Bufflehead

For U.S. surgeons I have heard everything from $10,000 to $30,000 depending on where you are, the hospital, the doctor, etc. For Mexican surgeons the prices tend to run from about $4,000 to $10,000, with most seeming to be about $5,000-6,000.

I was on full liquids for four weeks after surgery (and true liquids, not this "yogurt is a liquid, pudding is a liquid" stuff). So after four weeks of that, pureed meat tasted great to me! The trick for me was to puree it with a flavorful sauce, NOT broth, stock, or water -- then heat it up in the microwave with some cheese melted on top. It tasted just like a casserole type dish. I mostly used canned meats, or the meat you can buy in the little single serving pouches. The flavored ones were especially good. Some of my favorites: thai spicy tuna pureed with sriracha sauce and pepper jack cheese melted on top chicken pureed with bbq sauce with cheddar cheese melted on top lemon dill salmon pureed with tartar sauce shrimp pureed with remoulade and pecorino cheese melted on top turkey pureed with peanut satay sauce and jack cheese melted on top chicken pureed with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese melted on top turkey pureed with light chipotle mayo and sugar free pickle relish and Laughing Cow chipotle fresco cheese wedge melted on top teriyaki salmon pureed with teriyaki sauce (I don't recommend cheese with this but if I had to, I might try some blue cheese) Good luck!

I have not developed any lactose intolerance since surgery. My bloodwork is occasionally low iron, but it was before surgery as well.

I used Wellesse liquid multivitamin, iron, and calcium for the first four weeks after surgery. I took a double dose of both. I had no problems with any of them. You can buy them from Amazon, drugstore.com, and I think places like the Vitamin Shoppe and possibly Target. They also make things like liquid vitamin B compound, etc.

Your manager can ask (rude) but you don't have to tell. I have two people I report to. We were having a meeting on another topic, at the close I told them, "I'm having surgery June 19, I'll be out for about two weeks -- everything will be fine, don't worry about me." They expressed concern about my health, I reassured them again (we had a couple of people recently with cancer and I could tell they were worried about that, so I just said, really, don't worry, I don't have cancer, I just have some things to take care of, it will be okay), they asked if I needed any help at home after and I said no. That was that. If they had asked what kind of surgery I was having I had planned to say something like "it's really personal" - let them assume I'm having a hysterectomy or anal fissure repair or something. Given the fact that they sent me a giant fruit and candy basket after my surgery, at that point they hadn't figured out it was weight loss surgery, I am pretty sure!

If you haven't already, definitely set up a myfitnesspal.com account and get busy logging all your food intake. That helped me a lot! I also gave up drinking anything with calories and anything carbonated.

@@bookworm sometimes airlines won't let obese people have those seats. They vary on how strict they are in enforcement but the typical policy on who can sit in an exit row seat says that you can't sit there if you might "obstruct the exit."

Yes, you need to tell the nurse when you check in. In most instances they will give you special underwear and pads to wear. They typically won't allow tampons or cups and you won't want to be messing with them after surgery anyway . . . it's very common in surgery and they will have standard practices to follow and stuff they want you to use. nbd.

When I was pre-op, I started journaling al my food intake on MFP. I started exercising regulary (okay semi-regularly). I gave up drinking everything except water and black coffee. No drinks with calories and nothing carbonated. Those were my big changes.

Awww, congratulations, that is AWESOME! I am right behind you -- as of my weigh-in this morning my BMI is 30.0. So close! Hopefully I can join in your happy dance soon

Most insurance companies have a list of what they consider to be co-morbidities, and it varies both by insurance company and your specific plan. They should be able to provide you with the list if it isn't in your member handbook. And if they don't have a set list, just make sure your surgeon and PCP are on board with backing up your conditions as being weight-related. Good luck!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I would have this surgery again every year for the rest of my life if I had to. No questions and no hesitation. I had zero complications from surgery.

I wore loose comfy clothes to the hospital so I could wear the same clothes home. I brought and used my phone and charger and some very basic toiletries. I brought my Kindle but only used it because my surgeon was running late that morning and I had time to kill in pre-op. Other than that I brought nothing and the hospital had everything I needed. I didn't even turn on the tv - spent most of my post-op time focused on sipping and walking, and did some light surfing and playing on my phone.

@@lapnicky it's a common result of any gastrointestinal surgery -- I think because your gut flora is disrupted, you get a broad spectrum antibiotic via IV (the antibiotic encourages thrush) and your mouth and throat can have some microscopic tears etc. from the intubation, and all that together allows thrush to flourish.

A lot of the answers will vary depending on your surgeon's rules . . . I'll tell you the rules I live by, but yours will likely be different in small or big ways! 1. I'm trying to do the no Water 30mins prior, during and 30mins after a meal. It's definitely difficult because I love ice water with meals BUT I am doing it. Is this a life-long change? Or just the first year? It's for life, but my rules say I can drink water prior to meals, just not during or after. 2. I tried a shake this morning (1 scoop of whey chocolate powder (30g of protein) and 8oz of chocolate almond milk). It was so grainy and thick, blech! Is there a better one? How do I find a good one? Is it necessary to have shakes? Are there any that are pre-made so I don't have to make them? People have wildly different tastes in Protein. There are tons of different brands. Your surgeon may have specific rules about how many carbs, calories, etc. your protein shake can have. It's fine to sample different Protein Shakes before surgery, but you need to also sample them after surgery before you commit to purchasing anything larger than a sample. Most people find their tastes change after surgery. Here are some places to get samples: http://www.nashuanutrition.com/store/protein-powders/protein-powder-samples-1-serving.html http://www.vitalady.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&keywords=protsamp&SortKey=sku&SortOrder=ascending http://www.chikenutrition.com/chike-variety-pack.html http://www.unjury.com/store/protein/unjury-starter-kit.html http://www.mybariatricpantry.com/Bariatric_Protein_Samples_s/35.htm If you found a chocolate shake with almond milk too thick and grainy, you might want to check out the Syntrax nectar line (fruit flavors, mix with water) or unjury chicken Soup. You might also need a different blender! Pre-made? Yes, there are lots out there. The ones I see mentioned the most are Premier Protein, Pure Protein, EAS, Muscle Milk Light, Oh Yeah, and Isopure. I pretty much hated all the premade ones but lots of people love them. 3. Is there no snack between meals ever? I'm trying to think of all Proteins now but for example, sometimes I would have a cup of raspberries as a snack in the morning. Or have a half a grapefruit in addition to what I'm having. Are these now no-no's? I wasn't allowed Snacks other than Protein drinks between meals for the first six months, but have gradually added in solid snacks. The main danger, according to my dietician, is that lots of people tend to snack on things that aren't good for them, or tend to start grazing mindlessly. She blames snacking for most people who get off track with their weight loss or weight maintenance. Furthermore, you would probably want to be thinking about protein-focused snacks rather than fruit. 4. I'm switching to decaf so I can get used to no caffeine. I know if I do have coffee I'll have to drink even more water to make up for it. What else can you drink besides water? I love water but HATE it in the morning. First of all, caffeine will not dehydrate you. There are lots of scientific studies out there to prove it. My surgeon says no caffeine or coffee for the first six months because it can be a gastric irritant. Other things that I drank: G2, Powerade Zero, decaf tea. Plus I would add Crystal Light or Mio to water to make it more palatable. 5. Do you have to puree food the 2nd week? The thought of eating pureed chicken or tuna makes me kinda sick lol... I didn't start on purees until four weeks out. But yes, under my surgeon's plan, pureed meant pureed. And after four weeks of liquids, pureed tuna and pureed chicken tasted delicious, believe me. Especially when I pureed them with a strong sauce and then heated them up in the microwave with some cheese to melt on top. Just like a casserole. I forgot to add, if you go to the movies post-op, do you eat nothing? Well, I might smuggle in some almonds or beef Jerky but I'm certainly not going to eat any of the crap they sell at the concession stand. Honestly food just isn't as important to me as it used to be. I go to the movies to enjoy the movie, I don't think about food much. Also are gummy candy's a no-no for life? I'm not sure why gummy candies would be a no-no once you reach maintenance, as long as you can be responsible with the calories and carbs and not let an occasional treat turn into a bad habit? I've not heard about gummies of any sort being forbidden once you are released to all food textures and have reached your goal weight.

If you have questions, call up your surgeon's office, tell them you have questions and would like to schedule a pre-op appointment with the surgeon. I'd be shocked if they weren't happy to accommodate you even if it isn't standard practice. I know that's the way it works at my surgeon's practice.

Given that anything going in your anus would have to travel at least 25 feet through your intestines to reach your stomach, I'm going to guess hell no unless your partner is some kind of serious anatomical freak or you have the world's longest toy at your disposal.

I usually have a romaine lettuce wrap - take a big leaf of lettuce and fill it up with hot sirloin, garlic mustard and pickle relish; or maybe chicken warmed up with some red pepper sauce, tuna salad, or deli turkey with a melted laughing cow cheese. The sirloin version is about 75 calories, 2 carbs, and 13 grams of protein. Very filling and delicious! Thanks to Cindy for the tip

@@fit2Bme2014 I am 9 months out, was not allowed jerky (or roasted garbanzos or or roasted edamame) per my surgeon's plan until six months out.

I love beef and turkey jerky - also Ostrim which is ostrich jerky! And for a real treat, marlin jerky (only for people who like fish)! It is delicious and has a higher protein to calorie ratio than beef, turkey, or ostrich jerky. Other things I like: Greek yogurt with a little PB2 stirred in, cottage cheese with hot sauce, roasted edamame, roasted garbanzo beans.

oh my gosh, what a beautiful transformation! You look not just slimmer in your after pic (obviously) but so much younger and happier. Congrats!

This is going to sound cold, but when I see (or hear of) something like that, I just think to myself, so that's why the average excess weight loss for the sleeve is 60% not 100% - people like her are dragging down the average, and I'm going to be on the other side of it. And to be completely honest sometimes I think the same thing when I see people posting here about how they are eating pizza and sandwiches and Oreos three weeks after surgery.

You should aim for about 1900 ml/64 fluid ounces per day in order to avoid dehydration. You should be sipping on something just about constantly in order to make that goal. Good luck!

I was offered decaf in the hospital a few hours after surgery and drank it happily. I started adding a teaspoon of decaf instant to my protein shakes when I got home. At three months out I started drinking regular coffee (not decaf, not instant), but small amounts, like 1-2 cups in the morning. I will sometimes go up to 3 cups. And by cups I mean the lines on the coffee maker, 2 cups, 3 cups, etc. -- not 3 giant mugs of coffee or 3 talls from Starbucks or anything like that! I drink my coffee black so I don't worry about added calories from creamer or sweetener. All the latest published science shows that coffee is not going to dehydrate you so I don't worry about that either -- it counts towards my daily fluid intake.

I was prescribed Nystatin swish n' swallow as a prophylactic for both before and after surgery. I had no problems with it.