nursejenny07

You look AMAZING!

I ordered the unjury sampler pack so I could try them out before surgery. So far I've tried the chocolate and the chicken Soup, and I like them both (actually just finished the chicken soup as part of my lunch today). I think tomorrow I'll try the strawberry. I think I'll for sure be ordering both the chocolate and chicken soup in the larger tub for pre and post op. I'm a chocoholic, and the chocolate really reminded me of just regular chocolate milk. It had a mild protein-y taste, but not nearly as bad as some others I've had.

I'm planning on taking three weeks. I'd love to take 4, and I have the EIB to cover it, but I work as a nurse in a busy OB/Gyn office and we don't really have the coverage. There are only two of us nurses, and I can't, in good conscience, just take the extra week (unless necessary) and leave my other nurse by herself.

I've told my family, best friend, and coworkers. 99% of them are extremely supportive. I don't plan on telling anyone else, unless the situation arises. As excited as I am about my surgery, there are still those out there who think it's the easy way out, or that surgery is a cop-out, so I'm not planning on posting to Facebook or anything. I'm too excited and happy about how my life is about to change, and I don't need any Debbie downers trying to talk down to me about it!

I Ordered the sampler pack of unjury Protein powders and it should be here tomorrow . I'm looking forward to trying them, especially the chicken broth. I'm sure that during the pre and post-op liquid diet, having something warm and salty will be a nice break from the sweet protein shakes! I'm also looking forward to trying the unflavored powder. I love Greek yogurt, so being able to up the protein content without changing the flavor will be great. It's crazy to think that only two months from now I could be having my surgery! I'm so excited. Class #5 of 6 is this Friday! I started this journey in January, and time is flying by. My sixth and final class will be June 20, then we can submit for approval with insurance. Has anyone tried the unjury products? What did you think of them?

I had the chocolate splendor for Breakfast this morning and really liked it! I mixed it in milk to make it a little more rich and give me some more Protein. I'm going to try the chicken Soup with dinner tonight. That's the one I really hope I end up liking. There are so many options for chocolate, vanilla, straberry...but I'm hoping I love the chicken soup once because I haven't seen it before...and I know I'll want a nice break from all of the sweet Protein shakes after surgery (and on the pre-op diet).

My doc has a pretty strict DVT protocol, so he requires lovenox injections at home after surgery. I have a lot of patients who use lovenox, and other that the bruising, it's not bad. It's a sub-Q injection, so the needle is relatively small.

My surgeon didn't order any additional testing for me. I have no co-morbidities at this time, so ther that the routine pre-op testing (blood work, ekg) I don't have to do any additional tests. I think it depends on surgeon preference, and whether or not a patient has any other health issues.

Thanks for the replys My shipment should be delivered later today! I've heard a lot of people's tastes change after surgery, and also have heard a lot of different opinions of how people like certain brands of Protein powder. It's nice that I could just order the sampler pack to try it out. I was only $21, so I feel like that was a decent price just to try it out. At least if I don't like it, I won't be left with a huge tub of unused powder.

As of last Friday, I'm 1/2 way done with my classes! I'm so excited! I lost sight of my goal for a bit and wasn't following the changes I should have, so I had gained some weight since my last class...but I'm back on track now. Gaining weight some weight back was a real eye opener! I'm being given this amazing opportunity to change my life, and I need to make the most of it! I only have three classes left, then I can submit to insurance for approval. I'm sure the next three months will fly by and surgery will be here before I know it!

I'm curious as to how much time people needed off after their surgery. It looks like my surgeon recommends at least 2 weeks. I'm a nurse in a busy OB/Gyn clinic, and want to make sure that I'm doing well and have some energy before returning to work. I'm in the office M-F 8-5. Some of my work can be done at my desk, but up I'm and down a lot and see patients throughout the day. My plan was to take 3 weeks off, but I wonder if that's realistic or not. Can you share your experience with me, and let me know how returning to work was after surgery? Thanks for the help! Jenny

Today was my second of six classes required by insurance. I'm excited to be 1/3 of the way there!! I had lost 6 lbs since my first class just making a few changes! I've been bringing meals to work and cut out soda. This next month I'm focusing on taking 20 minutes to eat all of my meals (I even set the timer on my phone!). I'm also going to incorporate cardio three days a week. I'm so excited for July, when I should be having surgery, but I'm happy I have a lot of time to prepare! Coming to these boards helps keep me focused and motivated, and I learn so much from everyone! Only 5 more months

My last class is June 6th, so I'm hoping for an early to mid july surgery date. I'm guessing after I finish my classes it'll take 4-6 weeks to have everything approved by insurance and do all of my preop stuff. I'm planning on taking 3 weeks off from work. it looks like the surgeon I'm going to recommends at least 2 weeks, but I'm a nurse in a busy OB/Gyn office and want to make sure I'm doing well and have some energy before going back to work.

My doc allows decaf coffee. I usually have one cup of coffee in the morning, and that's it. I've cut out soda, and make sure I buy decaf tea. The coffee is my next lifestyle change to make. Currently, I'm still drinking regular, but I'll start slowly weaning to decaf. The surgeon I have, Dr. Josh Long, here in Parker, CO recommended to start the change extra early to give my body time to wean off and avoid the withdrawl symptoms. Hopefully, it won't be too bad!

I have four tattoos, three on my ankles and one on my wrist. I'm not too worried about the ankles, and I DOUBT I'll really shrink on my wrist...but the wrist one is my daughters name as a heart and it will look pretty funky if it distorts, lol!! I guess I'll be waiting until well after surger before getting any other tattoos!!

Hi There Because my insurance requires 6 months of classes before surgery, I'm expecting to be sleeved sometime in July as well! Tomorrow is my second of the six classes. I'm so excited! I'm doing my best to use this time to prepare and start making the changes that will be part of my new life. I've cut out soda, bring my Breakfast and lunch to work (it helps that I work at the same hospital as my surgeon, and every time I'd run into him in the cafe I felt guilty and knew i wasn't putting in the work I need to, lol). I've cut back on my coffee, and will be transitioning to decaf next. I've lost a few pounds just making these changes, which makes me feel great. I'm committed to the life I want to have after surgery! Have you ever watched "My 600 Lb Life" on TLC, I think it is?? Some are success stores, but some are really eye opening to how serious the docs are about surgery being a tool. The people who weren't prepared to really put in the work and make changes are not successful. Some have even managed to GAIN weight after surgery! I do not want to be that person! Anyway, happy to see another July sleever on here! I'm sure there are many more of us, and hopefully we can all support each other.

Hello All! I've started incorporating a lot of changes into my daily routine to get ready for life after surgery. My insurance company requires 6 months of hospital classes before I can get surgery, but in a way that's great, because it gives me a lot of time to prepare. I'm making a few changes at a time, that way they're easier to manage, and when it comes time for surgery (hopefully July or August) it won't be such a shock. The first two changes I'm making are eliminating soda, and not eating during meals. I'll admit, cutting out soda hasn't been very difficult (I love those MIO drinks...which I was happy to find out didn't contain caffeine), but not drinking immediately before, during, or after meals is HARD!! I never really thought about how much I drink with my meals, but I'm having to remind myself not to reach for my Water while I'm eating. I feel thirsty, but I'm reminding myself that after surgery there are a variety of reasons why I won't be able to drink with meals, so I need to get used to it! I'm also doing my best to eat smaller portions, chew well, and take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal. So far, so good. I completed my first class on Friday. It was about mindful eating. I learned some great things that I can use in daily life that will help me not only decrease how much I eat, but enjoy what I DO eat more. I'm still so excited about my surgery. Finally making what I have wanted my whole life a reality...to look and feel better! I told my dad about having surgery, I was nervous after how my grandparents reacted, but he was so supportive. He almost made me cry! He said to me "baby, I'm so happy for you. You're doing this for the right reasons, and you're going to feel so much better afterward!" WOW. So lucky to have him as my dad! Well, I waned to open it up to all of the other pre-ops on here and see what kind of changes you're making NOW to be ready for surgery later? How's it going? Jennifer

Hello everyone! My name is Jennifer. I'm 34, almost 35, a wife, mother, and OB nurse. I have been overweight my entire life, and morbidly obese for as long as I can remember. I have tried pretty much everything, including spending thousands of dollars at the gym on a personal trainer. Don't get me wrong, the trainer was amazing, I lost weight. But I've gained everything back. My real issue is with my intake. I don't eat well, and I eat large portion sizes. Once upon a time, I viewed weight loss surgery as a cop out, the "easy way," and way too dangerous to even contemplate. I lost my mom 5 years ago, she died due to complications from obesity (Type II DM, HTN, COPD...). Due to my struggles with yo-yoing (though the most I'd ever lose is about 20-25 lbs) I started thinking about WLS a few months ago. At first I researched lap-band, thinking it was less invasive and could be removed if necessary. However, I later realized that due to complications, reoperative rate, and knowing that I shouldn't go into this with the attitude that something can be reversed, as this is a lifelong lifestyle change that needs to happen, I ended up researching the Gastric sleeve. It seems like the best option for me. I currently, luckily, do not have any comorbidities and am relatively healthy. I met with Dr. Josh Long at the Bariatric and Metabolic Center of Colorado here at Parker Adventist where I work. He and his staff have been amazing! I met with their Counselor, Dr. Long, and their nutritionist. I was cleared for the first phase, and now have to complete six months of hospital monitored classes, as required by my insurance to cover the surgery. My first class is tomorrow I'm hoping to be done and approved for surgery by July/August 2014. I'm not really that bummed that I have to wait 6 months, because this gives me a lot of time to prepare and get ready for what life will be like after surgery. I've already started making changes like trying to cut out carbonated drinks and slowly making the switch to decaf coffee. I need to get better at planning my meals and bringing Breakfast and lunch to work with me, rather than eating in our cafe. Baby steps. As for support, my husband is extremely supportive. We have been together for 17 years, and he is so happy that I'm doing whatever it takes to get healthy. He also realizes that as I make lifestyle changes, he will be forced to as well, which is something he's happy about. My best friend is also a huge support. I have slowly started telling my family that I plan to go through with surgery. My sister is nervous because I'm having surgery, but she's supportive of my decision. She actually told me that when I do have surgery she wants to fly out to Colorado to help my husband take care of me and our 4 year old. My grandparents were not "supportive" as I had suspected they wouldn't be. I know they are very nervous of the surgery, but beyond that, I'm not sure why they don't want me to have it done. My grandfather's response was "dont do it" and my grandmother's was "just make sure you do a lot of research!" LOL. Believe me, I have done A LOT of research. I wouldn't go into anything like this blind, and working in the medical field, I Iove to know how the whole process works. My mom had talked about getting bariatric surgery once, and my grandparents talked her out of it. Who knows, maybe if she had gone through with it, she would still be here today?! All I know is that I'm not getting any younger and I want to be healthy, and of course look better too! I want to be active and be able to play with my daughter rather than tire out quickly and have to sit and deny her play time. I want to go out not feeling self conscious about what other people think of me. So many reasons for having this surgery. I fully understand now that it is NOT an easy fix, and without serious lifelong changes, the surgery can fail. I'm ready to make those changes though, and I'm soooooo excited I have the opportunity to have this done! I look forward to posting here more and learning from everyone. I hope you all have a great day, and thanks for reading this crazy long post Jenny