iggychic

Don't worry about sugar or calories. You aren't getting enough to matter. I had different complications but I still know what you are going through with your little one. I have a six year old and he had to watch me suffer for a couple of months. He was so sad for me. I will say that I let him "help" me as much as I could stand Stupid things like getting me a cough drop (which you can have hun...as well as warm peppermint tea) or bringing me a towel (if I needed it or not) and I let him tuck me in when he went to bed and give me a kiss since I couldn't do that for him. Obviously I didn't need the help, but he felt good coming home from school and coming up to my room to help me for a few mins, and then again at bed time. I told him mommy had an owie in her tummy and I would get better even though I was so sick, CONSTANTLY. Try letting her get involved...it will ease her mind to feel she's making mommy feel better.

Ask your doc if they routinely do a drain. Many only use it if they are also removing a lap band. I never had one.

I wouldn't wear them but they weren't overly worried about me. They just offer or push them routinely. I actually had a blood clot in my arm from the PICC line but socks wouldn't help that I elected to not take the blood thinners past two days because (FOR ME) the risks were higher from those than from the tiny little clot. I have the clot monitored regularly and without thinners it dissipated and wasn't a problem. I had so many other issues that when the socks would come up with a nurse I'd just wave them off. I was uncomfortable enough without those But you should assess your risks!

There are literally thousands of BCBS plans which differ according to employer specifications as well as state law. If your book is current and it says it's not covered, it's not covered. Mine covers at 40 + BMI with comorbidities. I was lower than that with no comorbidities so I knew I was going to have to be self pay. Self pay in washington was about $20,000 with all of the extras needed. One thing you want to know from your book is that if you do go ahead and do self pay, do they pay for complications from non approved surgery/procedures? Mine will be about half a million total we're thinking (we thought it was half that amount but it's still growing). Our insurance is so far paying even though they didn't cover the surgery, which is incredibly rare. You will want to know this because if they don't cover it and you have a complication....well can you afford half a million dollars??????

I am tempted to pull up all of the posts where you've said why you are doing this my dear You know what you want to accomplish and you know you can do it! Healthy fear isn't a bad thing...I think you'd have to be nuts to be going into any surgery without some nerves....so acknowledge them as fears that are real, but fears you know you've conquered in order to move forward with this big step in your life. Why are you doing this?????? Tell yourself why every time you get overly worried

ask for an anti nausea and a ppo prescription. both will make the first week or two much easier (some docs just do them for everyone, some you have to ask). It's best to have them at home just in case After my second surgery I felt good within 24 hours. Better than I had after the first. You'll have pain meds, don't be a dork...use them as you need them and then from there, just be prepared for rest. The only real pain is typcially gas related (which the above help with as well as gas x strips!) and at your suture lines. When you get out of bed, roll gently verses trying to hop up and some people hold a pillow to their tummy...but that will go away soon and it's not terrible.

It's tough to comment if we don't know what you are eating, how much you have to lose, if you are counting your fats and carbs....you could be losing slowly because you're breaking all of the smart rules, or you could be losing slowly because you never had a huge amount to lose, or your body might just lose slowly. That said...you are LOSING not gaining right?????

I forgot to add...its not a 1% complication rate on this surgery. That's the MORTALITY rate. Complication rates are 3 to 5% depending on the study you read, with those that are in the highest obesity categories thrown out of the study because their risks are so much higher.

Jas I think that the only people who really "Get" what you are saying are those who have walked a mile in your shoes. I am losing weight as well, but I deeply regret having had this surgery. What I put myself through and my family, nearly dying to lose the weight? I think it would be hard to not regret going down that road if you've experienced it first hand.

I get four to six meals out of some restaurants, three out of others. But I'm early in. I think this last meal, or bucket list thing is misguided myself. First of all, later on you can have anything. I plan on an eggnog this holiday season, just not several of them. I do eat rice, but brown rice and just a little, which is a perfect accompaniment to my little meals. The only thing I gave up is white bread and candy and still later I will have a bit if I want, just not the big box . You don't need to stuff yourself prior to surgery. Believe me you will feel full again, just with less food. I enjoy wine again and can't wait for champs at New Years (when I'm allowed to have it again). Making food such a deep focus isn't healthy IMO. Taking control is key if you have a food addiction. If you quit smoking you don't have two packs the day prior to quitting...so why stuff your face before you quit stuffing your face? .

LOL ok do that...but don't tell her I blew her BS story heh heh I wish I didn't know as much as I do, but after all the trying we did to have a baby I learned FAR MORE than I ever thought was possible about pregnancies!

Geeze, just got home LOL It's been a long day. So the bra is a Calvin Klein PERFORMANCE sports bra. Its actually a really good bra, and made me very comfortable (and I was in bed for 45 days so I wore it A LOT!) It's two layers of spandex with a normal back and a racer back on the inside layer and a nice wide elastic on the base. It slips over your head. They come in purple and blue (or that's what my options were at the discount store) but just plan dark colors Honestly I wore them day and night in the hospital for 22 days and was comfortable aside from when I had the tube running through my chest. They don't lift and separate...you won't be picking up sailors in them but you also won't be knocking your knees with your knockers, or taking someone's eye out if you have to run down a hall They are jiggle proof which is nice, even after the surgery! You can throw them in the washer and dryer no prob. I bought large size (I don't see a specific size on the thing) because I thought I'd need the space for the girls. It was perfect, but still if I was bigger around the lower chest area it would have been ok as well. Way better than a cotton sleep bra or something!

Hopefully you got the long winded response

Good. Now go eat a slab of chicken or something hun! Get that Protein UP UP UP

Sorry about the passion hun. I just see "me" in so much of your story. Whatever you do, just be prepared ok?

LOL Sham I'm in the same boat. I have lost half a pound in the last ten days, and it came just on the day I've weighed in....I weighed in again today and it found me again....This is my first stall (11 weeks or so) but still, it's annoying even if I know it's normal LOL

The good thing is guys that your docs are making sure you don't stress your new staple lines with foods that could cause damage. Yes I know that many others don't do that, but after what I went through, being ultra conservative sounds like the best kind of doctor to me!!!!!

The root cause...well at this time it's best not to speak of specifics, but in general, I had internal bleeding during the surgery. The volume of blood was significant and required two blood transfusions. I came out of surgery having full body spasms which lasted over 24 hours. Horribly uncontrollable and painful...I couldn't speak or communicate. It was awful. Then went home to severe weakness and pain which continued for days only to find after multiple hospital and doctor visits that I had a leak that was damaging my esophagus causing fluid to go into the sacks around my lung, which was crushing my lung, leaving me difficulty breathing. Blood clots from PIC lines, a JG tube...it wasn't a fun time And not uncommon. I've read similar stories here more than once. I now have to see if I will have another surgery, and watch for permanent damage to my lungs (you can only put so many needles in them and they tend to protest later). So as I mentioned, multiple life threatening complications in someone who knew she was going to breeze through this surgery. Healthy fear is not a bad thing. It aids in planning for the worst, so that if it does happen to you, you are prepared so others don't suffer.

THe sarcastic me wants to say "So you are asking us to audition to be your buddy?" Gad I wish we could do that in real life LOL But the big hearted softy in me says, nice post, and I wish you the best on your journey my dear. It sounds like you have really put a lot of thought into your path and those who do that are the people who are the most successful. I bet you're going to rock the sleeve hun! Best Wishes!

Thanks And I was going to add...in europe and the UK they start people right out on foods. They also don't rely on protein drinks to meet their goals, so while your doc is different than mine...that's not to say that it's not an ok plan. Just different