In response to a comment

Like you said, you don’t know me or my circumstances. I have severe insulin resistance, gaining weight after successful weight loss is inevitable. In order to maintain my weight loss and continue to lose I have to keep cutting down on calories and increasing my activity level. My insulin levels stay sky high making me feel like a starving lunatic 24/7. This surgery will eliminate my insulin resistance, allowing me to maintain weight loss for the rest of my life, and avoiding the diabetes and heart disease that my mom and maternal grandfather have.

Is it disappointing that I have to gain 30 lbs in order to have the surgery covered by insurance? Yes. I wish that with my risk factors and current comorbidities that my insurance would pay for it. But that’s not how it works, so if I have to play their game in order to avoid paying 20,000 out of my own pocket, then I will.

I’m not writing this blog to be an example to anyone, this blog is skinnynurseb-an icu nurse trying to lose weight, not skinnynurseb-do exactly as I do and you will lose weight too!. This is a BLOG, an online journal for ME to record my progress. Being a nurse has made me hyper-aware of the risks of the surgery as I understand exactly what they are. I have spent a great amount of time watching actual surgeries, speaking to patients of my surgeon, and reading experiences of others online. I’m not jumping into this because it’s the “easy” way out! Weight loss surgery is not the easy way out, and if you think that you’re ridiculous. Life after the surgery is difficult, mentally and physically. I’m as prepared for that as anyone can be until they begin to experience it themselves. I have an excellent support group to help me along the way.

I laugh at your statement about me not retaining any information from seminars because I’m just trying to jump through hoops. I have a second Bachelor’s degree…I understand nutrition better than 95% of the population. If I didn’t have insulin resistance I wouldn’t need this surgery as I would be able to maintain weight loss. I love to exercise and I love eating healthy foods.

My life isn’t going to dramatically change once “the weight” is off. I haven’t always been overweight. I started gaining weight when I hit puberty and developed PCOS, which triggered my insulin resistance. I’m a very confident, strong individual who knows what she wants in life and knows what she needs to do to get it. Thanks for taking the time to comment on my blog!