jayeedee

I haven't pooped yet... at all. I don't want to though. Did you go on your own or did you take something to help?

So happy to see I'm not the only one who is sitting hear going "what the hell did I do to myself!?" I am tempted to go shopping, but I know I won't make it. I keep getting burps stuck for some reason. It is driving me up the wall how much such a small thing is leading to so much discomfort. And I think my dogs hate me at this point because they can't sit on me.. nevermind the kids! I think I won't be driving for at least a week, but I might have to sit in the car later to get out of the house.

I am still on Clear Liquids. I am surprisingly able to tolerate the Isopure drinks. I also make yogurt at home, so I have yogurt whey which is a good break from all the yucky sweet stuff. Oye. I can't imagine myself ever wanting to eat based on how cumbersome drinking is.. but, shay33, you give me hope! Maybe tomrrow will be better. Or today after another nap.

I had a SILS yesterday at Rex. Apart from the surgeon being a little late, as far as I can tell everything went well AND they didn't have me stay overnight, despite having a CPAP. I was out of surgery and in the car home two hours later.

Now for the next few weeks of liquids and then time to play with Trader Joe's food and my cuisinart.

Oh. My. Goodness. I was not expecting to be this tender. I'm not sure why, but this is a bit much for me. I have a very high pain threshold but a very low discomfort threshold. And while the pain medicine helps with the stabbing pain the discomfort is killing me. I can't help but wonder if the doctor lied to me and it would have been more comfortable to have the 5-6 incision version.

I've not managed to take in any Protein yet. Just liquids. They filled me up with 5 lbs of IV fluids somehow!! As a result I came out of surgery with new stretch marks on my arms. I wish that was a joke. I slept though my medicine dose last night, so I woke up in... yea.. Ugh. I only saw one person on the boards say this was worse than c-section and one person say this was like doing 30,000 crunches... and that is so right.

Everything went as planned, minus the surgeon being 15 minutes late. Even though I have a CPAP machine, I went home two hours after surgery. Everyone laughs at my CPAP because it is set on 5 (4 is the lowest), so they didn't even put me on it. I was thankful for it for the first time last night though. I keep resisting taking deep breaths, because they hurt but I wasn't nervous about sleeping because of the machine.

Anyway, I'm hoping that everything is manageable by tomorrow. No regrets. Its too soon for any of that.

I think I'm going to go back to sleep.

I'm still sticking with it. I've had green Beans one more time. The first shake gave me the runs like no ones business and the first replacement shake gave me a pretty bad rash... shake 3 seems to be working okay though.. thank goodness. Worried about how things will be for the first few weeks post op.

Had my pre-op testing today. Had to step on a scale and get my blood pressure taken and say hi to an anesthesiologist.

Friday, Here I come!

Just had the chocolate metabolic reset and it tastes like chocolate milk!!! It's a bit sweeter than I'd like, so I might add some extra tart nonfat strained yogurt to cut the sweetness, but I kind of want to cry. My life just got so much easier. I have no desire to chug these to get it out of the way. I'm also forcing myself to have the second one as the first one really did keep me full going on 5 hours now.

I spent the summer around 1400-1600 calories a day, exercising an hour a day and lost a whopping 10lbs. After determining pregnancy had totally killed my metabolism as I had feared, I got sick right after the fall semester started. I went to urgent care and my BP was at 167/100. I was freaked out. I have a medical grade BP monitor because it went high when I was in grad school for my MA from birth control, and then on low dose BC with baby #2. I monitored it between that appt and the appt my PCP. The day before my PCP appointment I'd managed to get it to about 150/93. I decided that night that I would speak to my PCP about it, and if she said it seemed like a good idea, I'd go for it. I spoke to my best friend and my husband about the plan... and in less than a week I'll be banded. I've managed to bring my BP down a little bit, because it was so high they said I couldn't get surgery because they wouldn't be able to put me to sleep! but it was at 135/104 my last appointment so... hopefully this week with the liver shrinking diet it'll go down or I'll be sol.

Went to whole foods right after I woke up. I grabbed one of the Jay Robb chocolates cansiters and some clear mixing fibre to add, as that was missing. I also grabbed some metabolic reset by natures way, as this was the closest to the one the doc prescribed me (they prescribe one you can only buy in their office, bleh). I've tried the metabolic reset and it is actually yummy. And I'm not sick so far!! I highly suggest it. I've tried the vanilla so far. Will try the chocolate later. They also have a strawberry flavored with real strawberries that I've ordered online.

I believe that there are other ones with that sweetener. I know that I tried a new shake and had horrible diarrea within minutes!!! It was actually just yesterday! I am going to change mine too. I would say not to stick with it if it is making you sick. I would check with your GNC store if you have one or a place where they sell Vitamins and shakes. Call them and see what they say. I know they have a return policy if you can't deal with it. Some even have samples. Good luck!

I'm sorry you had a rough experience with the Protein shakes too! (though a little happy to see it isn't just me). I hope you've found one that works for you too.

Wow, sorry to hear about you having this kind of problem. I believe what you are experience is something we in the medical field refer to as dumping. While it sounds literal, it's a condition where your body has a major sensitivity to high concentrations of sugars and causes an instant ramping of bowel motility. The small bowel goes into overdrive and the large bowel experiences some colic. The end result is the squirts unfortunately.

Sucralose shouldn't cause dumping though, should it?

try whey Protein shakes by Jay Robb, no sucralose. they have many flavors too.

GNC, Vitamin Shoppe have them

Godsend and lifesaver. I will go out and get some tomorrow!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

today is my second day on the pre-op diet. I am on 4 Protein shakes a day. I am not big on sweet things. I can't eat a lot of sugar without getting sick, meaning when my husband wants to go to waffle house, if I eat I'm in the bathroom halfway through the meal with the runs. I also don't do well with artificial sweetners. They make me sick to my stomach and I don't like the taste so I try to avoid them. I figured I'd have to suck it up for this, and I am. Except my shakes are sweetned with sucralose... my least favorite.. .and apparently my body is not dealing to well with it. I have the worse runs I've ever had in my life. I'm talking less than 15 seconds from stomach cramp to coming out the other end. I have a headache, and I'm sweaty and I'm nauseous. I don't think it is the Protein, because I do Protein Shakes fairly regularly... just ones that are actually sweetned. I'm worried about getting through the rest of the week, and also the first week post op. Since everything is sweetned with sucralose, I'm not sure what to do. I am debating cancelling all the orders I made online for the post op drinks because they are all sweetned with sucralose.

Anyone else have this problem? Should I suck it up or call my doc? are there any drinks that aren't artificially sweetned or maybe sweetned with stevia that I can switch to?

back to the bathroom!!! agh.

I purchased a ton of yucky Protein stuff online. They said I needed clear Protein for the week after, and all of it was SOOOO EXPENSIVE!! I am desperately waiting for full liquids.

I also finally purchased a real food processor, so I can make good mushies. That one I am happy about.

Surgery is officially 1 week away!! After all the fiascos, they rushed the last part of the process for me, and also kept me out of the waiting room with the other patients getting ready for surgery (I'm telling myself it was because they are scared I would make a stink).

I think I'm done with pre-surgery shopping. The protein and the food processor were my big purchases. What are yours?

I'm trying. I gave in tonight though and had a handful of steamed organic string beans... like 5. I hate sweet stuff and had to get the shake taste out of my mouth for fear of vomiting :/ I think Clear Liquids will be easier. My doctor's office only lets us use one shake that you can only buy at their office for the liver shrinking diet. I am wondering if I should call tomorrow about the string beans... *sigh*

I had a pretty... what is the best word. Not so good relationship with my doctor's office staff while I was going through my pre-approval tests. They told me a bunch of half truths along the way and the date kept pushing back the date and adding additional appointments and tests and not giving me explanations or reasons why, which caused a lot of schedule hiccups. I finally went to my last pre-op appointment and they apparently held a day for me a week from now instead of doing the two weeks away scheduling... they also rushed me out of the office after we did the group signing of legal documents, which was awesome, because it meant less wait time, but also funny.

Anyway, I found out today I have one week of the liver shrinking diet, and since it is only 1 week I don't get a meal at the end of the day, which makes me a little sad, because artificial sweetners make me want to gag. We have to do what we have to do though. Anyone else on Protein Shakes only right now leading up to surgery? I bought a plain one at the office thinking I could doctor it up with something salty but it is too gross for that so I ended up adding a 15 calorie stevia sweetned drink mix and a dollop of homemade unsweetned strained yogurt instead of skim milk.

I was totally expecting a two week wait, so one week seems like no time at all... yick on these shakes though.

what all happens during the pre-op testing? I'm not getting mine until 2 days before surgery on the 11^th (surgery on the 13^th).

Hi, Checking in from Chapel Hill. Will probaly be banded later this month at Rex, Raleigh.

When I went in for my first pre-op visits in October, I told them straight up that there are 2.5 weeks in December when I can have the surgery. They assured me that wouldn't be a problem. In fact, they wouldn't be surprised if it didn't happen sooner. I had everything required for insurance right away, was able to get all my necessary appointments within 1 week of that appointment. They had all the results the next week. The results were in and everything just needed to be submitted to insurance, which they delayed saying a sleep study was required by insurance... which was not true. I had them submit and scheduled a sleep study, despite not having any sleep problems. Insurance approved. Sleep study results came back showing I have no sleep problems what so ever... Despite them having access to the sleep study they didn't pull the results. They sent me an email saying we couldn't discuss scheduling until they had them.

I told them where they were and if they were unable to pull them to let me know how they need them sent over. They wrote me an email saying they were able to pull the sleep study, but, despite having no recorded sleep problems, because they did not put me on the CPAP they are refusing the results of the study and I have to go in and get another one. I am a doctoral student who also has to teach. I had everything worked out to work with the time my final papers are due, winter break and the time period before class start for Spring semester with 1-2 weeks recovery time... and now this is all shot.. .and I'm going to have to pay for another sleep study. We had money budgeted to take care of all the out of pocket stuffs but this was totally not in the budget. I am sort of at a loss for what to do. I got everything they wanted and every time I do what they tell me to do rather than moving forward, they find something else. I've never dealt with a doctor's office like this before.

Despite not having the sleep study completed and submitted to insurance, I was approved for lapband surgery. Go me.

The sleep study also said I have no sleep problems. So yay and boo for that. While it is nice knowing that I was right about being fine, and to have it confirmed by medical science, I am not looking forward to the portion of the study I will have to pay for out of pocket.

Now to get a surgery date, hopefully this month as I have time off! Good luck to everyone else.

Also, out of curiosity, how long was your wait between approval and surgery?

totally approved.

Booo!! I was very reluctant to get my sleep study, because it felt like one more thing they were trying to bill to insurance. I too have never really snored and have no sleep problems other than being a fatigued person, but I've been that my whole life, even before I was obese. I went though, just in case, and my biggest fear was them telling me something was actually wrong. Luckily I got the clear, but I was anxious the night before and couldn't even sleep.

I'm sorry that you didn't get the clear you were hoping for. Hopefully the surgery will clear up the problem and it isn't so severe you'll need intervention before then *fingers crossed*

I met all the insurance requirements, did all the pre-reqs, and was forced into a sleep study by my doctor. Oye. I think it is that it has to go in for approval and it takes time. It makes me think that even though I did everything I was supposed to do, they still have the freedom to say no. And then there is the waiting for the letter in the mail part. I wish they could approve via the site and notify of a decision via email. Ah well.

Must work on my patience.

I meet all the requirements for my insurance, Anthem of CA. I have BMI 42, 4 comorbities, clearance from all the pre-approval appointments etc. I was submitted to insurance for pre-approval early next week. I'm trying to stay... realistic about all of this. So I was just wondering if anyone has ever been denied by insurance despite meeting all the requirements?

I am no good at waiting on things that have short timelines!! this 5-10 days is killing me.

Finally got them to submit! sleep study is tomorrow night. Insurance posted the out of pocket costs for testing. Ouch. Still coming in on the budget out set out for all of this though as long as insurance approved. I should know in two weeks, and I will be super busy between now and then so.

Thank you all for your input up to this point!

Is he from a Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery ?

You might want to check the Ins. Like I said, because,

they could require a COE only ! You need to find out.

From a center of excellence and he has performed the most lapband surgeries in the area and apparently the most single incision lap band surgeries in the country at this point. Everything is good except for this weird reluctance to submit. We'll see what happens next week. Hopefully they will submit Monday are Tuesday since I told them to go ahead and do it EOB on Friday.

trying to figure out what the doc office is thinking? why do they seem so reluctant? i know my insurance wanted a patient to be at 40 BMI or more.

so you will not know if they reject if it is not submitted, obviously it should be submitted. at least then you will be able to ask "Why?"

Me too regarding the reluctance. That is what is driving me crazy and making me question if I should look for another office. The doctor is the only one in the area that does the single incision though, so I was hoping this would work out. It all seems very... off putting and that is not a good way to go in to surgery with someone :/ Just worried it might be more hassle than it is worth to switch surgeons at this point.

And I meet all the insurance requirements. It is 35 BMI with two comorbidities or a BMI over 40. I've completed all the requirements to submit as well. Hopefully they will submit early next week.