DEBPROBST

I started the liquid diet on Monday with 3 shakes a day. Doctor just wants me to loose weight before surgery and get the fat out of my liver (if its fatty). I have lost 7 lbs since monday and am doing fine. I drink about 60 - 70 ounces of water a day too which is flushing out my system. I just hope that the hunger stays away and that I wont cave in on this.

Hi all..I should be having my surgery on the 24th of May. I have to lose weight before the surgery and have 28 lbs to go before my weigh in on the 8th! Then they said that they will firm the date for me. I like a lot of you have heard about the gas pains but I really dont care. It cant be as bad as labor and delivery ..lol Some of have had kids so we will get through it I am sure. I am just scared period. Never had a surgery in my life and this will be my first one! I am very excited about the whole thing and look forward to living the rest of my life in a more size proportionate body!! Hahah..>Did you like dem fancy words? I will be checking in here to follow everyone and see how we all do as a group. We have been tough on ourselves for so long with the extra weight..the surgery will be eezy peezy..

I have read through this thread and find that I can identify with so many people here. I think however that in order to explain why I am fat, I have to explain why I am me.I have been fat almost all of my life. When I was a baby I guess that it was cute to have the chubby little legs and cheeks so no one was worried about it. However that followed me into grade school, high school and my adult life. I too was a victim of the "Dont leave anything on your plat",e and trust me - I never!! I would even go and sneak cans of food and eat in my room at a very young age (6-7). MOm busted me once when she came and cleaned under the bed and found the stash of empty cans. However besides embarrassing me infront of other people, she didnt do anything about it so it continued. My family was highly disfunctional and we never had love. Being loved to us was having food on our plates and clothes on our backs. I guess that was where my food issues began. I guess as I got older and discovered things like Pizza, Fried Chicken, hamburgers and all the other fast food temptations; I was hooked. Nothing satisfies me like a good half a pizza or a Big mac Meal. The other things that contributed to my massive weight was my own lack of control and the fast food nights when my brother was living witih us and would get off at 2 am and bring home pizza. How good can that be for a 10 year old to get up and eat 3 pieces of pizza and then go back to bed?? The last couple of years I have hit weight heights that I never though were possible to me. I said to my self..I will never hit 200 lbs, I will never hit 300..and then i hit and surpassed the 400 lbs mark. Life has become somewhat of a chore. Simple things like cleanliness..something I am big on has become an issue for me. Hence, my love affair with food has been destroyed. I am learning to enjoy portions and not to fill myself on a Bag of Doritos when I am bored.I am learning that leaving food on my plate is ok and that i dont have to stuff myself and can stop eating when I get full. Isnt it weird how the things we learn as we grow up follow us and become who we are? Anyways..that is how I got fat..and am fat.

I know exactly how you feel. I havea HUGE BMI Number (80) and have to lose 50 lbs total for him to do the surgery. It is cool with me cause I have 15 gone already!! Just 35 more to go. I have until May the 8th and then I should have my surgery on the 24th. I am Horribly obese and am way looking forward to the band surgery!! Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I am doing Protein shakes 3 times a day until the surgery date..want to make the surgery as easy as I can for me and the Doctor. I have 14 days to drop 35 lbs...but I can do it...or at least be VERY close!! If I can do it, you can too...it just takes a bit of willpower and you will benefit from it very quickly!! Good Luck!! BTW where do I get a ticker??

I am just starting this whole process with this and cant wait. I began this all about 2 years ago and got so frustrated with the Insurance that I gave up and went back to yo yo dieting. guess what? I gained MORE weight!! Alas finally BCBSIL has changed their Medical policy and most of the hoops i was struggling with are non existant. I go to see my surgeon for a consult on the 24th, see my psychologist on the 17th and have an appt with my PCP to order my labs for tomorrow. I am nervous as I have never had a surgery..Please tell me that is normal!!

That is just plain HORRIBLE! I cant belive that they went and got into the itty bitty details. Shame on them!! However they sound like my hubbys insurance - Qual Choice..they dont cover Dink!

Hi everyone... I have just had my 1 on 1 consultation with my surgeon yesterday. It appears that I have some Hoops to jump through for my insurance Company (BCBSIL). Ill be having a psychological evaluation (guess I wont tell her about the voices) and a Nutritional consult also. I also have to lose a bit of weight before the surgery, but with as much as the insurance wants me to do, I will have some time to do that. So, are there others out there like me who are just starting this process and wanting a place to share info, vent or just flat out complain? LOL They also took my picture yesterday, what is with that? if I have to lose weight BEFORE the surgery..shouldnt that be when they take the pic? I want all the credit for all that I get accomplished prior to surgery!! :crying:

So they consider Surgery a program? I would ask them to define what a program is and how they feel that surgery is a "program". My insurance company told me that they do not cover those kinds of things also..but they said that would be like, Jenny Craig, Or Weight Watchers..those kind of things, which would make sense to me. that is just not right in any regard. Remind me to never accept your insurance. I have BCBS of IL with my work, and they are being decent. Friendly and telling me how to get the info that they need. The customer support staff are really nice and telling me little *clues* on what I need..lol it is very amazing! I cannot for the life on me tho see how an insurance company can see a person who is more than 100 lbs over weight and KNOW that they have health issues and not approve the surgery. If it was something that people were doing for cosmetic reasons, then yes..I can see that. Insurance should be for medical necessity...Cosmetic should be the persons dime. Dont you agree? I hope that is goes well for you in the mean time..when do you have surgery? You will have to let me know how it goes and how you are feeling.

I am so with you girl. I heard from My surgeons office today and the insurance wants more information. I think I am going to write them a letter and let them know what it is like to be me. The difficulties in walking, and shopping and everything else!! I wonder if they can even fathom what it is like to walk a mile in our bodies..lol So you are in Arkansas..what part? A few of us are here actually some with the surgery and some of us waiting. I am sorry that you have to go through the self pay mode. did you not appeal the decision? If my insurance company even thinks about denying me..I am going to appeal them to high heaven..lol I ahve already written a letter just waiting to hear back from them about what they want. The letter got to my docs office today and I am hoping it is waiting for me at home so I can fax them some information! Sometimes I think that being nice gets you no where and I hate having to resort to being.Ermm..Forceful? lol But it is not above me..lol

Lisa~ I just read your post and am floored. I like so many others here can relate. I am just so thrilled reading about your success! I just cant wait until I get my surgery done and over with. I am 43 years old and have a 7 year old that I want to enjoy life with again! Things are so much easier when you are living in a body that you control and it doesnt control you. When I read about leg crossing..I laughed cause I thought to myself, that is one thing that I cant wait to do. Folding my legs under me too without cutting off the circulation too will be nice..lol Congrats again and thank you oh so much for sharing. You are beautiful..inside and out! Keep on the right track we are all cheering for you!! :confused:

Hi Dodgedt.. I can sort of relate to how you feel without the support of family. I had to sell my husband on the band, and even tho I am still to have my surgery...It took some time to win him over. He said that I can lose weight..why do this? isnt this drastic? that sort of line. Then I took him to the seminar with me and he heard the information and realized that this is not what is going to make the weight go away, that I will also have to work at it. I think that his concern was that if it comes too easy then I will be more apt to not work at making the changes that I need to stay thinner and healthy. Good concern I guess but he also has to realize that this is the untimate sacrifice for many of us. I know I for one love food. Ice cream, potatoe chips..Chocolate, burgers, french fries..all the things that are not good for me are the most appealing. Did I mention cheesecake? lol Anyways..once hubby read some and I would send him links to things I had read. I also had him help me read and do research on what the surgeon I was looking into using had as a reputation. Including him and making him feel like this was something that we are doing together helped him overcome his objections and such. Now he helps me shop for stuff that I can eat. My BMI is so high that the doc would like me to drop some weight before surgery and wants me on the pre op diet at least a month prior to surgery, but I ve started now. 2 Protein shakes a day and a salad for lunch and then I eat dinner. In a little over a week, ive dropped 10 lbs already and I am really not doing anything in terms or exercise and stuff. Another way to help get your family on board is to let them know that even tho you are doing this for you and your health, it will also be beneficial to them. You will be happier, healthier and more than likely more energetic and keep them on their toes!! lol If you ever just want someone to bounce some stuff off of Im here - As are a lot of others of course. We are all taking this journey for life...our life and those of who we love. GL Deb :confused:

Doesnt it suck that the insurance companies are being so hard on some of us? I mean, do they think that this is all a joke? I often wonder what the person thinks when they see someone like me on their desk who has a history of being overweight MORBIDLY OBESE as they say for just about all of my life, and then they are like no..we dont have the proof that you have tried to lose eight before...Get real! Sorry It just irks me to no end. Along with having to go through the hoops and loops that they send us through, do they for one minute not realize that this is our life that we are dealing with?From what I seen last year in what the Company alone pays for my benefits..the surgery was paid for about 3 years ago..lol <end of rant now> :confused:

Ya Jeff and i were gonna do A lunch but His wifey came into town so he went with her to lunch..lol We were gonna be good and have salad. So now Im here nibbling on my grapes and yoogurt..hahah. I used to bring those Special K bars, But I am eating way too many Carbs ( I am the Carb Queen), so I made hubby take them from me. Hes a good co worker for a guy :-P

Oh yes SarahBeth..Ill be there soon enuf!! Ive been watching what I eat but Oh gosh..today Im thinking about the donuts out in the back, and the chocolate in the snack box!! OOooooo...Evil thoughts!!

Well welcome Lori and Stacy!! I can understand the nervouness!! I am right there with you! I am so ready for this tho. I have never been so sure about something in my life. A little About me. Im a 43 year young, happily married Mother of two. I have a 26 year old and a 7 year old. (I know - I thought I was immune!!). I live in Arkansas and am Originally from Canada. Have you all started some kind of weight loss program yet. Something to kick statt this all? I am trying to get myself regulated on 1500 calories a day...Its been a challenge for me this week. I just got my Visitor so I want chocolate Dang it!! lol

WOW 105 lbs..that is an amazing accomplishment!! I cant wait until I can say that...

Congrats on the surgery date!! I hope that everything goes perfectlly!! I cant wait for mine and if all else fails and I have to do the 6 month supervised dieting thing, at least I should have this done before Christmas.(Crosses Fingers) Are you having your surgery done here in the Little Rock area?

I am not banded YET. But I am working through the process. I live in North Little Rock and would be glad to be a buddy!!

I have BCBSIL and I ws a little excited when I first read this post and had hoped that BCBS made the change across the board. I called my insurance however and nothing has changed. The policy date that they are going by is 11-15 08 I so hoped that it also had changed. My medical records are sketchy and show very little in regards to the weight Ive lost and then regained. Just mentions about Down 22 lbs, down 45 lbs, down 52 lbs... nothing about me gaining it all back again!! I go for my consultation next week, so Ill see where I stand then. Wish me luck!

Hi All. First off as you can tell by the title, Im new here and just a bit on the green side. Excuse me as I learn the terms and struggle through this site....lol I am just starting on this journey and am both excited and nervous.I have done a bit of my homework but am still learning what all is entailed in this journey. Today I go to see my elected surgeon. After I get some information there and what find out what hoops I have to jump through for the insurance Companies...I hope to start on the road to my actual surgery. I have called both Mine and DH's insurance as we both elected to have coverage due to my weight. Mine covers the surgery with no exclusions on my coverage and DH's will cover it if it is deemed a medical necessity. Hopefully I will qualify there and they will co ordinate the benefits to cover me. I never thought that I would want to have surgery, but here I sit at over 400 lbs and BMI of over 70 and cant believe that I am here :thumbup: I have done the diet and the regains and now I am just tired and depressed and want to live a normal life. I have been diagnosed with High BP and dont want to end up being a stroke victim in a year or so. Anyways..I have been browsing through the forums and have seen a lot of information here. It seems like the pre op requirements vary by Doctor, so Hopefully Ill have some more info after today I have never had a surgery in my life, except a DNC when I had miscarried so I am a whole lot nervous about that aspect of it. Im also a wimp when it comes to pain so I am hoping that I can endure this..lol I am sure that I will ask a whole lot of dumb questions, so forgive me in advance. But I am getting excited now that I have made the decision to go ahead with this. The changes are not a big deal...my real biggest worry is the surgery itself. I am looking forward to a whole new me..in terms of my life and my health. Looking forward to talking more with everyone!! Deb