FLHappyGirl

I interpret it much like Cia2020 did above. Each WL center will have different requirements and you will need to make sure those align with your insurance. The WL center should have an insurance expert to help you navigate the process. And if for some reason you don't get approval on the first try, don't throw in the towel. Ask why and work to get things resolved. Oh and if your PCP isn't on board, get a new one. Sounds harsh but I actually had a friend who has a BMI of over 50 and her PCP was horribly misinformed and uneducated about weight loss surgery.

Yes, I lost a decent amount of hair, and considering I have very fine hair it bothered me a bit. My hairdresser noticed it too and we just cut it a tad shorter and colored it darker which helped. No one else noticed it though! All that said, it has grown back. I was never so happy to see little frizzy fly away hair on my head because I knew it was regrowth.

Three weeks is still very early in the game. I took things super slow because I was afraid of things I heard. I remember eating a hard boiled egg for the first time (probably around 4 weeks) thinking there was no way it would bother me. Oh, how wrong I was! It doesn't get much softer than a hard boiled egg but that didn't matter. Dense meats like chicken can be tough and hard to keep down at first. My crock pot was my best friend. And for whatever reason ground beef wasn't too difficult. Just take it slow, it does get better. Much better

Heck no you're not a horrible person. Feeling better about the way you look is a nice side effect to the health benefits of losing the weight. Remember, "healthy" includes your mental status too! Good luck on your journey!

Completely normal to be nervous but rest assured this will be the best decision of your life. While it's not always easy, it is simple....stick to your doctor's plan and you will enjoy great success! And when in doubt or needing support don't hesitate to come here, there are some awesome folks here who provide sound advice. Good luck and let us know how things go!

I'm approaching three years out. I have light skin, you cannot see any of my scars (5). None! I don't recall how long it took for them to completely fade away but it wasn't that long, maybe 9-12 months. I have a friend who had surgery over 10 years ago, she is more of an olive complexion; you cannot see any of her scars either.

I was thinking the same thing from his/her first post.

That's wonderful news! I hope your surgery goes well and you make a speedy recovery!

I am not quite 3 years out and only have issues if I overeat dense foods (like chicken). I would suggest calling your surgeon and getting checked out immediately. Something doesn't sound right.

Tell, don't tell. Everyone is different and I don't think there is a wrong answer. If I had to do it all again I would limit the people I told even more so than I did. You might be surprised that some people you thought would be supportive are the biggest critics! and vice versa! Just remember, YOU are the only person you can control. If you tell someone, they can and may tell others. It happened to me and it was one of the last people I expected it to come from.... I guess what I'm trying to say is if you are questioning whether to tell someone, don't. Wait. You can always confide in them later. Just my $.02 !

Based on my experience, you aren't that far out and it doesn't surprise me you still have sensitivities to certain foods. The first time I had an adverse reaction to a food (severe pain, foamies, and ultimately vomiting) was from eating a hard boiled egg. It really made me take my time progressing through the allowed food stages; I took things a lot slower than my program outlined. Because I was hesitant I steered clear of raw veggies with the exception of avocado. I could seriously eat avocados at every meal and thank God they agreed with me! Lettuce is notoriously hard to digest, so maybe that and the other veggies just pushed things over the top. Either way, you are doing fabulous and the sensitivities do tend to go away (that's a good and a bad thing for me!)

Belching in the hospital was minimal, belching now (2.5 years later) after meals, whoooo yaaaaaaa!

I second what @FluffyChix said above, the contrast just makes you feel a little warm down south but honestly it isn't a big deal and there is literally no pain associated with the scan. Also, keep in mind a CT scan is not like an MRI where you are in a tube, it is very open and usually pretty quick. Take a deep breath and remember the test is to confirm you are ok to have the surgery. I think a bit of anxiety is normal when facing the unknown. Oh, and I was put on meds to reduce my heart rate and lower my blood pressure before WLS because my BP was on the cusp of being high and my heart rate was always fast. I was on them for a week prior and then never needed them again. My primary explained it was in my best interest and that anesthesiologists want a nice steady heartbeat during surgery. You got this!

Have you called your surgeon's office? I would call and let them know where the pain is and how bad it is.

Most insurance companies use your starting weight. Congratulations, looks like you are well on your way to a new healthy life! Keep us posted on how things go!

As part of my Primary's clearance she ordered an EKG. Something very minor came back and although she wasn't too worried about it she required a nuclear test that showed everything was functioning well. It was a little scary and kind of a pain in the neck to have yet another test but in the end it does give you piece of mind that everyone is really looking out for your best interest.

You look fabulous!

Wow! Rough start. I'm so happy to hear things are back on track and you are feeling better. You have a great attitude and hopefully things will only get better! Take care!

Wow, you're talented; I'm almost embarrassed to write a response for fear of being compared to your writings! Push your fears aside and continue on your journey! You may be pleasantly surprised at what you find out there! 😁

Mine was almost exactly the same as GreenTealael - I've only had VSG. They also repaired a hiatal hernia which is somewhat common. The dull pain I had seemed (to me) to be more from that part of the surgery, but I can't be sure. I also had a decent headache later on in the day which I think was from caffeine withdrawal. I never had any pain I would consider severe or uncontrollable. Good luck!

Check with your doctor's team. That said it was the worst part of the surgery process for me. I had prepared myself for all sorts of things, that wasn't one of them. However, once things got on track (about a month or two down the road) I haven't had any further problems. And once things do get moving on a regular basis, keep taking whatever it is that your doctor recommends.

I'm a water guzzler. Like you, right after surgery I was down to sips but I can pretty much chug like I used to. I don't drink any carbonated drinks but don't think I could chug them if I wanted to.....just water. I do not allow myself to chug during a workout only little sips, but after, no problem!

About three weeks prior to surgery I stopped all caffeine. It wasn't bad so I thought, what the heck, I'll just start again and then stop a couple days before surgery. Big mistake. BIG! Massive headaches and withdrawals. Now I only drink decaf and even stay away from tea because I figure my body is used to not having it!

Google telogen effluvium. There isn't much you can do about it however it is temporary and will grow back. You can also search existing threads on this site, there are tons of opinions on things to do but honestly I believe it has to run its course.....there is no magic pill to make it stop.

I like the Kirkland brand. They come in a dual pack, half Chocolate Brownie and half Chocolate Chip Cookie dough. It think they are even better when slightly chilled in the fridge. I agree with the above posters and caution using protein bars on a regular basis. I found myself using them as meal replacements way too often because they were so easy and I didn't have much of an appetite. Luckily I realized what I was doing and am back to having them as an occasional snack or quick fix when unable to grab something else.