Search the Community

Update: I had my first appointment with the surgeon's assistant on April 30, at the height of the Covid stuff here in Colorado. I started to assemble records from my PCP and my endocrinologist, and checked back with UMR regularly. As of yesterday June 16, I have preapproval. Now I'm waiting to be scheduled. All in all, about 6 weeks from first appointment to preapproval. It was key to have all my documentation from my PCP (20+ years) and endocrinologist (10+ years). Good luck, all!

Thanks for the advice, guys. I ended up having my second cardiology appointment today (it was scheduled for an hour after my original surgery was scheduled.. the irony) but the doctor was sympathetic and super awesome. He was knowledgeable about my condition and cleared me for surgery. He saw where my heart was functionally okay to withstand surgery. He was really excited about my case and gave me some good information and wants to follow up with me. I think it was good that I got all this info because it gives me more faith in doctors where I live and I think I have a solid cardiologist now.. which is awesome bc I guess I'll be needing heart surgery in the next 10 years or so. Honestly, I've thought about going to mexico, but I don't have anyone who would travel with me so that is kind of out. I would travel by myself but you can't do that. I do love traveling and wouldn't care to try the medical tourism because I feel like the insurance nonsense is so horrible. I've seen some amazing transformations (not bariatrics) from Japan and they take great pride in their work and you don't have to go for follow up after follow up like you do in the states. I'm on the hook for $900 for pre-op testing.. which sucks because I thought my insurance would cover that.. but in the end, it's all for my health.

@Darktowerdream It took me about a week or more before I could stand almost upright. I stayed in Miami 10 days after my surgery. I flew back and didn’t have any issues other than dealing with making sure the drains weren’t kinked while sitting in the plane seat. They did ask when I went through the body scanner but she just looked at my drains and sent me on my way. They may give you a note to show them at the airport just to help with the process. After getting home It was still a few weeks before I could stand upright for a decent amount of time. I think most of it was gaining the strength in my core back. The fajita helps tremendously. As far as the bathroom problem I never actually found a good solution for this. I always ended up taking it all the way off to go number 2. Hope your flight and recovery goes well.

Well just came from seeing the surgeon on my pro op visit and all is still a go he was fine with my 10 pound gain n said we are still going for July 7. Yeah I’m very excited and really nervous all at the same time. This kinda feels like my first time going to Universal Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights ya know scary n exciting and nerve racking all at the same time. Lol

I will try my best to be on top finding a lawyer for lawsuit action. I will speak my brother who also lawyer in GTA to find out more research for me. However I will get back to you guys as soon i recover faster with my recovery. Raine88 - First, I asked my family doctor to referral me to Dr Hong and then less a week he immediately call me for appointment (due covid 19 situation) later, he schedule me for endoscopy appointment following week and he took my case immediately 5 days later my surgery (last Monday). It's was really fast and quick case he took over. I am glad i wasn't on waitlist for surgery. If i was you, go to him because Hamilton hospital is a lot faster to take patients since it has less population then Toronto. I come from Mississauga to Hamilton and it was all worth to get out asap. I had Slimband for 9 years so i couldn't hold for another year or so. Melissa- How did you cope with your recovery after surgery? I am much in pain after surgery i couldn't lay down and sit properly because it feel heavy on left side. Any tips? But i feel so good eating oatmeal without puking after long time... just healing process hurt.

thank you.... it's been a long road.... started back in 2009 at 232lbs with band... ER removal 2019 at 143lbs..... Revision 2.5 years later at 173.5lbs. Today (weight in profile pic) 126lbs.

Be patient, trust the process--the scale WILL start moving again. The stalls are VERY frustrating but hang in there as your body adjusts to it's "new normal" (God I hate that phrase related to covid-19 but it's true here) and they will be temporary.

Hello Guys thanks for your help, really appreciated. First help from Ortiz's clinic....(still supports me after 4 years), is arrived. They suggest performing some tests to check if I have developed Hiatal Hernia. I am already booked for: - Gastroscopy - Ultrasound for gallbladder stones The symptoms are getting a little bit better since I only have very small food intake and mostly liquid, but extrasystole is there all-day.....3 beats 1 missing...so annoying, but I am getting used to it at this point, or at least I have to. Down 10 pounds already in a week, feel tired.... the same feeling like the pre-op diet.. I hope this getting better soon. Thanks for the support

Omg just checked my insurance website. I was approved!! I am so excited!!! Began this journey in June 2019. Surgery delayed due to covid19. NYC was hit so hard. My main focus was to stay safe despite normal feelings of disappointment. Surgery 6/29/2020. I am sooooooo delighted. The time is always right. Also just for context, Mypaperwork was submitted on Monday, took 2 days to be approved. 

Hello All, my surgery date is July 6th. Original date was March 17. Excited yet nervous! I was lucky to lose 10 lbs during quarantine.

😄 There's definitely a major MC Hammer pants vibe going on in the 8's and belts are a must, but I continue to lose way (and I mean waaaaaaaaaay 😲) faster than I ever thought I would or could, so now I'm waiting until maintenance before throwing away more $$ on clothes. Unlike you (you look long and lithe in your photos) I do have an extremely muscular, solid physique, though. I'm not sure where I'll end up size-wise. What size tops and pants do you wear currently? Edited to add that I was wearing size 24 pants barely more than a year ago and never seemed to fully clue in to how, um... *vast* they were, and now size 6 and 8 pants somehow look like 4 person *tents* to me! Edited again to add that the size 8's were purchased just over a month ago, when I was about 10-12lbs heavier, and were already pretty lose at that time... but I kept them because they were still a better fit than anything else in my closet, and stores were still closed.

I've stayed at 175lbs (down from 192) for over 2 weeks now... It is frustrating, but I have googled and found a lot of people have stalls in the first few weeks as your body is adjusting. I will say - this is why I had the surgery. Earlier in the year - I dieted and got down to 178 and stalled for 10 days or so and finally gave up. So that keeps creeping in the back of my mind. I am trying to stay positive though.

I loved my team, but honestly my surgeon was an ass. I met him once, for about 10 mins before my surgery day. However his abilities as a surgeon came highly recommended so I went with that. In retrospect it would have been nice to have had a better relationship with him, but I was more concerned with his surgical skills 🤣

I guess that is one big plus for having it locally. My surgeons's main office is 30 minute drive from my house, and 3 of the 5 hospitals he has privileges at are also within a 30-min drive radius. One of these hospitals was/is like less than 10 mins away. This is the one I went to for my first followup and to get my dressings changed and get my drains out. I also had some wound healing issues through the first 3 months (totally self imposed, btw) and it was easy to go in a couple times for him to take a look and do his thing. Typing this now I'm rethinking travelling for PS...only because of my experience the first time. Le Sigh.

Calling all June18th peeps! I had my official pre-op yesterday and my covid-19 test (I am sue many of you did). For those of you who haven’t had the covid test, please don’t let people scare you. It isn’t close to be as bad as an IV, it is actually a lot like when you get water in your nose in the pool and it burns except the test isn’t that strong a sting and it’s 10 seconds per nostril (the mild sting is about half that time). This is about to get real! 😯

it's actually WAY more common for people not to make it to goal than it is for them to lose too much weight. Average weight loss for a bypass is 70% of your excess weight. I made it to a normal BMI, but only 10-15% of people do. So....it's not likely. Besides, even if you're one of the few who loses too much, you can always stop the loss by increasing your calories.

Hi I had my bypass in march this year but due to covid 19 i haven't had any follow up appointments so none of my worries/concerns have been talked through. One of my main worries is streching my new pouch. Does anyone know how much extra food will stretch it? I don't over eat like before but in the evenings i seem to get really hungry......please tell mre I'm not alone in this? Thank you in advance.

I gained back about 10 pounds too because of my meds I was started on. I'm starting a liquid diet today to help me get the weight off. I hope it works. Could you start your liquid diet early? Sent from my SM-N975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Good Afternoon Guys I’m 4 days postoperative and I feel completely normal. Things seems to be going well. I am doing my walking a couple of times daily. My family has been very supportive just one thing I feel Hungary all the time. I am unsure why but the protein shakes are not getting it I need a different taste. I am still doing all liquids so can anyone give me some liquids suggestions? I have 10 more days of all liquids

Surgeon’s office called n rescheduled my pro op visit so now it’s a week sooner and this Wednesday and I’m nervous because I gained 10 pounds and am hoping he doesn’t cancel me. I’m a bit freaked out. I herniated six discs in the middle of my back and I spent 3 weeks sleeping upright in a chair because I could not lay down with out being in pain radiating around my ribs. So I could not exercise and am only no feeling better. Hopefully he is ok with this. Wish me luck!

Hi everyone! I had VSG on 6/10/20. My procedure started at about 11:15am. It took a little longer because of scar tissue I had awhile back from lap band removal. I was extremely tired afterwards. No complications, just super tired. Literally, I fell asleep on the toilet. 😩 Anyways, I stayed until about 5:30pm and was discharged. As the IV meds wore off, the pain at the incision sites increased. Today is 5 days post-op and it’s better. There’s some pain but not nearly as bad. I’m struggling with liquids. I have so much restriction that it’s difficult to get it all down. Yesterday, I got about 30g of Protein in and about 24oz of Water. I had super thin cream of wheat and 1/2 apple juice with 1/2 water to help move my bowels. I’m also tired and a bit winded. Each day, I’m challenging myself to increase fluids as I can tolerate them. I just have to pace myself. I’m able to get in my Vitamins but the Protein Shakes are DISGUSTING. I have another one that tastes better but it’s harder for me to get down. So I’ve decided to continue with the gross one until my belly heals more. Decisions lol 😆  Oh, I pooped on day 4. I can’t wait until it starts to firm back up because loose stools are gross. My stomach is growling but it’s not hunger pains. Also, has anyone experienced sharp back pains. I need to let out a big burp or poot but the gas is trapped. It’s very uncomfortable.  I did a 10 day liquid diet for pre-op, and lost 13lbs. Since surgery, I’ve lost additional 6lbs. I’m excited!

I am finally having my surgery on 6/29/2020. It was originally scheduled for April 9, 2020. However, due to covid 19 it was cancelled. I am super excited. Now I am praying that my surgery is approved. They did not submit my paperwork before.

So I finally made the decision...I had been contemplating surgery for years. I am 34 years old and have struggled with weight since I was about 10 years old. Up and down...up and down...then regain of more than I lost each time. Every diet you can think of. You all know the list! In 2011 I started going through the insurance process for weight loss surgery. I had lost 95 lbs on my own (with phentermine help) and started going to support groups and such. I had gotten down to about 290 from 380-385. However, while I was in the process (before being approved) - my insurance stopped covering weight loss surgeries. They have not covered it since. Well, you guys know the routine...after that, I started gaining a little weight back here and there...by 2014 I had gained back probably 50 lbs. Then fast forward to 2019 I got way past the initial 95 lbs. lost and started gaining rapid weight. I went to the doctor and was shocked to find I had gotten to 502 lbs! I was horrified at that number and literally thought I was about 430, as I had basically stopped weighing...I just KNEW it had to be an error and even asked to be re-weighed. In August 2019, I started doing keto and by January 2020 - I had lost 86 lbs...back down to about 417. Much better than 502, but so far to go. Well, during quarantine I have re-gained about 30 lbs back and again was so mad at myself. I had a morbidly obese friend pass away suddenly at 35 years old, a few weeks ago. She was probably about 700lbs+ and I had always worried about her health. This was a wake up call for me...I have had many before, but this one really hit home. So, I decided...I will no longer let insurance decide my fate. I will FIND A WAY to finance this myself. I contacted a recommended surgery group in Atlanta that some friends had good experiences with. Last week, I met with Dr. Lytle from Northside Hospital/Bariatric Innovative Solutions of Atlanta. We had a great meeting about surgery. He feels I am a great candidate for gastric sleeve. I also met with a nutritionist and she has recommended a pre-surgery diet. My next steps are EGD and psych evaluation. I also have to meet with the nutritionist again in July and another meeting with the surgeon in August. If all goes well by August, I will be approved for surgery! I have also secured a loan and the money was deposited today. No-one or nothing is getting in my way of this! I know this is what I need to help me! It seems unreal. I am already thinking about all of the things I will be able to do once I lose weight - that I have been physically limited from doing over the years. I want my life back. I am not nervous about the surgery. I am more nervous about not getting approved / something getting in the way. Is that normal to stress about that part? Thanks for letting me share my journey (so far) with you all.

Well I tried cereal again because I thought 8 grams of sugar wasn't too much. I was wrong, lol. I did read up on it after the episode was over. The combination of carbs and sugar is why I dumped. I would have felt better if I had vomited, but just water and dry heave. Now my right side is flaring again from the dry heave, lol. I guess I will just have to make myself an egg every morning. I would just drink a shake but then I cant take any vitamins. I take about 10 a day and I have to take them when I eat food or I get sick. May 22nd was my revision date. I am eating normal food with 1 shake a day to hit my protein, as soon as I can eat more I will drop the shake. I had a cowboy chicken patty for dinner and some cottage cheese. I ate 2.5 oz of the patty and 1/4 of cottage cheese. I ate it in 2 settings because I started to feel some restriction. I have noticed if I eat too fast the restriction hits minutes later and I don't want to put a lot of pressure on my pouch. I have to retrain myself to eat slowly and chew chew chew. I didn't really have to do that with the sleeve. Also, I had shrimp and steak stir fry for lunch and a few cubes of pineapple for a snack. Pretty normal food for me. I rarely eat out and I don't do fried food.

I have decided to share the information on my upcoming surgery with 2 friends, later this week. 1 is a terrible gossip, but if word gets out, it gets out. I need help getting home from the hospital, so I'll have to trust. Since I will have a covid-19 test before surgery, they will also have to trust me. I rarely ask for help, but try to step up for others. We shall see.