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Perhaps they think the WLS will save them money in the long run by also reducing your risk of other health problems. Like the others said, you would probably qualify for WLS. My understanding is that the standard is usually 100 pounds OR a BMI >40. There is no way to predict just how much of your weight will come off your chest just from weight loss though. It depends on whether your breasts are mostly made of fat or if they're mostly glandular tissue (the latter doesn't shrink much with weight loss). I was pretty flat-chested for as fat as I was, but yet my boobs are staying pretty much the same size as I lose weight - because apparently my body wasn't storing much fat in there to begin with. I can understand your annoyance. Don't get the WLS if you don't want it. It's important to be motivated and emotionally prepared to make the lifestyle change, so being pressured into it by insurance is not the way to start. Even if it means doing the surgery as a self-pay, you're better off getting the surgery that you want, not just what works for the insurance. Good luck!

Your BMI is 42.2. You will definitly lose some of the breast with weight loss.

I was sleeved 1/21/13, prior to surgery I found out I was diabetic and started a very carb-free diet so from November 8th to surgery date I lost 27 pounds. Then since surgery I have lost 14 pounds in the first week, not much weight in 5 weeks and 3 days. I would love to share MFP name with someone who can take a look at it and tell me what I am doing wrong. I have a fit bit and I am burning more than I am taking in. I started running\walking 2 miles a day 4-5 times a week. I am getting my protein in, water in and exercise in. I know I may be in a stall but for over 4 weeks I have not lost a pound?? This is so discouraging! My clothes are loose but how could I be losing inches and the scale is not going down?? Even if I put the scale away for sometime I would have pulled it out by now. I just do not know what to do?? HELP!

Trust me when I say that your body will MAKE YOU fight to be in One-derland. Try eating super high calories in one day. As .many as you can..this tends trick.your body into thinking its nolonger I starvation and you should see a decline in weight the following day. Also... Try and cut out any breads, Pasta, rice and sugar until you break the stall. Also... Enter your food into an app like MyFitnessPal. Maybe your carbs are too high. Just a few suggestions. ~Leticia **HW: 259**PreOp: 216**SURG: 3/21/13 **Discharged @: 221** 3 mons post op. CW: 165.0 lbs. --- Only 15 lbs to my goal ---

Banded 12/7/09 First Fill 1/5/10 (4cc's) Second Fill 2/2/10 (1.5cc's) Total 5.5cc's in an 11cc Band and guess what.. NO RESTRICTION! I was so looking forward to being banded and having this "tool" to help me along the way, but the tool isn't working yet, so it's so hard for me to get motivated to do anything different than I did pre-band because I still feel PRE-BANDED. I log on here and read all the success stories and see all the weight loss tickers moving and it seems like everyone is having such success and here's little (pun intended) ole' me with the scale not moving and eating what I want with no problem. I haven't had ONE episode of food getting stuck, no PB'ing, nothing to even let me actually feel that the band is there! I know from reading other's experiences that those things are "no fun" but believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to going thru something like that, at least I will know that the band is in there and it's making it's presence known. No, I'm not exercising. I'm not motivated to exercise. I wasn't a huge eater before the band, I just ate the wrong things. I know everyone's band experience is different, but I thought some things were across the board, like bread and guess what... 6 inch subway sandwich is not a problem for me. I go back next month for a 3rd fill but it just seems unlikely that I can go from not feeling anything to the 3rd fill being the "magical one" that turns the switch on. I thought this was a process, a gradual increase to the beloved "sweet spot" and I have yet to begin the climb. I'm just frustrated and venting. I was supposed to take my monthly "progress pictures" but I don't even want to do that because they will look the same as the December and January pictures! CONGRATUALTIONS to all of you who are having sucess and reaching milestones and goals. I am happy for you and I hope you keep up the good work. Your stories are an inspiration....

Hubby was sitting on the couch watching tv and he piped up out of the blue asking why I was so adimant about losing weight? He told me he loved me like I was and that should be enough. I thought about it before i answered... It has nothing to do with being "skinny" or "celebrity sexy" (granted I really like shopping at stores other than Lane Bryant and for a size almost out of the double didgets) but it has to do with being healthy. Being able to do what I want without restriction because of my weight. I want to get old by his side and watch our sons take on the world. If I don't get myself just a bit healthier I risk not being able to do those things. I have lived an amazing life and with age and maturity I apprecaite things more, I want to see and do more amazing things and appreciate them at the time....not later or possibly not at all! We talked some more about why I want to get to a healthier state and it turns out he is secretly affraid that I will get skinny and run off with the next best thing. Is he kidding me:eek:? If I wanted to jet I would of done it some time ago. I think I got him straigtened out because he set up his treadmill to start running tomorrow because he wants us to go backpacking just the two of us by summers end:w00t:....now that is the man I married.

On Friday, January 23, 2009, I took my first step of a journey into the unknown. I went to the Southwest Medical Center's Bariatric Center's website and sent a request for information and for a seat at the upcoming Seminar. For many years, I have struggled with my weight. In my adolescent years, I was "chubby", and had self esteem issues as a result. I lost all the extra weight and was actually wafer thin for a few years... TOO thin! After the birth of my first child, I looked great. I had enough weight on my body to look normal, my ideal weight. However, giving birth to my second child made it more difficult to return to my previous weight, and after giving birth to my third child, it was just impossible. I became depressed, withdrawn, and a shell of my former self. I began binge eating as a result. I never purged, but I did binge often. I packed on a lot of weight in a short period of time. My depression only deepened, and I became suicidal. I sought out help for my depression and have been much better able to cope. I lost a little bit of the weight (not nearly enough), but it made me feel better to know that I was on the right track. I went to college and began working at a restaurant until I would be able to start working my career as a Cosmetologist. 6 months into my job, I took a fall at work that would change my life for the next few years. I fell so hard that I straightened out the C-curve in my neck. Since then, I am limited as far as physical abilities. My back hurts constantly, and my neck hurts periodically. I have to be VERY careful of what I do. Adding to this strain is the extra weight on my body. I have no idea what I weigh right now, but if I had to guess, I would think it's at least 240 Ibs. Never in my earlier years did I imagine that I would be this fat. That I would be one of the many obese people that skinny people gawk at. I guess God chose me to be the example? Whatever the answer may be, I must make changes. My breasts are SO huge, it's un-bearable. I've always been big breasted, but this is ridiculous. I hurt on a daily basis. If I sit down, it takes everything in my power to stand, because of the strain on my back. So February 3, 2009 will be the first day of the rest of my life. Some people say that the day they get married is the first day of the rest of their lives, but for me, this is MUCH bigger. This is a HUGE step for me. A lifestyle change that I have wanted for many years. I had no idea how to make the change, until now. I have read and read up on this, and I'm ready for it. The change....Weight Loss Surgery. Yes, I am embarking into the unknown. I'm putting on a brave face, ready to face whatever comes my way. Ready to make whatever sacrifices I must make to live a healthier, pain free life. To be "normal" again, to have energy, to feel sexy and beautiful. My daughter kinda freaked out when I first told her because of the negative things she's heard about weight loss surgery. I reassured her that the surgery that I have chosen is the safest one out there. I just told my best friend, who is behind me 100%. My wonderful boyfriend is the next to be told. I am not sure how he will take it, but hopefully, he will understand and back me up on this decision. He of all people sees the pain that I am in all the time. He sees me struggle when I stand up, so I think he will be happy to see me pain free for a change. Besides, I want to feel good about myself, I want to feel that I am viewed by him as sexy and beautiful. I want to be pleasing to his eyes. Nobody else knows. This is my decision, although difficult, it's something that I must do. This is my private battle that I've fought for many years. I have not expressed my unhappiness because I didn't want people to feel sorry for me or for them to know how sorry I have felt for myself. I love myself enough to do this. I love my children enough to do this. I must make myself healthy again. I must do something now, before it is too late. I am VERY proud of this decision, and hopefully, others will be too. :smile:

On Friday, January 23, 2009, I took my first step of a journey into the unknown. I went to the Southwest Medical Center's Bariatric Center's website and sent a request for information and for a seat at the upcoming Seminar. For many years, I have struggled with my weight. In my adolescent years, I was "chubby", and had self esteem issues as a result. I lost all the extra weight and was actually wafer thin for a few years... TOO thin! After the birth of my first child, I looked great. I had enough weight on my body to look normal, my ideal weight. However, giving birth to my second child made it more difficult to return to my previous weight, and after giving birth to my third child, it was just impossible. I became depressed, withdrawn, and a shell of my former self. I began binge eating as a result. I never purged, but I did binge often. I packed on a lot of weight in a short period of time. My depression only deepened, and I became suicidal. I sought out help for my depression and have been much better able to cope. I lost a little bit of the weight (not nearly enough), but it made me feel better to know that I was on the right track. I went to college and began working at a restaurant until I would be able to start working my career as a Cosmetologist. 6 months into my job, I took a fall at work that would change my life for the next few years. I fell so hard that I straightened out the C-curve in my neck. Since then, I am limited as far as physical abilities. My back hurts constantly, and my neck hurts periodically. I have to be VERY careful of what I do. Adding to this strain is the extra weight on my body. I have no idea what I weigh right now, but if I had to guess, I would think it's at least 240 Ibs. Never in my earlier years did I imagine that I would be this fat. That I would be one of the many obese people that skinny people gawk at. I guess God chose me to be the example? Whatever the answer may be, I must make changes. My breasts are SO huge, it's un-bearable. I've always been big breasted, but this is ridiculous. I hurt on a daily basis. If I sit down, it takes everything in my power to stand, because of the strain on my back. So February 3, 2009 will be the first day of the rest of my life. Some people say that the day they get married is the first day of the rest of their lives, but for me, this is MUCH bigger. This is a HUGE step for me. A lifestyle change that I have wanted for many years. I had no idea how to make the change, until now. I have read and read up on this, and I'm ready for it. The change....Weight Loss Surgery. Yes, I am embarking into the unknown. I'm putting on a brave face, ready to face whatever comes my way. Ready to make whatever sacrifices I must make to live a healthier, pain free life. To be "normal" again, to have energy, to feel sexy and beautiful. My daughter kinda freaked out when I first told her because of the negative things she's heard about weight loss surgery. I reassured her that the surgery that I have chosen is the safest one out there. I just told my best friend, who is behind me 100%. My wonderful boyfriend is the next to be told. I am not sure how he will take it, but hopefully, he will understand and back me up on this decision. He of all people sees the pain that I am in all the time. He sees me struggle when I stand up, so I think he will be happy to see me pain free for a change. Besides, I want to feel good about myself, I want to feel that I am viewed by him as sexy and beautiful. I want to be pleasing to his eyes. Nobody else knows. This is my decision, although difficult, it's something that I must do. This is my private battle that I've fought for many years. I have not expressed my unhappiness because I didn't want people to feel sorry for me or for them to know how sorry I have felt for myself. I love myself enough to do this. I love my children enough to do this. I must make myself healthy again. I must do something now, before it is too late. I am VERY proud of this decision, and hopefully, others will be too. :blushing:

I have worked on my weight for the last thirty years. I probably have lost and gain the same fifty pounds at least ten times. That is five hundred pounds I have lost! Of course, I never kept it off. I started taking diet pills when I was twenty two years old. The first time they worked really good! I got to by ultimate low, and was so proud. After I moved and lost my connection with a doctor who would give me just about anything, I could not get a doctors' help. I put every pound back on plus the extra ten that always followed. I finally found another doctor to help, and again I was was able to lose and feel good about myself. But it didn't last as long this time. My husband was transferred, and again I was on my own. My husband started making comments about my weight, but I didn't do much about it. I would occasionally try a fad diet and loose ten or fifteen, but the pounds came back twice as fast. What a frustration. Well, we ended up divorced, and I moved again. This time metabolife was out. I again lost the weight, of course we all know what happen to metabolife. Not to mention how bad it was for us - not to say the diet pills were any better. About four years ago, I decided enough is enough, and again went to the doctor and got my artifical will power (diet pills). I wa loosing it all again until my Dad got sick and I was traveling every weekend to Houston to be with him. I could take the pills and eat, and eat, and eat. I gave up on the pills after my Dad died and gave up on dieting. A year ago, I tried twice more to lose with the diet pills, but they just didn't work anymore. I hated the way I felt on them, could not sleep, and knew I could be very irritable at times. I then saw a billboard about lap band. When I reviewed the information on the web page, I thought I would not be able to get it because I didn't fit the profile. I have always been able to get a quick fix to keep my weight under 200 pounds. A lady a work was talking about her doctor having had the lap band, and I mentioned I would love to get it, but didn't "weigh enough". When she said, sure I could, it really hit home. I started researching it more and starting reading these forums. I went to a seminar on the band. I knew insurance would not pay, so I looked into getting a loan. It was almost instant. I setup an appointment, with Dr J. He was so nice! He did not come across as judgemental only wanting to help. I now have a surgery date of August 31, 2007. I know I do not deserve the band the way people who have legit health issues, but I am sure glad I will soon be a "bandster". I expect my weight to come off slower than someone with more weight to lose, so my time to lose weight will be about the same as someone who needs to lose much more than me, but my weight problem is just as real. Oh, my the way, my Dad died of conjestive heart failure and diebetites...at the rate I am going I might be following in is foot steps. IT IS TIME TO LOSE THIS ADDICTION TO FOOD!

Hello There, I'm 59 years young and am so happy to have found this group. I hope this group includes folks who are almost out of their 50's too. My name is WeeWers and I weigh 300 pounds. I'm 5-6 and my goal is 140. We are paying for this out of pocket (exclusion with our insurance that I signed). My big concern is how I'm going to look at goal. I have seen lots of before and after photos of older folks who lost *a lot* of weight -- and they look thin -- but they also look terrible! Skin is hanging everywhere! At our age, the skin does not have the elasticity it once did. So the skin just hangs !!! Since we are paying out of pocket, it will take us a long time to save up for plastic surgeries. My breasts already hang down to almost my navel, and my tummy hangs down mid thigh. Man, I'm tearing as I write this. Have any of you thought about this. Especially the ones who can't have plastic surgery right away. I know many (most maybe) plastic surgeons make you wait a year before they will operate. I'm wanting some encouragement so very much -- but facts are facts -- my skin is just gonna hang. I'll bet the answer is just being grateful that the weight is off. Maybe that's the only solution. Thank you for listening, WeeWers

I had my surgery 2 weeks ago and I am still a little sore but really doing well. I am doing about 10 to 20 minutes on the eliptical and some light weights. Today I am starting to eat soft foods. My weight loss has slowed way down which is fine because I lost about 19 pounds in 14 days. Before I was worried I was losing to fast because losing too fast mean gaining more back even faster. But I think I will be fine this time. I'm excited about working out again. And maybe someday I can run a mile again (one of my goals). One other thing is to train my family that my meals are very small now. Yesterday my child cooked dinner for me and tried to give my a large protion which I would have normally ate and went back for seconds. I had to remind her I don't eat that much any more. Poor thing, I think I hurt her feelings. But I ate it; NOT all of it. Just until I felt full; which was about less than half of what she served me. My dad (may he r.i.p) had gastric bypass in 2001. When he came to visit me I would try to feed him a large protion and did not understand how much he really eats. But now I do. I am so so glad I got my lap band.

Thank y'all for the advice. I will go ahead and send in what I have. My Dr. did write that I came in to weigh and noted my pounds lost or gained, but that was it. If that's not enough and they deny me, then I'll definately appeal. I'm going to do what it takes to make BCBSIL pay. Afterall, that is why we all pay their high insurance premiums. Maybe they have forgotten that fact??? I can see that happening, being they forget what they have written in their own policies! :wink_smile:

Hello, I'm new to the Forum! I just searched for people that have had my prospective surgeon.. Dr. Dumon @ Penn (HUP). How was the care you received while in the hospital and follow up? I'm in between my 3rd (and final) WLM appointments. I had a set back because I gained after my initial appointment but am 1 pound shy of my original weight - with a goal to loose 3 -5 lbs in the last 3 weeks which i am working hard with working out and diet.

I opted for the VSG first. My orthopedic surgeon even agreed to have the WLS first and get as much weight off as possible before having knee replacement surgery. I can say my mobility has drastically improved with my weight loss thus far. I will still need the knee surgery, but, I'm walking so much better.

I am planning on a blog post for this. Short version, I was in the same boat using TheDailyPlate for several years. My biggest gripe was that they never got the Android app to work. I have a huge backlog of foods, meals etc. but I knew it was time for a change. Bumblestich, no Android app from Livestrong... I posted on here and asked for tips and most people recommended www.myfitnesspal.com and I like it. I switched and actually made the effort of entering old data to the first of the year so I have a complete new start with all data for 2011. I am sorry that I am losing my weight, food and exercise data of the past, but if you are unhappy you need to switch - and the earlier the better. MFP is free, allows custom calorie goals (mine is 900 right now), it also allows you to set percentages for carbs, Protein and fat (and other nutrients too) and the Android app is cool. I mean, it is COOL! Or KEWL! Why you ask? Because you can actually scan your food with the camera of your phone. Scan the barcode and voila - there is your food. No searching, no picking the right one - barcode does it all. And yes, I am that much of a geek that it gets me seriously giddy to just think about it, LOL

goodluck and get ready, welcome to your new journey to weight loss....you will love your sleeve!!!

Had my first visit today. I have to do a pulmonary function test, and get my cavities fixed but it looks promising. My ins requires 3 months of weight watchers in conjunction with once a month dietician visit at the surgeons office. No biggie because I have done ww before and it will take me a few to get the cavities fixed. He agreed to the sleeve which is awesome! I was afraid that he would recommend bypass when I really wanted the sleeve. He said insurance would not be a problem with all the other doctor recommendations. So looks like a few more months but at least I have a starting point and I know he will push for the sleeve

I'm not that worried because I know the alternative ( not having the sleeve done) is not a good prospect. I have Hashimotos disease for 30 years and I have been on a diet all of my life! My weight will only increase to the point that my husband will be pushing me around in a wheelchair. I am already on my shakes and one meal per day to try and loose some weight I am on Isagenix and it's pretty good plus my Dr approved it better than Optifast! My concern is not getting enough water after I have been sleeved a shot glass doesn't hold much! I live in the tropical part of Australia to

When is your surgery? How long do you have to do the pre-op diet for? Mine was 2 weeks of liquids. I did cheat, around day 5, I had a few tb of peanut butter, and a few pieces of deli ham. But I still had 9 days after that to do liquids. I promise the pre-op liquid diet is much harder than the eating after surgery! It was the worst part! As far as your Dr, it depends. Mine didn't care, as long as you lost weight prior to surgery, he didn't care. they didn't even weigh me on the day of surgery! But I have heard of some drs that if you don't lose weight, they will cancel the surgery. Basically its about shrinking your liver. The more fat that is around your liver, the tougher the surgery is to do. So sticking to the diet makes the surgery safer for you, which is what you want. Stick with it, you can do it! I know its hard, but it will be over soon, and the cravings after surgery are gone.

All I did was treadmill walking post-op for a year. I went from 268 to 198 in six months. Then it took me another six months to drop the next 20lbs and as those six months went on, I did less and less cardio. (bad girl!) about 1.5 months ago I got my fanny back on the treadmill and about a month ago I started a running training program. I've dropped another 5lbs. I started the running to hopefully help tone up and tighten up some skin. I'm sure some light weight lifting would help too, I just don't have time.

I need some advice and someone to keep me in line...I am exactly 1 week post-op and doing fine. HOWEVER...I hate liquids. I can't stand doing the liquid thing anymore. I advanced my diet to the THICK LIQUID stage myself in order to satisfy my mind. I ate some grits today...it was a pleasant change. The problem is...I bought some hard candy to suck on and crunch up to help me through this stage. I did not buy sugar-free...because I know it can cause a lot of gas and I don't need that. Am I really cheating or is the hard candy really gonna matter that much? I am really struggling right now cause I want to eat. I continue to lose weight. I have lost almost 40lbs since my pre-op diet and about 15 since surgery. Please let me know what ya'll think. THANKS!!!

I am in the process of qualifying for surgery....I had my blood work done...it was perfect... (boo) my a1c is 5.6....my bmi is 36.7 no comorbidity...it have a sleep study scheduled...hope I have it...hubby says I can raise a roof with my snoring...is one comorbidity enough? Otherwise I will have to gain about 23 pounds to get bmi to 40...already miserable where I am.....frustrating Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using the BariatricPal App

I have Cigna... I don't have any of the normal Weight diseases either.. no high blood pressure, no diabetes, but I do have a higher bmi then you. I was approved in only 3 weeks. Hopefully you will get the answer you want. Good luck!

I have another email into the patient advocate to see when she submitted it. I am sooo impatient! LOL Mommy2girls - I have done the 6 mo diet/exercise, cardio (with nuclear stress test & echo), pulmonologist (with sleep study), tsh bloodwork, weight history, etc. All the ducks are in a row...now it is up to Aetna. (it is private ins so it really is up to Aetna)

Thank you! I have looked into as much as I can without calling...checked my insurance packet and info on my portal and know that my insurance does cover it and the surgeon I'm going with is in network, but I haven't called for the details and requirements. I definitely need to get on that! There are definitely many that you listed that I haven't heard of before! ...and that's with what research I've done (which I thought was a lot, but apparently not, lol). I do know that the website of the surgeon I'm going with mostly gives general info about the lap band, gastric bypass and the sleeve gastrectomy. I personally know two of his patients and both had the sleeve gastrectomy. There have been a lot of things that I have been considering, but some that I hadn't thought of, like divorce. My husband knows and while he's not a fan of weight loss surgery as a general rule, he has seen all of the work in the healthy lifestyle I have been living with little results and is supportive of me in this because he understands the frustration and knows that this will be a tool for me. As of right now, I've only talked to a very select few...and probably more than I really want to know already, at least at this stage. I just don't want the static of everyone's opinions. I don't think I mind those closest to me knowing eventually, but not yet. We'll see. I'm sorry to hear about the divorce. I actually have some of his videos saved on my watch list! I will definitely be sure to get started on those! Thanks again for all of the wonderful info! I sincerely appreciate it!