Just starting out

Hi y'all, I'm Janet.

I have recently started working towards my insurance requirements for VSG. So far I've meet with the nurse practitioner, had an upper gi series, begun the 6 consecutive months of nutrition counseling, and meet with the sleep doc.

I have fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, and non alcoholic fatty liver. My "I'm done" moment came in May, when I ran into a friend at Walmart. She had the RnY last October and had lost 90lbs, reversed her type 2, and just finished her first 5k walk. While I was more miserable than ever and walking has become so painful, I was on one of the electric buggies to enable me to shop. She has now become my support buddy through all of this.

I found this site through a link on YouTube when I was watching videos from Gracegetsgastric.

Hi Janet

We've all had our version of the "i'm done" moment... I remember thinking "will this chair break if i sit in it?" about every plastic chair... i was always wondering if people were staring at me. I'd go to bed thinking "i'm fat", and I'd wake up feeling like sht about myself. All of those feelings are long gone!! I feel SO much better about myself- and, I still have a way to go however I feel like a better version of myself!

Its great you have a journey buddy and you always have this place too!

Good luck to you!!

Thank you. I have felt the same way at different time. I've dieted on and off since I was 14 years old. I finally decided that it's okay to say I can't do it alone and I need this additional tool in my arsenal.

Hi Janet, I'm wombat. Welcome to the forum.

When I started the process, I didn't have high hopes that WLS would work for me. I was burnt out by all the failed dieting over the years. But here I am a year on, and I've surpassed my surgeon's expectations, I'm still losing weight, and I don't feel deprived. So if you also have a nagging voice at the back of your head telling you that you'll fail at this, tell it wombat said to shut up!

Going through all the hoops prior to surgery can be a bit frustrating. I used that time to identify my triggers for eating, and to come up with ideas for dealing with stress, boredom, etc. that don't involve food. I also remind myself to pay attention to other senses besides taste. So if I'm stressed out, I might drink a cup of my favourite herbal tea. Or I might pet my cats, paying attention to their soft fur. Or I might take a hot shower and put on a lightly scented massage oil, enjoying the scent and the feeling of my soft skin. Having a plan in place really helped me after surgery.

Thanks wombat! I feel like this is going to be a good place for support and advice!

It's really good you have a support buddy that has already had the surgery in real life and is already doing it. I remember when I was just starting out. I needed the 6 nutrition appointments as well spaced 1 month apart. Seems like a long time but it comes so fast. Not sure if you have a weight requirement or not. My insurance didn't require it, but my WLS program had a policy of if you have a net weight gain one month they put you on notice and if you have it for 2 months they kick you out of the program. When I did everything they told me to do I looked forward to the appointments..it's such a good feeling to get weighed in and being significantly less weight than last months appointment. There was a month or 2 I slacked and i dreaded those appointments.. luckily I made my weight the months I slacked but barely. Anyways good luck with everything look forward to all the exciting times ahead.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. No weight requirement other than I can't be any heavier on the last 6 month nutritionist appt than I was at the first one. But they do like to see effort towards the goals. My next one is at 9am tomorrow, my 3rd, so it's flying by. I think I'll be down a few from last month.

Nutrition appt went well. Down 4lbs from last month. I joined the Y on the way home. I have an appointment with the trainer Monday to learn the machines and set goals. Mostly, I plan to swim and join one of the aquatic exercise classes.