Teapot

Thank you for posting! I was wondering how well VSG works for those who had previously lost and regained large amounts of weight. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Dehydration will be a big issue for you. Can you do half days or something? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

How much time off work did your surgeons recommend? Mine says two to five weeks which I find a bit vague. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I wonder this too. I'm not much of a drinker, it would take me a week to drink 2L of Water. I've relied on sparkling water to hydrate myself but I've been told that I will have to give that up. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

One of the surgeons I consulted with said no lifting type work for at least 5 weeks. Only desk job workers get a 2 week release.

Yes, I have heard this too. Your first weigh-in "doesn't count" since it's just the starting point and your second weigh in is the actual beginning of the six weigh-ins of being on the diet. Seems kinda silly doesn't it? I was also told that you have to make sure that each weigh in occurs in a different calendar month, so a weigh in May 1 and a weigh in May 31 would actually not count as a month apart because the insurance companies can't do math? I'm just starting this process. Congratulations on being nearly there!

Well, along with everyone else I think your surgeon sounds like a bit of an asshat. He might be a great surgeon, but he sounds like a male chauvinist with zero empathy. Many forms of exercise are valid, not just what his male ego drives HIM to do. You and I are at a similar BMI and there is simply no way I could run or jog without losing at least 80 lbs. About 10 years ago I lost 120 pounds with diet and exercise and I started with very low impact activities. First I used a stationary bicycle. Then I did "Walk away the pounds with Leslie Sansone", then I did some Water aerobics, then I did some weight training. I gradually built my way up to doing The Firm videos and step aerobics and Body Bar classes. I did a lot of inclined treadmill walking. I loathed running with a white hot passion and I never, ever ran. But I was toned and healthy and looked fantastic. I agree with others that you can get a good workout by swimming laps. You might want to also look at indoor rowing. It's surprisingly fun and effective and low impact. Best of luck! *edit Oh, and I had really bad plantar fasciitis foot pain and that got a LOT better as I lost weight, so you might find as the weight comes off your foot problems get better and you feel like doing more on your feet. Now that I'm fat again my knees and feet are quite painful, and I get overheated very, very easily. I'm hoping this all goes away. Fingers crossed.

So I'm curious about the Water intake recommendations. I've never been much of a water drinker and on a good day I might get 32oz in. I understand post-op during recovery you might need more for healing and to get things going, but what about during maintenance? Do they want you to drink 64 oz of water daily forever? I just can't go to the bathroom that frequently at my job, lol!

I have a Nutri Ninja which is great for smoothies and fruit - anything with ice it will turn into a shake like consistency. I also have a top of the line Bamix Immersion blender and I don't think it could do much with ice. Its a brilliant tool but the blades are simply too small to deal with ice very effectively. But it is awesome for soups and hummus. I'm considering getting a bullet for work smoothies.

I work in a busy office that has very seasonal busy periods. I'm considering having WLS (sleeve) done at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. I have to do 6 mo of medically supervised diet for my insurance putting me at a December or January surgery date. The surgeon I have chosen requires 3 weeks off work post-op and prefers 5 weeks for people with my type of job. My workplace does not allow more than 7 days off in a row for vacation or pto. I am eligible for and will have to file for FMLA leave. Our calendar for time off is so restrictive that the only 5 week period I can take off would be in May. And really, there is no good time for me to have this done and I am certain my boss will try and get me to schedule the surgery for May 2017. I do not intend to wait that long. I tell myself that others in the office have taken 12 weeks of maternity leave, even during busy season, and the business didn't fall apart. We aren't too busy in December, but things really pick up in January. I like my boss, but she has peculiar attitudes about medicine and health. She's not a bad person, just full of opinions I do not share, and breathtakingly tactless. She has been known to ask people inappropriate questions about their maternity leave and to loudly complain about how 'inconvenient' it is for people to have babies and illnesses. She once called a doctor's office in an attempt to get someone's surgery rescheduled. She did get in trouble for that and things have gotten better since that incident. My main question is, can I submit FMLA paperwork directly to my HR department without letting her know the details of my surgery? Does HR even have to know what I'm having done? Anyone who googles my surgeon's name will immediately figure out what I'm doing. Since it is technically elective surgery, can she ask me to move my surgery by six months? Should I let her know as soon as possible, as a courtesy, or should I wait until I file FMLA? I do worry that she may pre-emptively replace me and reassign me to another office that isn't as busy. I would hate that. This will affect my work partner most directly and she will not be allowed to take any time off while I am gone. Should I warn her so she doesn't plan a vacation that is sure to be denied? (I trust her to be discreet, she knows how it is).

Sleeve also. It makes the most sense for me. It seems they don't really do bands anymore and the idea of a port and a permanent 'device' kind of squicks me out. Good luck on your surgery!

Thanks everyone! I will go through HR only and keep my business close to the vest until the last possible moment.

I went to the UNMC seminar too and I liked Dr McBride very much. But, she was quite firm on a 2 week liquid only pre-op diet. Guess I'll be doing that! What procedure did you have?

Congratulations on your surgery date!

Are the chats archived at all?

I use to want 8 lol. Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App My grandma said that babies are like biscuits. If you're going to the trouble to make one, make a dozen. I did not take her advice.

I'm pre-op and this is one of my biggest obstacles. If I bake Cookies, or someone brings a plate of them to work, it's very hard for me to stop at just one . . . like impossible. I am capable of having zero cookies, but eating one opens a floodgate it seems. I'm currently weaning off carbs and my cravings are diminishing, but I think cookies/cakes/donuts/pastries will always be my kryptonite. The only way for me to have "just one" would be to buy one cookie at a bakery and leave immediately.

I went to the Methodist informational seminar. I was very impressed by Dr. Anthone - informative, no BS, personable. Sadly, my insurance doesn't cover Methodist. :-(

Thank you for posting this - it really is helpful! My husband was asking what the scars are like, and since neither of us has ever had surgery, we really didn't know!

This is such a great story. I was formerly very much against WLS and honestly thought it was nuts. I was only aware of lap-band and gastric bypass and I knew so many people who had WLS and regained most or all of their weight. I knew people who had serious complications from WLS. Well, of course, everyone I know who's done medically supervised weight loss or WW has also regained most or all of their weight. I guess I fell into the "too drastic" camp. But when I heard about gastric sleeve and something clicked in my head, like "yes, that is what I need". Well, I got educated about it, looked for some success stories, found this forum and changed my mind. People (me) can be pretty ignorant and set in their ways with little or no justification. But they can also learn and change. Of course you can just ignore them, or you can educate them and you might really help someone like me or that lady at the gym.

I am. Currently trying to choose a surgeon. :-)

So your weight is back to the same weight as when you started the six months? Since sleep-apnea is considered a co-morbidity, I would think you'd qualify if your BMI is high enough. One of the surgeons I've talked to (still haven't chosen one) said more and more plans are dropping the six months of dieting restriction because it's not a great indicator of success. The same surgeon also said he's seen the insurance companies be extremely fickle about approvals and that it's NOT as cut and dried as it is supposed to be. Talk to the insurance coordinator at your surgeons office. This is what they do and they should be able to help you interpret the insurance guidelines in your specific case. Then call your insurance and have them send you their rules in writing. That's really the only way to know because every plan is different. It's maddening!

Ugh! I had no idea each policy would have different requirements even within the same insurer. I will be calling my insurance tomorrow!

Congratulations! I'm curious, do they do the ultrasound on your legs to look for potential blood clots? Pulmonary embolism scares me more than the actual surgery . . .

I use the Quest powders and I really like it. Bonus is that my husband likes it too. We both prefer chocolate and Peanut Butter. Didn't really care for the vanilla.