Is there anyone from Iowa on this weight loss journey with me???

[KristinaAnn 6]

I just started looking into the process. I have heard from a few people that Dr. Eibes is great. Im having issues with insurance coverage, looks like it may be a while as I will probably be paying some out of pocket. Did anyone else have that issue and was your surgeon willing to work with you?

[saints92 2]

Sorry I can't help with this problem at this point. I have coverage, Dr. Eibes office is resubmitting my information. I got denied first time as Wellmark needed more documentation. I am praying they get it submitted soon and I am still praying I can have the surgery in October.

I have like 1000 out of pocket still to meet and I asked Diane in Dr. Eibes office and she said that it doesn't have to be paid up front. I am assuming you must set up payments with Iowa Health. You better ask.

Good Luck.

[saints92 2]

My surgery date is Tuesday Oct 25th. I am excited, not really nervous yet. The pre-op diet isnt killing me yet!!

[saints92 2]

My surgery date is Tuesday Oct 25th. I am excited, not really nervous yet. The pre-op diet isnt killing me yet!!

[MinMin 4]

I hope your surgery went well on the 25th. I had mine on October 13, 2011. I am on pureed foods for two weeks, and so far so good. I am from rural Waterloo and Dr. Glascock was my surgeon at Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls. Good luck and hope to hear how you are doing. The first few days were a little rough for me, but things are good now :-)

[saints92 2]

Countrysjr--My surgery went well. I did have severe nausea for couple of days, but then I refused all pain meds and it went away. I am not in real pain, just uncomfortable when get in and out of bed or bend over.

I go Wed to get my staples out.

I am doing fairly well getting all my Protein and liquids in. I did start to feel dehydrated yesterday and felt terrible as had 8 rounds of loose stools, so I drank some kool-aid and feel much better today.

I am on full liquids still and can't wait to progress to some other foods. I can eat about 2 oz max right now. It feels like tons.

Thanks for checking on me!

I wish you continued success!

[MinMin 4]

Yay! Glad to hear it. My name is Sue :-)

I had to have a floroscopy (?) the morning after surgery. I had to drink a lot of liquid and they watched it fill my stomach and made sure I didn't have any leaks and also that it was leaving my stomach. I lost that w/in a half hour of getting to my room and threw up all day and into the next day. Not fun. I couldn't start Proteins in the hospital until Sunday, so came home Monday - normally my surgeon releases patients on the Saturday after a Thursday surgery.

I seem to be able to drink a lot at this point. My surgeon's PA told me at my two week check to 'SLOW DOWN'. So, now that I'm on purees I'm eating a Protein pudding recipe they gave me, applesauce, blended Soups, mushed up canned turkey, chicken and tuna. Vegetables come last as I have to get my Proteins in. I bought some really pretty measuring cups and am able to eat just about the allowed 1/2 cup of food in 30-50 minutes. I'm on pureed food for four weeks, so Thanksgiving Day I go to semi soft/solids and beyond...

I have lost a total of 54 pounds since July, 28 since surgery but have been at a stand still for a week, which I'm reading is normal.

I'll be excited to see how we do - I started with a total of 185 pounds to lose, so at this point I'm still looking at 130. My son is getting married in June 2012, so I'm excited to be healthier for this. No one in this community has ever seen me thin, not even my kids. I have been super morbidly obese since the '90's.

Sue

[Kaywieny 2]

I'm am now about three days post op. I was discharged from the hospital today. I have trouble even sipping on Water, especially if I'm sitting down, so I stand up and walk around while I drink my Protein, Soup, Water, ... I also can't stand anything very cold, because it's still cold when it hits my belly, and I can really feel my stomach clench. I've had four nose bleeds in the last two days, because the o2 really dried me up. I also am having trouble staying awake. I know it's probably the Percocet, but the more I stay on the couch and reclined, the stiffer I get. I just can't stay awake for the life of me. Not that I'm complaining...I definitely needed to catch up on some Z's. Anyways...I bought nectar to get me through the post op liquid weeks, but I'm just having so much trouble trying to get in 60-75 grams of Protein in. Today I got 51 grams in, but I guess that's better than none at all.

Congrats everyone! It has been an incredible journey and it's going to get even better.

[saints92 2]

Kaywieny--- Happy to hear you got discharged and the worst is behind you I pray. I stopped all pain meds in the hospital. I didn't need them. Are you truly in pain? Do you need percocet?

I am just now able to start drinking plain Water. Time will help,

I went to my 1 week post op appt with Dr. Eibes. He was very pleased. I got the 15 staples out. Ugh, glad it is over. Wasn't terribly painful, just kind of uncomfortable. I had lost 19 lbs since Oct 13th the day I scheduled surgery. Surgery date for me was Oct 25th. Since I discharged I have only lost 2 lbs. I am at a stall already. I am okay with it.

Every day I focus on getting all of my liquids and Proteins in. It is a daily struggle. I got switched to pureed foods yesterday and oh my, it was amazing!

Take care of yourself.

[MinMin 4]

Hi all,

I'm with Saints, focusing on liquids and Proteins is hard. My Dr. has a strict two week liquid diet before and after surgery. In the those four weeks they want you to get 30 gms of Protein, I know, sounds very low, but after surgery there is no way of getting much more!

I started purees a week ago and am still struggling to get 80 gms now. I found some 11 oz Protein Drinks at Sam's, they're 160 calories and 30 gms of Protein. I am now allowed dairy so am adding that because I am getting about 45 gms of protein with my food intake.

I didn't really have pain and didn't take anything when I got home, I think the worst pain I had was stretching my incisions. Now that has gone away also. Sip, sip, sip, and if you have to stand up to do it, that's what my Dr. said to do. It isn't easy for some of us and others seem to breeze through it getting all the things in they are supposed to. I had my surgery at Sartori in Cedar Falls, their website has all the phases of eating on the site and I refer to it often to try to figure out how I'm supposed to get two cups of milk, all the Water and then the pureed food!

I was told to sleep in a recliner for a month - I also have had to stop my liquids before 10 pm because it creeps up on me... ugh. I'm a gulper when it comes to drinking Water, this has been the hardest part for me. I have to swish water around and spit it out sometimes just to get the cold feeling of ice water because my stomach doesn't like cold much either.

Best of luck and take care!

[Kaywieny 2]

Saints---what swellilng and pain I have in my stomach has really did a number on my lower back. The Percocet helps me get comfortable so I can sleep. Starting today I'm only going to take it tonight at bedtime. Today, I've only taken one dose of Liquid Tylonol, and the Levsin that Dr. Eibes prescribes for spasms. The percocet does nothing for what little energy I have, lol.

Countrysjr- I am a gulper too, especially when it comes to Water. Plus plain Water gets old. I bought those Propel or Great Value water flavors, just so I can mix it in here and there.

I managed two bites of lowfat yogurt just now, and about a half of cup of chicken broth. Going to try some creamy Soup for dinner tonight.

[KoriPestana 0]

Hello I am here in Des Moines!!! LaMasters was my surgeon!!!!

[saraanne24 0]

Hello all my name is sara. I had Dr. Coster. He was amazing. I have been having a lot of problems with nausea. I had no pain after surgery. Needed no pain meds but really sick. Anyone else sick? My surgery was December 3rd and I have lost 78 pounds.

[BethannC 1]

I want to hear from fellow Iowans that have already done the WLS or preparing to like myself!!!

I had my surgery May 2nd, I'm new to this ap.

[BethannC 1]

I had my surgery May 2nd, I'm new to this ap.

I also had Dr Coster :-)