Matt Z

This is exactly what you DON'T want to use. Caffeine AND NSAIDs.... that's a double no no. One of the pre-op checks I had, I was asked if I used NSAIDs in the last month or so... I hadn't, but they said if there was usage, that the surgery *might* get postponed due to the NSAID usage. Don't take anything you know is prohibited after surgery, so close to your surgery without discussing with your surgical team.

Biggest tip. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FOR POST OP!!! Odds are, your tastes for things will change, might be temporary (I had that happen) might be forever (lots of folks state their taste for things drastically changed). Best not to stock up and then not like them anymore. Also, pay attention to protein types... Concentrate is going to be pretty high in lactose, since it's pretty much JUST concentrated Milk. Isolate strips out most, if not all, lactose. LOTS of folks have issues with lactose post op. Again, some are temp, some are perm. My wife wanted to buy things before hand, and I told her not to and explained why. She did it anyway. So much stuff got wasted.

Did it show up more recently? IE was it not there for the last 10 months?

Treatments or not, if those conditions are listed on your charts, and are listed when your doctor submits for approval, those are absolutely co-morbidities. The thing with insurance is, you don't know unless you try. Someone making statements without putting the paperwork through are only guessing. And even then, if you *DO* happen to get denied, you are allowed to appeal. It's all in how the paperwork is processed. If they don't bother to list Pre-diabetic and Sleep Apnea... then sure... but they *SHOULD* be putting that into the request for authorization.

Very weird, did they give you a specific reason? I'm curious if your situation is different in some way, shape or form that would support that very bizarre timeline for sit ups.

I don't see why not. My vitamin D pills are gel caps about the same size and I've no issue with them. I don't see why putting a pinhole in the liquid gel cap would be problematic. It's not a delayed release situation. My 2 cents. Not a doctor, don't play one on tv and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night... lol

The lawsuit is not by the person Alex quoted, nor is it about the types of proteins included, it's about the fact that, from testing, the product *did not contain the advertised 30 grams of protein* regardless of the type, there was not 30 grams of protein in the product. So it's a false advertising issue not a protein type issue. I use casein protein as well as whey myself, just wanted to highlight that the real reason for this lawsuit isn't protein types or absorption rates, it's about the product not containing the amounts that are listed on the package itself.

I second the MyFitnessPal app for those challenges.

Personal preference, all will fit in your pouch. I've heard mention of avoiding gel caps as they can get "stuck" along the way when the shell starts to dissolve and gets sticky, but I haven't seen anything official on that part. Gels should release faster / higher up in the intestinal tract with the water you'd drink to take one, the red coated ones would have to wait until the stomach acids are introduced before they started to properly dissolve.

Is the site warm to the touch? If so... get in to your doctor ASAP!

I had dumping once. I've had a lot of uncomfortable moments because I ate a food I knew I shouldn't... but just the 1 instance of real dumping syndrome. To be honest... I wish it happened, the whole idea of having a negative feedback for the foods I shouldn't be eating was a good thing. Now, there is nothing stopping me from eating them except my own will power.

Be careful with the carbonation... it's a big no no typically. Congrats!

You can thank Tom Green for that one LOL

This is absurd... I was cleared for *ALL* exercises before the 2 month mark... sit ups included. I've also done plenty of weighted crunches, suspended leg lifts etc etc etc. Did you have full open surgery or laparoscopic?

There are places that will do all of them at once, most will advise that they will plan on doing them all, but how you do in surgery would dictate if they actually do all 3 at once. You see a *LOT* of "all in 1" surgeries with those getting plastics in Mexico.

Sounds like a hernia, is it anywhere near any of your incisions? Even if it's not... get in to see a doctor before things get worse!

WLS is a tool. It's 100% up to you to work with it. If you don't have any motivation, you need to look somewhere else, it's not the WLS causing that. If your eating is out of control... reign that crap in, only you can do that. You've got 2 options. Do what you need to... or don't. It's your call. No one here is going to do it for you. Your WLS won't do it for you. You have to look yourself in the mirror and decide that you are no longer going to allow yourself to keep ignoring what needs to be done. Start over. Restart your Pre-op diet and follow it to the letter, pretend in you didn't have the surgery and are going to get it... start your pre-op, then fast the day of "surgery", then start working through your post-op diet. This will get you back into the swing of things and will "reset" your pouch/sleeve a bit. You have to be the one to make this work. So, make the decision to do it.

For me, I just get this "no longer interested" feeling... way more mental than physical. If you are chewing well and you are still vomiting on soft foods, please go talk to your surgeon, it's possible you have a stricture or other obstruction that might need to be attended to.

Find alternatives that fit your diet and aren't super horrible for you. Like fruits for instance. I'm all about the "swaps" what item can you substituent for that craving that will satisfy the craving yet fall into your diet. This way you don't feel like you are missing out on anything because those cravings are all taken care of.

I took 2 months with my Band... and with my Revision to Bypass. Post op was easy for each surgery, but my reasoning wasn't just for the potential movement or energy issues, it was more for taking the time to relearn what I can and can't eat. And I'm super glad I did, I had issues with some foods early on that, if I wasn't home... would have been very uncomfortable to deal with at work/in public.

Looking Good Camellia Sinensis!

There will still be people that defend it..l just like GenePro after that lawsuit.

The before eating I find to be bunk, the idea is that water pooled in your pouch/sleeve might help slide food through, the after is purely to avoid sliding the food through, both also are to help prevent food expansion from absorbing the water. I don't follow the before hand waiting, but I do the post eating if at all possible.

I smoke when I want to... like this past weekend I went camping and had 3 or 4 of them over the course of 2 days.. Zero issues.

My opinion on the matter, I took control of the narrative, anyone that asks me about my weight loss, I tell them the whole ordeal, this way, no one gets to make stuff up, everyone gets the same information. Skin issues are going to be very personal. Factors like age, how long you've been overweight, how heavy you've gotten etc etc etc. I hit 370 at one point, I'm down to 215 today, I've got some sagging skin, but it's not a major deal and hides under my clothing with ease. Positives, are many, so so many things are way easier now than when I was heavy. Not sure what surgery you are looking at getting, I was banded in 2011, lost a bit, then didn't... converted from Band to Bypass this past March and I'm down 94+ lbs since March 2nd... Could.Not.Be.Happier.