I am currently in my second year of this merry-go- round. I am a 58 year old single woman and have problems with very high cholesteral, high blood pressure and severe sleep apnea.  

I have had and used a CPAP for 3 years now, and was STILL required to have an additional sleep study,(which makes a total of FIVE at $5000 each+$500 to have it READ) I've had the upper GI, Chest X-ray (twice)two sets of breathing tests, and four additional visits with a pulmonologist, a calcium score, a nuclear stress test, venus dopplar ultrasound, bone density test, my gen practitioner has written TWO letters of reccomendation and I have completed the 6 months of a medically supervised diet with the GP filling out paperwork for each month. I also attended the ONE mandantory in house support group meeting. I had an additional one on one meeting with the in house nutritionist, and three visits to a cardiologist for clearance from HIM.

The psyche evaluation is also required to be in-house (University of Pennsylvania) and required a LIFETIME diet history. I was a fat kid with fat parents and 8 younger fat siblings.... as you can imagine...the 45 minute questioniare took me about 4 hours to complete.  I mean for GAWD'S sake.... I"M 58!!!!!

Now they have decided that I will need AT LEAST six sessions of Psychotherapy because the 30 year old who evaluated me feels I need to learn additional coping skills(i guess because I neither drink or smoke and have never experimented with drugs). They would also like me to attend their in-house medically supervised diet program and volunteer to report to them for the next 5 years after all is done.

Honestly.... I feel like I am about to explode. each one of these visits requires a full day of my time and several train and bus rides into thecity. I will admit that I DO have problems with young girls in $2000 pumps twirling their hair and telling me that they "just want what's best " for me. Like Um, you know .... taking a hot bubble bath with scented candles? 

The problem is that while I have very little income, I have VERY good health insurance, and I really feel that HUP is milking it to death round out their budget deficit.

What I wonder is how many of the folks who are treated in this way are single women? I don't recall any of the guys being required to undergo all this additional bulls**t. Both of my friendswho have had the surgery started the process long after I did, and are both now 3-4 months out and doing well.  Both of them however, are married.

Grateful that you found your way back my friend

 I was just wondering if anyone had been diagnosed with Bipolar prior to the surgery and how they got the surgeon to still do the surgery.

Lyn,  I too suffer from depression and know exacting where you are coming from with the thought of mourning.  We have to think postive tho about all the things we are going to be able to have, all the healthy yummy foods, the sugar free deserts.  Someone posted using a greek yogurt with a  little sugar free instant cheesecake pudding mix, and topping it with no sugar added cherries.  To me that sounds delcious, there are alot of cookbooks out there (look on Amazon) that can teach you new ways to make yummy foods.  You surely won't be missing out.  We will adjust.  That stuff was so bad for us, lets try to stay postive and turn this around for us, We can do it.  From the bottom of my heart I know we can.

Little background....2 1/2 years out rny lost 210lbs was 445 lowest 235 now 250....honeymoon is over and strting to gain a bit...I feel like I have a handle on my eating for the first time in my life MOST of the time, but I do slip back into some old habits...I am definately a food addict...and can overdo any type of food good and healthy or bad...I am particular to snack items and fatty foods...like, butter, cream, whipped cream, etc...


now to the problems and behaviors I would like help with changing....maybe some of you have had these issues and figured a way to change them...

afternoon Impulse eating...I have tryed delaying the thought to see if I forget and that did work for a while, but now it seems that if I have it in mind I am hell bent on getting it....

Nighttime TV snacky time....I don't keep snacks in the house that I have definate problems with like, cheese curls, crackers etc...but am finding I will make toast with butter on it, or eat high fat cheese, I try to drink a full glass of water and that works in the summertime, but winter time I get too cold from the water and then am miserable...I try to keep busy while watching tv and that does help to an extent....but again if my mind gets stuck on it I give in...

I am finding that while my portion sizes are OK, I am trending on packing in maximum calories in those portions by packing in fat..I do this knowing better than that and feeling like I am sabotaging myself...I know where the calories come from, but like before don't want to let go of those foods, because I have let go of so much, this is a huge red light for me in my thinking...

I have given up all fast food, all soda, all alcohol, all juice...

I drink too much coffee, eat too many sweets, and not enough fruits and veggis...seem to get enough protein...my diet is entirely better than it was, but I am afraid if not kept in check that this will just have been another roller coaster diet fail...I didn't rearrange my innards to fail this time and I am determined to fix my head....

any ideas, tips or tricks will be entertained...