creed2474

I just had my surgery tuesday and starting today I made 8 oz. protein shake and I couldn't even get one down. - probably had 4 oz. I'm suppose to have 5 shakes a day. I'm like there is no way right now. Maybe later on it will get easier? All I'm doing all day is sipping on vitamin water and I did have a can of low sodium beef broth. The shakes I drink are optifast.... I would make them with less water but.I think the thickness of it is what bothers me. I'm on liquids for two/three weeks depending on my progress. Ill find out more on jan 9th. I hope it gets easier because right now I'm starting to wonder. Lol

I can't remember exactly... I'm telling u I was so out of it. I heard beef broth... Like two days after... But I'm not positive. I guess its too late now LOL ill call today and see what's up

I have been sipping on this zero calorie vitamin flavored water from walgreens... They have different flavors... I'm sure that is ok. I had like less than a coffee cup of beef broth last night... I hope that was ok.

What about beef broth? Is that considered clear? I'm on clear liquids for two weeks.

My insurance wouldn't give a pre auth unless the doc did over night stay. I live 200 miles from the doc and the hospital so when I got out the following afternoon I got a hotel close to the hospital and doc in case something went wrong... That was on my own accord... I wanted to play it safe. I'm sorry u went through that.. I know it had to be scary. I think everyone should be required to stay over night in my opinion.

I would think wheat products like Pasta and rice would be ok. It has a different consistency.... And has nutrients. I'm going to ask them about that and maybe talk to my nutritionist. He talked to me right before I was leaving the hospital all drugged up and I hardly remember what he was telling me. Is v8 juice cosidered clear liquid?

Yeah I'm totally about following what they say but I was just wondering about what everyone else is allowed. I love steamed veggies and I love wild rice with that. Ill ask him or his assitants later on to see what I could do. They don't want us drinking 30 minutes before or after meals... It says to let the food settle in our stomach and to just feel the fullness od the food instead od washing it through with liquid... Which makes perfect sense. Those were the two main things I could see me having problems with. Do you eat salad restless? How does that go down if you do? I want my wild rice tho....even just two teaspoons full in my veggies would work.

At my seminar they said we can't have rice or pasta... It clumps up.... I don't care about the pasta but I do love rice. Even wheat rice.. Like the wild rice. Has anyone tested this theory out? Lol

You may be right because before I had surgery if I laid on my back for a little bit of time I felt a numbing feeling in my back and my right leg would go to sleep. Its really not that bad when I move and when I walk I don't eve feel it. It just feels like I did some crunches with my legs. It was either the surgery the position I was or maybe that nerve like you said. I have ruled out its not a blood clot lol. I was so worried about that... I'm too active for those tho. Ill let u know how it is for me tomorrow. I had some swanson beef broth earlier and I must so it was so freakin good! All I have had since surgery is water, tea, and these zero calorie flavored vitamin waters I get from walgreens. So, that broth was the bomb! I had almost a coffee cup full... Now I'm off to bed. Goodnight

I had surgery yesterday... The muscles in my legs or something that feels like sore muscles is kind of bothering me. Its like on the inside of my legs on both sides in the groin area. I keep walking and moving around in bed...I do have more soreness in the back of my leg just above my knee. I don't feel all of them unless I'm moving my legs. Like sore from having a workout or something. I'm kinda paranoid about blood clots tho. Has anyone experienced this? Am I just freaking a little for nothing?

Wow I just read what u posted... I'm posting from my blackberry and didn't see it earlier. I had to go under twice so I guess that is why my legs are so sore. I had no idea they performed the surgery that way. Anyway..I'm off to bed... I have been very active today... I think a little too active... Talk to yall later. Thanks for posting that!

Yeah I have gas pain but its not bad. I'm up and around today... Even the port area is better. I'm still taking my pain meds though. I drove earlier with my mom about 140 miles and was fine. Now I'm just sitting on the couch with my family watching football. Good luck with ur surgery... Ill be honest I was scared until today.. I'm still kinda worried about my leg pain but the doc said he didn't think it was surgery related. But if it gets worse... To go to the er.

I think its just muscle pain... I was sitting up a lot yesterday and walking a lot so I just think its sore muscles. Only pain I really have now is my port area. I feel better today... I slept pretty ok last night... Ill sleep a few hours and wake up and take a few sips off my pain med bottle. Hopefully by tomorrow the pain is very minimal...

I wonder if the gas can go to your legs. I just woke up again and when I move those legs to the inside of my body its just pain... Not bad pain... Just moderate kinda like I was doing crunches using something to squeeze my legs together and its just sore from after the workout. That's the best way I can describe it...

As gross as this is... I went walking with my mom down the hall at the hotel... Was walking back and the flem was coming up... I got to the room went to the bathroom with my pillow coughed a couple of times and couldn't get it out. I warmed up some Water in the microwave and gargled and it came up with two coughs. That pillow works holding and squeezing... I am reminded I have to be very careful coughing. Now I guess I'm having gas pains... My groin area is sore... Inside both legs...left shoulder is sore also... I'm moving my legs around in bed. Weird that my groin area inside the both legs are sore... I had my legs propped up earlier really high so I guess its that. I just keep moving around... My arms legs... Etc. Even in bed...

Hey there... I feel your pain... I really do. I was banded yesterday and the surgeon had to turn around and do emergency surgery after to adjust the band. So I was under twice yesterday. I got out of the hospital today and I jus have one flem in my throat I can't cough up. Ill swallow it and it goes away... But then it comes.back. Its not much but enough to bother me... My throat is dry now but I'm sipping on Water... Should I worry about the flem? I have been getting up and walking around. My pain is mostly at my port area... I sat up in a chair for awhile just trying to build strength on that side. I'm just worried about the flem? I have a cpap so that dries me out normally during the night and I usually blow my nose when I wake up and I'm kinda congested... So it might be from that? I hope u feel better.. It will be worth it. Keep the faith... U will be ok.

When I called BCBS they told me the wrong things. Even though it is a FED plan... it is administered through regular BCBS and they don't get their stories straight. Also, doctors offices require you to do things you are not required to do. They are confused also I think.... I finally found a doctor where the insurance specialists knew what they were doing. My first doc appt was 12/3/08 and I was scheduled for surgery 12/30/08. That is how good they are! I would first call the doctors offices.... ask them what is required for the surgery with the federal plan..... if the BMI is over 40 and they are telling you all this stuff is required... then you need to call someone else or have them look it up to correct what they told you. I couldn't get the ones here to budge..... so, of course I found one that knew what they were doing.

From what I learned in the last month or so.... Before Jan 09 pre-auth was not given..... so, say if you didn't do enough paperwork or diet history...or whatever else they required....and you had the surgery...if it was declined... you would be up the creek without a paddle and would be responsible for the bill. But, from my understanding if your BMI is over 40 then that is all that is required and you shouldn't have a problem. But, say if you were under 40 and your doctors office didn't submit something.... it would probably be declined. Pre-Auth just means it's approved and everything is submitted correctly. This surgery is usually done out-patient...but, in order for my doctor to get the pre-auth (submitted this month) they required me to be in the hospital over night. And BCBS gave them the pre-authorization. I hope i'm making sense.... I did not have to do anything as far as the 6 month diet, the nutritionist, or the psych eval. I saw the doctor... first visit... he recommended me... I met the BMI ... and I was approved the following week by the insurance company.

I'm just wondering... has anyone had to wait to complete a 6 month diet plan or whatever? With FEDERAL Blue Cross Blue Shield Basic or Standard? From the first time you saw the doctor... how long did it take you to have the surgery and what was the process?

Just an update... I got approved! My surgery is 12/30/08 and my pre-op diet started last Wednesday! My first doc appt was 12/3/08... so it was very fast approval! Thanks to nursekathy for all the info and the insight! I went with her doctor!

I'm scheduled for surgery on the 30th and just started my pre-op today. I can only have 5 Opti-fast shakes a day... sugar free Jello, tea, and Water. Has anyone done it for this long? WHat are some tricks to get it going? I heard the shakes were nasty...but, I have two already and they don't taste too bad. My grandmother said I should be able to have beef/chicken broth. But, it is not on my list? Do you think it's a big deal if I have that?

Amazingly i'm doing ok. I'm on my 7th day now..... the first two days were rough and I had to take a sedative to help me go to sleep. I have really stuck to it. I spread my shakes out during the day.... I try and save at least 3 of them for later in the day. I drink Water... unsweetened tea.... ....and eat sugar free Jello and beef broth. I guess my stomach has shrunk and its really not so hard now. I just keep thinking it is all going to be worth this little month or so of suffering. LOL I am not going to go back home to visit family over Christmas. I have already told them that. They have too much of a spread of food on the table and that would be pure torture smelling it. It's not really the look of the food now... when I smell it on my God my stomach just growls. My surgery date is 12/30/08.

Yes, i'm allowed caffeine on my diet. Just no sugar.... I tried to drink some warm tea a little bit ago and it seemed to help a little bit. What is that water called with the caffeine in it? I'm not really a big fan of tea or coffee. I do miss my diet coke.... tonight i'm going to have some sugar free Jello - prob alot of it ... lol and a shake or two. I didn't even think about mellotonin to help sleep.. I might go get some of that tonight.

We are getting banded on the same day. I'm just not going back home for x-mas. Way too much temptation there.... I'll be going crazy smelling all that home cooked food. Dr. David Kim (Colleyville, Texas) Pre-op diet started 12/3/08 Surgery scheduled 12/30/08

December 30th here..... upon my insurance approval...but the office seems to think no problem there. I'm on my 2nd day of pre-op diet. Ugh. I have a migraine right now.... Don't know what it is from...lack of caffeine or food? lol Probably both.... I'm just making the best of it. It will all be worth it in the end... Dr. David Kim (Colleyville, Texas) Pre-op started 12/3/08 Surgery scheduled 12/30/08