SarahG0417

I am just finding out that Tricare won't cover the sleeve through a civilian surgeon. Balboa in San Diego is the closest military hospital to me that does the procedure. It is 5 hours away from me but I guess that is doable. Does anyone have any experience with them, I would really love some help with this process. Who I need to talk to, what questions to ask, how much I can get done locally so I don't have to drive that far a bunch of times. Thanks in advance to anyone that can help me out.

Hairloss is from drastic metabolic changes...it only lasts a couple of months and biotin doesn't stop hair loss it just helps with the returning hair.

I started taking 3 gummy prenatal vitamins (walmart) a day...2 in the morning and 1 at night. Chewables of any kind made me sick no matter when or how i took them I threw up. I have been able to take the gummies with no problem at all.

My surgeon told me not to weigh for 2 weeks at least after surgery. IV fluids, healing, and swelling can add up to 15 pounds in some people. In a few weeks it will seem like you are melting away.

shrimp cocktail ( I found low sugar cocktail sauce at Trader Joes) tuna salad chicken salad lasagna without the pasta baked in muffin cups or mini bread pans refried beans with melted cheese and Greek yogurt cottage cheese with diced pears or peaches in juice (drained) veggie burger patties make loaded potato soup with half cauliflower use high protein chicken stock and top with cheese and Greek yogurt

Well I have always been headed in the right direction on the journey to get the sleeve, but so far everything has been so difficult. So many hoops to jump through then each of those hoops came with more hoops and complications and difficulties. Well I went to my nutrition class and nutritionist consult over the past 2 days and finally found people that want to work with me. When I told them I live 5 hours away they said I didn't have to do the support group class before surgery, and just to call or email one of them and they will get me down there in as few visits as possible. The Nutritionist said that I can stay in touch with her through email instead of coming in for appointments.....I am so happy I could cry. All I have to do now is get my sleep study then I have my consult with my surgeon and they give me my surgery date!

Awesome...I actually live on Vandenberg...maybe we can meet up sometime.

You could get the process started and start atkins or something like that as well.....it will reduce you weight before surgery making it safer, and you will be further down come May. Good Luck!

I live near Santa Maria.....having surgery in San Diego.

I am just finding out that Tricare won't cover the sleeve through a civilian surgeon. Balboa in San Diego is the closest military hospital to me that does the procedure. It is 5 hours away from me but I guess that is doable. Does anyone have any experience with them, I would really love some help with this process. Who I need to talk to, what questions to ask, how much I can get done locally so I don't have to drive that far a bunch of times. Thanks in advance to anyone that can help me out.

I don't have my date yet but here is my list, after reading and talking to several people that have had surgery: For hospital sleep mask ear plugs (to get some sleep) Ipod with earbuds (if you like sleeping with music) phone and charger laptop/ kindle or something else if you will be in the hospital more than 1 day small firm pillow (for holding against stomach and for car rid home) dry mouth spray (Biotene) Gas-X strips chapstick (important for after surgery) baby wipes face wash toothbrush and paste lotion deodorant journal to write things down wear comfortable loose clothes to the hospital then just leave in what you came in...including soft slippers then there is no packing clothes For home: wedge pillow for the bed belly band to help support stomach heating pad Gas X strips flexible ice pack comfy loose pj pants comfy bras with no underwire medicine cups (I ordered 100 on Amazon for cheap, to help with sipping....line up 4 for every hour with liquids) espresso spoons (also bought on amazon, they are like baby silverware, for helping take smaller bites) baby warming bowl electric mug warmer (to keep broth or warm beverages warm) liquid tylenol

I had mine today they gave me demerall and versed I was awake but don't remember much at all. It wasn't terrible just some mild gagging at very first then no big deal I didn't really feel anything. Took about 30 minutes. I was out of it all day slept for like 4 hours when I got home. Still feel a little out of sorts but should be good by tomorrow.

They give you versed which does not actually knock you out completely but you won't remember anything (that is what it is designed to do). So it will be as if you are knocked out completely. I have mine tomorrow, they said the actual procedure is about 45 minutes start to finish but prep and waking up I should expect to be there a total of 2-3 hours.

I was told by my Dietitian that while losing weight rapidly your liver is working harder. So when you drink during rapid weight loss you are giving you liver something else to process so it isn't ideal. Which is the primary reason they say no alcohol for a full year, since that is when you are losing the most rapidly. Just a helpful tip to think about.

Diet Snapple I like the cranberry raspberry flavor

yeah check with your surgeon and make sure you ask them specifically about which you are getting because flu mist is a live virus.

You also have to take into account that they include people that didn't follow dr instructions.....no preop diet, smoking, etc. The deaths are probably mostly in people that are much higher risk do to risk factors not the actual surgery.

I am just curious how everyone is eating and exercising before you get a surgery date or before pre-op diet. Are you just eating regularly and watching portions? are you actually dieting and trying to lose weight? are you just doing what you always did until pre-op diet starts? This waiting is really getting to me....I don't like waiting. I am emotional and it is really stressing me out and messing with me mentally.

My surgeon and dietitian says that juice plus is a great way to get antioxidants because we can't eat as many fruits and veggies....but that it is not a replacement to a good bariatric multi vitamin, iron, and calcium supplements.

Thank you for the reply. I called and got put into their computer system earlier this week and talked to the surgery coordinator. He told me he submitted my name and records to the bariatric clinic and they will look everything over to see if I qualify and he said he will call me back Friday and let me know everything I need to do ahead of time. I have already had blood work, an ultrasound of my galbladder, and I was going through another bariatric surgeon so I have already had a psych consult. I have also already meet with a dietician. I guess all I need to do is have a sleep study and then attend their required appointments. I also have already lost weight since my initial consult with the other surgeon, so i am hoping that all of this goes smoothly and maybe quickly. I will definitely keep in touch....you do the same. Maybe we will run into each other down there.

I went to my surgeon't appt. yesterday. I had lost 10 lbs according to her scale in the last 5 weeks. I have had all my tests, my psych already sent my surgeon her approval, so the only thing I need to get done is my EGD. My surgeon said if i can get it done fast then I could potentially have surgery in 2 weeks. The office assistant said it would be closer to 3 weeks in her experience with approval time, also there is a possibility that they will ask for 3 months of documented weigh ins (have that) or even 6 months. So I was crazy excited. Then I found out that my insurance most likely won't cover the sleeve with a civilian surgeon (military insurance). CRUSHED! Then I found out that there may be a loop hole. I am on required extended release medication so I can't have the Band or Gastric bypass. So slight possibility of approval. Also found out if I go to a military hospital they will cover it 100%. Closest military hospital is 300 miles away. So lots of good and bad...having trouble not being a little emotional about the whole thing. I am just going to stay on track, get my EGD and just hope the insurance will approve. If not I will talk to the military hospital to see how much I can do locally before I can have surgery.

my surgeon told me I can't take them because there is a possibility they could get stuck

I am just finding out that Tricare won't cover the sleeve through a civilian surgeon. Balboa in San Diego is the closest military hospital to me that does the procedure. It is 5 hours away from me but I guess that is doable. Does anyone have any experience with them, I would really love some help with this process. Who I need to talk to, what questions to ask, how much I can get done locally so I don't have to drive that far a bunch of times. Thanks in advance to anyone that can help me out.

Well I went this morning and had my blood test for H. Pylori and my ultrasound of my gallbladder. It was pretty pleasant over all. The girl checking me in for my tests is planning to have WLS as well and has the same surgeon as me so we were chatting it up about that. Then I went back for my blood test and I got a newbie (my veins are small and hard to find) so I got stabbed several times. I was ok with it, he wasn't hurting me, and he has to learn somehow. So he finally found my vein and got blood. Then all of a sudden the top half of my body went cold and I felt like I was going to vomit. I nearly passed out. They had cold rags on me and had me put my head between my knees and it took about 5 minutes for me to feel better. I was able to walk out just fine. Then I went down the hall to have my ultrasound done on my gall bladder. That was super easy, and the tech said that my gallbladder looks normal and no stones. I came home and was home for about an hour when I got a call from my surgeon's office. They had already received the results from my blood work and it came back positive for H. Pylori. So now I have to go to my primary doctor to get treatment for H. Pylori. I was amazed by how fast the hospital was with the test results! Happy that my gall bladder is fine, and only a little bummed about the test results. At least it is fixable.

it is a common stomach and intestinal bacteria they test for. Possible you were already tested.