Chimera

I was on prednisone last year and in bold was the warning that if one's stool looked like dark coffee grounds to call your physician immediately. I would definitely call.

Wishes - the book that they gave me is called Snoring and sleep Apnea: Sleep Well, Feel Better - here is an Amazon link to it if it is okay to include outside links http://www.amazon.com/Snoring-Sleep-Apnea-Well-Better/dp/1932603263/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309664094&sr=1-1 It has a lot of great information if like myself, are not familiar with slepp apnea and its treatment. I always thought I just liked naps lol. As it turns out sleep apnea can actually be a contributing factor in weight gain - it affects our organs, if we are not getting good rest, enough oxygen - we are slowly killling ourselves - I swear even after one night on the cpap even my aching joints felt better. I have an appointment next week to get my own machine for use at home. I would definitely look into having a sleep study, my insurance (BCBSIL) requires it - folks who have apnea are much likely to have not so great htings happen during surgery.

I asked my nutritionist at the hospital the same thing. I started with a BMI of 54 - she said she was not worried about me losing too much - I think I would have to get under 40 to have any issues with losing too much. I suppose if one does have a lower BMI it may very well be an issue. Like most folks I do well with losing for quite a while - then I burn out and it slowly creeps back on so I am not worried i will lose too much haha.

I am on month 2 of my six months - hoping to finish in mid November, with surgery after the first of the year if all goes well. I am struggling more this month with writing things down religiously, getting all of the Water and Vitamins in (I am taking about 12 different supplements at the moment). I am just trying to look at every day as a fresh start and that I am actively working towards taking better care of myself. I started eating more low carb/more Protein a couple of weeks prior to my first WL appt (may 1st) - to date I am about 21 lbs down - lost a ton at first and now that the water weight is gone the losses are much slower. I also just finished my second sleep study last night - the first night was traumatic being wired up with all of that stuff, the paste in your hair and then trying to sleep. They called and had me back last night - the apnea was not great (I stopped breathing 170 times in 5 hours yikes) so I spent last night with my first cpap - I don't think I have had such a good nights sleep in decades - even with all of the wires The technologist talked to me about the connection between gaining weight and apnea, and gave me a book to read about it all - I have the appt, to discuss the test results in a few weeks - I feel oddly inspired with the diagnosis of the sleep apnea...like wow, finally something that will make me feel better immediately - getting air in my lungs lol I have my 2nd check in in three weeks - so I will be minding my P's and Q's...I need to get my butt off the couch and do some Wii fit.

Not to worry - I've had lots of slips and slides, still do I just had my first official check in for my 6 months of medical WL and it went okay. Sure I could have lost more, but it is all or nothing thinking that got me to 318 lbs in the first place! What has helped me a lot is always having on hand the ingredients for high Protein, low carb meals and Snacks - for me thats chicken breasts (marinated in baja chipotle marinade), eggs, canadian bacon, an arsenal of morningstar farms products, string cheese, etc. I try and write it all down anyway, even if it isnt good. The handouts from my nutritionist want us to shoot for compliance 80-85% of the time - it says right on the page that they do not want or expect perfection. I will take careful progress with normal human slip-ups. I eat something every two hours, even if it is a tiny protein snack. also Water is huge for me - If I do not get all of my water in, I do not lose. When I do drink my water, I am not hungry and I do - go figure the nice thing about the WL program is that I finally feel like I know how I should eat to take good care of myself. I am 46 years old and I am just figuring this out lol.

I have BCBS - I think many insurers have you jump through a lot of hoops. Lets see for me this started in February Seminar Doctor vets insurance - which was nice initial appointment - my doc likes to get as much in as possible on this first big visit: Nurtition counseling, surgical consult, psych eval, EKG. I have to do 6 months of medically supervised WL - I have my first month check in Friday (nervous - of course it is pms week and I want to eat everything in sight lol.) sleep study appt #1 on Friday as well - If I have sleep apnea i spend saturday night as well. Still to come is: the big lab work Arterial blood gases endoscopy Five more months of WL (if I have a loss each month that is) My nutritionist said that if all goes well with the diet program, my last appt will be toward the end of November, that it takes about a month for the approval - so I am looking at just after the first of next year for my surgery. I am envious of folks that seem to get their sleeve so quickly!

Its not so bad - here is hoping the two weeks go by rapidly for you. I did Optifast for four months a few years back, the original program with only the shakes - 16 weeks was a nightmare

I am on six months of medically supervised WL - For me just starting (5'3, 317 start weight) I have been prescribed to eat 5-7 times a day - 1540 calories, 100-120G Protein, 50-100G carbs, 50-60G fats. A minimimum of 64 oz. Water. And first meal of the day - consumed an hour within waking should be 300 cals or under, and 30g of protein - this one can be challenging so I have been having nectar shakes with skim milk. I really do not like the sweet taste, especially in the morning but I figure I will have to get used to it. I am tracking all of my food and exercize in a journal. My doctors and nutritionists have said at every visit that there are no essential carbohydrates - that our bodies easily can fuel our brain with the energy that comes from Proteins and fat stores burning - I too felt foggy at the start from dropping the carbs but I am starting to feel quite a bit sharper. I think I have quite an addiction to those pesky carbs - my body reacts to them like a narcotic!

I am sure everything will go great - I had my first nutrition appointment this morning at 10:00 so my 6 month clock has just begun Wishing you a successful surgery and swift healing!

I've decided to finally stop lurking and post. I am just beginning the long process of WL surgery - last week I had my nutrition, psych, and surgical consultations and an EKG. My six month clock with the medically supervised weight loss begins on Monday the 16th with my first appointment with the program MD. I have my first sleep study apointment next tuesday, and after that I can schedule my labwork, blood gases test, and the dreaded upper endoscopy. Initially I was alarmed when my surgeon told me I qualified for the sleeve, as I had been thinking I would go for the Roux. Now I am 100% on board after researching both surgeries. I have already started food tracking to get in practice for what is to come...like everyone else here I am sure - I have lost and regained hundreds of lbs on programs from Optifast to too many Weight Watchers memberships to count. I am 46, 5'3 with a goal to lose 188.9 lbs - 318.9 to 130. I just wanted to thank everyone for their generosity in sharing their experiences on this forum - I am inspired and happy to be here