Tammy O

My last appointment was 11/9, and I got my surgery date right after Thanksgiving. So it was a few weeks. My insurance approval was very quick (like 3 or 4 days!!). Throw in Thanksgiving and that slowed things down a bit. If you are going through Dr. Wynn/Irgau/etc., you might want to stop in or call and make sure that they have all of your clearances. They had all of mine, but not one of my husband's. It was an easy fix, but if you are anxious to get a surgery date (and who isn't? ).

I am doing well! Down 67 lbs now since Labor Day, 33 of that since surgery on 12/17. Learning how and what to eat - I am not always the best student! I am getting better at it, though. I never thought I ate fast, but now I am really having to slow down! Learning the signals that I am full, and then paying attention to them! I have had several times where I have thrown up, but then I do feel better afterwards (compared to how I felt when I took that one bite too many!!). I don't see a difference when looking in the mirror, but others say they do. I had a bit of a setback when I took the wrong BP meds for a week, and gained about 7 lbs back in Water weight. I have now lost that (can I add them to my total? LOL), and am looking forward to being able to wear smaller sizes!! I am proud to say that I have been more active - still not getting 10K steps in, but when we started this journey I would get 2k-3k/day. Now, I am up to 6k, and one day got to 9K!

I think I could have gone back at least within the week - I was operated on on a Thursday, and I think by the following Wednesday I could have been back at work. Part of the question is how you commute - since you are not supposed to drive while taking the pain meds. I take the train into Philly, so I wouldn't have had to worry about that.

Abby and Redvet, I added both of you as friends, please fell free to reach out if you have questions!

Redvet - we saw Dr. Kumar for Cardiology, (Westover Cardiology) and had to have an EKG, echocardiogram and a PET scan (which is the stress test with you lying on a table instead of running on a treadmill). Hubby then also had to have a cardiac catheterization because they thought they saw a blockage in his arteries below his heart. Thankfully, that turned out to be a false alarm!

I am doing well. My hubby and I were sleeved on the 12/17 at St. Francis and we spent 2 nights in the hospital. We could have been released after 1, but we were not prepared for that at home, so we stayed the second night. I have not had a whole lot of pain to speak of. The worst for me is if I eat too fast, I get a pain at the base of my sternum, and the feeling that I have to belch. Once that happens, I start to feel better. I started working from home the Monday after surgery (4 days later), and that has gone well. I am bored out of my mind with the full liquid diet! I can't wait to move on to something else. Our follow up with the doc is today. I am down 14 pounds since the morning if surgery, but have been in a stall for the past 3 days. I have lost 45 pounds since we began this process just before Labor Day.

We are doing good, a quick trip to the ER last Monday for kidney stones for hubby, but doing well. Getting used to the stomach/esophagus spasms when you take too big of a bite/sip of something. Completely bored with the liquid diet! Have tried some scrambled eggs, which went down ok, in small servings. Hubby is down about 55 lbs and at least 3 sizes in jeans since we started this journey, I have lost about 48, but don't see the change in my clothes so far. How are you both doing?

Thanks! Will check it out!

Please add me too.. tammyo at comcast dot net 12/17 for me!!

I don't think you are being needy at all! Mine is 8 days away too! Cannot wait!!

I agree with everyone else here. If it were me, I would proceed with the surgery, and be thankful that they also discovered and removed the tumor. To me, the tumor has not changed anything, except removing a little bit more weight from your abdomen. Having it removed is not going to help you with weight loss. Good luck! My sleeve is next Thursday, 12/17!

December 17 for my DH and I. We are in Wilmington, Delaware. On the liquid diet now, has not been too bad so far!

I am a patient of Dr. Wynn's. Getting sleeved on 12/17. Cannot wait! We started this process in August, got insurance approval on 11/19.

I am getting sleeved on the 17th in Delaware! So excited!

Yeah! Mine is 12/17!

Harmonia - wondering how you made out with Independence BCBS. Hubby and I are both going for VSG, but I have not had a regular PCP until June of this year. I have Jenny Craig documentation, and am working on documentation from a nurse supervised program we did at a fitness center. We have started nutrition counseling, and all of the specialist consults we have to have. Curious how you (or anyone) made with with Independence BCBS documentation. Did you get approval? How long did it take? Thanks!