ssflbelle

I am from South Florida Palm Beach County There is a group her on Bariatricpal from South Florida at this link http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/309384-fl-south-florida/ If approved my surgeon will be Dr Vaughan. I also have a few fears and will have to discuss them with him. The biggest one is that every one says walk as much as possible after surgery. I have to use 2 canes and can only walk for 2 minutes not sure that would be enough time for the gas to even begin to move out. Also I have a hernia above my belly button and am concerned as I believe an incision is made the the location of where my hernia is. Not sure how that is going to happen as the Dr didn't want to remove hernia until I lost almost all my weight. He said this kind of a hernia could come back.

Thank you for the suggestion. I will have to check into this Zero Water. I had no idea this was available.

I gave up diet soda 4 years ago, However I did get a carbonation machine. Drinking this Florida tap Water was just not possible for me without carbonation. During my 2nd of 6 pre surgery visits with the Surgeon we talked about water and I asked him about the carbonated water. He said after surgery I couldn't drink it for 2 months so I better find a non carbonated water I can drink. After the 2nd month he said there would be no problem.

I have read many say one of their incisions is right above their belly buttons. I have a umbilical hernia above my belly button. The Dr said he would not remove it until months after I have had the surgery. Does anyone (maybe a Dr or Nurse who reads this post) know how making an incision above my belly button is going to take place if I have a hernia there? Will my recovery time take longer? How safe is it to have surgery and not remove the hernia? I guess next time I see the Dr I will have to ask him this questions but thought maybe someone would know now. Thanks

Wishing you the very best and hope the recovery is easy for you. In 2016 I hope to be having these feelings your experience if I am approved. I will be following your journey.

Mistie So sorry to hear you have been postphoned till next week. Wow you certainly are meeting with a lot of people.During my first visit I only met the surgeon and the nurse who took my weight and went over all my meds that I take. About a week later I met the NUT and do not need to see her again. Hope all goes well for you when you do meet them all next week.

Cool idea and you all have very unique names. I am thinking about naming mine if I am approved. I have another 4 months to think of something.

Thanks Ladies for answering the question about the shots. It sounds like you both are doing well. Will keep following your journey. Anxious to hear how the first post op visit goes for the both of you.

Ladies I do not know the size of your boobs. But mine are huge, probably the largest any of you have ever seen and my concern for wearing a bra also has to do with the fact that my loose boobs will be hanging on top of all the incisions. So 1. I feel it will be very painful to have these heavy boobs resting on my incisions and even worse when I am walking. 2. Since they will be swinging when walking they will get very hot and sweaty and couldn't that cause possible infections to the boobs and the incisions. 3. The hospital I do not believe has a bariatric floor and I will be mixed in with others and will feel very uncomfortable walking around (if I am even able to do so as I am physically handicapped to begin with and must use 2 canes or a walker) without at least a sports bra on. So I will be wearing one. I did it when I was in the hospital years ago for Lymphedema and can't imagine not doing it again.

I am in Florida and have Coventry Summit Health Insurance. It is a Medicare Advantage Plan. I have researched and can't find any info on this insurance about WLS. My Dr's office has told me I need to do the 6 months supervised diet and a lot of the other tests and they will handle all the paper work for me. I am wondering what my Co-Pays would be as they haven't told me. Does anyone have this insurance and had the sleeve? What were your Co-Pays? Being on disability it is going to be difficult for me to save money but I need this surgery in order to regain my life and walk again.

Exactly what I went through! But even worse I didn't get to the bathroom in time and peed my pants. Had to cut the underwear off and hope and pray the sheet cover didn't come off during the rest of the night. I told my Surgeon I had that test done years ago. Had a Cpap machine, got a terrible sore throat twice and finally gave the machine back to the rental company as I couldn't stand it. He said so nothing has changed and I said nope. So I assumed I don't have to take the test again. Have 4 more supervised visits and will have to ask him for sure.

Thanks However during the second visit with the surgeon I told him about the NUT visit and this time he told me to get off of NS and eat protein first then vegs and only 3 meals. He wants me to try now to eat like I will after I have recovered from the surgery. He still did not give me an amount of weight I am to lose but he was happy with the 10 pounds I lost this first month. I see the surgeon 4 more time and the next visit is Aug 24th. He said I will not see the NUT again. I met a man who had surgery ( he lost 150 and still have 50 more to lose) by the same Dr and he also thought the NUT was not good. He used different words for her. However the surgeon is good and answered all his questions and mine too.

I didn't know there were injections given after surgery. May I ask what injections are you ladies talking about? What are they for? How many?

I am new and have to be on a 6 month supervised diet. During the initial visit the surgeon gave me a book all about the sleeve and the after surgery diets plans I was to follow. He also said I would see the NUT when she got back from the wedding she was attending out of the state. So when I got the phone call I was anxious to get started with her on June 30th and see the 6 month diet I was to follow. I drove about 45 minutes North of where I live to meet with her. When I met with the NUT she told me what I had to do after the surgery not before. She didn't tell me anything that was not in that book I had to read. When I asked what diet I was to follow for the next 6 months she said "What did the DR tell you to do? I told her I had been following Nutrisystem for the past year but had only lost about 35 pounds and the DR told me to keep doing NS. She asked me if I wanted the surgery and I told her yes so she said well keep doing NS. But I only lost 35 pounds in a year and I told her that is hardly nothing to lose when your close to 390 pounds. I told her I felt that NS gave me too much carbs. As in addition to their food I was suppose to eat 5 more carbs. She said well then cut back to 1 carb. That was the only advise she gave me and I left in less than an hour. I came to find out the insurance has denied paying her and she cost me $250.00 for nothing. When I went back to the surgeon whom I am to see each month for the next 6 months I told him what the NUT said and that she didn't give me a diet. I asked him will I be seeing the NUT again and he said no. I told him I thought it odd that I had to meet with her this first month before we even know if I am going to be approved for the surgery. I gave him my food diary for the past month on NS and he looked at it and told me to stop following NS. He said to eat only 3 meals and no Snacks, eat my Protein first and then vegetables and to stay away from carbs. That was his diet plan in the book as to what I am too eat after surgery after the first month. It seems odd to me that neither one really gave me a 6 month supervised diet. I want to lose as much as I can before the surgery and left very confused and disappointed.

Thank You for this link. I have never worn a sport bra that has to be put on over your head. I do see they would have my size but I am concerned about all the tugging that would be needed to get the boobs in to that kind of a bra. It does look like it has great support though. This one looks very similar to a bra I have now. All my bras are front closer and none have wire in them. I usually use the Goddess brand with the high back. Because of my size they aren't very pretty and really don't seem to hold me up very well ether. However being in the electric scooter when I am out not to many people see me standing. Thanks everyone else for your replies. I will have to check next time I see the Dr if they have huge gowns. I too have urine problems and was thinking of asking the nurse to help me get into a diaper or be catherized. With my injuries I can't get out of the bed many times fast enough to get to the bathroom. I am on a 6th month supervised diet so hopefully by 2016 I will have lost enough weight to be out of the 300's and better able to get out of bed and do things.

Not a dumb question at all and I thank you for asking it. My concern is not the operating room but walking around the floor with my boobs hanging down to my knees. I am not kidding just look at my before pictures and those are with a bra on. If the incision is close to the bra line how soon after surgery were you ladies allowed to wear a bra again?

OMG For a minute I thought I wrote this post as I too was injuried, gained all the way up to 497 pounds and was married to a man who loved fat girls and called himself a fat admirer. When i finally wanted to take back my life and lose weight he said those some words to me. When I asked for his help and support he flatly refused and provided none. When I tried to do it alone he sabotaged me every step of the way. Even went so far as to stay away from the house for days at a time stressing me out and this caused me to eat even more. There were lots of other problems in our marriage and finally when I couldn't take it anymore I divorced him. He refused to go to a marriage counselor. Since he has been out of my life I have lost over 150 pounds and am waiting for sleeve surgery so I can lose an additional 183 pounds. I beg you please do not listen to your husband. Do what you have to do to get your weight under control. I wish I would have had the strength years ago to do it when I was younger. Your husband seems more willing to support you then mine was and that is a great thing but if you two can go to counseling that will help tremendously. I will be following your thread and hope you don't mind if I add you as a friend. I am here if you wish to email. HUGS

Those pictures when completed look wonderful in frames. Glad to hear you found a new hobby. In addition to the coloring I do lots of other crafts like beaded banners, rug making, plastic canvas and cross stitching. If my hands are busy I can't feed my face. So my body wins and making the beaded banners and doing the coloring parties help to bring in extra money I will need for all the co-pays for the sleeve.

Yes it is relaxing. As a Joy of Coloring Consultant I hold these parties to give adults the chance to see if they find this activity reduces their stress. When they see it does they then order books and supplies from me and may even book and host a party. I wish I could figure out how to post a few pictures of what folks colored today. Oh well we had a fun relaxing time.

This is the first ever National Coloring Day- A group of adults get together to color in adult coloring books. It is the latest stress reducer for adults.

I have been busy with planning a party for tomorrow is National Coloring Book Day. I had no idea till today that you had your surgery. So glad you documented it and that you are doing so well. One year is a long time to wait and have such a positive attitude. I will be following your journey on the sleeved side and know you will do very well.

How Cool. Now have some idea what people were saying when they wrote those Abbreviations. Thanks for doing this I am following it so I can CBL Come back later and check if I see an Abbreviation I can't remember. I hope more will add to this.

I too am on a 6 month supervised diet as well as a load of testing and a mental evaluation per my insurance and I was not told a certain amount of weight to lose either. So if I am even approved my surgery will not be until 2016. The Dr told me (just last week - the second visit) to get off of Nurisystem (which I have been on for over a year.) He is trying to get me to eat only 3 meals a day high protein/low carb and no snacking which is what he said I will have to follow a month or so after the surgery. I am finding it difficult not to eat between meals as I am use to a snack between lunch and dinner and another one later at night. They are Protein Snacks I am eating but he doesn't even want me eating those kinds of snack. He does want to see a food diary and he does look at that to see what I am eating, I lost 10 pounds the first month and he was happy.