Writerjennifer

I have been craving salt too, and I'm not even on the liquid diet yet (I start that tomorrow). Thanks for the idea... I have extracts and stuff to put in my shakes but never thought to mix up veggies and hot sauce type flavors for salty.

I'm scheduled for June 16th. I don't know what circumstances led you to this decision, but I would imagine they are still valid. There are risks, as with any surgery so your fears are valid, notto mention, change is scary. This surgery will change your life. I'm in the same phase as you, from the tone of your post. Excited to be having the surgery, ready to make the changes to be healthy, but also worried if I'm making the right choice. Whenever I wonder if I should go through with it... I remind myself I've been overweight for over 30 years, and I've tried it all. I've starved myself, I've done Adkins, Weight Watchers, Anorex (the Phen in Fen-Phen), 'diet and exercise', Medi-fast, Slim-fast, Dexatrim... the list goes on. I found some success... for a little while. Then I would fall back off and gain the weight back. I need this. If you need this, then be strong. Remind yourself of your reasons. Plan a flexible menu for after surgery, and buy some of the things you will need, Clear Liquids, shakes, protien sources, etc. Planning and getting ready always helps me, not only reduce the stress and worry, but pass the time. Good luck! And check out the June 2014 surgery date thread. There are a bunch of us with June dates and we'd love to have you join our discussion. Jennifer P.s. Feel free to add me... we need all the friends we can get in this journey.

Mine aren't either... I wear a 7 or 8 depending which finger. My wedding set was normally perfectly sized. Untill I lost 25 pounds. Now it's so lose they won't stay upright, but not loose enought to fall off yet. I imagine that I will need to do something about them soon. I go on the liquid pre-op diet on Monday,

You can buy protien powder with Food Stamps... as long as the item has a food nutrition label on the package it is considered food.

I'm so sorry. *hugs*

Medicaid might pay for the partial abdominoplasty, under certain conditions. But they won't pay for a tummy tuck. Basically they may remove the skin, but wont pay to have the muscles moved up and 'tucked'. also, you have to have lost over 100 pounds in addition to the recurrant infections. At least, this is what I have learned in the researchI've done for my mom. Good luck.

You're going to need clear (sugar free) liquids for the first few days. Like Jello, broths (beef, chicken and veggie), tea (decaff or caffiene free), etc. Then thicker liquids, things that will pour off a spoon, like thin Soups (no chunks). Then thicker soft foods, like Yogurt and puddings (both sugar free and fat free) and thicker soups (still no chunks) Then smashable foods, like flakey fish, soups with soft chunks that can be squished with a fork, chicken. shakes. For all phases after the clear liquid phase. And, if you get tired of the shake flavors, then you can get extracts and sugar free puddings and such to flavor them. Hope this helps. Good luck!

I got a bunch of extracts, and pudding mixes (they recommend sugar free) to mix with my shakes. I found a bunch of shake recipies on HMR's website... http://www.hmrprogram.com/index.cfm/Recipes/ShakesFruitSmoothies . The recipies call for HMR shakes, but I imagine, with a little tweaking you could spice up any plain or vanilla shake mix.

I know I know what you mean. I have been spending alot of time on BP since I got approved... even more since I got the date. Maybe after, most of my questions will be answered, but I would like to see how people are doing, to be able to share the successes with someone who's going through the same thing.

My Surgery is June 16th. I have had several surgeries (unrelated to bypass) in the last few years. You don't need to bring much. They suggest you wear comfortable clothes (or bring a set of comfortable clothes to wear home). Comfortable non-slip shoes. leave valuables, computers, phones, jewelry etc. at home. Bring a list of your meds (the hospital should have told you this at your pre-op appt). If you think you might be bored, you can bring a book, but i wouldnt bring anything you would be afraid to have lost or stolen. There realy isnt anything special you need to bring... the hopsital won't let you take your medications from home, they will make you lock up your valuables, they will dress you in the gown and non-skid socks. Before surgery you wont be able to eat or drink, and when you wake you won't need food from home, or be allowed to eat or drink anything except what they give you. My suggestion... leave everything except a book and a loved one (for hand holding and a ride home of course) at home. The only thing you need to worry about at the hopsital is you. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I have migraines, used to have them 3 to 4 times a week. I have greatly reduced the number and intensity of my migraines by avoiding triggers: Fake sugar (all kinds for some people, Aspartame for most) MSG Citrus chocolate Caffiene Nitrates and Nitrites Aged cheese Alcohol Bananas Nuts Processed foods like bacon, sausage, hot dogs You don't have to eliminate everything forever, but the book I read recommends eliminating everything that might be a trigger for 1 to 3 months, then adding back things one at a time to see where you're triggers are. Triggers are cummulative, so sometimes you can have chocolate, and be fine, but for me, if the weather is bad, one cookie will push me over the edge into a migraine. If you're interested, the book is Heal Your Headache. I have told my nut I can't eat fake sugar because of the migraines and she scoffed, so she wasn't helpful. But someone on the forum suggested that we (those with migraine issues) advise the hospital of the fake sugar 'allergy' at checkin and whenever discussing allergies. If you don't want to go all the way with all the possible migraine triggers... try eliminating the fake sugar. I had fake sugar by accident and got a migrain in less than 30 minutes. It's my worst trigger. Good luck! Hope the headaches cease.

I think I feel sorry for the kind of person who would just cut someone out of their life for something they thinks is an idealgoical difference. I have friends of the opposite political spectrum, skinny friends who are not only physically fit but have positive healthy behaviors (at odds at times with my bad ones), happily overweight people, and unhappily overweight people. None of them has expressed anything but support for my choice. I'm sorry she has reacted this way. It's funny how people preach acceptance, until you have a different opinion from them. *hugs* You will survive, thrive. She... well she can be happy being unhealthy. And all that B.S about 'body image'... leads me to believe she doesn't even believe it her self. I think she is jealous because she can't have the surgery herself. IMHO. Be strong.

Depends on insurance. My insurance required 6 months of weight management that didn't start until my first visit with the nut. I initally contacted the insurance regarding starting the process in April 2014, and I am scheduled for surgery on June 16th. Could have gone faster, but I had another surgery last June for an unrelated issue that set me back a bit. But, once my 6 months was completed it's been pretty quick.

I am having RNY with Dr. Ganser at Western Bariatric on June 16th. They are awesome people, but the Bariatric Advantage chakes were horrendous. Blech. I prefer the HMR shakes. Awailable at UNR Health and Wellness, or online for the same price. I have to run... bed time... but let me know how you're doing? it's always good to find local WLS buds. ttyl

I am too open to hide this from people. So far, the responses have been positive. One co-worker asked "but why, you're doing so good" (I have lost 25lbs in the last 6 months or so). I politely explained the rollercoaster weight loss realy is for me and she wished me luck and returned to work. I only just started sharing, once I was approved and scheduled, so the pool is small at thie point. Both of my daughters are overweight. I want to ask them to join me in this and pursue their own surgery, but one is willfully not dieting, and the other is too confident in herself to be led anywhere she doesnt want to go. So... I hold my tongue. Who knows, maybe seeing my journey will enspire them. But anyway... my family is supportive, the rest can suck it. lol

With the surgeon?? I am thinking things like: How long will the surgery take? What happens if they have to do a full incision instead of laprascopic? How long will you need to be in the hospital? How long before you can return to work, moderately normal activities? What benchmarks/timeframe are we looking for to start adding foods back into the diet? Do you have to go the colon cleansing stuff before surgery? What if he finds a hernia (or other repairable issue)? Will he repair and continue the bypass? ... i think I'm out of questions... who's next? lol

I am pre-op... so you may take this for what it's worth. My nutritionist basically threatened to not recommend me for surgery because I kept saying I didn't want to give up foods like pizza, that I would just eat less of them. She insisted that is not how it works. Also, my surgeons office requires a "Steps Class" in which they gave us a list of behaviors that will ensure our failure, i.e. "things to avoid". Such as eating foods with more than 20% or more of Daily Value of Fat, more than 10 grams of sugar per serving, eating candy, drinking soda or alcohol, etc. If we want to succeed... we need to accept that these foods are no longer in our best interest. I can't say I have learned this yet. But I refuse to go through the surgery and weight loss only to gain it back by returning to old habits. Just a suggestion, this is something I am finding out about myself... healthy food can taste good too. Fajita veggies are yummy, even without the tortilla. I never knew this. lol. And last little bit I learned in class... rank all the foods you eat on a scale of 1 to 10. then eliminate all the 1's and 2's and all the 9's and 10's. If you don't like it, don't eat it. Same goes if you like it too much. Anyway... way more info than you wanted, I guess. Good luck!

I wish I had some advice for you. It's one thing to chose to not have surgery, but to be denied unequivically must be nerve wracking. The only thing I can think of to tell you is not what you asked about. You can do this. If you believe you can lose weight with the surgery, for your health, despite any mental issues of the past... then you can show the doctors you have control. Find and follow the post-surgery diet. Document your progress. See if your insurance covers "weight management" and take advantage of the help they can offer. Weight Management could be regular meetings with a nutritionist, and or psychologist to asist you with your dieting efforts. Maybe after several months of following this track the surgeons and or WLS centers will reconsider. Good luck and keep trying to lose, one way or the other, you can affect change. Oh, and the light at the end of the tunnel... I was once told, even if you are eating healthy only half the time, it's better than not at all. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

My insurance approved me in 3 days. Then less than a week later I'm all scheduled! June 16th! It's starting to be real.

For months I have been buying shakes and other things I will need for the pre and post-op diet. A box here, a can there, etc. Even got some puddings and extracts to add to shakes. I didn't want to have to pay for it all at once, the $2 per shake times 3-5 shakes a day times 4-12 weeks kind of worried me. I was lucky, I won a Makeover and $100 worth of vitimins from my surgeons office so I have the vitimins. So I think I'm all ready... 18 days to go... gulp

My survey is set for june 16th. I have lost 25 pounds so far. Was told by insurance that I had to lose ten percent, our five if there it's a co-morbidity. I have GERD so only need 5... And it gives me room enough that I won't be denied for not being big enough. My nutritionist said shes never he'd of an insurance denying anyone for dropping below the threshold once the surgery is approved... But I supposed it has happened somewhere. I'm supposed to be on a partial liquid diet til monday then go full liquid.... but this written I'm getting a pretzel from Aunt Annies. Lo

I know how you feel. Waiting to hear from the insurance was driving me up a wall. I called them twice. Before that I was waiting got my letter. I called three or for times on that one. And before that... sigh. But they set my surgery date, finally. And they will set yours. it helped me to plan ahead. I counted the vitamins and shakes I have for after... Made a list if what I still need. Even plotted the diet progression in my day planner so I can keep track. hang in there. It will go gayer than you think.

Me too! June 16! So excited.. Though a bit worried about the after surgery diet.