DLCoggin

It's my understanding that most insurance companies require a "letter of medical necessity" and that it usually comes from your PCP. I absolutely would go ahead and submit it to the insurance company in November if not sooner (based on the information you have, there doesn't appear any reason not to submit it immediately if it works with your schedule). Even if they approve it right away there will still likely be a delay for getting the surgery scheduled. As already pointed out, the worst that could happen is that they reject it until you meet "X" requirement. You're getting close!!!

You're losing more than five pounds a week and you're discouraged. If you were to maintain that rate for another five months you'd be at your goal weight! It's all about lifestyle changes and lifestyle changes start with realistic expectations. Ask yourself what you expected. 10 lbs a week? 15? More? Now ask yourself are those realistic expectations? You're doing fabulous! Congratulations!! Just keep doing what you're doing and watch your transformation into the new you! Stay focused on following protocol, stay active, and stay away from the scales for a week and even two if you can stand it. You're gonna love the new you!!

You may want to try a Protein supplement with whey "isolate" as opposed to whey "concentrate" if you haven't already. The difference between the two is the amount of filtering. Whey isolate is 90 to 96% pure protein with most fat and lactose removed. Most folks who are lactose intolerant can tolerate whey isolate. The bad news is that isolate is usually more expensive as the ultra filtering process is costly. As others have pointed out, there are many soy products out there to chose from. The trick, whether whey or soy, is finding a product that you like the taste of. Always a good idea to buy small quantities until you find the right one. Be persistent and don't give up until you find a way to get ALL of your daily protein. You'll be glad you did!!

Soy and whey are both excellent sources of Protein. Both are complete Proteins (meaning they have all nine essential amino acids which the body cannot produce on its own) and both have a perfect 1.0 score on the PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score) which ranks proteins based on their digestibility and has been adopted by the Institute of Medicine, the FDA and the World Health Organization. Soy is a plant based protein which makes it ideal for vegetarians or folks who are lactose intolerant. Whey protein is made from cow's milk and may or may not be tolerated by those who are lactose intolerant depending on the how highly the whey is filtered. If you're not vegetarian or lactose intolerant, you really can't go wrong with either soy or whey protein. There is a difference in taste so a good starting point might be to buy one of each and see what you think. I always caution folks to stay away from most (not all) products marketed as protein "shots" or "bullets". With one exception that I am aware of, all the rest are made with collagen protein which has a PDCAAS score of 0.08. These products are attractive to bypass patients because they are low volume - usually around 3 oz, and high protein - usually 30 to 50g. But any amount of protein, high or low, is useless if the body can't absorb it. The one exception which I learned from another forum member is "Yes Whey" which does not contain collagen protein. Hope that helps!!

I haven't tried them yet but I have seen them. They are definitely on my list!

Everybody heals differently so it's tough to put a time line on when your pouch will start talking but rest assured it will. For now, measure everything you eat, and never eat less than two hours or more than four hours apart. Before you know it you'll be amazed at how little you can eat before feeling full!!

When I hit 165 about two months ago (from starting weight of 285), doctor told me to increase calorie intake and if I lost more than 10 additional pounds to call her. I've been able to more or less stabilize it around 162 but ridiculous as it sounds, it hasn't been easy. After months of averaging about 1300 calories a day, it's been much harder than I expected to increase that to my goal of an average of 1500 a day. Frankly, I think it would have been impossible without my food log. Highly, highly, highly recommended! It takes all of the guesswork out of the equation! Good luck on the butt! It took gastric bypass surgery and losing 120 lbs to discover, for the first time in my life, that I have no butt! Women say that size doesn't matter but we all know they're secretly thinking "He'd be a nice looking guy if he had a butt!" Lol!

Consider it this way - a cup of ping pong balls vs. a cup of ball bearings. Both are a cup - by volume. But one weighs 2oz, the other 2lbs. "Full signals" to the brain are triggered by stretch sensors in the stomach. Reading between the lines, I think your doctor is making the point that those sensors are more sensitive to volume as opposed to weight. Congratulations and great job on the weight loss!!

Costco sells Pacific Gold Teriyaki Turkey Jerky - 80 cals per 1 oz serving and 11 grams of protein. Much more tender than most beef jerky and I think this one is delicious. Like all things Costco, you may have to scrounge around for it a little but it's worth the effort. I buy multiple bags and always have it on hand for snacks. Now as much as I like Pacific Gold, Wal-mart sells Old Wisconsin Turkey Bites and I love these things - 80 cals per 6 bite serving with 7 grams of protein. If you like savory stuff, these things are over-the-top good. Totally addictive!!

Just a quick note from Libbi (my lab) and I to thank you for your kindness. Libbi wanted to send her own message but we've found that paws don't work very well on a laptop. Her typing speed's not bad but her spelling is atrocious! When you get right down to it, a "forum" is nothing more than software and an Internet address. It's the members, all of the members, that make it either a waste of time or something quite special. Individually, any one of us is just a single voice. Together, we are an invaluable resource for all who are on this life changing journey. I thank all of you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences and suggestions and support. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it! Stay focused, stay active and stay away from the scales!!

"Bloomberg calls it “the single biggest step any city, I think, has ever taken to curb obesity.” But this step was not necessarily one in the right direction. Yes, Bloomberg's move sends a message to the New York and American public that obesity is a big problem and that we want to stop it; however, he has undermined that very message by suggesting the only way to fight obesity is through government micromanagement of people's eating habits." First time that I have read this blog but some may find his comments thought provoking - I did. Full Article

Count me in Ms. Jen! I'm in South Bay but my wife works in O.C. as well. There seem to be a lot of folks who either live or work in O.C. and there are tons of great parks (maybe Mile Square, Irvine Lake, Disneyland?). I would love to meet everyone and exchange experiences on our journeys!

New York became the first city in the US to ban the sale of large sodas and sugary beverages in restaurants, a move that Mayor Michael Bloomberg said will help combat the "obesity epidemic" that kills 6,000 New Yorkers every year and is destroying the health of Americans. A step in the right direction or an infringement by government on personal rights to make individual choices? Full article

Take it from me, she has that down!!

Haven't figured out the before and after profile pics yet but let's see if I can add another picture or two...

I'm the one with the hat. Lol!

OK. As you guys have noted, I promised you a picture. The plan was to do a “photo shoot” with number 2 son on Saturday. But life has a way of changing your plans. In this case, the world’s cutest grandson came down with a cold and along with it, a major case of very cranky little person. After Mom had pretty much reached her wits end, Dad was called on to carry on the battle. So the shoot had to be postponed. But hey, a promise is a promise. Right? So I get this idea for plan B. “Honey, you know what we should do? It’s such a beautiful day, we should go for a walk in the park! As a matter of fact, I just remembered that I promised the guys on the forum a picture. So we could have a nice walk, get some fresh air, a little sunshine, and you could take a few shots at the same time. Great idea huh?” Now as plan Bs go, I thought this one was pretty good. Then again, maybe not. The war department promptly pointed out to me that in spite of the fact that we live a couple of miles from the beach, Saturday was well on its way to near record breaking temperatures that eventually topped out well into the 90’s. With humidity very close to the same. I didn’t quite catch everything she said but there was little room for doubt that she didn’t think much of plan B. I’m pretty sure there was a reference on the order of “when pigs fly” in there somewhere. “Babe, I know it’s a little warm out but hey, there are lots of trees and cool shade in the park! We could take black lab, have a little picnic, it will be fun! You know how you love picnics! Nice walk, nice lunch, communing with nature…it will be great!” Now I’d like to say that she was simply overcome by my charming personality and quick wit. But truthfully, what followed was a considerable amount of groveling which quickly turned into just plain sucking up. As many of you husbands out there know, sucking up has a way of becoming very expensive. It has been suggested that in return for “saving your butt”, I should expect to see a world class shopping spree appear on our credit cards in near future. I think her exact words were - “Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.” These photos may well go down as the most expensive in history! But hey, a promise is a promise! You guys have a great week!! P.S. Still trying to figure out how to post a couple of more photos. Will let you know when I figure it out!

I agree. It will make for a long day with an evening appointment but I've found that even having a morning cup of coffee before weighing increases my weight. It actually increases it by more than a cup of coffee could possibly weigh which makes no sense at all. Lol. But I've checked it any number of times and the results are always an increase in my weight. Empty stomach is the best way to go!

My surgeon said no alcohol until 6 mos. post-op. Internal healing takes quite a long time and drinking alcohol too soon could be an invitation to an ulcer. All forms or alcohol are also essentially sugars which could result in dumping as well. I enjoy a glass of wine before dinner but I didn't go there until I was 6 mos. post-op.

Or buy two smaller ones. Lol. There are a lot of eyes on this and it will be interesting to see what kind of results the ban has. Safe to say the soft drink manufacturers will be watching closely.

Check with your doctor. I was told not to lift more than 10lbs for three months following surgery. The G-forces on some rides could effectively exceed that. I'd be careful and perhaps limit your rides to the ones less likely to possibly cause a problem.

Bekki, it sounds to me like you're doing absolutely fantastic! Remember - realistic, sustainable expectations. I started walking on a treadmill for 20 minutes at a time. Slowly worked my way up. Eventually I got bored with the treadmill so I started walking in the neighborhood. Eventually got bored with that and decided to walk in a park close to my home. The park turned out to be the ticket for me. I've slowly increased my walking from 20 minutes to about an hour and three miles - four to five times a week. Every time I've increased my exercise goal, I set it to something that I knew I could do. Every time. If I do more, great. But I believe that it is so important to set realistic goals that you are confident you can accomplish AND celebrate accomplishing them every time! It is so much more realistic, sustainable, and just plain fun when you choose to live your life celebrating your successes than it is to live your life always choosing "the nagging feeling that I should be doing more". Notice that I said "choose" because that's exactly what it is, a choice. I know exactly how you feel. I am a perfectionist by nature and I have to fight it every day. But with practice you can make the choice to feel good about yourself and to enjoy every delicious moment of all of the great things you are accomplishing. Make the choice! You're gonna love the new you!!

Some of you may have run across one or more of my posts where I refer to “life style changes” as the Prime Directive. We’ve all heard it – “Bariatric surgery is just a tool. Long term success depends on life style changes.” But I wonder how many of us have given serious thought to what “life style changes” really means. What are the implications? How do we incorporate the Prime Directive into the myriad of decisions that we will make as we travel the path toward achieving our goal? What criteria must be met that will ensure that the decisions we make are consistent with the Prime Directive? · Sustainability – “life style changes” are, by definition, long term. I cringe every time I read a post where someone says “I’m three months out and eating about 500 to 600 calories a day.” That is not healthy. It’s not a life style change. And it’s not sustainable. · Compatibility - Success is not synonymous with suffering. I recently commented in a post “Five years of moderate exercise is much more valuable than five weeks of trying to be a hero.” Most of us have the ability (and the temptation) to take diet or exercise to the extreme – bad idea. If we hate doing that five mile walk, or following that 600 calorie a day diet, or failing to participate in that holiday meal – we simply will not continue that in the long run. Life is supposed to be fun. You deserve to be happy. Successful life style changes means giving ourselves permission to Celebrate a moderate exercise routine, to eat a healthy number of calories every day, and to enjoy a special occasion with family and friends. Thoughtful restraint is always a success – mindless denial or pursuing an exercise goal that is beyond your personal limits will fail every time. · Realistic expectations - At the heart of every life style change is a realistic expectation. Again and again and again I see folks agonizing over their failure to lose “X” pounds a week, or going a whole week without losing any weight, or frustrated because they don’t see an immediate response to a change they have made in their diet or exercise. Unrealistic expectations are unquestionably a major source of stress for many and may well be the single biggest contributing factor that causes some to fail. We’re all individuals and we’re all different. There are no absolutes. Do your part in following the protocol your doctor gave you and then allow your body to find its own way, in its own time. Expect there to be bumps in the road and above all else remember that patience is not only a virtue, it’s a necessity. There is no “one size fits all” answer to the question of how we go about identifying and then incorporating life style changes. But if we remember that they must be sustainable, compatible with our strengths and capabilities, and based on realistic expectations, we have a solid foundation for the Prime Directive.

Beautiful! Just sent you a PM.

If you spend some time reading the posts on this forum you'll see that doctors vary widely in many, many aspects of their practices. There isn't just one way to do most things and doctors care for their patients based on their experience and the success of their patients. You already have seen that you can get two totally different results from two different practices. You just want to be absolutely certain that your doctor is a board certified surgeon and if possible, the hospital is certified as a Center of Excellence by the American Society Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.