Pam2011

Did your surgeon put a binder on you after surgery? Mine did and it was only off when I took a shower in the hospital. My surgery was June 11 last Monday and by Friday I was all broke out in a rash where the binder waa. Dr said it was a heat rash and to keep the binder off. As of yesterday its better but still there.

I've been taking them since the day after my sleeve surgery. I couldn't tolerate the liquid pain meds in the hospital so they gave me Vicodin and told me to split the pill in half to take. No problems and 4 days post op.

Mowed the yard and cleaned my house this morning. Also brushed the dogs up too, trying to get everything ready for my surgery on June 11th. I have to be at the hospital at 5:15am on Monday June 11th. Getting things ready to pack to take with me also. Nervous and excited both. Calm though. My Mom is coming over tommorrow to take me to the hospital on Monday morning and then take care of my dogs at my house and stay with me after I am released hopefully on Wed. evening. I plan on taking my cell phone and lap top to the hospital with me so I will try to post as soon as I am able to. I was told I would be up and walking 4 hours after surgery so around 1pm on Monday I can't believe the day is finally arriving! I started this process in Feb and it has went fast. I have lost 46 pounds so far pre op and wanted to hit a goal of 50 lost by surgery day, 4 more to go. I hope I can still hit that goal. So happy I found this supportive group!

I had surgery June 11 Monday. They found a hital hernia so that was repaired also. I have another hernia that will need repaired later on also. I had no idea i had these hernias! I'm still in the hospital since I'm having a hard time getting clear liquids down. Better today I've gotten down 4 oz every hour since 8 am or so. Veg broth seems to work best for me. I hope to go home Friday. Not on alot of pain meds now. Maybe 1 or 2 pills a day cut in half since liquid loratab made me vomit. I've been walking every hour since 6 am.

Still in the hospital. They won't release me till I get more clear fluids in each hour. I've been getting in 4 oz every hour today since 8am. The clear veg broth seems to be working the best for me. I've been walking every hour since 6 am. Not taking much pain meds since the pain pump came off Tuesday afternoon. They gave me liquid loratab but I vomitted it right back up so they have cut vicodin pill in 1/2 for me to swallow each half. I've had to sneeze a few times and that has hurt. I've been able to take a shower every day so that has felt nice. I hope I can go home Friday.

Still in the hospital. They won't release me till I get more clear fluids in each hour. I've been getting in 4 oz every hour today since 8am. The clear veg broth seems to be working the best for me. I've been walking every hour since 6 am. Not taking much pain meds since the pain pump came off Tuesday afternoon. They gave me liquid loratab but I vomitted it right back up so they have cut vicodin pill in 1/2 for me to swallow each half. I've had to sneeze a few times and that has hurt. I've been able to take a shower every day so that has felt nice. I hope I can go home Friday.

Sure! Thanks!

I started my 2 week liquid pre op diet on Monday, May 28 and I am on Day 5 today. I have lost almost 6 pounds since Monday! I'm loving it! I hope to loose 8 or more pounds by my surgery date of June 11 to bring me at loosing an even 50 pounds pre op since Jan of this year! I haven't had any problems with the preop really. I am supposed to get 4 shakes in a day but only getting 3 in, 2 mixed with skim milk and 1 mixed w/ water. I am getting in the 1000 cals and total grams of protein of 100 grams and 100 grams of carbs so I think it will be ok if I am not getting 4 shakes in a day. I am able to eat certain veggies unlimited in amounts from a list my bariatric program gave me and then up to 6 servings of another list of things but I haven't ate 6 servings of them on any day so far and have only had one or two unlimted veggie at lunch and at dinner. I am glad I decaffinated and decarbonated myself in March of this year along with cutting out other bad foods since I think it makes it easier to do this 2 week pre op diet. I have been jumping on the scales every morning now seeing what I have lost in a day! I know that is bad but every morning it shows me weighing less and less so I can't help it! Going to Good Will this weekend to try to find some cheap jeans and pants for work since all my pants are now all too big in my closet! I don't wanna pay alot for clothes right now cause I know I will be dropping more after my surgery! Good luck to all the June Sleevers and those on your liquid diet or going to begin their liquid diets soon!

I found out on Monday I was team approved at my Bariatric program to have surgery so I picked my surgery date as June 11, 2012. They sent all my paperwork into my insurance co on Fri, 4/13/12. I talked to the bariatric program yesterday and she said Health Alliance usually decides within 1-1 1/2 weeks. I am hoping to hear something by April 27. I hope they approve me cause I am unable to pay for this surgery unless my insurance covers most of it less my deductable and some other fees. Anyone have any experience with this insurance co? Thanks in advance!

Just an update on my insurance Health Alliance Illinois. My paperwork was sent in on 4/13/12 and there was a checklist from my PCP missing so they had to get that and I was approved on 5/8/12. My surgery date is June 11th. My nut. said Health Alliance is one of the better insurances and covers most everything. I have only had to pay co pays of $20 to my PCP for 4 weight loss visits (not required by my insurance but by my bariatric program) one $20 co pay for my psych visit, all my nut. classes and appointments were covered with no co pays. All my labwork is covered 100%. I will pay a copay of $250 for the surgery/hospital stay and a $300 surgeon fee that Springfield Clinic charges that my insurance won't pay. I am not for sure what the $300 fee is for and have a phone call into Springfield Clinic about that. So out of pocket I am out about $650 for this process. It helps that my bariatric programs surgeons are listed in my network as the hospital is too. I was worried that my insurance might be changing due to open enrollment that is right now but the state did go into a 90 day contract with Health Alliance IL so I know I will still keep it till they say otherwise. I am thankful I have insurance and my employer pays for it for me! Count down is now on liquid diet that starts May 28th and surgery date June 11! Nervous and excited both!

I'm sorry you had to go through all that and then not have the surgery but in the long run your surgeon did the right thing. He didn't want to damage your liver. I hope you get to feeling better soon and your surgery will be rescheduled soon. After reading this, I am gonna stick to my 2 week liquid diet that starts May 28 and stick with what my bariatric program told me to eat besides the whey isolate protein mixes.

I received my two jars of Nectar brand protein today that I ordered for the pre op 2 week liquid diet that starts May 28th. I went with Nectar Chocolate Truffel and Nectar Fuzzy Navel. I got a $10 off coupon through Bariatric Advantage and free shipping so they only cost me $30 a jar which is the cheapest I found them to be. I have a bunch of packets of whey isolate protein shakes I will use after surgery since everyone says your tastes change from pre op to post op. I bought about $90 worth of packets online a couple months ago and have them all ready to go in plastic boxes with lids. I am getting excited and nervous as my June 11th surgery date draws near. Tommorrow I go to the hospital for a gallbladder scan and pre admission apt and tests done. I see the surgeon at 1pm to go over everything one last time and sign consent papers. When I started this process in Feb. of this year I didn't think they day would come when I would be finally having the surgery but the time has flown by. I have been trying to do good and stick to 1300 cals a day and use myfitnesspal.com to loose weight pre op. I have lost about 36 pounds but the last week I haven't been as good with what I eat. Trying to get back on track. Good luck to all the June sleevers! This is a great group! Pam

CONGRATS!!! YEAH for you!!

I start my 2 week liquid pre op diet this Monday, May 28th. I am able to have some veggies and other items on the list from my bariatric program along with 4 whey isolate protein shakes 2 mixed with water, 2 mixed with skim milk. Trying to be good this week and not overdue eating foods thinking it's a food funeral or something! Good luck!

Thanks everyone! I am pretty excited about finding out I am approved. I went comparsion shopping yesterday morning for protein shakes locally. I had already been to our local Medicine Shoppe but stopped at GNC and wrote down what they had for whey protein isolate as first ingrediant and prices and flavors. I went to locally owned place called Nutrition Source and he is able to order about any type for me and get it in 2 days. I did buy a jar of PB2 and the chocolate PB2 for $5 each and then a couple Quest protein bars at $2 a pc. I ate the strawberry cheesecake one for lunch yesterday and it was good. Going to buy more of those. He is cheaper than what they are online and they are all natural ingrediants. I bought a Tervis brand tumbler with lid for post op for protein shakes in case the smell makes me ill. I also bought two lids for Tervis glasses I already have so I will have three in rotation. I found a deal on instant oatmeal at my local Schnucks store for $1.88 a box of 10 packs and then had a $1 off coupon so ended up getting the boxes for .88 cents each. I can eat oatmeal on my preop 2 week liquid diet so that is why I bought it. I am not an oatmeal eater but decided to try it and see if I can tolerate eating it with some of my sugar free sryups mixed in it or some flavored protein powder. At 88 cents a box if I can't eat it I will take the 4 boxes to work or give to my Mom and I am not out alot of money. I've already bought a shaker bottle w/ metal ball in it for my shakes. I also bought 4 boxes of diet hot chocolate that have 25 cals in it to get me through the pre op liquid diet and post op too. I am a pretty organized person so I am trying to get everything I need for the liquid diet and for post op. I still need to decide with brand of vitamins I am going to get, either Celebrate or Bariatric Advantage. I need to order those to have ready for me to take the day after I am dismissed from hospital post op. I have tried samples of both and they both taste ok I guess. I got the amounts and which types to buy from my nut for Bariatric Advantage but I am going to ask my nut. on Tues at my apt about what types would I take for the Celebate brand. I have protein packets that I have ordered in advance and am saving most for post op since I will be on those for at least 10 days post if not more and have heard a persons tastes change from Pre Op to Post op. I have tried the Nectar fuzzy navel one, the Matrix Chocolate one and Chike Banana Cream and liked all them. I need to buy 2 containers for my liquid Pre Op diet I start on May 28, one to mix with milk and one to mix with water since I have to have four shakes a day, 2 mixed with milk and 2 mixed with water. I am also allowed some other foods during the pre op liquid diet and veggies that aren't starchy. I have stocked up on sugar free jello and pudding. Will get sugar free popsicles closer to the surgery date.

I'm approved!! Just found out my insurance has approved me!!!

I just found out my Insurance has approved my surgery!!! YAHOO!!!!

I called my Insurance Co today on my lunch hour at work. They did receive the document they needed from my PCP and my case is in review right now. I asked her how long it might be before they will reach a decision and she said 2 weeks if they don't need any other documents. I hope to hear sooner than that! This waiting is driving me nuts. I am trying to stay positive while waiting.

We will have to all keep in touch so far four of us having surgery on June 11 right?

Still waiting on my insurance! I called them last week to see what was going on. They are waiting on a checklist from my PCP. I called my PCP and they said they had faxed the document to my bariactric program so I called the bariactric program and left them a message. That was last Wed. and I haven't heard anything so I will be calling them tommorrow to check on things. I hope I hear soon. I hate this waiting since I already have a surgery date and all the preop apts booked and protein shakes ready for 2 week liquid diet and for post op. I worry that I won't be approved. There is no way I can have this surgery unless my insurance covers it. I can't afford to pay for it out of pocket the full amount!

Congrats!!!

Hi! I started this process end of Jan beginning of Feb 2012. My bariactric program has a team approach and you have to get the ok from each person before they will even give you surgery date. I had to get the ok from their physical therapist, nut,. and psych. I have been doing monthly weight loss visits to my primary dr. even though my insurance doesn't require them the bariatric program still does. I went though a boat load of tests too like labs, ekg, chest xray and other stuff and I am sure they will have me do them again closer to my surgery date. I was told it would be 6 months to 2 years to get a surgery date with them. It depends on how well you go through their program and do the changes in lifestyle they want you to do. I had to quit drinking carbonated beverages, no reg coffee only decaf and then drink 80 oz of liquid a day. I did these so I think it helped get through the program and also have lost 28 pounds too. Good luck on process. I know it seems like forever...it did to me but now that I have a surgery date it doesn't seem like it was forever and now I am getting kinda nervous that it is really gonna happen!

I need to go through my closet and get rid of some of my too big clothes too even though I haven't had surgery yet I have clothes that are too big due to loosing weight pre op. I hope to see you there! It's great meeting someone near me that is on this list!

Health Alliance IL started covering the sleeve surgery last Fall. They also stopped requiring the 4 out of 6 months weight loss visits to your PCP but Memorial Bariactric services still requires that. I almost switched health insurances last year due the IL state mess with health insurance but in the end they left Health Alliance continue their contract. I have had to pay the usual co pays for PCP monthly weight loss visits, one copay for my pysch social visit and I think $0 co pay for the nut. visits. I will have to pay a $250 deductable for the surgery and hospital stay and then there is a $300 Springfield Clinic surgeon fee that I guess Insurance doesn't pay. I am not for sure what that fee is for but it was on my papers when I first started this process about insurance coverage. It looks like we have the same Dr! Have you been going to the local support group meetings? I have since Feb. Nice to met someone near me! Thanks!

Great! I am glad someone else is on here with the same surgery date!