susan228

I'm feeling pretty good, waking up was no picnic, I must say, but after about five hours I started feeling markedly better, and have felt a little better every hour since. My biggest complaint was the gas, most of it is out of me now. I'm able to drink my liquid just fine, I never had any nausea at all. No regrets. I'd already lost 13 lbs when they weighed me in at my post op on day 4. So exciting! I tell you, for half the price, I think Jersey City Medical Center would be quickly growing on me, lol. Closer to your home too, right? I'm in Wallington, not too far. 11 grand isn't bad for the convenience and support you'll be getting by staying here. I've heard good stories about Mexico too, and most seem to do great. I hope you're decision comes easy, I'm sure everything will work out just fine! I'll be happy to try to answer any questions I can for you.

Excellent, thank you. I've had no trouble getting down liquids. My doctor said not to stress the protein until next week, same with my chewables, day 8. I guess I just have to tough it out a little, and try to get a few calories in with my clear liquids. I just wanted to make sure panicking was not in order.

They have certainly been pleasant, but I had trouble with my precert coordinator continually dropping the ball on my insurance paperwork. If I didn't stay on top of her, I feel like things wouldn't have gotten completed properly. But I would not let that stop me from recommending Dr Trivedi. He was wonderful. Plus he's got a great aftercare program with access to a nutritionist for life, free of charge. There is also a monthly support group. I can't praise his work enough. I also had a great experience at HUMC, if you have a choice. Their dedicated bariatric staff was really great (Nidia and Iwona in particular). May I ask where you are from? If I personally was choosing between Mexico & Trivedi (& could afford the price difference) I'd pick Trivedi hands down, because of his skill and experience and because sometimes good aftercare can mean the difference between success and failure. Good luck on whatever you choose!

Start weight 265 on August 31st, Friday. I wasn't going to weigh in til next weekend, but they threw me on the scale today at my follow up appointment. Drumroll please.... 252! Really, 252?! Now I understand this is mostly Water weight, but 13 pounds in 4 days is simply exciting any way you look at it! Yay!

It sure is, thanks!

Thanks, everyone! I couldn't wait to share!

Congrats, Friday for me too!

Good luck! You're gonna do great!

Excellent, glad to hear it! I am on day 3 now, not feeling too bad. The first day was def the worst, but it really improved hour by hour. My biggest problem is the gas. Still feeling it a bit. So exciting to be on the other side now, isn't it? A whole new world is ahead of us. Best of luck!

So, how'd it go, Red?

Yeah, I found THAT out already too 8 (

MAJOR TMI ALERT I just passed so much gas for the first time (2 days post op) I feel like a new woman, yaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!

I am on 2 weeks clear liquids, 2 weeks full liquids, then 2 weeks soft food. After that I can slowly incorporate all kinds (within reason of course). I'm now on day 2 of clear liquids, and not feeling too bad.

Congrats! I was sleeved on the 31st also. The first few hours were pretty awful, now not so bad. Clear liquids going down ok, still bloated with gas. How are you feeling?

T minus 12 hours and 13 minutes...

O.T.R. is right. I am a medical biller. This is shady. I would call your insurance company to let them know, then find another doctor. A participating doctor is not supposed to collect a deductible prior to the claim being submitted. Many try to anyway, which isn't that big of a deal if you're going to end up paying for it anyway. But, non refundable, before even an approval? No way. Offices like this count on people not reading the fine print.

And a wake up. Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! Don't know if I'm more scared or excited. Anyone else on Friday Aug 31st??

August 31st here, HUMC , NJ

I'm right there with you, my surgery is Friday *holds hand*

Tryan, I so hope things go just a smoothly for me! It's amazing how some people have a relatively easy time, & others have a terrible time of it. One can only hope...

Hello everyone. I have been lurking for quite some time, drinking up all the wonderful information that is available in this forum. I really think I'd have felt way more lost without all of you. I thank you for that. While I know that every individual person's journey is different, it's quite helpful to absorb the full spectrum of experiences, hoping that the positive ones will become part of my own. So I decided it was finally time to say hello & tell a little about myself, now that the time has come for me to really get down to business. I am 35 (36 in a week or so), currently weighing in at 265ish, 5' 7", large frame. I've been married to the best guy in the world for the last 5 years, & have a 16 year old daughter. And I love animals. My pups are one of the happiest slices of my life. I do medical billing to pay the bills, but hate my current job with a passion. I hope to one day break out of this rat race & fulfill my dream of working with animals in some way. I have always struggled with weight, from around 13 years old on, always a struggle to keep myself at a respectable size. I did pretty well. My weight crept up & up over the years. I was at around 170 lbs when I met my husband. I guess I got complacent & comfortable at that point, because I've gained 95 lbs since then. I stopped keeping a leash on my ravenous eating habits, & let myself go. I struggled to get a hold of it again, with no success. So a couple years ago, (@around 225 lbs), I started to look into the band placement. I went to a WLS seminar, & found that I did not qualify, as my insurance at the time (Aetna) would have required co-morbidities that I did not (yet) have. You see, obesity runs rampant on the maternal side of my family. Both my parents have suffered from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, ect. I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture. I do not want to be this way. I do not want to grow older & wiser just to become sick & be unable to enjoy my life. I did not want to become my mother. So, disappointed, I put the thought on a back shelf in my mind & life went on, as it does. Last July, I had a change in employment; this new job prospect had Oxford insurance, which I knew was easier to get approval for WLS. I had renewed hope that help for my obvious problem would become available to me. So, (now at around 250 lbs) I went to another seminar, different surgeon, with the intention of looking into the band again. My husband came with. This was the first time I had heard of the VSG surgery, the doctor presenting said it was new, but they had been getting "exciting results". I didn't think much of it because, like the bypass, I was afraid of such a drastic change to my anatomy. When we got home, I asked my husband what he thought, & he said that he thought the VSG was suited towards me the best. I mulled it over, & to make a long story just a tad shorter, I went ahead to try to get insurance approval for a VSG. I began hoop jumping. Neither the insurance nor the doctor's office was able to tell me if there was a 6 month supervised diet requirement, So, I got a tentative surgery date for 4/20/12 & went ahead to fullfill all the other pre op requirements. Oxford denied the precert request, missing 6 month supervised diet. *sigh* Ok, new tentative date 8/10/12, nutritionist visits, done. I then received a call in July from the surgeon's office that the doctor had an emergency on 8/10 (really, he knew a month in advance??), rescheduled for 8/31/12. I had to then hound this precert coordinator at the office every other day to send in my appeal with the 6 month diet record. I'm thankful I did, because I'm sure this would have never got done without me doing so. Finally, I am now approved & ready to go. My surgery is Friday morning. I've made my lists, checked them twice, I went shopping this weekend for all my post op supplies, a variety of Clear liquids, Vitamins needed, ect. I'm prepared & ready to go. I feel nervous, excited, but most of all at this point, scared to death. It's impossible to know if this is the right decision to go ahead with this. But I'm doing it anyway. I want to be active in my life, not just have it go by me in a lethargic stupor. I want to look good again. I want to stop being scared, wondering how old I will be when my first heart attack or stroke comes. I want to go on amusement park rides again. I want to stop being embarrassed when I run into old friends. I want to stop avoiding situations where this may happen. I want to be free. So I think that's it. Again, thank you all for your posts & all the knowledge you've given me. Wish me luck on Friday.