AF Biggest Loser/Fitness Challenge-May 3 to Whenever We're Not Fat Anymore

[Joods]

Push hard for the procedure before then. Don't let them tell you no.

Probably can't.  After the initial consult I have to be on a doctor supervised diet for three months at least, or longer if it takes longer to lose 5% of my body weight.  Have to get cleared by psych, have a colonoscopy, might have to have another sleep study to confirm I still have apnea.  Lots of insurance hurdles to jump before they can schedule.  I don't have to have the procedure by 12/20 but I do have to be cleared.

Its challenging as well because all of my appointments and the procedure are being done in Seattle, 3-4 hours from here.  Scheduling around work, yay.

It's not going to be difficult to lose the weight.  It's the beaurocratic stuff that is the problem.  Hell, it only took 6 weeks for my doc to fax them the right paperwork (which I had provided early), and send the referral to the right clinic.  You know, the one my insurance actually covers.

The process for me when I started was that I had to get checked out by pulmonary to determine if I had sleep apnea, which I do. I was supposed to meet with cardiology, and have a psych consult but because of two setbacks with my health, I had to take a temporary leave from the classes and everything I was doing. I could have been a candidate for surgery next month, but because I didn't complete the last four classes (I did the first two), I'll probably have to start over again after I come back from vacation. 

My insurance doesn't require that I actually lose weight, but one of the reason for the classes, is to determine if you will fall into the 92% that will not make the necessary lifestyle changes that the surgery will require. Since I opted for the Gastric Bypass and not the sleeve, it would eliminate my GERD 100%, however the drawback is that because of my already compromised stomach lining due to over use of Nsaids, I would never be able to take them again in the event of pain or a headache. So I would literally be dependent on Imitrex pills, which don't work, or I would have to let a headache get to migraine status before I could administer a shot of Imitrex, which does work. The doctor seems to think that I would be in the 8% of people who have success with the lifestyle change since I fully understand what it would take to get there. 

My hope was that in the six months I would be required to attend the classes, I would have lost enough weight to no longer qualify for the surgery. 

I just bought a Gear Fit2Pro watch to keep track of my exercise and heart rate and such. It connects with the MyFitnessPal app and has a host of other really cool things about it, including the fact that I can take it into the pool with me and exercise. Now all I need are bluetooth earbuds and I can listen to my music on it. I'm excited to start using it.