tutornmom

Wow Heidi, I love you banner "Failure Is Not An Option". I have really gotten discouraged reading the literature the doctor gave me and this forum. It seems that so many people lose the weight very slowly or not at all and I am thinking - IF I went to THESE lengths to lose this, I WILL SUCCEED no matter how hard it gets. My husband even told me last night to quit reading the forum. But we started at almost the same statistics (age, weight, goals) and you have already lost 21 lbs. You give me motivation. I am going to do it! I officially weigh on Friday's which just happened to be my surgery date so I can't wait to see what the drop will be then. I know it is coming down. Keep it up! I need the motivation and drive and you sound like just the person to keep me going! In His hands!

Hi all! I am so excited! My surgery was Friday 8/22 and went great! When should I expect to get hungry? I made myself drink 1 1/2 protein drinks yesterday and plenty of water. I wasn't hungry but I was in some pain and the tube in my throat during surgery messed up the "hangy down thing" as my son calls it. All seems better today. Still some pain but considerably less than yesterday. Now, I am ready to see the scale really start moving.

Thanks for your prayers! Surgery went well. I had to be at the hospital almost 2 hours away at 7 a.m. and was home by about 4 p.m. I am sore and loving the pain meds but doing good. I will send a prayer up for the sister. I love that flood story. We have all been in that same position and it is a great reminder. In His hands!

I don't post very often but I read the posts everyday and pray at least once for every request. Long lasting marriages are a blessing from God. I am only 40 so I can't boast that many years of marriage but we have been married 21 years. I would appreciate your prayers over the next few weeks. I am a homeschool mom of a 13 yos and 16 yo special needs daughter and a one-day-per-week Upper Level math teacher (Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Advanced math). I am having the surgery on Friday. My classes start of Monday and enrollment is down this year but I still have 4 classes. Both of my children are starting in other classes at the one day school as well and my son has never taken classes except from mom. We are going out of town over Labor Day to visit family. BUT The biggie is that my husband is leaving for a one year deployment on 9/5. We have lots of shopping and other things to do to get him ready as well as trying to finish up home improvement projects that I started over the summer. I am SO excited about the surgery but also scared as I am sure most of you understand. Please send up some prayers for us as we make this journey. We have really prayed and feel that the decisions we have made are the right ones with God. In His hands!

Hi all, I don't remember and can't find it but I thought I posted a prayer request out her regarding my surgery. I was approved and scheduled yesterday. I will have the surgery next week (8/22). God is Good all the Time! All the Time God is Good! The surgeon's office hurried me along due to some upcoming insurance and other changes in my life. I am really excited about what the LORD has planned for my family. I will keep reading the posts. I have so much to learn. In His hands!

Cool! I will be banded on 8/22 and I need to work on 8/25 (First day of the Monday classes I teach) so this gives me encouragement.

I was told that it would take 48 hours for tricare approval and it did. My surgery date is 8/22. I asked the doctor's office to make it happen quickly because our insurance is changing soon. I am SO excited. I have preop tomorrow!

I have my surgery date! I am so excited! I will either go tomorrow or Monday for preop! Thank you LORD! Thank you Tricare! Thank you Katie, Dr. Sherer, and everyone in your office! I feel like I have a new start of life.

Hi all, I have an appointment with Dr. Sherer next week after which everything should be in place to get my insurance approval and surgery date. :eek: I have been looking for anyone with experience with this group or surgeon. Thanks for sharing!

I had my consult visit on 7/29 and I really like Dr. Sherer. I can wait until my surgery. I am hoping to have a date today (if the Tricare approval came through yesterday as planned).

We are actually on Tricare Prime because my husband is on active duty with the guard so we can choose Prime and I love it because I pay nothing out of pocket. The change comes in because he is planning to go on inactive status in September and go overseas as a contractor. We have been spinning our wheels trying to get out of debt for several years and we are hoping the added income will be the boost we need to get over the hump. We will have insurance after the change but from what I am reading it is with a company that makes it very difficult to get this approved. Tricare really has not caused me any issues. The issues have been that my husband's orders have been crazy this summer (a week here, two weeks there). He hasn't had a break in orders but because of a glitch we got dropped from Prime on June 1st and they just got it fixed last week but retro dated it to June 23rd. SOO I said all that say - I love Tricare Prime but we really think this move is what we need to do so we are taking a leap of faith and going for it. Also, it might help me with the diet because I won't have to feed him and my children don't mind eating spaghetti Os or something but I do want to make sure they are getting proper nutrition so that they don't have the same struggle I am having. Tell me about setting goals. I am thinking about setting several mini goals like every 25 pounds and attaching increasing larger rewards according to the goals. For instance, for my 25 pound goal I would spend around $25 and have a pedicure or solar nails done and so forth.

I really just thought I would do a quick introduction. I have been reading posts for a couple of days and have found answers to many of my questions. I have my consulation appointment with Dr. Rex Sherer in Shelby County, Alabama on 7/29/08. :biggrin2: I have been planning since the spring to be banded while school was out this summer but insurance (Tricare) issues have held things up.:thumbup: I have been over weight my whole life but not like this until the past 10-12 years. I am beyond excited about this new and permanent change in my eating habits. :thumbup:I like to eat healthy foods, more so than most, I just don't know when to stop. I am very active and love "playing" with my family. I am looking forward to being able to be more active and hope that the benefits of my healthier lifestyle will influence my husband and children as well. Since it doesn't look like my surgery will happen before the new school year starts for me on 8/25 and I only work outside the home on Mondays, what are the changes that I can have the surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday and return to teaching the next Monday? :confused2: I can hire a substitute but it costs at least $75. Thanks! PS - I don't have a ticker yet. My starting weight will be around 265 and my goal is 150. I am 5'4" so that is actually considered slightly over-weight but it has been a good weight for me in the past.

A lot has changed since I posted originally. I spoke with CV yesterday. Dr. Sherer's surgery day is Friday so I know that Monday will be pushing it but we will see. They were hoping to be able to get me approved and scheduled for 8/22 because I am losing/changing insurance effective 9/1. I have done everything now and we are simply waiting on insurance approval. Hopefully, we will know something by Friday. I am really excited. The only thing that really bothered me with the nourishment class yesterday was the shrimp. I was counting on still being able to eat a shrimp or two every now and then. Thanks again for the support!

Hi, I too just went to the PCM and asked for the referral. That was in May. I received the referral in 2 weeks. I submitted the surgeons paperwork and waited 3 weeks for a reply from them. Then I was able to schedule my consult on July 29. The surgeon's scheduler said that I could expect to hear this coming week regarding surgery approval and have a surgery date in August. Thank you LORD!!!

I am hanging out waiting for my surgery date! I am really excited! I have a nutrition class on Wednesday (8/6) and the doctor's office should submit everything to Tricare either Tuesday or Wednesday. I am so ready to do something for me. With a special needs child and homeschooling both of my children, I rarely do anything for me. Keep posting! I am reading.

Hi, Are you using Tricare for the surgery? I have been told that the approval process is quick but I don't think Miles in on the list. My file should be submitted to Tricare electronically on Tuesday for approval and they said I should know something Thursday or Friday. Please thank your husband. There is a list here for military spouses. Mine has been twice and is preparing to go as a contractor. I am in the same boat - hoping to get my surgery done before he leaves. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband.

Best of luck with the Imitrex. It worked for me for a while. I also had to take it at the very first sign of a migraine and I had more of the "hang over" effect with it than I do with Maxalt.

My migraines are triggered by food and hormones. I can't change the hormones but every Protein drink I have ever tried has caused migraines. I haven't tried many but I am honestly afraid to try anymore. Playing "Russian Rulet" with migraine is scary. As I am headed toward this surgery, does anyone have suggestions for Protein drinks with fewer additives and perservatives? My next stop is the health food store and I am concerned about the cost of those. I agree with the post about Maxalt. It is great but must be taken at the first signs to work. Thanks for your input! Rachelle

I had been waiting for Tricare to approve this so when I saw the news at the end of March I made an appointment with my PCM. It was the 1st week of May and she didn't hesitate on the referral. I got it on the 18th and immediately completed the surgeons paperwork. I didn't hear back from them until the middle of June and by then the Nat Guard had messed up my DH active duty orders and thus our insurance had changed from prime to reserve select. I waited until the first of July hoping that the orders would be straightened out and no confusion would occur but they didn't so I made my appointment with the surgeon on 7/29 when we will still be Tricare standard. My nutrition appointment is 8/6. I should be Tricare Prime again in August but who knows with the way my DH orders are going. We have decided that I am going ahead whether we are Prime, standard, or reserve select. I was really trying to get this done during the summer because I teach but I don't think I am going to make it. Essentially, I said all that to say that Tricare hasn't been the issue. It has been more of an issue with busy doctors and crazy orders. Waiting in Alabama!

I am new to this forum stuff so I don't know if I am doing anything right! My husband is on active duty with the Alabama Army NG. He went to the sandbox for 9 months in 1991 and went back for 12 months a couple of years ago. He has been in for 23 years but is not ready to retire so he may be headed back. I am different from most of you because although he has seen the world, I have been holding down his home town for 21+ years. We have a 16 year old autistic daughter and a 12 year old son. I have my surgery consult on 7/29. We are praying that his active duty orders will hold out long enough for me to get the surgery done. I am looking forward to learning a lot from this group. In His hands, Chelle

Hi! Despite my weight I have been an avid walker for years. I enjoy Leslie Sansone. I also have George Foreman's "walking" videos. I also like the TaiBo believers video. It is a very tough workout but I like the challenge a few times a month.