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However you think you SHOULD feel, you feel how you feel. It might be helpful to forgive yourself, even though there is really nothing to forgive. You have done the best you can do to care for yourself. There is nothing wrong with accepting help. I came to WLS kicking and screaming. I was at the end of my rope and KNEW I couldn't lose weight permanently on my own. I was to the point that I figured that the regain after my next diet would have put me over 600 pounds. So, I gave up. Fortunately, I was blessed with an awesome surgeon who helped me to understand the disease of obesity for the first time in my life. He helped me to truly understand that because of the disease and our modern world of abundant food it was almost inevitable to need help. Obesity is a disease not a moral failing or character flaw. How you feel is understandable, but, hopefully through this process you will learn to love and accept yourself just the way you are. As other's have mentioned, this process is as much an emotional and mental journey as it is physical. You may want to consider finding a good counselor or therapist, a bariatric support group, and/or a self-help group or 12-step group like OA. I wish you all the best and hope you will come to realize how strong you really are.

Since I have had the surgery I have been doing a lot of reading on nutrition and healthy eating. I have learned so much and everything makes so much sense to me now. It's no wonder why America is an over weight country. In the evening I watch television and its one fast food chain after another. One snack food after another. It's amazing how we as a people are so brain washed by advertisments! For example the stupid White castle commercial about their new burger. It shows a guy sitting at his dinning room table eating this french style burger while he is watching his housekeeper clean. All of a sudden she is this hot little maid in a french maids uniform making eyes at him! What is this supposed to tell us? That if we eat this burger it will make our dull, boring lives better???? Don't even get me started on the Paris Hilton commercial! I understand that sex sells and all that garbage but hey...if you eat this stuff on a regular basis your health declines, you get fat and well....how much sex will you get??? I don't know maybe it's just me but I think its horrible how everyone complains that Americans are fat and lazy and then they put out commercials like this. Thanks for letting me vent and most of all thanks for listening!

After struggling with my weight my entire life, my decision to have the Lap Band surgery was one i will never regret! While some people would not have looked at me and automatically labeled me obese, my body and my BMI definately did. At 28 yrs.old, I weighed 252 pounds and had a BMI of 40! With no children of my own yet, i knew that this time in my life was a perfect time to gain a permanent solution to my weight problem. Now don't get me wrong - there are some days that i wish i could rip it out from inside of me - simply because i am a greedy eater! Sometimes i wish i could have a hamburger or maybe a slice of pizza - but then i KNOW that i CANT have it and it is an instant reminder of why i was obese to begin with. The simple truth is - your body doesnt NEED those foods - it just WANTS/CRAVES them. Once they are out of your mind - they are out of your life. It has been nine months since my surgery, and at my last appointment i hit my 80 pounds lost mark. With only 10 or 15 pounds to go, I truly know that my surgery was a great decision for me and my well being. Just know that each person handles surgery different as well as its after effects. I guess i just had my mind set on not being the fat old lady who never got out of her rut..... GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!:tongue2:

I have to agree with Kate. One co-morbidity you can claim is weight related joint pain. When you pass a certain point, your ankles, knees, and possibly hips hurt on a day to day basis. It was true for my case. It can be true for your case. Just document it with your PCP and bariatric surgeon's coordinator. Another is hypertension. I've never met someone with a BMI of greater than 35 that did not have some form of hypertension. The great thing about hypertension is that although it is a *spectrum* (you can have kinda high, high, very high, dangerous, etc) on most doctor forms, it is stochastic: you either have it or don't have it. If you take something like hydrochlorothiazide, then ipsofacto, you have hypertension. Perhaps it would be appropriate to talk to your PCP about getting you on a "baby dosage" of hydrochlorothiazide? I had slightly elevated heart rate and my doctor prescribed 12.5mg/day, considered a "baby dose". For me, there were no side effects at this level (the main side effect being having to pee a lot).

that's awesome! i am worried right now haha i have to gain like 4 pounds before my doctor can submit my paperwork to my ins. company. my bmi is like a 39.1 he wants it at atleast a 40 so there is no problem with them approving me. i can NOT seem to put weight on right now because i am so anxious about all of this i have never ever had a problem gaining weight and all of a sudden....i need to..and i cant lol

I cried. I felt alone and actually I was. I went to Colorado for surgery and I'm from NYC. I didn't bring anyone w me, so I felt sad. I also cried because I couldn't understand how a young girl who exercises so much ended up getting a band. I kept asking myself WHY didn't I control myself! I cried a lot... Sometimes I still do. I don't even know if I needed a band. When i gain weight I tend to lose it w diet and exercise. Sometimes I think I got the band just because I was able to afford it. But, that's the same problem w food. I eat it because its easy for me to afford it and to bring others w me to eat. I was 210 but i just gave birth. sometimes i thk I made a big mistake and that i Didn't need a band. I never told anyone this b4...

I hear ya on the women posting in the Guy's Room. Despite an administrative request to not post, it continues. Sometimes it's not a big deal, but the whole value of the room is for men to be able to talk freely as men. Not sure what will change this issue. I haven't had surgery yet, but the support of my spouse has already been an issue. We are both Heavier then we want to be and I wanted her to pursue surgery as well. She's been against surgery for years but after the seminar we had a long talk about how this would change our relationship. Thankfully she decided to move forward with getting a sleeve. My only advice to you is time will make all the difference. It sounds like she does want to lose weight.. keep doing what you're doing to try to help her lose weight. We approach weight-loss as an area that we attack together. She gets frustrated with me because when I diet I am very strict, and she likes to make adjustments that work better for her that I'm not willing to take. I have learned that the relationship value is in doing it together. I just try to keep doing what you're doing by making the food together... Exercising together.. Watching Cooking shows together. Is in our nature as men to push on things, but for me, that just fires up my wife's emotional defense system (LOL!) and in response she pushes back. We basically get nowhere! My attack plan then become to do things slow and easy. Hang in there brother!

I think because it's medically supervised by her MD, it's ok. It counts as an approved method for weight loss if it's supervised; it's a tool... just like our band!

I've taken it twice. For me it worked really well and gave me the energy to actually work out. I lost 35 to 40 pounds each time... But gained it back plus some when I stoped taking it. It works while you are taking it... But it'd hard to keep it off without it.

Phentermine, taken alone is safer alternative to using it in conjunction with fenfluramine, which was associated with some significant cardiac risks in the 80's. I had used it several times over the 10 years prior to my band surgery. Your body does build a rapid tolerance to it, so it was effective for only about 3 months, and then I would have to go off of it for another 6 months. A three month prescription was all that my physician would prescribe. I lost about 30 pounds during the 3 months, and did manage to keep most of the weight off after every 3 months off of it. "Rebound weight gain" is common, when the patient needs to go off of the medication. This can happen if the individual does nothing to maintain a long term adjustment in life style with changes to smaller portions and exercise. I have not taken it for several years now. I recall that I did like the increased energy associated with it, and though I took in in the morning, I did not like the insomnia which I also experienced while taking it.

I was banded 11/8/12. Weighed 230 pounds and wire size 20 jeans. (I'm vertically challenged)Yesterday I weighed 187 and wore a snug 14 all day!!! I feel soooo great! My knees don't hurt and clothes are fun again. It is taking more patience than I thought it would. Fills seem too far apart sometimes! I find I lose when I low carb and plateau when I don't. Better than gaining any day! The best advise I got about my band was "the band doesn't work when you are eating, it works two hours later" so true! Still got my eye on those sassy size eight jeans I have hanging by my elliptical, but at least now it seems possible!

Hi i have noticed that sometimes the weight can go up a little, it happens when i am not being as good as i should be with eating carbs or making not so good food choices, but when i get back on track it goes away. Remember this is a work in progress, that's why some people say we shouldn't weigh ourselves so often. We can get discouraged, but i can't seem to help myself, i get on every morning right after i pee. Good luck i'm sure you'll do just fine, jeani

Congrats! The portion of stomach they removed doesn't weight to much. The 9 lbs u lost is mostly all the IV fluids they pumped you full of. Lol. Wish you the best. ! •Highest Weight - 240 •Surgery Weight 8/3 -230 •Current Weight 8/31 -203

30 POUNDS down! do not lose sight of that! That's an incredible accomplishment and because you said you're already feeling better that's a great goalpost you just passed! Stalls are common and many are just part of your body adjusting post-surgery. I had two stalls of almost a month each, but weight loss did kick back into gear. Yes, it can be disappointing, but I also tried to not lose sight of the accomplishments: sleep apnea cured, pre-diabetes cured, cholesterol cured, high blood pressure cured. There is SO much more than just the weight loss along the way. It looks like you're doing everything right and you will be able to eat a wider variety of foods as you get further out, so don't get overly-concerned over a stall. Having a wider variety of food choices can actually be a challenge because those include calorie-dense foods that packed our weight on the the first place. For now, try and maintain focus on a healthier lifestyle and don't forget that you are giving yourself a longer, healthier life! Best of luck to ya!

I met with the doctor's office I was referred to by TriCare today and I was surprised to hear that they didn't have any requirements other than some paperwork (and obvs BMI/weight) for surgery. I asked the insurance lady to call and re-confirm with TriCare that they didn't have any requirements, too, so she did. They don't (again, other than the obvious weight/BMI stuff). I guess I got that psych referral for nothing, LOL. She sent me home with paperwork to fill out over the weekend and a 4-day food diary, which I'm to mail/fax back on Monday (too far to just drive it over unless I'm headed out that way anyway). She said I should have my surgery scheduled the last Wednesday in October if everything goes well. I'm so excited! :thumbup::tt1: Oh, and they offer the Realize band, which I'm also happy about. :sad:

It's hard to tell, this did not happen to me and quite the opposite did, as I dropped weight moving became easier and my knees bothered me less. See the doc, they should be able to help diagnose you and you want to make sure that it's not something coincidental to the WLS.

ok so i BMI of 38 i am 100 pounds over weight i have kaiser insurance, i have been refered by my primary, seen the phycrictic and was cleared i did the class and now next weeke i have the orentation, i wonder if anyone knows about how long it takes through kaiser? I wanna hurry and get it over, i am so ready to start my life and have the freedom..... welll thanks for the help. :wub:

that there is a forum dedicated to lap-band participants. I will be banded this Friday at 10 a.m. I've been reading several post prior to finally deciding to go forth with this surgery. I have learned from alot from those members who have recently been banded and those who have been banded for a while. Much of my decision was based on the members candid discussions of the benefits as well as the difficulties with the band. I look forward to participating in healthy and motivating discussions on how to continue this journey to weight loss.

I was sleeved a week before you and I had a 3 lb weight gain at about 5 weeks post op. At first I kind of freaked out but I relalized that I really hadn't done anything wrong and that my body is just going through major changes. I have kind of come to the conclusion that as long as I am eating right and getting excercise this body will loose how it wants too. If you haven't started taking measurements I recommened doing so it is an easy way to see the physical changes that are taking place on your body even when the scale isn't moving.

1st appointment, you probably won't get a surgery date. They weigh you, ask what surgery you want, give you the facts and stats., determine a goal weight, and answer any questions you may have. My surgeon examined my stomach and asked if I had any comorbidities/prescriptions. They will probably also let you know what the prerequisites are for your insurance company, if any. I didn't get a date until my insurance approved me. Some doctors do it before (which personally I feel is unwise hence all the let-down/disappointment stories of people getting a date and then their insurance not approving it). To be honest, my first appointment was the longest appointment I've ever had.

So tomorrow morning at 5:45am I will be having my VSG and I'm so nervous I have so many feelings right now it's almost like I'm second guessing this. My mother and a good friend had a gastric bypass last year and are doing great but now it's my turn. When I started this journey back in March I was 252 pounds I hit my goal weight of 238 in May and last time I was weighed I was at 234, it's been a challenge. I have a very active 14 year old daughter that loves to workout and I can't keep up with her. Hope that I can once again be as active without pain as I used to. Wish me luck and any post op feedback is appreciated!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

If you would have asked me years ago I would have said I was a binge eater because I could eat so much (basically eat like a man..haha!) but I went to an eating disorders clinic and was thoroughly evaluated and did not meet the clinical definition of a binge eater. The surgery has so far worked for me (will be 3 years out in December and went from super morbidly obese to normal BMI and now maintaining). If I understand binge eating correctly, it is not really about hunger so i would worry that over time the urge to binge may negate surgery benefits. I am certainly not an expert, but have you considered really being diagnosed by a non surgical practice? I would be careful though of doing it through a pschologist associated with a surgeon because you might wind up getting denied based on being "honest". I tried EVERYTHING multiple times - weight watchers, the hormone drops, nutrisystems, talk therapy, hypnosis, etc but i was always still hungry. for me the physical reduction (not elimination by the way!) has helped me learn to manage food. I could not do it was driven to eat 24/7. I do get hungry now, and one of my many "learnings' is to tolerate it... gee.. it is a normal human experience to be hungry before a meal, who knew? Anyway, my hunger is way reduced so it is something i can cope with.

I've spoken to 3 surgeons regarding this already and pretty much was told the same thing by all 3. If you have rashes, infections, cysts, etc under the apron and have medical documented proof that you have been seeing your doctor regarding these issues then they can apply to OHIP with this information along with pictures and then OHIP decides whether to cover the panniculectomy portion or not. It can take up to 2 years to get approval and the surgeons I spoke to won't even bother going through the trouble of doing the OHIP forms for this anymore since they are approving only about 1% of the applications. The cost of a panniculectomy is about $1500 so if that's all you truly want then you might want to pay out of pocket for that instead of jumping through hoops. It's not as good a fix as a tummy tuck but it's much cheaper considering tummy tucks run from about $7500 up to over $10 000 and then if you want the full lower body lift which fixes the tummy, the sides and the back, it's over $15 000. Those that had their full tummy tucks covered after a huge weight loss years ago are extremely lucky since they stopped covering the full thing about 5 years ago. After paying $16 000 for the band, it would have been nice to have the tummy tuck covered but since it no longer is, it's off to pay I go.

HI everyone! This is my very first post on the forum. :thumbup: I've been reading posts for several weeks since I made the decision to get this surgery. I decided that instead of doing my usual routine of observing and reading forever (lurking), I'll just jump in and get as much preop support as I can from the great people on this site. VSG has just been added to our WLS coverage options and I'm so excited. This is the only WLS that I've researched that hasn't scared the wits out of me. :biggrin0: I've started the ball rolling with my preop requirements by getting a psych assessment, scheduling my counseling sessions (I'm not the support group type), and getting my PCP on board with the requirement for 6 months of weight loss/nutritional documentation. My question is, does anyone here have some insight on the documentation requirements for insurance coverage? I'm particularly interested in those with UHC policies, but would love to hear from those with other coverage as well. My main concern is being sure that I have the proper documentation for the nutritional/exercise components. My nurse coordinator explained to me that I could do something like weight watchers or go to my PCP and have them document my weight, diet, and exercise once a month for 6 months. I didn't see any point in paying for weight watchers when the PCP visits would be the same cost or cheaper. When I talked to my doctor about it, he readily agreed to complete the documenation for me, but was kind of vague about it. He gave me a handout with a diet plan, so I guess that's what he'll document as my diet. They weigh me everytime anyway, so that's not a concern. But, I wasn't clear on how they'll document the exercise part. When I pushed the issue with the doc and asked how we would document the exercise, he just said something about me needing to do 30 minutes of exercise a day. I guess that's what he wrote in my chart. We all know how dismissive docs can be. I'm no shrinking violet, but I was sick when we we talked about this and was actually focused on my other health issues so I didn't push things as much as I could have. After all this babbling, my point is that I want to know if anyone had any difficulty with this part of their documentation for WLS. Did the insurance company question this aspect of the info sent in? Did you have to go back and provide additional documentation? Or, was it pretty much the formality that it seems to be and that my PCP made it out to be? I plan to contact my nurse coordinator again to revisit this issue but I would love some insight from anyone here who has experience with this. My biggest fear right now is to go 6 months thinking I've done everything right and then get turned down over something so minor. (By the way, I still may add the weight watchers piece just to cover my bases.) Happy to be here, Mary

Thank you guys, I understand that the process want be easy. Im just ready to start something new. Even though im perfectly healthy right now, I know the toll this weight can take on my body. I can already feel the pain in my knee lol, My insurance will even cover the surgery, I just got to make a choice whether or not to do the surgery or continue working out and focus on losing the weight that way.