Hey there. Well I am a strong supporter of the surgery. I had VSG 5/2012 and have lost 106 lbs. I am 5 foot and pre surgery weight was 297 and BMI 55. I am 45.I also suffered no comorbitibies. I did not have insurance to pay for surgery.

I have been on every diet and this is my second WLS. Been heavy my entire life.

Aside from feeling great my life has changed in so many ways. I run daily, I can participate in any activity without fear, I snowshoed up Mt Rainier yesterday.

Is it the solution? No.

You will have to work hard, change your ideas about healthy eating, and move. The surgery gives you the ability to see your actions can have results and it will motivate you to continue.

The hardest part is not surgery..........its changing you and soul searching.

If your ready for the (al)most hardest and most rewarding work you've done, its for you.

Choose your surgeon wisely and ask alot of questions.

Obesity help, bariatric pal, the world according to eggface, and 300 lbs down are all great places to gather info.

Your futgure is bright no matter your decision.

I am 5'2" as well I had surgery in Oct 2012 I was 315 the day of surgery but my highest weight was around 330. I have lost 126 pounds. Attending a seminar is a wonderful place to start. I did not have to do a six month diet and my insurance did cover it... Good luck to you!!!!

WLS is a wonderful tool. The seminars will teach you a lot. I also recommend you attend some post surgery support groups so that you really see up close and personal what the process is like. Try to identify what your Kryptonite foods are and start dealing with them now. WLS will not cure a food addiction. If you are prepared to permanently let your problem foods go you can have some great success. However if you reincorporate all of your Kryptonite foods back into your life you will discover that anyone can out eat WLS. Foods made from ground grains were my Achilles Heel-especially rice noodles. One taste and I lost all control. I do not look forward to eating them again someday- I let them go. I have no plans to ever eat them again. They were killing me. Feel free to add me I have a open diary. I have lost around 44lbs since 11/20/13

I had my surgery at the end of Jan 2013. I did alot of reading, visited many websites including Vertical Sleeve talk and others mentioned here. I spoke with 3 different doctors and listened very carefully to the ones that I have a good relationship with and trust. Part of the program I am in, it is required you join their support group pre surgery and you commit to follow up with them for at least 2 years post surgery. I had other health issues including heart issues I was born with, high blood pressure and joint pain.

I will say this. It is not a magic pill, but rather an effective tool. You have to be willing to do the work and know that this is a lifestyle change for the rest of your life. But it works!! I have been heavy since I was 4 years old, and it was nearly impossible for me to lose weight. I began at 327 lbs and lost 25 lbs pre sugery. At almost one year post surgery I am now down a total of 117 lbs, and would like to lose another 30. My heart health is markedly better, and the high blood pressure is completely gone. I am now dealing with the joint issues, but am in such a better place to deal with it.

Do your research. Talk to people. Speak with doctors that you trust, and do what you feel is the best thing for you.

Good luck! And you would like to friend me for support, feel free!!

Susan

Before I even started looking into WLS, I knew a few folks who'd had it. Two with R\Y, (one lost all his weight and is SUPER fit and active now, and the other lost over 100 lbs and has her life back, though she has a ways to go to "healthy". I also have a friend with a lap band who didn't fare so well, (weight regain and still can't eat normally). I had 100lbs to lose and decided on the sleeve over R\Y because I didn't want the malabsorption issues present with the bypass. My insurance paid most of the cost. I also happen to work for a great hospital and my employee benefit picked up the rest. I'm over half way there and based on what I've seen with my R\Y friends, I know the only way I'm going to get where I need to be is to not not get complacent. I have to work with the tool and maintain proper diet and exercise if I'm going to succeed long term. I've made a habit of getting up an hour early every morning to get my cardio on the elliptical. Next step is some kind of group class to take it to the next level. It's the only way I'll push myself.

Do your research. Most clinics have informational seminars and support groups. Go. Learn the good and the bad. This is a lifetime commitment. Good luck!

I am in the pre-op phase and my surgery is scheduled for 4/7. Most insurance companies cover the procedure but they have different copay and coinusrance costs. I recommend to call them first so you know what you are going to be getting into. I had 3 months of weigh-ins, where I needed to lose 16 lbs, I also needed cardio clearance, pysch clearance, letter of support from PCP, 2 year history of weight problems and to attend support groups. The program at my hospital helped with most of it. I was told that most people will lose between 60-70% of their excess body fat. But I don't know first hand I am really excited about starting the next phase.

Best of luck to you and your journey.

Will insurance pay? It depends. I have Blue Cross and they require a BMI over 40 with no "co-morbidities", (weight related problems), and 35 with them. Your BMI is about 57 based on your height to weight ratio, and you have back problems, so there's a good chance it would be covered, but it totally depends on the insurance company. I had to do 6 months of "Dr assisted weight loss attempt" and have my PCP write a letter of recommendation, do a nutritionist visit and psych consult. I had a BMI of 36 with an armload of weight related issues and meds to treat them and I was approved the first time through..

The procedure its self went really well. I was released from the hospital after 24 hours, (normal is 48), took no narcotics to manage the pain and went back to work 10 days later. At 5 1/2 months out I've lost about 75% of my weight and wear a size 8. Seems unreal, but I have a few lbs to go before I hit the "healthy BMI" range. I hope to lose an even 100 lbs and level out at 135 lbs.

So it went really well, I'm healthy and happy and comfortable in my own skin now, but I work at it every day. I log every bite in My Fitness Pal. If I don't, I don't get the nutrition I need, (75g of protein). When I get busy and unfocused, I tend to under eat, and get dehydrated so I'm more food focused now than when I was "dieting". I burn at least 600 calories 5+ days per week in cardio exercise. I do it at 4:30 AM before work because I know I won't feel like it afterwards. Believe it or not this is actually something I enjoy now.

So can it work? Absolutely! But you have to "work it"! Good luck!

I was sleeved September 12, 2014.....

This is THE BEST THING THAT I HAVE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF!!!

This is the not the magic cure but it is the best tool ever!

Feel free to message me if you have questions!

Hello, I was sleeved December 30,2013. It is the best decision I ever made. My insurance paid but I had several hoops to jump through. I started with my family doctor the year before and lost 35 pounds with him. Then there was a required support meeting [which I still attend to get some good information], I had a seminar that discussed all the different surgeries so I decided on the sleeve. I had to have 3 educational classes discussing what to expect and how my life needed to change, phsy visit, a visit with a cardiologist, a blood specialist [since I form blood clots easy], colon checked out, barium swallow test. Probably more. I saw every doctor at the hospital. I was checked from head to toe. I just told myself it was all for my safety. It also gave me time to keep reading thru my notebook from the educational classes. With the weight loss center I lost 30 pounds before surgery and 30 pounds after. I was getting upset that I had not lost more until I stop to figure that was 30 pounds in 3 months. I obsess over the numbers on the scales which my doctor has told me no scales in my house.

I have gone from a size 26/28 before surgery to now a size 22 that is getting to big. This is the best decision I ever made but not the easiest. I can remember after surgery not being hungry but needing to eat to get in my protein. Then the hunger came back. That is where the work really starts.

Before surgery I started out [with my family doctor] weighing 345 pounds. Like I said I lost 35 pounds with his help, I started at the weight loss center weighing 310 pounds and now I weighed in last week at 250 pounds for a total of 95 pounds. I have a jar I put beautiful colored stones in. 1 stone for every pound.

Before surgery I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, very high bmi, sleep apnea, history of blood clots, retaining fluid in my legs, seizures, acid reflux. I love my new life style. My favorite saying is I am a work in progress with God's help. Feel free to friend me if you want.

Good luck on your journey.
Kaye