MamboMan

My doc has us stay 3 days. Surgery on day one, barium swallow study on day two to check for leaks again (he checks while still in surgery using a tube through your nose down to your pouch with blue dye) and if that looks ok you start on liquids. Day 3 if all is going well you start on puréed foods for a couple of meals and then you discharge.

No problem. My surgeon put down a random date, several weeks before I was to meet him to schedule my surgery. My insurance told me it happens all the time and when the surgeon sets the correct date they will usually stay on the phone with the insurance until they get he authorization. My guess is that is what is happening with you. Not sure what to tell you about them only approving one day and not sure what they mean by "clinical." I'm sure your doc will take care of it for you - that's what they are there for and they handle this every day, so just breathe, it will work out.

Typically when the surgeon submits to insurance for approval, they put down a random date then when you actually have your date the surgeon's office will get a reauthorization. My guess is your surgeon's office put down the 21st and will change it accordingly. I'm not sure what you mean by being "approved for one day anything over that would have to be clinical"...do you mean you are only approved one day in the hospital?

I hope you feel better soon. Congrats on the loss. Why do you have to open your capsule instead of just swallowing the whole capsule?

Hooray!!! Congrats!!! I'm sure you are very excited.

You were, and still are, beautiful. Now you are SMOKING!!! Congratulations on all your hard work.

Why did they think your paperwork wasn't "good enough" to get accepted? If they didn't think it would be approved, why did they bother submitting? I know my info had to go to a nurse for review, then it was given to the medical reviewer (not sure if that is a nurse or MD). It took a few days because they were supposedly backed up. My surgeon's office called to let me know I was approved. For some reason my insurance doesn't send me an approval letter, they just give it to the surgeon. I called several times just to make sure I was really approved.

People lose hair approximately 1-3 months after a stressful event, such as child birth or surgery, it's called Telogen effluvium. I have read that you can have non-stress related Telogen effluvium caused by zinc deficiency. I'll be curious if the zinc supplementation before surgery helps, however, I have concerns with your surgeon recommending 50 mg a day (read below). Always keep in mind that while your surgeon is smart, talented, and educated, he or she is ultimately a cutter and not always well versed in supplements, vitamins, and nutrition...that is why you have a NUT, preferably a RD. I recently read a great article that talks about this. Here are some highlights: "Iron is the single nutrient most highly correlated with hair loss. Optimal iron levels for hair health have not been established, although there is some evidence that a ferritin level below 40 gm/dl is associated with hair loss in women..... Biotin is often recommended to help prevent hair loss or improve hair re-growth. There are no scientific articles to support or refute these assumptions. Anecdotal reports suggest biotin makes a difference in hair loss and re-growth. As biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, the risk of toxicity is low and supplementation is not harmful. The recommended upper safe limit for biotin is approximately 2000 to 3000 mcg (micrograms) per day..... Zinc deficiency has been associated with hair loss, although further study is needed to definitively claim that zinc could prevent hair loss after bariatric surgery. The tolerable upper limit for zinc is set at 40 mg in adults. Levels above this can cause gastrointestinal distress, and toxicity can start at levels of 60 mg per day. A lab test to check for zinc deficiency would be prudent before taking any additional zinc." The whole article can be read here: http://www.slhn.org/docs/pdf/bariatric_surgery_and_hair_loss.designed.pdf

How can muscle weigh MORE than fat? This is a damn myth. A pound is a pound is a pound. Whether it is a pound of fat, a pound of muscle, a pound of feathers, a pound of cheese.... Unless you are defying the laws of physics, a pound is equal, no matter what it is. A pound of fat may LOOK differently on your body than muscle, and muscles DO burn more calories, but they weigh the same.

I haven't tried the Yes Whey, but have read they are a little thick, but definitely shoot-able. Happy to introduce you to something new. ETA: yes, stay away from the New Way... not good stuff for us in terms of digestible Protein.