2goldengirl

Insurance usually doesn't require tests. Depending on your health plan, you may have to complete a visit with a Registered Dietician and a psychologist, show a history of your previous weight-loss attempts, and may or may not have to participate in a specified number of months in a structured weight-loss program. Your surgeon will probably require some preop testing: usually at least an EGD, depending on your medical condition(s), maybe also an EKG, always some bloodwork. I hope this helps.

I do. The group is sponsored by the hospital where I will have my surgery. It's a thriving group, open to anyone. 30+ people, everything from preops like me to folks who are 10+ years out. Today was about stress, facilitated by the LCSW who has worked with the hospital bariatric program for 15 years. Really worth the time.

You want protein drinks with at least 20 gm of protein and less than 5 gm of sugar. I don't recall anyone mentioning any Herbalife products here. It seems the faves around here are Premier Protein, Unjury, and Isopure.

Blue Shield of CA has NO weight loss requirement. Here is a link to their medical policies: https://www.blueshieldca.com/provider/authorizations/clinical-policies/medical-procedures/policy.sp Look under "B" for bariatric surgery. Patient selection criteria is on page two. Blue Shield also requires that its contracted medical groups (who do the authorizations for most of their members) follow Blue Shield's criteria - they can't superimpose their own criteria. I hope this helps, you appear to have been misinformed.

No. No. No. "Detox" is what your liver does. Your gut doesn't. And a colonic only reaches a very small portion of your bowel anyhow. Food doesn't stay in your colon, your colon empties itself as it was designed to do. Anything else is pure hype. Don't fall for it.

Can't help you, I'm covered $100%, except $10 office visit copays.

I'm so afraid that even after this pre op diet they won't be able to get to my stomach. I had a fatty liver to begin with. Don't be. What you're trying to reduce with the preop diet is your stored liver glycogen (a form of stored sugar).

You really need to see your NUT/RD; between the sleeve and pregnancy you have a delicate balance to work with. Congratulations!

Not only are you cute, you've shown your daughters not to put up with abuse, not to allow themselves to be devalued, and to take care of their own destinies and their own health. Well done, Mom. Rock that dress and be proud!

LOOK at that smile. That says it all. Golly, I love that scarf you have on.

I'm preop, don't have a surgery date yet. I decided it would be a good idea to establish some new habits well before surgery, and have been working on just two so far: Logging everything I eat/drink (I use Sparkpeople), and to stop eating before I get overfull. I've kept up with the logging since Oct. 21, except for two days. Occasionally I've had to go back and fill in from the day after, but I've done it. Previously, if I had a day where I made choices I wasn't happy with, I'd find a reason to avoid tracking those. I haven't done that this time. I guess as best I can even when I've gone out to eat or eat something I can't find in the database. The stopping before I get overfull has been interesting - I'm amazed at how little it takes, and that's before any surgery. Sometimes I do get hungry again within a couple hours, but I've had a real habit of keeping on eating just because something tastes good. I think in the coming month I'm going to add making a note when/if I eat when I'm not truly hungry. There will be a lot of food around this month, especially at the office. The interesting thing is, I've lost 5-1/2 lbs., and that wasn't my focus. Does anybody else have preop habits or goals?

Why on earth would you listen to anyone else about what is a decision about YOUR life, health, and quality of life? You want it, you need it, go get it! Don't let the naysayers bring you down!

So glad you're feeling more in-control now. That "I can't stop" feeling is downright frightening. Sounds like you need to shop for your own groceries, and have Beloved Retired Cop buy junk for himself and the kids and keep your good stuff away from his not good stuff so you don't have to go past his to get yours. Good luck!

I hate to say this, but I agree, what were you doing letting an unlicensed driver drive your car? And why are you allowing son basically take over your life? You drive him everywhere and now you are putting up his GF and her daughter, if only on a part-time basis. Boundaries. You need them. I understand that you're trying to help, but between not-quite-the ex and addict son and his GF, they are taking up your time, your energy, and your gas money. Enough! There is a fine line between compassion and co-dependence. Who owns the car? You? It's your life, your car, your limited income - and your time to start saying "No".

Nope not normal, and likely doesn't have a thing to do with the bowel issues. Call your doc, please.

Oh thank goodness!

So was your discomfort (hard to come up with a better term, though there ought to be one) that she was transgender, or that you were getting hit on at Home Depot? Or getting hit on first thing at Home Depot when your head was full of "quarter-round and horse food and wait, what is anybody doing at Home Depot first thing in the morning in perfect makeup, isn't this usually a makeup-free zone and did I just get hit on?" Cause yeah, that would have been disorienting just because it's so seemingly out of context. Getting hit on is usually for later in the day, y'know? Like at the feed store. Preferably by a guy wearing chaps. As far as transgender people and their orientation in terms of attractions go, my transgender friend (I remember when she had her surgery back in the early 1970's) told me simply that a person's gender orientation is completely different than their sexual orientation. When she was male, she was attracted to females, and once she changed her gender, she was still attracted to females. It was so logical I wondered why I hadn't figured that out by myself, but truthfully I'd never even thought about it.

Have someone hide the scale, or, better yet, take it out of the house. Start focusing on your program: Protein, Fluid, exercise, instead of the scale. And in answer to your question, what you're doing "wrong" is focusing on the scale, instead of your program.

Longer than you think. And I have to disagree with you. I've been working with bariatric patients for more than five years, and only a few of them were banded. The vast majority were GBP, until about three years ago when we started seeing more sleeves. Maybe it's a geographic thing? I think the sleeve has been done for about ten years. let me check and I'll re-post.

The first, earliest one? Being able to button my two favorite flannel shirts. Then, fitting into some clothes that I love that are relatively new and can't wear. Next, pitching some clothes I've had to practically live in because they fit and I'm not buying larger ones, dammit. Next, having an easier time lacing up my boots. I think that will do me for the first couple months

Yippee! You must feel like a million right now!

So you've been married for 25 years to a man who has eroded your self-confidence, cheated on you, belittles you for your accomplishments (yes, your weight loss IS an accomplishment), won't invest either the time or the money to go to counseling, and acted like a butthead on a cruise with you. 25 years means you have a lot invested in your life together. However, there are signs of abuse here. Emotional abuse is still abuse, and in many ways more damaging than physical abuse, if for no other reason than physical abuse we recognize instantly as wrong. Emotional abuse is often so subtle and insidious that it often doesn't get called out for the abuse it is. Move your paycheck to a personal account and transfer what you need to to your joint account. Get counseling for yourself. You need to know your own mind and protect your own mental health. The sex (or lack of it) is a symptom of a much larger set of issues.

I suspect it's the Kashi, not the soda. I'm not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't eat - but the stool issue is very unlikely to be soda. Some people are sensitive to some kinds of fiber. Try reducing the amount of the Kashi and see if that helps with your issues - or cut them out intirely and see if they resolve. If they do, then start adding them slowly back in (say, a tablespoon at a time). Good luck!

Before you order, check out a few key fit areas. How deep are the armholes cut? Are you broader, or narrower, across the shoulders? I'm talking about your bone structure here, not so much your weight. If you buy a size that's WAY too large, the armhole may be too deep, which can't be fixed. If the shoulders are too broad, it's sometimes hard to take that in. Similarly, if the neckline becomes too big for you, will that change the look of the dress? I'd have a chat with your seamstress beforehand. Show her a picture of the dress. She will likely have good advice for you on the key elements of your dress, and how to get the best option for her to work with.

about a dozen years ago, I finished grad school and worked with an RD on weight loss plan and also trained for distance cycling - mostly for 100km rides. I did manage weight loss during that time, but I had to work very carefully to do it. On days when I had either long rides or intervals, I really had to monitor and make sure I was getting enough food in. This was made more difficult by the inconvenience of my body loathing solid food on long ride days. I met with my RD weekly and we looked at the previous week's results, not just in terms of whether I was losing, but my endurance and how I was feeling. And then we'd plan the next week's intake in line with my workout plan for that week. I ended up overtraining and having to skip that last century due to a whopping case of bronchitis. Once Iwent back to a more reasonable training schedule, the whole process got much easier. Do you have your lean mass tested? One other thing is that your body tends to store more glycogen when you're endurance training - it needs to.