MinaT

Kat, I'm so sorry you were denied the first time. I would travel to all my docs, get supporting documentation, have surgeon fax it with the appeal. Give it a day then call. I heard if you follow up with calls, it helps. Did you call BCBSIL yourself or were you told by the surgeon? How long did it take them to deny it? Yikes, now I'm getting more nervous. They just put mine in Friday. I have sleep apnea, I'm victoza shots for diabetes, etc. I hope they got everything right. I'm worried because I have been diagnosed with Lupus and a few weeks ago I had to go to the hospital for pleurisy. I wish you the best of luck. Please let me know when your approval comes through!

I'm sorry you are struggling right now. You had a LOT going on, so you need to remember that you made it through some really dark days with all those complications. I think you should be so proud of all you have accomplished so far. Give your body time to heal. My Fitness Pal is an awesome tool, however, as Writergirl states, the goals they set are for someone that's on a traditional diet. Use MFP as a tool to easily keep track of what you eat, see your carb & protein and calorie intake. I have used MFP faithfully for six months, but followed the guidelines by my doctor which was 40-75 carbs, 80 protein, and 800-1000 calories, 64 ounces of a water, and I have lost about 10 a month during the pre-diet phase before surgery. MFP suggests I eat close to 1,3000 calories, 145 grams of carbs, and 45 grams of protein a day. It recommends even higher when I add my exercise to the day. If I followed MFP guidelines I would gain weight, so it always says I am eating too few calories, which is fine. Using it as a tool to keep track of everything is what it's there for, and it works great for me, I just don't follow their recommendations. I hope someone can help you figure out what kinds of foods will help you get your protein in if you are having a hard time eating. I read somewhere on these forums there is a place called unjury.com and they have a very good flavoried chicken broth. I was thinking of trying that and perhaps cooking it and adding an egg to it to make egg drop soup, to help push my proteins when the time comes. I'll keep you in my prayers. Good Luck.

Do you have BCBSIL?

Hey, you already know what the issues are, you eat fast and don't stop when full and y ou end up getting sick. That's a huge step just admitting that is what you are doing. Best suggestion I have is to start back to the beginning, try a websight like http://myfitnesspal.com to start documenting your Water intake, your protein/carbs and Caloric intake. It's such an easy site to navagate. Go high protien, low carb (remembering that the carbs, calories, etc. t suggest will be much higher) than someone who had the sleeve. By reverting back to high Protein, low carb it will start shrinking your stomach, remember chew your food thoroughly 20 times each. Drink something hot, like broth or hot tea about 1/2 hour 45 minutes for you eat. Get your day started right with something like Pure Protein 100% whey Protein shakes (has 25gm of protein). Try it with skim milk and some ice cube and you'll find it's tasty and filling and inexpensive and you can buy a big jug at places like Target. You can turn this around, with the support of people here. I'm sure others have had the same experience as you. Good luck and keep in touch. You went through all the hard work before, it's a little set-back, but you are still and of course you can come here for some encouragement. Coughing and choking when you overeat is no fun and I'm sorry. Don't forget to try to take in 10,000 steps a day, make sure you are taking in enough Vitamins, especially B's to help with your energy.

Will say a prayer and I am wishing you the best of luck, quick healing and a successful and painless surgery! Congrats and good luck to you!

Oh my gosh, you are all giving me such high hopes. I had my appointment with surgeon yesterday and he said he'll dictate the letter and I was told by the insurance coordinator she will try to get it out to BCBSIL tomorrow. I am not sure how long to wait to contact them. I will need to attend 4 hours worth of nutritional and nursing classes held on Wednesdays, as well as have an upper GI, EKG and blood work and also do 2 week liquid diet before surgery, so I'm hoping to have the surgery before June, so I don't miss out on swimming this summer. Good luck everyone and I'll let you know when I hear.

Seems everyone is different, I would highly suggest calling the office and getting what your particular surgeon expects from you. good luck!!!!

I'm going with sleeve over gastric bypass for all the reasons that PDxMan came up with, also I have a problem with adhesions and serious scar tissue. I get diverticulitis and have been known to develop polyps. I also have Lupus. I need all the nutrients I can get, and I can't afford to lose any intestines and I want less issues with adhesions related to my intestines. With Lupus there is greater issues with the pancreas and the kidneya and there's the lovely issues with hair loss. For someone like me, sleeve is a safer surgery. I realize that I may lose "quicker" with gastric bypass" but this diet is for life, and I'm not looking for the "quick" weight loss, I'm looking for the healthiest and the most permanent weight loss. If you go back to eating the way you used to, you are going to gain weight with gastric bypass or the sleeve, for me sleeve is the safest option.

Fruits are solid food and high in carbohydrates. To shrink the liver, they are expecting you not to add things like fruits or peanut butter, or anything added to to the shake. I use the Magic Bullet and I add ice to it and it makes it much tastier. I would suggest not adding fruits to the diet though, it defeats the purpose. Skim milk may be fine, again ask your nutritionist, make a quick phone call, it will be worth it in the end. Good Luck.

I read that the first week is usually hard because the IV pushes so many fluids in you and you have more water retention after the first week and there is extra bloating due to the gas in the tummy. Lack of food also can have lack of bm's. I hope your doctor explains this to you and you are proud of your 10 pounds.

I had my consult with surgeon yesterday and he said he will dictate my letter and they will get it to BCBSIL by Friday (tomorrow). I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I was told it could take 4-6 weeks for approval and I keep reading how people are receiving approvals from 2 days to a week. I hope I will be as lucky. I will most likely call bcbsil next week to see if I could push it along. I have done so well the past six months, following a low carb diet, using http://myfitnesspal.com to track my foods, my Water intake, my exercise. I have spent 6 months drinking Pure Protein whey Protein shakes for breaksfast to get used to high protein shakes for me 2 week pre-op. Unfortunately, I found out I have Lupus, and I was even taken to the hospital for a bought of pleurisy due to the Lupus and now I'm terrified my insurance company will deny me because I have an auto-immune disease. I went from 299-245 during the past 6 months and I have felt so good, except of course the Lupus & pleurisy. Good Luck to everyone.

I would try the Pure Protein 100% whey protein (you can buy big jugs of them at Target) it has 25 grams of protein. For energy try Lifewater B-Energy or VitaWater with the Highest Vitamin B contents. The vitamin B's will help keep your energy up, it has zero calories though it has 4 grams of carbohydrates. I'm waiting for bcbsil to approve surgery and I have to do 2 week pre-op liquid diet. I have been on Pure Protein 100% Whey protein for breakfast for the past 6 months, I keep my carbs at between 40-75 a day and I went from 299-245 during this six months. I plan on starting megavitamins this week to build up my vitamins. I have Lupus and I get sick very easily. Having surgery is a scary step, but doing whatever it takes to make it successful and never having to put yourself there again is a what it's about. Good Luck to you.