Bwa

I started at 629 lbs (per the bed scale at the hospital; I was on a ventilator for 8 days with what, in retrospect, was probably Covid-19) on 12/26/2019. I weighed 501 lbs at my consultation with the surgeon on August 14th, and 460 lbs on my surgery date of 10/21/2020, and last week when I weighed myself I weighed 428 lbs. So to date, I have lost around 200 lbs. It's so much, but I still have so much left to go. I feel so much better, and I can do so many more things, but I can't wait to see what the future holds. I know I can do this. I have proven to myself time and again that I can. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

The Medicaid denial is based on your state Medicaid guidelines, not whether Medicare is primary. Since it is a Medicare covered service, you will be liable for the 20% Medicare coinsurance, and it can be pursued all the way to collections even though you are a Medicaid patient, specifically because it is considered non-covered by your Medicaid plan. I mean obviously I'm a stranger on the Internet so take this info with a grain of salt. But my career is in Medical Billing, specifically Medicare and Medicaid. Best of luck to you! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Are you taking small bites, chewing thoroughly, and giving yourself plenty of time to feel how each bite feels in your stomach? When I have that kind of uncomfortable feeling in my stomach, it's usually because I've taken too big of a bite or haven't chewed well enough. Could that be the case for you? It is happening with things like soft foods and liquids too? Sorry for all the questions, was hoping to help narrow down possibilities! Best of luck to you! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

The first pic is from before surgery: a turkey burger on a bun, with fettucine noodles in cheesy cream sauce. The second pic is from after surgery: ground pork taco meat with a little shredded cotija cheese and sour cream. It was probably about 1/4 cup of meat; the perspective is a little and it looks like more than there actually was. I find that ground meats sit better in my stomach than whole cuts. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I have found that the Jones Dairy Farm chicken breakfast sausage links are an excellent choice as well. They are frozen, but heat up quickly and are delicious! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you very much, that sounds delicious! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Tell me more about these smothered chicken thighs... pretty please?? Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

It happened to me the first time after taking my morning medication with sugar free Powerade, on an otherwise empty stomach. I haven't had a problem with fat, but I eat very little carbs or sugar. I was quite dismayed to have had a dumping episode without eating a "forbidden" food. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

That's awesome! My surgeon told me I don't need to take insulin unless my blood sugar goes over 200, and it hasn't yet! So I am pretty stoked! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I am having this issue as well, 2.5 weeks out. I think it's just going to be an adjustment to deal with. I worked on my food issues over the years, but this is a problem that only started after surgery so there was no way I could have prepared myself for it. I think I'll talk to the therapist at my surgeon's office to see if she can suggest any way to jump start the process of getting my head right, rather than waiting for it to pass on my own. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I drink sugar free Powerade and use sugar free drink mixes like Crystal Light. It's helpful for me to drink flavored water. I used to be a gulper, which was easy with unflavored water but I have a hard time sipping it. Oh, also, broth is a good way to get more water in if you don't care much for the sweeter flavors. Another thing that helps me is having an insulated cup that will keep my drink hot or cold, that I can just sip on all day. I also count everything water-based toward my water intake for the day. Best of luck to you! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm two weeks out and I have only had an issue with taking my morning medicine too fast on an empty stomach. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I am two weeks out from surgery. I dumped for the first time Sunday (Nov 1) after my morning medication and some swigs of sugar free Powerade. It was god awful. I thought I was dying. I had an episode of SVT (of which I have a history that started long before surgery) with heart rate in the 160s, then my bowels got super loose all of a sudden. I got lightheaded and dizzy and I thought I was going to pass out. I broke out into a cold, clammy sweat. Then I dry heaved for a few minutes. The dry heaving made it click for me that it was dumping. I was surprised to have that happen on a basically empty stomach. I hadn't had any issues before, but I guess I just took my pills too fast and it freaked my body out. I have been more careful with how fast I take my pills since and I haven't had that issue... but it was scary. I really did not expect it. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Are you logging your food intake daily? If you're gaining, you're eating at least 3500 calories above your basal metabolic rate (your calorie burn rate while sedentary). "Slider" foods like chips, crackers, etc have little nutritional value and will not fill you up for long, making it easy to just graze all day without realizing how much you've eaten. Are you drinking at least 64 oz of water every day? Eating mostly protein, with few processed foods? If you feel like you're doing everything right, then contact your surgery team as soon as you can so they can help figure out what's going on and get you on track. Best of luck to you! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had my first episode of dumping this morning and I literally thought I was going to die. I hadn't eaten anything. I had just taken my morning medication with some sugar free powerade. My bowels got super loose, and I made it to the bathroom just in time. I got extremely dizzy and lightheaded, started sweating and I was worried I was having a heart attack and there was no way an ambulance could get there fast enough and I was going to die for sure... and then I started dry heaving. Nothing came up, but as I dry heaved, the other symptoms subsided almost immediately. I hollered to my fiance "Honey!! I think I'm dumping! And then everything settled and I was just weak and shaky. If that's dumping, and it's unpredictable as to when it can happen, even when I haven't eaten anything, well that's just scary. I hope your symptoms resolved. I sympathize deeply. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

What kind of things are you eating? I am on soft foods as well and I am terrified of dumping. I'm trying to stay away from carbohydrates as much as possible and I haven't had any major issues. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm doing great! Excited to move to soft foods. I had a scrambled egg for breakfast. It felt like a triumph. I'm having very little pain, only in one area and it's just twinges upon straining, such as getting in our van. So it's coming along. My scars are smaller than I expected, too! Total bonus! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Man that nausea was something else!! I had the dry heaves so bad. I had the same anti-nausea rotation, too: Zofran, Compazine, Scopolamine patch. The Scopolamine patch affects my vision for several days, I guess it made my eyes dilate? I felt farsighted. I had to take my glasses off to read up close. And I'm nearsighted! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Lmao it felt so far away and yet everything happener so frigging fast! I am now one week post op! No complaints or complications so far, except liquids are getting on my nerves. I see my surgeon tomorrow for my postop followup appointment and I am excited to graduate to soft/mushy! I am craving every soft/mushy food under the sun! I was dismayed to experience hunger so soon, but it is satisfied quickly and it isn't constant. The water weight I gained from all the fluids they pumped into me in the hospital is almost gone, so I am super stoked to see what the future holds! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I am exaclty one week post op and I was surprised and disappointed to be hungry within this time span. It's easy to fix it; I'll have some broth typically it I'm between meals. But it's definitely hunger. I'm already taking Prilosec so I know it isn't stomach acid. You are not alone. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

What a great idea! Thank you for the suggestion.

Hello everyone! I'm brand new to the forum. My surgery date is October 21 and I feel like am going crazy! I've got so many thoughts and feelings and it's just all the same stuff going around and around like socks in a dryer! I'm trying to be proactive and get some things ready, like cutting up and bagging some chicken to make food prep easier on my fiance and son while I am in the hospital and recovering. But even doing helpful and usedful things, while helps me feel helpful... and useful (lol), it doesn't stop the relentless screamingn in my head that's just going EEEEEE SURGERY SURGERY SURGERY IT'S REALLY HERE IT'S HAPPENNIIIIIIINNNNNG!!!!! I've wanted this for so long but I never had insurance that would cover it and now I do and I've jumped through and waited so anxiously and now it's almost here! I'm not scared, I'm not anxious about it going well, I know it will, I'm just so ready to get through it so I can get on with my life! Any surgery twins?