Thinking about the sleeve, Advice?

[smile121 66]

So i have recently been thinking about getting the gastric sleeve. My therapist is actually the one that recommended it to me.

Just a little background, I am 5'4" currently 278 lbs ( i have recently gained a lot of weight after a breakup) I have hypothyroidism, and depression... currently on meds for both. I have an appt with the surgeon on Dec 19th, and there is a seminar on 12/9 that the receptionist said i should attend.

I have Cigna insurance, i called and they do cover the surgery. I have been on and off WW for 4 years, in 2010 i lost 40lbs i cancelled for about a year, and then rejoined in August, but haven't been consistent with going to meetings or weighing in. I also did Medi Weight-Loss this year i signed up for 3 months, and went regularly for 2. I have all of the paperwork... and all of my bank statements. I have a question about the insurance would that be enough to show that i have tried? I have also done the skinny rules (bob harper's book) Atkins, south beach, starvation, and every other diet known to man. My will power is great... but i can't seem to get below 215lbs.

I am an emotional eater, i have been working on this for a long time... there is a lot of fear with giving up food, and there is a lot of guilt and shame around it.

Anyway, i was wondering what you all did for your insurance requirements and how you deal with the emotional eating, before and after surgery? Thank you!

[Cody's mom 247]

There are so many of us that were more afraid to lose our relationship with food than to lose our relationship with life. The sleeve isn't a death sentence, it's a tool to start you on the way to living again. You will be able to eat all your favorite foods again, you just won't want to sit and gorge yourself and this makes it easier to make better food choices. Make health and happy decissions for yourself, and learn to live again. Best of luck!

[smile121 66]

Thank you for the support! Yes our relationship with food is a tricky one! This is pretty much my last ditch effort to really lose this weight and have a real life. I really want to live, OUT LOUD! I know it sounds silly, but i feel so trapped in this body, and in my mind with my limitations... I think i just don't know who i will be if i am not fat and addicted to food... you know?

[Cody's mom 247]

We live in a life of food, we don't eat to live, we live to eat. We go for dinner, we go for lunches, there's sample tables everywhere we go, so it's difficult to not indulge, but this tool (the sleeve) will help so much. I was a self pay in Tijuana and it was easy. I had started to hide from everyone including friends and family because of the shame and embarrassment, so for me there was no other choice, I had stopped wanting to live all I wanted to do was hide. I think finding out who you are, and who you could be would be an exciting journey, and finding out the new things you can do would far out weigh your fears. "You're never to old to be what you could have been" (and that includes being thin and healthy). I wish you luck!

[Sleeve101 72]

Hi Smile121!

It's a good decision; however it's no walk in the park! Just be mindful that it is a MAJOR surgery and you will struggle for a while before and after the surgery.

I am on day 15 post op and I'm still struggling. Some days I wish I hadn't done it, I feel sorry for myself because I can't eat normally yet, and I even fear if I will ever be able to eat normal food again. But of course, I know that I will and that in a few more weeks, I'll be home free! And skinny soon!

As long as you are aware that it's not easy, then you will do better. Right now I hate seeing the commercials on TV of the happy people dancing around, happy cuz they lost a their weight with a gastric sleeve so easily . I always think LIARS! It's hard! LOL

I'm 5'6", was 220 pre surgery...I'm now 207 after 15 days. Slowly but surely. Just waiting for the day that I can stop with the chicken broth, Jello, etc. I want to eat real food again. And I want to be pain free with out any gas pain or just drink Water pain free.

I hope I didn't scare you, just wish I would have been better prepared before I did this. I'm still happy I did and I know I will have a much better life! I look forward to life now, instead of dreading it because I was so fat and ashamed of myself.

Life will be better than ever very soon!!! Good luck!!!!

[smile121 66]

Thank you Sleeve, I do need to hear these things. I do know that it will not be easy, but I totally need to hear it from people living through it. I have gone through all of these emotions since my Therapist suggested the surgery to me, i have researched and researched and researched... it scares me to death that i won't be able to eat this way again, but it scares me to death that i can. I always think to myself what if this doesn't work? what if i am one of those people that still Snacks all the time, or something. I need this to be a lifestyle change. I am fearful of all of the old emotions that are going to come up and i will actually have to deal with rather than numb with food. Then i think about the other side of the coin and how much i want to have a real life. I am so miserable and lonely now... I really hope that it is better than this!

did you have a hard time with getting approved by insurance?

[smile121 66]

Thank you Cody's Mom!

[Sleeve101 72]

I did...so I went to Mexico for my surgery and paid out of pocket.

As far as wondering if it will work, I can definitely say it WILL WORK. I'm like you, an emotional eater. I've tried to eat things other than the liquids and soft foods and trust me - I CANT. Even if I want to. My stomach can't hold it, so I'll puke. Or it hurts do bad that I have to make myself puke just to ease the pain. And I'm not talking about real food - just more dense food like very mushy, soft, overly cooked veggies...or like 2 lays potato chips because I want it so bad I think I can just sneak it in. I'm now starting to fear food, and just not want it. I don't sneak stuff a lot, as I know it can damage my stomach while it heals, but I've learned the hard way and I'm less and less tempted everyday...I know I'm gonna make it! :-D

[Katcloudshepherd 630]

I had tried everything and spent a whole lot of money to loose weight--BUT when I went for my insurance approval that money spent paid off because I had documentation that I had tried everything. You'll probably have to fill out extensive paperwork, (I did) on your attempts to loose weight. Your documentation of that fact will bolster your request to the insurance company.

I have hypothyroidism and depression and take medication for both. I used food as a drug to numb myself from feeling emotions. After the surgery, I did go through a dark period because I had to find a substitute for the way I was using food as a drug. Since you are seeing a counselor already, that is the absolute best thing you can do before surgery and most importantly AFTER surgery. I saw a counselor after surgery and that is what got me through that dark period, along with exercise and spiritual help through my faith.

I wish I could have had the surgery several years ago. I would have truly started LIVING several years ago.

Best wishes and good luck to you,

Kathleen

[Edavidson 84]

My sleeve surgery is December 10, 2014 at 7:30 a.m. I can't believe i am about to begin a new and better chapter in my life. I am an emotional eater as well however, i want this so bad that i am not worrying about whether i can do this or not. I would not have gone through all of the grief of trying to get approved if i was not determined to succeed. I think that you should try to stay positive and have hope for a brighter future if you are going to go through this. Your life is what you make it. Only focus on what you will look like and tell yourself i can do this. I am on my seventh day of no food, just Clear Liquids and i am doing fine. I will not allow myself to go backwards, only forward. It is the hardest thing that i have ever done but i was ready. To get approved by the insurance, BCBS, i had to have my primary physician provide the insurance company with all of my records of trying to lose weight. She wrote a very strong letter to my insurance explaining my need for the surgery. I then had to go to a Psychiatrist and nutritionist, fill out a ton of paper work and argue with my insurance company for two weeks straight but i finally was approved and went back to the surgeon to set up a surgery date. Please don't give up on yourself, i will be 61 years old in a few months and i wish i had done this sooner. If you are still young give yourself a chance to live. If you don't before you know it you will be my age and will only have a few more good years to enjoy my decision. Gather up all of the courage you posses and think positive, always think positive. Don't worry about whether you can do this or not, just take a chance and do it.

[Cody's mom 247]

I feel bad for sleeve101, it sounds like she's having a rough go, and some people do. Mine was easy, I was shopping as soon as I got out of the hospital, working my horses, cleaning my house and grocery shopping within a few days, and I ate a prime rib dinner ten days after surgery. I skipped all the diet plans set out because of the remote location I work in (I drove nine hours to work a week after surgery), so I had to adapt to my work conditions, I ate what the cooks made. Some people have a rough go of it, and others are able to carry on with out missing a beat. All the ladies that had surgery with me on the same day, are pretty much the same as me, we all jumped up and went shopping and to the beach as soon as we could, and aside from one or two having a few gas pains, went on with our lives pretty easy. So it is different for everyone, but just so you know, it is easy for some, I was shocked at how easy the surgery and recovery was, I was expecting it to be so much more difficult. Everybody is different.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Cody's mom

[Edavidson 84]

I feel bad for her as well, it is a big decision and being addicted to food is not an easy thing to do even with surgery. I feel that she needs a lot of positive feedback to give her the courage to do what she needs to do to get this done. You really did well after the surgery. I have had a lot of surgeries and the most important thing that you need to know is move, move, move. Let's try to keep her upbeat and proactive so that she can succeed.

[smile121 66]

Thank you so much guys! I am very excited for my appointment on the 19th and will definitely keep everyone posted.

I am worried about my insurance approval right now... hopefully i have enough documentation to prove that i have tried.. AND I HAVE TRIED! I have tried just about everything!!! I currently have 2 gym memberships WW membership and i am still enrolled with Medi weight loss. I have spent sooo much money on losing weight in the past decade, it is MIND BLOWING!!!

Thank you all for responding to my post... I definitely need the positive feedback from everyone that has been through this!

[Sleeve101 72]

Thank you Cody's mom! I did have a hard time. I'm normally a tough gal - I'm not afraid of much medical procedure wise....this was just out of left field for me.

But today I am better as I am everyday. I'm going to get stitches out today too - yay! They freakin itch! Lol

I've also progressed to mashed potatos and I just ate a cracker with no pain...YAY!!! I'm down 12 pounds, and I can tell, so I'm staying positive!

I think I wasn't as healthy as I should have been right before surgery. I was anemic and Vitamin deficient. I think that's probably why I've struggled so much.

So make sure you're getting as much nutrition as you can starting today Smile121! You'll recover much much better than I did! :-)

[Cody's mom 247]

@@Sleeve101, it's funny how one's body differs from another. I was one of the lucky ones, and wonder what determines how this pocedure differs from person to person. I'm older so I thought it would be really difficult. My weightloss has not been as successful as yours, but again I'm struggling with getting in my Protein, I hate, hate, hate the shakes all the ones I've tried, and haven't really enjoyed Water again either. We all have different struggles, but in the end, this tool will change our lives and let us live again. Smile101 just needs to know that a little short term pain may give her long term gain..

Best to you and your journey!

Smile101, I don't think there's one of us that hasn't invested piles and piles of money on magic potions, lotions and snake oils to get thin, I could write a book I tell you. If a persons fitness level and weight was determined by the things we've purchased from fitness clothes, to workout equipment to diet meds, we'd all look fabulous! I've probably invest the amount equivalent to a house. Lets hope this is the end of it all!

Edited December 5, 2014 by Cody's mom