New To This23

How did your consult with a new surgeon go? where you able to get a new surgery date?

@ShneeI have really taken a liking to the sugar free jello. If you can have that on your pre-op then get it. I found a brand called Raymundo's in the yogurt/pudding cold case at Walmart it is 12 for $3.33. Other wise I just drink GNC shakes with water or unsweetened almond or coconut milk. Since I already had the GNC one's on hand I thought this is a good way to finish them but I did by some pre-made premier protein cafe latte shakes that are not bad.

I just picked up the meds they ordered for me to take after the surgery today. I was told to get a heat pad.

Honestly, I hope so. Thank you for being so honest and bringing this up. I was not always overweight and now that I have been on both sides of the coin I have noticed how differently people that I know and don't know treat me. It has also affected my confidence at work and in making friends or even enjoying hobbies and life the way I used to. I do think that it (the surgery) will help a lot, therapy is great and I have done a lot of it, but I have yet to rebuild my confidence with it and I do think seeing my body physically change will make that difference, I know others will not agree, but we are all different people with different perspectives and we may share similar experiences, but we do not all process them the same.

I officially start my Pre-Op diet tomorrow, but since my consultation on Monday, I have been replacing meals with shakes, in the hopes that this will allow me to ease into the Pre-Op diet. I just picked up all the meds that they sent in for after-surgery today.

Just to clarify the Bariatric program at the hospital you are going to does not require a sleep apnea screening? But your insurance wants you to have a sleep apnea/sleep study done? I can tell you a lot of insurance's require a sleep apnea check and if you meet the requirements the sleep study as well. I myself had to do a sleep study as part of an insurance requirement, and I scored a 10 (I was told this was the lowest score) however this meant my insurance now wanted me to be CPAP compliant in order to pay for my bariatric surgery. I know that having deeper better sleep will aid in the healing process, so that is a positive. For me, I feel no different wearing the CPAP versus not wearing it. But a good friend of mine was also diagnosed with sleep apnea around the same time as me, and he told me it is a night and day difference for him and that he feels so much better now. In the end, if your insurance wants something done and you want them to cover the cost of your surgery, then you are just going to have to do it. You might find out everything your insurance is going to require and go ahead and get appointments scheduled before they ask you to do it. You can always cancel those appointments if you do not need to do them. Pre-scheduling what you can will guarantee you are in line and not waiting longer.

I guess I should have clarified, I meant a spot for people having RNGY this month. There is an October surgery buddies topic in the general forum, but again most of those folks are having VSG and going on about that, which is great, but there are some RGNY differences.

@SarahP1220 Congratulations! only 7 days to go!!

It can work like that in the US, especially if you go to the specialist your surgeon recommends. For me, my surgeon is 3 hours away and I just went to the specialists in my area. Generally, everything will get sent to your Primary doctor no matter what, even if you are in another state. My surgeon had me sign HIPPA releases for my primary, my GI, and my pulmonary Dr., but my ultrasound and EKG were done by specialists I do not normally see, so I had them fax the results to the Surgeon, and my Primary got them anyway plus they are all linked in on MyHealthPortal (so I could see results, notes, and recommendations right away from my phone and make requests for my results to be sent where ever. However, my Surgeon uses MyChart similar but different system.

When I got my tests done I requested they send the results directly to my surgery clinic(while I was actively getting the test or blood draw). I even brought the fax and phone number with me in case they did not have it lol. They were able to look up the information they needed by the name of the surgeon and the clinic and my info was sent directly to them. On top of that the information was automatically sent to my Primary care and his nurse sent them directly to the fax number the clinic gave me as well. If your info was sent to your Primary contact them and ask them to send it. Do you have a myChart or some sort of messaging/results/records information management system with your Primary you can access and see if the info was sent to them?

You got this, I was concerned about Vit D deficiency since that is something I have struggled with my whole life, they told me to make sure and take a supplement before my labs. However I had been spending several months tanning at the time before my labs, and my Vit D was excellent (for the first time ever). So smart choice for the supplement, you could add a multivitamin. After I had my labs and saw the surgeon the nutritionist told me to start taking a multi-vitamin because 1. it's not going to hurt and 2. to get in the routine of taking one, since that will be the new normal after surgery.

I do not think so. I know that vitamin levels being too low may delay your surgery at least with my surgeon that is a thing. My insurance will not cover surgery if your blood work shows nicotine or cotinine a chemical produced by nicotine in blood/urine that sticks around longer. If you have Hep B they will very likely still do the surgery, they will just monitor your labs more closely. Fatty liver should not be a problem. If for some reason you are turned down because of your labs, make sure to ask why specifically and if there is anything that you can do to improve your labs for surgery.

I finally got my call for surgery today!! I am getting Roux-en-y on October 27th!! I am so excited this has been a long hard path for me, full of stress and anxiety and honestly, I had all but resigned to not getting surgery until next year, with all of the obstacles I have had in spite of my efforts. I am so excited to join everyone getting surgery this October!!!

This is where the saying "those who can't teach" comes into play. Everyone has their own inner battles and struggles, and even though we might not be good at taking our own advice, it doesn't mean we do not know the right or healthy way to do things. That being said defiantly go to medical professionals YOU feel good about and you are comfortable with. It is okay to get a second opinion and of course change doctors, this is your health and your journey, this is about you and you need professionals who you feel good about.

Cool thank you @MsTeeTee

Yes, I do currently I have a nose piercing, 3 dermals in my neck, a conch, a triple ear lobe, and then two more on one lobe so it makes a triangle shape. I also think the little titanium clip the Dr. put inside my right breast should count lol I used to have a double conch, but I took one out and it closed up before I replaced the jewelry. I also used to have a Monroe, labret, tongue, auricle, and double cartilage, I also had my septum done twice but I no longer have it. After surgery, I am going to do my auricle again as well as some other ear designing. I want to also get one more nose piercing next to my current one and another on the other side. After I am happy with my weight I am going to get my belly button done, I never did it when I was younger because I was a kid and only "preppy girls" got that. I personally feel like a hoop is the best jewelry choice for the nose because it is easier/less annoying to take care of and heals better.

Can you get a second opinion? If so please do, and also ask the new Doctor what exactly the first medical team did, so you know that information for sure.

I am not sure. Are you self-pay or is your insurance paying? I know with my insurance it is a requirement to be nicotine-free for 6 months, so if you don't pass the nicotine test the surgery is canceled. If you are self-pay it likely will not matter and they will go ahead with the surgery, unless it is a specific requirement that your surgeon has.

Congratulations! May I ask after you gained into the two's again, did you find that when you refocused and lost those 60lbs, was it the same, easier, or harder than when you had tried in the past prior to surgery to lose the weight?

Break it up into small goals, 2.5 lbs or 5 lbs at a time. Celebrate each goal you reach with something fun, but not food or drink-related. like watching a movie, getting your nails done, taking a bubble bath with a book you have wanted to read, making something, a painting, beaded jewelry etc. just throwing some ideas out there for ways to celebrate along the way, to make the 15 lbs less of a drag. You can do this, and yeah it is a lifestyle change, but so is every "diet plan", once you get over this hurdle and have your surgery it will be a lot easier with a reduced stomach. I know you can do it!!

DId you find someone? Rockwood in Spokane does DS.

This is wild to me, I was just in Denver, but I only had a tea a Starbucks. I do live in Corporate's home state so maybe that is why we have more options. Their website does say they have sugar-free white chocolate sauce, which is what OP needs if they want the modified drink to have the same consistency. I did notice the menu of the Starbucks in Denver I was at was very limited, they only had two tea options. Oh and when I say very, very small town I mean 7,000 ppl.

I don't know how many Starbucks there are where you live, but have you asked about sugar-free options at other locations? Because where I live (a very very small town, with 4 Starbucks, and 3 more in the town less than a mile away) They have all sorts of sugar-free options, I get sugar-free Irish cream syrup, but one location where I live does not offer it. I know for sure one location has sugar-free white chocolate sauce.

So I looked up the ingredients and it says Espresso, milk, and white chocolate flavored sauce poured over ice. To make it at home, you can use espresso or coffee, skim milk, or something like almond or soy milk. It looks like DaVince and Torani both make sugar-free white chocolate sauces and Skinny Mixes makes sugar-free white chocolate syrup. In-store, you will have to ask if they have sugar-free white chocolate sauce (this could vary by location) if so and you want cow milk ask for a skinny sugar-free iced white mocha decaf, otherwise just say you want a decaf, iced mocha with sugar-free white chocolate and almond or soy milk (whichever you prefer) Did your surgeon say you can no longer have caffeine after surgery? Most people usually still can, although it is wise to be mindful if you have high blood pressure.