LizzieMmmkay

RNY- 7/16/20 HW: 319 SW: 277 CW: 259 The scale hasn’t budged much even though I’m following my plan. I have noticed that my clothes are getting a little looser though, so sometimes the scale can’t tell someone everything. Don’t get discouraged, everyone is different, and we will all get there when it’s time. I’ve also been able to resume hiking this past week. Averaging about 3 miles each trip out. I guess I’m not as worried, because I know how my body would stall during pre-op and then in a week or so I’d drop a stubborn 5 pounds. I’m a slow loser, but I’m going to keep at it. Good luck everyone!

I finally have my surgery date scheduled for July 16! I started doing the WLM and the long list of insurance requirements back in September 2019. Due to Covid getting my surgery date was delayed right as I had completed everything I needed to have done. Yet, now that I have a date I have been a ball of emotions today. I’ve been reading everyone’s posts and am happy to be able to connect with other people that have gone through or will be going through with gastric bypass. I have to admit I did the Covid slide to the dang fridge from being cooped up with 3 kids that I suddenly was responsible for teaching, along with balancing everything else during these crazy times. I had to do my meetings over the phone with my nutritionist since our group could no longer meet. I felt like it was never going to happen given the circumstances in the world right now. Thankfully before I received the call that I had been approved by my insurance and received an official surgery date today I had already started the pre-op diet to get on track a couple days ago. Good luck to everyone out there on this journey! I am so happy that I’m about to join you all on the losers bench! 5’6” HW- 319 CW-288 Goal- Anything under 200 and healthy!

I finally received the call today that my surgery was approved and will be on July 16 for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. I’m a ball of emotions! I started this journey back in September 2019 to complete the long list of insurance requirements with different doctor’s & specialists, and attended WLM each month. Then Covid hit right as I had completed everything on my checklist. I have been in limbo land waiting to see what would shake out. Honestly, even though it’s overdue I was still surprised that they’re getting me in as soon as they are. I just hope nothing goes sideways from here to there with my date, because that would just be my luck at this point lol! I’m excited to get more active on here with a great group of knowledgeable people! Good luck to all you fellow July surgery patients! See you all on the losers bench!

My partner knows, my closest friend, and I mentioned it to my mom. My mom was automatically worried, aka it doesn’t work for a lot of people long term, etc. I regretted telling her immediately and haven’t brought it up since then weeks ago. My partner and closest friend are very supportive of my decision for surgery. I’m very introverted and have a super small, unconnected group of friends, so keeping this quiet will be easy. I’ve been a SAHM for the past decade, now my youngest is in grade school as of this school year. One reason, amongst ever so many, was to do this surgery prior to rejoining the workforce. I don’t have to worry about co-workers, only family & friends asking. If it was someone I knew could use the help and weren’t out to start gossiping I’d be honest with them, but otherwise mum is the word, no one needs to know.

Premier Protein is my favorite, by far. I like the chocolate, strawberries & cream, vanilla, and cookies & cream. I’ve tried the generic versions of Premier and they tasted chalky and not as smooth. I wanted to find one that was good prior to surgery and have since been using the Premier Protein Shakes as part of my meal plans with weight loss success.

I haven’t been on in a while, because I’ve been so busy lately. I hope to catch up today and gain some more inspiration here! I have been doing really good sticking to my personal goal of watching my calories and walking more prior to my surgery consultation to make sure I’m as committed now without the surgery to maintain this lifestyle afterwards. I’ve lost 21 pounds total since August. I’m back in the 200’s, which was my first big goal to get to on my own. I’ve been going to the monthly WLS meetings, met with my primary care Dr twice now. She faxed her approval to the dr for my surgery. She’s very supportive and pleased with the results I’ve had prior to surgery. She thinks this choice of bypass is going to be a great thing for me on my journey to becoming healthier. I have my sleep study consultation scheduled for next month. After my next WLS meeting next month my nutritionist will set up everything with the surgeon for our first meeting... it’s becoming more real now! It helps that my life has been go, go, go... no real time to fret over the 6 month insurance required wait. I also adopted Lola, my 1st puppy ever as an adult, and she has 100% helped keep me active and motivated to keep moving. I feel good and positive about what lays ahead! I hope you all have been doing well, can’t wait to see what everyone has been up to! 💚

She’s a Double Doodle, her dad was around 60 pounds and her mom was around 50 pounds, so I’m curious where she’ll end up at. She’s been doing really good with the potty training, thankfully I have all wood floors if she does have an accident. It has been 2wks now and I can pretty much tell when she has to go, but every once in a while when it gets hectic around here I miss the cue. She’s definitely a ball of energy that keeps me on my toes, dr approved bahahaha! 😅 Thank you for the well wishes, I hope you have lots of success as you’re gearing up for a busy season! Take care!

It’s true when you work on yourself everything around you starts to fall into place. 💚

Next week I’ll have my first required nutrition/WLS group meeting and PCP appointment the next day to get my clearance letter sent to my bariatric surgeon. I’m getting more & more excited than I was a bit ago with my nerves flaring up. I’ve already been walking, watching my portions, trying to master the art of not inhaling my food (baby bites is hard for me 😳🤫) to try and get my body in the same place as my mind is. It also helps that I have been really busy lately to make the time go by faster. I love all the info I’ve gained from this site. It has really helped me start to work on some of the things I know I need to get a handle on prior to surgery. And, I’m not gonna lie, looking at that before/after forum is motivating as anything! I wish you all luck, everyone on here has been really wonderful, so thank you! 🍀

Well, I knew this would be a process on many levels starting from the inside to the outside. I’ve been researching so much I’m probably causing eye & brain strain haha! I am 100% committed to my choice, but I’m so nervous I’ll make some mistake and my insurance will deny me at last second. They’ve given me the green light, no surgery date, until I meet their requirements. I have to attend a WLM every month, but it has to be 21 days apart. The bariatric department of the Dr. I want to see sent me a packet with a letter for my regular PCP to fill out with their approval. I also have to get my PCP to send a referral for a sleep study. I can’t schedule that one without the PCP signing off on the letter saying they approve me getting the surgery. I can’t see the bariatric dr until I have my letter, sleep study scheduled, and 3 weight loss meetings completed. I know they want to make sure I’m serious about this life changing procedure, that is a lifelong change, that one must actively stay engaged in... I get it. I just don’t want the green light I’ve been given to turn to red. The other problem is my regular Dr I’ve seen for a decade now is booked out max, so I have to see a new PCP in his office that I don’t know. I realize she can refer to my usual PCP for the approval, since she doesn’t know me, I’m just so nervous now. When I first talked to my insurance it seemed like I would have to take the classes for nutrition for 6mths, but more keeps getting added. I will do what it takes, I know this is the right path for me, but I’m really scared that I’m going to unintentionally mess something up. I also looked around on here and realized there’s other things I’ll probably have to do too, but I’m not that far along yet to be requested to check those things off the list. On the bright side both my first WLM and PCP appointments are in the 2nd week of September. I guess this is a process of hurry up and do what they say, then wait for the next step... if my nerves could calm down though that would be nice. Sorry, had to get this out there. 😕😳

Okay, this is gonna sound cheesy as all get out, but I’m so happy I found this site and forum. Just glancing around when I have the time the one HUGE thing I notice is how well this community does to support each other, and help each other up during slumps, or fears of backsliding, calming those questioning choices, changes, tips, etc. It’s becoming where I come at the end of the night after my 3 kids are finally sleeping to kinda get to know the site more and all of you. There’s so much incredibly helpful knowledge & support you all give on here, and that the site puts out there. I know I’m a totally giddy, nerdy, newb, not even close to a surgery date, but truthfully, I tried forums over the years for mom stuff, marriage stuff, obesity sites, but this site feels different, like a safe place to be real about hard body truths, and more... Not having to be all “laughy” fat girl, like how I am with my close friends, it’s like being a jokey fat ghost. When my fat butt breaks every dang stupid plastic cheap lawn chair I own, which truthfully is seriously funny (yes, and sad, but also very funny)... I just wish it was a skinnier butt of mine breaking my lame, cheap chairs so the nagging feeling that I may be one step away from a heart attack would abate. I don’t want to be a ghost floating through life anymore, or a sad stat anymore. I want to be my clumsy self, but healthier, ya know what I mean? I really do love making a fool of myself in close company. I want my kids to see that side of me more, when I’m not so whooped trying to survive it all. I want to be present in the here & now with everyone, instead of hiding most me in my head, while leaving the fat me on the outside. I want my kids to know life is complete horse dung sometimes, but it’s all about getting back up on that dang horse, and falling right back off into that dung, but never quitting. Failing is how you learn to succeed, and I have had one hell of a funny, messed up life, perfecting the art of the fail. My kids are my world, they are the 3 planets that orbit my fat axis, and keep me balanced, and crazy too hahaha! Raising kids isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s why I want to make my heart and health priorities to enjoy them before they’re all embarrassed to openly love their mom during their teen years... My mama always said Karma was waiting for me after my teen years bahahaha! 😬😳 I want to be there with them as support. I want to watch them grow into whoever they are going to be. I want to teach them the art of laughing in a pile of dung. I seriously do enjoy making fun of myself, namely, but now, there’s some scariness behind my butt busting cheap lawn chairs that I can’t shake lately. All I can say is I don’t even know if this will all work out for the surgery, I’m hoping with all hope it does, after jumping through the insurance hoops. But one thing that has already come out of this starting path is finding a place here that’s nice to be truthful about the funny and crappy things that come along with obesity. In the end, I hope we all have success, whatever that means to each person here. Good luck and thank you for coming to my rambling TedTalk about being so welcoming and kind on here! 🤓💚☺️

🎊 Congratulations! That’s awesome! 🎊

Whoa! This sounds exactly like what I’m about to have to do for my insurance. I have been “approved” by my insurance, but I still have to jump through basically all of those same hoops you did before I finalize the surgery date. Congrats on getting to this point, that’s so exciting to be almost to your surgery! I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!

🎉 Congratulations on your success! 🎉

I just received the call today that the bariatric team has formally reviewed my insurance information and I’m approved for the bariatric program! I don’t know what this really even means in terms of what to expect from this point forward, but the biggest thing (besides my butt) is that I’m moving forward!!! They said they’re mailing me all the enrollment paperwork for the program today. I’m so happy and excited to start this new journey. I’ve been walking a mile each day and watching my meals. I want to be in a good mind set to put my all into making this a lifestyle change that lasts. I wish the paperwork was here now, I am ready to roll, but I’ll bide my time, and keep on trying to change what I can here. I have to start combing this site for good pre-op info now. Yay!!!

I’m going through University Hospital, I have Cigna, and I want the sleeve. I’m hoping all goes fast with the paperwork once it gets here & I send it back to be processed, so I can have my first consultation appointment. The dr that did the surgery when I had my gall bladder removed is through UH for the bariatric program and surgical procedures. She’s highly recommended through my insurance. I loved her during my gall bladder surgery, she was amazing, so my fingers are crossed this all works out. 🤞🏼

I’ve been looking to connect with people that have had, or are going to have, the gastric sleeve surgery. I stumbled across this site today. I’m not sure what I’m doing quite yet on here as far as the format, etc. I have been thinking about doing the gastric sleeve for a while now. Today I took the first steps and talked to my insurance company. Luckily, they do cover all, minus 15% of the total cost. Yet, it comes with the stipulations that I’ve read other people having to do first. That being the 6 months of documented dietary therapy, physical activity, and behavior modification before they’ll approve the surgery. I kind of figured there would be some hoops to jump through before getting the green light, but I’m still a little bummed that I have to wait 6 mths. I filled out some paperwork online today and should get a call in a week or two from the Dr. for a consultation. I’m really hoping to speed this process up, but as Petty wisely said, “waiting is the hardest part.” 😅 I’ve tried for so many years to shed this weight, to no avail, I’ve thought this through... I know it’s not a decision you just make on a whim thinking it’ll cure everything. I know I have my work cut out for me. So that’s just a little bit about where I’m at on this journey... right at the starting line bahahaha! I can’t wait to read more from all of you and your experiences. Sorry for rambling! Take care everyone!

I had my gall bladder out a couple years ago. The scars do look similar to what would be seen after getting the sleeve done. I also have been debating what/who to tell after I have surgery. I get that it’s a bit harder being a firefighter... I hope that whatever you decide ends up working out for the best. Good luck! 🍀

I’m sure it is nerve wracking as it draws closer, but also, probably pretty exciting... I can only imagine, since I’m just at the beginning of the hoop jumping phase before I can have the surgery. I’m sending you all goodness that your surgery goes well , and that you have a speedy recovery! I’ll keep my eyes peeled for updates once you’re able to do so... Best of luck!

Congratulations on your success! I’m so happy that the surgery worked out for you, 40lbs in 4wks is AMAZING! 🤗 I have struggled since my 20’s with morbid obesity. I’m 37, I have 3 children, and my husband & I are officially done with that chapter, and happy with the 3 children we were lucky enough to have. Now I’m ready to begin this new journey. I want to see my children grow up and I want to be active again doing the things I love, like hiking. I’m sick of my weight sidelining me in life, you know what I mean? I had an appointment last week with my psychiatrist (anxiety/depression), and they took my blood pressure twice. It was sky high, like almost hospital level worthy. On top of the shocking BP# I had actively been avoiding the scale for months, when I got on I almost fell off. I am over 300lbs, never have I crossed that number, until now. I usually averaged 240-260, and even with vigorous exercise and diet changes I could NEVER get past 230. Last week put the fire under my behind to stop stalling and start to make the calls I kept putting off, thinking I could do this on my own. I’m going to look at YouTube and around this site. I’m so happy to have a place now to talk about this big change with. Thank you for reaching out and for the information! I can’t wait to start the process! 😁