lizrbit

Hey there! Im nine days post op. I havent weighed but i have a feeling that ive put back some on since i started adding the high level protein drink and...the peanut butter. Its a new weakness. I dont know though. Im doing okay. NurseCEO..im totally addicted to pepermint creme gas x chewables. Love em and they do seem to help the constant burping. Have you had the gurgling yet when you drink a protien drink? i havent had it in a day or two but it was kinda funny when it did happen. Feels like the plumbing has been rerouted. I dont have any big news to report. My followup isnt until the 27th (when i was originally scheduled for surgery ironicly). Im hoping i can get a fill before i leave to go back home. I know it might be a lot to ask, but im finding i am holding more each day, and hungry afterwards quickly too. egads.

Hey Katy! I know the writing is so tiny on there. Yes it takes fine in water, and its not thick at all so it goes through pretty easy. I do one serving a day in water blended, then some yogurt or cottage cheese around noon for lunch, and creamy soup of some sort for dinner. Im in the creamy stage moving into mushy slooooowly. (Nine days post op) I do the kellogs protien water through the day too. Hey..did you see on the isopure container about it not being for wieght loss? i wonder what that is about? Still though, i have to say that adding it has REALLY helped me not feel so weak! im feeling good. OH..i gotta tell you too, i have found a new weakness. I read someone who was in the same stage as me saying they had a couple of spoonfulls of peanut butter and how great it was, so when i was at the grocery getting more waters, i went to the peanut butter section and found SMUCKERS NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER all it has in it is peanuts, honey, sugar and salt. the oil seperates on the top but i stir it up good, and OH MY GOSH its the best stuff. a couple of spoonfulls and im good! i never liked peanut butter before. if you get a chance, try it out!

I think thats the key for a significantly easier approval, to stay in network. My plan is Maine (where i live). They offer lapband surgery in Maine but its a very new proceedure there. I found my surgeon online through a couple of searches. I liked his stats and the fact that hes licensed by the manufacturers of my lap band, to teach the proceedure to other drs helped on top of his stats. I contacted his office, and found them extremely helpful. Your surgeons office staff includes people who handle insurance exclusively. They interact with them. They will tell you what the insurance will require as well as what the surgeon requires. I had an exhaustive history of medically supervised diets and programs extending years, as well as obesity related injuries and surgeries. It was my surgeons office who submitted my claims. The first denial was because the results for the tests i took that the insurance required had not come in yet. The surgeons office resubmitted my claim for me, then i was denied a second time but...i wasnt denied the surgery, i was denied the out of network referral because the surgery is offered in maine. My surgeons office resubmitted with the reasons i chose them, and it was approved. My office visits are likely out of pocket, and I have to tell you, to me, this is worth it. I found the best surgeon for me, im GRATEFUL to have this system in place, Im hopeful for a chance at living a life that didnt revolve around my obesity. I was banded Feb 13, i had no bruising and very little pain. The first day it felt like i swollowed a football, but im one week and one day post op and im walking twice a day, riding a bicycle everywhere i go in town, im working on the job i contracted so that i could be here during the time to obtain the surgery, and i love it. Ive lost around thirty lbs pre op and still going. This is an investment in yourself. Ive bought cars for more that i was less invested in. Im not done yet either. if i get the weight off and sustain a year, i plan on cosmetic surgery as well. I freaked on the insurance initially too, i called repeatedly and even requested a case manager and even though i think quite highly of my insurance plan, the surgeons office you go to, will definitely help you get through the red tape. They are used to dealing with insurance and they know what each specific insurance is looking for. They help with the entire process. I would advise you to call your surgeons office if youve chosen one, if not, you can google "lap band surgery" in your state or area and find a service like JourneyLite to contact. It really does help sort it out. If you go to your insurances website, you can download the policy specificly to find what their requirements for lap band surgery are. I would not recommend self pay if you have insurance. One thing they will ask you to do, is to find out if your insurance policy has a exclusion policy regarding gastric banding surgery. IF YOUR POLICY DOES, then you cant do anything about that and neither can the insurance company because that is the way the policy was set up through your employer! IF that is the case, then the surgeons office will have literature for self pay in terms of financing programs through loan companies and credit services, and ive even heard of people changing insurance in order to do it. If my insurance would not have covered this, i would have exhausted any avenue possible. Im very hopeful this will work for me.

thank you SO MUCH! thats going to be very helpful! i put the entire contents into a large bowl and using a pair of tongs went through it and it just didnt have a scoop! i have a half cup measuring scoop in the kitchen though and that will work just fine! Thanks again! also..your using milk? so far ive just used water. Do you use it daily?

hi! ive got anthem blue cross blue shield too. My policy covered the surgery 100 percent, but i had trouble with the out of network reference for the office visits. Ive paid only about 200 dollars so far during the testing process (one for nutritionalist and abill from the sleep study) and i dont know how much of the office visits ill owe, but you know it might help to think of it like buying a car. Im looking at it like that, like i have a new volkswagen beetle around my stomach!

Mookie you are hillarious!!! Ive wondered what to say to someone fiddling around with a mysterious port during an intricate proceedure. I learned during my second delivery that some surgeons have no sense of humor... still, its your port! you rock it! hehehe. I wouldnt worry about meeting capacity. I could be nieve but i think you will have constriction just fine all the way down the road.

I was fine until this stage. I think that because im starting to heal that ive started having intense cravings that I KNOW wont do anyone any good.. ive been great on the liquids so far, but now i want a tbone. I read that someone did a soft boiled egg in the full liquid stage, and while i wouldnt make it a habit, i scrambled one in milk tonight and WOW what a perfect food. For the record, i cant look at carrot juice anymore. it was a good idea once, but thats all i had in me. Im cool with creamy soups, even a little fortified, and my isopure powder, but i seriously cant wait until i can get a steak.

congratulations guys! post as soon as you are able and let everyone know how it went!

I read your thread and ordered mine from the GNC website. It arrived today. Im glad it did too because id beenhaving "weak" problems. I got a big bucket of the strawberry and cream and got a case of the chocolate ind packets for half off! Its not bad. At 50g protien each shake and no carbs, i gotta say it at least takes that "oh my god im going to die cause im starving to death and broth just doesnt cut it" feeling away. Im going to live. I found myself frustrated though. It said "two scoops" then DIDNT HAVE A FREAKIN SCOOP! I eyeballed about how much one of the indi choc packs were and added that much into the blender. DOES ANYONE KNOW how much in actuality the "two scoops" are? also..how often do you drink one? I bet one of these inthe mornings for Breakfast would kickstart the day on weak feeling days, and later when you have the fills i can see it come in handy, but fifty grams of protien is a LOT of protien. Seems like you wouldnt want two of these a day. ALSO: notice the writing on the bucket that says "Meal Replacement not for weight loss" on the side? whats that about?

Im trying to say this in the most delicate way possible.. How soon until you can have it?

thats totally no fair if your off licking doritos! :mad: i keed i keed... its significantly better now. Im a week out today! last night i had a cup of low fat strawberry and banana yogurt. It was the best tasting stuff ive tasted so far. yum.

Tracy, i was banded on the 13th. Red, THey make liquid TYLENOL PM now! i used to use the pill form for pain at night when i couldnt sleep and i love the stuff. I found the liquid at the drugstore next to the cold and cough stuff. Today i start the creamy stage! ahhh Soup beautiful soup! I ordered some of that Isopure protien powder online, it should arrive by thursday hopefully. and i think thats going to make things remarkably easier. Ive been really struggling to get in enough Water and protien. i havent come close yet to what im sposed to, BUT ive been recovering wonderfully without problems or real discomfort so far.

HI!!! man its good to hear everyone doing so well! Today im six days post op, and im sitting at a cafe with wifi a block from the house. I thought, "no problem, ill have tea and a cream soup!" but they had no cream soup. so i ordered cottage cheese, and its very ...different than the stuff i got at home. They got it for me from the back, its not on the menu. I explained i have a stomach situation and could only eat limited things. worked out pretty good. Oh to CHEW something! Im very concious of getting it all 'smooth' texture to pass okay.I also started back on my protien shakes today. Last night i was so incredibly hungry, i heated up some instant pea soup, then blended it to make sure. It was earth shakingly wonderful. My aunt flo came to visit yesterday and i REALLY feel weak. Im doing okay though. im thinking of sucking on a raw steak tonight....hahahaha (im kiddin)...

i LOVE that we are talking about SEX like its just okay! I want to sit on the floor crosslegged again. i want to be able to ride a bicycle comfortably as long as i want to. i want sex! i remember sex! to dance..in my house, with no one looking, without hurting my ankles or knees. I cant wait to have a conversation where im not wondering what the other person is thinking about my size. but the sex thing, definitely!

Right on Sandy! Man it seems like there were aLOT of us this month eh? are you itchy too? WHEN can we eat a creamy soup??? im starving! ahhahhh!

itchy means its healing!! i read your post and had to post too. I was banded the 13, and mine are all really itchy too. makes me crazy. I wouldnt put anything on them that could infect them if they are still open anywhere. just know you are healing, and soon you wont have any bandages! woohoo!

Hi Tina, Regarding the burping and gas..take lots of gas x (i like the chewable) and walk walk walk...the more you move the better that stuff goes out. I try to walk thirty minutes a day, twice a day. rest the other times. It does get better!

hi Gret and Karlee! welcome to bandland! i was really nervous, but listen, it went very smoothly. I could probably compare it to a c-section light...its not as bad as all that, but similar in some ways. For me, gas after the surgery was a huge issue (still is a little) this is the gas they put in your belly so they can move stuff around, your organs reabsorb it and so you will probably swell a bit. Just do EVERYTHING your surgeon tells you to do, and walk walk walk. It hurts to first get up, but once you are up and walking it helps your body get back to normal faster. also helps the gas bigtime! Keep us posted with your experiences too. This board really does have a wealth of info.

another good juice for the inbetween clear and creamy stage is CARROT JUICE heated up for a minute in themicrowave. Its a little heavier than broth but not so much that its creamy. I tolerate this very well and it gives me a 'full' feeling. you can get these in the fresh produce department at the grocery store near the tofu and soybean products.

My biggest Pet Peeve. I have a very close friend. Shes the only person ive ever let as close as she is. Sometimes i think its onesided. She is mentally incapable of making a plan. She cant ...literally cannot...say, "here is my calendar, and lets plan on doing x on date y." then working towards it, making arrangemnts and so forth. Its beyond her. THis has caused a few serious problems. SHe also doesnt realize that i can see her priorities by her actions. She will say "oh i wish i could take some time off and be there" but when she gets time off shes elsewhere. I just cant figure her out. when she was single, i once saw her use a guy for TWO YEARS paying her phone bill and internet subscription, long after they broke up and she was dating someone else. I saw her in person, go to him like he was the only person in her life, acting like she ws so appreciative, but in fact the moment he left we would go out. She really doesnt care if she leaves people hanging in the wind. I need a new best friend.

hi folks. My surgery is Tuesday. I had help coming from out of state for my original surgery date, but it got moved up and now im back to going it alone. I plan on having a taxi to and fro the hospital. I have most everything set up here at the house. I feel it should be okay? HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THIS ALONE? please respond. Your input is so important.

oh thanks so much suzanna! That is so sweet of you. I had a few days where i felt sorry for myself. but in all seriousness, reading the posts from other people who did it alone helped TREMENDOUSLY in seeing that i could, and that id be fine! I was scared a bit the day before surgery, but they were right, i was fine. Thank you for thinking about me. Im doing well so far! Everyone at my surgeons office has called to check up. It really has been fine. can i do something please? i saw it and i couldnt resist.... "oh susanna, now dont you cry for me..for i came from the tip of Maine with a banjo on my knee" hahahaha... I really really tried hard not to do that....Thanks again. Sincerely, Beth

man...my dr has me on clear liquids....you get a protien shake!?!??! lucky...lucky....lucky.....

i hope you dont mind if im candid... 1) my father died from obesity related factors in july 2005. His estimate weight was 475-500lbs. Nine days later his identical twin brother, also the same size, died from same factors. They suffered horribly the last month of their life. 2) Ive always struggled with obesity. Ive lost around 300 lbs in my life at 50-70 lbs at a time, and gained it right back. 3) i rolled over one morning and my head went one way, and my big body didnt follow. I ruptured an already herniated disc, blocking the nerve to my left arm. My pcp at the time, told me to get over it. eventually i got ahold of my current doctor and got to a nuerosurgeon who got me in for a laminectomy and discectomy to fix the problem. it did, and left a long horrible scar. 4) i havent had sexual relations in two years. Not my choice, But i understand. 5) My job has alot to do with image. my sales have plummeted since this last round of extreme weight gain. 6) i started to question every chair i could fit into as to weather id wind up on the floor again. 7) i wanted the least invasive option that would fix these issues on a permenant as possible basis 7) i researched and found a surgeon with an excellent record and personal approach, then really be pursuant about insurance and working with this surgeon. those are the real reasons i did this.

lessofme! WALKING walking walking helps sooooo much. the bike ride was funny because i had my britches unzipped and my hoodie pulled over my belly. it still feels alittle like my wind is knocked out of me every now and then. i love bike riding. OH I ENVY you and the creamy stage, milk....sweet lovely creamy milk. Today is the first day ive even thought about real food. im of course still on clear liquids and having trouble with even jello, but today i drifted off while watching a cheesburger commercial and MAN it looked GOOD. Im no where near ready for anything even similar to that.Anybody eat tofu? i dig it, and im wondering if thats in the creamy stage, or if its in the mushy stage? anyone know?