Some pre-surgical success to share!

Hi everyone! I started my 6-month pre-op process last October, and around the same time I started exercising and working with a health psychologist on getting over some of the food issues I've had my entire life (like physically gagging on vegetables). I've had a lot of success so far and wanted to share...well, not a "before and after," but a "before and now" picture. I'm down over 50 lbs so far, and right now my goal is to get in the healthiest place possible before surgery. Now I just need to hope I don't disqualify myself before my surgery date!  

That is AWESOME!!!! Keep up the good work.

You're off to a running start with 50 pounds lost so far!  

I wasn't able to see your photo in your post.  Any photos, especially before/now you should upload to your OH Blog for safekeeping.  

Keep up the good work.  Your surgery will be even safer with any weight you lose pre-op.

Oops! Sorry, this is the first time I've tried to upload a pic. Does it show up here?

There you are!  Wow, you look so different in just a few months.  Way to go with your continued success!

Good job!  Looking good. Can they really disqualify you?  I thought the process was approved by your starting BMI.  Am I wrong about that?

It depends on your insurance. A few weeks ago I lost 7 lbs in a week and got really scared of disqualification, so I investigated and found out that my insurance bases it on your weight in a hospital gown on surgery day. Apparently it doesn't happen very often, but they've had a few cases where someone arrived for surgery, got on the scale, then had to be sent back home! My BMI started just over 50 and is 42 right now, and I'm safe til 35 due to DMII and HTN...I keep trying to tell myself there's no way I'm going to lose 40 more lbs in 3 months, lol.

Wow you've done an amazing job! Don't worry about the DQ, think about the healthy lifetime habits you're building.  You are so going to rock this!  Thanks for the inspiration! 

Great job!  I'm completely new to all of this, so I have a question for you.  Now that you've lost 50 pounds, what is the incentive to get the surgery?  I am asking because if I can lose 50 pounds when I start my pre-surgery prep, I don't know if I will even want the surgery anymore.  Is it because you are afraid you might gain it back?  

You look great :)

I lost 25 pounds pre-op (the most I'd ever lost on a "diet" before, woo!) and I still got surgery.  Why?  Because even with the 2.5 months of lifestyle change that lost those 25 pounds, I knew that it wouldn't be sustainable.  I was hungry often, and cranky.  Without surgery, I'm sure I would have given up, and gained it all back, in a few more months.