kczar

Congratulations! I'm shooting for August 16, but of course as soon as I got my approval my surgeon's scheduling system went down! They should call me back on Monday.

Vitamin D deficiency is very common. I was given a prescription for a high dose. It won't delay your surgery.

Good luck! I can't relate as far as smoking as concerned (I've never smoked) but I'm sure you can do it. Keep in mind that you're not going to be able to be sleeved until you quit. Perhaps put notes on your bathroom mirror or fridge reminding you of your goals.

Try www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com. She's got an amazing variety of recipes and ideas for the various stages. Good luck!

You can try the Isopure RTD products. They don't taste that great, but they offer fruit flavors that can be a nice break from chocolate/vanilla. They have kind of a gnarly aftertaste, so I tend to dilute them a bit (some people add Mio drops) and pour it over Sonic ice.

You look great! And the "girls" are pretty amazing. Congratulations on your pregnancy, too.

My paperwork got faxed over to insurance on 6/29. For some reason, they thought they only had three month's worth of diet plan paperwork and had to confirm with my surgeon's insurance coordinator that yes, they had everything they needed. I called Monday and was told the file was given to medical review on 7/7 and it would take 7-10 business days to get a decision. I called again this morning and no update. Then I got a voice mail from the insurance CSR I spoke to. She had contacted the medical review department and confirmed I was approved! They'll fax the letter to my surgeon today so I should get a date today or tomorrow. First, yay that I'm almost there! And secondly, my insurance company really rocks. The fact that the CSR made the extra effort to see if there was an update made me feel so good. I'm actually tearing up right now. Anyway, after telling my family, I had to come here and share.

An endoscopy is basically a procedure where you are sedated and a scope with a camera is fed down your throat and into your stomach. They check your esophagus and stomach for abnormalities or acid damage. They may also take one or more biopsies to test for problems. I think surgeons require it to see what, if any, damage acid reflux has done to your esophagus as reflux can get worse with some bariatric surgeries. As someone mentioned above, if they give you Propofol you won't remember anything about the procedure. You're basically roofied!

I was told that I wouldn't be completely out but I don't remember anything. They did tell me they kept having to put me further under because I was fighting the scope. Sorry you had such a scary time.

Thanks, ladies! I can't wait.

Thank you, Dooter! It has been a long trip. I'm just excited that I'm about to take my place on the loser's bench.

@paulsgirl, I'm sure that helped you get through that day. Just make sure you don't start doing that on a regular basis. I read somewhere here on the boards that it can actually become an eating disorder. Plus it triggers your stomach to start producing acid to digest the food it thinks it's about to get. Just throwing it out there.

I really do love this stuff. If you have a Central Market in your area, they usually carry it. Or you can go on the company's website and use their store locator. You can also buy it direct from them but you have to buy at least two jars. And the chocolate flavored one is awesome!

I found a 12 oz bottle I'm currently using. However, I haven't really found a shaker bottle I'm happy with. They either don't blend well, the lids don't fit and it leaks or the flip top is to hard to open. I've started blending my drinks in a blender with some ice. Once I'm sleeved, I'll probably switch over to an insulated bottle so the drink will keep cold longer. I use skim milk right now but have thought about trying almond milk since I've seen it here a lot. I also doctor the shakes up with Torani syrups to give me some variety.

The chocolate pb2 is awesome!

Congratulations!

Congrats! I'm excited for you.

Sorry you got upset. I assume they had something that came up unexpectedly. At least you're only delayed one day. Good luck and keep your spirits up. You're in the home stretch!

The poster that mentioned HIPPA is right. You do have the right to not have to divulge this information. But as you've seen, its not always easy to do so. If your company is large enough, you can go to your hr rep for help. I'm fortunate that I work for a small company and have a supportive boss. I know not everyone is that lucky. You've said all you really need to. Good luck!

Congratulations! I called my insurance today and the paperwork is currently being reviewed by a doctor. I hope to hear something by Thursday. *fingers crossed*

The best thing to do is ask your hr person. They should be able to ask the insurance company. As long as you have the records supporting their requirements available, you should be ok. But I suggest asking before you switch.

I really don't like canned broth and I'm afraid to try the Unjury powdered chicken broth so I think I'm going to make my own. I figure I can flavor it with a bunch of herbs and veggies, then strain it and freeze in ice trays. Then just pop one out, heat up and add unflavored protein. That's the plan anyway.

Just make sure that any protein shots you get contain whey protein. Collegan protein is harder for sleeves to digest. Also, it's derived from boiling cow hides and hooves. Gross!

Congratulations!

One thing to consider is that if (God forbid) you did have a complication, would you be paying that copay in the form of deductibles and out of pocket expenses? Not to paint a gloomy picture but if the surgery will satisfy your OOP maximum, it might be worth it to have the procedure done locally. Just a thought.