greenchilegoddess

Weirdest NSV of the week: went back for a follow up with my PCP for something I went in for two weeks before surgery, and after the nurse entered in my weight she got an error because the drop was so large so quickly that she needed a supervisor to come make sure the numbers weren't added incorrectly, and flag my file. Once I caught on to why she was so confused and concerned, I explained about surgery and everyone was VERY relieved.

Yeah! I'm 5'7 and 285 pounds at the moment, wearing an Old Navy size 22 in jeans. I've lost a lot of belly fat, but my thighs definitely still encroach a little under the armrest next to me, and my arms are pretty large so there can be a problem there too when flying.

Have a mixed NSV from today! I'm 5 weeks out, and flew Southwest today to visit my parents for the holiday. I paid in advance for the COS extra seat policy, and when I got there I was stopped by a supervisor and told I wasn't big enough to qualify. I'm down 30lbs since surgery and about 45 since I last flew. The downside is that I'm still big enough that people don't exactly look thrilled to have me as a seatmate!

Hello all, I was sleeved on Wednesday and I've heard that most people end up gaining weight during their hospital stay due to the extra IV fluids and swelling from the procedure. If this happened to you, how long did you feel it took before that extra weight had dropped and weighing yourself was useful? From a physical appearance standpoint, how long do you think you looked or felt swollen after? Thanks for your help! Trying to not psych myself out by weighing too early.

Hi Everyone, I'm pre-op with my expected surgery in late summer or early fall. I'm reaching out to see if anyone started olympic lifting before losing some weight or being a more "normal" size. When I was a little thinner (like 230 at 5 foot 7) a few years ago I did olympic weightlifting for a few weeks before I moved abroad and had to stop. I LOVED it. I know strength training is important as you lose weight, and since I'm already losing, I'm wondering if a way to start up again from nothing would be olympic weightlifting. Did you have flexibility/mobility issues that prevented you from having good form? If you started while obese how did you start, how did you find a receptive community to start in, and do you regret it?

Thank you so much fo the insight and encouragement! I think the only reason I was thinking crossfit was because of the olympic lifting focus, but maybe powerlifting is the way to go. I'll broach the topic with my PT next week and see if she thinks I'm ready!

Hi everyone, I'm new to all this, and trying to figure my way through Aetna's new 2020 policy on pre-op program requirements, which now say you can do 6 months of a program previously or 12 sessions over any period of time of an " intensive multicomponent behavioral intervention designed to help participants achieve or maintain weight loss through a combination of dietary changes and increased physical activity" (http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/100_199/0157.html). My surgeon's office is pretty disorganized right now because of covid, and they briefly brushed me off telling me that my Aetna insurance requires 6 months of supervision. I'm thinking there's a possibility they are not familiar with the new aetna requirements. If you did do the 12 sessions over any amount of time, what did you do? I've seen people talk about doing WW virtual meetings to meet this requirement. If you did that option, what sort of documentation did you provide to Aetna to prove you had been 12 times? Did they accept it? Any guidance or insight into Aetna would be great! I'm a PhD student, so getting this done in 4 or 5 months would allow me to actually get it done before the semester starts and I can't rest as much as I need to.

Hi! Sorry, I dropped off the face of the earth for a bit. The truth is I don't quite think I have it figured out, but my Dr.'s office is saying 6 months still, even though the Aetna website says 12 visits. I also can't get anyone to help me at Aetna or give me a straightforward answer. I'm hoping to start going to a GP soon for some visits just to have some extra in case in the end the requirement really is 12. Insurance is SO frustrating, isn't it?

Oh wow this is SO helpful. I spent so long on the phone today with insurance and it seems like no one knows what needs to be submitted to meet that requirement (or at least anyone I could talk to). My surgeon's office coordinator kept repeating to me today that it's a 6 month requirement but that goes against the policy bulletin. I'm wondering what I can do to get them to double check that's the case. I'd love to get my 12 visits out of the way and get approved as soon as possible so I can schedule surgery a bit earlier so I can rest.

Hi everyone, I'm brand new to all of this, and had my initial consult on February 5th. Obviously things were online because of covid, and I hadn't weighed myself in a long time because I used to do that at the gym. In my paperwork I wrote 340 (estimated) but when my home scale arrived I found out I was 370, considerably heavier than I used to be. My problem with weight loss has usually been keeping it off, not getting it off - I've gained and lost 50-65 pounds more than once. Since I weighed in then I'm now at 356. In my head I think well, gastric sleeve patients will lose up to 70% EBW on average, and if I can get down to 300ish by August, that 70% EBW loss will be based on my surgery day weight, not my consult weight. Is that true? Is there a big advantage to losing before the surgery in terms of potential final weight outcomes? Or is my "set point" my set point and there's nothing I can do about it, even if I get down lower on surgery day. I'm so used to hitting a wall after 65-75 pounds and feeling like my body won't budge no matter how little I eat. I'm freaking myself out that if I lose that now in the 6 months before surgery, nothing will happen or I will barely lose weight or I will already be in "starvation mode" and it won't work. Thanks for your help!

Oh wow, a lot to think about here (and talk at my surgeon about, if I get to see him again any time soon). I don't think my doctor would even consider DS (it's not on his practice website) and I'm financially limited to his practice because I'm on university health insurance. That still leaves the RNY/VSG issue but hearing from you both helped. It's also really great to be reminded that the average is just the average and does include people who are noncompliant, so a sleeve isn't a hard limit on my success. Here's hoping I end this journey with 100% excessive weight loss. I know I shouldn't focus on that, but I haven't been a normal weight ever in my life and I want a chance at it. I just wanted to also say thank you to all three of you. I wasn't expecting so much kindness and so many time intensive responses, and I'm truly blown away. I'm keeping this a secret from all but one friend for now, and knowing I can come here and talk/think through these things is so reassuring. Have a great week everyone ❤️

Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and detailed response! I'm also just an inch taller than you so we are very similar! I think I'm used to dropping a lot of weight the first month of a diet bc of "water weight" and then having things slow down, and sort of assumed that might be what the first month of post op is like (or might not be like if I already lost 70lbs). I also noticed you got gastric bypass in 2015. Do you mind me asking why you chose that over the sleeve? I originally went in wanting the bypass because of my terror of just hitting a wall and not losing after a certain point. My surgeon was open to it but suggested the sleeve since I'm young (28 at surgery time) and don't have GERD, so I've been leaning that way now. I just still have that nagging desire to do the thing that will give me the best shot at losing the most weight long term, and the malabsorbtive part of bypass is appealing for that reason. Also, I totally understand if that's too personal or involved! Happy to talk in DMs or not at all. You've been super helpful!