The Greater Fool

I just wanted to lend my support to your situation. I should think the pain meds of surgery would help. Sometimes, it's good being an old man. Good Luck, enjoy the ride. Tek

Welcome to the forums. I would contact my insurance provider Customer Service folks. Be persistent. I would also contact a local WLS surgeon and see what their experience is with your provider. They would know if it's covered and what the providers requirements are. Good luck, Tek

Actually... Our 'pouch' is made from our stomach and is all that is in use of the stomach now. Since we have no pyloric valve, everything goes straight through the pouch into the intestines starting immediately. VSG folks have a 'sleeve' that is like our 'pouch', but VSG still has a pyloric valve which is the gatekeeper out of the sleeve/stomach. It can be quick or slow. It would probably be quicker than a normal stomach, so I'd say a few minutes. Tek

Your plan is what you should follow. Plans are so different that something that was my 'go to' thing may not be allowed on your plan. If you are eating food, then protein should be the primary ingredient. Some Doc/Nut's have preferences that are vast different than others. My plan, protein meant 'meat.' If I went out to eat, it was always easy to find a dish with cooked meat, of which I could take a few bites (AFTER the 6 week puree post-op). My plan never included protein drinks until I was binge running. Good luck, Tek

1. Get rid of your scale, it will be your undoing; 2. Evaluate closely your food. A 1/2 cup protein and carbs can mean mostly carbs or mostly protein. Protein should be the lions share. In my plan it's 3oz protein, 1oz veggies. Also, not all "proteins" are equal. 3. Activity. Are you moving around, walking, exercising? I didn't exercise, but I started walking more and more. 4. Get rid of the scale. They lie. And they have you wanting to abandon your plan for a 'quick fix'. Has that EVER worked for you in the past? Good luck

If you are not 100% sure you want surgery, perhaps you should back out. Success is up to you. Follow your plan for the rest of your life and you're golden. Sounds easy but we all know better. People that need surgery again in 5, 10, 20 years returned to old habits. Make sure you are doing the right thing for you. I'm 17+ years post-op and I don't need another surgery. Good luck, Tek

Congratulations! Tek

Whatever fits into your plan. Tek

Welcome to the forums. You had a surgery 3 weeks ago that you are still in the early stages of healing from. While your body is trying to heal, you are effectively starving it. Give yourself a chance. Work harder at your protein. Do your best. Be patient. Energy will happen when you heal more and get used to your new low intake. Good Luck, Tek

I probably should have used more than 3 words. I just didn't have the energy. Tek

Welcome to the forums. When you get scared, review why you are doing this. You made your decision for (presumably) very good reasons. You weighed the upsides against possible downsides, and decided to soldier forth into your future. If you focus on the worst aspect of this whole process, the actual surgery, its no wonder you are scared. Instead, think beyond it. Visualize your success. What you intend to do with your new found healthy lifestyle. Good luck, enjoy the ride. Tek

Activity breeds energy. Tek

I actually don't recall my psych evaluation. My journal says I was worried about it, but it was basically a question and answer session where the shrink would ask a question then give a sense of the type of answer he was looking for. He said I was good to go for surgery. I fooled him completely Tek

Welcome to the forums. Whatever decision you make, be sure you understand the surgery and the pre and post op plans. This is critical to your success. Enjoy your ride. Tek

Welcome to the forums. Enjoy your ride. Tek

The scale will lie to you. Get rid of it. Keep to your plan and you will succeed, scale or no. Good luck, Tek

If you are focused on losing x pounds per month, you will be disappointed. Not because it will or won't happen, but it won't happen every month. Or, you won't lose weight for a week, or two. What are you going to do when the scale doesn't show weight loss? What is it going to do to your plan? Think these things through. Unrealistic expectations will destroy your program quicker than anything else. You get a bad number on the scale, then start searching for NEW ways to get it moving again. This is the path to failure. WLS is the time to take the story of the turtle and the hare to heart. Your plan, slow and steady, wins this race. Good Luck, Tek

Different Surgeons have different ideas. Generally they work out with similar results. I think the main point is follow a plan. It's the folks that think they know better that run into problems later, IMHO. You have a lot of research to do. Everyone has an opinion. Many of us have several. Opinions don't lose weight. Good luck Tek

There are ways to eat around every surgery. If you want to, or feel compelled to, it can be done. I was afraid I might try to do this and chose my surgery accordingly. For me, it took amazingly few bouts of dumping and few episodes of eating wrong to change my habits. I don't know why I learned my lessons when others didn't. I guess I was lucky. Choose carefully. Act wisely. Then hope you don't persist in trying to do it wrong. Good luck Tek

Pretty much the point. NSAIDs and other meds depend on our situations in consultation with our Docs. All meds have side effects. I also am on watch for side effects of several meds.

I take NSAIDs. Every surgeon has different takes on meds.

Welcome to the forums. You are upsetting the established balance in your relationships. If/when you change some of your relationships will change for the better, others not so much. Eventually, a new equilibrium will be reached. Change is hard not only on you, the author of your change, but on everyone around you. Having said all that, you must take care of you first. Learn everything there is about your surgical options, learn what the after care and diet plan look like. Don't take anything for granted. If you don't know the answer before hand, find it. Learn it. Prepare for it. When the going get's tough you should already know what to do, your Doc's plan, and follow it. There are a lot of 'experts' who have been through all this. Listen with a huge grain of salt. Their way MAY have worked for them, but you have to make YOUR way work. It's up to you. Not us. We have no skin in your game. You can do it. Good luck, Tek

I assume you are early post-op? There are some meds some Docs prefer post-ops avoid. You should contact your Doc to see his thoughts. My Doc had not medication restrictions, other Docs have long lists of don'ts. Ask enough of us, you'll get every possible answer, which is why you should talk to your Doc. I was be EXTREMELY cautious of lozenges, as accidentally swallowing one could land you in surgery. Good luck, Tek

Arabesque (love the name) made all the points I would have made, probably better. Damn her. Probably the most important point, which I will underscore, is if you can't manage or are having concerns, talk to you Doc. We don't know your plan, we don't know the little personal touches your Doc did in your surgery. We are voices on the interwebs. If changes need to be made, they need to be made in concert with your Doc, not our wild arse ideas. You can do this. Don't be shy about advocating for yourself with your Doc. Good luck, Tek

Welcome to the forums. Anxiety & excitement are effectively different names for a similar set of feelings. Or so I tell myself Anxiety & excitement are rational emotions when facing a surgery, any surgery. Even more so when the surgery is possibly life changing, as this surgery is. Nothing you do, aside from backing out, will change the fact that you are having surgery. You've already thought it through, so trust yourself. Look beyond the surgery to where your emotional energy may have a positive effect. Good luck, Tek