Stevehud

Thank you for sharing. I know I speak for man when I say we know you can do this. You've come this far, it wont be easy but youll do it. There are great people here who will help in anyway they can. Be strong.

thank you for being an inspiration.

Lipstick lady- I refuse to play your game.

I have a semi unique perspective. My older sister who is an RN worked for years doing pre-approvals for surgeries like this including WLS. I asked her about your situation and she basically told me the surgeon actually has very little say in the insurance approval process, some companies would indeed deny you out of hand and then make you file an appeal so that they can get more information. Others may ask for more information or medical records regarding your treatment, and they may have to have a treatment plan in place that shows how the surgeon and follow up team will deal with your issues. You are lucky in that a lot of surgeons wouldn't even touch you, also there is the fact that meds, do not absorb as easily or for the same amount of time after a sleeve or bypass. So you medication wont work the same. She also said that for example the last insurance company she worked for I cant mention the name but its a huge one, wont ever certify the surgery without you being off the methadone. So its still very up in the air and up to the insurance company. I hope that helps a little.

I have to clarify. haddockseye, I never said women hide the surgey my exact words were, People are hiding the surgery because they do not want people to think they did not have to work at weight loss and it was all the surgeries doing. SO they want people to think they did it all by themselves with no help. I most assuredly do not mean all people. but even people on these boards have said straight out ( not in this thread) that they will hide the surgery because they do not want people thinking they took a shortcut or cheated in some way. Now I don't really like that, but im not out to stop anyone from saying anything. The reason I was upset, is when I said that if we as a group of people take the time to educate people, so if they say : oh you had surgery:, we can say yes here is what I had to do , here is what I gave up, here is what I went through and go through forever. then maybe those people will see that it isn't a cop out or cheat, and the next series of people who get this surgery wont be faced with those stares and remarks. Now yes I have not had my surgery yet, I get my final go ahead this Thursday. ( I'm anxious and nervous as heck) but when I have told my friends and my co workers and actually hundreds of strangers on my blog about this whole process, I get the same response, "really you have to do that and that and you have to go through that " etc. I tell them about what people on here go through, and as a result I have converted skeptics into helpers. Yes I'm lucky in that respect. But im not alone in this boat and anyone who wants to help me row, is welcome to enjoy the trip. And if I can help someone with their rowing, im more than happy to.

you and us are only human, you took the step of asking for help. that's a great thing. know this, I have faith in you and so do people her, even if some don't show it well. But if they didn't care they wouldn't bother. SO We know you can do this, and your next day is the first day you have a chance to help yourself. You can and will do this and make it happen.

Hello I do video taste tests on my blog, and as a result companies have sent me several samples. they are www.abouttime.com - they make a product called fill shake and go, Protein shakes. I sent them an email telling them why I wanted them and bingo.. and the Syntrax people sent me a full sampler of 15 flavors. http://www.si03.com/ they also have a special where for 15.99 you get all fifteen flavor packs sent to you in case you wont want to send an email to ask for the samples free. I sent mine to marketing on this site.

my local Vitamin shoppe actually had samples of the twinlab bariatric essentials products, and they were on my surgeons list so I went with the bariatric essentials, b12 dots, calcium citrate wafers and the twinlab bariatric essentials chewable bariatric multi Vitamins. What's weird is the bariatric essentials chocolate powder is one of the best tasting powders ive had and trust me ive tried A LOT , I do video taste tests on my blog and ive done many. right now im testing the syntrax nectars flavors right now, so many I have to test.

you are awesome! and an absolute role model. thank you!

I apologize to Elode for wasting your time. To cynthiarm, please show anything abusive I have said. I am appalled that you dare to insult me , so, down to my level? I think you should be reported for reporting someone needlessly. I tried to explain how I was hoping we as a group of bariatric patients could educate people about what this surgery entails, how much work people have to put in etc. So that the next group of patients wont face the stigma currently attached to WLS. for that I was attacked and people even questioned if I was really a bariatric patient, and now to have someone not even involved in the discussion report me. its repulsive. Ill stick to helping people with my blog and my book, and my taste test videos and Ill leave this forum. ok Cynthia, evidently that makes you feel better. Ill stay on the mens forums, where unlike you, people care about others and like to help, not hide. Enjoy. p.s. if I do get kicked off, and I don't think so, I will still be successful at my surgery and journey, and some people will help, even if you, wont.

or this

or this one?

this isn't egging on?

I do not understand. I am totally lost. no one has said you should announce to anyone about your surgery but you keep saying it over and over and over and over and over and over and over ad infinitum! All that is being said is its a lie if a person ( not you understand not you , not you, not you) if a person says something UNTRUE then that statement is a LIE. you keep denying that FACT. so here say what you will after this. Personally I am disgusted by you, disgusted that you do nothing but attack someone over and over because you disagree with how they wish to help people. So say what you wish after this I will not even read it. I would ask that you ignore me and never read or post a thread I have started. I am glad you and greeneyes are so happy bullying people and making things up, but I find it appalling. Have a good life.

t

Lipstick lady, since from day one I was never talking to you, why did you pick this fight? Are you so angry with your life that you have to attack me? You baseless attacks are pissing me off and I do not piss off easily. SERIOUSLY you brought transgender people into this? ANd men on Viagra? And artificial insemination? ARE YOU HIGH! Why can you not read this? WHY WHY WHY can you not read when I say this. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO TELL SOMEONE THAT THEY HAD THE SURGERY, I WOULD RATHER they TELL THEM TO MIND THIER OWN BUSINESS , that's the fourth damn time I have posted that statement. I DO NOT CARE WHAT YOU DO OR SAY. That's the fifth time I have posted that. Maybe you only understand your own analogies, if so here: If someone asks a couple if they made their kid naturally ( I HAVE NO IDEA WHY SOMEONE WOULD EVER THINK TO ASK THIS ) Would normally reply with silence or "mind your own business>" BTW Men don't hide Viagra, we don't care! To be blunt a hard on is a hard on, and no one asks where it came from. Your argument is as ridiculous as why you attack me! You cannot take the fact that you are not who I was talking to. you poked your head in and refuse to actually read the posts i send. I never said you lie , that you lied or anything like that, but you refuse to let it go, you have to attack me over and over ignoring everything I say. Have you always been a bully? Because you are sure acting like one. I made a generalization and you just assumed somehow I was accusing you. Then when I tell you FIVE TIMES that it had nothing to do with you, you refuse to let it be. Oh and to Greeneyes 604 - Great job egging other people on. You're a credit to instigators everywhere. BTW having WLS does not make you an expert any more than someone having brain surgery becomes a brain surgeon, or someone who beats cancer becomes an oncologist.

people, you're not understanding what we are saying.. no one is saying you have t tell, that's not it at all. were just saying its not honest for YOU to tell someone you lost the weight without mentioning you had help from the surgery. That's all, no one is saying you have to tell people. as a matter of fact I have repeatedly said you should tell nosy people to mind their own business. And I never said I want anyone to counsel people who are on the fence about having surgery. What I said was I would like people to educate the people who do not know better as to what people go through on this surgery so then other people wont have to face that negativity. Lipsticklady I never said you lied, I don't why you made that up. I was never actually talking about or to, you. You jumped in on me.

thank you once again for not paying attention. its amazing how many times you will avoid what I say completely and just attack me. I have said over and over what you do is your business I have never voiced approval or not at your decision, I am simply, stating the definition of the word "LIE" if you don't like it call websters damn dictionary and berate them for not changing it to whatever the heck you wish. I get it you do not share my beliefs in helping educate people about bariatric surgery, fine, no one is forcing you.

look its a simple point, not teling the truth is a lie. period that is the definition of the word. its not omission or partial truth telling etc. if you don't want people to know just tell them its None of their business. its simple. I do not understand why you would rather lie than just not tell the person anything. and I already said one person mentioned a person that would prevent them from getting the time off, which is a great reason not to tell. I agree you don't have to announce it. that's fine great I agree! tell them nothing. that's perfectly respectable to NOT SAY ANYTHING. Maybe I am saying it wrong. do whatever you wish. its your right I have never denied it. but I have been castigated for saying that not telling the truth, is a lie. The reason behind the lie is your business, Im not disputing that, do whatever you want I have no say in it. My personal opinion is that I want to remove the false belief that the surgery is cheating or a failure, and instead show people what it really takes, so that other people who come after will have their choices made easier. Why is it so bad that I would like to see the bias against the surgery be eradicated?

i added my stats as ell as posted them.

ok what i found is called vaser lipo or vaser something they use a local and they use a vaser ultrasound that heats up and kills and liquifies mos of the fat cells, aand it gets sucked out through a small hole, no stitches neeed and your awake the whole ime. it looks amazing i have no idea the cost.

You can do it. You are stronger than you think. I have faith in you. You have come this far along your journey, you can do it.

just a thought maybe you are having trouble taste wise with the Water, have you tried distilled water? you can get it at drug stores etc.its nothing but hydrogen and oxygen, no minerals no nothin. and it is completely tasteless. dunno if it will help.

First Tashabella, i was never attacking you i asked if someone denies they have had surgery doesnt that put them in denial. I wasnt saying you did that i was asking the question in response to what you said aboout denial. thats all. Baseball mama I never said I want to save the world that phrase was used as a way to insult me since i want to help other people know what overwight/obese/fat/ whatever word you want to use, people go through with these surgeries. for some reason because i said that if someone asks you how you lost the weight and you do not mention the surgery then its a lie. and some people say its not a lie because its not their business, if it isnt their business then say "none of your business" thats not a lie then. But if you say oh i did it through diet and exercise, you are lying. the surgery is a part of it, and I wished that people instead of hiding it, would embrace it and educate people to show them all the things that you must go through. Yes I want to help people, I have a blog where I a currently being very frank about thing I am going through and have gone through. I along with video taste tests of powders, mixes and ready made drinks etc. I am doing this blog because I am compiling this blog into an ebook, and 1 year post surgery I will release it for free to help men especially overcome the fears and societies bias against the surgery. No I have not had my surgery yet, I am preop sleeve in the pre op diet phase, my weigh in is next Thursday with my surgeon at St Elizabeths hospital in boston mass, at that time as long as i meet my weight goal, ( i had to lose 18 im down 23 as of today. ) my psych eval is done and is fine, my nutritionist has passed me as well. so on Thursday we make my date for surgery, we are rushing it as my benefits maybe changing at the end of the year due to company changing hands, so our target is 2nd or 3rd week of December. I have done tons of research, and knew the lap band would not work for me and i was reluctant to go full bypass, the sleeve is almost made for me in its design. I have been on shakes for Breakfast and lunch with pretty much a salad with extra Protein in it and no sugar in my diet or as litlte as possible for 3 weeks now. I hope that answerrs that i sdidnt want to say pre op on my profile because it asks for a date, and i wont have that until thursday. if you wish to know my pre diet weight was 361 pounds i was at 338 today. AT my heaviest i weighed 408 and that was my wake up call. Since then ive had my gll bladder out, my shoulder rebuilt, my knees are shot i have a herniated disc in my back l5-l6 and venous insufficiency in my lower legs. along with chronic pneumonia, sleep apnea and asthma. oh and narcolepsy. Hopefully that tells you all about me. my blog if you wish to find out even more is at http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com

One question Tashabella, if you deny the surgery, doesn't that mean you're in denial? it's kind of the root word and all.