honk

Try Spreading out your "meals". When I was in the clear and full liquid stages I would have the soup and then wait an hour or two to have the protein shake. If I let myself get to the irrational hunger stage then I am more likely to eat somethign I should not. I am not a medical professional but I would think having an extra serving of broth would be better for your healing stomach than eating solids.

Call the insurance company and ask if they received the documentation of your supervised diet. Sounds like they didn't. Call your doctor's office and ask what documentation was sent to the insurance company.

My port is according to the nurse at my doctor's office "really really deep. This is after I have lost 20 pounds. Most people are not going to have and issue until they are at goal weight.

I understand you are probably under your mothers insurance which covers your medical/therapy expenses. One question I do have is does your mother go to your doctors appointments with you? Is she getting information about your therapy etc from the doctors? If so that has got to stop. For me how much food I consume has been at times the one thing I felt I had control over. I'm going to come right out and say your mother is looking at your weight as something she can/has the right to control. She DOES NOT. This is your body and you can't/won't be able to sustain weight loss FOR someone else. Your food decisions and eating habbits need to be personal and made for you not someon else. I also have a mother who obsesses about other peoples weight (mine and others). Overweight people often live their lives to make other people happy; giving up our selves to make others happy. I think this snowballs because I would eat to give myself satisfaction over the ONE thing I could control. Personally I would use the band as a tool to the best of your ability. However I would have a come to Jesus moment with your mother and tell her that you will no longer be discussing your weight with her. Say you are under a doctors care and you will make your food and exercise decisions based on their advice.

I think 300 calories for 25 g of protein is really high. Premier RTD from Costco is 160 calories for 30 g of protein. Gold Standard brand Whey Isolate powder is like 120 cal for 24 g of protein. I understand what your saying about the level of calories not being that bad if you are staying under 1000 a day. For me if I drank 300 calories I would be hungry in a few hours. Based on that I would rather have 150 calories at 8 and then another 150 cal. a couple hours later.

I like the ready to drink Premier Chocolate Protein from Costco: 160 calories with 30 grams of protein.

For ready to drink I like Premier Chocolate Protein Drinks from Costco. I think they taste pretty good and are 160 calories with 30 Grams of Protein.

From the time I started exercisiing 10/2008 to now (banded 8/10) I have lost 100 lb. At my old job I had to walk up basically 3 flights of stairs (carrying my computer) to get to my desk every morning. It would take me a couple minutes to catch my breath. Most people would have trouble carrying a hundred pound person and a briefcase (purse, laptop, lunch) up 3 flights of stairs!

The first time I watched the surgery on YouTube (I watched several of them); when they moved this body part out of the surgical field with this spatula thing I said to myself "What the heck was that?". Turns out it was the liver. They totally flip it out of the way. Apparently when the liver is "fatty" it gets brittle for lack of a better word. The more fragile it is the harder it is to kind of fold it over on itself to get it out the way. I hope I'm not grossing anyone out. I think it is important to understand why most doctors order a "liver shrinking" diet (Yes, not all do. In fact mine did'nt. He just said to loose as much as possible presurgery.). On one video the doctor said doing a low fat/carb diet for 2 weeks presurgery helped reduce the size of the liver by 25%! That's a lot. Keep in mind these video does not show blood at all but it really conveys the poking and proding that goes on during the surgery. I also wondered what the yellow stuff was; turns out it was fat. The more weight you loose the less fat there is in the way of them doing surgery. PS I am kind of squemish about other peoples blood (strangely enough not my own) and these videos did'nt bother me at all. My sister thought I was crazy to watch them.

I don't know if I would consider myself as being super gassy but I did have the "runs" for the first couple days. I think it was from the protein shots I had the first coupole days because it was an easy way of getting lots of protein for little consumption. I did some walking the days after surgery and on the fourth day I went back to the gym using the treadmill slow to start and no incline (my mother came to stay with me and she needs to swim daily). I started out at 30 minutes on the treadmill and worked my way up to an hour. The first week I went to the gym in the morning and then came home and took a nap. A serious nap too; like for an hour or two. You're healing and your body needs time to recoop.

My doctor would have considered blending regular soup more of a mushie/soft than a liquid. I believe a "full liquid" should pour like milk. I think something that slides/or plops out of a container is not a liquid. After a week of clear liquids tomato soup was like heaven (and I have never been a fan of tomato soup).

I really liked Pacific Brand Sweet Red Pepper/Tomato Soup. It is sold in a box and may be kept in the "organic section of the grocery (or in the soup isle). I also add Mrs Dash chicken flavor seasoning (no salt) before heating it up. Gives a nice flavor. I keep it on hand for after my fills when I have to do liquids for 24 hours.

Since you have lost weight probably not. I would however go to Youtube and watch real surgeries so you understand why you need to follow the post op diet requirements. They are not so much about loosing weight but healing your stomach. I would say staying on the post op diet is even more important than the preop diet. You can not "cheat" on the post op diet because it can cause you serious damage. I even read a post on here once that someone like 2 weeks after surgery ate two (yes) 2 Big Macs.

If your HR team said there were no changes to the coverage I would go to them in person. You may need to speak with Benefits instead of an HR Generalist (depending on the size of your company) regarding this change to your benefits. If the old policy covered the surgery and there was to be no changes; this would qualify as a change. They may indeed have decided to not cover the surgery but that is a change and they should not sell this as no change to the benefits policy. Again some companies have specialized benefits departments if your company has one of those go to them directly. I am not talking about Cigna. You need to get someone at your company who knows everything there is to know about this new insurance policy. If you don't have a benefits department find the the highest level HR person you can find this may be an HR Manager, Director or VP. I am an HR Specialist (recruiting) and I know many HR people like to dodge difficult questions. You are paying for benefits and have a right to know what you are paying for.

Just had a thought that LLBean has outlet stores where you can get some good deals. If you have one near by check it out to see what outer wear they have in stock. Also Marshalls/ TJ Maxx has a Active wear section which can have expensive work out gear at reasonable prices.

"Yea, I never would want to pain my future in laws in a bad light, because they really are wonderful and they do love me (and they really spoil me!), but the first thing out of my fiance's mom's mouth everytime we speak to her, is "did you lose weight?" Sorry but they are painting themselves in a bad light. It is rude to ask a question like "have you lost any weight?" I think your fiance needs to tell his mother to shut up or you will tell her for him. Period. You are starting a relationship where she feels confortable humiliatiung you. That's a fact. If you don't stand up for yourself now this is how your future will be. I know people will think I am being petty or mean spirited but you need to show her boundaries NOW. This is not really a culteral issues it's a rudeness issue. My guess is you don't ask how oftenshe and her husband have sex. To me it's the same kind of question.

When I was in the liquids mushie phase I put unflavored benefiber in everything. Has no flavor and does'nt thicken drinks or soup.

Okay keep in mind I can't see myself doing this in a million years. At my old gym there was a teacher who marked papers while on the StairMaster! I think StairMasters are the devil itself so I can't believe that she could do both at the same time. Could you do a recumbant bike and read papers? I used to read a book while I did the bike. Now that I think of it there were several teachers who graded papers during their work out. Esp on the eliptical machine.

I don't want to belittle your pain. I do wonder if you were seeing your Primary Care Physician who would perhaps have looked into your health issues. Surgeons in my experience do their 1 or 2 hours of work and then move on. They expect that someone else is going to manage the after care. I saw my doctor once after surgery and my next two appointments were handled by a Nurse Practioner.

My first fill was 4 cc and my second added 2 more. I had some restriction shortly after but that went away. My doctor says 3 weeks between fills I got my appointment moved so I will only be 4 weeks between fills. I am only keeping appropriate foods in my house (I live alone); but I am plateauing/gained. Though the gain may be due to TOM. I measure my food and only eat that amount. I do an hour of cardio a day so I am also feeling some frustration.

Are you currently on a blood thinner? I was on a blood thinner and my surgeon said I may have to go from the pill form to injectable lovenox presurgery (to keep the chance of bloodclot down); and then after surgery go back to a pill. Luckily I was able to go off blood thinners for a couple weeks and then restart them after surgery. Just had a blood test to see if I can go off blood thinner perm. I would see the lovenox as a guard against having a clot and possible stroke during surgery.

I have a 3d fill scheduled for Friday. I have a total of 6 cc right now. The first week after the second fill I had some restriction but it went away. My doctor says at least 3 weeks between fills. I was originally schedule to get the fill on 11/11 but I really would like some restriction. I have stopped loosing and am working out every day. Kind of frustrating because I am weighing my food and counting calories and not getting anywhere.

My mother has had a couple Lipomas removed. She had one "lump" that she swears developed after one of us kicked her with one of those old school hard baby shoes (during a diaper change); removed from a breast.

I am far from an expert but I would say not. I think it is a long incision.

May be the greek in me; but I only use olive oil. From what I read it's the best oil you can use for cooking etc. You might want to consider a low fat or fat free cream of chicken soup; to keep the calories and fat down.