2goldengirl

Forget the naysayers. This is your body, and your life, and your decision, no one else's. And your loss is impressive - more importantly, it's yours. Yes, plastics are painful. So was your post-op journey, though not all the time, and not forever. The same is true for plastic surgery. Nothing wrong with your decision. Carry on.

Congratulations! As far as whether you "need" to lose more, one thing it's helpful to remember is that your surgeon has seen ooodles of bariatric surgery stories - yours is the only one you have to work with, so to speak (yes, we all know folks who have had it). Our internal critical eye sees us differently than others see us. Usually, ours is the only post-op body we see in the mirror, unclothed, dressed only in the messages we've internalized about the way we look. Own your success - and continue to set and meet your own personal goals. Well done!

YES - so much this!

Please don't do this to yourself. Please don't think you aren't doing enough, aren't changing fast enough, aren't getting there fast enough. I think it's fair to say that most of us don't see ourselves accurately - we think we're a different size than we are. I think it takes time and internal work to re-focus the picture. This is definitely something I think about, even though I'm preop. It's definitely something I plan to get some counseling around. have you thought about doing the same?

It can often take loger for the request to make it out of the surgeon's office for approval than for the approval itself. In CA, the medical group (to whom the function is delegated by the HP) has to make a decision within 5 business days of reciept. There isn't a timeframe for how long it can take the office to actually make the submission. That said, for every phone call you make to bug the office staff, that slows down everyone - the person who ansers the phone, the person who is trying to get everything together to submit, and the person who has to check over that person's work. In many offices, the doctor has to sign off before something gets submitted. Since you work in a health clinic, what would make you more, or less, motivated? Good luck!

I. think it comes from my food addiction ... I respect and adore food. . I have an obsession on planning. If I have in the fridge something with close expiry date then all my thoughts are how to use it quickly. Sometimes I cannot throw it away even if the expiry date passes. The other family members does not have this obsession. .. I cannot stop thinking that I need to utilize that remaining food....I think this problem it’s a part of my unhealthy relation with the food. And WLS didn’t solve this problem so far. I need to work this out by myself. Just wondering if anyone else has this or similar food disorder. You don't need to solve this all by yourself. you can get help. You've self-diagnosed with some serious issues surrounding food. I really encourage you to see a counselor or therapist, preferably one who specializes in issues with OCD and/or eating disorders. While all of us need to change the ways in which we relate to and use food, you have voiced some concerns over and above those that most of us have to deal with. You don't have to do this alone. Good luck!

Are you on blood pressure medication? It is possible that your blood pressure has dropped since surgery. Have it checked; if it's too low, call your primary and see whether you should change your BP meds.

Welcome aboard! Thank you for the best description of your hopes for surgery I've seen yet. Of course you're anxious. Your cancer treatment is familiar. What you're planning on Monday is uncharted territory. It's OK to be anxious, scared, you name it. We're here for you. Do you have family or friends locally who are supporting you?

Six different specialists? That's an awful lot. Your PCP ought to be able to provide some, or all, of the referrals. Ask your PCP's office if they'll be in touch with the surgeon's office and see what they can do. My surgeon's office needs to do the referrals for RD and psych, but that's the rule for my medical group.

Welcome aboard, Allen! While surgery can have it's problems, many folks have an uneventful postop course. The long-term consequences of diabetes are out there: kidney failure, neuropathy, retina issues, heart disease. Probably the most dramatic success with WLS is in the improvement in diabetes. I'm not diabetic, but my A1c isn't in the normal range, either. It's one reason I want surgery, I don't want to live the rest of my life with diabetes. That's just my take on it, your mileage may vary. It's an intensely personal decision. You'll find friendly folks here, whatever you decide.

The three month period is SUGGESTED, not required, and no, not because you may not want the surgery - but for the surgeon to assure that you are sufficiently prepared for post-op life. If your surgeon is satisfied, no reason he or she can't get approval for surgery prior to three months after the initial consultation. As an example, my surgeon does required that I see an RD and have a psych eval - Blue Shield no longer does. And he wants those done before the initial consult. I did my orientation class in September and will have my initial consult in December, attending support group in the meantime. Depending on his schedule, I could be scheduled in January, and he will be able to document that I've been getting preparation and education for three months prior to initial consult even happens. Blue Shield's policy appears to be specifically written to take into account that different surgeons have different requirements. Believe me, if the three month period were required, rather than suggested, the policy would say so (I once wrote policies for a health plan). I hope this helps.

At this point you don't have to do a thing, your surgeon's office will handle the submission/approval process. If there are any issues, they'll let you know.

Honestly, I'd contact your surgeon's office. It's one thing to have reflux, and quite another to feel sick when you swallow. And vomiting when you hadn't before is also a new symptom that shouldn't be ignored. Did this start after you saw him for your three-month followup?

So long as you don't plan to drive yourself back home, I think it's fine. My husband has a quarterly medical procedure. He gets himself down to the hospital in the morning, and I go pick him up. Good luck!

No such thing as a waiting list. And Blue Shield doesn't require six months any longer. Once you meet criteria, surgeon submits surgical request to your medical group, and provided they submit everything they need to when the request is submitted, medical group has five business days to make a decision. The 5-day turnaround is the law in CA. Here is a link to all of Blue Shield's medical policies. You'll find bariatric surgery under "B". It will download as a .pdf. BTW, your PCP, your medical group, and your surgeon's office may not know that Blue Shield changed their policy effective July 31, 2015.

Why do you need the body composition test?

You need to take care of you, and most importantly, don't let guilt make you go back too soon. What would you tell someone who works for you? Nobody, I mean nobody, needs to know why you have to take medical leave. That's between you and the HR department. Do what you need to to take care of you.

Absolutely fantastic! I hope you're very proud of your accomplishment. What will you do to celebrate/reward yourself? Massage? New boots? Jewelry?

The goal of the six month program is not necessarily loss, so much as showing that you can adhere to a program, since you'll have to change your habits for good postop. I wouldn't worry. You're almost there!

One thing that can happen if you've recently started working out (particularly with weights) is there can be some muscle swelling, which can lead to some Fluid retention - the fluid is actually in the muscle. You burn up muscle sugar (glycogen), and as you replace it, four parts Water get stored along with it. It's temporary, as are all fluid shifts. There's a big difference between fluid gain (which happens to everyone, and fluctuates a lot) and fat gain (which I sincerly doubt is your issue). The scale can't differentiate between the two. Don't let it mess with your head. Hang in there!

No need for images, and as for your BMI history, it is what it is. As for the psych eval, what they're looking for is that you are aware of the changes you need to make in your behaviors around food and choices, and don't have any kind of serious psychiatric illness that could get in the way of your success. No big deal and nothing you need to prepare for, really. Take a deep breath, you're nearly there. Good luck!

Just for future reference, a martini glass with water and two olives looks exactly like the real thing. And anyone who thinks it's up to them to determine whether you ought to be drinking or eating anything needs to get a life.

yeah sh'e not the best person, my husband is friends with her and sometimes in order to spend time wiht my husband I have to put up with her tagging along. at the restaurant she takes the wrapper off her straw and tosses the paper into my husband's glass of Water and thinks it's just the funniest thing ever. OK, given this, there is a lot more wrong here than this so-called "friend" being rude. Husband needs a knock upside the head. One does NOT treat one's spouse like this. Period.

Why do you need a filter? Do you have a stroke or clot history?

Have someone hide your scale. Seriously. The first month or so after surgery, your body is trying to heal. That's the first order of business, for it, and for you. There is SO much going on internally that can't be measured on a scale. Follow directions, and trust the process. 18 lbs in 16 days is awesome. Believe it.