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Surgeon Testimonial Mark Pleatman MD Good news, the program fee for Doctor Pleatman was reduced to 1500.00 for 2 years of after care! That was dropped down from 3500.00. Dr. Pleatman is a very competent surgeon. He is very confident of himself but backs of his confidence with a lot of technical information. The information meeting about the surgeries he performs is full of very useful info to help you make a decision about which type of surgery might work best for you. His staff have been very informative and patient in answering all of my questions and concerns. I am happy with my decision to use his facillity to have my surgery. kcarie's Journey Click Here To View Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery. I have hated my self for many years. I have been angry and disgusted at the fat on my body and at my self for allowing it to be there. In high school I was thin but didn't realize it. I began to gain in college and have never stopped since. My family has suffered tremendoulsy because of my weight. Every day that I would wake up saying today is the day for you to begin this or that new diet, I would ultimately fail by dinner. I would yell at my husband and kids and take out my anger on them. My husband is thin and can not understand the weight issues I have. When I think of all the times that I have had severe mood swings and been so mean to him and to my kids, I feel ashamed. It has not been fair to them. I would be on another weight loss program... Latest Surgery Support Comments
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Any woman who has had this surgery and lost significant weight will understand this avatar if they have put on a bathing suit! LOL!
My Story
  I am a 30 year old married mother of 2. I have not been heavy all of my life just most of it. I am scheduled for a consult and am feeling pretty scared about the whole deal. I am having secret thoughts of happiness that I might actually feel like a person again if I go through with this. I prayed as a teen for my very over weight sister to lose weight. I felt so bad for her that I told GOD that I would be fat for the rest of my life if she could be thin. She just had surgery a month ago and now I am realizing that I really didn't mean the REST of my life LORD!:) It's time for me.  7/31/06.....I am updating this file. I started this process back in 2003. I just had my surgery on the 7/28/06. I am now 33 and have 3 beautiful children. 2 boys and 1 girl. I was deinied in 2003 because of lack of documentation of 3 consecutive years of failed diet attempts. Also, my primary at the time would not support me even though he acted like he would. Now as for that it was devistating but God knew better for me and gave me a beautiful little girl in 2004. Not to mention, the surgeons fee was reduced to 1500 down from 3500. I had to jump through hoops to get this done but I have finally gotten there! I did 12 months with a dietician and periodically saw my primary in between. I had to go to a step 2 appeal and meet BCN in person and that finally did the trick. I did not have too many co-morbid conditions, luckily. This will change my life. I hope that my profile will inspire and educate some one just as the many profiles I read did for me. I am begining this journey again but starting at the time I started seeing the dietician. Good lick to every one going through this! 2/3/05....So it has been almost 2 years since my last post. I had another baby on 4/21/04. God does know what is best and He gave me a beautiful daughter. I have not been pursuing weight loss steadily because of being pregnant and then nursing for the past 9 months. I just found out yesterday that BCN has changed the criteria for surgery. They are only seeking 12 months instead of 3 years of doctor supervised weight loss attempts. I am so excited!! I did manage to lose a few pounds while I was pregnant. I had gallbladder attacks the whole time and could barely eat. Since I have had it removed, I have gained back all of the weight I lost. I am calling today to see my doctor and get started again. Now..if I can just get this baby off the boob I will be good to go!!:) 7/4/05.....I have been seeing a nutrisionist and my pcp to meet the 12 months of criteria required by my insurance company. I will have that 12 months in February of 2006. I can't believe I have been persuing this for more than 3 years. I had lost about 4 pounds at the last meeting with the doc. I have gained it back though. I have been swelled lately but my doctor doesn't seem concerned. I keep thinking that this time next year my life will be so different. I keep looking at the clothes in my closet and think that this will be the last summer I have to wear this same crap. I can't wait. 7 months to go.
9/26/05.....I am still seeing the nutrtionist. I have lost nothing. I can't say that I am trying overly hard either. I have been so busy this summer with doing things for every one else. I have a baby shower planned for my younger sis in October. I am working on getting all my garage sale stuff out of the garage so I can let down my treadmill again. I want to start walking again. I can already see that I am going to have a problem with cooking for the family after surgery. I find it hard already to keep our meals seperate. I have just been bad all around lately I guess. I am trying to get back on the ball. 5 months to go.
12/30/05.....I have been seeing the nutritionist every month for almost a year. I started seeing my doctor first and then began seeing the nutritionist as part of meeting the 12 consecutive months of failed diet attempts. I figured that I would either loose weight or get the 12 months of documentation that I need. I can't believe that I have just about a month to go and then I can begin the process of getting approved. I can't believe how long I have been working at this. I can't wait. I did get all of the stuff done for every one that needed done right away. My sis had a 6 lb 10oz boy on 10/30. After a bit of struggle and a surgery he is finally home and expected to be healthy and fine! I think my husband is getting freaked out a little. He says that he has begun to accept me fat and is afraid of sagging skin. I think he is more afraid of having to help more with the kids. I have 3 and I know that for maybe the first month or so I will need help mainly with cooking. He'll live. My fears at this point are what if they go and change our insurance right before this? I will freak out! I am starting an exercise routine with my 10 year old. He really has gotten quite chunky lately. Tonight I saw him with out his shirt for the first time in a while and I am shocked. Tomorrow I am throwing out all of the ice cream and sweets. My husband with a major sweet tooth will be mad but oh well. He doesn't have a weight problem. I just don't want him to have to be teased. He went to a pool and realized that he couldn't get up on a play structure because he was too heavy to jump up there. He is excited about exercising with me. We'll see later! I don't know if anyone has ever read any of this but if you do, pray for me.. I really want this whole surgery thing to work out. I just can't wait.
1/23/2006......WOW! It has been almost 3 years to the day that I have been trying to get this thing rolling. Today I think it might actually happen. I have my 12 months of supervised diet completed. I have an appointment with my pcp on the 8th of Feb. I will need to have her give me all the refferals and write the letter to my insurer. At least she is willing to work with me about this, unlike my last doctor. I am going through so many emotions and I haven't even found out whether I will get an approval. I have talked to my husband about the "what if I die" thing. I want him to know what I want for him and the kids. I don't really think that I will die. I think that I am going to get thin and my husband and I will have a better sex life! :) All of my fantasies are with him. We have been together since I was 19 and I still feel in love. Even though no one can get me more angry, I know that all of the good out weighs the bad. God really gave me a blessing in him. Any how, what a roller coaster I am on. Every day I look at the clothes I am wearing and think that I can't wait to throw this crap away. I gained wieght at my last appt with the nutritionist. I thought that I had over the holidays. Plus every time I go there I am on my period. I am trying to find the time to get on the treadmill. I have that 21 month old tornado that doesn't let me get much time alone or any thing done. I am going to look into a gym mebership down the road that offers babysitting in the price. That alone would be worth it. If any one reads this, keep praying for me. I think I will need to be committed if this doesn't go through--again!
2/7/2006..... What a journey! I finally have an appointment with the surgeon. I am still very fearful that I won't be approved. More than likely I will be denied by Blue Care Network the first time around any how. That is what the I just hope that is not the case and that they do not find any holes in my 12 consecutive month criteria. I just don't think that I can do this without some kind of psychiatric drugs or some thing! Keep praying. I go to the surgeon on the 15th of this month. Maybe by the end of this month I will have submitted to the insurance co. and have a surgery date! One can be hopeful!!
3/7/06..... Here I go again! I just got a call from the psychiatrist saying that she'll see me tomorrow and that my report is already done. Maybe I will be submitted to the insurance in the next 2 weeks? I am geeked out right now but trying to be reserved untill I get the approval. God help me.
3/21/06......Well, I guess that even if you answer questions honestly on the psych eval and you come out looking pretty normal, they still try to find something wrong with you. They figured I couldn't just be a good decent person so they think I tried to answer my questions to make myself look good. How stupid. They came back with some off the wall personality traits that I have that are just not true. Like I am impulsive and a thrill seeker. It is such a joke. I am 33 years old and have been with my husband for 15 years this year. By the way he was my second boyfriend ever. I have only gone out to a bar about 2 times ever. We are such boring people. Some times we might opt to go to meijer on Friday night instead of K-mart sincle they are open 24 hours!! I am the hub of the wheel in my family. I am a stay at home mom. My life is filled with excitement! It is just a load of crap that they try to make me look bad. I don't know what kind of impact that this could have on me getting approved but mostly it made me mad. I take a lot of pride in being honest and sincere. I felt like I was called a liar right to my face. Any how, I have a tentative date!!! My surgeon should be submitting to my insurance tomorrow. they have once again penciled me in for surgery on the 9th of May. I am not really excited this time. I guess that I will believe it when I see it. I have been trying to prepare for the things I need but I feel like I could be setting myself up for a big disaster again. I just don't think I can take the let down again. This time I will just wait until I know for sure...one way or another. Hopefully I will hear within a month. I am sure to let it be known.
4/10/06......Well today I am waiting to hear from my primarys office in regards to an approval or denial. All I can say is that be a little pushy if you have to. My surgeons office sent a packet of papers and documents back to the PCP about 3 weeks ago. All of that was to be double checked by the doc and then forwarded to BCN for reveiw. Well the only thing that was sent was the request for surgery without the documentation. Ugh!! Even though I had been speaking with the girl at the PCP's office that is to handle all of this about every 3 days or so, she still didn't understand that All the papers should be sent. So Thursday I think that all was finally sent and I was told that I should hear from her in the next few days. It has been frustrating but I really like the girl I have been working with. I Just dont think that they have done enough of this type of approvals to know all the in's and out's. Any how, it would really help to know if I will be getting the surgery on that tentative date. My husband needs time to request the time off. I am the driver for school in the am for my kids and a few neighbors too. I need to make arrangemnts and I don't like to wait till the last minute. Hopefully soon!!!
4/27/06.....Today I feel like I am dying. I have been denied 2 xs now and am working on the 3rd appeal. Aparently the dietician was not keeping very good notes. Some how she does not state much about the exercise plan I was on or even the type of low calorie diet she suggested for me. I would like to sue them for my money back. I think that the cost of the case would be more than what I paid though. Still, I have never felt so depressed. Also. I am missing the month of September because she cancelled on my Sept. 28th appointment and I could not get in to see any one for the last 2 days of that month. Of course I thought that I had it all together and in March I did not see any one. I am going to have to start completely over! Another freaking 12 months! I feel like I have been pregnant for a year only to be told it was a joke. All of the planning and dreaming about this new begining has be blown away again....unless one of the appeals goes through. I do not feel hopeful. What a waste of my time, effort and money! Pray for me.
6/29/06.....I just came back from my in person, step 2 grievance with Blue Care Network. I sat with 3 of their employees. One was the director, one was a medical doctor and the other seemed to be just an employee that was pulled into the room for the 3rd seat! I have no clue as to how it went. Of course they are very nice to you. Geez, they even had water and tissues in the room. I felt like I did not know what the hell to say. I could only restate why I felt that I had 12 consecutive months of failed diet atempts. (doc. supervised) I explained a little more of my history to them and I guess that I will hear from them before the holiday. I began praying right when I left the building. I can't even imagine what a yes would feel like at this point. If I ever get this surgery I am going to restart this journal and give the shortened version. If I get denied it will be on to the Michigan Insurance commisioner. If I still get denied from there...well at least I will be that much closer to getting another freaking 12 months of failed doctor supervised diets!
7/5/06.....I AM FINALLY APPROVED!!!!! I waited until today to call and totally expected another denial. I couldn't let myself believe that I would get approved because I couldn't take the denial again if it happened. So when I called the guy read the letter to me that started by saying thankyou for coming and then he said "we are sure that you will be pleased....approved...code..." I am sure that there were words in between but I couldn't hear them! This has taken over 4 years since I started. I already know that I will probably not get in until the end of August. I have to wrop my brain around this again. I felt ready in March and then I allowed myself to make summer plans and now I feel out of it again. I don't want to cancel the kids camping plans. I have already paid for it. Then the surgeon is out for 2 weeks in august! He wont do surgery the week before in case of complications. Then I have to figure out how my husband will be able to take the time off of work after taking a vacation!!! I am so excited but scared to death too!! Thank you God!
7/19/06.......OMG!! My surgery date is scheduled for the 28th of THIS MONTH! I have been running around here like crazy trying to get every thing in order. I have already went in for the pre-op testing and met again with the surgeon. I feel scared to death. I am just nervous about the surgery and comming out of anesthesia. I have to remind myself that I really do want this and I can make it! I guess it is just overwhelming for me. i am also dealing with issues from my middle child who has developed an array of tics just since school got out. I am not certain about just what is going on with that. I just can't believe it still and I am 9 days away! Keep praying for me. when I come home from surgery I plan to re-vamp this journal. I want to be more updated. WOOHOO!
7/31/06... I made it through! I spent 2 nights in the hospital. At first I couldn't swallow my spit and I felt terrible. I am keeping liquids down now and just had some very runny cream of wheat. I think that some of my pain could even be a hunger pain. I felt better after eating. I was full after only 1/4 cup. I have lost 13 pounds since my July 19th appointment with my surgeon. My stomach has 6 little cuts on my belly and still have a lot of gas pain. I am swollen across the abdomen but I am excited! Thanks to God for seeing me through this. I know that He heard our prayers.
8/5/06.....I feel great! I don't even feel like I had surgery! I have had no ill effects from foods. I am able to get down about 5oz in about 20 to 30 minutes. Thats only liquids. I did eat about a tablespoon of cottage cheese today. I am a little hungry (I think) sometimes. I miss salty snacks like chips and popcorn. I have not had regrets about not eating although I am getting bored with soup. It takes about 4 days to get through 1 can of soup and that gets old. I am getting my vitamins and 60 -80 grams of protein every day. It is hard to cook for the family because I like to taste while I cook and when I deboned that roasted chicken I could not eat it. I can handle it. I have lost an inch in my waist and almost 2 in my hips. My clothes suddenly come up high in my waist or sag on the crotch. I walked last night and felt great. I can't wait till I get on the treadmill again. I am just geeked out over all this! Do I sound okay? Ha!
8/16/06......Wow! I did not know I would feel this good so soon. I have not experienced an energy loss other than the first week. Most of that seemed from surgery its self. I am eating a good variety of thngs. One of my favorites is 1/4 C. of canned chicken with t. of mayo and a little pickle juice (instead of relish) garlic pwd. salt and pep. with a couple crushed saltines over it. I am VERY careful to CHEW many times until it is pretty much pureed in my mouth. Take tiny bites and swallow only small amounts at a time. I am avoiding sugar almost completely. I can tolerate splenda just fine. I also like the crystal light lemon flavor in my water. I have had fish and squash, about the size of my thumb and one round piece of zucchini. That leaves me satisfied. I did notice that if I eat too quickly or do not chew it well, it hurts and I want to bring it back out. Not really vomiting but just more like regurgitaing. I have lost 4" in the hips/belly area (it would be hips if I could find them) 3" in my waist 2 1/2" in my bust Various other amounts every where else. My weight is 250 (270 to start) I have dropped one size almost 2 but I did get into a pair of snug size 16 ( from a 24) Jones New York brand jeans. I am trying to walk on the treadmill but having a problem with my scaitic nerve making my left leg kill me! Today is good though. I am sick of the ptorein shakes but I am trying to get at least one in. I still need more water but I am aware and trying to get it all in. Oh and I got an explaination of benifits from BCN that says that I might be responsible for the costs bacause they didn't approve it. WHATEVER! I guess I have to give them a copy of the letter they sent me with the approval codes on it. I have jumped through hoops since the begining and why stop now? I am not worried.
9/1/06......Today my weight is 244 lbs. That is a 26 pound loss since my surgery date. Does is seem nuts that I feel it is not enough? Realistically 26 pounds in one month is great. I think that if I ever start my period then I will probably drop a few more. I feel like a bloated pig. Yesterday I did manage to get into my size 22 Levis. Even though all the other size 22's fit, the Levis were too tight but now they fit! I don't have any shorts or capris that fit well. I am going today to but a shirt or two that fits right. I have now lost 5.25" in my hips 4" in my waist 3" in my bust 1" in my neck and various other amounts every where else. I have not got on a regular exercise routine. My kids go back to school on tuesday and I will be on a better schedule. I am still not happy with the protein shakes but I need them so I try to choke them down. Ha! I still feel good. I can't wait to get to my first personal goal of 240. That is one pound less than I weighed after having my first child. I have not seen that since he was born 10 years ago. Soon.... :)
9/30/06...Today my scale says 231! I am still feeling great. I have a hard time with getting enough water and protein. I have been puttin unflavored unjury in my coffee and it is tolerable as long as the coffee isn't hot when you put it in. It will clump badly and no one likes chuncky coffee! I can wear a size 18 just fine. They are actually getting a bit big. I can even wear some xl. I am pretty suishy though. I will probably croak next summer when whe have to expose our bodies again. I am a lot colder now. I am wearing extra clothes to bed where as I used to wear summer nighties all winter. Most important I feel good.  10/15/06.......Today I am down to 224lbs!! That is -46 pounds since my surgery on July 28th. I can wear a size 16 for the most part. Maybe a 14 stretch. I haven't tried that though. I just know that some of the 16 stretch jeans are getting too loose. I had my son's birthday sleep over on Friday. We had 6, 10 and 11 year olds. It was an eye opening experience. I am surprised at how sheltered my kid is compared to the other boys. I guess many parents just don't have the same standards as I do. They seem WAY more laid back about the kinds of movies and things they are exposed to. I just wan't them to have the chance to be kids a little longer and not become so desensitized to violence and gore. I did have a hard time not wanting to eat the junk food that I bought for his party. The bad thing is that the kids did not eat nearly the amount that I thought they would. he left over food is very tempting. I told my husband that if the brownies are not gone by tuesday then I will pitch them out. I am feeling good. Plenty of enrgy and I am still excited!
10/21/06...........Today I have been working out for 2 weeks with my neighbor. I actually did an extra workout on one of our off days. As soon as I woke up I kept thinkng that I wanted to walk. Right now I am doing a program that has me walk at a pace of 3 and bumps up the inline every 2 minutes until it his 8. It is hard for me . Then it comes back down a level every 2 minutes until it hits 0 again. When it hits level it jumps up to a pace of 4 and I have to jog for 4 minutes. I have been trying to jog a little in my walk. The most time I have done it is about 1 minute. I made for 4 minutes straight! Yahoo! I do some resistance training too on my husbands Total Gym. It is the one that Chuck Norris endorses. I have been using the program on Fitday.com to keep track of my eating too. It is helping me get my protein up. I still feel good. I am excited about the workout!
10/24/06......Today I finally got my butt back in to see the surgeon. My weight at their office was 220! My scale says 222 but that is okay. That is still down 50 pounds in 3 months! I am still feeling fine. I wore a pair of Tommy H. jeans in a size 16. They fit pretty good. All of the size 18 stretch are too big. I tred on a pair of old navy 16's and they are way too tight. Plus they are low rise and that is not cute on girls with fat around the middle. How ever, if I lay down I can zip them. It is just the big spare tire of fat that gets pushed up that looks terrible. It did flatten out the apron thing . I could imagine what I would look like if I had a tummy tuck. That is only if I focus from the button to the crotch. LOL! It was funny My hair is falling out! God help me. It sucks that you trade one evil for another. I guess 50 pounds is all geat but at the cost of my hair I am not sure. I am trying hard to boost my protein up and I hope that does the trick. I sill wont want to b seen in public if I have this balding head! So much for letting it grow out. If I wear it down to my husbands work party I might end up looking like Gallager (sp.?) But I still feel good!
11/04/06........Woo Hoo! Yesterday the scale said 216! I am so hoping to hit 200 by December 8th. that is my husbands work, Christmas party. I was about 277 the last time I went. I just want to go in there with my head up this time and not feel so huge and ugly. Today I went to the Salvation Army store and stocked up on some pants and a few shirts. You have to love that place. I get brand new with tags on most of the time. Some times it may not have a tag but you can tell it has never been washed. All name brands too. I have ralph lauren and liz claiborne, limited and others. Any how a size 16 jean fits pretty good. I can surgically implant myself into a size 14 but that is really a ways off still. Old navy runs small for me. I can fit a 1x or xl shirt most of the time too. My workouts are going great. I have been able to increase my jog speed from a 4 to 4.5. I can even run at a 5 for 2 minutes. I am still going for a 12 to 10 minute mile. Tonight my legs are sore already and it has only been a few hours since my workout. I walked at an incline of 10 at a pace of 2.5 for about 15 minutes. Wow! it was like climbing a mountain! I feel good! My portion size had increased. I can eat almost a whole lean cuisine. Almost. I can handle peanut butter just fine and love it with an apple. Red meat is doing much much better. Chicken goes down smooth as it always has. Inches are falling off. I lost another 1.5 in my hips/belly area. I am down about 10" there. I have sagging skin at the top of my thighs and under my arms. I am working on putting muscle there. Hope it fill out some.
11/11/06........Today I am freaking out because of the hair loss. I keep thinking that if I keep this up I don't know if it will have been worth it. I do not want to look like this. I know it might even be vain but my hair was the one good thing that I always had. Now it is so thin. Mostly in a male pattern area. Thin on top. Every time I see shorter hairs, I know it is from up top. It sucks royally! I did manage to read some older questions about hair loss and I am very glad to hear that most say it grows back. My nutritionist scared me to death when I mentioned it to her she just said well it will either grow back or just stop falling out. Just stop??? I have been wanting to get it cut but my husband reallly likes it longer. I want to keep it long just for him but I think it is time to get it cut. Maybe colored too. I have also been having real PMS this month. 2 periods in a row! Wow that is almost like normal. I felt like crap. I cried and slept and wanted chocolate! BAD! Thank goodness it is here. I don't know if I could have held off that almond joy for much longer. Even my work out sucked today. I had NO energy. I am still trying though.
12/15/2006......Today I am 203lbs! Weight loss is steady although it never seems fast enough! I have been wokingout more often. My partner is missing in action that is supposed to motivate me. She has some family issues and hasn't been here. I am still tring to keep mving just not as much. I can run for 1 straight mile! It takes 13.5 minutes but I can do it! I got some pictures up. I do not have a before yet. I had avoided the camera so much that I will have to borrow a picture from someone else. My hair is still dropping so I got it cut before Thanksgiving. I love it. I have wanted short for years. I can wear a size 16 with no problem. I can even fit a few 14's. My stuff is sagging but it looks pretty good in clothes so I guess I wont put up any pictures of me nude! (yuck!) Merry Christmas!
12/16/06....I ran for a mile today at a 5 pace! That is a 12 minute mile! WOOHOO! I had my, much fitter than me, husband do my work out and secretly I really hoped he'd fall off the treadmill but he made it. HA! HA! It feels good to be active with him. I would really like it to be part of our lives together.
Honestly I thought I would explode after the 12 minutes. I had been doing a mile in 13 1/2 minutes so this was quite a bump up.
I have a pain right under the left rib cage where my old stomach is. I have been doing crunches quite a bit and some push ups but this soreness dosen't go away. It stinks. It even hurts when I breathe. I do have scoliosis pretty bad. I don't know if it could be related or not. I guess I should go see the surgeon again and ask him.
This morning I ate a sugary cookie before breakfast. It made me have diarhea big time! I did not feel sick just had to go. I am tempted by the junk in this house. I want to bake for the holiday but the food can't stay here or I will eat it. Occasionally I eat a piece of chocolate too. I do not feel like this is bad because my caloric intake is quite low plus the workouts. My main goal for myself is to get into the habit of working out on a regular basis like 4 to 5 times a week and do that for the rest of my life. I plan to change my eatig habits too but I know that I can never over indulge like I did. I just lived life and ate what ever I felt like wothout any thought to what was going in my mouth. If I wanted it I ate it. I just cant live that way.
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