nonsenseprecious

I know this question gets asked all the time, but I'm asking it again, if that's OK! I have a first consult with a surgeon (Dr. Mayes at Virginia Hospital Center) scheduled for this week, and I'm wondering how long it took people to go from consult to surgery. My insurance company (Carefirst BCBS) requires a psych exam, two 3 month or one six-month structured diet (WW is fine), and a BMI of over 40. (I don't need a referral and my out-of-pocket is quite low.) I meet all these requirements, and according to BCBS, I do have the appropriate documentation. I know the surgeon will require a medical clearance and a meeting with the nutritionist as well, along with whatever other tests he thinks will be important/beneficial. If you had similar requirements or were in a similar situation, would you mind sharing how long the process took? I appreciate any input. Thank you!

You can pretty much turn any outfit into a zombie or vampire costume with the right makeup! Cat costumes are pretty easy, too--you'd just need ears, a tail, and some black tights or leggings, plus makeup. Or you could add a hat and apron and be a maid. Holly Golightly, maybe? Have fun and good luck with your surgery!

I sort of lost my taste for Crystal Light, so I mostly drink water with a little lemon juice or unsweetened cranberry juice in it. I also really like homemade herbal iced tea at the moment, particularly peppermint. It doesn't have caffeine and it's easy on the stomach. (Also, you can mix it with Crystal Light lemonade and make an Arnold Palmer.) If you like chai, you might try the Oregon Chai brand sugar free chai, which comes in a quart-size (shelf stable) carton. I buy this at Target, and it's good mixed with unsweetened almond milk (I also add protein powder). Good luck!

I can't stand Vega, but I do like the Peaceful Planet pea/hemp Protein. If you go on Amazon and just do a search for "vegan protein powder" or "pea protein," you'll find quite a few of them.

You know, the one bright spot--at least for me--of a stall is that it has shown me how freaking complicated weight loss is.

I had my surgery four weeks ago tomorrow and have been stalled for two and a half weeks. It's driving me absolutely crazy. TOM started yesterday, so I blame that for the last few days, but it's still been a very frustrating stall. I didn't have my anatomy rearranged to not lose weight on 400-600 calories a day, right? I've lost about 26 pounds, which I am happy about, but I'd like the scale to start moving again soon! I track everything, so I'm trying to be extra diligent about water and protein. If nothing else, the stall has made me really concentrate on these, so that's good at least. Hang in there!

I love it. I'm drinking a cup of tea with some mixed in it right now. I'm three weeks post-op and I had an awful time with Protein powders/shakes right after surgery, and this stuff has saved me. If I am eating something that is not a good source of protein, like applesauce or miso Soup, it's great, and it's equally great in foods that already contain protein. I have yet to taste it in anything I'd added it and it doesn't change the texture. I still try and go for foods that are naturally high in protein, but when you get to the point where you just can't eat more plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, this allows you to branch out while still getting protein. It's especially useful now, since I can't really eat enough yet to get those 80 grams.

Amazon sells an unflavored protein powder called Genepro (made by Musclegen). It's expensive, but the serving size is only a tablespoon (30 grams of protein), and you can mix it in pretty much anything. I have it in tea and Crystal Light, and now that I've started purees, I've also mixed it in with Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. It doesn't clump at all, and you can't even taste it. Good luck!

I was prescribed liquid Prilosec after my VSG, but it was near impossible trying to get my drug plan to cover it and kind of a pain to get it, even with self-pay, so I asked the pharmacist about alternatives. She said it was fine to buy Nexium capsules and just break them open. You can mix them in with applesauce, but I just put them on my tongue and then follow with some Water or other drink. Prilosec and Nexium are apparently almost identical; Nexium is just different enough for the manufacturers to acquire a patent, but that's it. I do recommend asking your doctor, of course, but this seems to work fine until I can swallow actual pills.

I don't think it will be a problem, but definitely ask your nurse. I was at the near end of my period when I had surgery last Thursday, and it was not an issue at all. It ended up lasting a few days longer than usual, perhaps because of the blood thinners (?). I definitely felt embarrassed, but no one cared or even mentioned it. And the benefit was that I didn't have to pee on a stick in pre-op! Best wishes!