Ginger Snaps

That's fantastic -- hope the recovery goes just as well.

I once went to a class on office exercises and they gave us the elastic bands. You can do leg stretches with them, leg lifts, arm presses, quite a few exercises for various parts of the body. I sympathize with you -- I'm an office geek and you're right about the chained to the desk thing. I have to really find ways to get out of my chair and move because all my work is on this computer. But I'm convinced we can do SOMETHING!

I've done this before WLS -- it's probably a lot the same, just different foods. I like to do pot roast in the slow cooker, shred it and freeze (along with a little of the juice/gravy). My nutritionist actually recommended making meatballs and freezing them flat on a sheet before packing into a freezer container. Then you can just pull out how many meatballs you want. chicken is also good from the slow cooker -- put some broth and maybe a can of low fat cream of chick Soup, then shred and package up in small portions. I need to start doing this myself!

I've been treated for hypothyroidism for 20 years now. Most of the time when I have a blood test done, they have to jockey around my dose a little. I don't think there's any kind of problem with hypothyroidism and surgery. There are some other sources of Protein besides just meat but I think it would be difficult to do this diet as a vegetarian or someone who doesn't like meat. I chose bypass because of my acid reflux which was pretty severe. My doctor explained that the lower part of the stomach is where most of the acid forms, so when you detach that from the digestive system and only have a tiny upper stomach, most reflux goes away. I'm 2-1/2 weeks out now and he didn't prescribe any antacids and I haven't had the slightest bit of reflux even when I lay down after eating (something I could NEVER do before). I was told I would be on chewable, sublingual or liquid Vitamins for 6 weeks. I'm really sick of the chewables already because they taste nasty (IMHO). But, I can do it until I can get back to swallowing pills. I haven't heard of anyone having to stay on chewables or crush vitamins for life. I hope you can find the information you need to make you feel confident or you postpone the surgery until you feel ready. Best wishes.

I applaud you for going back to the doctor. At my doctor's support group last week we talked about how people are embarrassed to come back if they have gained some and the doctor said he LOVES when people come back and he can help them get back on track. They WANT you to be successful! I hope the best for you!

Sounds like you went through everything I did. My cardiologist wanted a stress test, so I had to do that. Unless your insurance or surgeon requires something additional, I'd say the only thing left is probably your presurgery appointment where they do blood work and a chest xray a few days before surgery. Glad it's all going smoothly for you!

I swear looking at your pictures, you look like a 20 year younger version of your before pictures! What an incredible change!

I haven't had any change in tastes after surgery -- the Proteins that were nasty before are still nasty and the tasty ones still tasty. For Clear liquids diet (first week) I hated almost everything I tried to drink. I tried mixing with other things like Vitamin Water zero and crystal light but just couldn't tolerate. I called the hospital and found they add Liquid Prosource (available on Amazon) to mix in crystal light. It was tolerable in the hospital. I immediately ordered a bottle which hasn't come yet (over a week and a half). For the full liquids phase, i like unjury chocolate Splendor and unflavored. The chicken soup one is pretty good, too. I've enjoyed the Syntrax shakes I've tried -- there's actually an Oreo cookie flavored one! I like Muscle Milk Light 100, too... it's frequently Breakfast on the way to work.

I agree 100%... He mixes information about real health issues with the latest and greatest new pill or supplement or whatever. He must get advertising dollars for all the products he hawks on his show.

You can definitely appeal. I read an article that said that 80% of appeals usually get approved. You might have to have your primary doctor write a letter as to how much the joint pain limits your movement or how the reflux makes it difficult to sleep, etc. Your surgeon's office should be able to help with an appeal... you may have to directly ask them to help you with the appeal, though. They should be very experienced working with insurance appeals. Don't give up with the current doctor yet -- give an appeal a chance. You just need to get some support with that. I've heard some insurance companies have patient advocates that will work with you on stuff like this. I have Anthem BCBS and they assigned me an advocate that calls me every now and then to see how I'm doing. Maybe call member services on the back of the card and ask them what to do to file an appeal. They'll probably be very helpful.

@2cute2bbig I had surgery on the 9th and I was SO tired the first 2 weeks. I also developed pneumonia so I'm sure that contributed. But, now, 2 weeks out, it's like a switch flipped and I feel SO much better! One thing I have done is to be sure I'm getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night and I've been sneaking in a nap almost every day when I can. My work has a nursing mother's room with a nice couch, so I just reserve 30 minutes in there and set my phone alarm. Makes me feel SO MUCH better! The energy will kick in soon -- just hang in there and rest when you feel like you need to. I was very active up til surgery -- working out with weights 3-4 times a week, lifting heavy, walking every couple of days including 1.5 hours every Sunday afternoon with a group. So, to go from that to laying on the couch and not feeling like standing up to go to the bathroom was pretty dramatic. But it's slowly coming back. Best wishes!

@lockhb I'm a day over two weeks out and have one incision that's not healing well. Saw the doctor Friday and he put a bandaid on it and told me to keep it covered until it's healed. He didn't seem concerned at all so I guess I won't be eiether.

@mtibodo2 -- I went to Ikea and stocked up on a bunch of little plastic containers (like 1 cup or less sized). You can get them at Bed Bath and Beyond, too. I puree up a can of fat free refried Beans with just a little chicken broth in it and separate it into the containers. One can makes 4-5 containers worth. Then they are sitting in the fridge waiting for me.

@ You are not alone! I had surgery on Monday, June 7, went home Wednesday. Friday morning couldn't catch my breath or complete sentences and went back in the hospital with pneumonia for 3 more days on 3 different IV antibiotics. I felt like it pushed back my recovery time a week -- so TIRED the next week. The good thing is it gets you through that Clear Liquids week without too much stress. Can't be tempted by food when the tray they bring you only has clear liquids on it! Hope you are feeling much better, soon. I'm 2 weeks out and finally starting to feel a bit normal except for all the rumbly noises my tummy makes and the pureed diet.

@ I had RNY on June 7th and I didn't have a drain at all. Ask your doctor. He told me up front I wouldn't have a drain or a catheter -- both of which I was very happy about!

Here's an article you might find helpful. http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/creatinine/basics/results/prc-20014534 It looks like you can have high values if you are on a high Protein diet or dehydrated. Check with your doctor to see if it's high enough to worry about and what they suggest.

Were you or are you diagnosed with sleep apnea? Before I was treated with CPAP, I never dreamed at all -- almost never went into REM sleep. Now, with the machine, I have very vivid dreams frequently. With as much weight as you've lost, even if you weren't diagnosed, you may have had enough apnea to not dream a lot but now you don't have apnea (or as much) and you're dreaming more. Just an idea.

Fantastic progress!!! And, you look SO much HAPPIER!!! Congrats on the hard work paying off.

I didn't have a pre-op either -- was told to eat "light" on Saturday (went out and had steak, shrimp and a massive baked potato) and then Clear liquids the day before. I feel sorry for all the people on the site who have to do long pre-ops. If we were that good at staying on a diet, we wouldn't need surgery.

Woot woot!!!

I took a week and planned to go back working some days from home, some in the office. However, I got put back in the hospital for pneumonia and that completely wiped me out. I ended up working 3-1/2 days the second week -- only 1 day in the office and the others from home. I have a desk job. The day I came into the office I rode with a friend so I wouldn't have to drive because I wasn't sure I was up to that yet. I'm back on my regular schedule this week -- 3 days in office, 2 from home. I feel a lot better now that I'm on pureed foods and over the pneumonia. I still am taking about a half hour in the middle of the day to go to the nursing mothers' room and take a quick nap on the couch. Don't think I could make it without that. I guess it all depends on your personal situation, how the surgery goes, what kind of work you do and whether you have any complications or not.

I'm 2 weeks out. I had planned to go back to work after a week (work from home some and in the office some) but I had a little setback and ended up in the hospital again with pneumonia. That really wiped out any energy I had. Last week I had to take a long nap in the middle of the day and would frequently fall asleep watching TV or when trying to work. So I ended up taking some additional days off. I was back in the office yesterday and today (2 weeks from surgery) and feel better, but I'm still taking about 30 minutes in the middle of the day to go take a quick nap on the couch in the nursing mothers' room. You might be OK with going back to work so soon, but you also want to have a backup plan in case you can't. Just in case you hit any little bump in the road or need a few extra days. Better to be prepared for it than to stress if you just can't make it back that fast.

I've felt that, too, but I think all mine is just habitual. Before surgery, I was just always eating something so it feels weird not to be eating. Last night walking by the table, there was a bag or tortilla chips and I have to admit, I ate one. (God, forgive me! lol) I chewed and sucked on it until it was practically liquified but I just didn't want to pass it up. I'm going to have to make sure to put stuff like that away out of site. And maybe just ALWAYS have a bottle of something in my hand to drink instead of tossing a chip in.

Depression doesn't necessarily mean feeling down or sad all the time. It also includes things like losing interest in things you used to enjoy, sleeping a lot more, pulling back from social activities. I guess my question would be who diagnosed you and on what basis? Did they want to medicate you and you don't want that?

I didn't talk to my PCP about it before surgery. I just decided I was interested in the surgery, went to a seminar and met with the surgeon. I did have to go see him the day after my second release from the hospital to follow up on the pneumonia and when I told him, he never said anything. I had talked to him every time I had been in about my weight and he had offered some suggestions but we never had a long discussion about it. My insurance didn't require referrals, so I had no real need to ask my doctor beforehand.