Lufifi

I'm on the 27th too. Started my liver shrinking diet today. Found a shake I LOVE so hopefully won't be too bad. SO EXCITED!

I'm on the 27th too. I will start my liver shrinking diet tomorrow. So excited!

I had already been given a surgery data of 12/27 but they called and confirmed that my insurance approved everything. I go to my appointment on the 11th to start my liquid diet, then the 22nd for my pre-op and then the 27th is THE DAY! I am so excited. Less than a month to go. I have seen how my mother has done with the bypass and I have seen the lifestyle change first hand. I am just glad that it is my turn now!

Hi all! I will be having my surgery in December. The actual date is still up in the air since I have two appointments to go to satisfy my surgeon. Where I work, I have 6 people that I know who have gotten the sleeve and all were back quickly (week or two) and claim some nausea but very little actual surgery pain. The people I have met that were working out at the hospital's gym ($4 a visit and nutritionists and nurses available!) pretty much echo what my friends have said. Minor discomfort and some nausea. My surgeon also said that nausea will be the biggest issue and not so much the incisions. He said that since I did well (almost no pain... like scratches imo) with both my gall bladder and appendix removals, I will probably be fine with this. I went to work the next day with both of those surgeries (I work at a desk. Now I can take my work laptop home and handle things there anyway). Anyway, I come to this forum and another and all I see are people saying that the surgery is super painful and they are out for weeks and weeks. Is this a case like bad reviews on Yelp where the dissatisfied tend to make more noise (not invalidating their claims, totally believe them) and the satisfied folks tend to just go on? I have a high tolerance for pain. Big baby about nausea but I am prepared lol. Just wondering why when speaking to patients here in my real regular old life the experiences are so much more positive than many I read here. So please, good and bad. Let me know!

Hi all! I thought that I had replied to this thread already but I guess not. I am in Tallahassee and I will be having my surgery at CRMC on December 27th. So exited! Dr. Joseph is my surgeon. Absolutely love his knowledge and he is very up to date on everything new. Nice to meet you all!

Don't be! It will be a New Year's gift! Hang in there!

Hi!!! I am 44 and my date is December 27th too! I have been overweight all of my adult life and was always a little on the heavy side as a kid. I am totally counting the days at this point!

I live in Tallahassee, Florida and for my authorization I needed to visit a pulmonologist. Tallahassee Pulmonary lost my referral 3 times before offering me an appointment in March (my surgery is in December so... yeah) . My surgeons office, being the super awesome folks they are, were able to get me an appointment with a pulmonologist at Shands in Gainesville (about 2 hours and 15 minutes from my house). Not a bad drive and Shands has a wonderful reputation. I went and the people were extremely nice and thorough with the tests. I think that emptying my lungs until almost passing out has been my least favorite pre-op test! I'd take the camera being shoved down my throat over that lol. Anyway, other than the normal discomfort... it was fine. Until I met with the actual pulmonologist. I don't have her name here with me but she really pissed me off. She looked at my results, and said that I had better lung function and capacity than the average person. Great, right? Then she asked why I was having these tests. I told her I was having a gastric sleeve. Her face changed (this is a doctor, a specialist, a medical professional). Then she asked... "Haven't you ever just tried not eating so many carbs?" What the literal... efffffffff. I know that I gave her a cross between a side eye and stink eye and I replied, "No. That had never crossed my mind in the 30 years of being overweight. I just thought that going under and having someone cut out a part of my body sounded super fun!". Folks, she didn't say it with good intentions. It was said in a very accusatory, rude tone. I responded by having my words drip with sarcasm. I ten went on and had to educate this doctor on the fact that this is not a quick fix, and explained the surgery. She didn't know really what it even was... which in itself is fine because it's not her specialty. But really... telling me that I should just stop eating carbs to cure my weight problems?? Ugh. Anyway, my surgery has been approved and I am scheduled for December 27. Just wanted to rant a bit here.

I already did. Luckily, most people won't have to make the trip down there. I just couldn't wait for March and it was an anomaly that the Tallahassee Pulmonary group lost the referrals. Everything else has gone as smooth as silk.

Just got confirmation that I will in fact have my surgery on December 27! My liver shrinking diet will start 2 weeks prior. The countdown begins! I am having my surgery at Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, FL. Dr. Rohan Joseph is my surgeon.

You got this!! We all get nervous but you will do great! I'm doing it pretty much on my own (I'm 44) so I totally understand. Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

I totally understand. I am somewhat of an activist and stand up for issues (especially in my community) so I am so used to doing it. I also have no problem not saying anything and just give 'em the stink eye and walk away. LOL!

Yes but it's a great story now. LOL. They did mean well. Very caring office/department. I know they just refunding the money back to everyone.

No deductible here just a $250 copay. No requirements to meet other than bmi. Surgeon made me see a few docs but that was quick. Skin removal covered after 18 months post op with large weight losses in 3 months. December needs to hurry! Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

That would make me pretty angry. I would feel so betrayed. I have decided to go the other route and tell everyone. One reason is that there is way too much stigma and misinformation surrounding it and I don't mind educating people. Also, I know a lady here who had it and didn't tell anyone. She lost weight and people gossiped. They never thought about bariatric surgery, they all assumed she had cancer. What did they do? Well, out of the goodness of their hearts, thinking that she was just being brave and not telling anyone, they started a gofundme and she finally told them the truth when it hit over $3000 and they presented it to her in the office. So yeah, I'd rather correct the derpy folks who think this is the easy way out etc. than have people think I'm dying. Totally get that you want to be private. Hubby should have respected that.

I have wanted to do this for a long time and never did because I thought that the hoops to jump through would be a struggle. And then I found out that my insurance is a breeze to deal with. I wish I had known sooner.

I've never heard of people being tested for either here in Florida. In fact, I quit smoking in April and I do vape but at a minimal nicotine level and all my doctors and surgeon know and have not said anything but "great job" and "soon you won't need that either".

Just spoke with my surgeon's office this morning and as long as my last two appointments go ok next week (I'm sure they will) my surgery will be December 20th or 27th. I'm really pushing for the 27th to tie it in with my holiday days off and she said it will probably be no problem since a lot of people want before or after holidays... not during. So excited!

Well, I was happy I found a Tallahassee Sleevers group and then I realize that it has been dormant for a year. Gonna bump this up anyway.

Haven't had my surgery yet but my mother had a bypass 14 years ago and to this day if she eats a bit much her nose runs and she sneezes.

Congrats! I will be right behind you on the 20th or 27th. Will know which after my appointments next week.

Hi all! My surgery date will either be the 20th or the 27th. I am hoping for the 27th since it will tie nicely into my paid holidays at work! I am so very excited. My only regret is that I didn't do this earlier. Until this past summer, I didn't know that my insurance had made the approval process so much easier. You have to have a certain BMI or a slightly lower BMI and 2 health issues like diabetes, pre-diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol etc. No pre-surgery dietician or nutritionist, although my surgeon required 2 appointments and I am glad he did! Another big shock was that my insurance now considers the skin removal as an included surgery since it was the result of the treatment for a disease (obesity). 18 months post op, as long as the weight loss has slowed and can show a steady weight for 3 months, the removal is covered. I have the required cardiologist and pulmonologist appointments for final surgical clearance next week and I do not expect to have an issue. I'm excited and so motivated. I look like my mom, who looks like my great grandmother. Hearty stock I say. My mother had bypass 14 years ago and is still keeping it off and super healthy. She was pre-diabetic, hypertensive, etc at the time and now at 70 she only lakes a multi-vitamin. Ok, well, nice to meet the rest of the December Sleevers!!!

That is EXACTLY how I have described my gall bladder and appendectomy. Anyway... CONGRATS!!! Are you nauseous? Getting discharged today? So exciting!

That's what I thought. I stayed overnight with my appendectomy. (Had it as an adult. I like to be different.) They had me walking that night. I'm so excited though! My mother had a bypass 14 years ago and has kept it off, and at 70 only needs a multivitamin. Glad I have her as support and also I have seen what she went through and know what I am in for. I know it's a different surgery but so many things the same. Thanks so much for your input!

Thanks! They gave me morphine after my appendectomy and it did nothing so I asked for plain old Tylenol. After my gall bladder surgery, I got a little sore in the afternoon at work and I took a Percocet. All that did is make me tell my coworker that I loved her and that I could see there was such a nice person deep on the inside. Never again. There was NO nice person hiding in there. I took Tylenol after that. I just spoke to my surgeon's office and it looks like either the 20th or the 27th of December. I am hoping I can get the 27th because I have annual leave and can incorporate the holidays in. I am low on sick leave but I have a ton of annual. Paid time off is paid time off!