Mel34

I have basic fep BC/BS. the only thing is that i had standard last year when i started the process and this year i switched to basic. all my preop test, labs and exams were under my standard plan so i just payed the copay but my surgery was under my basic plan and i had to pay $150 per surgeon (i only had one) and $150 a day for the hospital stay (i stayed 2 days) so i payed $300 there. Total of $450 if you don't count the copays for dr's visits. If you have standard, all you have to pay is your deductible. hope this helps!

Tlmiller, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! I feel much better now!

Thanks everyone for helping me feel normal! Lol! I will be taking it slow and taking all your advice! Tlmiller, please let me know what the doctor says! I would really appreciate it!! My next appointment with him is not until next week.

Congrats!! is that 17 lbs total or from your surgery date? I'm only down 8 lbs from my surgery date and that was a day after yours.

Hey everyone! So like the title says, i'm exactly one week out today and for some reason, i feel like i'm getting too much food/liquid in. Did anyone else feel like that? I can drink and drink all day and i won't get full. My doc said that if i eat/drink too much i would throw up but up til now, i haven't even felt like throwing up. my chest does hurt sometimes when i drink so then i stop. Does that mean that I'm full? Am i stretching my sleeve cuz i don't throw up? is that possible? I'm down 8 lbs but i just feel like i'm eating/drinking too much and that i'm always hungry! is that normal? Am I normal? Since I'm new to the loser's bench, i'm kind of freaking out here. :/

thank you for posting this!!! i'm four days out and still haven't had a bowl movement! i hear and fell everything moving inside but that's it. i know we are only on liquids and jellos, but i would have thought that i would've gone at least a little bit. doc told me to take a stool softener or milk of magnesia about 5 days out of surgery so I'll do that in the next coming days if nothing happens! I just think we are all different and our bodies are going to be different. I've been constipated my whole life so it's not completely different for me. i was just hoping that after this surgery it would get better.

My pillow is my best friend right now! i sneezed for the first time today and oh how it hurt!!!! I'm just afraid that if i press to hard it will hurt more. But i gotta admit, my c-section was waaaaay worse than this!! i just want this to pass already so i can start noticing my weight loss! Ive lost about 6 lbs since my surgery on the 18th, but my stomach is still swollen thanks everyone for your support and ideas!

CS, thanks!! I had a c-section 3 years ago and it was worse than this so yes, i know how it feels. And i'm actually using the stomach band they gave me when i got out of the hospital to hold my stomach up. It looks like a tube top made out of that cloth bandage material. i feel like i'm going through all that again. LOL LIssa and Belle, Thanks for the advice!! i thought i was the only one who felt like this and it was really scaring me!! I hadn't thought about the walmart tanktop yet! great idea! And my nephew actually suggested the weight lifting belt. I think i'm just freaking out cuz i thought i was the only one who felt this "stretching/stinging" from that incision. thank you sooooo much!!!

this is day 4 post surgery. No nausea, headaches or dizziness. BUT... The pain from the incision where they took out my stomach hurts like crazy! I have to literally hold up my stomach when I walk cuz it just feels like that cut is stretching everything and it hurts! Anyone else experiencing this? The gas isn't that bad, so that's good. Still don't regret it!

Like Em, this is day 4 post surgery. No nausea, headaches or dizziness. BUT... The pain from the incision where they took out my stomach hurts like crazy! I have to literally hold up my stomach when I walk cuz it just feels like that cut is stretching everything and it hurts! Anyone else experiencing this? The gas isn't that bad, so that's good. Still don't regret it!

Well I'm sleeved! yesterday was the first day to my new life! Surgery went great! hardly had pain, got up and walked around by 4ish, did that a few more times, eating ice chips and doing well. Today us a different sorry, though! I'm sore and have a hard time taking deep breaths. Can't do the same stuff I was doing yesterday but I was able to eat a small piece of jello. No buyers remorse here! Congrats EM!

Oh, i just got the call! i have to be there at 7a.m.!!! my daughter hates waking up early!! lol Too bad!!! lol

circa, it's a small blanket! sorry if i made it seem like it was a huge one. lol i usually get extremely cold in hospitals and the blankets there suck! lol Em, i forgot about the shampoo!!! lol thanks!! And yes, i have my Kindle ready with a few books i haven't read yet. And i got a romance novel in there somewhere, too! don't know if i'm going to be up to reading anything romantic though! lol

LovePink, first of all, you need to calm down and put things in perspective. The fear of the PCP surgeon not letting you have the surgery because you have gained so much weight should be enough to keep you on that liquid diet. i was going crazy before when i started it the diet, but i'm under control now. By yourself the slimfast/no carb protien shakes and drink 4 of those a day. i've already lost about 5 lbs in one week. that plus Water, sugar free Jello and popsicles is what i'm doing. You can do this!!!! we are all here for you!!! Just keep thinking that they won't operate on you if you don't lose those 10 lbs.

Em, I need to call today after 3 to find out what time I'm going to be scheduled for tomorrow! I've already packed some of my stuff, but i'm trying to figure out if i'm missing something!! Congrats to everyone who got sleeved this month and prayers the ones that are on their way!! TOMORROW IS MY DAY!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!! Can anyone give me any ideas on what i might have to pack that i have missed? So far i have some Gas-X, Vitamins, Calcium, tooth brush/paste,slippers, clothes, pillow and blanket. is that too much?

I really would like some advice on this too!! thank you for posting!!

Smith, I'm glad i'm not the only one feeling like this!! I did the exact same thing with my daughter today, but it was a fry! I didn't realize it until after i swallowed it! I was so upset! my daughter is also asking me why i'm drinking so much chocolate milk. lol. When is your surgery? I'm on the only liquid diet since my surgery is on on wednesday, the 18th. So i'm basically going crazy because i have to be feeding my daughter all these delicious meals and i can't have any!! but i know that one fry won't hurt, but i'm also afraid of how its going to be after surgery. Am i going to have the urge to eat a whole burger just cuz i love the taste? That's scaring the crap out of me!

i'm on my 2nd day of my liquid diet and the only thing i can think abou is food!! 5 more days of this and i'm done!! I'm trying to stay away from the kitchen as much as possible so i'm out and about all day then when i do get home, i go and watch movies in my room, read this blog, play with my kid... anything that will try to keep my mind off of food. and yes, the protien shakes are beginning to suck!!! LOL

firstday, I started my liquid diet yesterday and they want me to drink 4 slimfast/low carb shakes and when i first posted this, i was freaking out and now I'm good!! Thanks to everyones advise and support! I also find it hard to finish all 4 shakes in the day and i usually end up drinking the last 2 about 2 hours apart. I've lost 7 lbs so far and i'm excited about that!! I already preregistered at the hospital and had my final visit with my dr and nut. I'm sooooo excited!! How's everyone else doing?

oh, i thought i was the only one that suffered from that my whole life!!! I hate it but i've learned to live with it. It's a constant battle between my digestive system and me, but i didn't know if it was just my history or this diet. this sucks! i just want to get this overwith already! lol

Did anyone or is anyone currently experience extreme constipation during the pre op diet?? I've been on the low carb diet for two weeks and I start my liquid diet tomorrow and I can't stand this everyday constipation!!! I've taken the laxatives the NUT told me to take but i feel like i'm taking them all the time and i don't want that to mess anything up. Melissa

Joibean, I'm so sorry about your brother and what he is going through but you're right! you have to look out for yourself too! And yes, you might think that you are stealing your brother's thunder/spot light or whatever you want to call it, but your surgery only lasts 2 days and you are doing for your health as well. Both of you are in for a long journey ahead and everyone has to understand that. Keep your head up, girl and don't worry about anything right now. And you're not self-centered or selfish!! I'm getting sleeved on the 18th as well and I can't wait!!! i've never gone under so that's about all i'm freaking out about right now. i have some pair of slacks that haven't fit me for years and that's my goal for now... getting into those! lol I already cleaned out my closet last month and all my skinny clothes is up front. I can't believe this is the last week i'm going to be using all my "fat clothes" and it's great!!!!!! We are all going to do great!!!

deb, try those slim fast shakes. They fall perfectly into that category.

Debs, I feel the same way you do in regards with my fat and skinny personalities. The only time I've been in the hospital was when i had my daughter through c-section so i'm scared of going under and the surgery itself but the feeling of losing all this weight and getting back to my skinny personality over powers that feeling ANY day!! lol Heather, My preop is 2 weeks of no carbs and one week of liquids. i start my liquid diet on Wednesday and that consists of 4 to 5 Slim fast Low carb protien shakes a day. Those have 20 grams of protien and 2 grams of carbs. plus all the water and other allowed liquids i'm suppose to be consuming. The only thing is that i have to have at least one cup of broth a day because of the lack of sodium i will be experiencing. I don't want to be experiencing any cramps at all. But that's it. I can't wait to see my skinny personality again!!!

Em, have you tried the Slim fast LOW CARB shakes? I have to start those on Wednesday. 4 or 5 of those a day are basically my liquid diet. those have 20 grams of protien in them.