Eureka-C

Thanks so much for your touching story. I only had to wait 5 months due to having to appeal a denial, but here I am 6 weeks out and moving forward every day. Welcome to the losers bench. Looking forward to your future posts.

Ask your doctor if he will go ahead and prescribe your pain killer so you can have it ready when you get home. You will probably need it the first few days. I also used my heating pad. The hospital bed killed my back so I used it for that! Be careful about buying too much of the liquid foods. I bought lots of Jello and broth. Then after only getting that at the hospital for two days, I can stand either. I would just buy a little of each and I was able to go to the store day four post-op to buy the rest of what I needed. It was good for walking. Good luck and congrats on your big day being so close!

There is a pinned list of this very question floating around somewhere with lots of great advice. I am not sure how to find it, maybe someone out there can do so.

Hello Friends. I am sorry to say that my insurance co. turned me down for the Sleeve.....I am not heavy enough!!! Go figure. A real bummer, I was so excited. They are going to talk my surgeon tomorrow to get me changed over to gastric bypass which is what I initially thought I was getting. Please say a prayer for me that I get this one approved

Thanks to all and many blessings Judy

At first I thought I would give in too when my insurance denied me due to it being an "experimental" surgery. I really considered the lap-band and the bypass. I did my research, then I wrote a personal letter explaining all the reasons that the sleeve was best for me. I backed it with current research about the loss rates, recovery rates and all that for the sleeve. I sent it in with a letter from my surgeon for appeal and I WON! I got the sleeve. I hope that you are doing this because you want to, not because you are just settling. It is worth the time and effort invested to find and get what you really want. Best of luck to you.

I think the restriction depends on a lot of factors: The size of your sleeve, both the width and the length, how fast your swelling goes down, how much liquid is in the food and how fast it passes through the sleeve. I know that when I was able to move to mushies at three weeks, I could almost immediately eat 1/2 cup of soft, wet foods. At 6 weeks now, it is no problem for me to eat 3/4 to 1 cup, even of denser Protein. I am still losing, and I feel satisfied with the amount I eat, so I refuse to beat myself up over the amount compared to others. I did this so that I could eat healthy and not feel like I was suffering all the time I was losing weight, so as long as I am losing, even slowly, I will eat mostly protein, but I will also enjoy the carbs. I will eat the amount that satisfies me. I will eat as often as my body needs (not grazing, but right now that is about every 3-4 hours). I know its a tool, and I will need to work it, but I also refuse to suffer any more for weight issues.

I posted this in another thread. I really think there is more to it than just weight loss.

I have been noticing in several posts that people report feeling colder after this surgery. Some people attribute it to the weight loss, but others say they have lost large amounts of weight before and not had this effect. I decided to do some research. There are several articles that say increasing ghrelin increases body temperature. This article suggests that rats that don't produce ghrelin have trouble regulating body temperature in cold environments. They also have less nonREM sleep, (more dream time, less deep restful sleep), but they stay awake better during the day. I guess what is interesting to me is this hormone is a big player in sleep and thermo-regulation. I was wondering what others have personally noticed about their changes in sleep and ability to adjust to cold or hot temperatures.

Personally. I have noticed I sleep less, 6-7 hours at night. I feel awake but tire easily (which I think is more related to surgery recovery). I have definitely felt colder and always have a blanket over me.

http://www.pnas.org/...090106.full.pdf

I have a boy age 10 who is very thin. He naturally controls his eating at this time, and does not seem to have the compulsion to eat like the rest of us. I am amazed when he can be eating something he loves like chocolate cake or hot dogs, and just announces "i'm full" mid bite, then stops. I also have a daughter age 11, who is 5'3" and wears an adult size 10. She is overweight. At the same time, she is active, makes healthy choices eating most of the time, and is in much better shape than I was at that age. I have tried to have a home where we openly discuss healthy choices, while at the same time not making foods "bad" or "good" We talk about a healthy serving, and eating variety. I worry about her constantly having the problems with self-esteem as she moves into adolescence. I also worry about my son, who doesn't have to worry now, but when his metabolism slows down, will he have bad habits that he learned while skinny?

I'm so cold all the time! How long does this last?

I was doing some reading and found out that Ghrelin also affects maintenance of body temperature. That may be a factor why so many sleevers get cold, even when they are still overweight.

They are the one thing I dread every day. I got some chewable calcium citrate from the vitamine shop and didn't realize until after surgery that I would have to take four of them to meet my 1000mg requirement. They are like eating citrus flavored chalk. The glass bottle broke on the way home at Christmas, and I didn't want to chance swallowing a sliver of glass on them, so I got to throw them all away. Hooray! Now I am trying the Bariatric Advantage samples I got from the doc. The flavors are horrid, and still chewy chalk. At least I only have to take two of them. I tried a choc chew from Bariatric Advantage, and it wasn't too bad, but then it is back to 4 a day. It still tasted chalky. I would rather just swallow a pill, but everything I read says that it absorbs better in chewable or liquid. Sigh. Any chances that there is something out there that isn't chalky?

At one week out there is no way I could do 2 12 hour shifts on my feet. At two weeks yes. Can't you catch the "flu" or get "food poisoning" ? I did shop black Friday for about 5 hours, at 5 days out, then was exhausted and hurting for 24 hours.

Yup. I have bcbs CA. I too had to appeal. It was a long frustrating time. I began my first doc visit in June and had surgery nov 22. The doc suggested I go on a 2 Protein Drink, one meal, one snack diet, high Protein low carbs b/c my liver was mushy, enlarged and likely fatty. I didn't stay on it the whole time as my emotion got the better of me at times, but when it finally came time for surgery, my doc was pleased with the weight loss and "feel" of my liver. So I just continued that and only had to do a 3 day liquid prep. Yeah. I had a beautiful liver. Doc gave us pics of the surgery. Total, since June I have lost 46 pound, 23 in the 6 weeks since surgery. It's not fast, but I am happy, lower than I have been in ten years. I still eat too many carbs. I can eat way more than many on here at six weeks. I am tempted and often succumb to temptation. I ate 3/4 of a jr burger from whataburger w cheese and felt so guilty. Then I realized I was struggling to keep down to 1500 cal before surgery, and now on my worst day, I had 1200. This surgery will happen for you. Don't give up. If the appeal fails, there is a second appeal process. If that fails there is self-pay and loans. Good luck and keep us informed.

My doctor prescribed a dissolvable prilosec. I had to get a letter of medical necessity for the insurance to pay b/c it is expensive. It dissolves quick no problems, and not so chalky like Vitamins or Calcium.< /p>

Around week three I spent 10 days jumping up and down between 259-261. Finally started losing again, about a pound a week, then in the last 5 days suddenly lost 3 pounds. I didn't even chart it at first because I thought it was a fluke, but woke io this morning and still gone. Keeping my fingers crossed now. I think this uneven weight loss and stalls is the most frustrating part of the whole experience, but the big picture is I am the lowest weight I have been in 10 years!

I am 5'7.5" and I see all these posts about wearing an 8 and can't ever imagine that for me. I remember when jcpenney came out with plus sizes for kids in the catalogue and I was so happy I could get kid clothes that fit me. I shopped in the adult section since age 8 or 9 and totally skipped juniors. I did slim down to a 10 in 10th grade by skipping most meals. That did not last long. Right now I just look forward to the next size drop. I already had to get rid of my 26's and most of my 24's are looking baggy. My goal right now is 14, but hidden inside is the hope that it might be possible to make it to 8.

I am sorry that your post was missed. I too have found that if I post at a time when many others are posting, it can get pushed to the second or third page of new content and you get few to no answers. If I am still needing responses, I just reply to my own post to push it to the top. There are some really supportive people here, please don't take it as a personal shun when no one responds.

As for your question, I think they are normal. I find comfort in information and read everything I could find. My hubby on the other hand just wanted to know the doc had great stats and to please not tell him about all the possible complications. I am still terrified at 6 weeks of eating the wrong thing, but it is getting easier. After watching my grandmother have her first major stroke at 53 due to diabetes, my mother at 54 can barely walk due to diabetes an my uncle just died at 56 last summer due to diabetes, I wanted to be there longer for my own children and grandchildren. The risk of me dying in the surgery now was low, but the risk of severe health problems before 50 and death before 60 was very high. It has been worth the fear now to know I will be there tomorrow. Best of luck to you.

Ok...here are my questions: FYI - im 2 wks post op and on mushies...

1. how much liquid can you drink in one sitting at this point? I was drinking constantly. how many sips or gulps can i take? I was sipping 3-4 sips per ounce. I tried not to go more than 5 min w/o a sip. also, how long do i have to wait to drink more? I was still on full liquids, so I didn't wait. when do the liquids leave my tummy so more fits in? I think they move through fast.

2. when do the crazy tummy noises stop??? At six weeks, I still get them occasionally, but the sounds like an abominable snowman was in my tummy really settled about week 4. the doctor said i should take prilosec for a month...should i do it for longer if the noises continue? A lot of people stay on PPI's longer as acid can mimic hunger and some continue to have reflux.

3. whats the difference between mushy food and solid food if you chew chew chew both? Mushies don't take any chances on getting caught in a wound, irritating the stomach lining, eating a hole in your stomach and resulting in a new surgery with a feeding tube. Sorry my mind goes drastic sometimes. wont solid food become mushy once you chew it to death before you swallow? Some do,but others don't.

4. will i ever be able to eat a salad before my meal? Protein first, but maybe. before surgery, we'd have salad before our main course for dinner...it seems my tummy will always be too small to do both? and in the mushy stage, can i have cold non pureed veggies like red pepper strips, spinach or cucumbers if i chew well? Too much Fiber does not digest well. And those little seeds in cucumber!

5. how do you know when you're full. i just stop eating because im scared of throwing up but i dont know what "full" feels like with the sleeve. My nut said take a bite, feel the fullness. Wait to see if it passes, take another bite. Also many measure so they don't go over. I have taken one bite too many twice now and threw up that bite, not quite the same as vomiting. I also have not chewed well enough and experienced intense pain twice, but it passed and I really chew better now.

6. splenda can be gross to me sometimes...is it really that bad to add a little bit of reg sugar to my oatmeal? A lot of people use natural sweeteners like honey or agave nectar. I personally don't think it's too bad if you are tracking and keeping it limited. Slippery slope and all.

7. how is it possible to drink 64 oz a day while having to stop a minimum of 30 min before and after each meal (and also including the supposed 30 min it should take you to eat your meal)??? Uhmm... I couldnt do it. I had a hard time getting 64 oz and i was only doing liquids. Dont give up, watch for signs of dehydration. Do the best you can. how often and how much do you drink during your

day? At two weeks I tried not to go 5 min w/o drinking. Now I try to do 24 oz after each meal - about 4 hours for each.

ok. im done ranting. thank you sleevers!

Not really all that strict at all....fruit, cottage cheese, yogurt, lean meat, Protein shakes and unlimited radishes, cucumbers, celery, pickles, SF pop cycles, and caffeine free drinks.

The carbs are the hard things to stay away from. It's like they rule my life. I also don't fill full on such little, simple food.

So what...will they get in there and see that my liver sucks and close me up?

My understanding is that an enlarged fatty liver is softer and more likely to tear when they pull it back out of the way, upping your risk for bleeding, complications, pain and slower recovery.

I was wondering that too. I am still terrified to try any raw veggies or fruits. I am 6 weeks out.

I do have a question, I had my surgery on the 14 of November 2010 today is the 3 of January 2011 I,m still on liquid when do I have to start too eat again?

I began full liquids at week 2, mushies at week 4, and now I can start trying other stuff at week 7 (my surgery was on Nov. 22nd). Is there a reason you are still on liquids? Did you have something else done during the surgery as well? complications afterward?

Hello all,

Let me start by saying thank you all who respond to my ramblings. I never thought I would use an online forum like this, now I have come to rely on all of your posts.

I NEED HELP!!

I am day 1 of my pre op sugar free liquid diet. UGGG and it's only day 1.

I dont know how to cook dinner without tasting the food...there went my liquid diet! I am preparing and I taste everything for tasty-ness, you know what I mean? I am not even thinking about it and then I realize, holy crap, I am eating...

If I am making the salad, I taste a piece or two to check my dressing, which is always a lemon, olive oil, herb blend, but I HAVE to know if the blend is balanced. The same goes for when I make mashed potatoes, or rice or Pasta sauce or a number of other dishes I make from scratch. How do I know if the food I am feeding the family is yummy if I dont try it first? Seriously. lol HELP!!

The pre-op diet is to shrink my liver. I was told when your BMI is very high, as mine is 45, then it is important to try to shrink the liver before surgery. I want to do this right so bad.

Thanks again for all your kindness and support.

I had been doing two Protein shakes, dinner, and one high Protein snack for 4 months b/c of trying to appeal my insurance, and my doc said I didn't have to do the two week pre op liquid, just 3 days. Whoo Hooo. Still. When I had to drop to no food, it seemed like torture. I feel your pain. It was all worth it. My liver on the pics that the doc gave me looked bee-u-ti-ful. Week one after the surgery wasn't too bad as I had almost no hunger and it took all my effort just to get in my liquids/protein sipping all day. By the middle of week two, I was nuts to eat again. You can do it. If you make a mistake, don't give in, just get back on track. It will be past before you know it.

I hit a stall, so I am keeping track of my daily intake as shown below on www.fatsecret.com which syncs with my Droid app "Calorie Counter" and copy and paste (calories, carbs, Protein, etc.) info to my doctor. The coolest thing is it can scan in the nutrition count of many of the foods with a barcode scanner in the phone or do a search, or restaurant search and has many restaurants/fast food on there. I really would have a hard time keeping a dairy without this fabulous application/bar-code scanner so I highly recommend it if you aren't using one. I am sure there are even more for the IPhone. Another tip, usually Publix off brands will scan but if you just like to scan in the food, most name brands are already in there so you don't have to manually add the nutrional value. When you are shopping, you can scan to see which brands work. But you can add anything custom you want, so it will be there. I just really like the scanning. My phone is a Droid phone through Verizion (most companies offer this Samsung Galaxy phone)

What apps do you like and why?

I also use fatsecret.com. You can friend me on there if you like. I like to see what everyone else is eating to get ideas. I also like the weight loss tracker. I have found foods not on the list, but only a few, and it doesn't take long to add them to the database. None of the scan aps work on my phone. It is too old school. My husband has been trying to get me to get a droid.

I am 2 weeks post op tomorrow, and I am still struggling to get my Protein in.. I have bought samples after samples but nothings working.. I even attempted one of the protein bullets "55g in a 4.33 oz bottle" It was like drinking metal the taste and smell was horrible. I have tried mixing it with Water, but some of it says not to mix with water. So I bought the lactose free milk to mix it with and it froths so bad I can't get past the air bubbles. What am I going to do? I try to find mushies that have 5 or more grams of protein a serving and make that my focus for the day, but it doesn't seem like it's enough.. Doing it that way I am only getting in maybe 15-20g instead of the recommended 50-60g.. I started back on chopped meats today so that will help a little, but geeze it doesn't have enough to give my body what it needs. I am looking for any advice on what to do to get more protein in me.. I wish there was a pill that would give me all my needed protein for the day LoL

i mixed some stage 1 baby food meat with broth. 2 oz broth, 2 oz baby food, added a little salt and garlic powder for taste. I think it was 9 g of protein for 2 oz of baby food.

I also like the Twisted cherry nectar brand. I like the cytomax protein bottles better than Isopure. The tangerine cytomax tasted like tang to me.

I was wondering what makes you think it was a panic attack?

Great job!

Congratulations. Sounds like you have everything in line. Can't wait to hear how it goes.

Everyone loses differently. I have 150 pounds to lose. At first I was losing a pound a day, then I stalled during week 2 and lost nothing. The past 3 weeks, I have lost 4 pounds. Good luck.