read, research, and start practicing your good behaviors now.  I gave up pop as soon as I had decided I was going to do this and started practicing eating slowly, chewing food well, and not drinking with meals. 

The Morris family is raising money for the Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parents Association (IFAPA) through the STRIDE FOR FOSTER CARE walk that is being held at Gray's Lake on May 1, 2010.

We met our goal of $250!!  So, we decided to challenge ourselves further by raising our goal to $350!!
 
Our team name is Kid Krazed Kim's Krew and you can access our fundraising page by clicking on the following link:  https://ifapa.ejoinme.org/morrisfamily

Thank you for your time and your consideration!

THE MORRIS FAMILY
Steve, Kim, Chris, Cody, Elyn, Jason, and Mackenzie

On February 25, 2010 at 4:02 PM Pacific Time, WeekendWarrior wrote: Wellmark covers the DS if your BMI is 50+, so you should be covered.

Here is a LINK to the WLS policy.

Does anyone know if Wellmark requires a 6 month Dr. supervised diet?

The policy doens't specifically say that, but one of the surgeons I consulted said they do.

I am looking at getting the VSG, but they still consider it investigational.  I am going to appeal if they deny.
I had VSG Jan. 4th this year. I also have BCBS, but it's federal if that makes a difference. My insurance is with Illinois rather than Iowa as well. I did not need a 6 month Dr. supervised diet. I was approved first try, which was a pleasant surprise! My VSG doctor was Dr. Christopherson in Davenport, IA.

I don't know if everyone goes through that or not but I did.  I have not gotten "I feel hungry" sensation back at all.  But I get shaky and feel weak when I am hungry so that's how I know I am hungry now.  My dietitian told me to eat every 1-1/2 to 2 hours so that's what I do.  I have my meal, then 2 hours later I have my milk snack, then a meal and 2 hours later a milk snack, etc.  That has helped alot so that I eat the amounts I am supposed to eat at each meal and snack.  I really found that I ate too fast too so once I started focusing on that, the weight started coming off again.

My weight loss slowed down after six months too.  As a matter of fact, I was down to my lowest at six months and then it just plateaued for me.  I have gone up about 9 pounds but seem to be staying right there...........well fluctuating within about five pounds, actually.

I will say this, it's a constant, continual battle to do ALL the things that we are told to do...........eat slowly, smaller portions, milk snacks, lots of water, exercise one hour everyday, protein first, etc.  I have to keep telling myself that the WLS (RNY for me in Feb. 2009) is just another tool but I have to do the real work to get and keep the weight off.  I knew the WLS was going to be a tool and know that there is no "quick fix" for this weight battle.  But when that weight was melting off in the beginning, it was easy to think it would keep melting off until I was "thin".  

I hope others will post what their experiences were/are.  I am always interested in seeing what others are doing and going through.  So, thanks for your post and hope you are doing okay.

Carol