kmorri

This is so exciting!!! It means so much to have others going through the same emotions and ups and downs as me at the same time....@@Maggie Journey it's weird how different plans can be so different....for example my plan says I can't use any Protein drinks that have "protein concentrate" or has hydrolyzsed Gelatin, or collagen protein anywhere in the ingredients.......so I can't have the Premier.....I ordered unjury powder so that's the kind I'll be using. As far as what I'm doing this weekend to get ready.......I'm pretty much ready so I've been making spreadsheets...haha yes, I'm one of those!!! But I'm making spreadsheets so I can track my weight and measurements.

@@vongphillips and @@Maggie Journey.... yay! Three of us so far! I start my pre-op diet on Monday the 2nd.....my diet is one Protein drink and two small very low carb meals per day.....yay! I get real food! I can also have another Protein Drink or sugar free Popsicle or sugar free Jello if I need something else. I have my pre-op vistit with my surgeon on Tuesday the third when I get all my pain med and other med scrips.....then after I meet with him I am supposed to go over to the hospital for whatever they need.....I'm really not sure what this one will be for, I've already had a chest x-ray and that sort of stuff, but we shall see!!!

Me too!!! 5/16 here as well! I just got my date today, and we have the same date! 5/16/16. Yay!

Trying to not consider it as a "food funeral"......but I will probably have dinner out somewhere with my hubby on Sunday just because I know it'll be a while....but I'm not going to have anything crazy.....I've actually been looking forward to being able to start doing something to take off some of this weight.....I've been stuck during the pre-op phase with not being able to lose anything in order to ensure I qualified....So now I'm ready for this new start!!

@@nmr83 Yay! Let's stay in touch and support each other though this....I started a new thread this morning titled May 16th surgery buddies....comment on that thread and hopefully they'll be some others join in as well......I can't wait to get this show on the road!!

I finally get to post, saying "I got a surgery date"......Yay!!!! My auth request to my insurance was just sent in this morning, but the surgeon's office feels confident that it'll be approved, and I'm a retiree with the insurance company so I have a contact with the insurance company and they've agreed to expedite the auth for me and said they'll process it within 24 hours......So I have pre-admission testing and a final visit with my surgeon on May 2nd and surgery scheduled for May 16th!!!! I'm excited and nervous at the same time!!!

I finally got my official date and it's 5/16/16!!! I'll be starting my pre-op diet on Monday May 2nd.....but thankfully I get to have food on my pre-op diet. I have one Protein shake and two small low carb meals per day.....and then clear liquids 24 hours prior to surgery.

I'm May 16th and will be starting my 2 week pre-op diet on Monday the 2nd.....but it's a pretty good one....one protein drink and two small low carb meals (lean meat and veggie) per day....at least I get to have food!!....and clear liq 24 hours prior to surgery.

Thanks @@New life 2016 Good luck to you too!!

Thanks @@WantToBe you'll do great too and your date will be here before you know it!!!

I just got my date today! May 16th!!!

Congrats to both of you!!! Keep us updated as to how you're doing.

Good luck and keep us informed on how you're doing.

There is not normally a weight loss requirement during the 6 month supervised period. However your plan could be different. I have heard of folks being required to loose 5 or 10% of their body weight. Mostly though it's an educational period of time to help prepare you for life after surgery.....What did your bariatric team tell you was required during that time?......regarding the time it takes to schedule surgery it depends on your surgeon's schedule. Good luck to you.

I don't think you're going to find ANYONE here on this site that thinks this is the easiest option!......

Sounds like you need to do some reading on what the sleeve surgery really is..... try this and read anything else you can find as well.....there's also lots of YouTube videos of the actual surgery if you're more visual... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeve_gastrectomy

@@CrazyHeart14 welcome! I would think the answer to your question is yes.....but I'm not going through Mayo so I can't be sure. I'm going through St. Vincent's and we do. Good luck in your journey!

Good point! Maybe try a higher quality Protein drink as well....

To me this doesn't sound "normal.".....I don't think feeling nauseous at any point should be considered normal.....expected is another issue I guess. but if you are feeling nauseous on a regular basis this is something your doctor can address with medication. Having you rush into more solid food doesn't seem like the right next step to me.....I would think getting you "stable" with liquids first would be more appropriate.....being able to drink your liquids without pain and nausea first, and then moving to the next step.... To me, the heaving you get when you try to poop is probably just really bad to severe nausea. In my opinion you need some sort of medication for nausea and or gas, and you need to go back to liquids until it's under control.....but I am no doctor. You need to talk to your doctor or nutritionist right away. 10 grams of Protein will not cut it!! Call your doctor or nutritionist and keep us informed on how you're doing. I hope you feel better soon!!!

For myself I know though previous diet attempts, even with all the best of intentions, introducing all those types of foods back into my diet is always my down fall.........and unfortunately during surgery they don't operate on your brain to change that part. So I'm going into it with the belief that I can not having those things after surgery. But basically I think for the most part the answer to your question regarding "can" you still eat those things in moderation, is yes.......but like the saying goes, just because you can doesn't mean you should. I think most responses are trying to say long term post op you can have most anything, but nothing has been changed in you by the surgery that will help you resist getting into the same bad habits......For me the best and I believe only, defense is to not have those foods apart of my post surgery diet.

I am certainly no veteran post surgery guru ......I've not even had my surgery yet! I'm still a few weeks away. But I can tell you what made me decide that this life changing surgery was for me.....and first I'll say "life changing"....is the first thing I had to get my head around.....this is for life, this isn't just a diet I'm going on. Several things regarding my quality of life made me make this decision.... I started wearing slip on shoes....(because it became way too hard to tie them) I actually get winded taking a shower and drying off afterwards I have to always get a shopping cart when I go into a store even if I'm only getting one thing....(it's basically my walker) The seat belts on airplanes stop fitting me! Now I just tuck it under my shirt and pray the flight attendants don't notice...(I would be mortified)! I sat in one of the chairs in the airport and realized I barely fit in the chair! I have great difficulty getting in my husband's truck Heck I even have difficulty getting in my own bed now....I know it hasn't gotten any higher but it sure is more difficult to climb in it now! I could probably continue to list things all night long. I'm very lucky and don't have any serous medical conditions. However, I feel like I'm on the verge of having something really bad happen to me if I don't do something now!............But back to what I want. Basically getting rid of or greatly improving all those things I've listed is much more important to me than being able to continue to eat the things that got me in this condition in the first place........and I really really love food too! In fact there probably aren't very many fat folks around that don't love food....but you know what? I'm willing to have most of my stomach removed so all these bad things I've mention can get better........ My surgeon said something that really stuck with me during my initial seminar when I first started this journey. He said, "Obesity makes EVERYTHING worse" All the good food in the world is just not worth it to me.....I want me back!!

@@choicemun I'll give you some advice my husband and I gave my mom after my step dad passed away. My step dad was sick for a very long time (years)....My mom's life was taking care of him, nothing else! When he passed away she got very depressed and lonely. She didn't have any friends, just family, but we all work and she's retired...........thankfully she wasn't so depressed she didn't want to try. She really wanted to make friends but she just didn't know how to start. My husband suggested that she join the local YMCA and she did. From her very first visit it was perfect for her. She met several ladies and became pretty good friends with the group, and one lady she has really hit it off with. She's already been on a cruise with her and is about to take a European vacation with her....She is busy all the time now and it's just wonderful to see her doing the things she's always wanted to do!.............So try the Y......you can make friends and get your exercise done all at the same time!

@@OBXhappy photos are not a bad idea....especially around holidays so they can be dated......But I do the same thing you do. When I'm at my heaviest I'll do anything I can to avoid having my picture taken......my photo albums alone probably look more like I don't have a weight problem......and just go really long periods of time with not having my picture taken...haha

@@Lizardlady if you check out YouTube videos of the surgery everyone I've seen have 5 or 6 so I think that's the norm.....I think any less than that would be an exception.,,,,,,one is used for the tool they use to hold your liver up and out of the way.....one is for the camera and light, and the surgeon has one for each had and then he usually has an assistant that has one to help with retraction and such.

Sounds like yo're on the right track......just make sure to provide all the documentation you can get your hands on.....I think you said several of the denial reasons shouldn't apply..... i.e. Where they say you only had 4.5 months and you say you have 6 months.....make sure to not just "say" you have the 6 months but provide that documentation....same with any of the others............and with regard to the 5 years of weight history....you'll need to just be creative in your letter explaining you've been obese for x number of years but have never seen a doctor on a regular basis and have "dieted" for all your life so of course there have been times your weight has been lower, but you've never been able to maintain....blah blah blah But yes if this doesn't work, and if in January you'll have the 5 years you can look towards that. Again good luck!