gsusser

Can the board use another question on this? -) I did a search on the board and found countless discussions on Vitamins. So, forgive me for bringing it up again. However, there's so much conflicting info and polar opposite opinions seemingly among doctors and members here! Can someone just give it to me plain and simple, just the "truth," haha. Seriously, I thought I'd give it one last try and ask again before plunking down my money. I asked my dietician and she failed to mention a Multivitamin or possibly B12. She did recommend Bariatric Advantage Chewy Bites 500 mg CA and 500 IU vit D. She sez it's the best available. I'm hesitant after what I've read here about Bariatric Advantage, that is, the taste makes one want to jump out the window. Then again, all I read about was the Advantage multivitamin. To summarize, here are my questions: 1. I'm starting pre-op next week, 10/22. Are the vitamins going to be any different in pre-op than post-op? 2. Is Calcium, D3 and B12 recommended? 3. The easy question, ahem... what make for any recommended vitamins? Thanks!

Nov. 5 here as well. Live in NJ, surgery in NYC. Looking forward to running a marathon one day.

I've been cleared for the following items which were under the heading in my handout, "with surgeon's approval" -- - proetein liquid supplements (1000 calores per day) - skim, 1% or soy milk mixed with whey or soy Protein powders (limited to 20 gm protein/serving) - fat free cream Soups - fat free, plain yogurts or plain, non-fat Greek yogurt I have a good relationship with my dietician and she seems to advocate common sense over strict rules. Like, 3 days before surgery nothing but Clear liquids. But before, no need to torture oneself. She also said non-starchy greens were okay up to a week before surgery as long as they were chewed well. She doesn't like the idea of Jello unless you let it practically melt before swallowing. With this in mind, can someone recommend specific products? Grocery stores and shopping are alien to me and all I have is me. ;( Like, any particular brands of Soup? Yogurt? Not a big fan of plain yogurt, but I guess when you're starving, it serves its purpose. She also recommended throwing some scrambled egg whites in broth and mixing well. And Vitamins. The woman at unjury was very nice. She threw in samples of chewable multi-vitamins, Calcium citrate plus and B-12. How long does one have to take chewables? What is recommended other than a multi-Vitamin? What is recommended when chewables are no longer needed, or does that day ever come? Sorry if a lot of this info is readily available and I know I've seen most of this discussed somewhere or other, but frankly I don't remember where or all the info - I was on brain overload. Many thanks for thoughts and recommendations. Time is short, diet starts 10/22.

Undoubtedly, this will be one of the dumbest questions on the board, but the light isn't going on for me. I'm starting the pre-op diet in 9 days (and by sheer coincidence, have 9 bagels in my freezer). My instructions say clear Protein shakes only for pre-op. Then for post-op, the instructions simply say Protein Shakes. Can someone point out the difference and give examples of each that are available in stores or online? Thanks! Glenn.

I need to get a better command of the English language. I had 9, now 8 days before I begin the 2 week pre-op clear liquid diet

I'm still not getting it, but I'll go by specific recommendations. I ordered the starter pack from unjury. Do those drinks meet the criteria. As far as Isopure, is this an example of what is being referred to? I'm gonna need a whole bunch of drinks for 2 weeks, so I'd appreciate as many recommendations as possible. Thanks to everyone.

Jeez, one day it seemed a forever away, all of a sudden the surgery is only 3 weeks away. I have an overwhelming feeling of being scared sh!tless and of being unprepared, mostly food wise. I've read the nutrition requirements over and over but it hasn't quite sunk in. My surgeon requires only 1 week of the pre-op liquid diet. I'm thinking maybe I'll get a head start and begin 10 days before. But I need your help in stocking my refrigerator. First, I'm a single guy living alone and basically have no one to help me. I'm not a total idiot in the kitchen, but close to it. [i had to look up the definition of puree!] However, I'm not as dumb as I sound and can get by with a little direction. I would like to stock up for the pre-op and at least a week of post-op, ideally more. I've yet to decide on a Protein drink. My dietician recommends powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury, but I never heard of it. And what kind? Individual packets, powder, etc? Is there something else recommended? Do supermarkets sell sugar free popsicles? It's true, I haven't the vaguest idea. I use Fresh Direct, an online supermarket, in lieu of walking into the dreaded supermarket. My dietician sez I can eat scrambled eggs thrown into broth and then put through a blender. I don't even own a blender! Actually, I ordered a fancy Vitamix today. What else can I do with it for my pre-op and post-op? Frankly, I was a little lax with the Protein drinks thinking I would have medi-fast. I have plenty left over from trying it 1000 times. My surgeon said it was okay. But alas, I checked the label today and all the packages expired 3 years ago! That's when I started panicking. Any help relating to food would be very much appreciated. Thanks! glenn

If it matters, I am insured by the Oxford Liberty plan. I am using a very reputable NY surgeon, chief of bariatric surgery at NYU Hospital. I have some questions. Issue 1: I want to know my out of pocket expenses. I met all the insurance requirements for sleeve surgery except for the final medical clearance. My surgeon's office scheduled me for surgery in 3 weeks. I've asked several times if they could tell me how much I was going to be responsible for. I was told it was too early to tell. I hate to be a pain in the neck and keep asking, but I'm not getting answers from the surgical coordinator. I called my insurance company. Unless I can give them very specific info (which I don't have, like the anaesthesiologist, other doctors, etc.), they can only give me general info. Issue 2: When does the insurance company give their approval? The doctor's office said not to worry, that I am a shoe-in. Issue 3: I'd like to know if I qualify for after-care. I live alone and have no one to help, though I can probably manage on my own. Still, I'd like to know but no one seems to be able to answer. Issue 4: Am I being a worry wart? -) Thank you glenn.

I did a search for a particular surgeon on this site. The search indicated there were 22 reviews for this particular doctor. Yet when I clicked on read the reviews (or something like that), I got the message below. How come? "Dr. ____ does not currently have an active surgeon listing with BariatricPal!"

I'm 2 months away from meeting all my insurance requirements. I hate to change surgeons at this stage, but I've never been thrilled with her, at least her bedside manner and her office staff. On the other hand, she has impeccable reviews and credentials. Does it mean anything that she has done the surgery on well-known celebrities? It's only after joining this forum and reading about others' experiences that I started leaning towards this decision. I'm jealous of the well-staffed offices I hear about. But today was the clinker, maybe. Here's an email to the general mailbox. I was never given any contact info other than the general number. What do you think about changing horses? glenn ======= Dear Staff, Today was visit number three to Dr. K. It may very well be the last. I wasted my time and apparently hers. Apparently, she couldn’t wait to finish my 10-minute appointment as she inched closer to the exit after only several minutes. I was flabbergasted when she simply exited without saying goodbye and without finishing the conversation. I get the impression she is totally uninterested in me, her patient. She didn’t remember a thing about past visits, didn’t bring my chart and as a result, did not have the results of the psych evaluation. Her response to my asking about it was something along the lines, “I get so many in, I can’t remember.” Jeez. The last two visits she sat stoically waiting for my questions and had virtually no input. Despite the laudatory reviews, I do not feel comfortable. When asked about reading material, all she could come up with was her own book. Again, jeez. In the last two visits, there was virtually no staff around to ask questions, i.e., insurance, etc. Today, there was no one else there. It is a very difficult decision for me to make and it is a major decision. On the one hand she seems to be applauded by patients for her skills. I suppose that’s what I’m most interested in, not bedside manner or a well-run office. But on the other, how can I rationalize seeing someone who simply walks out without a word in the midst of an appointment.

Thanks for the comments, definitely, uh, food for thought. A special thanks to glitterpockets for the writing lesson! Seriously, I was mortified when I reread my note to the doctor's office, though it was written somewhat hastily. As an aside, I take pride in my writing and have written a book. It ironically contains "gluttony" in the title. No relation to the subject at hand though. But I digress. A couple of developments. The office manager, who is on maternity leave, reached out to me via email and offered to call today. Her email... <<I have forwarded your concerns to Dr. K. She was surprised since she thought that she had answered all of your questions. We currently have a paperless system therefore she typically does not carry around any charts and reviews all information prior to her going into the exam room. Although there was no staff at that time, she did text me right away to call you tomorrow morning. I am currently out on maternity leave and therefore am not present in the office everyday. We do want you to feel comfortable with the staff, more importantly with your surgeon. Dr. K typically spends as much time as needed with all of her patients and I apologize if you felt any other way. Please do let me know if I shoudl call you tomorrow to discuss this with you, I will gladly do so. Again- we do want you to feel comfortable going into this process. We value you as a patient and would like to continue our relationship. Hope to hear from you soon. Please keep my e-mail handy for any future concerns. I am always available. Warmest Regards,>> I won't comment on Dr. K's reaction as stated in the email except to say she's in another world. What bothered me more was that she didn't reach out to me directly. I also accepted the manager's proposal to call. She never did. But then again, there could be extenuating circumstances. Long story short. I had a 45 minute phone discussion with the nutritionist. She is friends with Dr. K and I met with her 2 or 3 times. She's been very helpful and straightforward and at times, critical of the way Dr. K runs her office. She believed everything I said and didn't try to sway me to stay with Dr. K. That's why I contacted her... I knew she would be honest. She went so far as to give me the name of another surgeon and offered to remain my nutritionist if I wanted. Dr. K is a scatterbrain and is not a good people person. She relies on her office manager to fill in a lot of gaps. However, the nutritionist confirmed some other things I've read about her. She's a genius and one of the top surgeons in NY. So, it boils down to a choice between a top surgeon or perhaps someone with lesser skills but a more supportive office. It also requires a change, though that won't have much effect on insurance. Dr. K hasn't done anything medically for me to help me qualify. I see my GP for monthly weigh-ins and BP checks. I've decided I will stay with Dr. K if the office manager eventually reaches out to me and shows me someone gives a hoot. I'm no dummy and I know I need a good support system, probably more so than the average Joe. I figure I can get that outside Dr. K's office. The nutritionist has promised to stay with me through thick and thin if I so want. Plus I am resourceful and with the help of this group, I am not overly concerned about getting the support I need. I wanted to share this here for the reason that I have great respect for the collective wisdom of this group. Am I choosing the wrong path? Thank you all and God bless.

Thank you Karen. It's very helpful knowing there's lots of other people in the same boat as me and the positive attitudes AND results I've read about. I was actually looking for a live support group for a few weeks but the forum is actually better suited for me. I found out about it from the psychologist who interviewed/dissected me. I've been spending a lot of time reading the posts and about the resources. I guess it's time to get a little more serious and not be so lazy or ambivalent about things. I did buy Alex' Big Book and read a good deal on the train today. And tomorrow I see my doctor, probably for the last time before surgery. Thanks again for your comments.

I'm not sure where to begin except to say hi. I'm glad I found a place where I can talk to like-minded people. I am almost through the insurance requirements and my doctor told me I have nothing to worry about regarding approval. While we haven't set a date for surgery, I hope to schedule it at the beginning of October. I do have some questions, hopefully appropriate. 1. coffee - what is the story? Allowable pre-op and post-op? 2. Pain. How much? I'm not a fan of pain. Since it's recommended that exercise be started as soon as one is released from the hospital, I assume it can't be too bad. Are pain killers necessary? I assume the pain is where the surgery takes place? 3. Work. I have an office job, sitting in a chair most of the time. I wonder why exercise is recommended right from the start but going back to work can be up to 2 weeks. 4. Hospitals. Haven't stayed in one as an in-patient for a few eternities, since I had my tonsils taken out in the paleozoic era. Do they allow laptops? What is there to do besides go bonkers? 5. food, if you can call it that. I rarely go to supermarkets or cook. I order online from Fresh Direct (like Whole Foods). I had to look up puree! I'm not crazy about preparing my own food. Yes, I am very lazy. Here's a BIG request. Can someone prepare a generic list of items (food or anything else, like a blender) for pre-op and post-op? 6. Reading material. What is recommended? In the way of introduction, for the past 15+ years, my weight has gone from one extreme to another. When I'm in shape, I am athletic. I want so much to get back to those days. The last 10 years, I've played around with a liquid diet, Medifast. I've been "successful" a number of times of losing a huge amount of weight, keeping it off for a short time, and then going back to what I was plus some. I'm an idiot for letting myself go since I have heart disease. My cardiologist recommended weight surgery years ago and I thought he was crazy. It was actually me who was crazy for not listening. Like most or many of you, I'm a scaredy cat of the surgery, but am hopeful. Thank you Glenn.

Many thanks for the responses and great links. Ironically, I work in a restaurant and get to eat for free, but rarely take advantage of it. I hate the food. -) As for the coffee, I think I'm going to start breaking the habit now, the least of my worries. Is decaf a problem before or after surgery?

Hi all, It's nice to find a place to get info and hear from others. I'm just about through the qualifying process for insurance and will schedule sleeve surgery in a couple of weeks. A couple of quick questions. Is "The Big Book..." still relevant and up to date? Have there been many changes since the book came out a few years ago? Has it been revised since the first edition? I know it's not that old but things often change quickly in medicine. I'm an avid reader. Is there any other recommended reading material? Thanks. glenn