Véronique

So, I've just completed my medical weight loss classes, obtained my psychological/psychiatric and medical clearance, attended the bariatric patient education seminar, and I am ready to finally do this! The consult is scheduled for the 31st of July and based on the timeframe I've received from the surgeon's office in the patient education seminar, I can expect to be on the table sometime between the 28th of August and the 11th of September. Unfortunately, because of the way the program is set up, I cannot do anything more at this time (which sucks, because I really do want to get my dietary clearance out of the way but can't because I can't schedule this until I've attended the consult) but the last couple of things are my pre-op appointment with the surgeon (which the surgeon's office will make for me) and my pre-admit appointment.

My consult with the surgeon is scheduled for the 31st of July. Unless my surgeon schedules me closer to the four-week mark than the six-week mark, I'm going to be a September sleever.

So, over the last two days, I got to check off a lot of things in my programme. I've completed my medical weight loss classes (effective yesterday), I have my psych clearance and I did my last appointment with my doctor today (she gave me a letter pretty much saying I'm medically cleared for bariatric surgery). The next step is a consult with my surgeon and that gets scheduled with the bariatric coordinator at my surgeon's practice. At that next step, I'll learn my surgery date. I'm not sure how fast I'll be able to get in but the fact that I've done everything I could do at this point, hopefully, that gives me an edge against many of the other people needing to schedule their consults. However, considering many of the surgeons are taking their holidays over the next couple of weeks so I'm hoping I can get in quickly. Hopefully, I'll be an August sleever, but considering I was told at the patient education seminar that I can expect to wait 4-6 weeks after the date of the consult (so they can get pre-approval from the insurance company), my chances of being an August sleever are slipping.

Hello, So, I'm almost to the end of these horribly pedantic medical weight loss classes, I have my psych clearance and my final appointment with my primary care provider set up for the day after my last class and so far, I've either checked off or scheduled the last remaining tasks I can. My weight is down. When I started the bariatric programme, I weighed in at 155 kg (or 341 lbs) and yesterday, I weighed in at 149,1 kg (or 328 lbs). So, I have had some slight weight loss but nothing to really write home about. I've also been going to this gym that does a 3D body scan and uses that to take measurements (which is awesome, given the fact that I kinda suck at taking my own measurements with the tape). It is kinda depressing that in every area except for my calves (where I've gained), I've lost only somewhere in between 0,6 cm (0,25 in) to 5 cm (2 in). Now, I know for thin people, that's nothing small but when your waist is a circumference equal to the height of a ten-year-old, that's not much. But I digress. The thing that concerns me is that once I see the surgeon, I need to try to lose weight. The programme only really requires me not to gain weight between my consult with the surgeon and the day of but the surgeon wants me to lose weight to try to reduce the size of the liver (or something like that). However, my weight does fluctuate (like anyone's does) and I wonder, how do you handle it if your weight does fluctuate upwards on the day you see your surgeon in spite of a trend of slight downward progress? Can you point to non-scale victories like measurements along with pointing to your weight graphed out (yeah, I use the Withings, now Nokia, scale so when I take my weight daily, it's synched to the cloud and charted for me). Curiously, Véronique

Hey, So, I'm wondering if we feed weight loss data post-surgery into a database and use that data to analyze weight loss based on patterns and dietary habits, might that be useful for people to get an idea of how much weight they could lose and compare that with possible behavioural changes? Thought you might be interested in such an idea.

I don't think you understand, I want to reverse a tan, not worsen it.

Colorado's pretty good too, though I've heard some people need some time to adjust to the altitude change. Also, recipes that worked in Texas might not come out right in Colorado... which does take some getting used to and adjustment.

I weep for you. I escaped that hellhole almost 12 years ago.

So, I did quite a bit of work today to help make the process go a little faster once I finish my last medical weight loss class: both my psychological clearance and my final appointment with my GP have been scheduled on the same day. So, I clarified with the bariatric coordinator from Northern Colorado Surgical Associates that once she phones me the following Tuesday, I can get my consultation that week or possibly the following week, which will allow me to have surgery 4-6 weeks after that point. So, based on these timelines, the earliest possible date for my surgery is the 16th of August and the latest possible date for my surgery is the 8th of September. So now, I have an idea of when about I'll be getting my surgery.

Are these numbers just by virtue of having surgery or can these numbers be improved by more exercise?

That'd be awesome too. Freckles and the red hair also make gingers super hawt but hey, having pale skin would definitely up my goth game. I'm still trying to get rid of my farmer's tan.

I wish I was a ginger... pale is beautiful.

Longmont, Colorado.

Yeah, I don't imagine I'll be collecting that much data since establishing an HIPAA compliant database would be kinda pricey (if it's sorta similar to establishing a PCI-compliant database for storing credit card data for recurring payments, I'm looking more to establish a range based on caloric intake and exercise data/types.

So, I have two more medical weight loss classes and I have to choose a surgeon from the practice. I think. And I'm going to go with Dr. Quaid. Not because I have any understanding of his experience, how many surgeries he's performed or his bedside manner... it's because the picture on the practice's website of him looks nice. I know this is the most asinine way to choose a surgeon and I know that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. However, the only way available (that I know of) to meet and get a feel for the surgeons is to head to the Light for Life post-op support groups at Poudre Valley Hospital. Which are held once a month... from 6-8pm in a city I don't live in without access to public transit at that hour. Also, the May meeting is not happening because it coincides with Memorial Day. Suggestions?

The only YouTube video I could find was this one from the Vein and Laser Centre of Northern Colorado... I think it's the same guide, his bio as he describes it hits so many points with his bio on the Northern Colorado Surgical Associates website. Apart from that, I could find no YouTube channel for Northern Colorado Surgical Associates, nothing comes up when you search that in YouTube in quotation marks. And considering how short this video is, this is kind of a bust. I've phoned the nurse line for the surgical practice this morning because I have a few other questions anyway (i.e. what is the pre-op diet and something a nutritionist said to me about how bariatric surgery has to manipulate hormones in order to lose weight, which I think is BS but I want to see if there is any truth to this claim), so might as well ask if and when they phone back.

Oh, I've already decided to have surgery, the question is who I am having surgery with but I do like your idea and I'll contact my surgeon to see if it's doable.

Best of luck! I'm looking forward to the day when I get my surgery. Hell, I'm looking forward to the day when I get scheduled for my surgery.

Yeah, they don't want me on regular food until 6-8 weeks. I'll need to bring this up to my surgeon just to make sure what the deal is.

... 3 to 6 months? Per the book I have, one can have a regular, albeit modified, diet after 6-8 weeks. Should I discuss this with my surgeon at my pre-op appointment just to be on the safe side?

... I wonder why everyone's books are so different...

I thought that sounded a little familiar, so I pulled out my paperwork I got from the patient education seminar and saw a slide that read this: We expect weight loss prior to surgery Even a few pounds (5-10) can make a difference - Liver Do not gain weight May cx (cancel) surgery if there is weight gain ... So yeah, I need to be extra mindful about that.

Yeah, France definitely is better. In fact, I know the hospital in the last town I was living definitely does bariatric surgery (or, as we French call it, chirurgie bariatrique).

Maybe you should discuss it with your surgeon's office? They might have some ideas about what works and what doesn't. As for the sugar and carbs, everything has sugar and carbs in it. If you were losing weight during your medical weight loss classes you might be okay. I think the issue of why they have you on a liquid diet prior to surgery is because they don't want anything physical in the stomach when it comes time to slice and dice.

Yeah, I would be pissed if my surgeon's office didn't have someone on call... especially since they make it very clear that if you have to go to the ER, they want you to go to Poudre Valley Hospital or at least have the ER docs contact PVH if you have to go to another ER. To illustrate how irritating that is, the following hospitals are closer to me than PVH: Longmont United Hospital UCHealth Long's Peak Hospital Boulder Community Hospital (both the main campus and the Foothills campus) Medical Centre of the Rockies Exempla St. Joseph UCHealth Broomfield Hospital North Metro Medical Centre Banner McKee Hospital