Hi everybody!

[Kelly G 31]

Hi everyone! I'm Kelly

I have been debating WLS for about two years. Which is kind of funny because in those two years I have gained another 50 lbs! I recently moved for a new job and started seeing a new doctor. We obviously started talking about my weight and he asked me what I have been trying as far as losing weight. I told him all of the many (MANY) attempts at WW, Atkins, every diet you could name. The gym memberships. The hours killing myself at the gym. All to lose a total of 5-10 lbs and then just stop losing altogether. Then I'd get down on myself and give up on the diet saying it wouldn't work. Or stop going to the gym since it didn't do anything anyway. Then he asked me to count the calories I eat in a day for a week. Not with the expectation of cutting calories, but to just see how much I eat. And it was astonishing! I would once look at my plate and think "OH that's not that much food" but when you actually start measuring it out...wow.

So after taking this findings to my doctor, and he agreed that my problem is not the dieting, and not the exercise, but just the being hungry all the time and over-eating. Over though I'm not having huge meals, I'm just eating too much, too often. He suggested going to a seminar of this surgeon that he sends all of his WLS patients. I'm going to that today! I'm really excited to start this journey. But I'm also scared about how long I will have to be off of work after the surgery. I have only just started this job a few months ago so I haven't accumulated more than a day or two worth of vacation...

I'm excited to get to know you all and go through this journey with all of you!

[nervousnellie 50]

Welcome. This forum has been invaluable to me. I'm 2 weeks post-op today. I wish you all the best!

[Kelly G 31]

Thanks for replying, Nellie! I'm hoping to really become part of the community here and both get support and support others going through this process as I go along!!

The seminar was really informative and really cemented my decision to get the sleeve gastrectomy. The surgeon was really nice and I would like for him to be the surgeon to do mine! Just starting on the journey and making my contact with the insurance company to get all of that mess started, lol

[journeyofme 2]

Welcome! I haven't posted much but I have learned so much here. I'm about to walk out the door now for my seminar. I'm so excited.

[Kelly G 31]

Thanks, and welcome to you as well!! My biggest worry is the money aspect of it (I'm sure I'm not alone in that!). After insurance I am going to have to pay around $5500 (my annual insurance deductible + co-insurance out of pocket maxiumum). And if I am understanding the literature from the seminar correctly, I am going to have to pay that up front before the surgery takes place. Yikes!! I'm going to have to finance that somehow!!