The Greater Fool

As BigSue says, there are as many plans as there are surgeons. Probably more. If it's any comfort, my pre-op diet was food, until the day before surgery. Do what your Doc says. Tek

Welcome to the forums. There are folks here that have been to Mexico. Be sure to ask a lot of questions, particularly about after care. Good Luck, Tek

Hello and welcome to the forums. It's been a while since I was involved in So Cal insurance, but isn't Kaiser all inclusive, you pay them insurance fees and they provide medical services in house? If that's still the case, well, it's their house and they make the rules. Though, it does seem an odd rule. Perhaps if you talk to them, the docs, the customer service, whoever, you can get someone to make a compelling argument why, in this case, it makes sense to do it in one shot. Don't take the first or even fifth no for an answer. Keep pushing. If you can't make it happen, you did your best. 3 months for a second surgery is certainly not the end of the world. Good luck, Tek

Welcome to the forums. Most test for surgery are only good for 6 months or so it was back when I did it. So resolve that you are basically going to have to start over. As such, if your current Doc is anxious about your high BMI then now would be the time to look for a Doc that is not scared, that can do the surgery with your other issues. You're the boss, make sure you hire a surgeon that can do the job for you. Shop around. This will be a lot of frustrating stuff to get to surgery. You need to just do it. Insurance doesn't want you to have surgery as it costs them money, so they will put things in your way hoping you quit. Surgeons are risk averse. They don't want to do surgery if there's a chance it could kill you. It makes sense, if you think about it. Again, find the Doc willing to do it. This is not a sprint it's a marathon. Just keep plugging away. Knock down anything in your path and keep moving forward. You don't cross the finish line by quitting. Good luck, Tek

Welcome to the forums. Congratulations on your apparently successful surgery with tiny scars. Now, it's up to you. Good Luck, Tek

My first year I *did* look sick, nothing like I looked before. A manager in another city did the same operation 8 months ahead of me without my knowing and he looked sick. While we may be feeling better, our bodies are going through tremendous stresses and may make us look sick compared to our well fed former selves. Seeing us 6-12 months ago and now can be quite a shock. I took it as concern, not judgement. I would just say I was feeling good and move on. Others would say I was looking good, to which I would just say I was feeling good and move on. Not every honest perception that is not favorable is 'judgement.' Of course, y'all know who you hang with and how their minds work. Good luck, Tek

I'm in the no scale, weigh at follow-ups school, not that I had any choice in the matter. Which way will you be happier and/or less crazy? Will the scale not changing for week(s) at a time cause you to reconsider what you are doing? Will you want to do something to "break the stall"? Whatever helps you stay on plan is what you should do. Doesn't matter what we think, only what you think. Good luck, Tek

Welcome to the forums. What surgery did you have or are considering? It does change the answers. Sleeve folks can get away with some real sugar, while RNY would not do well. I loved SF Popsicles, While I could put sweets away pre-op, not much desire post-op, but that could be explained by dumping episodes I don't recall. When you say craving sugar, surely it's more specific forms of sugar? That can help us give further options. Be careful of SF candies as many use sorbitol, which in any volume, is a laxitive. Good Luck, Tek

If it's not safe, would we tell you the truth? Welcome to the forums. If you deem it safe, of course. Tek

I math good. good news. Tek

Welcome to the forums. Which surgery have you chosen? Exciting times ahead, be sure to enjoy them. Good Luck Tek

Welcome to the forums. You are 3.5 months post-op, congratulations. Hope everything is going well. Tek

What did your Doc say it was? Tek

If you simply must eat bacon, sausage or hot dogs, the lean varieties are better that the normal varieties. But, as to whether they suit your plan, you must consult your plan, and if it's not there, the plan's author. Good luck, Tek

At a year out this must have been as series of things that conspired to play gotcha. We're careful because we know the worst case is just this happens. I' can't say I have such a bad experience of things gutting stuck, but my worst cases involved leftover chicken. Good luck in your recovery, and take care. Tek

Welcome to the forums. The scale will lie to you. While it can be fun to see the daily weight loss. When the scale gets stuck some folks start second guessing their every action. Don't let the scale make you happy or sad. They key thing is you are working your plan. Keep doing that. Stay off the scale, if you can manage it. Are you getting healthier? Happier? More active? These are my measurements. Good luck, Tek

Pandemonium & MsMocie, as usual, make good points. Add what I say to what they said. I'm assuming that you are not doing the driving. Even if you feel great, you don't know what movement it might take to cause tremendous pain at the wrong moment. So, don't drive yourself. Now that that is settled. Staying over: Another reason for staying over is, heaven forsake, some complication rears it's ugly head. You are there and your Doc is there and driving back that time/distance is removed from the equation. It's also likely that whoever is driving you home drove you there then waited uncomfortably for hours. It's already been a long day and they may not be at their best driving home. Going home: You will get to sleep in your own bed and have everything you prepared available to you. As mentioned, you'll be under the effect of pain meds but also the lingering effects of being put to sleep. You can likely sleep much of the drive home. You may not have this perk tomorrow. A middle ground is to reserve the room. When you leave the facility take an inventory of how you feel and act accordingly. Good Luck Tek

Ever heard the old joke that begins "Hey Doc, it hurts when I do this..." The pinch is probably an internal stitch that is being pulled. There is a good chance it is a temporary stitch intended to give something a good change of healing correctly. When it dissolves enough you will no longer feel it. Or it is something else easily explained and equally transient. If you are still concerned, after all I'm just a voice on the interwebs, give your Doc a call. It's either nothing and they'll say so, or it's something and they'll have you come in, or more likely, discuss it at your next follow up. My surgery was open, so I had such pains for quite a while. They'd appear out of nowhere, I'd compensate, then they'd disappear. Good luck Tek Answer to joke: "Don't do that."

I don't know. My program I didn't count calories. Or anything else but meals (3) and meal composition (3oz protein, 1oz veggies). Even I could manage counting to 3 more often than not. Good luck. Tek

Wow, you sound like you are having rough time. Are you drinking enough? I might up my drinking in your situation. Does eating actually take care of the hunger for at least a short time? If so, I might make meal sizes smaller but more frequent. It might help with actual hunger and appetite. I might also up the flavor profile of what I eat. I'd go spicier, hotter. Another action is distraction. Find something you can immerse yourself into. A book or series of books, games, a hobby, movies or TV Series, cleaning (ick), exercise. Whatever floats your boat. Exercise can also affect hunger positively. I hope these ideas help you work it out. Good luck, Tek

Well, you'll have ample opportunity to work on that in the coming months Tek

Welcome to the forums. Billho is spot on. The team at your WLS Surgeons' office will walk you through identifying Anthem's requirement and what you need to to do fulfill them. Your team want's you to get surgery as much as you do. They are on your side. Good luck. Tek

You can only be judged about WLS (or anything else) if you tell the group about it. No law says you have to share anything you don't want to. Tek

I was in the hospital for 3 days for my RNY. I started pureed food on day 2. Day one, just fluids. As others have said, our programs don't really matter. Your Doc has a program that you need to follow. Tek

I had a hiatal hernia fixed during my RNY. Did it make my recovery harder? I don't really know as I have nothing to which to compare it. I wonder what your Doc would say? After all, your Doc has patients both with and without Hiatal hernias so would have a basis of comparison. Recovery is a personal adventure that we all experience differently. Welcome to your adventure. Tek