Wheetsin

Really, it doesn't matter when you wear a thong because if worn appropriately, no one knows you have them on. People only know you're wearing a thong when you have ill-fitting pants on, or wear too low of a rise. People familiar with things might be able to guess you're wearing one if you have on white linen pants, or something semi sheer, or really tight & stretchy pants with absolutely no VPL... But it's kind of like asking when it's appropriate to wear a lace bra, versus a knit bra. Ideally, everyone but you & your most intimate never know the difference, so there isn't really a single point at which it becomes appropriate or inappropriate. Make sense? The concept is much cleaer in my brain, than exiting my mouth...or fingertips...

If it were me, I would go ahead and do my surgery.

I was really fat, and my mom is Greek. 'Nuff said. I'm debating over trying the "No No!" Have any of you tried it? I'm seriously thinking about taking the plunge and trying it. I would do laser (even just for my eyebrows of nothing else - waxing makes me look like I've been maced), but several friends have done it and they all compare it to "the agony of being repeatedly sliced by exacto knives." Umm, pass...

When I had my AGB & gallbladder out I was given liquid Lortab. It worked well, but I had to stay on top of it. It makes my dad gag but I thought it tasted ok.

VSG is indicated for people who are super morbidly obese. As the first stage pf a DS, it is done to help initial weightloss to facilitate the second stage. Many RNYers have had their surgery at 400+ lbs, so that may be a personal preference of your surgeons. Regain stats, especially with super morbidly obese patients, are not great.

My surgeon, for all WLS procedures, has a 2 day pre-op diet consisting of sugar free liquids only.

I get them from potassium deficiency. I get them from my thighs down... calves, shin, tops of my feet, toes, sides of my leg... anywhere there's a muscle has been... victimized. I don't usually get them during the day, but evening -- and night is the worst. Bananas are ok. Make sure you get a good, ripe one (yellow with lots of brown). You might also want a pill supplement. They can be chewed. But make sure you only take one.

Eekgads, I have a hard time following posts here. I'm not sure why. I don't mean to be so one-night-stand with my messages, I just never manage to find my threads again. (Which makes no sense, since this is the same BB software LBT runs on and I do just fine over there.) They are, I guess, making the case for my approval. I've been scheduled for an EGD, which is required as part of the documentation on my slip. I know VSG is covered, and I can't imagine I wouldn't qualify. And I don't exepect much argument that removing my band is "medically necessary." We shall see. If I have to do an EGD to be denied, I'm gonna be a frowny face. I hope I love it. I've been banded so long that I actually manage to forget I'm banded. I'm just a still chubby girl who chews her food way more than anyone else. I hope what I have learned eases the transition, and that it isn't a 100% start over from scratch. But if it is, it is. I suspect my brain will struggle with trying to make direct translations between feelings/sensations/etc with the band, and the sleeve. Suzanneh - thanks. I'm a pretty straight-shooter, factual, and objective to a fault. While that's probably a ripe combination for messageboard suicide, it does let me see the band for what it is, and not get involved on a "my band" level.

Here are Splenda's packet - measurement conversion charts: Conversion Charts

There are soy & corn free protein products out there, you just have to look hard to find them. Pea, rice and hemp Proteins are probably going to be your best bet. You also need to be careful about what source lecithin they're using. If you're allergic, that soy lecithin is an evil biddy. Check into these to start: Nutribiotic's vegan rice protein. Link here. (My local Whole Foods carries this one) Ultra Protein Plus by Douglas Labs contains no soy protein or corn. Link here. Now Sports Pea protein, contains no corn or soy. Link here. SourceNatural's True whey. Link here.

Just FYI - you can also make a flourless cookie using just Peanut Butter & sugar (or Splenda) -- if you don't want the oats. You bake it & everything. You'd think it would just melt, but it doesn't - tastes like a really dense peanut butter cookie. 1 C peanut butter 1 C white sugar (or Splenda) 1 egg Combine everything, bake for about 8 minutes at 350. You can even do the fork identation thing, and it will hold. I've made them with Splenda and they come out pretty much the same either way. I've also made them with unflavored Protein powder - slightly more fluffy, and lighter color (my unflavored is a whitish powder) but that was the only difference I noticed.

I know that I kept a pair of 20s from when I was on my way up, and years & years & years later when I was back down into a 16 or 18, those 20s wouldn't even come up over my thighs. Actually I was wearing a 14 in one brand, and those 20s still wouldn't come past my thighs. Those 20s are probably today's equivalent of a 16, I'd bet.

I've been wondering about this. I didn't have any kids when I had mg AGB surgery. My DD is now about 2.5. DH is going to REALLY have to pitch in because I normally take her in to daycare (she can get in and out of her carseat, but I have an SUV so she needs to be lifted up/down into it). That's really going to alter our schedules a LOT until I'm able to lift her. It's also going to be hard on her. She's still a big mommy's girl and is used to me greeting her with a big hug & picking her up. I can imagine the tantrums our house will see when mommy can't "uppy" her...

Khy - when I had my AGB the "burn" of the carbonation going down was the only thing I really missed enough to crave. I was already down to having caffeine free Diet Coke about once a week, so giving up soda was nothing. But wow, sometimes I just wanted a big chug of a freshly opened can just to get the sweet burn. I craved it hard for about 3 weeks, then it went away. About 2 years post-op I sipped someone's, just to see if I still enjoyed it. I didn't. It hurt my throat, and the soda itself was extremely foul. To date, the only soda type beverage I can stand is Fresca (I'm allowed sodas with my AGB, but still only have 1 or 2 a month).

I did a slightly more strict induction phase of the Atkins diet for about a year and a half. My husband did it with me for 4 months. My breath smelled like moldy ass, and his smelled like a can of pears. Go figure. BTW, I am not responsible for the poor quality of my typing. I'm trying to adjust to one of these split ergonomic keyboard things, and kinda hating it.

Generally very small amounts, but varies by person (which is why I asked OP what she was smelling: "sweat," ammonia, etc.) Lots of things are in sweat in trace amounts. The levels of urea in sweat seem to be related to whether or not you're sweating during exercise or heat (thermal sweating) and age. (Yes, I'm a big enough geek to have actually read research on this junk, and Iknow studies have found the highest levels after rigorous exercise followed by exposure to a hot environment). I'm going to guesstimate 99% - 99.9% of sweat is Water. The reaminder would then be everything else (salt, sugar, Proteins, trace minerals, urea, etc.) I don't know what percentage of that 1% - .1% would be urea specifically... and it would definitely depend on the individual, when the sweat was sampled, health conditions, etc. It's hard to figure an exact breakdown even in the studies because they are measured in different ways that don't easily translate from one another (e.g. weight vs. volume) and I'm not yet interested enough to start converting molar weights. HTH

Frozen shrimp are fine. I'm actually a big fan of ALDI's frozen shrimp, it seems to taste the best and have the best texture of any frozen brands I've tried. But they don't carry peeled & tail off raw, which is my preference, so you have to peel them yourself (I had to peel 3 lbs lastnight for a shrimp Pasta dish... ugh...) I don't eat red meat or pork (except the occasional bit of bacon as a flavor additive) so it's pretty much seafood or poultry, or a non-meat. We end up eating shrimp about 2x a week. Bacon wrapped shrimp on the grill is YUMMY. I would suggest tossing your shrimp in some olive oil for about an hour prior to wrapping in bacon. It doesn't hurt to put a bit of Kosher salt in the oil, or better yet - Cavendar's brand "greek seasoning" (but don't get the salt free one... yucky...) SOme of my favorite ways to prepare: Not waistline friendly -- but works for salad (tiny) shrimp very well, and is oh so yum. Mix sour cream & mayo in a ratio of 3:1 (e.g. 3/4C sour cream, 1/4C mayo is the amount I usually do). Add one small red onion, minced. Add a pinch of salt, a tiny pinch of white pepper, and as much fresh chopped dill as you care for. Stir together. Add about 1/4 lemon worth of fresh lemon juice, stir again. Add 1lb shrimp, cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve on dense bread, or just in a small bowl. Goes really well with some boiled egg slices and cucumber. (My husband is Swedish and I lived in Sweden for a while - this is a very typical summer lunch there) Cooked in Kraft brand "Tuscan House" dressing, with sun dried tomatoes. Can serve over pasta, or eat alone. Shrimp alfredo (you can make a surprisingly killer alfredo off a cream cheese base, so it doesn't have to be intimidating), w/ or w/o pasta. Butterflied, with a dollop of spinach/parmesan dip, then baked at 250 until cooked. Mince 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, put in a large bowl. Mix it with a spoonful of tomato paste. Add a cup of olive oil and about 1/2 bunch of chopped fresh parsley (I prefer flat leaf). Add several dashes of hot pepper sauce, or about a teaspoon of red paper flakes. Add a pinch of salt and let it sit together (doesnt need to be in the fridge) for about an hour. Stire in your shrimp, refrigerate, and marinate at least 4 hours. Then skewer & grill. Like Red Lobster shrimp scampi? In a bakeable pan, whisk (lightly) 1C white wine, 1/2C melted unsalted butter, 3 tbl minced garlic. Add 1lb peeled & deveined shrimp, toss until throoughly coated. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes or until the shrimp has just turned pink. As soon as you take it out of the oven, top with a light sprinkle of parmesan (the grated kind like you put on pizza, not the fresh kind). Not exact, but kinda close. Sorry, recipes aren't my strength. I kinda just eyeball it most of the time.

Hmm. Most people in ketosis, especially long term ketosis, find they have reduced body odor. Ketones are mostly lost through saliva & urine, and if they smell foul it's usually a smell of acetone (acetone is a long & complicated byproduct of ketosis). Are you smelling like regular sweaty smell, ammonia, etc.? Sweat itself doesn't smell, it's basically just salt Water. It's bacteria on your body breaking down Proteins & lipids from your apocrine glands (umm... glands in places where you have hair) that produces the smell. All deodorant does is mask that smell -- like in the old days when the French would wear ridiculous amounts of parfum to mask their body odor from not showering. Instead of deodorant, try an antiperspirant/deodorant blend. The clinical strength ones kinda stop up your pores and are supposed to work (I have never tried them so I can't say for sure). Drinking extra water if you can will help. If you don't shower every day, at least wash your sweaty-hairy places with antibacterial soap. Do what you can to keep your underarms aired out -- from wearing cotton tops/tank tops, so actually flapping your arms a bit (lets air get in there and help dry things out).

Actually come to think of it, I don't think Tricare yet covers VSG. Earlier this year my father had to have his band removed and he want a revision to sleeve, but got another band because Tricare was not covering VSG. Normally plans won't make major inclusions like that until the start of the next year, so I'm guessing they still don't cover it -- but check me on that, I can't guarantee it.

My parents both had WLS under Tricare and did not have to do a supervised diet. They did not have VSG but typically supervised diet requirements apply to bariatrics and not specific bariatric procedures. I can't speak to Aetna.

That makes sense. I never could get back in touch to ask her questions. She did mention it would need to be submitted with the documentation that proves my slip, which left me more confused... it's not gonna show exterior so why would it matter... I didn't even know they had contacted my insurance company yet, so this is at least progress, and progress is good. Having to do an EGD maybe not good, but I will take it if it means we're moving forward.

420 gal - have you talked to your surgeon and/or hospital of choice about a payment plan? Hospitals often set up payment plans without running credit checks (at least they do here, though they might not for such a large amount.... though I've heard of stranger things). Would it be possible for you to place the amount on a credit card you already have, and make payments? People often find that the money they aren't spedning on foods (and eventually meds, as cholesterol/BP/etc. improves) can easily offset the monthly payment and then some. (Please note I don't mean to advocate going in to debt, but I do advocate doing what it takes to get the surgery you feel you need to improve your quality of life). Occasionally people will chime up on messageboards and "donate" a surgery. I've only seen this happen about 2x in all the time I've spent on WLS boards, and there has always been some question as to the validity, but just maybe if you keep your eyes open... Do you have any unnecessary assets you can liquidate? Any family or close friends you can borrow money from? Have you applied for Care Credit or whatever it's called? (I'm not sure how reliant it is on credit history). Have you tried taking any quick lmeasures to improve your credit? There are things that can be done short term to give your credit a boost. People have done some pretty desperate things to make surgery happen for them. I"ve heard some stories that are mind blowing. You sometimes have to get really creative, but usually it's true that where there's a will, there's a way.

It depends on the evaluation. That, in turn, usually depends on whether it's a single evaluation event, or a multi-appointment process. Most likely they will be looking to determine: 1. The nature of your eating disorder 2. Your likely successes of dealing with the distress of the WLS process 3. Your triggers, and how you might avoid them 4. Your coping mechanisms, and how well you might adjust to needing to change them 5. The support structure you have in place 6. Etc. The MMPI is used to diagnose and/or treat mental illness. I'm not sure I agree with it as a generic WLS determination tool, much like I don't agree with personality sorters as a way of determining job candidacy. Hopefully, the psychologist is determining your candicay in a more systemic way... seeing if there's anything that might indicate you're not a great candidate (e.g. history of eating disorder other than overeating), helping you understand the changes you will need to make, helping you find ways to "mourn" the loss of your primary addiction... in short, helping you set up a program to change your behaviors. The best advice is to be honest. If you're a candidate, honestly will help set a path for success. If you're not a candidate, which isn't terribly common, it's better to know why and see if it's something you can work on.

Yes, do make sure you're covered (unless you're self pay). For the reasons Butterfly mentioned, and because many doctors have a fee for completing paperwork, including referrals. Sometimes it can be $100+. You don't want to pay that fee for an insurance packet if insurance isn't even an option. Are you sure you will even need a PCP referral? There's not really anything you can say to make up your doctor's mind. I *thought* I needed a referral from my PCP for my AGB - ends up I didn't. Before I knew I didn't, I met with her. She was so completely for getting the weight off that I didn't even really have to ask. She just volunteered to document all my issues, test me for comorbodities (detectable through labs), and give me a copy of her dictation including my BMI. Unless your PCP is anti-WLS, or anti-VSG in particular, just tell them you need a referral.

Gah, pre-WLS I would down them all at once, or even dry swallow. I have no idea how I did that. Depends on the med. (I suspect our med taking requirements are similar). Little ones like a Sudafed or something, I just swallow with Water. Larger ones like Tylenol I usually cut into pieces and swallow the pieces individually (I've gotten stuck on a Tylenol before, not fun... and they're too nasty to chew). Anything larger than a Tylenol I typically crush. If it's palatable I just down the powder with water. If it is gross (e.g. Prednisone...ugggg....), I usually sprinkle some powder on a spoonful of Kefir or similar, and try to down it before it can touch my tongue. A lot of things are just plain old chewable, or can be found in liquid forms. There's even liquid adult Tylenol. Not so fun explaning why I need liquid, or why I can't take an NSAID, but oh well. As others have mentioned, make sure you check the "take with..." requirements. And make sure none of your meds are enteric coated/extended release meds - you cannot cut or crush those.