christan007

I have to have the caffeine! I am 2 months post op and started drinking tea/coffee pretty soon after surgery. I have found that a cup of coffee with some fat free creamer to start my day really helps keep off the hunger a little longer. I stay up pretty late but get up on the early side so I have found that I get hungry a 4th time during the day. Having that morning cup of joe seriously helps me get through my day on 3 4oz meals!

Yep, my very fave drink is the peppermint white mocha...but I had to give it up for good. It just isn't worth it! You are quite right about the chai, it is totally loaded with sugar! It is really too bad that the chai tea bags that have no calories don't taste as good as the latte! And if you are a fan of the Vivanno Smoothies, there are 3 flavors (orange mango, banana chocolate, and the strawberry banana). They put 2 scoops of protein/fiber powder in each but you can request more at no additional charge! Orange Mango has the least amount of calories at 250. Get it with nonfat and it will be even less! I am such a Starbucks nerd....

I may have some other advice to offer all the Sbux fans out there...I'm a barista! :wub: I definitely learned the hard way to stay away from all the sugary drinks and the frappucinos when I first started to work for the company! Its like a version of the freshman 15 I swear!! Anyhow, everyone who enjoys the skinny lattes is right...they're awesome! There are no calories in sugar free syrup, it is made with splenda. You can choose from SF vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, and cinnamon dolce. A tall skinny latte is 90 calories. Or, my personal favorite (and how I survive an 8 hour shift of temptation!) is a venti iced coffee with extra ice and some of my store bought fat free vanilla creamer. I just get the coffee from Starbucks and add my own creamer for like 50 calories. It is a delightful summer treat! Or, you can get a caramel frappucino light with sugar free caramel if you need something guilt free and sweet! Stay away from the white mocha...it is BAD!

Congrats on everything! I hope it all goes well for you! I saw that you wanted to do P90X and I just thought I would say go for it! I just completed day 5 of the program and it is kicking my butt! I am 24 and started at 325 on surgery day. I am dreading the extra skin so I wanted a high intensity workout to help tighten the skin as I lose. I am hoping that it helps. So far, it is an awesome calorie blaster! Good luck and let me know how you do!

I just had my first fill this morning. I was so nervous and it didn't even hurt at all! Silly me. He put in 5cc, which I believe is half way full for my band. I am on liquids today so I won't know how I feel until tomorrow. I am looking forward to feeling a little more restricted but I'm also nervous at the same time. Hopefully all goes well!

So I was banded May 15th and have finally made it through the liquid/mushie phases. Today was day 1 of weighing my food and actually getting to chew! Very excited! I went to the grocery store last night in prepartion and managed to get some stuff that I thought fit my guidelines. I think I will be great with string cheese and deli turkey for awhile, but after the first week or two I know I will be bored to tears! So my question is this; what are some good items to eat in the weeks following surgery and pre fill? I am at a loss and need some suggestions for what worked for everyone! Thanks!

I have 3 total incisions and I think it has done wonders for the way I feel! I was banded on May 15th and already feel awesome. I have one that it is right under my left breast that is the biggest and I believe my port site. The other 2 are almost non existent and I forget they're there! My doc just did the first single incision surgery in Nevada but I don't believe that they are going to continue with that. Their program director/PAC said that they would rather have 2-4 small incisions that will fade easier over time then one big scar. There are probably other WLS out there that will start to get better and better at making less incisions! :cursing:

Hi, I was banded on May 15th and experienced the same type of pain for a day or two. I did a whole lot of walking up and down my hallway to get rid of the gas that settles in the chest and stomach area after surgery. I asked my mom (she's a nurse) why my chest was still sore eventhough I was pretty sure the gas pain was gone. She said I was probably sore from the intubation. They tip you backwards and stick a tube down your throat which can cause a residual soreness over the next couple days. So that may be why your chest hurts and it is a little hard to take deep breaths. I do agree with everyone else about calling your doc if your stomach is still killing you. My doc's office is pretty amazing about answering questions and I hope you've had a similar experience! It would be better to call and get an explanation or some relief than to suffer through! Hope everything goes well for you in your recovery. Congrats on your banding! :purplebananna:

Hi Guys! I just got approved for my surgery yesterday after 5 weeks of waiting. The date is set for next Friday, May 15th. I am so happy and excited but I have one small problem. The timing is absolutely terrible. My boyfriend's sister is graduating from college the week after my banding. We are all going to make the 4 hour drive to San Diego and then the 2 hour drive to LA for a 3 day stay at Disneyland. My surgery scheduler said that I shouldn't be in the car for long periods of time. So, I guess my question is regarding whether or not I will be ok to attend the festivities. I know everyone feels differently after surgery. But, if I take it easy and avoid the rides, will it be an incredibly stupid idea to make the trek? My boyfriend wants me to move the surgery but this is something I have been waiting for for a very long time. Thoughts? Thanks! :thumbup:

Thanks everyone for all of the honest feedback and support!

I could really use any advice or suggestions for my current predicament! I will try to make this as quick as possible...I have been jumping through Aetna's hoops since Septmeber of last year. I completed the 6 month medically supervised diet in the beginning of March. During that time I gathered all of the info needed, including nutrition consults, psych evals, and previous years weight history. I submitted all of this info to the surgeon's office and was told that the patient advocate/surgery scheduler would handle the insurance end of things. I did not actually witness my '06/'07 weights because they were faxed directly to the Doc. I had my surgical consult and a tenative date scheduled for 4/27. All I had to do was wait for the insurance to approve. I received a phone call from the patient advocate yesterday saying that Aetna requires that my BMI exceed 40 the last two years. (I assumed that it had, seeing as everyone told me that all my info was in prefect order). Unfortunately, in '06 I was coming off of a successful WW stint when I went to the Dr and only wieghed in at a measly 224 (ha). I have until Tuesday to prove that I have been indeed heavy since '06. I can prove '03-05 and '07-the present. What do I do? Anyone have any experience with getting something like this approved? I'm trying not to wish hateful things upon the insurance "gods"....please, any advice would be sincerely appreciated. Christan

Thanks for the advice and words of encouragment! I should find out today or tomorrow what they say. I submitted my WW booklets from those two years and a letter from my PCP saying that she didn't treat me for my high blood pressure or cholesterol due to the plans I was making to have this surgery. I am just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that they accept this as proof of my higher BMIs. Like a lot of people, I don't go to the Dr. super frequently so it was hard to find documentation of my weights. Well, I will be back to let you guys know how it went. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Thanks for the advice everyone! I am going to call WW tomorrow and see if they have the records showing that I was indeed over a 40 bmi. I think the really frustrating part is that my WLS' office promised that they would take care of everything. The lady I have been dealing with admitted that she should have caught the problem sooner. I would have had the last 3 or 4 months to locate records of my heavier weights instead of scrambling to find something by Tuesday. Anyone had luck on appeals? I am terrified that Aetna is going to continue to jerk me around!