to sneak on them with no one looking. I weighed 316lbs., which is my all time (non-pregnant) high weight. It is also the weight I had been when weighing at my doctor's, so again I feel it accurate. Well today was the first time I have been able to get on them again with no one around. I hopped on and it said 303lbs! I did a double take.. I have lost 13 lbs in 20 days!!! Whoop whoop. I am excited because I know it is getting my body to where it needs to be for an easier surgery and recovery. Of course I have already heard from a few people "well at that rate you won't need surgery". I just shake my head at their ignorance...LOL We all who have come to WLS know that is such a misconception. All this weight loss shows is just how fat I have become and how badly I have been eating. This 13lbs is a drop in the proverbial bucket. Yet I am excited that I can see I am doing the right thing. I see I can do this. I see a light at the end of my tunnel. I have hope.

I have looked into this a great deal. My insurance will NOT pay for any type of skin removal after WLS, so I have to deal with whatever I have. From what I have read it is basically a genetic lottery. Some people have really great elasticity and there skin eventually recovers and "bounces back". Others are not so fortunate and no amount of exercise or potions or secret sacrifices to the firm skin gods will help. But....I have also read there are things you can try. Everyone will have their own ideas or opinions. The regime I am going to use ( and have already started) is sea salt scrubs in the shower and LOTS of firming lotion daily. The theory is the salt scrubs will exfoliate the dead, unhealthy cells. That will stimulate new cell growth, and new cells are hopefully happy, healthy, and firm cells! Also the scrubs are usually made with essential oils that will help in healing the skin. ( I made mine with almond oil and vitamin E) The firming lotion is for just that, firming. Also the better hydrated your skin is the better it will appear. ( and the healthier it will be) I am sure there will be a lot of ideas and tips and I look forward to seeing what others have tried!

I think I should clarify my response a little in hindsight. The official response from my surgeon's office on time off was..."IF you can take 3-4 weeks off to recuperate after the surgery, then by all means do. But realistically people do need to get back to their lives and often can only take a week or two off." In my case I was off work this past spring for over a month and a half due to a DVT/PE. I cannot afford to take more time off than is absolutely needed for this surgery. But if it was an option, then yes I would prefer at least two weeks off. Take what you physically, emotionally, and financially can afford to take would be my advice.

Your post sounds almost identical to me! LOL I only have to have a pulmonary clearance before I am done..( ie: ready to submit to insurance) I have had two different episodes of pulmonary embolism ( blood clots traveling into my lungs) so the surgeon/ anesthesiologist want this checked. ( but not really concerned there are any issues) I have done everything else on my check list. I too hope to get in before the end of year and a large part of that reasoning is financial. Since I already went through another round of DVT/PE and was hospitalized for 6 days overall I too have met my deductible/ out of pocket annual max. So financially it would be greatly beneficial for me to have surgery in 2013. Also, it starts me on the road to a healthier me that much sooner. But if the cards are dealt that I have to wait, I will still do it. I just hope luck and timing is on my side...Good luck to you too!

My surgeon has already cleared with me to be off one week. ( I don't have a date yet either) He said that as long as there are no complications, that I am healing well and I can tolerate any pain without being a zombie on drugs I can go back to work. ( I am in accounting) I do plan to have someone help me with my daughter and my dogs for a little while, but sitting on my butt I can do either at a desk or at home! LOL

Beautiful! You WORK it girl!!!! I cannot WAIT for my surgery. I am not sure cute is in my future, but I sure will give it hell...LOL

The good news is your views on food and eating definitely seem to be in the right place! You are living your life, not eating it. Have an awesome vacation and enjoy every minute of it.

My NUT suggested OPurity multivitamins for me. They are designed specifically for sleeve and bypass patients. My guess is it has something to do with how they are absorbed but not sure. Anyway, you only need one a day, plus calcium. They do run a little low on B12 so she suggested to take additional B12 a couple times a week. I got them yesterday and tried it. I am pre op, but trying things out to at least have an idea. These pills are large chewables but not gummies. They weren't horrible but they seemed very (ie: TOO) sweet. But I figure post op it will be hard to consume one as quickly, will probably have to break it up so then the sweetness won't be as overwhelming. OPurity is best for me because it does not have added vitamin k. (I am on warfarin for life and need to restrict vitamin k) I think everyone's NUT and surgeon has different plans they follow. The overall basic is the same, but the rates and stages varies. My NUT said protein, protein, protein along with staying hydrated. Just stay with what works for you. Things will even out. At least you seem to be doing pretty well with recovery!

I am not worried about the food aspect of the holidays, but I want to be able to participate and be active then. My daughter is only four and I am a single parent ( father is uninvolved) so I am the only one she has to make those times special for her. It is much more about being able to do things with her over the holidays. ( instead of being laid up healing from major surgery) December is basically out because of work. I really wanted to take advantage of the financial aspect since I have already met annual cap on insurance. ( Why I would like to get it done this year) That is probably why you found so many folks had booked for end of year. The one plus I have is it seems like my surgeon is the less busy one in the practice. He is an older gentleman with years of experience. ( He is head of bariatrics for two hospitals) But his partner is the "face" of the practice. He is the one you see on their website. He is also the one holding the seminars. So when everyone who attended the seminar signed up to consult after, about 98% signed up for that doctor. I had already been referred to my doctor by my PCP so I was going to him anyway. Maybe his "lack of popularity" will help me out in the long run! LOL

If you have been reading my story though my blogs you know I have only been on my journey a short amount of time. Well, to be honest I have lived the heavy part for many years now. But the road to healthy weight has only been traveled in earnest since June. That was when I set my mind on changing my life and my body. I started making calls and doing research, the first call was to see if my insurance even covered the surgery. Once I started I have gone full steam ahead. I talked with my PCP and got a referral. I went to a seminar, scheduled a consult. I got clearance from my vascular doctor and hematologist even before meeting the surgeon the first time. I scheduled my psych evaluation and my nutritional counseling the same week, Heck, I even had my pap test done for good measure. All hurdles have been cleared. I have checked things off the list one by one. There is just one more thing I must do before the paperwork is submitted to my insurance. My surgeon wants me to have a pulmonary evaluation because I have had two separate events of pulmonary embolism, the last being this past May. I am not concerned there is any problem with my lungs, it is just a precaution. They referred me to a pulmonologist and I called to schedule an appointment, and that is when the brakes were slammed on for me. I cannot get in for even the initial consultation until Sept.9th. Any tests they want will be scheduled after that. Four weeks. Four weeks of nothing. With everything else going so quickly and easily this was certainly an abrupt slow down. I have been really hoping to have the surgery in October. With work and the holidays etc. that would be the best time for me. It was looking pretty good for me to achieve that before this. Given it is my last hurdle to clear before the paperwork is submitted to my insurance, it is possible I may still make my October wish date. It will all depend on 1)how quickly I can get the pulmonary clearance 2) how quickly insurance responds - and if favorably and 3) my surgeons schedule. I am motivated by so many factors to get the surgery soon. Of course there is the number one factor, my health. The sooner I have surgery the sooner I will get to the healthy weight I have been dreaming of. (and the sooner my body can get relief from all the weight related issues I have) Second is financial. Since I had the issue with the blood clot (DVT) and the embolism earlier this year, I have met my financial insurance obligations for 2013. If I can get the surgery this year it will be at little to no cost for me, which is a huge plus. And of course timing...The holidays are right around the corner. My birthday is Oct.17. Then there is Halloween, followed a few days later by my daughter's birthday. Three weeks later is Thanksgiving and then Christmas. I want to be physically healed before everything starts kicking into gear. And my work is supposed to have a new computer system go live on 12/1. My boss wants me at work during the process. So I cannot be off for surgery and recovery in December. Needless to say I felt a bit of stress over the situation. I was a bit down and depressed when I realized how close things are being cut. I admit I went off the rails a little. I have been getting used to a diet high in protein and low in fats/calories/carbs since the beginning of August. In 19 days I have lost 13lbs. Friday I took my daughter out and I ordered food I should not have. All that did was make me more depressed Saturday. So I got myself back together and got back on track. It didn't really make a dent on the scale, but it did effect me emotionally. So I am hitting the reset button. I am going to start back to the Y this week to get in pool time. I also want to start walking more. And my hand weights I ordered should be delivered soon. All these things were stressed by the sports physiologist and I plan to make good. So I am getting back on track. I will use this extra time I have to get myself in the best possible pre op shape I can be. That way, hopefully I will have a smooth surgery and recovery when I do get there...

Not sure if I will make my October goal now or not. It is still possible. I have had my psych evaluation and my nutritional consultation. Both decided I knew what I was doing and do not require further visits. It was decided I needed a pulmonary evaluation because I have had two pulmonary embolism, the last being in May. I am not really worried about it because I know my lungs are fine. But I was unable to schedule in with the doctor until 9/9 for the consultation, and any tests would be after. That is four weeks of nothing. I have been able to do everything else that has been required in a short amount of time. This is going to put the brakes on it. Once those tests are complete my paperwork will be submitted to insurance for approval. Once approved my EGD will be scheduled and a surgery date given. So it is still possible to have surgery in October, depending on how quickly insurance responds and what my surgeons schedule is like. I would do it tomorrow if I could. I am ready for this change.