Low BMI = 33.7, 215 Lbs, 5'7" - 41 Y/o, No Kids; Self Pay

First, I want to thank all those who have posted their journeys through this life changing surgery. It has been so helpful to read all of these reviews and comments. Naturally, I want reciprocate - especially since my case is not all that common. I want someone to read my posts who may be in the same situation at my age, with no children, and a low BMI. I never really considered this kind of surgery until a few months ago. I was on RealSelf browsing through tummy tucks, lipo, breast lifts, and mommy makeovers. And then I saw the treatment for the gastric sleeve. Let me just check this out. Hmm. As I began reading the reviews, I realized something - I, too, was suffering from comorbid conditions. In 2013 I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, most severe in my neck, lumbar spine, and my hips. I have a herniated disc in my neck, a bulging disc in my lumbar spine, sacro iliac joint dysfunction on both sides of my hips, and degenerative disc disease. Wow, that's insane for being 41, but I never really thought about how serious it is. In addition, I was recently diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica. I have numbness on the outer side of my right thigh and at night, if I don't sleep in a certain position my right thigh feels like it's on fire (no joke). What do the doctors say that diagnosed me with all of these conditions? Lose weight. And to top things off, I have suffered from depression for many years which is now under control (thank heavens!) with Lamotrigine at 300mg a day. It has been nothing short of a miracle when I think about all the medications I went through to finally find this one. Now, what does my insurance say about my situation and gastric sleeve? Tough luck, hon. The surgery is not "medically necessary" for your life. Ha. Well alrighty then. After much research, I have come to the conclusion that this surgery will not only alleviate my conditions but will improve my quality of life till the day I die. I am usually in so much pain everyday that I cry when I think about how I will feel in 10 years. So what do I have to lose? I guess just weight. I researched many doctors but only met with Dr. Mirza and decided he was the one.
I had my first consultation with Dr. Mirza on 1/25/18. The following week (yesterday) I had my EGD. Not only did Dr. Mirza come in to see me before the procedure, but he came in after I was awake and explained how it went. (Some doctors don't perform this procedure - only the sleeve - so I hear.) It was so comforting and reassuring to know that my doctor will be by my side every step of the way.
Here are some current pictures of me. Honestly I never thought I was that fat! And I don't think I look that bad.

Ok, so after the EGD I had to complete these next steps before surgery. (And side note, the EGD revealed a small hiatal hernia which I was surprised to hear.) EKG went ok, it's super fast and you don't feel a thing. Ultrasound was a bit weird because the gel was cold and its constant pressure poking you around your abdomen was a tad uncomfortable for me. But they need to look for abnormalities. I'm assuming these tests went ok? Then I had to meet with a psychologist. That seemed to go well too. She asked why I wanted the surgery, what my expectations were, and what kind of support system I would have. We also talked about my lifestyle and what I had done in the past about my weight. She didn't seem "judgy" at all and we actually had a pleasant conversation about who I am in general and if I'm ready to make a commitment like this.
The results of all of these appointments were sent to my Dr.'s office. I really don't know what exactly the results are, but I figure we're all good to go because the office called me to remind me of my pre-op appointment next week. Wow. The ball is really rolling here. So excited. But honestly, I don't want to get my hopes up. I'm the kind of person who has to expect the worst. I feel if I do this, the outcome can only get better from there. So, I expect to be in a lot of pain after surgery, I expect some kind of complication, I expect not to lose much weight, I expect my hair to fall out at month 3, I expect for my hands to constantly feel cold, I expect to feel nausea, maybe I won't gain much of my energy back, maybe I won't lose as much weight as expected and maybe I won't feel any alleviation in my joints. Ugh, hopefully those things won't happen, but if they do I'm prepared for it and it won't come as a shock. (Wow, Debbie Downer LOL.)
That said, I am still hopeful for the best. I've got three weeks before the pre-op appointment and the dietitian has asked that I replace my morning coffee my usual "breakfast" (lol) with a protein shake. She said cut down on all carbs, opt for sugar free foods, and drink 64 oz of water every day. The goal is to lose 8lbs in three weeks before the surgery. We shall see!

It's always nice to find a review where you can see if someone's body shape and weight is just like yours. So once I start posting post op photos, you may expect similar results. But oh gosh, no more pre-op photos after this. LOL