ok here goes..i gotta tell you all intill I had this surgey NO ONE knew how much i weight including my hubby!!! Now everyone knows...what a differance a couple of weeks make! Start:318 Surgery:8-22-07 Current:299 now do you count surgery day or day after? I am 13 days out or 12 days not sure loss 19 lbs hug Pamela

I didn't think of that Tammy! My "pre-hospital" weight I was quoting is AFTER bowel prep! I actually lost 3 pounds after bowel prep! So you're right! Including another pound I lost as of this morning I guess I can say I've lost TEN pounds. Not TOO bad since I'll be out of surgery 3 weeks tomorrow. Thanks! You made me feel a little better about that! Hugs, Marianne C.

Is your pre-hosptial weight before our after the bowel prep? I took mine right before the bowel prep to see what the difference was and it was 5lbs. So once I came home, i was able to know my "true" starting weight. Hang in there, you are so far being a poster child for the exercise part and will be rewarded big time on that piece. It is 109 here so there is very little outside walking to be done. I live in a small town so we usually drive the 15 minutes into town just roam the Walgreens. LOL. Expensive walk last time.

Gee if I didn't know that I WILL lose the weight I'd be getting depressed comparing all that you all have lost and the little I've lost! I am only SIX pounds down from my weight when I went in the hospital. I am doing very well with my calories too. Keeping them up around 600 - 700 a day... doing between 70 and 100 grams of protein and getting in almost all of the water every day. PLUS I am walking a mile every morning and evening and most days doing water exercises in the pool! I'm sure that any day now... hopefully SOON... my body will let go and I'll start seeing it on the scales. I really HAVE seen it in my clothes and face so I know I'm doing just fine. Just interesting to see how much you all have lost compared to me. -Marianne C.

Oh Bettye do I EVER know what you mean about the screaching halt! You spend sooo many months with hours and hours diigently working on getting all of the requirements and in this stage YOU are in control. It's all up to you and you have to work at it getting everyone to do their part as well as getting to all the appointments. Then you submit to insurance and WHAM..... the balls out of your court and all you can do it WAIT. You suddenly have NO control. You're in the dark. You don't know if they are working on your case or it's sitting on some pile on someones desk at the insurance company. IT is sooo frustrating! I know just how you are feeling right now because it was just a short time ago I was there... it's only been about 6 weeks since I got my approval. I have BCBS and they told me it would take UP TO 30 days. It took them 3 weeks from the time they received all the paperwork from the surgeon. I called every other day and checked on the status. They finally did tell me over the phone that I was approved before they sent the letter out. Lots of people have said in the message boards that it's a good idea to call often. I don't know if that helps or not, but I did it just in case. Hang in there kiddo. I know this is sooo hard but like someone else said... this is MUCh harder than post surgery! -Marianne C.