Bariatric AfterCare - You've had surgery now what?

just had the vsg on the 10th and down 29lbs as of today

I had Roux-n-Y bypass on January 19, 2015. Down 81.5lbs since surgery and down 101.5lbs since May 2014. 99lbs to go. My doctor and the office support are amazing. Answers via email or phone whenever I need and great follow-up care. I ended up starting this, because my heart just wouldn't slow down. Even deep asleep, my heart rate never dropped below 100. My cardiologist said, "If you don't lose a lot of weight quickly, you're going to be dead by 50." I was 43 at the time. I gave him the "yeah right" look and he said, "No bullsh*t. Dead."

I had surgery in the US, Daytona Beach, FL, to be precise. Dr. Joel Sebastien from East Coast Bariatrics. One of the best (and sometimes worst) parts of my surgery journey is the required accountability. Insurance paid for my surgery. However, in order to get qualified, I had to go through 6 months of pre-surgery nutrition classes, sign up with My Fitness Pal and allow it to be monitored for the next 10 years, all post-surgery appointments and labs on time... otherwise, I become "non-compliant" and my insurance doesn't pay for anything to do with my bariatric surgery ever again unless I'm dying. Even then, it'll be just enough to stabilize me and they're done. Then, it's all on my dime to finish healing from whatever.

That required compliance is a pain, but it's an absolute motivator. I can't do more than tiny cheats occasionally. Otherwise, I get a call from the Nutritionist or Nurse and after a couple of calls, they start noting it in my file. I suppose I could lie and not enter a "bad food" but that hurts no one but me. So, I eat right, I treat myself within reason and note when a day is out of the ordinary (ill, attended a wedding, went camping). I exercise, because diet alone won't do it, even with the surgery. That's all I can do. Keep on keeping on.

Good luck everyone and keep up the good work.