Dub

Everything in the pantry is still the same as my family foods are the same. I just have added a shelf that is for my stuff....protein powders, permissible Chike iced coffee Protein powder (so tasty that I can't let anyone else in the house know how good it tastes as it's too expensive....will be my own indulgence), Water additives, various bariatric supplements. I share my Flinstones chewable with everyone, though.

I can't tell you how cool that is to hear from you both. We are STILL in the month of your surgeries and you are having this level of success already. This is highly encouraging to me as I'm beginning the pre-op diet today. I know it'll suck....but the benefits are going to be great. Looking forward to cleaning out my section of the closet....one oversized piece at a time.

Another vote for Quest bars. I've held off on buying them before my surgery because I wasn't sure how well I'd do limiting myself to just one at a time. They are that dang good. I do have a specific favorite flavor, too. It is : all of them !!! The flavor is so good that you almost don't trust the nutritional label. Great source of fiber, too.

Doubts are normal. There is a lot to consider. Every single one of the doctors I've been seeing over the past year for various maladies have all said the same thing...WLS is what you should consider. I listened to them and got things in motion. This time next month should find me healing up from my bypass and losing at a great pace. Positive outlook will be needed to get through the no fun liquid diet I'm starting tomorrow. You'll do great. Lots of great advisors on here

Sorry to hear this. Did you ever have similar pains prior to your WLS ? Just looked at the progress tracker in your sig line. You are five weeks out of surgery and almost halfway to goal !!!

I had a much longer reply typed above but the page stated an error occurred, refreshed the page and deleted everything. This site is not friendly with my iPad. Never a problem with the MacBook.....just with the iPad.

A back injury in April of this year is to thank for getting me focused on permanent weight loss. I am grateful and thank God that this happened. I was humbled and had plenty of time to think of how I needed to get started. It was the first time in my life that I couldn't simply cut carbs & calories and hit the treadmill hardcore for a few months and make improvements. Nope, the old back wasn't allowing that. I tried working on the calories but being limited to sleeping, sitting and hanging out really helped me find my resolve to pursue wls. My family physician, doctor at the hyperbaric wound care facility kept after me about it (treating a leg wound that wouldn't heal on it's own), my back surgeon (who said wls could do more for me than he could) and a persistent younger sister (who had bypass 15 years ago and has lift a get and fun life ever since) all finally made sense. I started in a program that had a great surgeon who came highly recommended. I was about 3 months into it and my insurance started throwing up barrier after barrier. All along it was known that I needed to be at a "center of excellence" which I wasn't. They'd been very understanding upfront and said that all the referrals I had would make it okay.....and that due to the comorbidities would push it through and I'd not even need to complete the full 6 months pre-op plan. Time passed and then the bullcrap started. They started throwing up every penalty flag they could. I even switched over midstream to the center of excellence credited facility they required. They still kept throwing flags. It appeared to be a stall tactic to push my surgery approval back and the date into early 2016. I found out why two weeks ago.....my employer is going to BCBS. It all became clear. No matter what I did would result in a stall tactic. Screw 'em. Done with them. I decided to self-fund this. It's that worth it to me. I'd been saving up for a new car.........oh well. My old vehicle is going to have to keep on chugging away for a few more years than I'd planned. It was an easy decision.....a leaner and healthier body that's allowing the aches and pains to ease off vs sporting a new ride. Easy call. I went to the surgeon's office yesterday and paid for the procedure. Done. I have completed my pysche eval, nutritionist's workshops and counseling, surgeon appointments and etc. I have 4 hour surgeon workshop next week, and EGD and then pre-op. The date of surgery is looking like late next month. The relief that this brought is immeasurable. Huge. Tremendous. I didn't realize how much of a dick I'd been around home and probably at work, too. Ill tempered and cagey. Now, it's like a huge weight has been lifted.....no pun intended. My resolve to do this has never wavered from April to now. I've been through a lot of coaching and education about the wls and feel really good about what is going to happen from this point forward. Hopefully I'll be disguised as a recovering bypass & hernia surgery patient by the time the trick or treat candy shows up. Things have fallen into place and prayers answered. I am so grateful. Gotta head out to work, but wanted to share this. Hang in there folks......a way will be provided for you when you are truly ready.

Thanks everyone. EGD in a week. Surgery in 4 weeks. Super pumped up about it.

Lately I'm just resuming handgun target shooting. I want to do more trap shooting and sporting clays. 3-Gun competitions look like they would be fun. My local range had an IDPA style handgun comp every month. My birthday gift to myself was a sweet 1911 that I'd love to use in the local stuff. Glock offers the GSSF events. Obviously, you have to run Glocks in their events, but I'm fairly well covered with those. I'm really looking forward to getting back into a steady diet of trigger time.

I'm scheduled for late October and also self funding my surgery. I worried about using the funds on myself......but I got past that really quickly when I realized how much of a burden my weight related problems are on my family. Having your spouse being supportive is tremendous. Workhard on the diet up to your surgery and good luck with everything.

Both the surgeons I consulted were strict on no coffee for a period of time immediately following surgery. The surgeon I ultimately went with allows two cups a day after the first 6 weeks. I also like Splenda and cream in mine. My sister had bypass15 years ago. She is a big fan of her daily trips to Starbucks. I was talking to her on the cellphone yesterday and she was waiting in their drive-thru. I was glad to know that I wouldn't have to fight for coffee.

Excellent news. Good luck, man.

Grilling was a hobby for the past few years. Seldom do it these days. The gym will be a new hobby very soon. I'm getting back into shooting sports now.

I enjoy shooting sports. Lately I've been more into various handguns. Nothing real elaborate, a few Glocks, Colts and a Les Baer.

I'll bet you are having doubts. Getting so close to your date and in the hospital....just not for the planned reasons......and not for anything that you've directed or were in control off. This is not at all what you were gearing up for....not what you were wanting. You are most likely exhausted and unable to get any semblance of rest. Hard to think clearly under circumstances like this. I see that you are working mighty hard on your weight loss...79 lbs already. I hope that you can heal up.....get well.....get rested and then be able to put everything into perspective and move forward in the direction that you want to go.

Excellent information. Thank you.

Thank you very much. That means a lot. I'm getting closer to being ready in my head, too. This train is certainly pulling the last leg of the uphill run......and about to gain serious momentum once it passes over the peak.

I've been hunting around somewhat in my search for a comfortable recliner. Not much luck and felt like I had plenty of time. Well.....the plenty of time thing ran out last week. I opted to take the self-funded route with this bypass and my timeline shortened considerably. A buddy at work is a big guy and told me about the recliner he bought in December. He said the model name of the chair is "The Beast". It's made for big & tall folks. I went and sat in one and realized the character from my son's favorite movies....Harry Potter's buddy, Haggrad, would be comfortable in this chair. My wife wasn't too thrilled about the look of it, but she agreed that it'd be nice to have. It is the easiest chair I've ever stood up from. I should have no problem sleeping in this bad boy the first few nights. Wished I'd had it after the first two hernia surgeries. I'm very pleased so far. Exactly. I've been doing the "log roll" method of getting out of bad since April. My PT angel showed it to me on our first session when I was going for my back. Trouble is that I sleep on the left side of the bed and wouldn't have much fun rolling onto that side, either.

Thank you. I feel really peaceful about the road ahead. Started using a Fitbit One yesterday. 4,489 steps. Way off the 10K daily goal, but nowhere to go but up. Stayed under 1,000 calories consumed during a hectic workday. Keep the oil changed and let 'em roll is what I"m hoping will work on our Nissans.

Unsure, too. My employer is moving from UHC to BCBS-SC in Jan. It'll be a couple weeks before I know a thing.

Honestly.......no. Arthritis, stenosis, plantar raciatus, ridiculously high blood pressure and back pain are what steered me to this decision more than anything.

Cool. Still kicking this around as I know the hernia repair is going to be the most unpleasant part of it. I went to the Lazyboy store last week. Didn't find anything comfortable. I'm going to try another store Monday morning.

I believe she made it through her two week period......one way or another. I do like your advice, though. Protien shakes it is for me......from this point in.

Thanks everyone. It's been frustrating....and the misinformation on the part of the folks I was dealing with at UHC really got me steamed up. Things worked out....as they often do when we just put it in God's hands and ask for help......and listen carefully as our prayers are answered. All I can say is that I sense of peace and relief has come and I feel like an entirely new person these last few days. Now it's crunch time. I've got to work as hard as I can and gather the discipline to do what I've been advised by my surgeon to do......begin the modified liquid diet now.....and hump it hard to lose 50 lbs before surgery. I know I can do it and I know every ounce of weight off and every mile walked between now and then will better ensure a good result with surgery. Time to choke down a Protein shake an grab a shower and get to my job. Working this weekend (great place to walk a few miles each day, too). It's been too early to tell at the moment. We'll have our open enrollment in a few weeks. I guess I'll be able to see then. Even if it becomes a covered event, I'm expecting the 6 month pre-op supervised diet to be in place. I may or may not get credit for the appointments already made....not sure. It would certainly push the surgery back to some time in 2016.....a minimum of 3-4 months after the surgery date I'm already set for. I was certainly tempted to hold off a bit and wait and see......but looking at how the surgeon's schedule meshed with my work schedule there was an ideal date available next month. I thought about it.....went outside and prayed about it......and the logic of proceeding now....right now.....just lined up like a path outa the dark woods. I can say that with absolute certainty that I have no regrets about pulling the trigger now and going for it. The 2007 Nissan truck will just have to keep on chugging away for a few more years. It'll get some relief as the load behind the driver's seat will be reduced real soon.

AWESOME !!!!!!!!!! Lady.....you just made my day. Outstanding results. Thank you for posting your story here. This is a huge motivator for me to stay strict and follow what my bariatric surgeon and team is instructing me to do. Thank you !!!!!!!