Who Are You?

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Here's my story. My name is Katie I am an Accountant from Massachusetts. I have been married for almost 16 years. I have two wonderful girls. One is 14 the other is almost 12. I am working on my MBA while working full time at a residental treatment center for delinquent children and mentally disabled children and adults. I am having my surgery on Wednesday and getting extremely nervous. When I am nervous I educate myself to the extreme and that is how I happened upon this place. After spending most of the afternoon reading I feel like I will fit in wonderfully here. I am excited to become a skinnier me

Almost three years out and I still read everything I can on our surgery! My nurse said I was a bit 'rigid' and 'obsessive' - really???!!! LoL It's like a game for me, I've loved this journey from the time I made up my mind to have surgery - it was about 2 AM one night in December 2009 - and I still enjoy it. I love the support group meetings (we had a new informal one today) - I love weighing every morning since a couple of months before surgery, I love logging my food and weighing and measuring it. It may be weird, but it's my new life. Educating yourself is great, this is a great place, and real live support groups are WONDERFUL. Good luck, a year from now, you won't believe how different your life will be!!!

[Jacqueline Marie 73]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Jackie and I am from PA. I am 25 years old and have a beautiful daughter named Jasmine. I work full time, and finishing school in forensic accountant, on top of both a single mother! I started my journey about 2 years ago. I was scared and nervous at first, so instead I did tons and tons of research until this past August I decided to make the first step into getting surgery. I have completed my doctors appointments and am waiting on approval! I hope to make new friends on the site for support and hear everyone's story! The pictures are of myself and my daughter

[MsJones83 27]

Hello All! I'm new to all this but I am truly excited & anxious nonetheless..

Ok so here goes... I'm 29 years old (will be 30 July 6) UGH!!! Anyways, I went to my PCP for a huge painful cyst on my breast. Since the last time I had seen him, I had gained a great deal of weight & am at my highest weight ever! (I'm 5 2, 232lbs!!!)

I have always been overweight majority of my life so its been a very isolated & unhappy road for quite some time. I tried to embrace the "big girl power" mentality but when I got a group of "big girl friends", they say I don't fit in.. (awkward feeling). Then I would go out with my skinnier friends & I'm the "fat friend" in the bunch.. (more awkwardness) smh So, back to the story of how I stumbled upon this decision... So, my PCP sends me to the specialist & I'm sitting im the waiting room.. Everyone is talking about their differeny surgeries they've had & how much weight they lost within a week/month, & how their incisions were healing.. So I'm sitting there super quiet & look up at the sign.. Bariatrics Surgery.. So, I pull out my phone & google Bariatrics Surgery.. Lol (had a moment) smh after having a slow moment, I took my being there as a sigh.. A sign from God that this is the help I'd been seeking all these years, & a sign from my PCP that I'm just way out of control! I believe both conclusions lol. So, Dr. Attia says I qualify for the surgery. I've googled, youtubed, asked questions, prayed, you name it!

I've set up my nutritional consultation, psychiatric evaluation, & go to my first support group meeting on Wednesday! Although I am excited, I am still unsure of what I need to do next to make sure the process is a go. I keep seeing everyone talk about getting a call or approval letter from their insurance company.. When do I attempt to get approved by my insurance company? Does it depend on what the doctor recommends or what I pay into my policy? I won't lie, I WANT THIS SURGERY BAD!!! I NEED IT! Where do I go from here? Please HELP!

I also wanna thank you all for all your posts. They are very informative & encouraging. Congratulations on your progress thus far. MsJones83

[PaperBullets 53]

Hello everyone!

My name is McKenzie and I'm from the Raleigh, NC area (specifically Clayton but no one knows where that is). I turn 33 in August and after battling PCOS and my weight since I was 18 I was finally fed up enough to just call my insurance and see if the surgery was even covered. And it was!! I'm married to my most wonderful partner for a year come May and dream of being able to have children once I have the surgery and am properly healed and such.

I have already gone through the ton of medical tests required for the pre-approval since my BMI isn't high enough for them (seriously?! I'm too SMALL for something?!) but it turns out I have metabolic syndrome on top of the PCOS so I have my co-morbidity the insurance needs and the official paperwork was sent to them by my doctor yesterday so now I'm playing the waiting game.

It's blowing my mind how fast everything is going! So far, from the moment I made the decision to do something about myself to now has been just at a month. The moving from believing I will always be short and fat to knowing that I will (relatively) soon be short and much thinner boggles me. It's tentative, but I'm actually starting to imagine what it'd be like to go shopping for clothes at "regular" stores and actually find things that fit! And to be able to go up stairs without feeling like I ran a marathon!

I'm so very excited that I found this forum a couple of weeks ago and now that I'm in the waiting game, I couldn't wait to actually register and lose the weird "lurker" feeling! I can't wait to get to know everyone as we all go on this awesome journey!

[Faith41 118]

My name is Faith I am 41 living in Washington state I decide 2 years ago to have the gastric sleeve but friends, family, coworkers talked me out of it around that time I learned of the HCG diet lost 30 gained it back lost 20 pounds gained it back so the cycle began. Little over a month ago decided to really do it and here I am 2 weeks from the actual surgery im so exicted just wished I would of done it 2 years ago.

[jblaze122168 2]

My name is john I'm 44 I've been married for the past 17 yrs. I too have battled with my weight for years. I live in New Jersey with hopes of relocating to Puerto Rico very soon. I have 6 children and a brand new granddaughter.

[Kimmy1813 77]

Hi, I have been reading posts on VST since November, but finally just created an account. I made the decision to have the sleeve and went for my initial appointment on January 2. I have started all of the testing that is required, but my insurance also requires a 6 month diet, so I still have a while before my surgery.

As far as who I am......let's see......I am a 40 (41...in three days) year old mother of an awesome 18 year old son, who is a senior this year. He is my world! His father died when he was 12, so it's been just me and him since that time. Not really sure how I'm going to handle him going off to college in the fall. Lots and lots of tears I'm sure, lol. I have an amazing sister and brother-in-law and the most awesome 4 year old nephew of all time!!! He thinks my son is the greatest thing ever, so we spend as much time with him as we can.

Hobbies include: reading, scrapbooking, quilting (need to finish my first one so that I can move on to my next one), computer/video games, and I've just discovered a LOVE of going to painting classes at Pinot's Palette (as you can see from my profile picture).

I'm looking forward to continuing my sleeve journey and I think this site will make it so much easier. I have already found so many great posts on here and am sure I will continue to do so.

[MsJones83 27]

Welcome Kimmie1813!!! I've recently made the devision to do the same after reading posts for some long nights. Lol I just made the decision to get the sleeve & attended my first support group meeting last night!! I wish you all the best of luck as you proceed with making this lifestyle change

*Peace & Love*

[pottergirl 261]

Lea if you don't mind me asking what program did you go through? I am going through Saint Peter's with Dr Trivedi.

[pottergirl 261]

Lea if you don't mind me asking what program did you go through? I am going through Saint Peter's with Dr Trivedi.

Hi..Sorry i didn't see your question until now...i had dr attiles, who shares an office with dr trevedi. my friend jack had your doctor and he loved him. they have a support group once a month..have you gone?

[askinnierme 11]

Not yet but I am on their Facebook group. I had mine done yesterday and I feel great.

[carlygirl412 1]

Hello:

I am waiting to lose a few more pounds before my surgeon can re-submit my paperwork to Kaiser. Kaiser wanted me to lose 12 pounds before approving my surgery.

My surgeon is Dr. Timothy Shope with the Washington Hospital Center.

I am retired from the federal government and I am a local in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. I am married with two adult children (1 boy and 1 girl) and grandmother to a lovely teenage girl.

I have struggled all my life with weight. When I graduated high school, I weiged 220 pounds and my highest weight has been 271 and my lowest, from old-school Weight Watchers back in the 80's, was 150.

I hope to have the gastric sleeve and get back to the 150 or 160 mark. I want to be rid of diabetes, any cholesterol issues, and hypertension . . . and I want to look cute! I think I can get more acting gigs if I am slimmer and acting is my work; and I'd love to have much more work than I get now.

Thanks.

[MOBD 16]

I have read on the forums for about 6 months now as I have completed all the requirements for my insurance approval. I'm 46 and have struggled with my weight my entire life. I've been able to keep it under control ~ maintaining with exercise and dieting for most of my life. I've never been thin though always carried at least 20 extra pounds.

So, in 2010, I suffered an aortic dissection. After the recovery from that, my weight has ballooned. I am restricted from all cardio exercise (I used to run). I cannot lift weights ever because it causes stress to my aortic graft. I can only walk. My heart rate cannot go above 115. These restrictions have completely screwed up my ability to lose the weight and to maintain.

I began to consider surgery. I read tons about it and decided that it would be the best tool I could use to get my weight under control. I am miserable being this heavy. I am hoping that the sleeve will be my miracle tool.

I found out that I am approved today. That's after being denied and then the appeal went through. I'm scheduled for March 13th surgery. I'm getting a little stressed about it but overall, just want to get the surgery done and get started with my life again!!

[mariamitani 405]

My name is Mariam. I'm 25 years old. I have been married for 10 years and have 3 little girls. I have been going to school since 2008. I'm currently in a nursing program and will be done in 2015. I was thin most of my child hood till I hit puberty at 12 . I started to gain weight rapidly, food was my comfort. I started this journey at 288 lb and the heaviest I have been was 300. I'm now 233 lbs at 10 weeks out and very happy. I was born in Michigan. My mother is Italian and German My father is Lebanese. I can speak English , Arabic and German. I lived in Germany for 2 years and in Lebanon for 6. I also lived in saudia Arabia for another 2 years working. I love to travel and see Different places. My dream is to go to Hawaii when I graduate from nursing school. I love the ocean.

[former_vbg 198]

My name is Mariam. I'm 25 years old. I have been married for 10 years and have 3 little girls. I have been going to school since 2008. I'm currently in a nursing program and will be done in 2015. I was thin most of my child hood till I hit puberty at 12 . I started to gain weight rapidly, food was my comfort. I started this journey at 288 lb and the heaviest I have been was 300. I'm now 233 lbs at 10 weeks out and very happy. I was born in Michigan. My mother is Italian and German My father is Lebanese. I can speak English , Arabic and German. I lived in Germany for 2 years and in Lebanon for 6. I also lived in saudia Arabia for another 2 years working. I love to travel and see Different places. My dream is to go to Hawaii when I graduate from nursing school. I love the ocean.

My are you sure your only 25 yrs old? You sure have done alot in your young years! Do you mind if I ask what kind of work you did in Saudi Arabia?