Pictou

MB511--Don't eat while working, that's going to get you in trouble. Make sure you stop and pay attention to what you're putting in your mouth, carefully chewing and swallowing. If your stomach has healed you won't know when you're full until a few minutes later when it's too late. I was sleeved on 9/8 and have had very few issues. I've felt good, down 27 pounds, walking, light exercise. I never had any issues swallowing or with nausea. I also have not told anyone but my husband and my grown daughter. I have no intentions of telling them, they can just make an assumption that I'm on a successful diet. No one will see scars at all. My siblings live hours away from me and my best friend lives 600 miles away. It's no one's business if you chose to keep it to yourself. As for heartburn and reflux, my Dr keeps all his patients on Pepcid or similar for 4 months post surgery. You should ask for an Rx for this, there are plenty of generics that are affordable. At almost 5 weeks post surgery I've been released to eat most anything as long as I can cut it small and chew well. I had sashimi tonight. Such a treat after all the protein shakes and mushiness!

I'm only two weeks ahead of you and my experience has been different. Yes, I felt tired the first 10 days but have quickly recovered. I even had gout in both feet that threw me for a loop, then the past week both my husband and I have had a terrible cold. But it does get better. It will help when you can eat more food but you have to get liquids in all the time. Consider asking your surgeon for a B12 shot.

This is a program written by my doc at Center for Weight Lose Success. I've attached the link below where you can see options for joining. I don't know how it's offered to long distance members but you can read. Or you may find something with your own doctor. Where do we find Weight Loss University? Thanks http://cfwls.com/non-surgical-weight-loss/weight-management-university/ It's expensive--I paid $997 for the year and I'm frugal enough to get my money's worth out of this. The CFWLS also has a store that sells protein products. You're not required or coached to buy from them other than an introduction and a good handfull of samples in the surgery orientation session. I researched their pricing vs Amazon and found them comparable. I've been glad to have the samples, found some good and bad stuff. As a good customer I have no issue with asking for additional samples.

Responding to several questions so I won't quote anyone. Yes, you will gain weight immediately after surgery because of the fluids with saline content. Keep your fluids simple--water or decaff tea in addition to Protein drinks. Gatorade is FULL of salt, try Vitamin Water Zero for different tastes. Be patient. Not everyone has weight fly off, like 35 pounds in two weeks. This is especially true if you weren't morbidly obese to begin with. I've lots 9 pounds in first two weeks and Dr was fine with it. He said that long term expectations for me and my size were 2 to 4 pounds a week, but exercise would be key. Use a free app like MyFitnessPal.com to track your food. The phone apps even have a scanner so you can just scan food barcodes to get nutritional information. That way you can make sure you're getting your protein and water in and watch the CARBS and SODIUM. It keeps me honest because I've had no problems eating and keeping things down. It would be so easy for me to slip into bad snacking habits. My doc requires his patients to spend a year in a program called Weight Lose University. I'm only at the beginning. I'm down a total of 19 pounds since starting this program. Still fighting.

Sleeved 9/8, on pureed food. Poached eggs this morning--so good! I'm not having any issues, no nausea or gas pains. I'm able to eat easily but had my first instance yesterday of not being able to finish a small cup of yogurt. I'm not pushing any more than prescribed foods but I certainly am anxious to CHEW something. vluciano93--protein drinks are the pits. I have to blend mine with ice to make them even tolerable. Also, try adding 2 tablespoons of PB2 (dehydrated peanuts) to you protein shakes. It really takes the powdered milk taste out of it. Plus it adds more protein and few calories. Someone mentioned diarrhea, you shouldn't have that. You might be allergic to whey in protein drinks. Call your doctor.

roells7, The only time I feel really full is when I drink 16 ounces of a protein drink. But I'm not hungry, ever. Part of my issue may be that the hiatal hernia repair I expected did not get done because of the size. I have my first post-op appointment tomorrow and expect to see what next steps are.

I'm 10 days out and not experiencing any pain or soreness. I did have a couple of instances where I started out feeling fine--shopping, in class and I just had to stop and go home. Now it's better and I know not to push myself too hard now. One thing that surprised me was an episode of GOUT. If you have unexplained joint pain in your toes, toe joints, ankles, you need to get to your doctor. Mine always starts out wondering what shoes I wore that rubbed my toe wrong then I notice the purpleish tinge to the skin and head to the doctor. This all comes from the almost pure Protein diet. If you've had gout before, you're likely to have a flare up.

You must drink fluids, little tiny sips all day long. The worst thing you can do is get dehydrated and if you're taking any blood pressure medication that will add to dehydration. If you can't get anything down at all you need to call your doctor.

Try the Vitamin Water Zero. It comes in several flavors, I like the orange and lemonade. It's sweetened with stevia. I mix it half and half with water and it makes it easier to drink.

I was sleeved on 9/8. Everything went so fast it was amazing. I think I was dozing off and on that caused things to seem so quick. I was at the hospital at 5:30 and home by 3:30. No vomiting, no gas pains. My only disappointment is that surgeon did not repair hiatal hernia because it was too big. I'm waiting for my two week follow up to address next steps there. I am taking pepcid for acid reflux. I'm not feeling any hunger, but also don't feel full. I'm able to sip Water, broth and Protein drinks with no problems. If you're sick of water and Crystal Light, get Vitamin Water Zero. It seems to go down easily.

I'm 5 days post op and having no problems getting liquids and Protein drinks down. I never get a full feeling, but I don't feel hungry either. So many of the Protein Drinks are sweet and I'm beginning to get sick of them. My daughter made a big batch of vegetable broth I can add Protein powder to. I keep hoping the weather will get cooler so walking won;t be so hard.

I just had VS surgery 2 days ago as out patient. At hospital at 5:30, surgery at 7:15, them home about 3:30 with no complications. My biggest concern was anesthesia nausea from a previous surgery but that did not happen. I had made all plans and grocery shopped and my adult daughter was there to help as well as my husband. I felt great the first day, now I'm really sore but not enough to make me take to my bed. I'm just moving slowly.

I'm 3 days post and have had one bout of nausea immediately after surgery. Anesthesiologist put a patch behind my ear (like those you get for a cruise) and I have a script for phenergan that I haven't used yet. Also not having any problems getting liquids down.

Headache can also be from lack of fluids. That's my problem post surgery--getting enough fluids in me to prevent a headache.

Day THREE post sleeve. My first day I felt great! Easy-peasy. No nausea, no shoulder gas pains. Next day I was so sore! i finally hit the pain pills but still no nausea. I guess I skipped the gas pains. I have a script for nausea but the anesthesiologist put a patch behind my ear and gave me something extra in the drug mix. I still have the patch on and it seems to doing a great job. I'm not hungry at all. It's a strange reality. Normally a bag of chips is like a siren to me but there is one on the counter and I haven't even considered it. One issue I had was a large hiatal hernia--which my doctor was planning to fix. However, it was much larger than he expected so repairs were not made. Waiting for my 2-week post appointment to see what next steps are for that.

I was sleeved yesterday (9/8) and only had mild pain in one shoulder yesterday. Once I was home from hospital I was fine. I need to walk more today but have had no problem sipping liquid and taking medium sized pills.

I was sleeved YESTERDAY (9/8) and the only two effects I feel are a slight sore throat and aching at the wound sites. I've not had any trouble sipping, even taking a whole pill at this point. I drank 8 oz of a Protein drink last night with no issues. Is this normal?

lab lover, I felt crappy immediately after the surgery, tired and thirsty. But by the time I left the hospital at 2:30 (surgery at 7:15), I was feeling pretty good. I haven't slept since I've been home but will go to bed early. I am starting to get some soreness in abdomen but it's not too bad. It's making it harder to do the breathing exercise. I was anxious before surgery. They will give you something to relax you before you go in the operating room. Just think of all the good that is to come! The barium swallow wasn't much fun but tolerable.

I'm HOME from my surgery this morning and feeling great! I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, my incisions don't hurt, I'm able to sip Water and Protein drink and walk around. I've only taken 1/2 of a pain pill. Also, I knew I had a hiatal hernia and Dr said he'd fix it--no problem. But afterwards he said that hernia was too large to fix! I was too sleepy to question him and I will call him tomorrow.

TOMORROW! Today is all liquids and getting ready for tomorrow. Gastric sleeve is outpatient but knowing how I react to anesthesia I'm packing for an overnight stay. My husband finally admitted that he is scared. I'm scared of the pain afterwards and for some reason the tests after surgery is frightening.

FEP BCBS didn't request weights from my meetings, just that I attended them.

Blue Cross does not always require 3-month DR supervised diet, sometimes it is just 3 meetings with a nutritionist, consecutive months.

I started the whole process in late May and was told I need the three months of counseling, psych eval and some other paperwork. Everything went like clockwork with only a small hitch with the paperwork submitted by my PCP. One call got that fixed in just a few minutes. The center called and gave me a surgery date the next day. I have not experienced any problems at all. My surgery is 9/8 and everything is a GO! I have FEP BCBS Standard and live in Eastern Virginia where there is a huge Federal Employee population and FEP Blue is considered a gold card policy.

My surgery is September 8. Just had my pre-op appointment with surgeon yesterday and everything is GO! My pre-op diet was optional but I'm doing 2 shakes a day and one light meal. It's been such a long lead up to the surgery it seem like it won't ever get here. I started the process in May and insurance company require 3 months of diet counseling and a chat with a psychologist. Now I'm getting the last bits together for post surgery liquids and cleaning out the fridge.

You need a copy of your EVIDENCE OF COVERAGE (EOC). Every health insurance company has one that is unique to your group or individual policy. Call customer service and request a copy ASAP. Some will mail a copy, others will send a PDF. Most medicare related policies are required to send a hard copy. Then you have to sit down and read the section on bariatric surgery, the section on appeals policy, and the exclusions. You should have 5 appeals, the last two of which will should decided by an independent review committee usually a state official. If you work for a huge company or state or county government it is possible that the company or government officials are setting the policy. That's because these entities are usually self-insured. This means they pay their own claims and just pay the insurance company to administer the claim. That also means if your insurance is State of XX insurance by Aetna/Cigna/UH/BCBS your requirements can be different from someone who has a personal or small group policy with the same insurance company. I can't answer questions about specific policies. My experience is proof reading and printing copies of policies.