katladee

I am two weeks out tomorrow! I am down 17 lbs since surgery day, and total of 55 since starting the process in August 2015. The surgery was a breeze for me! I had no pain, just tenderness in the belly. He also fixed a hiatal hernia. Have tolerated everything, no nausea, getting all my Protein in, but not quite the 64 oz of liquids. I found with no solids I felt hungry all the time, like a baby ready to graduate from formula to cereal! LOL So I started before I was supposed to having one soft scrambled egg, or instant mashed potatoes. Today she released me to the soft food phase, so for dinner I had my feast! 1/3 C fat free refried Beans, mixed with abt 4 tsp of ground, cooked chicken, with taco sauce! It was heaven! I love mexican food! I am healing wonderfully! I wish everyone could have the experience I had, and I wish I had done it 10 years ago! LOL Best wishes for your surgery!

A sign in my surgeon's office says "Medicare Covers The Sleeve Gastrectomy" and since medicare is federal it should be the same in every state. As long as your surgeon accepts medicare, then they will be a primary payer for you. Other insurance would be secondary. I know this because I used to do medical billing. Thats why they said call your surgeon first and make sure he accepts it. There are no pre-requirements for the surgery either thru medicare, but your other insurance if you are not self pay may have some. Hope this helped ease your mind!

So happy you are feeling better with the exception of your shoulder pain. I had my one week today with nurse practioner. I do need to get more water down, and protein, but other than that everything is good. I don't see the NUT until Monday and hopefully she will tell me I can have an egg too! Dying for solid food! I did have cream of wheat that I let get too stiff and it was no picnic getting that down! LOL Congrat's on the weight loss! You are on your way!

Good luck! Praying they will approve you!

Thanks! I am a week out as of yesterday. I had no pain after surgery, just tummy tenderness, and no pain since I got home! This surgery has been such an easy one for me. Had my one week check up today and lost 9 lbs since my surgery. I started myself in the puree phase early because I always felt hungry on the liquids. I have tolerated them well, no nausea or vomiting. Never did have the dreaded gas pain in the shoulder so many complain of, but my surgeon takes the air he puts in out before closing the incisions. I also had a hiatal hernia he repaired that I wasn't aware I had! I'm really happy with my surgery! Just having trouble getting in the required 64 oz of water each day. And I am craving meat in the worst way! LOL Hope yours goes just as well. Did you hear from BC/BS?

My thought exactly! LOL

My lowest incisions were at navel. They didn't go down "low", and I had a cath. No instructions to shave. In fact, I had to wipe my body down with these bacterial wipes the night before and morning of surgery. Since I didn't read the instructions on the wipes until the evening of the day I had shaved my legs, I didn't know I WAS NOT supposed to shave within two days of my surgery! I suffered terrible! I about went nuts with the itching it caused on my legs until I finally wiped it off with a washcloth and applied Benedryl lotion!

@@Licia2210 On the pre-op liquid diet, and taking a chewable multivitamin with Iron I got blocked up. Started taking Miralax, cause I didn't want to have that going into surgery. After surgery I didn't start the multivitamins yet because I hadn't gone since the day before surgery. Finally day 3 I had a small one, yesterday a small one. So if I keep going this way I will introduce the multivitamin back in. I realize on a liquid diet, like before surgery, I won't have the normal BM's I had before until my diet is regulated and body out of sugery shock. I am going thru the same thing with food. Even tho I know I can't eat it even if I was allowed because I am always feeling full, I am yearning badly for meat! I so want to open that fridge and eat a small chunk of the meatloaf sitting in there that keeps whispering my name! LOL Or a dang cheeseburger without the bun! And during my recovery I began to notice how many stinking commercials on TV for fast food! WOW! And even more are starting now because of superbowl! Mainly I stay away from TV right now and read or play Mahjong on my computer!

@ssflbelle Hey Lady! So glad you are home! It's great to hear from you! Sorry your surgery sucked, and that you are still having pain. I am also having trouble getting down 64 oz of water each day, but I don't feel dehydrated, and I did finally poop yesterday! I see my surgeon for one week f/u next Wed too! I told him he is the Stephen Hawking of robotics! Mine was done using the DaVinci robot. Do they have you doing anything for the low BP or is back to normal now? I did come home with no diabetic meds which was one of the reasons I did the surgery! I had the catheter too, and it came out early Wed morn. Were you even able to get up and walk at all? They say that is the best for the left shoulder gas pain. My Dr did tell me not to worry about the protein shakes as much as fluid intake the first two days home because they are much more filling than clear liquids. I have snuck in some unflavored protein in my Crystal Light tho. Let me know how you are doing after your one week checkup! I'll be thinking of you!

@Licia2210 Don't panic! It's really not that bad! LOL I am 4 days out, and went shopping today! I didn't do any lifting and hubby had a step stool for me to get in our truck, but I needed fresh air! Going in all I kept telling myself was "I just have to go to sleep and when I wake up it will all be behind me". I didn't dwell on the pain, or what I would feel like after. I figured I was taking it one step at a time. I was very relaxed going into surgery. I never needed any pain med's! No gas in the shoulder pain, no incision pain, no nausea. I just felt like I had overused my stomach muscles (not that me, the no exercise girl, would know what that felt like! LOL). I did feel some tugging on the trip home when we would hit a bump in the road (I had an hr ride) but not pain. So, sip a cup of tea, relax, kick back and think instead of happy thoughts! Like how stunning you are going to look this summer, and how much you just increased your life for your child! You can do this girl! My thoughts and prayers are with you! Good Luck!

@@Bluesky1 I feel so bad for you and the way he must make you feel. No person should have to endure that behavior from anyone, but especially their husband. I was in a controlling marriage for 14 years, and finally got a second job and that money went into my own account not our joint account, until I had enough to get an apartment Are there any family you could go and stay with? During that separation, I also would adivise marriage counseling. It didn't work for my marriage but I wanted to leave knowing I had done what I could to save it. I will include you in my daily prayers! Hopefully once you have your surgery and the weight falls off he will come around, but if not, please don't stay in a loveless marriage because of finances. It sucks! Best wishes!

@@juan110 I feel good. Still have moments of tiredness, like after my first shower last night. All I really feel is a tugging at the incision sites if I bend over, or turn a certain way. Still have not tried sleeping in bed tho. Bought an EZ Lift recliner for sleeping and sitting in so I don't have to strain tummy muscles yet getting up and standing. It has been a godsend! I'm going to try the full liquid diet again beginning today. I don't like taking meds that are in capsules! It feels weird going down. Dr said to open them and mix with a tad bit of sugar free applesauce or yogurt. How are you feeling?

Surgery went well. He also fixed a hiatal hernia I didn't know I had. He said it wasn't bad tho just needed tightened. Very little pain, never used pain killers at all. They did have me on liquid Tylenol every 8 hours. Was up doing my first walk 4 hours after I got to my room. Never had gas pain in the shoulder, my surgeon doesn't leave the air in. I was peeing like a champ. No nausea. It was so not what I thought it could be! My hard part is getting down 60 ozs of liquids each day. Belly starts feeling bloated. Hope you that are to have your surgery yet, I pray it goes as well as mine! Hugs to everyone for being my support!

Thanks everyone! Surgery went well. He also fixed a hiatal hernia I didn't know I had. He said it wasn't bad tho just needed tightened. Very little pain, never used pain killers at all. They did have me on liquid Tylenol every 8 hours. Was up doing my first walk 4 hours after I got to my room. Never had gas pain in the shoulder, my surgeon doesn't leave the air in. I was peeing like a champ. No nausea. It was so not what I thought it could be! My hard part is getting down 60 ozs of liquids each day. Belly starts feeling bloated. Hope you that are to have your surgery yet, I pray it goes as well as mine! Hugs to everyone for being my support!

Hi Ladies! I may be putting the cart before the horse, since I have my sleeve surgery in 10 days, but I am trying to plan for afterward. As you all lost your weight and had the excess skin to hide, what shapewear (i.e. Spanx, Maidenform, etc.) did you find most effective in holding it in? Did you buy the whole body style, cami, girdle type for bottom? Is Firm hold better or a smoother? Thanks to everyone for your suggestions!

Today is the day I begin a new life! Leaving for the hospital in a half hour! Talk to you laters, gators!

Today is the day I begin a new life! Leaving for the hospital in a half hour! Talk to you laters, gators!

I too, have Fed BC/BS, I had BMI of 53 at the time of my consul, but now at 46. Surgery is tomorrow. I have sleep apnea as well, but I also have diabetes, and my surgeon listed me at morbidly obese for the insurance. So depending on what your surgeon puts down, it's possible.

EEEEK! Day after tomorrow is the big day! Getting excited to be on the downside of this journey! I tell myself all I have to do is go to sleep, and when I wake up it will all be over! Not nervous, but maybe if you ask me tomorrow night I'll be singing a different tune! LOL

@Dixie32 Check out the member video titled "How To Fight Head Hunger" on the topics on the right hand side of this page.

@Terance ✌❤ There will be plenty of room for us on the loser's bench, Terance! They are all losing quickly and making room for us! LOL @@Leslie11 getting my mani/pedi today for surgery Tuesday! Checked with Dr and he said it was ok. You know us girls, gotta look pretty! LOL

@Terance ✌❤ There is plenty of room on the bench for us Terance, cause they all be losing weight fast making more room! LOL @@Leslie11 Had my pedi done Monday, and tomorrow is mani! LOL Us women think alike!

@Terance ✌❤ Plenty of room on the bench for us Terance, cause they are all losing fast, and making more room! LOL @Leslie11 My manicure is tomorrow for surgery on Tues morning. Had my pedi done this week!

Hi sleeve buddies! I had my pre-admission work done today. Everything went well. This time next week I will be sleeping (hopefully) on pain meds, and all this will be just a memory! I have to get up the morning of surgery at 3am, to be at the hospital by 6am. I am his first surgery at 7:30am. I'm not nervous, I'm excited to git 'er done! Been on this journey since 8/6/15, and it seemed my day would never get here! Now I am a week away and I look back and see that actually is has gone by fast! I'm on day 8 of pre-op liquid diet, and frankly, I can't wait to get rid of 3/4 of this stomach so I don't feel like I'm starving all the time! I am craving meat and banana's badly! LOL Anyone else have cravings for certain foods on their pre-op diet? Congrat's to those who have jumped the fence, and best wishes for those like me still waiting to jump this month!

Hi sleeve buddies! I had my pre-admission work done today. Everything went well. This time next week I will be sleeping (hopefully) on pain meds, and all this will be just a memory! I have to get up the morning of surgery at 3am, to be at the hospital by 6am. I am his first surgery at 7:30am. I'm not nervous, I'm excited to git 'er done! Been on this journey since 8/6/15, and it seemed my day would never get here! Now I am a week away and I look back and see that actually is has gone by fast! I'm on day 8 of pre-op liquid diet, and frankly, I can't wait to get rid of 3/4 of this stomach so I don't feel like I'm starving all the time! I am craving meat and banana's badly! LOL Anyone else have cravings for certain foods on their pre-op diet? Congrat's to those who have jumped the fence, and best wishes for those like me still waiting to jump this month!