Jen.D

Wondering if I should call my dr. The paperwork was supposed to have been sent to Aetna on 2/21, and I still haven't heard anything. I'm worried that if it takes much longer the doc won't have any openings for surgery the first week in April. I'm want to have time to heal before a Jimmy Buffet concert on May 5th!

I didn't know that heartburn and reflux indicated a hernia! I've recently been put on Nexium to get the heartburn under control. I'm still waiting to hear from the insurance company, but if they don't cover it, I will probably put it off awhile. We've got two teenagers, and an aging house - all of our money is going to saving for college and fixing things around the house that break.

Oops, I forgot the link. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2008/08/protein-ice-cream.html She basically takes milk (soy, almond or regular) Protein powder and flavorings and then uses an electric milk foamer to get it frothy before putting it in the ice cream maker. They look so good, I'm going to have to buy an ice cream maker!

If you're craving something frozen and creamy, I found this recipe for Protein ice cream on pinterest. Haven't made it yet, but it looks like a good way to get in enough protein. I'm not a big fan of Protein shakes, so I hope this will be more palatable. I think in the early days getting enough nutrients is just as important as being "good". Our bodies are not designed to starve for very long.

Can you tell us what you saw in the American hospital that you thought was not as good as the one in Mexico? Was it the hospital staff or the surgeon?

Let us know how it works for you. My guess is that they only provide temporary results, which is why you have to keep using them. Does the company give any info about how they are supposed to help the skin?

I'm glad to hear that there is something they can give you to "try" to prevent gallbladder problems. This is one thing that I am worried about. Niki, did your surgeon give you anything to help protect your gallbladder?

Having them in the house is always a challenge. I also had bought some awhile back, and now they've been consumed (still waiting on my ins. approval). Thankfully, the scale did not go up. If you want to support a Girl Scout without eating them yourself, they have a great "Troop to Troop" program where you pay for Cookies that are sent to soldiers serving overseas.

Christen, I was right where you are a few weeks ago. I drank diet coke from the moment I woke up until dinner, when I switched to wine. But, I knew I needed to give it up for this surgery to work. Plus every time I turned on my computer I was reading another article about why diet sodas are making us fat. Anyway, I found another, healthier drink that I could tolerate (unsweetened iced tea) and picked a day to quit- cold turkey. I can tell you that the first day was awful, I had a huge headache. But I was surprised that by the second day the headache was gone. It's been about 2 weeks, and I'm feeling good. I haven't had my surgery yet, so I may still try to give up the caffeinated tea to help with weight loss, but at least I've sworn off the bubbly stuff. You can do it!!

I'm not exactly doing food funerals, but I am trying to clean all the "bad food" out of my pantry and freezer. Mostly the sweets!

Will do! There's a ways to go to get to 100,000 votes.

I just ordered that lotion, I'm curious to try it out. Thanks for the tip. Jennifer

Does everything include your vitamin/mineral levels? I don't remember if you mentioned those.

That's great to hear. I also have Fibromyalgia, and was concerned about the pain of surgery. But I'm so achy in general, what's a little more. I'm not currently taking any fibro meds because they made me gain weight, and didn't really help the pain.

Deborah, I'm allergic to codeine & it's cousins; they make me throw up. Are there any other drugs besides hydrocodone & oxycodone that I need to avoid? Thanks!

I'm on pins and needles waiting hear back from Aetna! My paperwork was submitted last Thursday, and I know it could take up to 10 days. But I've read posts from others who got their approval in 1-2 days, so I'm crossing my fingers that I hear soon. The anticipation is killing me!

Angela, How long do you have to be on your pre-op diet?

Just came back from seeing the Nurse at the surgeons office. They are submitting my paperwork today!

I think it really depends on how healthy/unhealthy you are before surgery. I'm currently at a BMI under 40 and my sleep apnea & GERD seem more annoying than life threatening. So I do find myself worrying about something going wrong during surgery. I love my life (except for my weight) and I would hate for anything to happen to me that would affect my family. The idea of my kids without a mom just makes me sad. But, I'm trying to focus on the fact that I am relatively healthy which makes it less likely that anything will go wrong. I also saw on another forum that the odds of dying are higher for driving on the freeway that having the surgery. Not sure if that's true, but it does help to think about all risky things we do every day.

I have alot of heartburn now, pre-op. It's probably GERD, but I haven't been diagnosed. I thought that this would get better when you lose the weight.

Hi to all the lovely petite women! I'm 5'2 and a half, and currently between 212-215lb. I should be having my surgery in April. Last visit is this Thursday and then we submit to insurance. I can't wait to get back down to 130 which is what I weighed 20 years ago when I got married. My doctors goal is 115, but I don't think I've weighed that since high school. Is that realistic for a 42 year old mom of 2 teenagers? Also, is there anything that you wish you had known/done before you had the surgery?

I'm also hoping to be in April. I've done the psych eval, the NUT appt, and 3 months of "monitored weight loss" visits with the nurse practitioner at my surgeons office. I go back this Thursday and that should be everything needed to file with Insurance. I have NO idea how much it will cost me out of pocket, but unless it's crazy high, I will be an April sleever!

Joy, Does the Chi product help with hair loss, or does it just make your thin hair look thicker?

So in preparation for surgery, I've decided to stop drinking Diet Coke. Not an easy thing for sure! I know the carbonation isn't a good idea after surgery. I've been able to give it up for short periods of time before (ie 40 days without for lent) but I've always gone back to it. I think it's extremely additive! I'd love some tips/advice on how to make this major change. I've been drinking this stuff for 25 years, and I'm sure it's been part of the reason I've gained weight. Also, are there any other types of foods that are a permanent no-no with a sleeve? Thanks, Jennifer

Do you need to give up all caffeine post surgery? I'm currently drinking unsweetened iced tea (with caffeine). I had a huge headache yesterday from withdrawals, but doing pretty good today.