MeMeMEEE

Where did you find capsules? Brand?

The referal implied you each had to order and then you got the $10? Because that would be like 4 orders just to get $20 free??

To me it would be the same as saying I love my new tummy. It is an object to me, it is what is left of my stomach, a sleeve of what it was, if that makes sense. That being said I don't refer to it that way myself! LOL

You definitely need to try to get your fluids in - as close to 64 oz as you can, even sipping when you wake during the night. Have you tried many warm liquids? Warm tea, broth, sf apple cider packets all went down much better for me than cold liquids, even now they do. I could do unflavored protein mixed in with sf hot chocolate much easier than a full blown shake. Try you best to get in protein as well - your body needs it to heal!!! Also, if your pills are small, you shouldn't have to crush them. I was taking mine whole (PPI and a migraine med) right out of the hospital. I was also told I could take Tylenol whole.

Thinking of you and sending prayers your way! The J-tube is a blessing for now, that you can get those fluids in some way is great, but trust me I do understand wanting it out! I am finally hoping to get mine out Tuesday! But they are uncomfortable and make you feel confined to your home. Do you have a machine to push fluids or do you just bolus them? I had a machine and could only bolus Water and meds. Do they have you taking some amount regularly through you tube or are they mosly wanting you to eat/drink?

Darn, must have been just for yesterday I opened an account and no email. They have a refer a friend where you each get $10 off your second order..

Just had my daughter pick another one up for me - they are $6.88 at our wal-mart. Could of swore it was more like $4.68

I was 9 weeks out when my abscess was discovered and 3 months when my leak was discovered. Check with your Dr for sure. I had the left side pain but they never confirmed it as a symptom. Left shoulder (they kept saying chest) pain was my only noticable symptom.

I'm sad to see that she won't need to go through the insurance process or the major process required by most Dr's in the USA. Seeing a psych, nutritionist, physical therapist and UNDERSTANDING everything that will be required of you when you go through with the surgery. Maybe you can talk with her about doing that on her own, seeing some of those same people. Can you talk to her friend's husband, the surgeon? Maybe he can make some suggestions as well. It may be different to him as it is a friend of his wife, maybe he can help you and her both. This isn't a decision to go in to lightly, it is a very serious life altering step. I went in to it knowing I had done all the research, had 6 months of medically supervised weight loss behind me, my primary Dr as well as the whole surgeon's office and team behind me in it.

I have a blender bottle from wal-mart it has a little wisk sort of ball inside and is great. I think they run about $5 or so. They are called Blender Bottle. You can see them by doing a google search - I can't figure out how to add a picture.

What I am hearing here is that you are scared for her and also for yourself if something should happen to her. Have you told her this? I believe this is how my husband felt as he told me repeatedly how I was wanting this elective surgery and how extreme it was, etc. To bring the elective part in to perspective, I have had many other surgeries in my life - I was born cross-eyed and had my first surgery for that at about 18 months. I had about 4-5 through the years. I had tubes in my ears. 2 c-sections. My tubes tied. Every one of those surgeries could be considered elective or cosmetic in the case of the eye surgeries. Surgery was nothing new to me and I just KNEW that everything would go smooth. Everything did not go smooth for me. I was exhausted from about 2 weeks out and at 9 weeks an abscess was discovered and at 3 months a leak. I spent around a month in the hospital then as well as had a feeding tube. It was very scary. This is when it became evident to me that this was exactly why my husband didn't want me to have the surgery. This is what he was scared of. We got through this but I did question myself on why I had surgery a million times. I am healed now and basically back to as if I was 5 weeks out from surgery. Complications are rare but if that is what has you worried let her know. But don't only look at the bad. Her health will be improved and her energy as well. Do her family members have diabetes, heart disease and those sorts of things? Will the surgery help her avoid these things for herself? Also let me say I made goal and lost 75 lbs on weight watchers in 2004 but slowly gained that back plus another 35 lbs. I knew I could lose on my own but my issue is keeping it off. The restriction the sleeve provides is what I need to help me, it is a tool. Would it be possible for you to talk to her Dr about your concerns again? That may help you both. Best to you both.

Places on International Drive can be very cheap and most have a shuttle, usually around $40 a night I think.

Yes you can set your goals - click on goals and at the bottom change goals, then custom and you can adjust it there. I use decimals also as for if I eat a 1/4 cup and normal serving is 1/2 cup I just do .5 also.

I had a great week! So glad I get to see the number dropping again! Down 3.6 lbs this week to 160.8

WOOOOHOOOO! I am so glad to hear this!!!

Oh I am sending lots of prayers! Hang in there! KNOW that many people will try and say you did this to yourself, etc but that isn't the case! I know you have been taking care of yourself - these things happen, possibly was there from the beginning and the symptoms just took a while. Feel free to message me if you need to vent. I had no idea that yellow bile was a symptom of a leak - guess I had that one! No one seemed too concerned about it at the time. Ugh. I didn't have a stent, he did talk about it some, I think that was going to be the next step when I finally had a good upper GI showing my leak was healed. I wasn't offered the bypass - LOL honestly probably would have jumped on it at that point I was so freaked out. Glad they didn't give me the option. I probably would have went nuts with a roommate at that point. I highly recommend checking the difference in semi-private and private rooms - it cost me $180 for a week out of pocket my first stay, 2nd stay apparently I was sick enough to justify it and they paid 100% for private. (((((HUGS))))

Glad you see your Dr today. Keep us posted. ((Hugs))

Pookey - have you spoken to your doctor now that you are home? I also had a left side pain but it was very intermitent and never said to be a leak symptom - it was worse than the shoulder pain when it did come, hard to stand up straight and move at all. I don't know what it was, haven't had it since my abscess was drained - suppose it could have be related? No idea.

I am back on the losing side! I got the ok to go off my feeding tube Tuesday and also my drain taken out! YAY! I have lost a few lbs this week and am down to 164.4, just a smidge higher than my lowest weight at the beginning of December! I have about 40 lbs to goal, a little more than half way there. Ready to be back to normal and exercise!

I would say at least 5 weeks before I could have veggies. I would ask your nutritionist.

My first upper GI came back fine as well but I had an abscess confirmed by the CT. My second upper GI had to be done while I was laying down because I got light headed - and when I rolled to my left side, they saw my leak - it NEVER showed when standing up! They told me it wasn't standard to do one laying down so if they haven't done one laying down, ask for it! There is someone else here on the boards who had the same thing happen - it only showed when laying down. Also? I never had a fever or was sick from it. Left shoulder pain was my only symptom.

I would watch the calories - 200 plus 90 for your milk - almost 300 calories a shake. That's ok early out when you can't get in many calories but later could really put you over the top. It also looks like it is a protein compound that includes whey isolate but also others so not sure how much is the whey isolate. Best advice - take it to your nutritionist and ask them to review it with you!

Where is the pain you are experiencing? I had severe left shoulder pain but it didn't start out severe. It came and went for a good month or 6 weeks before it got unbearable. I never vomitted or had a fever. I had a leak. It was discovered at 9 weeks out - I had complained to my Dr's about the shoulder pain for a good month. They said it was acid reflux. NOT.

They told me it was acid reflux for a good month - the leak was discovered by fluke when I had a CT scan of my chest for a hematologist due to a funky Iron lab. My abscess showed in the CT. Keep on them if the OTC doesn't help!

there is a CPT code you can ask them to check 43775 they should be able to tell you if it is exculded