ChiefPWife

I believe it took about a month to get my approval. I had the gastric sleeve.

I just took regular t-shirts and a tank top. It was fine.

I am 11 days post op and feeling basically normal, aside from still struggling to meet my minimum protein intake. I went back to work at the one week mark. My commute is an hour, and I drove in torrential downpours that first day back. That day was rough. I have felt progressively better since. My incisions still pull a bit when I turn or move a certain way, which is uncomfortable but not really painful. Today is my first day that I have not needed Tylenol. I do take gas-x a few times a day still. I have lost 14 lbs and am very happy with that progress at this point. I have my follow up tomorrow. I am on liquid for the entire first month, and am already looking forward to food of any kind. I’m not liking any of the liquid protein flavors but I’m forcing them in to get the job done. I would say for me, the surgery pain wasn’t all that horrible. The bigger struggle has been adjusting to what a sip is, what makes me full, how to avoid self inflicted pain from drinking too much/too fast, etc. that stuff all has settled in for the most part and I am doing great! Good luck to all of you coming up on surgery dates.

I’m a March 3 sleeved too. I am still struggling with gas pain in my esophagus that comes and goes. I feel like I can’t get the air to burp out but once I do there’s immediate improvement. I got in about 50 oz of fluid yesterday and about 30 grams of protein. It’s truly a full time focus to get all of it in. Especially when getting it in causes the gas pain. So I am balancing the timing so I can hopefully get a better rhythm. I’m walking laps around my house every hour. I’ve made split pea soup completely blenderized and watered down to a very liquid consistency. I can get about 3/4 of an ounce in before I am full. I have a few more days to recover before I go back to my desk job. I am already down 7 lbs from my surgery weight. I’m down 12 lbs since I got home on the 4th because I gained 5 in water weight in the hospital. That rapid weight loss is helping me stay focused.

Mine was yesterday, March 3. I’m on my way home from the hospital now. (A two hour drive) It was pretty easy for me to be honest. A little pain when I woke up and a little nausea here and there, but no dry heaving. Started walking within a few hours. Incision sites are a bit sore and if I turn a certain way or stand up too fast it’s uncomfortable. No trouble getting water in.

I am. All went very well and aside from fairly mild soreness and pretty extreme exhaustion I’m doing great.

I know this was the February thread but since my tentative date was February, and since my actual date is so early in March, I stuck around. I am on clear liquids today. Surgery is tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. Check in at 5 am. I’m a little antsy today. I just want to get it over with. Also, I really wish I weren’t working today!!

Yesterday I had all of my preop blood work and a chest X-ray. Today I got my official check in and scheduled surgery time. The hospital is over 2 hours from my house, assuming there’s no traffic, across all of San Bernardino and LA counties. (Which means there is ALWAYS traffic!) My check in time is 5 am. So, I booked a night in a hotel a few miles down the coast from where the surgery will be. The surgery itself is set for 7 am (on March 3). They sent prescriptions for liquid Tylenol with codeine, dissolving zofran pills, an acid reducer for the first three months, and a single dose heavy duty anti-nausea pill for the morning of surgery. I’m beginning to have a difficult time focusing at work. My liquid diet is only one day, so that will be Monday. Tuesday can’t come fast enough!!

Yesterday I had all of my preop blood work and a chest X-ray. Today I got my official check in and scheduled surgery time. The hospital is over 2 hours from my house, assuming there’s no traffic, across all of San Bernardino and LA counties. (Which means there is ALWAYS traffic!) My check in time is 5 am. So, I booked a night in a hotel a few miles down the coast from where the surgery will be. The surgery itself is set for 7 am (on March 3). They sent prescriptions for liquid Tylenol with codeine, dissolving zofran pills, an acid reducer for the first three months, and a single dose heavy duty anti-nausea pill for the morning of surgery. I’m beginning to have a difficult time focusing at work. My liquid diet is only one day, so that will be Monday. Tuesday can’t come fast enough!!

We are surgery twins too! Looks like a few of us with dates on March 3!!

We are surgery twins, and both from California!

I’m scheduled for March 3. I only have to do one day preop liquid due to my BMI being on the low end. I’ve done tons to prepare. I have gluten and dairy issues (like I can’t consume any of either at all - even small cross contamination causes major problems) so the shake situation required some advanced planning. I bought various products to try, and settled on a few. I purchased protein enhanced chicken and beef broth powder packets, protein water drink mix packets, protein enhanced instant coffee packets (I’ve seen some who have been told no caffeine, my doctor says one small cup a day is acceptable), and vegan/gluten free protein powder. I set up individual daily bags of my various protein mix packets which total 60 grams of protein and will include 36 oz of my liquid intake per day. The other 28 oz I will get from plain water or Hint fruit essence water. I have these bags pre-made for the first month post op. I am a planner to a crazy degree, and I didn’t want to be struggling with staying on top of calculating my liquid and protein intake when I already anticipate the consumption of the protein and liquid will be extremely time consuming at least for a while. I am only taking a week off work but I have a very low stress desk job so I’m not concerned. I have to do a chest X-ray and blood work on Tuesday this coming week and then it’s the final countdown. My procedure is in Marina Del Rey, CA at a facility that is several hours from my home but I can’t complain, there are basically ocean views from the hospital. If all goes well I will only be staying in the hospital for one night. I can’t wait to move forward with life!!!

How are you feeling?

I LOVE hint!!!! I really enjoy the pineapple one. I, too, have been a carbonated water lover and needed to switch to non-carbonated drinks. Hint has been a life saver!

How was your recovery?

I am curious, for all of you who have had the surgery already, is the pain as severe as you expected it to be? Less severe? More severe?

I got the official call today. After my insurance company delaying a decision because they needed additional paperwork, I finally got approval and am scheduled for March 3. So I’m technically in the wrong group now, but since I’m early March I’m going to hang out here for all of your post op stories. I’m so excited. My pre op is just one day liquid diet so that won’t be too bad.

Yayyyy! When was yours submitted to insurance for approval? How long was that wait? I’m waiting VERY impatiently for my call.

I know this thread is older, but I’m waiting on approval from BCBS Fep. My information was submitted to the insurance company for approval on Tuesday. I’m waiting on a decision. I am wondering where on the insurance website you can see the information. I have the app and can also log in online but I can’t seem to figure out where I should be looking. There’s a message center and a Notification Center. Would it be in one of those two places once it’s approved? TIA for any info you may be able to give me!!

Unfortunately it won’t. I’m actually unable to have whey or casein so a lot of the things that say lactose free are not actually dairy free. GNC doesn’t carry any clear protein that is truly free of all dairy derivatives. I may just have to get used to carrying little packets of liquid with me and mixing a liquid concentrate into water.

I have searched for dairy free protein water options. I found one on amazon but it doesn’t come in powder form or premixed in bottles. In comes 7 to a box and is a liquid concentrate. Ideally I would like to find a powder that comes in a larger volume amount. I can’t do anything with whey protein. I’m hoping someone else has had luck finding one they could recommend.

Thank you for the info!!

I have BCBS Federal and am wondering if anyone can tell me what their out of pocket ended up being. I’m just looking for a ballpark figure because I have absolutely no idea. I am a planner and feel a need to be prepared for the general number that comes up when I get to that point.

I’ll be February as well. I don’t have an exact date yet but I know it will be the end of February.