piercedqt78

I guess if you follow some magazines then yes, I guess it will.

Congrats that's tomorrow!!! My anniversary is also tomorrow. SW 244, CW 110.

I think it should be made known that significant weight loss results in unattractive skin sometimes. It's real, not just all rainbows and butterflies.

sometimes it's not the body changes that attracts people, but the confidence, pride, and self worth that makes you stand out.

It's not there for me, I guess I haven't been given access yet.

I'm always willing to bounce ideas off other leaders. I would love to have a sub forum, or a support group leaders only forum for just that purpose. I'm looking into vistaprint for their free card options, I believe you only pay shipping. I'm also checking staples, office max and local print places.

That's me in the orange, the young lady is the flowers is my almost 13 year old daughter,The young lady in pink is her bestie, the woman in black is my mom. And that handsome man is my hubby.

Here is the group's email address bariatricpaljacksonvillefl@gmail.com

Please so, I also created an email address for my area, and I am making business cards to hand out with our info included on them. I have already cleared it with Alex, he thought it was a great idea.

I didn't read all the replies, sorry if I repeat anyone else: 1. I wish I would have known about the sleeve when I was banded, the band wouldn't have even been considered. 2. I wish I was more prepared for the drastic weightloss, I had lost so slowly with the band and had some regain everytime they took even a tiny amount of my restriction away, and then with my sleeve I lost 100 pounds in less than 10 months. 3. I wish I had known my surgeon wasn't a "warm fuzzy" man, his beside manner left something to be desired, but all in all he is still one of my most favorite people in the medical field. He gave me the tools I needed to save my life, and for that I will always have a special love in my heart for him. 4. I wish I had known how emotional I would be when I look in the mirror, some days I still see my fat self, and other days I'm freaked out by just how small I am now. I see a therapist for body dysmorphic disorder. I have gone from a size 22/24 to a size 0/2 and my 1 year anniversary is this thursday. It's weird if I look in a mirror I see a fat woman looking back at me, but if I catch my body's reflection in a store window or car mirror I think wow that's a great body wish I could be like that, then I realize it's me. So I'm working on it. 5. I wish I would have better prepared my daughter for my body changes. She was freaked out when I started wearing a smaller size than her. But she was happy to inherit all of my Victoria Secret bras. 6. I wish I would have known that I would want plastics when I hit goal. I always said I'm not vain, and since I'm a tomboy, and too old for bikinis, and skimpy clothes the skin won't bug me. And for visual reasons it really doesn't but I have some pain issues, like I have to sit carefully, or I end up sitting on a fold of skin and have to deal with bruises. no fun. 7. I wish I would have been warned that my favorite soup would taste like metal after surgery. I make a stuffed pepper soup, and everything is fresh (nothing from a can at all) and it tastes like it has been sitting in a steel bucket for days before being served now. My family says it's just me, that it taste just like it always did. So I would have liked to know that healthy food would change in flavor too, they warned me about sweets but not "real food" 8. I wish I had been warned that I would lose relationships when I lost weight. I think some people were only willing to be friends with people that made them look good (they looked thinner because the rest of us were morbidly obese) and I also had family tell me I took the easy way out. 9. I wish I had known how much money I would save on meds post-op. I have been able to come off of several meds, and have only picked up the ppi. 10. I wish they would have made us take a class on how to dress our new bodies. I seriously need to do an episode of "What not to wear" I know I listed more than 4 things, but this journey has taught me a ton about myself and others. I have said it before and I will continue to say it, I would do this surgery every year if I had to, I LOVE my sleeve.

places that do half portions or are known to allow ordering off the kids menu: http://www.connectionwls.com/helpful-tips-and-resources/restaurants/

you can print cards here: http://www.wlscenter.com/restaurant_card.htm

I contacted the office of the doctor that came highly recomended by my daughter's peds group (they use them for reconstructive surgery when needed) and made an appt to see them on wed. I have a huge packet to fill out and they suggested that I make a list of questions and bring that with me, and also to call my insurance and get their requirements for coverage. I did, and they directed me to a medical article on their website. It has a list of requirements, and I think I meet them all. But I'm not sure. Here is the exact wording: Indications and Limitations of Coverage Coverage for cosmetic services is determined according to individual or group customer benefits. Corrective facial surgery will be considered cosmetic rather than reconstructive when there is no functional impairment present. An indication or a diagnosis of "pain" may qualify as functional impairment. Psychiatric indications do not warrant payment for cosmetic surgery when no functional impairment is present. However, severe psychological impairment, appropriately documented, can be classified as "significant functional impairment" on an individual consideration basis. In cases involving psychiatric disorder or involutional changes due to aging, the claim should be accompanied by a report from a psychiatrist who indicates a definite psychiatric condition relevant to the condition to be corrected by the surgery and that the proposed correction is likely to be of significant help in treating the psychiatric problem. These services require medical review prior to payment. Some common procedures which may be potentially cosmetic may also be considered reconstructive. The guidelines in this policy should be used to determine whether those procedures are cosmetic or reconstructive. There may be procedures other than those included in this policy which could be performed for either cosmetic or reconstructive purposes. These procedures should be reviewed on an individual consideration basis and classified as reconstructive surgery only when there is documented functional impairment. The following procedures are considered reconstructive and medically necessary when all of the procedures specific guidelines below are met: Abdominoplasty, Panniculectomy ("Tummy Tuck")(15830, 15847, 17999), when all of the following criteria are met: Preoperative photographs document that the panniculus or fold hangs at or below the level of the symphysis pubis; and The medical records document that the panniculus or fold causes chronic intertrigo (dermatitis occurring on opposed surfaces of the skin, skin irritation, infection or chafing) that consistently recurs or remains refractory to appropriate medical therapy (including appropriate prescription medications) over a period of three (3) months. NOTE: The patient must be at least 18 months postoperative following bariatric surgery. NOTE: Report procedure code 15830 (Excision, excessive skin and subcutaneous tissue [includes lipectomy]; abdomen, infraumbilical panniculectomy) when performing a panniculectomy. Report procedure codes 15830 and 15847 (Excision, excessive skin and subcutaneous tissue [includes lipectomy], abdomen [e.g., abdominoplasty] includes umbilical transposition and fascial plication) when an abdominoplasty is performed with a panniculectomy. Procedure code 15847 should only be reported with procedure code 15830. When an abdominoplasty is performed without panniculectomy, report procedure code 17999 with a description of the service. Place of Service: Outpatient/Inpatient Abdominoplasty/panniculectomy is typically an outpatient procedure which is only eligible for coverage as an inpatient procedure in special circumstances including, but not limited to the presence of a co-morbid condition that would require monitoring in a more controlled environment such as the inpatient setting. https://secure.highmark.com/ldap/medicalpolicy/wpa-highmark/S-28-026.html I have lost 130 pounds, and have a ton of skin that just hangs everywhere. I have pain when I sit or lay down from my skin "bunching up" and I also have issues with rashes, and ulcers. On the 1st requirement, it states that the "panniculus or fold hangs at or below the level of the symphysis pubis" Is that when I am standing upright, or when I lean forward? Also I had my sleeve last may (less than a year ago) but I was originally banded 9 years ago, I'm hoping they will consider that. I also need my thighs taken care of, but there are no guidelines for that, so I guess we will see what they say about that. Any body have a list of questions that they have asked, or that I should be looking into asking? I have never done this before, and am a bit lost. I was also happy that they will be doing the consult free of charge, and I am welcome to have a consult with each and every surgeon in the office, at no cost to me. They encourage you to see them all, one at a time to make you the most comfortable. Also should I be prepared for them to take photos of my in my bra and panties? The only thing I know about plastic surgery is what I have seen on TV/Movies. I know that's just sad, but I'm more of a tomboy than I care to admit and before all of this wouldn't have considered plastic surgery at all.

Also ALWAYS ask if they make the adult entrees in kid sizes, you would be amazed at the number of places that can do just that.

Problem is my Insurance is not in my state. I'm waiting to see what she says when she calls me back tomorrow.

After my consult the insurance co-oridinator told me that she was going to flag my chart, and not submit anything until they had my lap band surgical notes (I have them, and took them to my GP to submit with everything else), and also the notes about the skin rashes, and pain from my skin "bunching up" when I try to lay down, or when I sit. Well they didn't wait, and submitted my paperwork and listed that I was only 10 months post-op, and no notes about my skin issues, and pain. So I was of course denied, and I'm only allowed 1 submission, and 2 appeals. So they just burned through one of my chances to get this covered. I got the denial letter on Sat, and called today. The office manager called me back this afternoon, and was like "oh, I'm so sorry this happened" I asked if they could call my insurance and tell them it was a paperwork error, or that they had mixed up their info, she said she would talk to the staff that was involved and get back to me tomorrow. I'm super pissed, they just reduced my chances of coverage by 33%. Now I'm worried that they are going to go through everything submitted with a fine tooth comb, and pick apart my appeal. I spent the weekend crying, and now I have spent today fuming. What would you do?

I would check walgreens and bed bath and beyond, so if it sucks you can return it without having to pay shipping to you and back.

my one BIG piece of advice is to keep something that you can wear right now, and have it as a reminder. I have a few things, and when people who I haven't seen in a while asked how far I'm come I can show them my before/after by holding up my old clothes.

if you click the little wheel by your user name it will open a drop down menu there is an option of "content I follow" and every post you are active in will pop up, the ones with replies will be at the top.

I love the "content I follow" option for just that reason. It keeps me on track with my threads, my next click is "new content". The programs even make it easy to follow up on your threads/posts.

I love my parents weight watchers scale, the one they have saves 4 profiles, with age, height, and weight. It figures BMI, Water, and weight. I weigh myself when I stop over to check on them so at least once a week. It's a really nice scale and they got it for around $30 at Walmart.

I have my wedding dress from almost 14 years ago. I was going to wear it next year again to renew our vows for our 15th. We were originally married in Chicago and my family from Florida wasn't able to attend. Now we are living in Florida and I thought we would have a vow renewal to let them Celebrate our marriage with us, and get to see us exchange our vows and have a party afterwards. Well now my wedding dress is waaaayyyy too big, and I won't be able to take it in at all. The only original thing that still fits will be my hair pins, and jewelry even my shoes are too big now. And I don't want to cut my dress up because my daughter says it's beautiful and she would like to wear it to her wedding some day. (it's a very simple victorian lace overlay style dress) Or at least she will use the lace to make her veil. It's a size 16 and I was about a size 14 when we got married, but formals run small. Well now I'm a size 2 and in some cases I'm a size 0, so there is no way to make it work without destroying it. I guess that means I will just have to buy something new, sigh, it's so hard getting skinny. Hubby says I should buy something simple but really sexy, since I went more conservative last time. And I have the outfit that I wore to my daughter's baby dedication day at church, it looks like a tent on me now. I will be using that as my before in the fashion show that my surgeon does a few times a year. They have patients walk out with a pre-op outfit held up, and when they hit the runway they toss it aside and let the people see how small they have gotten. It's really an eye opener for pre-op or being that are just thinking about surgery. And my favorite are the recently post-op people that gasp, point, and cry at the thought of that being them some day. I know that feeling, that your heart is going to leap out of your chest just thinking about that kind of loss.

My sleeve was not any worse than the lapband. The worst part is you will have some lingering soreness from the port removal. When I went home on day 3 I felt really good. I actually stopped at the grocery store and bought some supplies.

Look for Peanut Butter flavored syrup for your Protein shakes. Or get the peanut butter chocolate flavored pudding. I used this in chocolate protein shakes http://www.torani.com/#/products/peanut-butter-syrup

I will be one year post-op on Thursday the 8th. I want to tell you this it THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. Except having my daughter of course. I have said it before and I will say it again, I would do this surgery once a year if that's what it took to keep my sleeve. I don't regret it for a single second!!! Here's to all the May sleevers, you are doing amazing things for yourself, and your health!! Congrats.