The long wait.....

[K_aane 356]

Hi Everyone ,

I am here in need of some encouraging motivational words. I have one more appt on June 20,2017 of my six month insurance required visits. I just did #5 today. I am feeling sooo depressed, like this is just within reach but so far away. (: I have cleared all the hurdles, excrpt the last blood work for pre-op. I am just feeling like this has been a long road and hoping nothing will happen to Detour my surgery. I am always a positive person and I am so motivated and ready for the change. I will do anything they tell me to make this a success. Its just such a long time.

Have any of you felt like this? Have you felt like you will never be posting those before and after pics? Are you afraid that you wont lose weight, like maybe all this waiting and it wont bring results?

i know I feel like i am spiraling with all these thoughts. I am just so ready to not be over weight, unhealthy, disabled, walking slow like an old lady, uncomfortable in my clothes, watching youtube videos of before and after and crying my eyes out. Seeing myself as a smaller person until I see a pic and freaking out at how large I am. Watching my 600lb life and seeing these people change their lives, so inspiring and most of all, ,,feeling as though I am the one who maybe wont see but 25lbs come off.....

I think the insurance companies should never make us wait so long. I am 5'1 , 269lbs., hbp, diabetic, with one kidney and lymphedema. I am soooo ready!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for listening to me rant and cry......damn it's a bad day.. .. (:

[ouisch 13]

i'm sorry you are feeling like this. my surgery is scheduled for Thursday. a few years ago i started the process but was unable to pay the out of pocket costs. this last round started in Nov. i had my consult and immediately did my endoscopy at the end of the month.

my first hurdle was when i met with the psych. i am Bipolar so his concern was my last hospitalization. however he had me come back a month later to see him and the dietitian for the second time. i was medically cleared by that visit. he saw that i was stable and that i made progress with diet and exercise. by the end of February i was told my date would be 3/1. then i found out they were still waiting for my secondary insurance approval. sigh, right?

i received my approval two weeks ago. between Feb. and then i felt like it would never happen. i got to the point where 'this was it'. like i had to accept it. but i pushed through. i continued to increase my Protein & cut down on carbs and sugar.

if you ask my mom she will say that i am the most impatient person in the world. everyday i felt like i did something wrong (afterall, why was insurance taking forever?)

but here i am. day 4 of my pre-op diet. this time tomorrow i will find out when i have to be the hospital Thursday. i don't always feel good but reading so many inspiring stories really makes me feel like i can do this. i have no idea how i will feel after i wake up from anesthesia. but let me tell you. i was laying out at the beach this last Saturday and i realized 'by this time next year that i will have that bikini body'! i don't expect to be a size 2 or to lose 100 lbs. in three months. but i know if keep working hard i can make my goal.

like my bf said, keep your eyes on your goals!

[K_aane 356]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and congrats on your date. I will say a prayer for you and look forward to joining you on the losers bench. I will try to focus on my goals.

[ouisch 13]

thank you!

don't give up!

[blizair09 3,250]

1 hour ago, K_aane said:

Hi Everyone ,

I am here in need of some encouraging motivational words. I have one more appt on June 20,2017 of my six month insurance required visits. I just did #5 today. I am feeling sooo depressed, like this is just within reach but so far away. (: I have cleared all the hurdles, excrpt the last blood work for pre-op. I am just feeling like this has been a long road and hoping nothing will happen to Detour my surgery. I am always a positive person and I am so motivated and ready for the change. I will do anything they tell me to make this a success. Its just such a long time.

Have any of you felt like this? Have you felt like you will never be posting those before and after pics? Are you afraid that you wont lose weight, like maybe all this waiting and it wont bring results?

i know I feel like i am spiraling with all these thoughts. I am just so ready to not be over weight, unhealthy, disabled, walking slow like an old lady, uncomfortable in my clothes, watching youtube videos of before and after and crying my eyes out. Seeing myself as a smaller person until I see a pic and freaking out at how large I am. Watching my 600lb life and seeing these people change their lives, so inspiring and most of all, ,,feeling as though I am the one who maybe wont see but 25lbs come off.....

I think the insurance companies should never make us wait so long. I am 5'1 , 269lbs., hbp, diabetic, with one kidney and lymphedema. I am soooo ready!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for listening to me rant and cry......damn it's a bad day.. .. (:

My surgeon is in the same practice that you are using. I went to the office in Metairie and had my surgery in Slidell. I found the six month program to be the best thing that could have happened to me. When I met with the NP the first time, she laid out all of the insurance requirements, and I decided then and there that I was going to make the most of the six months since I had to do it anyway. I lost 99 pounds during those six months (from 397 to 298), but, more importantly, I re-defined my relationship with food, embraced change in eating and drinking, and got a handle on my food demons BEFORE the surgery. That turned out to be such an important part of my journey and has made getting another 100+ pounds off since the surgery easier, too.

The immediate days and weeks post-op are tough. Really tough. And tackling some of the mental hurdles before you actually have the surgery will make those days a little easier to manage. Granted, your six months are almost done, but you do have some time left to get started.

Good luck!

[K_aane 356]

52 minutes ago, blizair09 said:

My surgeon is in the same practice that you are using. I went to the office in Metairie and had my surgery in Slidell. I found the six month program to be the best thing that could have happened to me. When I met with the NP the first time, she laid out all of the insurance requirements, and I decided then and there that I was going to make the most of the six months since I had to do it anyway. I lost 99 pounds during those six months (from 397 to 298), but, more importantly, I re-defined my relationship with food, embraced change in eating and drinking, and got a handle on my food demons BEFORE the surgery. That turned out to be such an important part of my journey and has made getting another 100+ pounds off since the surgery easier, too.

The immediate days and weeks post-op are tough. Really tough. And tackling some of the mental hurdles before you actually have the surgery will make those days a little easier to manage. Granted, your six months are almost done, but you do have some time left to get started.

Good luck!

Thank you for replying. I do love the surgeon and the people at Slidell. Years before even thinking about surgery I changed many food habits. I do not eat fast food or sodas. I cut sugar and have eliminated it. I am a very slow and picky eater. I do not drink with meals. I only drink Water. I do not eat after 6pm and only have one meal a day. Food is not my friend. Even with all of these changes, I still only bounce between 10-15lbs. Lose it then gain it back. I stay away from bread and Pasta. I thought this 6 months would be good and expected to lose 40lbs before surgery. I am down 10. Same story.

I hoped if i did like you, i would have been further along. I guess that is why i am feeling this way. It makes me wonder if i do this, will it work??

So glad to hear from someone close to home.

[Joann454 1,329]

It took me nearly two years from my first appt to surgery. Many setbacks and issues. I know just how you're feeling. Hang tough it'll happen.
Do you log your food so you know exactly how many calories/carbs/protein you're eating? I was on a "strict diet" but once I started logging I realized I was eating 1500 calories. That's literally my current BMR so I wasn't losing a thing.

[thisisthenewme 358]

Thank you for replying. I do love the surgeon and the people at Slidell. Years before even thinking about surgery I changed many food habits. I do not eat fast food or sodas. I cut sugar and have eliminated it. I am a very slow and picky eater. I do not drink with meals. I only drink Water. I do not eat after 6pm and only have one meal a day. Food is not my friend. Even with all of these changes, I still only bounce between 10-15lbs. Lose it then gain it back. I stay away from bread and Pasta. I thought this 6 months would be good and expected to lose 40lbs before surgery. I am down 10. Same story.
I hoped if i did like you, i would have been further along. I guess that is why i am feeling this way. It makes me wonder if i do this, will it work??
So glad to hear from someone close to home. [emoji4]

Hi there, just a quick tip, but one meal a day is not good for your metabolism. You should be eating at least 3 meals a day to keep your body fuelled up. Good luck to you.

[K_aane 356]

Thank you all so much. I am never hungry, it's why I eat so little. Once I have Breakfast a Protein Bar and coffee then my one meal for lunch. I then have a snack and cup of coffee that evening. I drink Protein Water in between.

I will try logging my food. I also drink green juice.

I never understand eating 3 times a day. Skinny people don't eat a lot or regularly eat 3 meals...why must a heavy person do that?

Why does the metabolism slow down when not eating? I cant comprehend that. I am sorry. I changed so much of my eating habits to eat less. I eat when I am hungry, when my body says, you need to eat something.

So overwhelmed....

[thisisthenewme 358]

I never understand eating 3 times a day. Skinny people don't eat a lot or regularly eat 3 meals...why must a heavy person do that?
Why does the metabolism slow down when not eating? I cant comprehend that.

From my experience, 'healthy' people understand the concept of eating regularly to support their bodily functions, approximately 3-5 times a day. Maybe you should google the notion of 'metabolism'?
Also, I'd be including all those Protein bars/drinks as a meal anyway. But your going to be better off replacing those protein supplements with actual food.

[K_aane 356]

I agree. I hate drinking those fake drinks and bard. I would much rather eat real food. Fruits n vegs., protien. But they keep telling me drink the shakes, drink the shakes!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using BariatricPal mobile app

[ouisch 13]

they DO get old, bit you won't be on them forever!

[mamamc32 132]

I am in the middle of the 6 month process right now, and I worry that I will have all these tests and go to all these appointments and I won't get approved. I have to stay positive. That being said, I view it as a time to make some small changes in my diet so that the changes after surgery won't be so drastic. I am working towards cutting out soda and eliminating caffeine (I can't do cold turkey), and I am trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and go out to eat less often. I've lost a few pounds, but I am more interested in making healthy changes than in actually losing weight right now. Maybe you could set some mini goals for eating/exercise during your 6 months, so you don't feel like you are just "waiting" right now?

[Diana_in_Philly 1,426]

@K_aane - I know you are frustrated right now, but this is the time to make the changes and get your head in the right spot. On April 20, 2016, I weighed 271.5. Saw my surgeon for the first time on May 11, 2016. Surgery was on August 23, 2016 (246.9).

I'm now 9 months out - I weigh 177. I've lost 77% of my excess weight. I want to get to 150 because I know at under 150 I look a bit odd (I'm very busty). I'm 5'3" and 55 years old. I have bad knees.

Guess what, it was all worth it - every bit. You can do this. If I did it, you sure can to. The photos are 11 months apart - the one with the girl in the red dress (my daughter) was at her junior prom on 4/20/2016. The other is at her senior prom, about 10 days ago. You got this.

[K_aane 356]

9 minutes ago, Diana_in_Philly said:

@K_aane - I know you are frustrated right now, but this is the time to make the changes and get your head in the right spot. On April 20, 2016, I weighed 271.5. Saw my surgeon for the first time on May 11, 2016. Surgery was on August 23, 2016 (246.9).

I'm now 9 months out - I weigh 177. I've lost 77% of my excess weight. I want to get to 150 because I know at under 150 I look a bit odd (I'm very busty). I'm 5'3" and 55 years old. I have bad knees.

Guess what, it was all worth it - every bit. You can do this. If I did it, you sure can to. The photos are 11 months apart - the one with the girl in the red dress (my daughter) was at her junior prom on 4/20/2016. The other is at her senior prom, about 10 days ago. You got this.

Your pics made me cry. ..thank you. You look wonderful!!! My head is in it and I am fully committed. I just want to see some real results. I have only lost 10lbs so far.... i am 57 and it seems its taking so long for surgery day to get here, that I worry it will never happen. It really is inspiring for me to see people around my age.

Its really been helpful to read everyone's responses. I am ready to go through whatever , I guess I am just being impatient with the process.