Hey! Its been awhile since i've been on here.

In early June I went to two consultations and after listening to what each doctor had to say, I chose the one I felt would be the best for me, which is Dr. Onopchenko from AtlantiCare in South Jersey. He is very experienced, came recommended from my primary doctor and another patient, and made me feel comfortable. His office has also been very efficient and organized which makes me feel comfortable as well. So far I have been to two nutrition visits (out of 3), I've gotten an endoscopy, and i've had the psych evaluation which went well. I need to attend a few support groups, get a few medical clearances (cardiac & pulmonary), a sleep study and see Dr. O again before everything can be submitted to my insurance.

The further I get into the process the more sure I am about my decision to get the sleeve. I feel like i've done a lot of research, asked a lot of questions, and most importantly i've learned a lot about myself and how much this can help me. I'm carrying 150ish pounds of extra weight and I don't think I fully understood before how risky that is for me. I've tried a lot of diets, food programs, exercise, etc and I always lose weight and gain it back. Everyone i've met from the doctors, nutritionists, therapist and especially other patients have all instilled in me the importance of realizing that the sleeve is a TOOL and not a CURE. I am going to have to do a lot of work, but I can't do the work all on my own. I'm looking forward to completing the rest of my clearances and getting acquainted with the people in the support groups as well.