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Everybody has given good advice, the main 2 reasons is to shrink the liver and have more weight loss so there is more room for the surgeon to work. Every stage is going to be a challenge but we all had an idea of what we were getting into. When things get tough just sit back and remember why you are doing this. Turn to your loved ones for support, and you have this community too. Sent from my iPad using BariatricPal

Yoga and walking is what I would recommend to start with; both low stress type things. After that it would be really easy to add in some basic weights after that. I love the Nike app; it is free and has some great workouts that you can download. I also love the Giam Yoga Studio app. They have routines by level. I started with the beginners strength. You can do 15 or 30 minutes or more. I really love both of them. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I am a big fan of Water exercise. Try taking some water aerobics classes. Most have cardio and weights/resistance exercise built in. You may also want to see if you can get a personal trainer to show you exercises and weight routines that are appropriate for your physical abilities and goals.

My BMI was 35.1 when I first started trying to get approved. I got denied because I didn't have heart disease, lung disease or sleep apnea. By the time I wrote my appeal letter, I had gained a few pounds and my BMI was 36.7. I had to write a letter of appeal to BCBS. I wrote a letter of medical need, then a letter of emotional need, then I gathered letters of support from my GP, GYN, Podiatrist, and Gastrointerologist. Then my bariatric surgeon sent the entire package through with his endorcement. BCBS called me directly and said my letter was amazing and that they decided to approve me. If you have to appeal, I'd be happy to share my letters with you, just post your email and I'll send them to you directly. Good Luck! Suzanne

Well on my 6 month weight loss program I did not lose any weight if anything i gained like 3lbs and my bmi was 37.8 and as for Cigna they denied me the first time around then I appealed and got approved I have my Surgery on Mon after a year its finally going to happen. I you have any other question please feel free to ask. THANKS HOLLY

Yes I got denied because for my 2 years weight history I went to the doctors one time in 2007 and my bmi was 34.7 so my pcp wrote a letter stating i needed the suregery and I also wrote a letter stating why I needed the surgery. I have high blood pressure,gerd,high cholesterol and I live in NY. If you have any other question please feel free to ask. Thanks Holly

The reason that I am having this surgery is to help me with yo yo dieting. I know I can lose weight.. But I always gained It back. I recently lost 65 pounds only to gain it back immediately. I have done this many , many times in my life. So I am having vsg as a tool to maintain my weight loss. .

Yeah I had no idea even the UPS driver decided to get in on spreading the news of my pending sleeve. Then my aunt who has a weight problem proceeded to chat it up with people who know me but swears she did not tell them. But she did. The fact anyone discusses your weight at a dinner party which you are not present. Anyway was not prepared to be outed so quickly had no idea it would be news worthy. God I would make a terrible Kardashian lol people examining your every move. Just sad that even people who claim to love you can be insensitive. Oh well to hell with it. I am going to make the best of this life changing moment and hopefully shed insecurities and gain confidence. Thanks for sharing! Good luck stay in touch if you like. Sent from my LGLS990 using the BariatricPal App

Can you loose too much weight in the preoperative stage of supervised diet? I'm not talking dropping below the BMI of 35 or 40. I mean insurance saying well you lost 10% weight in 6 months you can do it on your own. Or is it the months of showing you can follow what the surgeon asked for? I'm reading the medical policy for Highmark BCBS G24. It was 6 months failed supervised nutritional and exercise program. Am I over thinking this? Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

About a month and a half ago I was diagnosed with PCOS. Ever since my daughter was born two years ago I couldn't lose the weight. I would lose some, gain a lot, lose some, gain a lot. Before I knew it I was heavier than I was when I was 9 months pregnant. I feel like crap all the time. Body aches, chronic fatigue, constantly feeling sick to my stomach, hair growth on my face, hair loss on my head and oh god the acne. My periods were nothing short of a nightmare and when I went two months without getting it that's when I knew something wasn't right. I moved and changed insurance recently so when I made an appointment with an obgyn it took a month before they could fit in a new patient. She sent me for a sono and a blood test and it turned out PCOS was the cause of all this. Without really explaining much about the condition she sent me on my way with a script for provera(to induce a period) and necon(super strength BC). That's when I decided I really wanted to get the gastric sleeve done. Six hours into my day I eat for the first time when the nausea subsides, no matter what I eat or how little my body is storing fat like I'm about to hibernate for a decade and after five minutes on a treadmill I feel like I'm about to pass out. If I push through it and make it 30 minutes or more I feel like someone beat the crap out of me. I'm so easily winded. I wasn't like this before my daughter was born, I was at the gym 3 nights a week and walking 3 miles to work and back every day. It's frustrating and depressing. So I made an appointment with a PCP and explained the whole thing to him. He said he wanted me to come back in 3 weeks and 1 week before the appointment come in for a blood test. I asked if he would want my obgyn to fax the blood test I JUST had two weeks before and his response was "It's ok". Whatever. I was ecstatic. I got the process started. I did what I was told. I came back for my next appointment and the doctor told me he wants me to eat oatmeal every morning at 8am and a piece of fruit every hour until 12pm when I have a sandwich and again until dinner and also join weight watchers. I said "but.. Don't you think the sleeve will help me? With my PCOS symptoms I mean if I lose the weight my hormones will regulate and the PCOS can go away" He said "No that surgery stuff is no good. I wouldn't recommend that stuff to my patients. All it does is shrink your stomach and you can do that yourself by doing what I told you. These surgeries all they do is make you throw up and it's messy and you will have a miserable life". He went on to tell me some story about one of his patients who had 27 surgeries and I just stopped listening because honestly I could've just cried right there and then. Why couldn't he just have said that in the first placr instead of wasting 3 weeks of my time? He told me if I really wanted it I would have to call my insurance and find a new doctor. So I went home and called my insurance. I told the woman on the phone I was looking for a new PCP and please give me the number to every single one who takes Aetna in this town, the next one, give my the whole county and then some. She gave me three numbers then started saying "Hello? Ma'am? Are you there? I can't hear you" then eventually disconnected the call. The first number I called told me they weren't accepting new Aetna patients but they do recommend patients for the sleeve and if I change my insurance to Blue Cross they can help me. Second number said they weren't sure if the doctor recommends the sleeve because she's on vacation. They took my info and said the will call me in a week when the doctor returns. The third number was an answering service and they didn't even name the doctor that the insurance woman gave me. I felt so defeated, depressed and hopeless at that point I couldn't gather the strength to call the insurance company back and ask for more numbers. I'm not really sure where to go from here. I can keep calling doctors. If that fails I could try changing my insurance and hope that by the time I get blue cross that doctors office is still taking new patients. And also hope that I can find a good pediatrician for my daughter. I'm also not sure if I can get blue cross considering I get my insurance through medicaid. I feel so miserable now. My optimism deflated. I don't want to give up. Sent from my LGMS395 using the BariatricPal App

I would only suggest some waist less dresses, they are already big and flowy they could only look better as you drop the weight... Depending on their color use could use them into fall with leggings, tall boots and a sweater... If you must buy something. Otherwise just holding on til you shrink out of your current clothes would probably be more fun. If you need to shop get a new lip gloss it will still fit later on lol. "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them" Einstein

Yes my last weight in was last month and I have a tentative surgery date for July 15th and I'm on week two so hopefully I will hear something this weeks because I would have to start my pre op two week liquid diet next week

Hello everyone, I have recently started my 6 month weight management to qualify for weight loss surgery, but I have been a bit discouraged. I have been turned down by three surgeons because of a previous pancreatic surgery in 2007. I guess my question is if someone out there has gone through something similar and can share there journey and experiences with me. Thanks in advance, Gaby

My insurance has already approved it, so I have already done my weight loss attempts for over 2 years and that was all recorded.... Not sure

I don't know if it's normal or not but don't get discouraged❗️Are you exercising? I found that my weight is dropping slowly but I can fit my old clothes. Hang in there.

It is common to see some fluctuation in weight. For example many individuals experience stalls. Just keep following the program guidelines.

I took a notebook with a list of questions I already had so that I wouldn't forget any. And that way I could write down the answers and any other notes. They'll ask you to describe your previous attempts at weight loss so you may want to jot a few notes down on that before hand - when, what did you try, how much did you lose, how long before you started to regain etc. They'll go through all the surgery options and discuss with you your specific conditions etc and help decide what will be the best option for your particular case. So it does take a while but it is not overwhelming. In my case, while I do see my primary doc regularly (2x a year to monitor my high blood pressure) he is only in the background for this process. I'm using the surgeon and his nutritionist for my insurance-required 6 month medically supervised pre-op period. I am having my primary copied on all tests etc and his office is part of the same larger medical group that the surgeon is in so he has total access to the records at my surgeon's office. But the point is, you probably won't HAVE to use your primary doc for this process other than to get the letter of recommendation.

Hi ~Pam~64~! My program doesn't require a 6 month diet but you have to show food and exercise logs and continue to lose weight until surgery. Good luck at your next appointment. I am hoping for a June surgery date! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

As someone who has lost 90 pounds TWICE but gained it back TWICE I completely understand the frustration when people see you can lose weight without surgery but then wonder why you still want surgery. My answer to this question is losing weight and keeping it off are two different things. My hope in getting WLS is that it will be a tool that will help me keep the weight off (I can lose just fine). Congrats on your pre op weight loss. I would just say that you need to be comfortable with the decision you want to make for your life. Your family should not be so focused on understanding why you want wls but they should be focused on supporting you in your journey. I don't always understand what my family members do with their lives but I will be there for them every step of the way. In this case you are trying to better yourself and your well being so I don't really see what's so hard to understand about that. Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App

Hi! I'm having my surgery on March 11th! I'm on day 5 of my 2 week pre-op liquid diet. I'm so excited and anxious at the same time and can't wait for this to be over already! Not going to lie but this liquid diet is BRUTAL the first few days! My doctor actually allowed me to have sugar free Jello and broth as well as a small lean cuisine meal or 3 ounces of food in the evening. This has definitely been quite the journey getting to this point! I'm 5'8 and 305, my height at weight in a long time. I'm 38 and not trying to die before my time. I've been overweight my whole life despite trying EVERYTHING to lose it! I would very much love having more people in my corner who understand what I'm going through and will be going through afterwards! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I got my test results back and unfortunately I do have mild sleep apnea. Apparently I slept enough because she said the quality of the test was excellent. I stopped breathing 12 times a hour, which is mild and she believes my sleep apnea will go away after losing weight with the surgery. So, that was a bright spot in the bad news. Now I wait for the call to go get my new machine.

Thats great!! I walked into work today and like you said not thinking much about it and a lady stopped me and goes "wow you are loosing weight" WHAT A GREAT FEELING!!!!!!

In December I thought the exact same thing! I had finally made the decision to have surgery and I wanted it NOW. But now here I am scheduled for surgery next week, all testing and medically supervised visits done and can't believe it went by so fast! Make use of this time. Start gradually making some changes in your diet, start being more physically active and gradually build up activity. Read as much as you can and think about what your routine will look like post surgery. Make a list of the things you are most looking forward to being able to do as the weight comes off - keep this list and look at it any time you start to second guess yourself or just need a little motivation.

I want to throw my two cents in. I smoked until I was six months post op and I wish I would have quit before because I lost 70lbs post op and quit smoking six months out and then had a stall for an entire year with no weight loss. My lungs are happy I quit smoking but if you decide to do it after surgery it will make your weight loss harder and you might even gain. Just my suggestion.

I'm four weeks post op and have healed enough and lost enough weight to be able to feel my port under my skin with my fingers. It does not stick out or hurt or anything like that. TBM