gina171

You did really well! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Look into Dr. Sudan at Duke's program. He is top in this procedure and the Duke program is worth the trip. At my pre-op day yesterday, 2 of the 6 people there were from out of state. For the DS especially, you only want the very best doctor, and Dr. Sudan is world renowned in this. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Wait, seriously? What was going on in that operating room?! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App My liver was too big!! Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App Oh no! Well I hope everything went smoothly afterward. Being under anesthesia that long must have been hard to recover from, and I bet your family was so nervous! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'll take that loss, happily!!! Hope you're feeling well! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Wait, seriously? What was going on in that operating room?! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I have noticed what a huge challenge many folks have with consuming enough Protein in the first weeks post op. I am planning for my post op days and was wondering....is there any reason I can't mix unflavored Protein powder (Genepro) into my Water or crystal light and just sip on it all day long? Or drink watered down Syntrax nectar instead of plain water? This would be in addition to my powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Protein shakes, of course. Thx! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I totally appreciate him being open about his surgery. Until more people are willing to share that they had surgery, it will keep being something that people feel the need to hide. I recently found at that 3 people I know had the surgery and never told anyone, lied about it in fact.....the result? I felt like there was something really wrong with ME that I couldn't pull it together and lose my extra weight. If they had shared their story with me instead of keeping it hidden, I might have gotten here a few years ago. It's important surgery, helpful surgery, and the stigma needs to go away. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Just got the news from the surgeon's office, my surgery is officially approved. I had nightmares about something going wrong at the last minute since UHC administers our company's private health plan (so I carry a UHC card, but I'm not really in a UHC plan) and UHC requires a 6 month wait whereas my company makes their own rules and require no wait. But it all went through, surgeon's office submitted Thursday, and it was posted as approved today. August 18th is the day my life is divided between before and after. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Congrats!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

HOORAY!!!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have read @@GinaCampbell on other threads and she is often supportive, kind, and helpful on those threads. I think this is just one topic where that cannot happen. But there are 2 things to consider here... First, that statistics can get you. Even in a situation where 90% of the people are happy in the end, some will not be, sometimes through no fault of their own OR the procedure. For example, every once in a while you hear about a tragic fiery exploding car accident where the people wearing their seat belts died, but the person who wore no seat belt got thrown free of the car and survived. Does that mean no one should wear seat belts ever? Of course not. Or in the world of public health, where a very small number of children who receive a vaccination could possibly die as a result of a unforeseen complication ..... That is absolutely tragic to Those children's families, awful, terrible, life changing for those poor families. True. But what about all those children who as a result of the vaccination never get measles, pertussis, etc and survive to adulthood.....you never know exactly which ones would have had a fatal interaction with the disease had they NOT been vaccinated. But many more are saved by that vaccination, children are far less likely to die of vaccine complications than they are to die of the actual disease, so (most people) vaccinate their children. Is someone going to have a complication? Tragically yes, but the numbers are smaller than the number of children who would die from the disease had they NOT been vaccinated. Some people who have WLS surgery will have bad outcomes. Many more will have their health somewhat improved by WLS, some will find it life changing in a positive way. A few people will possibly have their life SAVED as a result of the surgery. That's the way it works out, and you don't know when you sign up for the surgery if you will have a life altering complication OR if you would have been someone who beat the odds and survived happily and healthily to age 80 as a morbidly obese person WITHOUT the surgery. Or maybe you have the surgery, and you have complications but...... maybe you also never have the fatal heart attack your obesity would have led you to in 5 years had you NOT had surgery. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. We can't know. We learn, we read, we see the odds, and we decide if we are willing to roll the dice. No one is forced into this. If you do your research, the horror stories are out there. Second, I know the OP is an American who has been living in the UK for over 30 years....that's a long time. As someone who has been married to a British man for 25 years and dealt with his parents, you cannot underestimate the cultural difference between the UK and the US. My husband moved here when he was 3, so for all intents and purposes he is American except for the passport, and is a glass-half-full person like me. But my inlaws--and I don't think they are typical but-- oh dear lord. They HATE the American attitudes of glass half full, don't complain unless you are willing to make it better, you set your own world view, focus on the positive and change the negative....they literally make fun of my husband and I for how we view and tackle life. But we are happy, and they are perpetually disappointed. It's like a pair dark goggles they choose to wear. For them, I chalk it up to growing up in London during WW2, very difficult and traumatic. But then I think of my relatives who survived Hitler's camps who came to this country and built happy, strong, joyful lives focused on the good in the world. Hmmm. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You made it!!! Grab your Water and drink, drink, drink until you float away... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was super lucky that my surgeon was willing to help me move through the process quickly. I attended seminar and support groups starting in May, but the first open surgeon appt was July 14. I knew I had to be back at work with no additional downtime on Sept 15, and asked if a mid August date was possible (my insurance required no wait). He was skeptical we could get all the pre-op testing and appointments in but....I get my RNY on August 18. Now, I do feel like I have been back and forth to their offices a few times each week to get it all in, but it all worked out. Depends on how booked your surgeon is, if there's a cancellation (that's how I got my spot), your insurance and surgeon requirements, and flexible you can be with getting all your appointments in. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@PattiHearn I have my RNY on August 18th, so I am right there with you! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thx, it's a plan then! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Do you crush the probiotic pills for the first few weeks after surgery? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yep, @@MulvaRN is right, every employer chooses different options, and mine lessened the usual UHC requirements. All I needed was psych eval, BMI over 40; no wait period. Now I wound up doing lots and lots of tests (blood tests, barium swallow, endoscopy, EKG, chest X-ray, psych eval) and meetings with NUT, support groups, surgeon, pre-op classes, etc. anyway BC that's what my surgeon requires. And it was all valuable. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Super excited for you, when is your date? RNY or sleeve? It's really getting REAL now, isn't it? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Congrats on making it through the first night, I hear it's the roughest night. I hope today is great for you! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@Dawnie Doo ... How pretty you look in this picture! Such flawless skin, wow! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Found what? The Swanson flavors, or the Ramen? Try asking a store associate where they are. They're usually in the aisle with Soups. The Swanson flavored broths. Did a search on their website and found 2 stores within 45 min drive that likely have them. Will check it out this week! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Ok, shopping for hospital and post op....for those of you who found Gas X strips helpful, how many boxes did you go through in hospital and first month post op? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm looking for them, too, at the grocery store, but no luck yet. Has anyone in North Carolina found them? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I got approved today, still doing the happy dance! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

cheese Itz are baked yes, but the have 8 grams of fat per serving. That's the same amount of fat as Doritos, which start out as fried tortilla chips. I would stay away from them bc of the fat alone. How about string cheese, or a mini baby bel cheese, so you get some nutrition as well? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App