wannaBthinsoon

I use the e-cigs that don't really "look" like cigarettes. There is a clear chamber at the top where you pour your e-liquid into it, and the rechargeable battery is screwed onto that chamber. The e-juice comes in different flavors and levels of nicotine. I just knew I wanted to be completely nicotine free, so I went that route and used the 0 nicotine from the start. I never have missed smoking, and I still blow out (what appears to be) smoke.....but it isn't. Its Water vapor that smells like melon balls!

Day 4 for me...yep! water in, water out. (never trust a fart!)

@@joanne keeton Oh! Great idea!!! Thank you!

Vaping has saved me. I have always used 0 nicotine. and love melon ball flavor!! But, I'm a dork...so.

@@carolx Welcome!! Sounds like you've got a good support system there on the farm. Best of luck to you! Let us know how it's going. I know I sort of live vicariously though others who have had the surgery, as mine is coming up Thursday morning. I'm not nervous yet, but trying to organize my life and prepare for recovery at home. I'll spend one night and come home the next day. I'm pretty lucky that the bariatric hospital is only about 10 minutes from my house!! Keep in touch!

Its a good idea to give up smoking for good. I quit a year prior to my surgery because I wanted to have the least possibility of complications. And I figure if I am going to alter my insides to get healthy, why destroy it with cigarettes? Getting healthy is what this is about. I should really get off my "quit smoking" soap box and just say....WELCOME!!! we are a good group of people who just want to be here for whoever needs some advice, a pat on the back, or a kick in the pants. All the best to you on your journey to great health! Wishing you lots of luck and lots of successes!!

@@Misty1975 I use the 30 calorie almond milk. I will use water with the fuzzy naval, and strawberry cream when I cannot use full liquids. (I won't use water with the cookies and cream ones. Those are so yummy I just can't put the yumminess into words!)

My surgeon answered that same question when I asked him. I had a radical hyster, and a giant (benign) mass removed, so I appear to have been gutted like a fish. He said it would only take him an additional 5 minutes to cut away the adhesions. And if the belly button has had too many scopes through it, he will put it to the side. No worries, he said. I don't think adhesions are new to them.

I've never tried the crystal sky flavor. The fuzzy navel is awesome, cookies and cream, mint cookies and cream, strawberries and cream, are all sinfully good!

@@virgogirl67 From what I've heard my surgeon is the best of the best!! Even my gynecologist told me that if I was going to "do this thing" at least I was going with the very best surgeon. That made me feel better. It made Dr Hoehn feel better too, when I told him that. But, Dr Hoehn is a VERY confident surgeon. He just oozes confidence, and kindness. And he isn't too bad on the eyes either. (oops...did I say that outloud?!) ha!

I am on an all liquid diet for 1 week prior to surgery. (on day 3!). So, not sure about chewable food ideas. I did find that Knorr homestyle broth's are the best broths EVER!! Jello boxes now dominate my pantry, and sugar free popsicles are stacked in my freezer. Otherwise, I use crystal lite in my Water, and Syntrax matrix or Premier Protein for my "fancy" shakes when I'm not on the go. Any Syntrax Matrix protein is amazing, so I won't go into my favorites. (but Cookies and cream and strawberry cream and fuzzy navel are to die for!). Good luck on your Quest for chewable food.

This doesn't make sense to me. The price changed....so forget it, and eat eat eat? Not sure the price changing would scare away an insurance co, because they are only going to pay what they are going to pay, whether the price changed or not.

For broth...try the Knorr Homestyle stock. All three are our of this world wonderful, and savory. Chicken, beef and vegetable. You can always put an unflavored protein in the broth. It is THAT good!

@@erose321 I didn't think the EGD was any big deal at all. When is your date? (sorry if you said earlier and I missed it) My date is next Thursday. I'm on day 2 of liquid diet. Had the worst headache ever today. I called the Dr to see what, if anything I could take for it, and I was ok'd to take excedrine migraine. Thank goodness. Just no Advil or Motrin. Oh, and while he had me on the phone, he told me he moved my surgery up. I'll be first in line! I think someone chickened out. YAY me!!!

Do they have to be consistent years? I bet they don't. Ask about that. Last year when UHC required 3 years of history of BMI over 40 it did not have to be consistent years.

you beat me. Mine's on the 23rd. (keep in touch!!!)

Hopefully your insurance co dropped that requirement. UHC did. That is a ridiculous requirement. Seriously. We (you and me and everyone else on this site) has been on a diet FOREVER...Up....DOWN....Up (again)....DOWN (again). over and over. Did you check to see if they still required past years over BMI of 40?

I had one for a while a loooong time ago. It was a waste of money.

I've got all that and more! Thanks Alex!!

@@CowgirlJane Oh my! take it slow and easy. I can only imagine what damage our obesity has caused. Probably just a fluke, but glad you had it checked out.

@@virgogirl67 I really like the fuzzy navel, strawberry cream and Cookies and cream. But I am pre surgery for a few more days. After surgery...who knows. I may hate them all. lol I hear we wake up with different taste buds. Here's to experimenting!!

@@Hightime Welcome! And congratulations on getting a surgery date! Mine is on the 23rd, so we're pretty close. I feel like you. I have only 2 pair of pants that fit. Holding out for a smaller size, because my closet is full of smaller sizes. I had to attend a funeral a few months ago, and was more concerned about what I was going to find to wear, than I was about being there for the grieving family. How self centered am I?? I have been preparing for my sleeve for about a year. I quit smoking 4-1-14. I met with my PCP once a month for about 7 months, just to be on the safe side(for Dr supervised diet). I had my sleep study done over the summer, and now use a cpap. I had my EGD, met with the dietition, met with the Psych, and got my clearance. The year dragged, but now the days are flying by, and I have this little happy butterfly in my tummy, that is so excited for sleeve day! All the best to you, and I hope to follow your progress as you and I both become healthier! Take care!

I asked my surgeon about that. He told me about 8% of people have to have it removed eventually, but they will not remove a gallbladder that is not already diseased. Hope that helps.

@@Kindle I hope it's safe to use. My dietitian didn't have any issues with using it when I told her about it. I'm not solely using it, though. I love the Syntrax Matrix flavors a bunch!