Anyone from North Houston Texas here?

[HunnyBlossom 10]

@@kaitlynm, I keep finding myself staring at your stats. 85 pounds lost since October! That is simply amazing! I need to have the balls to post those numbers to my profile, in hopes that soon it will inspire someone else!

Do any of you attend the support group at Memorial? Or anywhere?

[ndavis1991 11]

I'm using Dr Howard as well. Surgery is scheduled for April 26. I'm also curious about support groups.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[Puddles 23]

Live in Kingwood, Tx. Had my sleeve done on March 22 at Memorial City, Memorial Hermann with Dr Primomo. Great experience so far. Going for my first follow-up today. Excited to see how much weight I have lost. (Do not have a scale at home presently as we just recently moved internationally and all of our furnishings are in transport).

Water intake is increasing daily, 5 days post-op had 36 ounces. Can't wait to move up to pureed/soft foods to be able to increase Protein intake.

[kaitlynm 335]

I do attend the support group at Memorial Hermann in the Woodlands every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Sometimes I get a lot out of it, sometimes not so much. Many people come to the support group before they have their surgery to get answers to questions. I started about a month after my surgery. I think anyone is welcome, you don't have to have had your surgery at MH. There is even one person who had theirs in Mexico. Most people do have Balette, Howard, or Turnquest as their surgeon, but I don't think it is a requirement. The meetings are totally free and they are held in the main conference rooms by the Pinecroft entrance.

I'm down 74 since my surgery in Oct, and down 92 in total since I started trying to lose weight since June. I hit a goal this week of getting below 195 for the first time in at least 20 years. My next goal is 186 which will be 100 pounds lost. I work out a lot right now because I'm not working at the moment. I'm scared of what will happen once I don't have the time to keep it up. Today I had an interview and I put on a suit I bought last summer for when I lost weight and it was already too big. I've already spent a fortune on clothes. Anyway when I looked in the mirror today I felt like a normal person, not really over weight. I still have a long way to go, but that was an amazing feeling. It really gave me confidence for the interview as well.

[kaitlynm 335]

@@Puddles, keep up the good work and really keep up the Water intake. I used to drink tons of Water before my surgery and didn't pay much attention when they were lecturing about the water intake. Just thought that didn't apply to me. About 2 mos after my surgery I got really dehydrated. I was dizzy every time I stood up, etc.

Also don't worry if you don't lose weight today. All the IV fluids from the surgery take awhile to get out of your system so you don't always lose for the first few days. Just hope for slow and steady. Less issues with loose skin that way.

[cowboys4life 226]

Hi, I have surgery tomorrow in Austin Texas

Craig Martinez

Austin, Texas

[Puddles 23]

Kaitlynm - Good luck on the interview!

I was surprised to be honest. Lost another 7 lbs since surgery. I did not think it would have been that much for the very reasons you mentioned with the fluids from surgery etc....

Doing fairly good in the Water department. Minimum that I get in is 20 oz. Try to keep water bottle with me at all times, so take frequent sips.

Got the go ahead for full pureed. Get to add Cream of Wheat - can't wait!! Appointment was done at peak traffic so Mr and I stopped for dinner. I ordered a Soup. I ate the broth from it as it was difficult to get to the right consistency and a couple tsp of his potatoes. Was enough to feel satisfied at the time. When we got home I put the rest in the blender and have enough to last for several days.

[lyssy 0]

So glad I found this thread. Can I join?

Dr. Balette is mine doc! I live in Spring (Aldine-Westfield/1960 area) I also have BCBSTX and have had my blood work, psyc eval and met with the nut. Paperwork was submitted on 03/15/16 to see if they will approve. I was told 15-20 days.

It is really hard for me to tell if I will be approved. My BMI is 37.2 but I don't have other major health issues (yet).

How long did it take from time paperwork was submitted?

[HunnyBlossom 10]

@@lyssy, Your insurance didn't put the BMI requirements in their documents? I'll keep my fingers crossed with you!

[lyssy 0]

@@lyssy, Your insurance didn't put the BMI requirements in their documents? I'll keep my fingers crossed with you!

I don't know. Cheryl (Dr. Balette's nurse) is handling all that.

Any idea where I can find that?

I do have other health issues (back, hip, knee and foot) but no HBP, diabetes, etc.The waiting (weighting - ok, that was bad) is torture.

[HunnyBlossom 10]

@@lyssy - You can always Google BCBS Texas Bariatric Surgery Requirements. For my insurance with no co-morbidities, I have to have a BMI of 40. If yours isn't different, hopefully they find a way to get it through!

Although I live in Texas, my insurance is through BCBS of MN, and has different requirements. I'm in month four of required visits, cause I screwed up in December and missed because I didn't realize my PCP visits before the surgeon visit would have counted as a part of my 6 months of required visits. Off the top of my head, I don't think BCBS of TX requires 6 months of visits though. Crazy how different it is from state to state!

[Puddles 23]

Each insurance is different, even within the same company sometimes. Our insurance stipulated if between 35 and 39.9 BMI they would not consider unless there were 2 co-morbidities. Over 40 BMI did not have to have any co-morbidities to qualify to submit.

I started the process when we were overseas and was going to submit myself as I had US insurance in Australia. As it was the week before I was going to submit, we found out we were moving back home so I was able to find someone who would take me in transfer of care. I continued to see the bariatric surgeon there to keep a continuum of care. Once we returned, I saw their physician and nutritionist, they then submitted the paperwork. I am not exactly sure when they submitted the paperwork, but I believe it was approximately 2 weeks when I got an answer.

Good Luck!!

[kaitlynm 335]

BCBS took 21 days from when my paperwork was submitted until they notified me. I was on cobra so that may have had something to do with it as well. I was a 49 BMI so no problem qualifying there. Hope you get to go through with it. Cheryl has done a lot of these so she should be able to get you through if there is a possibility to do so. Luckily no 6 mos of supervised diet so that speeds things up considerably.

[kaitlynm 335]

Great news @Puddles. I remember eating a lot of cream of wheat during that phase. Soon it will all be a distant memory. Even though you can eat anything you will still be looking for something other than chicken or fish. I may start laying eggs soon.

Next step is not getting discouraged when the dreaded 3 week stall hits. Just about everyone stalls somewhere between week 2 and 4. It seems like it lasts forever but just keep to the plan and the weight will start coming off again.

[kaitlynm 335]

Good Luck @cowboysforlife I hope things are going well for you!