ssflbelle

Hi Everyone Aug 24th I saw the Dr again for the 3rd visit. I lost another 10 pounds and I was very happy and so was the Dr. He asked me if I had any questions and he answered them all. He asked if I had my Psych Eval yet and I told him it was scheduled for the 26th. It took me awhile to find a Dr as the first 3 names I was given by the insurance company didn't do WLS evaluation. However I remembered the Dr's name from 2008 when I tried for the lapband and was denied. She remembered me and said of course come on back and let's chat. In 2008 she wanted to see me 3 times and did the same this time. I believe my last visit will be Thursday Sept. 17th. The Dr asked me to have another catscan. This time he wanted it of my lungs as a nodule was found in my right lower lobe during the first full body scan when he though all I had was a hernia. I am still waiting to get the results of that catscan. I already have to worry about a hernia and a porcelain gallbladder and now a possible damaged lung. I just hope and pray that the nodule they saw the first time proves to be nothing this time. I see the Dr again Sept 28th for the 4th visit and I am trying to lose even more weight. I really would like to be around 300 before the surgery so I have a good chance of getting to goal by my 61st birthday. I am a bit scared as I was reading a posting about older women and the struggles they were having with the surgery. I just hope and pray I don't have the same problems. I have enough pain in my daily life. I know there will be some pain with the surgery but after the surgery pain I don't know how much additional pain I can handle. I will continue to read and post on the site. Not much else is new so I will close for now. Have a Healthy and Happy Month

I am so glad to have found this posting and thank Amber for asking the questions she did and for all of your answers. Two things I would love more info on is why can't some of you take crushed up pills and how do you stop yourself from throwing up? I still have several more months to go before my sleeve and gallbladder surgery. I have been on the site since June and have learned so much and hope to learn even more. I want to be as prepared as possible. I am physically disabled and hope and pray this surgery will not only help me to lose weight but walk again.

I saw mine for the first time June 17. My insurance wanted a 6 month supervised diet. So I see him once a month. I have already seen him 3 times and have lost an additional 20 pounds since he put me on a high Protein low carb diet. However he didn't say I had to lose a certain amount. HE also didn't say when I would have the surgery. I am thinking sometime in Jan if the insurance approves of it.

WOW You are beautiful. Congratulations in losing all that weight and having the courage to take these photos. I hope some day to be able to do the same.

I first meet the WL Dr on June 15 got weighed in at that time. He explained the sleeve surgery and told me my insurance wanted a lot of different tests. I also had to be on a supervised diet and needed to see the Dr 5 more times and get weighed in each time. Was not given an amount to lose just try and follow his 4 rules now. I have seen him two more times since June 15 and have lost 20 pounds so far. I saw the NUT for the pre-op diet in June and saw the Psych for the first time today. Have 2 more times with her. I had a Catscan to locate what kind of hernia I have and where it is located. That Catscan shows I have an umbilical hernia, a porcelain gallbladder and a nodule on my right lung. I am waiting for a referral for another Catscan for the nodule. The Dr said he would take out the gallbladder during the WLS but he wanted to leave the hernia in as he said after WLS the hernia might come back if he took it out. He would rather take it out when I reach my goal. I still have other test I need to take but not sure what they are at this time. It is looking WLS will be in Jan of 2016 if insurance approves the surgery. So I still have a ways to go and am trying to follow the High protein/Low carb the Dr put me on in June.

WOW! What an inspiration you are to have lost all that weight in 2 years. I will be going to your pages and learning more about your journey. I too have a long way to go, over 340 total pounds to lose. I have been that obese child, obese adult, obese bride, obese divorcee and I do not want to be an obese elderly woman. I have a to do list going too and now I know what to call it. Thanks for knowing what to call my to do list and for the paying it forward attitude you have toward childhood obesity. I wish I had someone around me with your determination when I was a child. I am sure you will help many obese children of today. HW 497 CW 332 still waiting to be approved for the sleeve. Hopefully the surgery will take place in Jan 2016.

Don't you have any sit down hobbies you can do? I love to do coloring and bead work and know I will be busy during my recovery doing those things as I will also have my gallbladder taken out. As for the color it is the hottest adult activity for relieving stress and boredom. I got into coloring after reading about it in the June Parade Newspaper. I turned that joy into becoming a coloring book consultant and love helping others find the Joy in Coloring. If you have markers or colored pencils I have lots of free coloring pages I can send you. Just email me. However if you really want to clean just stick to the light housekeeping as your still healing and need to be careful.

One week down and 7 pounds lighter. That is a good start. Keep doing what the Dr says and you will be to goal before you know it.

WOW! What an inspiration you are. Doing those pull ups and lifting your body weight that you lost in 1 year is remarkable. You look so different and getting down to the point where you can wear clothing in the 1X to 2X range is so exciting. I have lost a huge amount (over 160 pounds) on my own over many many years, but now I am waiting for the WLS to help me with losing the rest and being able to walk again. I checked the friends block so I can follow your progress. Keep going strong and you will get to that goal!

Lisa I am so sorry this happened to you, yet I am not. I hope you understand where I am coming from as it sounds like he was not for you. I know you are in emotional pain yet I hear you still have hope. Good for you! That is the way it should be hope and plan for the future. These painful feelings you have now will pass in time. I also believe good things come to those who wait and that when one door closes bigger and better doors open up. I too will never give up on finding love and losing weight. Don't you ever give up either.

I haven't been sleeved yet. But in my readings I believe others spoke of what you are experiencing. The others discovered it was the beginning signs of acid reflux and heartburn, so you should talk to your Dr about what is happening. I am sure if this is the issue he will give you something for it.

Hi Everyone I saw the WLS surgeon and his staff for the first time on June 17th 2015. They all seemed to be very nice and attentive. I was the only patient there which was good as my scooter took up most of their narrow hallway. There was no way I was able to get it into the examining room so after they weighed me I had to wall across the narrow hallway to the room. Adrienne asked me for all my paper work which I had to fill out from their online site. She took the names of all my meds and my medical story. She told me I had to follow a six month supervised diet and get a whole bunch of tests done before they could even send in the paper work for approval. The Dr came in and explained the surgery to me (which I already knew about because of all the research and the reading of Alex's sleeve surgery book.) gave me his blue book that explained everything and said I would have to see the NUT and that Adrienne would schedule that for me. I told him about Nutrisystem and the hernia and other medical problems I had. He told me to stay with Nutrisystem for this first month and to keep a food diary. He wanted a Catscan of the lower part of the body to see where the hernia is and he would see me again July 22nd. I did see the NUT on June 29th. Why I have no idea, as what she had to say to me was exactly what I had read in the blue book. So as far as I am concerned it was a wasted 3 1/2 hours of my time. On July 22nd I was weighed in again by Adrienne. I had lost 10 pounds. Again I was the only patient there. I asked her to look into why I was being charged $250.00 for the NUT when I was under the impression she was part of the Dr's staff. She said she would. I also gave her all the copies of the NS bills for the food I had gotten from them over the last year. Also gave her the Catscan results. The Dr came in and was happy I had lost the 10 pounds, looked at the food diary and said I should get off of NS. I told him I had at least another month's worth of food I still had to use up as I was not about to throw away that money. He said don't order any more and try to eat protein first then vegs, then fruits and carbs last. He told me I had an umbilical hernia and a porcelain gallbladder. He would take out the gallbladder if and when I had the WLS. As for the hernia he wants to leave it in as he said it could come back again if he removed it. He would rather wait until I have lost weight to take it out. Besides he thinks that taking out three things might be too much time in surgery for me. I am a bit concerned as the hernia I believe is located in the area directly above my belly button which is one of the locations for an incision. I will need to discuss this with him in more detail when I see him again Aug 24th. He told me I only had 4 more visits with him as the first visit counts toward the 6 months supervised diet. That also sounded odd to me and will have to discuss that with him a well. I will post again after the 3rd visit on Aug 24th. Have a Happy and Healthy life till then.

I'll say that was fast. I have to wait about a 10 days before my stuff gets delivered from them, no matter what has been ordered. I guess living in South Florida delays everything.

I also saw myself in this posting of yours. I am in my 3rd month of the 6th month supervised diet. Due to the disability I suffer from cooking during the work week is very difficult so I have done what others suggested. I cook all my meats on the weekend and weigh out my 4 oz portion and make them up into several individual bags and then put that one type of meat into a large gallon bag. I have at least 6 different variety of meats in my freezer right now. I have all kinds of pouch or canned tuna, chicken, ham and turkey, cheeses, and meats for lunch as well and make rollups minus the bread. For breakfast a shake or yogurt, cottage cheese or eggs in the microwave using the new eggstatic being advertised. For veg I have canned three bean salad, zucchini, beets, frozen butternut squash, peppers, onions, cauliflower and salad. I still have variety and don't have to cook much during the week at all. If I am still hungry at a meal I will have canned fruit as well. Now a days there are lots of higher protein-lower carb frozen brand named foods for those time when you really do not want to cook. Every now and then I don't think it would hurt to have them, unless your Dr or NUT said to stay away from them for one reason or another. You must be doing something right to have lost 20 pounds in your first month. Try some of the suggestions everyone has provided you with and I am sure you will get through the 6 months. I believe we exchanged friend requests, so if you are one to chat on yahoo Im send me a request there and we can chat and help each other seeing as how we are going through the 6 month supervised diet at the same time and have about the same amount of weight to lose.

I told only 2 people as I do not wish to have all the negative nannies and Debbie downs tell me why I shouldn't do it. My roommate as he will be driving me to and from the hospital. Second person is the one who told me he had weightloss surgery. I met him online when he was over 500 pounds 2 years ago. Even though we were in the same county we never meet. He contacted me again in June and told me he had the surgery and has lost 150 and has about 50 to 75 more to lose. This time we did meet. When I asked he told me the Doctors name. I spoke with my PCP and he referred me to this Dr who is on my plan. Since June it has been discovered I have a porcelain gallbladder which the surgeon said he would remove at the time of my WLS. So I will need to tell my boss as I will need the time off from work. If she asks me about the surgery she will be informed I have to have gallbladder surgery. That is not a lie as I do. No need to volunteer any additional information.

About a month ago I ordered one case of each flavor. It took about 1 1/2 weeks to get here and came in two different boxes. I have had the chocolate and the strawberry and liked them both. I really bought them for the 2 weeks pre-op diet I will have to be on after this 6 month supervised diet is over. My roommate tried the chocolate yesterday and even liked it. I know some people said their taste buds changed after surgery and they couldn't stand the taste anymore of these shakes. I am hoping that is not the case for me. These shakes I can afford on a disability budget. I have a friend who uses her card to order on line for me so no service charge and no shipping charges. She just lives down the street from me and brings them to me and I give her the money when they come in. It is a lot easier than carrying three cases home from the store.

I am also in the 300+ pound club before surgery. Am still waiting for my sleeve surgery. It is nice to see how well you have done in a year. Wonderful results and you look amazing. Keep up the good work.

Hi all I was looking at the profile of Jss1988 and saw a posting she made to this forum. I am not 100% sure if my surgery will be in Dec or Jan but I thought I would start posting here anyhow. Here is a little bit about me: I am a 59 year old physically disabled 5' 6" woman who has been obese since I was 10 years old. Parents sent me to a fat camp 3 times and all three time after the summer I came home thin and since eating patterns at home didn't change all the weight plus more came back. Have also lost weight as an adult more times then I can count and it always came back. I will not go into a lot of detail as I do have a blog listed in my signature line if anyone cares to read about my life after I became injuried. Onto present day info: In June I spoke with my new PCP about WLS and he gave me a referral to a WL surgeon whom a friend of mine used. I saw the surgeon June 17 and found out I need to go through a 6 month supervised diet as none of my previous attempts at losing weight were supervised. I had been on Nutrisystem since June of 2014 and had only lost 38 pounds and told the Dr this. He said to stay with NS and do a food diary which he would look at during the second visit. The lady at the Dr office set me up to see the NUT June 29th and all she did was go over the post diet I was to follow. She said nothing about the supervised diet and when I asked if I see her each month for the next 5 months she said no I see the Surgeon. That was odd so I thought. July 22nd I saw the Surgeon again and had lost 10 more pounds. He looked at my food diary and told me to get off of NS as they gave me way too many carbs. He wanted me to more or less follow the low carb/high protein diet. I see him again Aug 24th for the 3rd visit. If insurance approves me I guess my surgery will be in 2016. I also have a porcelain gallbladder and umbilical hernia. The gallbladder will be removed if and when I have the WLS. I have only told my friend and my roommate about the possible WLS. My friend is answering all kinds of specific questions about the WLS staff and program which is wonderful. I feel much more comfortable knowing someone who use that Dr and has already lost 150 pounds. He has about 50-75 more to lose. Hope to become friends with all of you and will be following this thread.

Stories like this make me so mad. These are supposed to be medical "professionals".... why aren't they conducting themselves in a professional manor? You should definitely report her. Yes when I read this I was thinking the same thing. Why does she need to know what surgery you are having anyhow? I would have said yes to the pre-op and if the additional comments came I would have said this is a private matter do you really need to know why in order to perform this EKG? If she had said yes at that point I would lied. I will be having gallbladder surgery along with the sleeve. So if I get questioned like this it is for my gallbaldder. I do not need the crap and the stress of what others deal out Shellyd88 This is your business just as it is mine. You don't need to tell anyone. BUt i fyou have please tune them out when they give you all the stress and hassle. As or me It is my business, my WLS and his staff and my PCP and his staff. The only person in my life I told is my roommate as he needs to be there to help me with the drive to and from the hospital.

I looked at it and 1 garment is $35.00, 2 is $59, 3 is $79, 5 is $99, 7 is $129, 10 is $159. I think I will just go to goodwill shops or other places like that. Or better yet just take in my clothing as it starts to get bigger on me. Some of the the Weight Loss forums have a thread that offers free clothing. Some of the WLS conferences and support groups have an exchange program. You submit a piece of clothing and can take a smaller size for free.

Wow what a cool idea! I haven't had surgery yet so can't contribute. I don't even know how to make a video when the time comes However you can be assured I will be visiting that page once it is up and running to view the videos of those you have had the surgery. I can use all the support I can get and just love reading and hearing about all the success.

These postings are all from June. Did you ever have your surgery Michael and how did things go for you? Did you get the help you needed and are you recovery well?

I am so sorry this happened to you and all the others and that people lost their lives because of this Dr and the Weight Loss Agents.com. When I saw the link url as WPTV I clicked on it. WPTV is a TV station in my viewing area and I never saw that on TV. How I missed it I do not know. I am so glad you brought it to our attention. I hope all those who are thinking of having surgery with this Dr will view this and think twice before they finalize their plans. Being on disability I can't contribute to the gofundme but I sure hope others will be able to help you out. Good luck in getting the justice you and all the other deserve.

I see you found the South Florida group. I believe jemars and isit5yet had Dr Wizman. Maybe others too as there are 5 pages to this thread.

Can people who had surgery by another Dr go to this support group? It is much closer to me than Jupiter. When is it?