POSTED UNDER Gastric Sleeve Surgery REVIEWS
Ready for the journey of a lifetime with Dr. Khashayar Vaziri at GW Hospital
ORIGINAL POST
Ready for the journey of a lifetime
WORTH IT$1,500
I’m 47 years old, no kids and recently married. I have, up to this point, thoroughly enjoyed my life, traveled, successful career, etc.—BUT always, always, always struggling with my weight. I have faked confidence and gone through every diet known to humankind. I’ve tried medical weight loss where they throw pills at you and monitor your heart and blood pressure almost weekly and when the phentermine raised my blood pressure, they gave me drugs to lower it.
I pray I have not damaged my body through the extreme measures I’ve taken over the years.
I’m now at my heaviest weight of 250 lbs. I was 195 three years ago after popping diet pills and exercising almost daily and walking to work across town everyday (about 6 miles a day). Now I work at home half the week and am simply not as active (and a bit lazy with the excess weight).
I came to the conclusion that the gastric sleeve is my last hope when I found out I have high blood pressure (this time, without taking diet pills). I know I cannot do it on my own (at almost 50, I am pretty aware about what I am & am NOT willing/able/want to do). So, with the high BP, I have the co-morbidity I need to qualify for insurance to cover the surgery!!!
I was on Real Self researching tummy tuck and a breast lift and full body lipo. However, I realized that those would be a bandage on a wound that’s been troubling me my whole life. As I get older, losing that familiar 20-30 pounds is getting harder and harder.
When I turned 30, I worked out 2 hours a day for months and got down to 175 pounds and I felt and looked amazing. I don’t have it in me to do it again without some serious help.
I’m nervous about the surgery. I’m scared of complications. However, NOT having the surgery terrifies me more—I do not want to keep playing the obesity lottery and hoping/praying for the best.
So now my journey begins. I see a mental health practitioner on Friday so I can complete the mental health assessment. I am working with the surgeon’s patient coordinator on the other required tests/documents. I am hoping to fast-track the process as much as possible. My hold up may be the required 90 days nutrition counseling. I had my PCP and Endocrinologist write letters stating they have been providing nutrition counseling for me since October 2017 but I skipped November, so not sure if Blue Cross will count it...!
I pray I have not damaged my body through the extreme measures I’ve taken over the years.
I’m now at my heaviest weight of 250 lbs. I was 195 three years ago after popping diet pills and exercising almost daily and walking to work across town everyday (about 6 miles a day). Now I work at home half the week and am simply not as active (and a bit lazy with the excess weight).
I came to the conclusion that the gastric sleeve is my last hope when I found out I have high blood pressure (this time, without taking diet pills). I know I cannot do it on my own (at almost 50, I am pretty aware about what I am & am NOT willing/able/want to do). So, with the high BP, I have the co-morbidity I need to qualify for insurance to cover the surgery!!!
I was on Real Self researching tummy tuck and a breast lift and full body lipo. However, I realized that those would be a bandage on a wound that’s been troubling me my whole life. As I get older, losing that familiar 20-30 pounds is getting harder and harder.
When I turned 30, I worked out 2 hours a day for months and got down to 175 pounds and I felt and looked amazing. I don’t have it in me to do it again without some serious help.
I’m nervous about the surgery. I’m scared of complications. However, NOT having the surgery terrifies me more—I do not want to keep playing the obesity lottery and hoping/praying for the best.
So now my journey begins. I see a mental health practitioner on Friday so I can complete the mental health assessment. I am working with the surgeon’s patient coordinator on the other required tests/documents. I am hoping to fast-track the process as much as possible. My hold up may be the required 90 days nutrition counseling. I had my PCP and Endocrinologist write letters stating they have been providing nutrition counseling for me since October 2017 but I skipped November, so not sure if Blue Cross will count it...!
UPDATED FROM Me and VSG
4 months pre
Changed back to original surgeon—Khashayar Vaziri.
He was highly recommended by someone I hope is right—while this may sound dramatic, I feel like my life depends on this choice. I hope I’m right to go with my gut over the online reviews!!!!!!! Dr. Paul Lin had dozens of reviews and had been practicing for 30 years (I read he’s had 2 fatalities in this time). Dr. Vaziri has been practicing for about 15 years, with less than a dozen reviews. God be with me, PLEASE!!!!
Replies (10)
Excited for the both of us! I hope everything with the paperwork is progressing still. Also excited to follow the rest of your journey!