GottaBeME*

My Dr is good I think - saw him ONCE for the consultation. His Bariatric Coordinator is NOT however. She literally rolls her eyes when talking so fast I have to ask her to repeat things 3 times! I was told "call anytime" but can never reach her and if I can, she gets off the phone before I'm done asking questions - hangs up on me literally! So I am looking elsewhere. I know this will delay my surgery date but oh well. I have all the referrals/recommendations,; don't know if Dr has approved it and if it was sent in to Insurance for their approval or not. Don't know ANYTHING> One person at office changed my 2nd Dr appt for the 3rd time, to 2 weeks away and said "have you done your weigh-ins yet?" WHATweigh-ins? No one said anything about THAT! She said, you'd better talk to Gina, the B. Coordinator, and I said yeah right, like she ever calls me back... So it's time to get another surgeon /practice I think. Any comments? Is this typical? Should I follow my "gut" - pun intended - and move on? Hate to postpone surgery but really this is not good! I am 5' tall with BMI of 40 at 206 lb and 3 co-morbidities. Need to get this resolved!

Hello friends! I am a 61 year young, white haired ol' lady who's still got "it" even tho I am 5'0" at 202 lb and have Fibromyalgia (FM), Diabetes 2 (mild) , sleep apnea and a host of GI issues. I love life and am tired of being held back by what I cannot do due to weight or the FM or other health issues. I decided to get Bariatric Surgery when I got that diagnosis of Diabetes 2. That was the final nail in the coffin! It's in my family and I've had relatives die from complications from it. I'm too young for this!!! When my Rheumatologist -who has seen me struggle with weight loss issues for over 10 years now (I was "normal weight" till menopause when I gained over 65 lb!) - suggested weight loss surgery I went for it. Researched it and called the local Bay Area Surgical Speciaists. This was back in March 2015. Dr Moy was good but his staff, esp., the coordinator, Gina, were snotty, disdainful, wouldn't answer or return calls nor offer any communication whatsoever, etc so I decided, with support from here and my "live" monthly support group, to change facilities. Am I glad I did! Dr Diane Kwan is amazing! She originally wanted to do Robotic (DaVinci) surgery on me with the Gastric Sleeve, wouldve been the 1st for this county and hospital with Bariatric robotics, but its too complicated with having to do the Gastric Rouen Y Bypass so that my GERD issues dont exacerbate. Oh well. Doesn't matter. Now I have only one more weigh in to go on July 6th and I'm done with preliminary hoops to jump (did the psych eval, nutritionist, etc). Then it's on to Pre-OP like EKG, bloodwork and permission from my PCP. I have Medicare insurance primary cuz of my disability and United Health Care as secondary. But UHXC only pays what they wouldve paid ordinarily w/o Medicare, no more. Medicare does NOT pre authorize BUT wants 4 weigh ins to be done monthly before surgery or they wont pay for it. Bureacracy!!! UHC doesnt care. FINALLY! I just got my date - its July 23rd, which fits perfectly into my family's schedule of vacations and other commitments. I have about 80 lb to drop to get to my regular weight of 125-135 lb goal - which is what I was pre-menopause. Here's hoping! Also Dr Kwan will fix my hiatal hernia and bypass the bile duct from going into the stomach where its excessive bile is hurting me now, to the small intestine instead, while she has me under. I asked for the 60,000 mile special but she wont do the boob lift and so on at the same time, too. DARN! So here I go!!!! Only good healthy foods (I loved sweets and coffee, but that's in the past now) from here on in. Wish me luck! I'll update in a month when I go under and start the real hard part. BUT it's the fun part too - getting rid of this BELLY and buying new clothes NOT in Plus size either! Also, I intend to donate my old but gently used bras to a great organization called THE BRA RECYCLER ,LLC found on www.brarecycling.com. They take new/gently used/clean bras and donate them to shelters, etc across the world for women and young women to wear who couldnt get them otherwise! PASS THIS ON and please consider doing this yourself as you go thru bras on YOUR journey! THX for reading my journey thus far HUGS Marlene

I haven't had my surgery yet but about the same size and height as you , I've been using the site www.AmericanShapewear.com for shapewear, FREE Shipping in USA. Am waiting for post surgery but I hear Rago is one of the best products. I bought a (non-Rago) latex compression thing and it was HORRIBLE! Smelled and felt like I was encased in a tight plastic sausage! YUK! Stay tuned after I get MY surgery...and PLEASE let us know what works for you!

Good for you! I'll be there with you soon - SD July 23rd... and the bra tossing begins! LOL.

Ya know, just FYI but there is a FABULOUS non profit charity group that collects gently used bras for women and teens in homeless, domestic violence and human trafficking shelters, as well as for distribution to those in poorer countries who don't have access to stores like we do. Its calledTHE BRA RECYCLERS and they can be found here for more info: http://www.brarecycling.com/

Ok THX Felicia - I'm FB challenged... hahahaha.

Kaye21 (sorry dont know your name yet, Kaye is it? and youre 21?) Anyway I cannot get into the group?!? I tried cutting and pasting the line you sent, making sure I left out the colon at the beingning and saved the / at the end... Tried to search for it on FB and tried to find Cool Beginnings on FB...all w/o any success. Got any ideas? Or what am I doing wrong? THX hon!

THank you Kaye21 for developing this group for us. I t will be called JULY BEGINNINGS right? Can we help in any way to see if it is working? How do we sign into it when its up? When it is created would you let us know please (And also you found ME didnt you? If not let me know OK?) Thanks so much for creating this Group for us, dear. Don't worry,,take your time, it will come together.

Is that how you find us on FB? By our name? Duh I guess so... I am Marlene ALtman in SF Bay Area CA. And yes "COOL BEGINNINGS" is a GREAT title for the group! Much more positive and certainly better than what I'd suggested earlier ("COOL LOSERS"- ugh) . THX for setting this up

Great ideas all - love the name too. KAYE21 - if it makes you happy to make a FB Group for us I say go for it. I just wouldn't ask anything of someone else that I would not do...and I totally wouldn't even kow where to being with that. But if you want to I say go for it - I'll be glad to join in with my 2 cents worth! ANd thank you!

I love it! WE can call ourselves the Cool Losers or something with COOL in it,being one of the hottest months of summer ! WHy not!?!? We all need support! AS to LisaLovesVegas (BTW I'm going there in November! - a post op get together with an old BF! hee hee hee) I don't think it will NOT be worth it if all I hear is right - that they wouldve /couldve /shouldve done this earlier! it seems as long as you have the motivation to lose, to stick to the hi Protein, low carb diet, and drink Water, and exercise, all those things we SHOULD be doing anyway, you WILL lose the weight AND keep it off too! I know I'll cheat here and thee but the recent Diabetes Dx scares me so much that I WILL comply! ANd we'll help you too

How about July 23rd? Close enough? We could make it a "Late July Surgery Support Club" or something. I just got my date last week and I am THRILLED! Could have had surgery in APril, but changed Drs and this Dr, tho MUCH better, supports the idea that Medicare may want 4 months of weigh ins. I backed it up to my first check up for referral with the PCP on March 31st when she weighed me and the last weigh in with the PCP will be July 2nd. So 2 weeks or so after that I get the surgery. My Dr hasn't said yet if she wants me on pre surgery diet, like liquids only etc - has yours??? She just suggested I try to lose 5-8 more lb. I did it! I am UNDER 200 for the first time in months! Was 214 when I started this idea in February and have lost 15 since then! Mostly tho cuz I have GI issues making my stomach unhappy and it hurts to eat. The Dr will be removing my hiatal hernia while she's in there . Hey I just read that it's "routine" to remove the gall bladder during Bariatric Surgery - have you heard this? The DR hasnt said anything about it other than "do you still have yours?" Cuz apparently we will be prone to gallstones (YUK!) afterwards so they remove the gall bladder just in case. Guess we don't need it... How are you all feeling about this surgery upcoming now @ mid-end of July? Nervous ? Excited? Having 2nd thoughts? OR all the above? Let's talk!

I just got my date - July 23rd. ALso for Gastric Bypass cuz my stomach has too many gastric issues like GERD, excess bile etc. On July 8th I see my surgeon and will hear what if anything she wants me to do pre-op for a diet. I hear many go liquid for 2 weeks - heres why: they want you to lkose as much weight as possible before surgery in order to make the liver as healthy as can be and as small too. Most ppl who are overweight have fatty liver disease which is , like it sounds, a lot of fat around the liver making it enlarged. THAT has to be moved out of the way in order to do the surgery. NOt every Dr says all liquids for 2 weeks, we shall see what mine says. BUt I do know I'll need bloodwork up and EKG right before surgery (within those 2 weeks prior) as well as permission from my PCP. GAWD so many hurdles to jump! But it will be worth it right? I am looking to lose about 80 ob from the 202 I am now (5' tall). Where are you at?

I know it's hard to replace all this (consider consignment shops for both selling and buying maybe?) Good luck! Have you considered what to do with your BRAS??? I have. I found a great organization called THE BRA RECYCLER,LLC at www.brarecycler.com who takes new/secondhand but gently used/ clean bras and gives them to shelters etc. for teens and women across the globe! Please consider doing so for your bras as you continue on this weight loss journey.They will appreciate it and bras are hard to sell anyway. Thanks

I'm still pre-op but have found with my GI issues (IBS etc) that Dulcolax works best for my constipation IMHO. Little itty bitty pills, take 1-3 gradually per day till you get "the troops to move" then back off to good dosage for regular movements.. Easy schmeesy.Good luck!

Me too - will I have more sagging skin cuz I am over 60 or will I have less than the plastic surgeons show as "before" pix cuz I am losing "only" 80 lb or so??? Anyone out there with similar loss / age group? Really don't want to do plastics at this age. Any tips how to avoid plastics and firm up sagging skin would help! I'm pre-surgery(July proposed date for Bypass) but worried about this one thing.

Y'know, I think that truth and honesty are very important to a relationship. Now having said that I do NOT bare my soul to every guy I meet, nor every husband (I admit now being married unsuccessfully 3 times) BUT I have great male friends and a wonderful lover. And I am 61 years young. SO I've been around and learned a bit about relationships.Even if you haven't noticed, and if he is as wonderful as you think he is, he HAS noticed, you are a very brave, courageous, strong person for going thru this, and succeeding! Do you think he would leave you for your past when you have come so far from it - thru your OWN efforts!?! Maybe not yet, but when you feel SAFE with him, you can tell him ,. AND I'll bet he;ll say "I know, so what? its YOU I love, not your exterior." Have faith in yourself and in your trust in him. You will succeed with that. AND if he should leave you, he isnt worth your time, so there. Someone else better will be along just for you. ASK.BELIEVE. RECEIVE..Good luck darling - believe in your Self.

HAs anyone bought the vitamins from the national drug companies like CVS or RIte Aid? Cuz they usually honor a return with a receipt, even if its been opened/used. COuldnt hurt to try?!?!

UPDATE @ 6/12/15 I HAVE changed doctors and I am SOOOO Happy I did. I love my new dr, Diane Kwan M.D General SUrgeon in COncord and Walnut Creek (SAF Bay Area) CA> SHe is the first surgeon to actively practice ROBOTIC (DSaVinci) Surgery in the county and is looking for a candidate for Gastric Sleeve RObotic Surgery. I am too "complicated" in my GERD issues etc and will be doing the SLeeve instead. Dr Kwan is informative,pragmatic and has a great "bedside manner." Her staff, esp Rosalee or Rosie are all wonderful. I couldnt recommend anyone more highly. AM I GLAD I SWITCHED!!! BTW my prior Dr called me pewrsonally after I wrote him a letter exsplaining WHY I was leaving his practice (his B COordinator was rude, incompetent and ageist among other things.) He was on the phone discussing the issue with me for 20 minutes (to his credit!) and hopefully steps will be taken to address the situation. Must commend him for that. But still, Gina at Bay Area SUrgiocal Specialists in Walnut Creek is the pits! SO happy, with all your support, I moved on!

I apparently have a hiatal hernia too - it's been bothering me a LOT since the fluoroscope test (the dry alka seltzer ? the barium? or just is...?) and now I too wonder if this is going to affect my surgery . The Bariatric Surgeon said its a small hernia and she can and will easily fix it during the Bypass BUT ...spiritfilled , what is Barrett's Esophagus and why cant you have surgery now? Is it something treatable so you can have surgery later? I feel for you. My GI Dr said he might do another endoscopy (had one last 1 1/2 years ago.) SHould I be concerned this will postpone my Bariatric surgery? Wont surgery FIX it???

I am pre-op and have always had the thunder thighs which I am pretty sure wont go away just cuz I will lose weight with the gastric sleeve surgery in time. SO in order to help them along I have bought a cellulite massage brush about $6 on Amazon. Its a palm sized oval thing with 1/4" knobs sticking out of a soft base that you rub the cellulite areas with using oil or soap in the shower. They say in the reviews that within a few weeks you see results. I've already tried it with oils and essential oils (grapefruit, carrot seed, cypress, juniper, rosemary ) to help in the diuretic properties etc. But you can use skin lotion too. My skin on the outside is fantastically soft now - I do this after showering each day. Always move towards the heart. So far nothing but soft skin but I'll keep you posted. I'm trying to avoid liposuction or plastic surgery if at all possible! I'll try anything. P.S. cellulite creams may help too but I think the massage is the real cellulite buster - breaking up the fat deposits instead of just applying something to the skin.WE'll see! Good luck!

Thank you all for your support. Today, after waiting a 3rd day w/o a reply from my original Dr's B. Coordinator, I called back (left a message) to let them know I want my files, including my referrals, made ready for me to pick up within 1 week as I will be changing doctors and staff to another practice!!! I called around and while one didn't have my insurance, the other one, who does Robotic (DaVinci) Surgery even, called back WITHIN 1 HOUR!!! she discussed the situation with me and gave me more info in 5 minutes than I've ever received from my original Dr's staff. I have an appt. with that Dr on May 4th. Wish me luck! I think this will be the best move I've made after deciding to go for the Gastric surgery to begin with! THX everyone for being there for me.