UTGal99

I have seen this posted on here somewhere, but can't seem to locate the thread. What is recommended to pack when headed to the hospital? I am going to be having surgery in the US at a bariatric center of excellence and staying 2 full nights, 3 days. Ready, set, go - respond with your suggestions....

I have a hiatal hernia and am looking to have a VSG done. My insurance is Cigna; however, I noticed that Cigna will not cover the hiatal hernia repair done in conjunction with the bariatric surgery. Here is the statement from Cigna's coverage literature: Cigna does not cover ANY of the following performed in conjunction with a bariatric surgery because each is considered not medically necessary• cholecystectomy in the absence of signs or symptoms of gallbladder disease • liver biopsy in the absence of signs or symptoms of liver disease (e.g., elevated liver enzymes, enlarged liver) • herniorrhaphy for an asymptomatic hiatal hernia • routine vena cava filter placement for individuals not at high risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) I wonder if there is any way I can get my insurance to cover both procedures (VSG & Hiatal Hernia). If the doctor is going to be in there doing the VSG he might as well go ahead and fix the hernia, don't you think? Any suggestions/tips/advice on how to get it covered in conjunction with the VSG? Thanks!

Late this afternoon my son and I were out and about running errands and decided to stop to get some dinner on our way home since hubby has a late meeting this evening. My son wanted McDonald's chicken nuggets. Which is definitely not something he gets very often at all. (I am worried he will suffer from obesity like myself/hubby if we don't teach him good habits). At any rate, I certainly wasn't in the mood to cook to***ht and thought I will grab him some nuggets/apple slices/milk. I thought I will get a salad and behave myself, but before I knew it I was ordering 2 McDouble's, large fries, sweet tea. Now,this story does have an upside - the girl asked if there was anything else we wanted and I said "Yeah, actually can you change that to salad?" And I ordered the salad instead....BUT....I went there wanting the salad and tried to order not 1 but 2 McDoubles, Fries and a Sweet Tea. I know that is not a smart choice. Why would I do such a thing???

I am 21 months out from surgery and have gotten pretty comfortable. I have fallen back into old habits and have gained about 10 pounds back. I know it is not much but I am scared it will spiral out of control if I don't get it under control. BUT, I am struggling with getting back to basics and getting the weight loss rolling again. Any advice on how to get back to basics and restart is appreciated. The bad thing about being almost 2 years out from surgery is that you can eat more than right after surgery and you are not as diligent and focused. I know I just need to do it but don't even remember where to begin, what to eat, what to do, etc. It feels so foreign to me... Please help!!!

Sams Club/Costco does have them for about $18/12 pack. Keep on eye on Amazon.com though b/c often times you can add them as an "add-on" to your order for $7/12 pack! Great deal! I have done it several times and you get FREE shipping - can't beat that. For some reason if you order like that it does take about 4-5 weeks to arrive but hey for that price you can stock up. I bought 48 shakes for $28!

My husband complains about the same thing. Both he and I have had the sleeve surgery. He is mid 40's now and states that although he is thrilled with his 100+ pound weight loss he feels like he is falling apart now. Body parts that never hurt before do now and he aches in new places. Fortunately for me, I feel GREAT even better than I did before surgery...no complaints here but I only give it time before age starts kicking in too!

You crack me up, gmanbat! "Don't get the trashy white bread!" LOL Love that definition. Thanks for the chuckle.

when are you released to eat regular food? 11 weeks - wow! My doctor had us on regular foods at start of 9 weeks.

You will do great! I know it is nerve-racking getting to the operating table but I assure you it will the best decision you ever made for yourself. The benefits FAR out weigh the cons. Surprisingly I was a ball of nerves right up until I walked into the hospital on the day of surgery. I was psyched up to get this done and never look back. That was almost 100 pounds ago. I have had such great results that my husband had it done too and is down 100 pounds now too. We have a new lease on life and you will too! Good Luck and keep us posted on your progress!

Not a man BUT my husband had the sleeve surgery too! We both had it. He started the journey on 12/19/12 at 330 pounds and is down to 230 and has been stuck there for a month or so. So, basically it took him about 9 months to lose 100 pounds. He still would like to lose another 30 or so but is very happy with his progress. You will do great!

You look great! I love having collar bones now. I actually didn't believe I had any before... LOL

You look beautiful! Great transformation and remember...it is a marathon not a sprint! Keep up the great work.

You got this - you can do it! AND, don't be afraid of extra skin, be afraid of dying if you don't lose the weight.

Get you some Premier Protein premade shakes (they have 30g of protein, low carb, low sugar) - focus on staying hydrated but try to get those protein shakes in. The protein will help you heal quicker. I know it is a challenge but it is temporary and before you know it you will be loving your sleeve! P.S. You can buy the Premier Protein shakes at Sam's Club, Costco or Amazon

Hard boiled egg, string cheese, cottage cheese - something with protein...

Absolutely white coat syndrome. I have it and it is VERY normal. The doctor doing your physical should know all about it. Ask if they will hook you up to the BP machine that takes it at random and just let you sit and relax for a few. Goodness....

You will do great! I was terrified the night before thinking I would back out but surprisingly as I walked into the hospital that morning I was excited and ready to start my new life. I am loving life these days. I am one year post op, down almost 100 pounds and I do things I never imagined I would do (i.e., run a 5k, chase after my kid, go hiking, etc.) Good luck and keep us all posted on your progress! I assure you it is the BEST decision you will ever make for yourself!

Congrats - awesome work! You don't even look like the same man. Keep up the great work!

One year seems like a long time but it has come and gone so quickly! I am celebrating my one year surgiversary on Thursday, October 3rd. I am grateful for the 84 pounds I have lost but somehow feel like I should be further along in my weight loss journey. That is only an average weight loss of 7 pounds per month. I don't want to diminish my accomplishments thus far but feel like I should be further along. I have REALLY struggled with getting the weight off in the past 5 months. It seems like it came to a screeching hault around 8 months and I have struggled to get that scale to move hardly at all in the past 4 months. I am very discouraged and frustrated! I don't know if I am grazing, eating items I shouldn't, etc. I feel like I have a very clean diet and don't eat the junk but just can't get that scale moving in the right direction again. I haven't gained any weight back (thank God) but everyday is a HARD struggle. Any suggestions to get the party moving along just like the good 'ol days in the beginning??? I'm attaching my Before/After pictures

That will get better. LOTS of green tea, my friends, LOTS of green tea!

Each person has to decide for themselves what is right. Personally, for me, I felt that the bypass was way to aggressive for me. The malnutrition issue was a big concern for me. I was not comfortable having my plumbing rerouted and risking other serious complications from messing with things that didn't need to be messed with after all. I tend to be a grazer too, but I have worked very hard to keep those kind of habits in check. Really, bariatric surgery is just a tool to help you achieve success it is not a permanent fix. What you do with your tool determines your success. Just know this, whether you choose a sleeve or bypass, you must work to be successful at the weight loss and maintenance. One doesn't come easier than the other. Just my 2 cents---

Great job! Looking fantastic!

I struggle too! I am a year out on Thursday, October 3rd and stalled out at 84 pounds down. I have been here for almost 4 months - ridiculous! I am not sure what I am doing wrong either; however, I am taking JerseyGirl68's advice and rebooting today. Protein shakes, high water intake, very low carb, etc. I need to do something to get the weight loss moving again. I refuse to be the person that loses 80 pounds and then gains all her weight back - NO WAY - not going to be me. Good Luck!

Downton Abby = awesome!

Looking great! Keep up the great work!