New Introduction
Hi Everyone,
I am new to the site and would like to introduce myself. I am Lisa and I am just starting my wls journey. I like many of you have battled my weight most of my life. Now I am 44 with a BMI hovering around 50. I have five kids, four are between 17 and 24 and the baby is 3. I decided that I want to live. I don't know if I could have made this choice if it were not for my 3 year old. He is so full of life and I can't do things he wants me to do with him. My DH is totally supportive. More so than my PCP. So today I have officially started my journey into the world of wls and I am so excited and scared. I went to my PCP two weeks ago to request a referral for wls and I was put on an antidepressant and offered diet pills. He also did a full blood workup and ordered a sleep apnea test. Today I went back in and stood up for myself. All of my blood work was fine, sleep test results were not back yet. I was offered diet pills again! I told my PCP that I wanted surgery I had lost and gained my whole life and I knew how to loose the weight but I could not keep it off. My knees are wore out, my back has been giving me problems, BP is starting to go up, short of breath, and in general my quality of life is poor. If he was not going to refer me I wanted to know today. So he looks and me and says well this may be your only option huh. Then he asked who I was wanting to see and they called and I am on my way!
Now I just have more to learn as I go through my journey. Thanks to you all for the great posts that I have read and learned from so far.
Lisa
I am new to the site and would like to introduce myself. I am Lisa and I am just starting my wls journey. I like many of you have battled my weight most of my life. Now I am 44 with a BMI hovering around 50. I have five kids, four are between 17 and 24 and the baby is 3. I decided that I want to live. I don't know if I could have made this choice if it were not for my 3 year old. He is so full of life and I can't do things he wants me to do with him. My DH is totally supportive. More so than my PCP. So today I have officially started my journey into the world of wls and I am so excited and scared. I went to my PCP two weeks ago to request a referral for wls and I was put on an antidepressant and offered diet pills. He also did a full blood workup and ordered a sleep apnea test. Today I went back in and stood up for myself. All of my blood work was fine, sleep test results were not back yet. I was offered diet pills again! I told my PCP that I wanted surgery I had lost and gained my whole life and I knew how to loose the weight but I could not keep it off. My knees are wore out, my back has been giving me problems, BP is starting to go up, short of breath, and in general my quality of life is poor. If he was not going to refer me I wanted to know today. So he looks and me and says well this may be your only option huh. Then he asked who I was wanting to see and they called and I am on my way!
Now I just have more to learn as I go through my journey. Thanks to you all for the great posts that I have read and learned from so far.
Lisa
Welcome, welcome, welcome!
I remember the day I approached my PCP and how nervous I was about it. It is a hard thing to do. Mine just said, "yes, you need it". That made me cry too.
As far as the diet pills, depending on your insurance, you MAY have to give them a try to prove that you have tried a "medically supervised weight loss" attempt. My insurance required it, but the PCP knew that it would not be the answer. It wasn't......that time or the two times before. They work for a month or so then stop working. They also increase your blood pressure and may be contra-indiacted for that reason.
Anyway.....welcome and please post often. We LOVE to make new friends and are here to support you every step of the way. I have made many friends here that have made my journey easier. We even get together several times throughout the year in person. Stop by the Roll Call. That is where we share a little about our corner of the world each day.
I remember the day I approached my PCP and how nervous I was about it. It is a hard thing to do. Mine just said, "yes, you need it". That made me cry too.
As far as the diet pills, depending on your insurance, you MAY have to give them a try to prove that you have tried a "medically supervised weight loss" attempt. My insurance required it, but the PCP knew that it would not be the answer. It wasn't......that time or the two times before. They work for a month or so then stop working. They also increase your blood pressure and may be contra-indiacted for that reason.
Anyway.....welcome and please post often. We LOVE to make new friends and are here to support you every step of the way. I have made many friends here that have made my journey easier. We even get together several times throughout the year in person. Stop by the Roll Call. That is where we share a little about our corner of the world each day.
Tell someone that you love them!
Dawn
253/223/167/127
HW/SW/CW/GW
Welcome Lisa!
We are glad that you are here! This is such a positive step in your life and you have taken the biggest and hardest step in deciding to have the surgery. Congratulations on your decision. I would have my surgery again in a heartbeat. If you had told me that 5 years ago I would have said you were crazy. Now I wonder why I waited.
This is an awesome journey and I hope you will keep active here so that we can support each other. We love to ask and answer questions for each other. And I had lots of questions early on in my exploration stages.
Just today, I was at the ortho doctor for a three week check up on my total knee replacement. The physician assistant called me back to talk with another patient. She was thinking about
having weight loss surgery and the PA wanted to show me off as a success story! I was like wow!
Lots of positive things are going to be coming your way. So welcome to your awesome journey!
We are glad that you are here! This is such a positive step in your life and you have taken the biggest and hardest step in deciding to have the surgery. Congratulations on your decision. I would have my surgery again in a heartbeat. If you had told me that 5 years ago I would have said you were crazy. Now I wonder why I waited.
This is an awesome journey and I hope you will keep active here so that we can support each other. We love to ask and answer questions for each other. And I had lots of questions early on in my exploration stages.
Just today, I was at the ortho doctor for a three week check up on my total knee replacement. The physician assistant called me back to talk with another patient. She was thinking about
having weight loss surgery and the PA wanted to show me off as a success story! I was like wow!
Lots of positive things are going to be coming your way. So welcome to your awesome journey!
Cat Lady
Welcome to this board--you will get lots of support here. Most of us struggled with the decision for months or years before we made this decision. As someone else here said, no question is too"silly" or too personal to ask. Believe me, we've asked them all!
Good luck in your journey and drop in often!
Connie
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/gay_lesbian_bisexual_transgender/
Hi Lisa, You not only have the support of your husband and pcp, but you have a whole group of new friends that are here to help you through your journey.
Are you going for gastric bypass, DS or lapband? It doesn't matter what you decide, it has to be your decision. I don't think i asked my pcp for approval, I just told her I was going to a seminor and if I needed a referral when would be the best time to get it from her. Her comment was, give me 5 min to type it up and you will have it.
You are starting on the ride of your life. And the ride will continue to be better and better.
Hugs from one Lisa to another,
LISA
Are you going for gastric bypass, DS or lapband? It doesn't matter what you decide, it has to be your decision. I don't think i asked my pcp for approval, I just told her I was going to a seminor and if I needed a referral when would be the best time to get it from her. Her comment was, give me 5 min to type it up and you will have it.
You are starting on the ride of your life. And the ride will continue to be better and better.
Hugs from one Lisa to another,
LISA
Good for you Lisa stand up for yourself tell that Doctor what you want from him. I ran into the same road block 5 times.. I Kept switching PCP's till I found one that supported my decision. So be proud of yourself there are MANY people that dont take that rejection from their PCP any further. The just except that as the way it was to be. My feeling is that you if you not have the Heart Disease, are not diabetic, and are in general good health other then your weight WHY put off surgery. I had one doctor tell me that I was healthy except for my extra pounds. He prescribed Weigh****chers..
Of course I did the Weigh****chers to get approved for surgery. Again good for you for taking an active role in you're life.
Welcome to the road hope your trip is a good one.
Of course I did the Weigh****chers to get approved for surgery. Again good for you for taking an active role in you're life.
Welcome to the road hope your trip is a good one.
Hi Lisa, welcome to the Illinois board!
I'm a newbie also, my surgery isn't scheduled yet. I can't believe all I've learned from the folks on OH though. The more I read and interact with members, the more confidence I have that I CAN DO THIS!
Congratulations on sticking up for yourself with your physician. We have to be our own advocates for our health these days. I hope the process goes quickly for you. We're here if you have questions, hard days or need to vent!
I'm a newbie also, my surgery isn't scheduled yet. I can't believe all I've learned from the folks on OH though. The more I read and interact with members, the more confidence I have that I CAN DO THIS!
Congratulations on sticking up for yourself with your physician. We have to be our own advocates for our health these days. I hope the process goes quickly for you. We're here if you have questions, hard days or need to vent!
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