Honestly, it's been different for everyone that I have talked too.

My insurance is Blue Cross Blue Shield of MS. I went to the weight and bariatric clinic in Oxford, MS. It's about an hour and a half away, but the people at the Memphis one were very rude and I felt weird while I was there.

They gave me a checklist of tasks to complete. They also instructed me to have all my doctors and nurses send my paperwork to them. After I had completed all these tasks (6 months of weight checks, so it was 7 months before I was done) they submitted everything to my insurance company. I was approved 6 days later and the surgery is scheduled. I didn't actually get a consult until after my 6 months. The whole process took 7 months.

I have two friends who were denied twice in the same year (even though both had BMIs over 40...mine is 60) so they went to Mexico and paid cash for theirs. They had a different insurance company (I'm assuming that's what Geisinger is) They both are doing quite well, now. It was $3,800 ea*****luding the flight and meds.

Good morning!

QOTD: I'm preop, but I imagine everything will be easier. In my early twenties, I went to a lot of shows and concerts with friends. Often, I didn't fit in the chairs and I had to ask for another place to sit or stand. This still happens and it's so embarrassing. I can't wait for the day that I'll fit in a normal sized chair.

B: premier protein shake CHOCOLATE YUM!

L: 3 oz. Baked chicken breast, half a yellow squash sauteed with onion and garlic, and a spoonful of broccoli

D: 5 oz. Salmon filet, some kind of veggie

S: 1/2 cup vanilla nonfat Greek Yogurt with a spoonful of PB2

Good morning! It's currently 40 degrees here, but it'll climb to about 68 by noon. Mississippi is notorious for its warm, balmy winter days.

QOTD: I make food baskets with small gifts for the families at my school that struggle the most. I work in an extremely poverty stricken area. Usually I do small earbuds, power banks, phone chargers, books for the readers, $10 gift cards, anything a teen or preteen would like. This year I won't be able to do as many because I'll be paying for my surgery in 2 weeks. I'm sad about it, but sometimes that's how things work out.

We donate most of our extra belongings and time to a local Domestic Violence Shelter that helps abused women and children.

I never donate to the Salvation Army because of the way they treat and charge the people in their shelters and their anti-LGBT political maneuvering.

B: premier protein shake

L: canned chicken 5 oz. with a sliced cucumber

D: remaining canned chicken and steamed veggies

S: 2/3 cup Greek nonfat yogurt

(Already 16 oz. of water!)

Thank you for the tips, especially the water, meat, and binder! I didn't even think of asking the hospital or my surgical team for a binder.

I have heard from several folks that it is hard for them to take their vitamins even when they're powders! I actually just ran across some vitamin patches on bariatricpal.com. Have you ever tried these? They have a wide variety including a multivitamin, biotin, calcium, etc.

I may ask my surgeon if they are effective enough for me to use.

I also find it annoying when I see a post with someone 3 weeks post-op who had a slice of pizza. I want this to work, I want to use it to make my life better. Plus, it's not like we can never eat again.

I'm not judging... Obviously I have problems with food or I wouldn't have a BMI of 60. People are just people, afterall. I just think if you don't follow the plan then you are sabotaging yourself. I will wholeheartedly following all of my surgeons instructions. :-)

Thank you for the response!

Hello,

I am brand new to this site. I have a couple of questions that I would love answered from people that are in separate areas of their WLS journey.

Some background: I am a 27 year old high school English teacher. I have been obese nearly my entire life. Last year, I was diagnosed with Type2 and my doctor suggested WLS. After several months of "trying to do it on my own" I went to a seminar. I have now completed the 6 months of prereqs by my insurance company and my surgery is finally scheduled for next month!!

I'm very thankful to be able to take recovery time, as we don't return from Christmas brea****il 1/3.

To be honest, the entire six months I was scared of getting approved. I don't know why, I'm ready for this change. I even had about 2 weeks where I was really bad, and had lots of fatty foods and carbs. When I finally got approved a couple weeks ago, I couldn't stop sobbing from happiness. Human beings are weird. I think I went through a grieving process sort of... I imagine this will be worse after surgery. Luckily, I have an excellent therapist.

My highest weight ever was last year, 398. I was 378 when I decided to have surgery, and I am sitting at 364 right now. I am 5'5.

Until November 30th, I am on a 1400 calorie low-carb diet with 64 oz water daily. From 11/30-12/7, I am to have a protein shake for breakfast, and 4 oz. of lean meat with 1 cup of veg for lunch and dinner. From 12/7-12/12, I am to drink 4 shakes a day with as many clear liquids as I can drink. The day before surgery, I am to have nothing but clear liquids and nothing after 10 p.m.

Liquids:3-5 days post op

Purees: up to three weeks

Soft foods:up to 8 weeks

I imagine that I will lose at least 15 to 20 lb during the two weeks preop alone.

Some questions!! (Finally, I know!)

1. What protein powders do you recommend? My surgical team recommended Bariatric Advantage, but they are costly and I would need to ship them. They gave me protein, sugar, and total carb requirements and said that as long as it met these requirements I could use it. Does anyone use protein powders for Soups?
2. Did anyone use an abdominal binder? Someone mentioned that this may make me more comfortable after surgery.
3. My doctor said that compression garments will help with circulation and make me feel more comfortable under my clothing after I have more excess skin. Does anyone have a brand that they swear by?
4. What tips or suggestions do you have? I know that everyone is different.
5. When were you comfortable eating solid food? A friend that had it said after a few months, she could eat about 3 oz. Shredded chicken or fish and a bite or two of veggies per meal. Is this about normal? I ran across one horror story online where the girl said that she couldn't eat anything at all for months and that scares me.

I would love to hear from individuals who had a BMI over 40 especially!!

Is there anyone more than 7 or 8 years post op? Long term suggestions?

THANKS!