New Here -- Greenville - ECU, Anyone?

I'm new to the forum here... I'm seeing Dr. John Pender at ECU Physcians in Greenville. I've had my first visit (2/20), upper GI, blood work, chest x-ray, ecg, anesth. visit. I have the nutrition and psych visit on Friday and I'm nervous...

I had my initial visit on 2/20 and I gained a few pounds in the couple of weeks following that and I've been struggling to lose those pounds again so that there won't be any problems with Dr. Pender - thinking I'm not 'compliant'. I have been keeping a food diary and trying to document lifestyle changes.

Anyway, I have NC Teachers & State Employees' insurance - but, of course, that hasn't even been submitted yet. I feel like it has taken soooooo long already - it's hard to remain patient at this point. Any specific tips or advice (or compassion) would be welcome. :)

I'm with Dr. Chapman, who is Dr. Pender's associate.  I have never met Dr. Pender though.  I don't even know what he looks like. 

I am also a teacher with State Employees insurance.  I had no problem with my approval from the insurance company.  My husband is retired military so I also have his military Tricare insurance as my secondary insurance.  Consequently, I paid very little out of pocket.  Where and what do you teach?

First of all welcome to the forum. I hope that you will find it to be a supportive, informational and friendly as I have. I have truly developed some friendships that I think I'll have for a lifetime. What a nice side benefit?!

Next, I would suggest that you do a couple of things that will hold you in very good stead in the long term... When you have lost your weight and are working to maintain all of the hard won loses and gains. I know it's hard to wrap your head around where you will be a year or two from now. 

I strongly suggest that you start using a program like www.mydailyplate.com to log your intake. Even though I've lost all of my weight, I find it a significant tool in helping me to maintain my weight. Just 'writing it down' doesn't provide the 'feedback' we need to learn more about the choices we are making. When I log, I can see not only the volume and calorie count, I see the proportion of fat, protien and carbs. I find that when I'm not paying enough attention, I'll see the percentages turning upside down... too many carbs, not enough protien. I found that it helps me stay accountable to myself and aware of what I'm doing. I think that ostrich syndrome affects many of us before we make this journey and it's important not to lapse into that hear no evil, see no evil pattern. 

The other thing that has been a huge help to me is a program called the 'Beck Diet Solution.' You can get the book and workbook online or at a bookstore. It's not a diet, but a program to help step you through some self-examination and provide you with tools to manage you behavior so that as you work to get the weight off and more importantly keep it off you can do it... for the long term. Success is not defined in the the weight loss itself alone, but also in the so important long term maintenance of the weight loss. 

Wishing you all the best,

I just want to say welcome to the forum!! I had my RNY performed at Pitt and it is the best thing I have ever done. Best of luck to you!!!

Darcie

Thanks for the support! I think things went well at the psych eval and nutrition consult today. Now, I'll wait for the dictation to be received at the surgeon's office (normally 7-10 days, they say) and then I should get a call to schedule the 'decision visit.' At least I'm two steps closer...