Richard Foor

I don't know for sure but I kind of doubt they could drop you for having an elective surgery, seems like that would not be legal, but if you tell them you are considering having surgery and want to know whether they would cover any problems that came up afterwards, they should be able to advise you and then they won't know whether you have the surgery or not unless you tell them later.

I have a 5 yr old daughter and a 10 yr old son with autism. I told them both about the surgery. My daughter didn't like the idea at first because she said she liked hugging my big belly, but I just told her that by losing my big belly she would get to keep me for longer, that seemed to work really well for her.

As with anything involving insurance companies it will vary depending on your plan. Some policies don't cover based on not covering surgery, other policies will cover, so the only way to actually know is to ask the insurance company. If you call them they should answer your question then you will know for sure.

While it is true there is not much long term research regarding the VSG it was based on a surgery that was used for at least 60 years for ulcers. My grandfather had that surgery when he was young and he lived to be over 80 years old, and never had any problems. Also the stomach scar tissue grows together and seals so the staples are not what primarily holds the stomach together after the healing process.

It is possible to rupture your suture line but it is not easy to do. If you follow the guidelines your dr gave you you should be ok. My instruction when I was discharge were to not lift anything over 20 punds for at least 2 weeks. I personally slept sitting up in a chair for the first 3 weeks not necessary that I was afraid of rupture but because it hurt to lay down and because sitting up helps get the excess gas out quicker. I don't think it is likely to rupture from sneezing or coughing, plus these things while they can be very painful at that stage are almost impossible to avoid. Good Luck.

a lot of times at that stage what people believe to be hunger pains are actually gas buildup in the stomach from the surgery, make sure you are up moving around as much as possible to work all the gas out and it will help with the pains. Good Luck.

It is definitely better to make fresh food because of having better control of the ingredients and less sodium and preservatives. The affect of foods on gas varies greatly by the individual so you pretty much have to experiment to find what works for you. If you need to eat frozen foods the new Atkin's meals are good and fit well in the number ranges most of us look for. The ww meals tend to be a lot higher in carbs which some try to avoid, but more importantly a lot of them have pastas which are high in starches and have expansive properties that can cause problems with your sleeve until it is properly healed so I would recommend avoiding them for the first 6 months to be safe. If you like buffalo chicken an easy recipe I have found is to use the canned chicken breast (looks like canned tuna) add some hot sauce, stir together, then add 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Put it in a microwavable bowl, put it in for 1 minute, stir and put back in microwave for another minute. This comes out to 140 calories, 2 carbs and 17 proteins and it is quick and easy. I have also at times taken this after making as described above and spread it thin on a baking sheet and placed it in the oven at 400 degrees and flipped it every 5 minutes until it get hard like a cracker.

Attention span can be affected by the amount of protein intake(link). Confusion can also come from severe dehydration(link). And of course at that low of a calorie intake you could be become hypoglycemic(low blood sugar). Given you current weight assuming your profile is correct you should be trying for a minimum of 70 grams of protein a day. Your fluid intake looks good. But at a month out from surgery you need to start getting that calorie intake up. Eating that low of calories consistently is not healthy. You should definitely consult your surgeon or NUT and show them a log of what your intakes have been so they can properly help you to adjust your diet accordingly. Good Luck.

As was already mentioned weight loss patterns vary greatly between individuals. But a pound a day is definitely a good loss. Good Luck.

During this phase the lack of protein won't have much affect on your weight loss, but it will make you weaker and slow the healing process. The quicker you can start getting the protein in the quicker you will start feeling better and getting your energy back. As was already mentioned the protein shots(link) are a good way to start if you can't handle the shakes there also the isopure plus drinks(link) that are kind of like gator ade which some people find easier to drink. Good Luck.

congratulations

I found that I had diarrhea for the first couple days but then when my body adjusted to it the diarrhea stopped. Good Luck.

You are probably better off making your own because if you ever look at the info on the already made ones they tend to be high in calories and carbs while they may not be that bad it hard to know exactly what they are adding into them. Good Luck.

The body in general tries to digest more when we are less active so it creates more stomach acid at night, seeing as we don't eat as much as we used to this increase in digestion will cause increased hunger. Basically this is just a matter of nature and we need to plan for it accordingly. I personally try to spread my eating out over the evening, while carefully keeping track not to go overboard. I work 2nd shift 4 nights a week meaning I work till midnight so I therefore try to eat dinner between 6:30 and 7:30 and then have a snack close to 10, this way I can get what I need in but still have that time before sleep. It is also worth noting that if you are taking a ppi/Prilosec it would probably reduce this process possibly making it easier to deal with. Good Luck.

This is quite possibly because while we are increasing the amount of actual liquid we drink you are not getting as much liquid out of the foods that you eat. This is why getting the liquids in is so much more important now because the body normally gets it's hydration from a combination of the food and liquid that we drink. The amount we pee out is the excess fluid that our body didn't use. Also increased exercise / activity will increase the amount of liquids the body needs to use.

ppi stands for proton pump inhibitor these are medications used to reduce stomach acid normally taken for acid reflux. the common examples are Prilosec and nexium. the Prilosec is available over the counter and there is a generic available at walmart fairly cheaply. the generic name for Prilosec is Omperazole DR. This would most likely help with your problem because it is most likely caused by an excess of acid in your stomach. The body usually tries to digest more food while you are sleeping so it makes more stomach acid at that time. Good Luck.

Finally found something that works easily for a pizza crust. http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/hungry-girl-foldit/hungry-girl-foldit-100-whole-wheat-with-flax/ Flatout Hungry Girl - Foldit Flat Bread Whole Wheat With Flax, 0.5 flatbread (43g) 45 cal 8 carb 1 fat 4 Protein Great Value - Pizza Sauce, 1/8 cup 15 cal 2 carb 1 fat 1 Protein Walmart Great Value As Per Package - Mozzarella Cheese, Finely Shredded, Low-Moisture, Part-Skim, 1/3 cup 80 cal 1 carb 6 fat 7 Protein Bridgford - Turkey Pepperoni, 3 slices 20 cal 0 carb 1 fat 2 Protein Total 160 cal 11carb 9 fat 14 Protein Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook for 8 minutes. Enjoy.

I like cheeses and jerky. they are both high in protein, no carbs and easy to carry and snack on the go.

I also use myfitness pal, I especially like the bar code scanner on the app as it makes it so much easier to log.

I make every effort to take 15 minutes minimum to eat but like the others have said it is a difficult habit to break after having eaten fast forever.

Had surgery on December 10, 2012 highest weight was 379. As of this morning am down to 299. Haven't seen a 2 in a long long long time.

I don't really believe there is a definitive answer to this. Every body reacts differently, that is why the dr. and NUT's should calculate your metabolic rate and give you personal guidelines. If that isn't an option then start with the 600-900 calorie range the more active you are the higher it should be. Protein should be a minimum of 60, but a better calculation is to take your body weight in kilograms(pounds divided by 2.2) x 0.8 and that will give you the recommended grams of protein for you. Carbs are much more complicated, I personally don't worry to much about the actual number of carbs but avoid the high starchy carbs like breads and pastas. Good Luck.

I find that I have to track my intake using myfitnesspal in order to be sure that I get enough protein in. I believe in the future it will get to the point where it won't be necessary but not for a while. I agree that 60 grams a day minimum is a good start. Not getting enough protein leads to your body eating at your muscle to replenish the protein. In a more noticeable manner it makes you tired and weak.

Slslowing the speed you eat is one of the hardest things but it is very important, especially when you are adding foods in in the beginning. A good plan is to set your utensil down between each bite, sounds silly but makes a big difference. Good Luck.

I had dry itchy skin during the first 3-4 weeks post op, my surgeon said it had to do with being lacking in some micronutrients that normally come from foods, once he started me on my multivitamin it went away. Good Luck.