SLK248

Congratulations! Such exciting news. I just changed to Cigna coverage on January 1, and I am still gathering the needed paperwork/clearances. What sort of documentation of a 3 month supervised diet did you submit? Would b helpful to know what worked! Thanks!

I am scheduled to have surgery in February, which leaves me a good deal of time to worry! Here are some of my surgery-related anxieties in no particular order: What if there are complications and I never feel well again after the surgery even though I am doing this to feel better? How can I model healthy eating habits/body image for my daughter when I am having 85% of my stomach removed? (Of course, being obese and struggling with diabetes isn't so great either.). How will I explain it to her when she is older? Will my life "go back to normal" or will every second of every day be about the surgery and its aftermath? Will I be able to return to an intellectually demanding job within 2 weeks? What should I tell people at work (if anything)? Will I ever be able to drink more than 2 oz at a time? Will I always be thirsty? Will I still be able to take pleasure in food? (An appropriate amount of pleasure.) Will I be able to have a healthy pregnancy after surgery? Will all the nutrition requirements and changes after surgery be hard on my husband? He is so supportive and wonderful, but I don't want my stomach to be the center of our lives! Just wanted to put this out there because I know so many of you have been here and may have some advice to offer. I know that continuing on with the status quo is untenable. I am too young to have the health issues I do, and I want to be around for my husband and daughter for as long as possible. Sometimes I am excited about he surgery, but sometimes I am terrified. I'm familiar with my current challenges (being overweight, the health issues etc.) -- they're comfortable. It's not knowing what my life will be like after surgery that scares me. I don't want to lose the good in my life along with the bad. Thanks for reading (and for any advice you may have).

I am tentatively scheduled for VSG in mid-February in NJ. I am 34, married, mom to a 4 year old and a lawyer. My starting weight is 248, though my highest weight ever was 265. I am still apprehensive about the surgery, but also excited to get started on changing my life.

Thanks for the links ribearty, and hi Sandee and 1day! My insurance changes on January 1, so I am in a somewhat of a holding pattern until I verify the new insurer's requirements for my plan. In the meantime, I have seen my PCP and requested a med necessity letter, seen a psychiatrist to request clearance and scheduled an eval with the surgeon's affiliated nutritionist. I am assuming that I will be required to document 3 months of a medically supervised diet, but I can't know exactly what is needed to document that until the first week of January. Otherwise, I am doing a good deal of research and reading to learn about the surgery (that's how I get comfortable with things), and trying to adopt some of the habits I'll need to rely on post surgery (food tracking, eating more slowly, chewing, drinking lots of water).

Thanks, Cupcake! Where are you in your journey?

I am scheduled for VSG in mid-February in NJ, and looking for some online friends to be in touch with before and after surgery. I am 34, married, mom to a 4 year old and a lawyer. My starting weight is 248, though my highest weight ever was 265. I am still apprehensive about the surgery, but also excited to change. I've enjoyed all the WLS videos and blogs I've come across thus far, and know that a key factor in others' success has been the support and accountability provided by online friends. Let me know if you're interested! Stacy