Born in Missouri

Actually, I am losing weight... about one-half to a pound per day. I'm just not weighing myself anymore because I want my focus to be on healing... taking in enough protein and fluid. Losing weight is not my concern now.

Your insurance company should be able to explain your benefits. Ask for your benefits in print, too. Your insurance company is the one running the show. It's their process. Some doctors' offices have their own requirements on top of what your insurance may require, but it's your insurance company that you need to deal with first. A phone call should do it. What insurance do you have?

@kdjWItoSC We share the same surgery date: 6/13/2018. I stopped weighing myself after I noticed that I was getting different readings throughout the day. I am having trouble getting enough protein and fluids. My problem isn't keeping them down; I just can't motivate myself to eat or drink anything. Nothing smells or tastes good. My body isn't telling me to drink. I don't even notice any abdominal discomfort. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I had surgery. Nothing is tender. No pain whatsoever. My increased need for sleep is what I notice the most. I sleep late and I take multiple naps.

@toodlerue I have to remind myself “Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels!”. It’s my new mantra. Love it, toodlerue!

• When flying, I will be able to fit and sit comfortably in my seat. I won't need to ask for a seat-belt extender, either. • I will be able to ride a bicycle again. We have a cherry-red, three-wheel adult tricycle that I want to use, but the weight limit is for someone below 200lbs. • I will be able to fit and sit comfortably in a restaurant booth. • I will no longer be the one others look at when I board an elevator with a posted weight limit. • I will be able to fit and sit comfortably in amusement park rides.

@Haley. Your age, PCOS, and family history for diabetes is similar to someone else on this forum. You might want to read some of the comments intended for her as well:

Victoza isn't the first drug of choice if one merely wants to lower their A1C. Metformin will do the same thing and is much, much safer... and used daily by millions. Your endo will determine what is right for you. The most common dose is 500mg 1tab/twice daily. My bariatric surgeon told me that after my surgery that I no longer need to take Metformin. (I am not diabetic, btw; and my A1C never rose above 5.8 ... thanks to the Metformin I took pre-surgery.) Metformin also affects hunger. Many people lose weight from it as a bonus. It's not the reason why doctors prescribe it, though.

No, it's not identical. TruCal Suspension is by prescription only. (My daughter is a PharmD and two of my sons are medical doctors). The manufacturer's claims seem vague. It's common knowledge that calcium requires certain minerals to aid in bioavailability, so, of course, TruCal has a bioavailable advantage when certain minerals are included. It seems disingenuous, then, to compare TruCal to calcium citrate only, particularly when many calcium citrate OTC preparations are mixed with the same minerals as TruCal. Why compare an apple to an orange? It's more logical to compare two apples. "Clinical study shows that TruCal has better absorption compared to that of calcium carbonate." Again, common knowledge. Calcium carbonate can't be readily absorbed without a more acidic environment. "TruCal® D-50 is a source of calcium and minerals derived from milk and is manufactured using a proprietary extraction technology combined with further purification techniques." No ingredients in TruCal are superior to other calcium citrate products when those products also contain known minerals that boost efficacy. TruCal contains no proprietary ingredients, then, only "proprietary extraction technology" which sounds impressive -- but really isn't. Big Pharm marketing mumbo-jumbo.

When I've done something my new body doesn't like, I feel a tightness in my throat and my chest hurts between my boobs. I've found the discomfort goes away as quickly as it came if I open my mouth and breathe in and out, trying to relax my chest muscles as best I can. If you have children, think childbirth and how you got through a contraction. It hurt more when you tensed up.

@MN_Meg770. Be sure to let your mother know how much her support means to you. Your comment about your mother checking in on you -- as if she were still in the hospital with you -- was a sweet thing to say. Share that with your mother, too.

@AlteredReality. Where art thou? Has your pain subsided? How is your protein intake?

I see that you followed up and entered your current stats. Keep updating them, as the Current Weight and Weight Lost lines can be inspiring... I know they are for me.

@taylor. We mothers can't help ourselves. We have a compulsion to (s)mother anyone young enough to be our own. I'm glad my info helped in some small way. Now... go to your room, young lady! It's getting late, and you need your sleep.

@taylor. Has your thyroid been tested? I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. They'll only find it if they do an antibody test. When your aunt hooks you up with a new endo, have him/her check out your thyroid, too. A sluggish thyroid can make losing weight harder, too. It's in your best interest to make a strong case for yourself. I hope you find a good endo. I adore my endo. He's kind, patient, and very knowledgeable. Not your typical "doorknob doctor" --doctors that have one hand around the doorknob, ready to bolt.

@taylor. Two of my sons are medical doctors, so, yes, it helps. You can imagine all the medical support I get from my kids.

I have sleep apnea and use a C-pap. I've been using it for about 3 years. I remember when I was visited by a respiratory therapist in my home. The visit was to determine which C-pap setup would work best for me ... a full mask, nose mask only, etc. I was required to use it every night for a month and for a minimum of 4 hours per night, if I'm not mistaken. I was told that my insurance company wanted to be sure that I was committed to wearing it because the machine and supplies are costly. (The machine was in communication with a satellite so it wasn't just my word that I was using it.) The benefits of a C-pap are well-documented. Did your sleep study technician or your doctor share with you how many times you stopped breathing in an hour? I think for me it was 25 times per hour. Most hospitals will ask that you bring your C-pap with you for your hospital stay. True story: whoever changed my bedding for the day, accidentally scooped up my nose-mask and attachments and threw them into the laundry. A well-meaning nurse "dumpster-dived" for it, but it was too soiled to use. I then had to "fight" to get the thing replaced. The hospital's so-called patient advocate (I privately call her the "hospital advocate") gave me the runaround, so I called the CEO's office. His secretary, on the job for only 3 days, contacted my C-pap supplies carrier and paid for a replacement within 24 hours. Always contact the person with the authority and the money.

Being a mother of four (my three oldest are all doctors. My daughter is a PharmD and my sons are medical doctors), I can tell you that your children will always be your babies. My youngest son, the "smart one", isn't interested in medicine; he's studying computer engineering.

@Francine2. I've been trying to right my mind for a lifetime and it still isn't ready.

Good thing you listened to your body because it was trying to tell you that something was wrong. Sometimes people will dismiss the complaints of others -- nothing is worse than showing up at the ER and being treated like an attention-seeking, drug-seeking hypochondriac. You might have been seen sooner if you told them you were close to throwing up in their waiting area. Did you wait 2 hours before you were triaged or after? I'm sorry that you had to go through this. I'm glad that your Mom is around to help you. Nothing beats mother love and support. Keep us posted. People here really do care.

@taylor. Don't give up easily if your insurance tries to put up a roadblock for you. Also, not all co-morbidities are created equally. Some have life-long consequences while others may fade away after surgery. Don't rely on your insurance company's website. Talk to a real-live someone (on the phone) and have them explain your benefits to you. Ask questions. Have them email or send you your benefits so you can see them in print. If you don't get satisfactory answers after you call, call back. And keep calling. Ask for a supervisor. Be a squeaky wheel if you have to. Involve your primary doctor. Have him/her be an advocate for why this surgery is necessary for you. Your big gun, of course, is your endocrinologist. S/he is the one who's a specialist in PCOS and diabetes. If Kaiser turns you down, appeal it. Have your endo intervene on your behalf. It's in your insurance company's best interest to frustrate you; they want you to give up and go away. It saves them thousands of dollars. Do your parents have an H.M.O. or a PPO? My daughter is a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and understands her PCOS from a medical viewpoint. Because I also have a medical background and because she was diagnosed as a teenager, it's a disease known to us for years. My daughter is in her 30s now.

I'd be worried about you if you weren't freaking out, a little. Just remember to separate your rational fears from your irrational ones. And stop using the word NEVER. We'll be here 24/7 365 for you. Someone always leaves the light on, so drop by whenever you need to. This site was an amazing find for me. Use us! Vent! Share! Start telling yourself how wonderful things will be after your surgery. (Not immediately after your surgery or even for the first month, but eventually.)

Ha. I admit to picturing myself on the operating table emptying my bowels right in the middle of my bypass. Not pretty! If you've ever had a colonoscopy, then you'd be familiar with this clearing-out procedure: Get yourself a bottle of magnesium citrate (cheap and available over-the-counter everywhere. I like the cherry-flavored). Don't take this liquid the day before your surgery, but a few days before. You'll be in the bathroom a lot, so be prepared for that. Also, be prepared for some semi-explosive goings-on in orifices that you didn't know existed (?!). You might also need to apply some Vaseline around your b-hole to prevent what I refer to as "fire butt". After you're clean as a whistle, just make sure you follow your clear-liquids diet until your surgery date. You should go into surgery feeling squeaky clean and sporting that new-car smell. (Just kidding on that last one, but you get the idea.)

My doctor is the one who suggested that I get a bypass instead of a sleeve. Two things sold me on the bypass: 1. No part of my body would be removed. With the sleeve, half or more of my stomach would be removed permanently. The word "permanently" scared me. 2. I had no chance of developing reflux. The thought of getting reflux (when I've never had it) was something I did not want to risk.

Uh-oh. I neglected to congratulate you on your amazing year! You are an inspiration for people like me who are recently post-op. Hooray for you. How has your life changed for the better since losing over 100 pounds?

I was curious about how people decided on their goal weights, too. I finally added one for myself, even though it might not be realistic. Someone on this forum listed three weight goals for herself (under her posts), which I thought was smart. The first weight goal was breaking 200. I forgot what other goals she set, but I liked her idea because it provides you with incremental goals and, therefore, more opportunities to feel successful about your progress.