Cia2020

I'm supposed to have surgery in 12 days. I'm already on day 4 of the liquid diet cause they started me a bit early. I don't want to keep doing this if I can't have surgery on the 26th. There are the patients in isolation at the hospital I will be going to, all 70+ in age, but that has 2 care facilities now on quarantine which Kirkland/Seattle has shown to be a hotbed due to their vulnerability. I have no idea if my surgery will be canceled but I have a nutritionist class on Monday, so I plan to ask and contact the surgeons office as well. The hospital has already said no visitors for patients, though, so if my surgery happens I will be going it alone until I am discharged.

Sorry to hear that, but just keep going, all right? It's too late to change your mind because you CAN do this!! Eventually the world will stop losing its mind.

Just made it through Day 1 of the 2 week "milk diet" (can't do, having protein shakes with almond milk instead) and 1 day of clear fluids. It helps that I've been weaning to shakes for breakfast and lunch and going from 80g to 50 g of carbs over the last 3 weeks and already drink 96 to 120 ounces of water a day. I think I would be a lot of HANGRY otherwise, especially since the family was out running errands from 4:45 to after 6 so when we decided to pick up dinner, it ended up being a swing through Burger King to feed the husband and 2 teenagers. Surprisingly it's not seeing/smelling others eat food that is bad for me, it's when I'm alone and craving something that I have to beat down the head hunger. That's a good thing, since I'm still on for making dinner for the next 2 weeks and prepping meals for when I have surgery/the first week post-op. Weight: 238.4 1st day calories: 720 (3.5 protein shakes, 1 bone broth, and TONS of flavored water-0 calorie) 14 days to go!!

Just started my liquid diet today. UGHS. 740 calories. 3 shakes, a cup of bone broth, and sugar-free flavored water. Working with SPED students is going to be a challenge for the next 2 weeks. And I have after school meetings, training, and appointments. If nothing else, time should speed by super fast! @jlow347 Have you tried adding flavorless, non-thickening fiber powder to your fluids? Metamucil makes a good one. Check in with your NUT but since my diet is strictly milk/liquids I'm allowed to do that.

@CarlyK Truth. My best friend had this surgery 1.5 years ago, and I went in weighing 10 more pounds than she did, but I'm 2-3 inches taller, have more muscle mass, etc... It's SUPER nice to have someone you can check in and relate with and say, "This is what I am doing/feeling, what about you?!"

Congrats, you can do it! Dont be surprised if mental food stress or surgery issues do crop up though, just don't let it get to your head and let you gain because you don't need to "lose". Insurances don't like that either.

I'm close! 38, 5'5" on the nose, starting weight 257, having VSG on March 26th. I start my 2 week all liquid milk diet tomorrow. Ughs! I'm already down to 238/240 doing 1 breakfast shake and 90 carbs a day since November then doing breakfast and lunch shakes starting 3 weeks ago with 50 carbs or less a day so we will see how far I drop in the next two weeks. I also walk/jog a 5k every morning. Don't look for a surgery buddy as just someone who is close to your stats though... that's a good way to go nuts if you're looking to compare journeys. Everyone loses different. The monthly groups are nice because you can see who is having similar dates and types of surgery to you. Other than that, it's mostly relative. Close by? Similar food plans? Etc...

Can't help with direct experience, my surgery date isn't here yet. I do have a medical background though. If you're struggling with swallowing I'm guessing you're not getting your fluids in but being dehydrated is a direct cause for headaches. My 2 friends who went through bariatric surgery suggested sitting extremely upright when drinking to help get the fluids down easier. Also, biotene dry mouth spray can be a big relief when you're not able to hold down fluids.

Lucky all of you! Wednesday starts my 2 week "milk diet" of either skim milk or Fairlife equivalent (20 ounces 3x a day) plus bone broth and drinks under 10 calories. Clear liquids only the day before. Then a 2-2-2 week diet for full liquids, pureed food, and soft foods before trying regular solid food post-surgery. I've been doing protein shakes for breakfast and lunch with lean meat and steamed veggies dinner for the 3 weeks prior to my liquid diet to help reduce my food dependency. Its UGHs but will be good for me in the long run since I know keeping carb or sugar withdrawal from being paired with surgery will help the mental game.

You add something to your diary in order to get over 1k calories (the minimum) and finish your log, then go in and edit it to remove the calories so you get an accurate count. Not completing the diary doesn't affect your streak of logging or anything though. I did 1 year 3 months straight last time and I'm on 117 days since I entered the bariatric program and started logging again, and I've only completed it a few times. I always forget by the end of the day.

Woohoo! 3 months isn't long at all!

Question everything and write it down! My weight loss clinic told me I had to pay for my nutritionist visit and the 2 pre-op/post-OP group nutrition classes out of pocket because "insurances don't cover that" but mine does for both, at 100% actually, saving me from paying $335 cash. Every penny helps!

My insurances have language that I just had to follow the facility/program's "procedure" to be approved for surgery, but they don't require any specific time frame either. So if you go to a clinic that requires 3 monthly visits, 5% body weight loss, nutritionist classes, etc... then you will have that long of a wait. It depends on your clinic and your weight, comorbidities, tests you need/already have done, etc... Mine was more just how long it took me to get my new primary insurance to kick in as well as see 1) the nurse 2) a psychologist 3) the nutritionist. They recommend 5% body weight loss, but mostly just don't want to see any weight gain. Mine went like this: Late Oct. 2019: I sent in my interest paperwork online to clinic Nov. 20th: First nurse visit Nov. 21st: Labs drawn at my GP Dec. 4th: Psychologist Dec. 11th: Second nurse visit Jan. 2nd: Nutritionist They sent in the referral to the surgeon. Jan. 29th: Surgical consult, scheduled endoscopy and surgery! Mar. 2: Endoscopy (for atypical GERD) Mar. 16th: 2 hour group nutrition class Mar. 19th: Last pre-op appt. with surgical staff Mar. 26th: Surgery day (the day I wanted anyway so I could use Spring Break to avoid using too much sick leave)

@Provost Maybe you'll still be so tired, you'll be zoned for the flight after going through the airport process? My best friend said days 3-4 post-op were her worst "ouchie" days moving, but then she was doing okay getting around.

Wow, we have a lot of similarities. My highest was 324 before I did phentermine 2 years ago, but I am quite a bit taller. I have my final pre-OP appt on March 19th too. Surgery the 26th because I'm a SPED Paraeducator. I wanted that specific day so I could take 2 days off before and after Spring Break too. So I get you on that. I have a 2 hour nutrition class on the 16th though, and an endoscopy tomorrow. Liquid (milk diet, yeuck) starts the 11th. After surgery is the 2-2-2 diet of full liquids, purees, soft foods for 2 weeks each. I have a variety of protein powders, flavored and unflavored, protein shakes, clear Premier protein bottles, bone broth, drink powders, and small freezable/microwaveable cups/containers for purees to make for work after surgery. I use a food scale religiously and track food with myfitnesspal. I grabbed a few appetizer forks and spoons, and I already had saucers. I also had my nutribullet but got a few more shaker cups. Oh, the grocery store had some of the clear plastic 2 ounce containers with lids on clearance so I bought two 100 packs of those recently because I down 96 to 120 ounces of water a day on top of my breakfast/lunch shakes and they're worried I will not be able to sip. So I was told to practice. Food wise I always have eggs, chicken, bone broth, lentils, low sodium beans, tofu noodles, frozen low carb veggies, cottage cheese, sugar free jello and pudding, almond milk, etc... in the house but I also stocked 2 low sugar spaghetti sauces and cellulose free parmesan cheese and 2 of the low sodium cream soups just in case I get desperate. Honestly, I only buy food in small quantities so if my tastebuds change I won't be overstocked, and I know I won't need the super small freezables forever (dollar store was my friend). I've haunted the forums, watched before/after videos, watched/read Dr. V, got cookbooks, found website recipes, and had lots of time to slowly accumulate things and the right mindset. I am still nervous, so I think it's only natural for us. The unknown, right? But it will be great for your body in the long run, so just keep it positive!

Tomorrow is my endoscopy. Not looking forward to sedation. It makes me so nauseated. At least I will still be able to eat after this procedure, so I can try something to settle my stomach right away. One more step closer. Liquid diet in 10 days after that. Morning and lunch protein shakes have been helping me reduce my hunger--if I stick to it. The more food I eat, the more food I want to eat. Definitely reinforces that cheating will NOT help me get through the diet.

Good luck to everyone having surgery this week! I saw my GP to check in last week and had her take me off my one extended release heart med. Pulse went from super low to more normal levels, but my BP is also more reactive so that could be fun. I have my endoscopy tomorrow... woohoo. Not. Fortunately my best friend is taking me, so I at least get some time with her to get me through the process while the rest of the family is at work/school. I've been doing protein shakes for breakfast and lunch with veggie snacks after school around 3 and protein/veggies for dinner for the last 2 weeks, and I can really tell how the hunger is diminishing if I stick to that and not "cheat". Helps me not feel as worried about the milk only diet starting on the 11th.

I've tried those, and I agree they have an aftertaste. One way I get those down is making them REALLY cold. I've frozen some in ice cube trays, so it doesn't thin out the drinks, and drank it from a double-wall bottle. Another option, to help "mask" that flavor is adding either sugar-free syrups or some crystal light powder.

They will not leave you in your clothes before you have surgery. You'll have the IV prior to surgery and once you are out of recovery/awake and able to move would be the soonest you can change. Having worked in the medical field I know it is NOT that big of a deal to disconnect an IV for a patient to change, but you run the risk of ruining your clothes. If you're a bleeder, or if you have a drain tube, you can bleed through bandages and leak around tubes. If you have an emergency, they will cut your clothes. Honestly, you are better off to wear a nice loose hospital gown that does not get trapped under you and maybe pull against your stomach when you are in bed, and just take a robe you can belt around you and cover up your back (or ask for a 2nd gown to wear backward) when you walk if you're that concerned about how you look. Having been through major surgery before, though not bariatric surgery, I can tell you I could have given two shits what anyone in the hospital thought about how I looked when I was in the hall or anywhere else though. I plan to wear in a front-zip sports bra with a loose knee-length cotton dress over leggings and hard-soled slippers to also wear back home and take a clean pair of underwear and socks. I'll take my usual 'trip bag of bathroom necessities' along with biotin dry mouth spray and chapstick (for the dehydration/intubation), an eye mask and plug-in headphones (block lights and sounds), plus an extra-long phone charger, my phone, and wallet. I'll leave a pillow in the car for the ride home. Boom, one cinch sack packed, and I'm done. They'll give you anything else you need.

I'm supposed to drink apple or cranberry juice, both of which I detest. JOY!

I'm March 26th too!

Yep, that's about right. It's insane how individual the requirements are. My personal insurance is through the school district but mandated by the state. I pay about $100 per month for just myself to be covered for medical, to the tune of $1200 off my paychecks each year. I didn't cover the family, as we are all covered by my husband's union insurance as well. He pays a percentage per hour, but it's paid by his employer over his hourly wage, so we never have seen it on his paycheck, so it never feels like an expense to us since it's negotiated and run by the union. My insurance deductible is $200 per year. My husband's insurance deductible is $200 per year. Anything I'm billed goes first to my insurance, which pays 85% (leaving me responsible for 15%) and then to my husband's, which would have paid 80% so they cover the remaining 15% then put the leftover 65% they would have paid into a health savings account for me if I lose my other insurance. So basically once I meet those deductibles, I'm covered for 100% of medical charges. Up in the air are the co-pays my insurance has ($75 for Emergency visits and $200 for In-patient hospital, which are normally due at time of service). My husband's insurance doesn't have any co-pays upfront, so if I have to pay those things, I might have to submit reimbursements for those fees, such as when I'm admitted to the hospital for my VSG surgery. The upside, neither of my insurances have any requirements for weight loss programs for bariatric surgery if I meet the BMI/comorbidity levels and they have very similar plans for what is allowed versus not allowed for coverage.

I sent in my application via the computer at the end of October, had my clinic first appointment in late November, and am having surgery the end of March. No mandated timeline for insurance requirements, but I had things spaced out to wait for my new primary insurance to kick in in January to go with my existing coverage and only scheduled appointments and surgery around my work schedule at an elementary school. March 26th was actually the exact date I wanted all along!

It really varies. My program is SUPER restrictive for 2 full weeks, clear liquids the day before. Post op it's 2 weeks of "full" liquids which are the pre-op liquids, protein drinks with high protein/low carb/low sugar content, cream soups that have been strained (add unflavored protein powder), etc... before 2 weeks of pureed food, 2 weeks soft food, then adding in regular diet as tolerated. This is my pre-op diet below. Be careful about stocking up too much. I've been warned your taste buds can change a lot, and you can seriously overestimate how much you need post-surgery. Having a few fluid options in savory and sweet to get me through the first week is what I'm doing, since I'm sure I'll want an outing by then. Most of my product is portioned out for my current "pre" pre-op diet (breakfast/lunch shakes) and the pre-op diet.

I'm on 3/26 too, we can be surgery buddies! Maybe try flavoring your water with sugar-free sweetner (coffee syrups have better variety/cheaper prices than other packets, imo), set timers to keep sipping, whatever takes. My pulse is really low lately, so I'm seeing my regular doctor to adjust/change my meds, so I get the fear about your heart during surgery. At least you have surgeon who is paying attention to your whole body health, right? Do you have to do a liquid diet? My program is a 2 week "milk diet" with a clear liquids only the day before surgery.