New to this and so impatient

[mhorton4 0]

I had my first appointment in November and began my 4 month insurance mandated diet December 2nd.

I want surgery now... how do I wait until April... or even longer before I get my surgery date?

[Elode 8,093]

@@mhorton4 Well you just do! It a right of passage! lol! Plus you need some of that time to research and learn all you can about the surgery and life after! Patients is highly required through this process! Good luck it will be over before you know it!

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Besides the mandated diet there will be all sorts of testing. You also need this time to learn to each slow and how to separate eating and drinking by 30 mins. It's harder than it sounds and many folks make themselves sick or in pain by not eating slow enough. April will be here before you know it.

[brennasmom 24]

I am two months away from completion of my six month insurance mandated weight management I am anxious for my surgery approval. I appreciate this time to realize how my life will change. This is a tool not a quick fix. I realize this every day. You can do it. Just hang in there.

[JustJaime5 32]

I was impatient as well. I had a 6 month wait after my May visit so almost 8 months total. Like the other veterans here have said (and they are totally right) that time ended up being really good for me. There was the testing, I researched endless recipes so that I knew what my expectations would be ultimately, watched a million YouTube videos of folks post op for helpful hints and suggestions as well as finished all the tests. I felt like my surgery would never come but the last month flies by so you can't count that.

Make the most of this time. Surgery will be here before you know it. I'm 3 weeks out already and still adjusting. But not regretting the decision in the least. Good luck and hang in there.

[downsizingdiva 459]

I started in March and I'm not scheduled til Jan 15. I wanted surgery so bad I could taste it. I have countdowns on my phone stuff marked on my calendar. I about went nuts lol. But its almost here and I still can't wait but it's gotten better. You'll see how time flies .

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I honestly think you are fortunate -- both that you want it so badly and that you will have some time to learn about what this journey is about before you embark on it. There's a lot you can learn and a lot of behavior changes you can make starting today that will help you be successful after surgery.

Make a list of all the behavior changes you will be making -- and starting making those changes now.

I did that, and it has helped me enormously!

Very best to you.

[McButterpants 2,846]

Make good use of this time...April will be here before you know it. I made my decision in August and had my surgery in November - some days it felt like an eternity, other days I panicked because I didn't feel prepared.

Take this time to:

Learn how to eat like a sleever...chew each bite 20 times use an appetizer fork and spoon for smaller bites

Sit down to one meal a day with no distractions - eat in peace and listen to your body, see how quickly you fill up.

Experiment with shakes - try different flavors and textures. (Don't over purchase, your tastes may change post-op)

Start an exercise program - start walking. Be in the best physical shape you can be in prior to surgery - it will help with recovery.

Research on forums like this - you will be a better post-op patient.

Get your head straight - start addressing the reasons you got to the point of weight loss surgery. For me, the biggest obstacle in this whole process was the emotional aspect - I wasn't prepared and had to tackle my emotional eating issues/addiction during recovery. That was hard.

Best of luck to you!!!!

[Kindle 8,667]

Ditto to the above. I decided to have WLS in the spring of 2013. My insurance didn't cover it, so I spent day and night researching options. By July I had decided on which procedure and chose a surgeon. But with my work schedule I couldn't have surgery until December. I spent those 5 months learning everything I could about the procedure and postop issues, reading Bariatric books, taste testing Protein shakes, weaning off caffeine, and basically getting emotionally and mentally prepared. I was SO ready I even started my preop diet a couple days early. And with all of my preparation, I didn't run into any unexpected surprises. I was ready for the worst and luckily the worst did not happen!

Good luck, and take advantage of this time to start getting rid of bad habits, work on any mental food issues, changing your routine, etc. It's easier to make one change every few weeks than it is to get it all lumped together in the first few weeks while you're trying to recover from surgery.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Kindle

[Fatdiva14 47]

Ditto to everyone's responses. I started this journey in June when I visited the Doctor for the information session. My insurance required mandatory 6 months of nutrition classes (so you are definitely luckly). My monthly visits went fast, ending in Dec. I just received my date (Jan.21) a week ago, and I gotta say, if it weren't for this for this forum, I would've pulled my hair out. Everyone in this community are so nice, helpful and supportive.

I started reading all of the posts everyday until I was comfortable enough to post questions or thoughts. You will definitely learn a lot about what to expect before and after surgery.

Good luck on this journey.

[alwaysvegas 702]

Everyone has already said it so well, but begin making life-changes now, so that your healthy lifestyle simply be a habit post-surgery. In the months leading up to my surgery, I lost almost 50 pounds and my lifestyle changes included the following:

• Stopped drinking soda.
• Stopped drinking caffeinated coffee.
• Began trying different Protein drinks/powders and experimenting with sugar free Torani syrups.< /li>
• Began tracking calories on MyFitnessPal. I originally started at 1700 calories/day + exercise calories and then dropped it 1200/day + exercise about a month before surgery.
• Quit smoking. 20-year addiction gone...and good riddance.
• Began walking 3 days a week.
• Began at the gym. I started by doing the ellpitcal 20-minutes a day for three days, then worked up to five days, then worked up to an hour. Later, I added in weights.
• Cut out most carbs.
• Began eating lower-fat proteins/cheeses.

You won't believe how fast you can change your lifestyle around in a just a few months to the point where living healthy becomes a habit.

Best of luck to you on your journey!

[LisaGB 29]

I found out that my insurance would cover bariatric surgery a year ago, started my 6 month mandatory physician assisted weight loss sessions in July, my last visit will be next week. Looking at surgery in March. I am glad to have this time to learn about the surgery and process what changes I need to make. Can't wait!

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I couldn't agree more about the exercise part. I swear that was a large part of the reason why I had no problems post op.