I'm discouraged

I'm currently doing the physician-supervised weight loss program that is required before having surgery. I'm so disappointed in myself because I am not following anything. I feel like eating anything that isn't nailed down, and I'm allowing myself to do it. This scares me because I know I won't be able to do this after surgery, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to stop. I'm also afraid that if I don't lose any weight on this program, my insurance company will deny my surgery.

I'm just so anxious. I don't want to have my surgery until June, because I'm in graduate school and I want to wait until I'm done classes for the semester. But it just seems like it's so far away! I've scheduled my swallow study and my sleep study and my psychological evaluation, all for March. Now I'm wondering if that is too late to get approval to have surgery in June? I don't know.

I'm also nervous about the psychological evaluation. I'm bipolar, and I'm just so scared that they'll tell me I'm disqualified for surgery because of that. But truth be told, it's well-managed and I've felt better than ever in the past year!

Ugh. So many thoughts. I feel like I'm caught in limbo. It sucks.

I've heard after the surgery (mine is next Wednesday so I can't speak from experience yet) that you're honestly not hungry and kind of have to force yourself to eat for the first months. So, that should comfort you some. You won't be ravenously hungry.

If you've got all your ducks in a row, I don't think waiting til march is too late for surgery in June. I got approved right off the bat because I have everything done.

I was told by the psychologist they made me go to to get approval that all they're really looking for is a history of eating disorders. So, you're fine with just bipolar disorder.

Calm down....take deep breaths. Get everything you can done before so your insurance will approve you (this means getting back on the diet too unfortunately)!

Good luck!

 Just wanted to chime in about the hungry part....

I have had my hunger since 3 days it is real, tummy rumbling, annoying hunger.  I was VERY hungry for the first weeks after surgery, until I started on mushies.  I can manage my hunger great now, by eating high protein foods, every 3-4 hours.

 Its natural to be worried.  I see these same questions continually on here, and in my support groups.  After surgery, some people do not get hungry, some do.  Theres no real universal answer - alot depends on your body.  I do get hungry - my body reminds me when I need to eat.

After surgery, you will learn to listen to your new body.  The sleeve will keep you from overeating too much in one setting, but that is just a tool to help you feel fuller faster.  If you don't eat the right things, or overeat you will not lose and can still gain.  I guarantee you if I went in there and made me some butter sauce and poured it over sugar I would gain and my diabetes would go back out of control, Sleeve or not!

Also after surgery, you will be able to eat and enjoy food again.  You will most likely develop some new tastes - most people I know did.  You will have to develop new habits regarding food, journaling, etc.  to help you manage your weight loss.  I recommend joining a bariatric support group and attending regularly.  It helps me quite a bit.  My surgery center offers a regular support group and a psychiatrist led one.  I sometimes go to both.  The psych one is more of a lecture but provides some good tools for changing how we deal with food and some tools for dealing with stressful situation.  They both help alot.

In my case the psych eval was to make sure I understood what I was doing, could understand the risks, and was prepared to make a lifelong change.  I bet yours is the same.  Just be honest with the evaluator about everything, including being bipolar and how you are managing that.  

As far as getting approval in a timely manner - that all depends on your insurance company, their practices, and the documentation you and your pcp have.  Mine went fairly quickly.  I have seen other people on here have it take months.  My advice is always - Call your insurer and know up front exactly what you need and who they need it from.  They can also tell you how long to expect it to take.  The more you know the more you can participate actively.

When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's difficult to remind yourself that your initial objective was to drain the swamp!

Hi. I am sorry you are feeling down and anxious, take some deep breaths! :)
I know exactly how you feel, I did the same thing pretty much all the way up until my surgery date. Im not proud of myself, just letting you know you are not alone. Its common, we feel like we have to eat everything, because we will never be able to again! Does your insurance require you to lose weight? Your timeline seems fine to me. I was approved two days after I submitted, but obviously all companies are different.

I dont think your bipolar will dsqualify you, I am sure they just want to make sure you understand that this is a life change. Strangly, my DR said that what they look for is history of abuse. I have a history of childhood abuse but she said that I seemed to have my head on straight and a plan to what I was doing.

Just be yourself and try not to worry so much!

Good luck and God bless you!