oldoneyoungagain

This is quite typical as you are getting rid, If i remember correctly, toxins. This is the downside of RNY for awhile. Sorry.

Where do you find Trubiotics, if you don't mind my asking?

So strange about the 20 grams of protein. To me that is an OMG. I'm on my pre-op right now for 6 more days, 70-80 grams of protein powder daily, 64 oz of water (which can include the protein powder) sf jello, sf popsicles, broth, crystal light, but all of it has to be clear liquid. Plus if I get weak can eat a pouch of tuna but not on a daily basis. You are basically getting no nutrition at all and your body will pull from your muscle mass for energy that you aren't getting. I had the headaches the first two days but no dizziness, but think mine was caffine related. But I know when I haven't had enough protein as my muscles sorta burn or my arms and legs feel weak. I really feel for you. Best of luck.

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a place on the forum giving basic information what will probably be required for those who are wanting bypass or whatever WLS? I read the blogs and feel so bad for those who get the run around, because someone won't admit they dropped the ball and they don't care if the patients suffer. They aren't the ones wanting WLS, nor did they work their rears off just to get to the approval point, then gets some BS why the paper work hasn't been submitted. (In my doctor's office there were a couple who work there that need to make appointments with one of their surgeons and one was a case manager who does the insurance paper work. She is also one that can't admit she dropped the ball, will say she wasn't my case manager, just a friend of mine who started long before me, completed everything before me and just got the approval because paper work wasn't completely submitted). So don't give up sawyersmommy, if need be ask why this had to be submitted to the hospital and if you continue not to get a reasonable explaination ask to talk with the office manager. To me the only info that needs to be given to the hospital is your insurance info and I wouldn't think that needed to be done until you got the approval, once the approval comes in your insurance is also approving your hospital. I got my approval and just got the call yesterday from the hospital verifying all the information and basically told me they contacted my insurance company and I have a $225.00 co-insurance, surgery already had been scheduled last week. So hang in there and as I said if need be talk with the office manager.

Not a Nut but I would increase protein to 80 gms daily and think you'll feel more satisfied and not eat as many grams of carbs. My Nut said only 75 grams of carbs or less and 50 grams of fat or less per day. Hope this helps but then again don't know how far into your journey you are.

Everything completed today, labs, x-ray and even had to do a true and false test, at the doctor's office, regarding bypass surgery. Basically think if you missed any questions then when you seen the doctor he would go over those. In my case I talked with him for about five minutes. I got them all correct, so it was me who got to ask the questions, but I only had one. This is a very good clinic and they actually cover all their bases explaining everything as you progress toward your surgery date. So happy I switched doctors. Question asked was how long will surgery take? Answer: The same as the sleeve and the lapband, about 30 minutes actual surgery time, about 45 minutes from the time you roll into the operating room and get put under then back to recovery. Looking forward to my diabetes to go into remission, a healthier me and of course weight loss, but we are looking at only 50 lbs there.

Thanks bigjimskiki, just glad I only have 10 days of a liquid diet but actually it is more like a month, 10 before and 14 after. I'm surviving, but a big juicy hamburger right now would be great. Guess I'll settle for chicken broth protein mix .

I totally agree it is probably your gallbladder. With significant weight loss you can develop gallbladder problems or gallstones. You need to see your primary doctor or your surgeon. Or since you are saying your lower back aches you may have developed kidney stones, that also is a problem. You need to get an appointment as soon as possible as it probably will get worse before it gets better don't put it off.

Tiny don't know how many years apart you two are in age, but it sounds like your hubby is trully scared of losing you. I know it sounds strange because of the crap he tells you, but he doesn't know how to react to the weight loss. And because you got married so young, you didn't get a chance probably to, what us oldtimers call, "sow your oats" as you became a wife, mother, housekeeper, cook, dishwasher and of course that list goes on. What hubby doesn't realize by treating you so badly he is actually pushing you away and what he is so scared of is going to happen. It is going to be hard lesson for him to learn, if he ever does. But girl, go for it and enjoy that 40th birthday. He is trying to keep you by thinking he can control you. My favorite saying is "you can't argue with stupid" and he is acting totally stupid. Go out and have fun for yourself, you deserve that.

If nothing else call them and speak at least with the nurse. If you feel uneasy with her/his reply then yes go to the doctor. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Good luck.

M.A. Cruz I'm assuming you have had RNY or going to have it. You did well with the band, so quite obvious you know the drill. Think you'll do okay, just keep in touch with your surgeon to monitor your progress. Good luck on your journey.

BroJo just want to wish you the best come Friday and onward to a new you. Just keep all of us posted how you are doing, or any questions you might have. We all are here to help/support you. Speedy recovery being sent your way.

Great weight loss pre-op and the best to you on your journey to a new you. Congrats, sending a prayer for a quick recovery.

All the best Med1862, I'm with you. I go tomorrow for my physical, lab, and whatever else they come up with. Scheduled same day as you at 10:00 AM. Not anxious as I feel my middle name is "surgery". I now have a mind set what will be will be, but then I'm 71. Wishing you the best, since you are in the medical field, you know what you need to do to succeed. One week will be thinking of you as I go into the operating room

Prayers being sent your way. Just keep focusing on the new you to be.

I'm a band to RNY and I trully loved my band, never had a problem just got po'd at the clinic I was using so switched doctors and just in the nick of time. I was going to follow up with band with the new doctor but he decided he needed to fluoroscope it and see where we were at with it since the other clinic never had in the three years I had the band. Discovered it had slipped and he thought it might be erroded. It hadn't erroded yet, but it had to come out on an emergent basis. So when the doctor and I discussed where to go from there he gave me the options of sleeve or RNY. I turned the table back to him and asked which he would recommend for me. He basically said since I was a type II diabetic that RNY would be the best as it shows over 90% remission for RNY patients. Sleeve doesn't give that good of results as you can still eat sugars and fats. The sleeve also has a faster weightloss than RNY but RNY is just a slower weight loss over a longer period of time. Also I am not too fond of having 2/3's of my stomach put into a hazardous waste bag whereas RNY if it needs to be revised it can be. I also based my decision on which had the most research available and of course RNY does because it has been around the longest and since the band is the next oldest and it is nowing showing a high failure rate I was afraid of the sleeve as it is the newest and not enough research coming in yet.

Good luck on this journey to a new you. Just follow your doctors advice and you should have success. I just started my liquid diet and surgery the 11th. Keep us posted on your progress.

You have a great idea about the length of employment before WLS is covered. I am fortunate because my company is quite aware of the problems with weight so the eight years I have worked for them it has always been in the policy, and I will say our turnover is apx 50% per year. Get this though,5/31/13 I dropped my company's insurance as the premiums almost doubled for the PPO plan, so switched over to my Medicare and medicare approves lapband and RNY and I only had to do a three month weight management, which I actually started before I switched. But my employer not only paid for my lapband they also had to pay to have it removed because it failed. I think I only paid $350.00 to have it put in and didn't have to pay anything to have it removed as had met my deductible and maxmium out of pocket. During my eight years I also had Cigna, BCBS, and the last two years Aetna. I don't complain because I know who makes the decisions and I really feel for the Customer Reps that have to take the rude, insulting, angry calls from the employees of these companies. In fact I had such a call this afternoon.

I would like to add my two cents as I work for a company that provides prescription benefits to employers for their employees. First my company, just like UHC offers "your" employer various plans, some of which may or may not have WLS benefits, (my employer different coverage for different medications). Companies such as AT&T are self insured which means they choose an insurance company offering the best administative price for an insurance package they have selected. UHC offered various packages to AT&T who in turn selects what type of plan they want to offer their employees, the plan that they will pay for the WLS or the plan that doesn't. (One will cost more then other won't). Thus, UHC doesn't make the decision whether you can have WLS your employer did. UHC then administers AT&T's account and they have to abide by the rules of the plan selected by your employer. Now if you want to blame UHC then blame them for offering the "no WLS benefit package plan" and then you can blame the next insurance company for the same exclusion because your employer will change to an insurance company that does have that exclusion as it probably will be cheater. So who made the decision regarding WLS it was your EMPLOYER, obvious they don't care if you end up in the hospital with a major stroke, ambutation because of diabetes, or a major heart attack even though it will be costing them (remember they are self insured they foot what you don't have to pay the doctors, labs, and hospital). Insurance companies just offer the packages then just charge an administative fee for the package your employer chose for you. So when you say UHC sucks it is really your employer who said NO to your surgery. So plead your case to your employer and see if they will make the exception they will be the ones paying the biggest portion for surgery. MikeInFlorida I would say when you submitted all the documentation, UHC contacted the account manager for AT&T who then contacts AT&T Corporate, presenting all your documentation, to get them to go ahead and authorize the approval. In otherwords UHC went to bat for you, but I understand they still suck. I continuously hear it from the customer's I have to deal with, it is always our fault, because their employer chose the plan they are under. That is my two cents, thanks for reading.

I too reached out and bought "weightloss surgery for dummies" and feel is was very helpful, but didn't buy it before I had lapband, big mistake. I would recommend this for anyone who is having any type of weight loss surgery. And as you, I did lots, lots and lots of research so I wouldn't make the same mistake as I did with the band.

Tiny just letting you know you are an inspiration to all of us, you have done so well with your weight loss and you definitely made the right choice from the git go with RNY surgery. Keep posting your success stories, to keep the rest of us motivated.

Oh my goodness, I would definitely be finding a different clinic/doctor preferably a Center of Excellence. To me this office sounds like $$$$$$ and not much on patient concerns or well being. Did you attend a seminar? If so was it given by the doctor(s). If not find one that the doctors give and attend one. There you can ask questions of the doctors regarding the surgeries if they perform either or all, band, sleeve, bypass. You can get a feeling for the doctor as this is the person you want to feel secure with. But your current doctor's office totally sounds like the first clinic I went too and had my band (I liked my doctor but he quit ten months after my surgery and I went with the NP in that office), had I not been dissatisfied with them and changed doctors I would probably be fighting for my life because this office never checked if my band was leaking, erroded or slipped. Nor did I know I had a problem, I just complained in a joking way that I felt I didn't have a band, didn't feel anything for that matter, other than I was po'd with their service. So with all this being said once I discovered I had a problem and would either have to have bypass or sleeve I started all the research to base my decision and it was checking Mayo Clinic website, UCLA, Cleveland Clinic, any place I could find research and the most and on what procedure. Also the chat forums there I was just checking problems the people were having with the surgery they had. Also the place where I work there are at least ten if not more who have had bypass one that I know who has had it for 17 years and all is well with all of them. All have lost significant weight and have made a great improvement in their life. One still has about 75 more lbs to lose because he needs a hip replacement and they won't do it with his current weight. None of them have had a problem except those of us who had the band first. Just keep the forum posted if you have further questions or concerns.

I am going to agree with you it has to be very frustrating, especially I feel your doctor's office should have outlined all that you needed before they would do the surgery. They deal daily with different insurance companies, they also have their own protocol that they want, so as far as I'm concerned a competent office would have said we are going to need this, this and this before we submit to insurance then once the approval comes back we will set the dates. I knew I would be switching insurances on 6/1/13 and told them who I would have and my doctors office told me everything I would need for the approval, and what they would want, so I started everything the first part of May and will have surgery 9/11/13. It took my new insurance two business days for approval when the nurse said it would be two weeks. But of course this is my opinion as this will be my second WLS and it was another set of hoops I had to jump through and a different doctor's office from my first. Hope all turns out well for you and they do have everything they need.

In the seminar, going off the liquid diet was something that was brought up. Two surgeons that were there said, they totally understand but they wouldn't cancel the surgery if you slipped up and ate. But of course if you did it for however long you had to be on the pre-op diet then that would be a different story. My pre-op that starts Monday is 4 protein shakes, 64 oz of water, sf popsicles, sf jello, broth. They actually don't care as long as you get in all the protein and water, so if you want more it just has to be sf and liquid. I had to do the same thing for the band, it was a little difficult but I definitely felt a whole lot better even before the surgery. Found out it was because I was basically carb free and processed sugar free. Brought it up to the surgeon when I had my post op follow up by then I had been on liquids for three weeks.

I just turned 71 and will be having bypass on the 11th. I am an ex-lapbander (removed 5/23/13) so actually have gotten off 40% of my weight and have about 60 lbs more. My doctor did not hesitate and in fact because I am a diabetic he recommended the bypass for me even though he offered the sleeve if I wanted it. The one thing the sleeve lets you do is to continue eating sweets and fats which the bypass cannot tolerate too well. Also bypass will put your diabetes into remission, whereas the sleeve can, but there again, you have to cut back or eliminate carbs/sweets which you are still able to eat. If you check out this site there are a number of us who are band to bypass, sleeve to bypass. Bypass can be a slower weight loss, but I have always been told it is better to lose slowly then lose too fast, better chance of keeping it off. Also you realize that 2/3's of your stomach is totally removed with the sleeve? The bypass, if necessary, can be reversed if need be. Bypass also has been around the longest and more research has been done. The band is now showing its failures, and the sleeve is coming in with some research but it is newer than the band. It definitely can be a hard decision. I just wanted something that has had a lot of research to it. Surgeries are not on my bucket list and I definitely made the wrong decision the first time. Good Luck.