KatFight

@chenie69 I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a really rough time and a bad day. Did your doctor suggest you give it time to heal? What symptoms were you experiencing that caused you to get tests done? Sending warm wishes for better days ahead. [emoji258]

I can really see a difference. You must be feel terrific. Congrats on a job well done. 🦋

I agree, Alex. Why do we need to know who from where bought whatever? Many of us are well aware of the store’s offerings which are great. Please...that pop-up box is super annoying. 🤯

I had hunger too and it was not head hunger. You’re hardly eating anything...of course, some of us feel legitimately hungry. I found if I kept busying myself the hunger would pass after around 20 minutes. If you’re not already, make your best efforts to get your protein bc that may help. [emoji258]

That’s fantastic! Congratulations on making it through. I was on cloud nine after my surgery in Dec 2017 so I can relate to feeling really happy...but no whiteout for me. So glad it was worth going through major snow and a super long drive. [emoji300]️[emoji253][emoji2]

That’s horrible! That is a major mistake. I cannot begin to imagine how you feel. I’m so sorry this happened to you. And, what a suggestion...to show up and hope the new authorization comes through. That’s anxiety-producing. Be kind to yourself (warm baths, nice music, candle/diffuser, and positive self-talk). Sending prayers...[emoji259]

Why have no men responded yet? Not sure if these will help but my husband wears Duluth ballroom boxer briefs. He says they give him support & freedom. They are pricey for underwear but I think they’re on sale now. Fabric is nice too, especially those made for cooling the nether regions. Now I’m wondering how many balls have rested on my chairs (at waiting rooms, etc.) before I sat in them. lol

I like the name of your post - Face to Face Friday. I haven’t been taking photos of just my face. You look incredible. The weight loss can really be seen in your pic and your surgery wasn’t that long ago. Way to go! 😁

Congratulations on your paperwork being submitted. It really is an achievement in this process. The next goal is getting that yes and you are close to getting it. I understand why you can’t wait. I love my sleeve. Surgery went well for me as did folllowing the post-surgery diet. My surgery was 12/28/17 so I’m about 3 1/2 months post-surgery. The weight loss has been slow and steady for me. Yay! What a great day for you - soak it in. 💐

Hi. I can’t answer what is best for you medically but I can answer with my experience. I had gastric sleeve on 12/28/2017. My starting weight at consultation was 299 lbs. Before liquid pre-op diet, I was 286 lbs. Before surgery I was 277 lbs. I’m now 241 lbs. So, I’ve lost an average of 10-11 lbs. per month. I’m happy with that; although every now and then, a surge of weight loss would be nice. lol I’m very happy with the surgery and where I am so far. It must be difficult to be where you are right now. Ultimately, you need to do what is right for you for whatever the reason. If you feel pushed in the direction of duodenal switch and you don’t feel that’s right for you, please call your surgeon and tell him. Self-care is truly important and the best gift you can give yourself is being true to you. Prayers and best wishes. 🌻

Yes! That’s fantastic news. Things are moving in a positive direction...can’t wait to hear from you when you get your yes. 🌼

Your stomach looks great. In fact, you overall look is beautiful. 🌺

I’m so sorry that you received this news. Had I gotten everything done except my pcp letter, I would have had a meltdown too. It is a lot to go through to get to that point only to find there’s been a change that messes up the timeframe you thought you were working with. Hang in there. I’m hoping something happens soon that will allow you to get your surgery in May. Prayers and warm wishes sent your way. 🌻

Hi. In your pics I can definitely see the changes in your face and stomach from weight loss. Congratulations. You are doing just what you need to (protein, water, exercise) and your weigh loss is continuing with the exception of stalls here and there. The amount of weight loss seems very good to me. You’re really not that far from your goal weight. Keep up the great work. 🏆

@jrsone I’m so happy for you. Congratulations. You sound like you definitely have the mindset. That’s going to take you a long way in a positive direction. I had my mindset intact too and it’s helped me get through the post-surgical diet with ease. I’m sorry to hear that your wife’s surgery was not possible bc of insurance. That’s really disappointing. I wish you all the best and hope children are in your future. Let us know how you’re doing when you get through it, ok? 🌞

Yes, it did. I want to clarify that I was referring to cheating on the 3 day pre-surgery liquid diet and that’s why I suggested speaking with your surgeon or nurses. I wish all the best, Erica. This is an amazing ride. 🌺

It happens. We can agree to disagree. The surgeon trusts that the patient has followed the pre-surgery diet when he/she says they have and may not know the size of liver until surgery. Ultrasounds to check liver size were not done where I went. Perhaps they’re done on people with even more weight to lose. I don’t get hung up on whether or not anyone has posted a “sewed me back up story.” This site is a small percentage of people in comparison to all of those out there who’ve had surgery. It’s interesting that you and @aNYCdb know just what my surgeon should do. All I shared was what I was told. In no way is the surgeon doing surgery just to see if the liver is small enough. We all, as patients, have a responsibility too to follow pre-surgery medical directions. And, in terms of costs vs. safety for both the surgeon and patient...I have no idea nor do I really care to know if the surgeon takes a loss financially. I appreciate that we can all share our opinions and agree or disagree. I really like your name @sillykitty. We can still all be friends. 🐈

I completely agree with you. 😀

You must be kidding me. Of course the surgeon doesn’t “cut someone open to verify the size of the liver.” It was determined when surgery was attempted that the liver was too large. It does happens that’s why there’s a protocol prior to a surgery date. It’s dangerous to have too big of a liver and it puts the patient and doctor at risk. A Center of Excellence is comprised of surgeons who do not want to place patients in unsafe situations so no, they are not expected to move your too big liver to satisfy your wants. You seem to be someone who wants to go against medical protocol. Each to their own. My preference was to listen. 😡

*FSA So, I lost one month from when pulmonologist did my PFT to when my second appt was, one month apart and another approx. month from second visit to when I discovered the sleep center never requested a pre-approval from my ins. And, by the way, my PFT was perfect. Why not give a sleep study slip the day of the PFT? Later found out that staff was abrasive and unwilling to work with hospital bc the dr has a financial interest in the sleep center! This was never shared with me up-front. Please know that you do not have to go to exact dr your doctor refers you to. Ask dr. if you’re unsure. I expected top-notch care as this was a referral and was in dismay. Believe me, I told my surgeon this too.

Hi. I had my first visit end of July, 2017 and was required to have 3 months of nutritional counseling but the nutritional counseling was normally 6 months so I had 2 nutritional appts/month. I called all doctors (pulmonologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, mental health nurse practitioner - I was already seeing her so she wrote my letter) and set appointments. All were set pretty quickly except the pulmonologist whose staff I later discovered were rude and unprofessional. The pulmonologist first requires a PFT test. I couldn’t get my second visit with her until a month later. Major delay. Then, her staff advised me that they’d have the sleep center call me to set up a sleep study. No call. I kept checking in with their office for 3 weeks. When I called the sleep center, nobody picked up the phone nor was there voicemail. It was all strange. I explained the urgency as I’d everything done by my next surgeon’s visit except this bc I was losing time waiting just to schedule the sleep study. The office staff’s excuse was the center was waiting on insurance. I called my insurance, not true. The sleep center had never requested pre-approval for the sleep study in early September. Now it was the end of September. I wrote a complaint to the BBB. And I scheduled with my nearby hospital. The pulmonologist staff refused to work with the hospital staff! It was not true either. They are supposed to. Oh, and they also wanted me to pay full-price for my visits upfront. Over $150 when I have a $40 copay which I pay with a FAA card. The BBB lit a fire under the sleep center’s a**es bc I got a call a week later. They were willing to do a home study in 2 days. I didn’t want to initially bc they were lousy but I wouldn’t be able to get everything else done before the end of the year which was important financially. They also got me in to see a different pulmonologist the following week. It was clear that I wouldn’t have this done by the end of October bc of the mistakes of the first pulmonologist and this sleep center. I pushed hard...constant calling to get my paperwork done. Many times I’d hear, “I’ll call you later today.” Or, “I’ll have that done tomorrow.” It was NEVER true. My surgery was 12/28/17 but it would have been in November if the original pulmonologist and the sleep center didn’t screw up so badly.

Hi @2big1 I was 299 lbs. on the day of consultation. Just the month before, I weighed 305 lbs. I decided to pursue surgery because I got to the point where I couldn’t go on into another decade living with my excessive weight. I had to give this a shot. And,I dedicated myself full force to the process, which can be incredibly frustrating at times. Sometimes the frustration comes from how certain staff members are in certain offices or from not losing much when I’ve put everything in. The rewards are realized some along the way but, for me, the most significant and impactful were when I was approved by insurance for surgery, when I got my surgery date, and my surgery day which was 12/28/17. I prepped myself mentally to expect tremendous pain, difficulty walking, sore throat, nausea, etc. I did have soreness and mild pain. Because I have chronic pain anyway, my back and shoulder pain was worse than the surgery pain. It was an easy experience for me. I wondered why I had built it up so much in my mind...guess I wanted to be prepared for anything. In the weeks following, I did experience nausea here and there. Overall, I was so happy. It felt so good to know I was on the other side and that I could do be successful. I could actually leave the heaviness (literally and figuratively) of my life. My surgeon told me that it’s pretty much 50/50. There are 50% of patients who have an easy experience and others who struggle. The odds may be in your favor. Of course, there are real risks and that’s why anxiety hits us. Unfortunately, we face real risks too as a result of obesity. What surgery are you thinking of having? Mine was gastric sleeve. Had I known how well it would go, I would have done it a decade ago. I can tell you that if your in the hands of a skilled surgeon with an exceptional reputation, your surgery will go more smoothly - pretty obvious. You may want to ask how many surgeries your doctor performs each year; how many of his patients describe their surgeries as “easy” (no problems or few problems) vs. moderate vs. difficult (rarer complications). Whatever you’re curious about, be ready to ask. The journey is worth the destination. [emoji304]

I’ve lost 43 lbs. Saw my surgeon yesterday. She was very pleased. You’re doing great. In another 3 months at the same rate, you’ll be 82 pounds less! Sounds like your surgeon is not being realistic. We all don’t drop 12 - 20 pounds/month. Your rate of loss is safe and consistent. Keep up the great work! [emoji259]

Hi. I became obsessed with jigsaw puzzles. I had fun and was completely occupied. [emoji250]

Hi @sideye. You were fortunate that your liver was no issue but to tell someone who is pre-surgery that there is no concern in that bc of how your dr did things is ill-advised. My surgeon is the founder of a Center of Excellence and has had to sew many patients back up who failed to follow directions and their livers were too large. Be careful of dispensing advice contrary to medical advice. Very dangerous.