Image/I feel pretty

I know I should like myself regardless of how much I weigh however in the last month I find myself enjoying getting dressed up and feeling good about myself.  I can not remember the last time I felt like this and honestly back before I had a weigh problem if I was 156 #'s (my current wt) I would had thought I was fat which is clearly all relative:)......  By far fat is not the term I would use but rather I feel graceful and it is because of my ds.  I never had an issue with aging, wrinkles and gray hair I can accept and makeup and dye goes a long way but weight was something I was never comfortable with.  I wish I could have been one of those woman/women (not sure which is right in this context as I am referring both singular and globally) who say/said they are happy with them selves even when they are over weight however that was never the case with me.  It is sad I was more critical of myself related to weight but it simply was a flaw I had to accept about myself as nothing I ever did appeared to change it.  Now with my reasonable weight loss my mood is more up lifting.  I know this sounds silly but I feel like an attractive lady again.  Does it mean the DS solved my problems in life NO and yes I still have other struggles unrelated to weight but in regard to my weight I feel good about myself once again and it is a nice feeling.  I am not sure if that makes me shallow or healthy but I simply wanted to put it out there.  I feel good and it is nice to like what I see in the mirror once again!

Thank goodness for this board as I have found it to be a life line. 

Donna

DS 2/14/12

I can relate. When I feel fat I feel unattractive which makes me depressed. Its not shallow for me. For me it is vanity. I admit it. Im vain. For thirty years I had a nice fiqure (amazing since I ate so much and would binge eat to the extreme.) I was lucky and did not gain weight but I always new it would catch up with me and it did. Now ive spent 20 years gaining and losing weight in everyway imaginable. Diets, pills, exercise then the lap band. Nothing worked long term. So now I am hoping to b approved for the DS. Of course for vanity but also for health. I have resting tachycardia, a too fast heart rate , ! And worse arthriris. It is particularly painful in my feet. I walk like a geesha girl. Small little steps. If I could get weight off of them im praying it will heap. I pray for approval. Oh, I love the strands of sparkly silver hair, I call them my hi lites! I like myself and am happy but dont like my body at all.

I can so relate as I also was a failed lap band.  I am in shock at the success of my DS.  Top wt was 207 and since I had tried every thing under the sun to lose wt meaning diets, pills, surgery and exercise and up teen other things I expected the DS to have a flaw. I am new but so far the only draw back is the vits, I must admit but it is a trade off I am willing to commit to.  I am a nurse and have back problems in addition to arthritis and DJD and with the exercise classes I take at work I feel younger then I have in years. It is the flexibility I am thrilled with I can not believe it all started over yet again another quest to lose wt however this time it was a real fix and I am still in shock I guess because of all my failures.  Do not let any one discourage you from what you have your heart set on as I think it is the only successful wt loss surgery out there.  I find some may not get to goal and I hope I do but I have not found a failure.  I have run across some extreme instances in which some one suffered far more then I and is thinner then what they ever desired which is sad but for me so far this so called light wt has found the answer to a life long struggle.  Hang in there and you will feel the same as I do in just a few shorts months.  I will be honest my stomach was a tad sensitive the first 6 months but that is a small price to pay to avoid all the health issues related to obesity and nexium from Costco solved that twice a day.  Less grim it simply nice to keep up with my 11 year old and not feel like as if I was 10 month pg as I carried all my wt in my stomach.  Good luck and keep in touch if I can help in any way I would love to return the favor as this board has been incredibly helpful.

Donna

Thank you so much for yor reply. I would live to keep in touch. Its good to have someone that has similar health problems and was a similar weight. Three months ago I was 206. Now I am on prednisone for the arthritis and am gaining weight fast. I just hope the ins. Aetna will approve my surg with arthritis being the main health problem. I will find out next month!

Ironically I am currently doing precerts for an ins company who truly puts the mbrs first.  I have not approved a ds yet but a sleeve and lap bands frequently.  I am torn as I personally want to direct people to the ds but that is not the roll I am in and I do not speak with the pt's any way simply the doctors office putting in the request.  There is 2 sources used in the market for reviews one is Milliman and other is IQ.   We have a list of criteria which need to be met for the surgery to be approved.  If the boxes are met then as a nurse I can approve if something is not met then it is forwarded to a Medical Director as an RN can not deny a request.  Thankfully my job involves more then this as this can get on the boring side forgive me.  I am new in my roll however there are many veterans on here who have assisted those who have had problems with insurance companies denying them until they were finally approved.  Someone I turn to for wisdom is Major Mom she is very informative and never critical just gives you the facts.

I know how you feel about the prednisone once I started taking it I got the typical moon face every ones talks about.  I was told I was only going to gain at the most 5 to 10 pounds that was not realistic remotely & of course after I stopped taking it the wt did not come off. 

The criteria I have found that most seem to not have is the 3 months of medical supervised wt loss.  A doc appointment with a wt apparently it not enough,  the doctor has to document that you have discussed nutrition. 

The following are additional criteria most meet beside the obvious BMI and comorbidities

Depending upon the ins plan some require 2 to 5 years of being heavy we are very easy and I have heard even pictures with a date has been used in some cases on the commercial side of the business to document and meet this criteria

Mine requires the individual to be a non smoker no drug use for 2 years prior to the procedure

The list gets more specific but the point is if you are denied don't give up ask them why and then meet that criteria in most instances it just a matter of waiting 3 months. 

After finding the DS it was very hard for me to wait I wanted it and I wanted it now:) so I know how easy it is for me to say wait out the 3 months.  If you are a light wt it hard but be persistent and you will get what you need.  I did not have as much support from certain sites because of being a light wt however there are those out here who were supportive so like any thing else listen to the good and any thing neg let go in one ear and out the other.  Not only has Major mom been supportive about my choice with being a light wt & moving forward with the DS, she has also been supportive about my personal issue I have as a nurse one want those to get the best but at the same time not over step my boundaries if that makes sense especially when it comes to approving the lap band but that is my issue not yours.  If you find yourself denied hold out for the DS then to do another procedure which will not meet the same expectation of the DS please note this is a personal opinion do not take this as professional as a nurse as I am just like you on this board.  We all think we know things but until you live through it, it not the same.  Knowing I am new as in less then a year if I can be of assist I am here for you.  Keep coming back as you will find some to be exactly what you need.  It surprising how close you can get to those over the internet.

Hang in there

Donna

Donna, thanks so much for the info. The nutritionist told me she doesn't think I'll have any problems being approved because I brought a letter from each of my doctors (pcp, heart doc, and rheumatism doctir) stating the surgery will benefit me. I find it hard to believe her as I dont meet the comorbitity crcriteria. But im just gonna have to be patient until dec. When I get the answer. My husband had DS a couple of years ago and he has done so well. I believe it is the best of the bariatric surgs As a RN doing precerts, is arthritis considered in approving the surg? How bout the lettets from the docs? Thanjs for your help. Lisa

Again it depends on your ins company but we consider Arthritis as a condition that wt aggravates.  Cardiac would trump arthritis but that fact is at the ins company I work for they do consider it as a morbidity.  You are in an ideal situation as you watched your husband go through it and I am sure you assisted in changing his food. 

Unlike most I do not have a lactate issue and I was making my shakes with milk well I am not getting to goal so I tweaked my intake and changed to heavy creams which decreases the carbs majors.

I have had people ask me why I did not simply to atkins without the surgery my lap band doc even agreed to give me scripts so I would absorb but nothing was as effective as the ds. 

I was so committed to the DS as a light wt 207 my peak I was not going to be approved and even if I was the most Humana would have paid when I worked for them was 5k. I decided to finance my home take equity out and go to Mexico to the only doc recommended on this board in Mexico to have the procedure.  I am a prior icu recovery nurse and graduated at top of my class from Loyola 20 plus years ago and I can assure you many heads turned at my decision.  Honestly I am even surprised at myself but I am glad I took the gamble if that what you call it as I did a lot of research as I am a planner.  Dr U required I stay there for 10 days or he would not touch me as he checks for leaks before you leave and I made the arrangements.  Looking back someone large then I was on my side as it all worked out so easily there was not a lot of problems like one would expect.  Taking off work making arrangements for my daughter every thing just fell into place. 

Last Christmas I was miserable trying to get the Christmas tree up and this year I can clean my entire house in one day.  My mobility and endurance is like night and day.  I have to be carful as I can still hurt my back but I feel ten years younger and I am sure you see it with your husband. 

The DS sounds like the right thing for you stick with it and you will be feeling good right along your husband side and it awesome as he will be able to assist you since he has been through it. 

Donna

oops lactose:) in a hurry I should have proof read my response sorry about it hope you can make some sense out of it

Oh thats great information and I feel much more confident that I do have a chance to be approved. Thanks for that! Wow! That was a major decision on your part to go to Mexico to have the surg done. As an ICU nurse, you must have had a lot of confidence in the doctor ir you would not have had it done. But you are right, it is a gamble fir all of us. Wven with the best surgeon, the surgery (well any surgery is dangerous. Ill be so relieved when I wake up in recovery! I think its amazing how life changing this surgery has been for u! I would love to have energy again and fir my joints to be relieved if the pain. I too have worked at a hospital for the ladt twelve years so I do not take health for granted.

I feel for any one with arthritis as there is never a time that you are not hurting.  I use to think when I was young that it was only for those who are old however I am only 46 and here I am with arthritis in my lower back.  Obviously the arthritis is not cured by the DS and I still see a pain doctor monthly but it has much improved.  I wish you the best of luck and keep coming back as this site is one of the best.  I also like facebook for beginner DS'ers as it caters to questions early on but since you have your hubby who just went through it you might not need it as much as I did. 

Yes going to Mexico was a major decision hind sight the care was wonderful but going into it I had my reservations.  Dr U actually called my home.  I spoke with not only him but a person he uses to arrange every thing.  They have it down to a T as they have done this often with Americans.  They even had a cell phone I could use to call my kids.  Since I am single I went alone and although Dr U would haf preferred i had someone they even work with me on that.  I am the type of person when I am in severe pain I like to be alone so it worked out for the best.  I think I had more pain in the hospital then most DS'ers because of my lower back the bed nor the recliner was comfortable.  Post op I was miserable but I think it was related more to my arthritis then the DS.  Once Dr U approved of me taking my pain medication for my arthritis rather then what he was treating me with I was fine.  I honestly look at the procedure as a gift to myself since I had to pay for it out of pocket and it was the best gift I ever gave myself. 

Since I was a light wt Dr U used the Hess method so  I have a bit longer cc then many and I have heard others personal opinion stating I should have insisted I had a shorter one as I would not be having an issue with getting to goal.  Personally I feel Dr U is the expert and I am glad he did exactly as he did.  If I make it to 135 awesome however if I remain at 156 I am fine with it.  My year is up on 2/14/13 and since  I am told it is easier to lose in the first year I am taking advise from those who have been there and paying more attention to my carb intake.  The fact I have done nothing to lose 50 pounds I am shocked and if trading out milk for heavy cream is considered working to get to goal I can live with that.  I have noticed 2 benefits from the heavy cream less dry skin and more formed stools which is a good thing.  I am thankful since I was a light wt I am not one of those who is struggling to stop losing wt and I feel the DS has been a blessing as my life is forever changed.  I feel like I have been given my life back as I was not happy with who I was.  If I had to be honest with a person prior to the DS I would stress the importance of taking the vits.  It took me a bit to start taking them and then I had to play around with certain ones as some the smell made me ill.  I am over 9 months out and I struggle getting in all my vits.  I supplement with protein shakes so I have no issues getting in the large amount of protein like others do but swallowing the vits always is a challenge each and every day.  I pray one day it will be second nature but honestly I am not there yet but one can always hope.

Good luck and hang in there for your very own DS!!!  I have enjoyed conversing with you and know I am always here.  I am very direct so if you have a question I feel I am in over my head I will direct you to the vets.