newyorklady20

Same! I received the letter from insurance but am just waiting to hear back from the surgeon - I'm sure they have a whole process so I don't want to be calling and bugging them for a date, but based on on the insurance letter it seems like it'll be late March! Its all happening for us!!!

Yes, good luck! I’m all done with appointments and have 5 months of weigh ins so my surgeon is going to try to send it to ins to see if they will approve early - so hopeful!

This is the most fantastic update to read! I’m so glad that this has been a positive experience for you and it gives me hope! I am hopeful that you continue to do and feel well!

I’m also hoping for March - I still have my final weigh in on March 1st but approvals seem to go fast through my insurance and my surgeon seems to be booking rather quickly, covid permitting. I am a teacher so I am hoping to get it done right before spring break so I can recover during that week.

Hi! I’m planning on hopefully having a sleeve in March, and I realize it’s going to come up quickly so I’m thinking and planning! I’ve been wondering if there are any reputable meal delivery or prep services that do post op food prep - like for liquid and and purée stage foods. I absolutely understand that the purpose of WLS is to relearn food and food prep and how to make to sustainable and work for you in the future - and I am a big cooker and so is my husband who is super supportive and all about prepping food for me that will meet my needs! I also have bad anxiety and am big into ✨planning✨ and for those few weeks I’m so worried that I’m not going to eat the right thing, it’s not going to have enough protein, it’s going to be a bad balance of calories/fat/protein, I’m going to not eat things I should or eat things I shouldn’t - I was just thinking if there was a place where I could just get meals that know what they’re doing and those meals contain the right things, then I can really put all of my energy into what will come next and learning how to plan for more long term sustainable meals in the future! I live in NYC if that helps. Thank you!

I am also a city employee (DOE teacher) and am in the process of getting approved. I actually just did my sleep study last night so I’ll see the outcome - I don’t have any other comorbidities. If you google the insurance, it shows a list of qualifying things that you might end up having. It’s beneficial to go through the steps because you never know what will come up in the bloodwork, etc. I will also say... I’m pretty sure that insurance covers it flat out if your BMI is 40+. I see that you’re already basically at 38, so... maybe if your BMI became 40 by your first weight in, you would be covered... 😉🤷🏼‍♀️

New York City!

Thank you so much for sharing this experience and being vulnerable. I feel like many of us can relate to this feeling!

I’ve always wanted to have a large collection of coats/jackets to wear as accessories. I’ve always wanted to be able to cross my legs comfortably. I’ve always wanted to be able to take pictures from any angle and not hate them. I can’t wait!

I am in a similar situation! I am 36, have slowly been creeping up in weight through life and I have finally had it having a BMI of 42. However, I knew, and I’m finding out as I do the initial work ups, that I don’t have any other health issues. I don’t take any meds and don’t have any other problems other than my weight. However, that is the reason that I want to have the sleeve done. I’m otherwise healthy now, but if I continue on this path it won’t last forever. And I’ve learned over the years that I am just not successful at losing the weight by myself over time. The yo-yo dieting and losing/regain is going to cause major problems over time! It’s unfortunate that the surgeons questioned the validity of you requesting this surgery, but you should just know that you know yourself and your needs best and you should stick with your instincts. Unless someone outright tells you that you shouldn’t because it’s unsafe or something, advocate for yourself!

I really like the way that you described this. I am similar, in that I have thankfully never had to have a surgery before and I am otherwise quite healthy, despite being overweight. I wish that I could just lose it and continue to maintain the same health and not have to take such drastic steps to get there - I feel like a failure! I am also trying to be realistic, in that I have tried to do it on my own so many times over the years and have never been able to sustain it - if anything I gain back more each time. I am also the type of person that is very self reliant and never asks for help or admits that I need help with anything. I am trying to view this as a great place for me to start to admit that I need help in order to do this successfully!

My #1 greatest fear is dying during the surgery. I don't know what that one seems so much more terrifying - I think because I wouldn't even know that it happened!? As I'm going through the process I try to hold that one back. I tell myself that I could have to go into ANY surgery at any time (my appendix could burst tomorrow!) and so these things can't be avoided forever. It still freaks me out that I might go to sleep and never wake up and never know though. I think as it gets closer I will struggle with that a lot. #2 is becoming not being approved by insurance. Doing all of these appointments and planning - Ill be so bummed if they find some weird loophole, drag their feet or if something changes because insurance mandates change in the coming months. Either way, I have been trying to see everything that happens as a sign. I am not a religious person but I do believe that things happen for a reason, so I am going to just go with the flow and assume that the things that are meant to happen will in their own due time!

Hello all. I know that one of the issues that holds many people back - myself included - is not being able to take ibuprofin after surgery. I don't take it all the time, but I am prone to terrible migraines and ibuprofin is the only thing that words for them. I also get terrible cramps for my period, and again, this is the only thing that works. Are there any suggestions, or recommendations from experience, for what others have done for similar situations? I know its not good to take it regularly anyway, but sometimes you are just in pain and need some relief!! Is there anything that will be an option for post sleeve? Thanks!

Oh no!! I know, there are so many things that might happen that cause us all to need relief! I'm assuming that all pain relievers aren't bad, as people get pain meds in the hospital post surgery and it sounds like many people are sent home with some sort of pills. I'm hoping someone has a suggestion! Good luck with feeling better!

I know this question might seem strange, and I don't mean it at all in a judgmental or divisive way. But I just wonder - if the majority of people have easy surgery, minimal pain and success, and many insurances seem to cover these surgeries for those who are eligible, why is it that more people don't have it done? I absolutely understand that not everyone even wants it, and that makes sense. Even for me, for years I viewed surgery as something that was such a big deal that it wasn't even something I would consider. I also thought I could do it on my own. I tried to just make peace with my size and who I was - as a person I have changed my mind and made the decision to do this. However, I still wonder why only a small percentage of those who are eligible and would be able to have it mostly funded by insurances don't do it? Why isn't this a surgery we know of more people having or considering?

I feel the same way! I am very supportive of body positivity and I think everyone should accept and love themselves in any way that they want. I have tried to love and accept myself being so overweight and I just can’t do it. I also don’t want to weigh nothing - just be something that is sensible in between the two. I almost envy those that can live happily as they are! I am excited to be making big decisions and big moves to hopefully find the same contentment. I’m so glad you found happiness!

Thats very true. Those are really all of the reasons I had thought of, and I guess its just a matter of personally getting to the place to be ready for such a change. I know that it took me years! I guess my anxiety also makes me feel like theres something else I don't know or haven't heard yet that everyone else knows and thats why they have chosen to not have it done! I want to make sure I have all of the facts. A great big steak with all of the fixings will definitely be one of my last big meals! Thank you!

Thank you so much for sharing this! Its like you crawled right into my head to show who I am and the fears that I have! I was supposed to complete the process in the spring and then covid intervened so I'm back to planning now and will hopefully have vsg in March. I'm so afraid of the pain and my anxiety is through the roof. I keep telling myself that it won't be as bad as I imagine (thats the anxiety talking!) and that it will all be worth it in the end! I hope that you are continuing to heal and are having success!

I still have not had surgery, but when I'm trying to eat healthy buy I really want chinese food, I will order the steamed shrimp with peas and then a side of dumpling sauce. Or even soy sauce works. Cutting up the shrimp into smaller pieces and then dipping them in the sauce will give me enough of the feeling that I'm having chinese food without all of the unnecessary bad stuff!

Its so frustrating. I'm still waiting to go to a meeting with my surgery center to get the list of required appointments, etc, but from what I understand my insurance requires 6 months of weigh ins with no loss or gain. I can understand how they might want this for continuity, to make sure that you are serious about the procedure and the process - but its becoming restrictive to maintain that weight! And if I'm out and active, I will come home and eat chinese food or something to balance out the calories so that I don't lose at all - how is that useful going into such a major procedure? It just seems counterproductive to the process.

I have always wanted to have a collection of jackets. Like lots to use as accessories. Now I’m usually just stuck buying functional jackets that I can get in my size and wearing the hell out of them. I’m looking forward to being able to shop in any store and buy interesting or sale jackets and have a collection I don’t look like I’m squeezed into!

I feel like this is a common thing that I see mentioned by many, and something that I am worried about/anticipating once I start telling more people that I'm planning on getting the sleeve. I would say that you know what is best for you and your body. If you are considering having this done, there is a reason for it and you have thought carefully about it. I would sit down and make a list of why you want to do it and know that its the right choice for you and then practice sharing those reasons so that you are ready when others bring up counter arguments. I would also wait to tell more people - that's what I have chosen to do for this very reason. I told my husband and 2-3 friends and I am not telling anyone else until I am approved by insurance so its already a done deal.

Thats some good advice, thank you. I will be going to have a meeting with the nutrition advisor at my surgeons office next month so I can find out for sure what my insurance requirements are. Regardless, I think I still want to wait until summer for convenience. I'm going to Dr. Kella at Winthrop Bariatric.

Thank you! That makes me feel so hopeful! I feel like the maintenance of the same weight is seemingly the hardest part right now! I'm aiming to do it during the summer so that I give myself the most amount of time to recover afterward. I have my fingers crossed that my experience is as positive as everyone here!

Thank you! It just sound so intimidating - I don't know anyone who has done it!