NEW, AFRAID, ALONE
Knyece
Posts: 5 Member
Hello everyone, im kniecey. I am in the beginning stages of wls. I had my intial consultation and my doctor recommended the vertical sleeve. I saw him on July 7th 2014 weighing 238.9 pds. I have thus far completed the seminar as well as the 2 mandatory support groups. I have 3 more things to complete and will be done with it all by the middle of Oct. I would love to have some friends to talk to, at this point I find myself a little afraid for reasons unknown, maybe its the unknown? Pain? Hair loss? I dont know, but I would like to know how long did it take anyone after they completed all the requirements before you received your surgery date?
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Hi Kniecey, you are not alone! It's normal to be scared before surgery. But keep in mind that the risks of obesity are a lot higher than the risks of surgery. Obesity is really what should be scaring you more!
I did not have a lot of pain after surgery. The gas pain was definitely there but it was manageable. I took my pain meds as directed and did just fine. I also had to brace my tummy with my hands when sitting down, standing up, etc. for several days after surgery, but really, it wasn't so bad.
I got my surgery date three weeks after receiving insurance approval, but I know that can vary a lot.
Feel free to friend me if you want to check out the daily food diary of someone over a year out.
If you haven't found them yet, there are other good online communities where you can get lots of information and support. obesityhelp.com and bariatricpal.com both have forums for the sleeve.0 -
Thank you SibylDiane, I am totally afraid of obesity as I have always been heavy and have so many health issues right now. I was brought to tears just from you responding.:embarassed: People sometimes forget that just a little care goes along way, I am encouraged, I thank you. Food has always been my security blanket for everything. So the thought of surgery is a little overwhelming. I also probably am so worried about the after because I tend to gravitate to the youtube videos...hmmmm maybe I oughta stop.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. 0 -
Hi Kniecey. SibylDiane is right, you are not alone. There a lot of us here who are either waiting like you for surgery or have had the surgery and now walking the journey. I had very little pain after the surgery and was off all pain meds by the 3rd day out. I too had to hold my stomach when sitting or getting up, but it really reminded me of the empty feeling I had after giving birth, just that big spcae where the baby used to be or in this case the stretchy part of my stomach.
Hair loss. It's normal and most of us experience this. It's temporary and manageable. Start taking Bitoin or Hair, Skin and Nails now and it will lessen the loss. I am 3 years out now and most of what I lost has grown back. The other thing that will minimilize the loss is making sure to get your protein in every day.
I was probably 6 months from my orientation to surgery. Getting sleeved was the best thing I've ever done for myself. It's a great tool, but it's just that, a tool. Use it and you will lose the weight. Keep using it for the rest of your life and you will keep the weight off.
Feel free to friend me and stay in touch if you have more questions. This is a great group of people and a wonderful support network.
Pat0 -
Hi there! I just sent a FR. I am still pre-surgery and what really helped me is when I found this group, I went back and read a few pages of topics. I was astounded at the breadth of people's experiences in the process. It really heped me to set my expectations for the pre and post-surgery life I am signing up for.
I also found a bunch of good people and added friends.
I am heading for surgery on September 30th (I'm on a slow boat compared to a lot of folks here).
Rob0 -
Hello Kniecey, welcome!
I'm Allison and I'm pre-op too. Im in Canada, so it's a different process as far as coverage goes. You will meet a lot of good people here, for sure. I've learned a lot just reading different threads in the forums too. As far as YouTube goes, that can also be a fairly good source for information, however there is some stuff there I found questionable. I make notes and take any questions to either the dietitians or nurses if Im not sure about something.
If you'd like, you can friend me. I'm online every day.0 -
Awww, thank you Allison 0
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Thank you Rob, I am in the beginning stages myself. I won't probably have my surgery until Nov. or Dec. I am still doing all the pre-op testing and doctors visits. I am feeling a lot better about my decision more and more each day. I am so glad your here. 0
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Thank you Pat! I so appreciate your words of encouragement and your knowledge. God bless you on your continued journey!0
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Pat, you changed your profile pic! Love the new pic!0
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Welcome! I get most of my support from this group. Only a small handful of people IRL know about my upcoming surgery. I am scheduled for the sleeve on Tuesday. I started the process a few months ago. I had to do a 3 month supervised diet, during which I got all the other tests and requirements done, and then surgery was scheduled for about a month later. Feel free to friend me if you want to follow the process as I go through it. I'm nervous, but also very optimistic!0
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Congrats on taking those first steps towards changing your life. WLS is an amazing tool that I wish I'd had done a long time ago. That being said, I, too was super scared. I think most of us were. It's totally normal.
I have the sleeve, too. I love it and I am glad I went with it. Feel free to friend request me if you're looking for some MFP support from those who've been there. 0 -
Kneicy, I'm glad you reached out for help and friendship. I was really scared before my surgery, too. I was afraid of failure and all the unknowns. I didn't know about this group prior to surgery, but I discover it a few weeks after. I have found a lot of useful information and helpful hints from many wonderful people here. Many of the people on this site have become like friends. We all have bariatric surgery in common, whether you're pre-op or post-op.
You are not alone. You are among friends.0 -
No one here will ever, ever ever give you a hard time for your choice to choose WLS. We all are here because we are pre-op, post or some somewhere in between. We all have our issues with food (obviously).
The truly important thing is to remember that it's a journey. Your goal is not simply to lose the weight, but to keep it off! I find that to be the hardest. Remember, you will have bad days. Every single one of us has had a few. You'll have one bad bite of food, then pay for it the rest of the day. Or you'll step on the scale, and see no change. It's okay. The next day is a completely new day!
We are all here to help you. You'll find many different perspectives on how to handle the rapid changes you will undertake post surgery. Just ask questions, and we'll be here to answer.
I had my RNY almost 2 years ago. In about 6 weeks I'll have my surgiverary. I'm on here almost everyday reading and responding. I love seeing the stories of all those just starting their journey. The first 6 months are the best part! Take lots of progress pictures because the weight, and the medical issues will just melt away!0 -
HI!
It took me about 2 months from my 1st seminar to my surgical date. However, my insurance co was really fast and didn't have many requirements, and I didn't have any co-morbidities except high cholesterol.
I had RNY in March of 2012. My starting weight was 347.5lbs. I am 5'7" tall, female and 46 years old. I am 28 months post op and have lost around 180lbs. My current weight is 167lbs. I'd like to lose 30 more. My surgery was laparoscopic and really easy and mostly pain free. My recovery was complication free. I have no regrets.
My husband had RNY 2 months after I did. He lost 180lbs and is at goal. His experience as far as pain and recovery was the same as mine and his pre surgery requirements were also met in about 2 months.0 -
I understand the fear. I was very afraid and to be honest for the first two weeks after surgery I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life. Man was I wrong. It got a lot better after two weeks. I just went in for my 1 year check up. I've lost 111 lbs. I have 30 more lbs. to go. It will totally change your life. Good luck with everything. Feel free to ask me anything. I will be totally honest. Best of luck.0
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Don't be afraid! You can do this for yourself. WLS was a godsend for me, and it will be for you, too.
Once I was done with my pre-reqs, it took about a week for me to get approved.
Every situation is going to be different, though, because: (1) we all have different health issues that qualify us for insurance coverage, and it is maybe easier for more extreme cases to get approved; (2) we all have different insurances, which have different requirements and different lag times; and (3) every WLS surgical practice has their own requirements, which can be even more rigorous than what your insurance requires.
Good luck.0
