MarcyLoo

I started mine today. I did try a shake made with Water yesterday and about gagged. So, this is my prescription from my doc... Lose 10 pounds over 7 days preop BRIATRIC ADVANTAGE shakes ( chose banana) 3-4 shakes a day and depending on how many you do and if you use water or nonfat milk, one frozen diet meal (Lean Cuisine/WW/Healthy Choice) a day ranging from 140-330 calories). Limit of 870 calories a day. 64 ounces of water a day. I already have WW frozen meals waiting, all are around 230-290 cals each. I'm opting to use nonfat milk for the shakes cause the water one sucked so bad. I had my shake at 8am. It's 9am and I'm freaking hungry. I plan to drink a lot of hot tea w/ splenda to keep my mind and mouth occupied for the next week! and house cleaning like crazy! I also want to start an exercise program this week.

One of my reasons for doing this all is actually to set a healthier example for my kids & husband. But while they will get treats on occasion I will not (at least not the same ones). One of my kids is super skinny so we push a high fat diet on him, but we'll just have to work that in in a healthy way. High fat doesn;t have to mean high junk and well, we're all switching from 1% to nonfat milk as of today ha ha (and we used to do whole milk...they kids don't seem to mind 1% so I think this will go fine) I started writing out a diet log (which will help me stay on track this week) and realized yesterday was eight days, so I went ahead and ate dinner. I had a minor anxiety attack, in all honesty, realizing "this is it." I did make my Protein shake with 8 ounces of nonfat milk this morning and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! So my plan is to do 3 shakes a day (option is for 3 or 4), make with nonfat milk, and a SmartOnes meal in the evening. Plus 64 pounces of Water a day. I feel like I have my head on straight this morning and am ready to commit. I can also see how being this strict this week will help prepare me for POST OP...and i wonder if that's part of the reason they have their patient do it. I know they say it's to shrink the liver, but certainly not jumping straight into post op unprepared helps... I'm going to clean the fridge out today and set up cabinets for my post-op diet (off limits to the rest of the family). I have some Jello, Soups, etc ready.

also does your company have a health savings account option? It's like a flexible spending acocunt but unused amounts ROLLOVER to the next year and so on so you don't lose the money. Mine has a yearly max of $7100, which I opted for, taking $300 out of my pay every 2 weeks but it's pretax income and once the account builds up you can use that to pay for the surgery 9son a couple eyars savings would do the trick). I know YEARS sound slike a long time away, but you can do it if needed. <3 and maybe by then ins will even cover you. Don;t give up home...there are options.

I first saw my surgeon for a consultation about 6 or 7 weeks ago. He gave me a paper that says he wants me to lose 10 pound sin the 7 days prior to surgery (Bariatric advangate Protein Meal Replacements and one diet frozen meal a day). So, I woke up this morning and had a single serv oatmeal & Water and headed to my preop appt. This all happened really fast, and I forgot today was a teacher workshop so I had to take all 3 of my kids with. The nurse YELLED at them during my appt. Yes they were being a bit noisy but she was really out of line. Then my weigh-in. I was up 5 pounds from a month and a half ago. She made me feel really bad. When they first weighed me I had been dieting for a few weeks and drifted off...between that and normal daily flux I was up. 5 pounds. And I didn;t realize I was suppose to diet this whole time. The surgeon just mentioned the 7 day preop diet with 10 pound loss. And this Bariatric Advantage banana tastes like slug slime *cry* I know I can do it though....

Now it's just a matter of insurance approval (hopefully by the end of next week) and scheduling the big day. I'm so excited!

Please consider getting into counseling TOGETHER.

I keep telling my husband I'll just get more flexible as I lose. He's worried he may not find me attractive if I 'get skinny' (a fear we both have)

I have them under my arms too (pits)

I have it and avoid ponytails/updoos because of it :-( I'm not banded yet and want to lose 140-150 pounds, so will let you know. I'm really fair, so mine truly does look "dirty". I also have it under my arms, inner thighs, but most people never see those parts of me ha ha Not sure if this is related at all, but do any of you get little skin tags on your neck? The older and bigger I;ve gotten, I keep growing these little tiny skin tages that are driving me nuts. My guess is it's hormonal?

Can you get state health care? For delivering babies, you cannot be turned away from any hospital maternity center for not having insurance (it's law) so birth would still happen, and you can go to community health clinics for prenatal care.

I have a call in to my surgeon's clinic insurance coordinator. She has all my paperwork except my sleep study results, which were supposed to have been faxed yesterday. So, I got my sleep study results yesterday and am disturbed to admit I am actually GLAD they diagnosed sleep apnea!!! (the diagnosis means an almost for-sure approval from insurance but we can also begin treating the SA). So, if all goes well I'll have insurance approval by the end of next week (even though my BMI is >40 they want a major comorbidity & I'm told SA counts). After that I just need to wait for all our tax documents so I can file and get a refund! (it looks like I'll need about $1500 more up front) Oh and great news, insurance just began approving surgery at the clinic vs the hospital farhter south! :-)

Any word yet? My info should be going to insurance either yesterday or today....so I'm in the final (hopefully) waiting game too. They said I should hear back in about a week.

I'm not banded yet, but according to my pre-op nutritionist your daily diet should look a lot different than what you describe. At each meal, you should have a 4 oz serving of protein first (that's the size of a deck of cards) followed by half a cup of fruit or veggies. You should eat that 3 times a day. Drink as much low-cal or calorie free fluids as you want up until the meal, then do not drink anything during the meal or for an hour afterward. The goal is to fill your pouch with protein and veggies/fruit and keep it full for 4-5 hours (liquid during and an hour after a meal will wash food thru too fast). You should not be snacking. You should avoid carbs. You should avoid liquid calories. So, those protein shakes while adding to your protein intake are calories that will go right thru your stomach and not help you feel full. Skim milk (2 eight ounce glasses a day) is ok. Avoid soft foods as well that will go right thru your pouch. I fyou eat yogrt, for example, add a bit of low-carb/low-cal granola. Tuna salad, add apple bits. Bread, rice/grains, potatoes...you should avoid all of that.

How does the fluid lessen over time (re: fills?) It's a closed system.

If you had a sleep study pre-op, how did it go? My surgeon told me to see my PCP, who would refer me to a pulmonologist, who would referr me for the sleep study. Instead, I saw my PCP who just gave me the # of a sleep study clinic and I booked my own appt (omitting the pulmonologist). Is this weird? The study itself was horrid. I never felt like I slept deeply. The wires all over my head & face drove me nuts, as well as the CO2 detector up my nose. Ergh. I get results on Thursday.

I've told my husband and a few people at work. Once I get approval, I'll tell my mother/father in law. (mostly because we'll need their help with the kids on the day of surgery). My family is very judgemental, so I'm opting to not tell them at this point. During my psych eval, I was AMAZED to be told that it's OKAY to not tell people! That mad eme feel so much better.

so, I haven't gotten to the insurabnce submission step yet (within days)...but the insurance coordinator at the clinic I'm going to has told me that most requests they make for my particular insurance are denied without a comorbidity (either uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or sleep apnea) even with a BMI >50. Isn't the band generally considered medically necessary for a BMI >40 without a comorbidity? While my BP has been creeping up, I'm not on meds and it's certainly not "uncontrolled," and I do not yet have type II diabetes. I went in sunday night for a sleep study but don;t get the results till Thursday. If it shows apnea, it's an almost for certain approval, but if not the clinic will have their lawyer appeal it. She also told me the medical director of my insurance is prejudiced and has been heard making rude "fat" comments. Waiting till Thursday for my sleep study results is killing me

I have his cell number and can call or text him 24/7 with any questions. Can anyone report that same ability to reach their US doctor? Yes, I can do that with my US Surgeon. My US Surgeon has seen many cases come back from Mexico with the port but no band. Please just be sure to do your research with your particular surgeon thoroughly to avoid one who is not top-notch. I'm sure there are both in Mexico (scammers and qualified surgeons).

For sure find a new PCP. Or, ask your PCP for a nutritionist referral then visit your PCP months for 6 months to discuss how your structured/supervised diet is going. At the end they HAVE TO PROVIDE all the records. You don't have to be affiliated with ANY surgeon to proceed with the required supervised diet. At the end of your diet, request records be sent to whatever surgeon you choose. Your PCP legally has to forward any requested records. Even do it in connection with the surgeon HE/SHE works with, but at the end switch surgeons.

Mine was just sitting down and talking. Just be honest. They're wanting to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, and that you're not in a place in life that is too stressful for success. They also want to know about depression (for me she said STAY ON MY MEDS for at least a year past my goal weight. The eval is truly just to make sure you're informed, aware of the difficulty in being successful, and to offer advice so that you can be successful. It's no biggie.

Well, I'm not banded yet but will giv emy 2 cents. :-) I've told one person at work, and my husband. That's it. I'll be telling his family probably after surgery, and my family only time will tell. My family is very judgemental, and I don't need the stress from them over this. I just had my psych eval, nutrition, and MD appt yesterday and was really suprised when the psych nurse tol dme it's OKAY to not tell people (in this case my family). Bringing the topic up to DH was so scary for me. He's never known me "light" and we've really never discussed my weight. I was really terrified, but within 30 seconds of bringing it up I KNEW he was the one person I should be talking to. I could not go thru with it, or any surgery, without him at my side. And the support I'll need form him for the rest of my life...well...I think a spouse/partner it's just critical to discuss it with them. If they are not on board after discussing it, please have them go with to an appointment, talk to the doctor, see a counselor who specializes in this.

Hi everyone! I'm Marcy, a 35-year old mom of three, wife, and nurse. :-) I'm in the process of getting insurance approval, but the clinic I'm going to is going to hold off on submitting a request until I get sleep study results (work up for sleep apnea). I see my PCP on Monday for a referral to a pulmonologist. I passed my psych eval just fine, and also saw my surgeon yesterday for the big consult. So, right now it's a waiting game. I started with a BMI of about 54, am at about 51 now, but my insurance requires a comorbitity regardless. I'm hoping to have the actually surgery no later than about 3 months from now. If insurance denies my first claim, the clinic will send it thru their attorney and he has a pretty tight "win" record, but it takes 4-6 weeks to hear back on the appeal. Word has it the medical director of my insurance plan is "fat-predjudiced" and they're in a run of denials. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all!