SuperDave

You could try cream of cauliflower or cream of broccoli soup. Very similar but without the potatoes.

Your profile says you are 21. You need to do this because you do not want to be 40+ years old and 400+ pounds. I lost what should have been the best years of my life to being fat. I would give anything to go back and start over. There is no way in hell I would abuse myself the way that I did for most of my life. I guarantee you that NOTHING I ate when I was 21 years old was worth what I paid for it the next 20+ years. Fix this problem now while it is much easier to do. I promise you will be glad you did.

I don't have an iphone, so I can't answer that for you. Sorry! I'm sure if you look through the app menu you will find your friend list someplace.

@@anywon I added you as a friend. Send me a message anytime if you have questions or need to talk!

Just click on her name by her post and there will be an add this person as a friend button somewhere on the page. Best of luck on your journey!

That is the standard with most insurance. That is what your pre-op appointments are for, to establish medical necessity. With most insurance companies, anyone over a certain BMI is easily approved. If your BMI is too low, they will look at comorbidities. But really, there is nothing to worry about. Your surgeon and staff know the ins and outs of getting you approved. That is how they make their money. Relax and do what they ask you to do and it will all work out! Good luck!

You look great! Keep up the good work. You have got this!

I doubt you have anything to worry about. The surgeon makes money by getting people approved. The staff knows how to make it happen. Even if you are denied the first time, they will clarify the reasons why you need this and resubmit. It happens all the time. Relax.

I think people believe that having weight loss surgery is a one time magic cure that will fix all problems for life. It is not. You have to use the surgery as a tool to change your habits. I only eat about 6 ounces of food per meal, which is not a lot, but you could pack a lot of carbs and calories in to 6 ounces if you wanted to. For example, for 6 ounces I could eat 12 oreos for around 250 carbs. Or I could eat 3 ounces of chicken and 3 ounces of veggies for 5-10 carbs depending on the choice of vegetable. An hour after eating the oreos, I will crave more oreos. An hour after eating a healthy meal, I will still be full and have no cravings. But still, I only ate 6 ounces either way. It is possible to stretch your sleeve, and you should definitely be aware of not forcing yourself to eat more than you should, but the bigger issue is food choice. And just as a side note, I am not picking on oreos. I love those stupid things! But everything in moderation. On another note, I have not gained any weight back. Not even a pound. It takes constant work, but it can be done.

Tobasco sauce works wonders.

I would definitely call your doctor and see if they can change the billing codes. If that isn't possible, sometimes you can get the doctor to charge a lower rate for things not covered by insurance. Everything that goes through your insurance is a set price, agreed on by the insurance company and the doctor. But it is possible to get a cash price from the doctor that is much lower. It certainly can't hurt to ask!

Sounds like you are doing great! Keep up the good work!

I would call the hospital or faclity where you will have the surgery and see what they will work out for you. Most places will set up a payment plan, as long as you arrange it in advance. If you show up on the day of surgery and expect them to work it out, you probably won't have much luck. Look at it this way, they want your money, it is why they are in business. Make it easy for them and they will most likely work with you. Best of luck on your journey! Edited to add: get any agreement in writing. It helps avoid confusion down the road!

My only advice is to stick to it. I had a 3 month long stall starting around 10 months post op. I really thought I was done losing weight. Just like you, I was still losing sizes, but not pounds. But it started again and I lost another 40 pounds rather quickly. Your body fights change, you just have to fight back! Your weight loss will slow, but as long as you do what you are supposed to do it will still happen. Stay positive, eat right, keep up the hard work. You have got this!

The first week was the worst for me. It all gets better! At nearly 2 years post op, all of the difficult times are a distant memory. It is all worth it in the end! Keep up the good work, you have got this!

Congrats on getting your date. It's all going to happen pretty quick. Awesome! Keep up the good work!

I took a month off, mostly because my employer would pay me for a month off. I could have went back after 2 weeks, but it would have been hard. I could have easily gone back after 3 weeks, no problem. But hey, a paid month off is a paid month off!

I switched to decaf a month before surgery and for 3 months after. Then I started mixing in a bit of regular over the next few months until I was back to all regular coffee. I just drink it with a bit of cream. Coffee was my biggest challenge as well, but giving it up temporarily was completely worth the results.

Maybe you shouldn't think of losing 5.5 pounds as a stall. Instead, think of it as losing 5.5 pounds, which is literally what it is.

I'm coming up to 2 years post-op. It definitely gets easier. food tastes good again, but my tastes have definitely changed. Super-rich foods that I used to crave are no longer appealing to me. Getting in Protein is not a struggle like it used to be. My diet is mostly protein based, though I don't eat much meat. I still drink a Protein shake every day, mostly because it's an easy snack at work. Plus, they don't taste awful to me like they used to. Now it's just what I do. You are correct about this changing every thought. I don't really think about the surgery anymore, but I sometimes obsess over carb counts and serving sizes. My wife will give me a serving of something that looks huge to me, so I weigh it and put some back. It drives her crazy. I have just found the amounts that I can comfortably eat, so I religiously stick to those amounts. But despite that, it doesn't consume all my thoughts like it used to. It's just a habit at this point. Anyway, it does get better and easier. You are doing great so far. Just keep it up and don't become discouraged. It is all worth it in the end, and one day you will wish food didn't taste good again!

Great work! Keep it up!

Sounds like you are doing great. There were times during the first few months that I thought "what the #@*! did I do to myself, but those thoughts are a distant memory. I too hated Protein shakes for a while, but nearly 2 years later I still drink 1 every day. Rotating flavors and brands helps a lot. Just stick with it, it soon becomes something you just do. As for smelling food, I had that problem for a while, plus I hated watching other people eat. It literally made me nauseous. That will pass. Just use the lack of appetite as a tool to change your habits. It really is a blessing in disguise! Look forward to more updates! Best of luck, you have got this!

I am almost 2 years post-op and I have not gained any weight back. My surgeon said to expect a 10% "bounce back" from my lowest weight, but I am determined to prove him wrong. I really think it depends on your commitment level. Use the year after surgery to truly change your habits. You will eventually get your appetite back. You will eventually get cravings again. You have to completely retrain yourself to not give in to these urges. The surgery is a useful tool, but the rest is on YOU! Many will regain, but many will not. It is up to you. Best of luck on your journey, you have got this!

If you like spicy stuff, try Tabasco sauce, (or whatever pepper sauce you prefer). It doesn't take much to kill the flavor of crushed meds.

I stalled for 2 months at the 65-70 ponds lost point. I thought I was done losing. Stick with it. I went on to lose another 45 pounds after that. Months 6 - 12 post-op were much slower loss and a lot of stalls, but it still happened. There is no reason you cannot hit your goal.