flmama

And fwiw, my pre-surgery scan of my gb was clear...No sludge or stones at all (which is why my surgeon left it alone). Here I am, 3.5 months later and having attacks 2-3 days a week of increasing severity...ultrasound shows sludge and stones. Hida scan didn't even show my gallbladder at the end of the hour, so I had to come back for more pictures...which means it's not working the way it should. I even have attacks on days where I been been so afraid to eat, I just have fruits and veggies. For some people only fats and dairy is a trigger. Others are bothered by acid. Everything bothers me since mine just doesn't seem to want to work!

Thank you! My husband's gallbladder was almost as bad as yours was, many years ago, so I knew going into this that I wasn't facing quite the same he was. And they still managed to do his laparascopically. It took a lot longer, but still they avoided fully opening him up. I appreciate your feedback...I was second guessing myself and wondering if I was being a ninny about this. You definitely helped me!

I'm flmama80 on MFP!

I'm the same way...rarely go to the doctor, no comorbids. But I do get my annual well visit each year and the surgeon said those were just fine to use for my weights! Even better because they were at about the same time each year.

Have any of you ever tried acupuncture or tai chi or breathing / relaxation techniques? I hated the hangover from meds, so i looked into other alternatives and they work better for me. If i start getting into a really bad insomnia cycle that i can't break, acu works wonders. Generally 1-2 sessions and i am sleeping like a baby again. Otherwise i can generally do some meditation/visualization while laying in bed to use my mind to physically relax certain parts of my body and focusing on my breathing. Im usually out within 15-20 minutes.

Im not sleeved yet, but i used to be a big fan of juicing. My nutritionist said to throw that machine away. It is basically giving you all of the carbs (sugar) from the fruits and veggies, without any of the beneficial Fiber that normally offsets the carbs and makes them healthy. Yes, you are getting concentrated amounts of Vitamins but if you take a multi, you dont need them. My nut is a huge fan of a real / whole food diet (eg getting off the processed and packaged Protein stuff asap), but not juicing. You would be better off measuring out some power house fruits and veggies and making a green monster smoothie...with or without Protein powder or greek yogurt. You would get the benefit of the fiber, which would offset some carbs. Most people stall when their carb counts are even moderate and fiber intake is low. Combine that with not enough Water and a "maintenance" level calorie count and there you go. I hope you get some answers soon!

Yes, sorry! Premier Protein! Sorry...I have a toddler hanging off of me. It's all I can do to put a coherent though together.

There are lots of links in my signature, but I thought I would start a post here if anyone is interested in reading. One of the biggest side effects of chewing and spitting (outside of weight gain), are stomach ulcers. When you salivate (which starts breaking down food in your mouth), it triggers your stomach to begin producing digestive juices in anticipation of the food that you are about to swallow. When you spit that food out, your tummy doesn't know that. So you're left with an empty tummy pumping out digestive juices. This is how ulcers form. Why would you want to do that to your teeny tiny tummy? They don't have anything to cut out anymore if you develop ulcers, you've already lost 85% of your stomach! You're also doing damage to your teeth, because the saliva that starts breaking down the food is very acidic. And more people report weight gain than weight loss going this route. Plus, you're just trading one addiction for another and going down a very slippery slope. You can find healthy alternatives to whatever it is you're craving and feel you need to chew and spit for. If you want something crunchy, Protein for a vegetable) and you can bake it into kale chips which are fantastic. They crunch and melt in your mouth! Please post here and let members help you find something to eat that is safe for your tummy and whatever stage you're in, rather than endangering your health (both physical and mental) by starting the habit of chewing and spitting.

Yes, they require documentation from the physician and I have to keep a food/exercise journal.

I can't use hormonal b/c either. We use condoms and spermicide. We've also used a diaphragm and spermicide in the past. Condoms are just faster and disposable, so I prefer them.

Just be careful...chewing and spitting can cause stomach ulcers. See links in my sig. Its a slippery slope.

We are telling her that the doctor is fixing my tummy to make it work like it should...trying to make it be something positive rather than telling her I'm sick or whatever. She's pretty matter of fact about it at this point and takes it all in stride. She's mostly excited her Nannie and beloved Auntie are coming to stay at her house for a couple of weeks. Forget Mama!

I'm going to miss picking them up for 6 long weeks! My surgeon is very strict about lifting post-surgery. But I know it's for the best! I have a boy and a girl, in May they will be 1 year and 3.5 years! They are totally my motivation for getting healthy. I want to be the best me I can be for myself, for my husband, and for my kiddos...and to keep up with them!

Me! Waiting for insurance submission...my darn PCP is holding up (or the people in his office). It's looking like I'll be in April now instead of May. I'm spending my time nesting, doing cardio to build up my lung capacity and spending lots of time with my babies.

Hehehe. You always make me laugh! And yes, definitely not the same thing! It's the people who want something so badly (crunch, sweet, carbs, whatever...) who intentionally chew and spit something to taste it, but not actually eat it.

I think it's possible if you don't see people and choose not to tell them. Of course, if you have complications, you'll have to explain why you're in the hospital for 1+ month. I was also not fat my entire life. It's only started putting on weight 8 years ago, severely in the last 5-6 years. I would strongly encourage you to seek counseling to explore your feelings about food and why you turn to it for comfort. I've actually been in therapy for 2 years now and just feel like I am in a place where I can have this surgery and remain compliant and not "eat my feelings." I think therapy is much more important component than diets or programs, as the sleeve is just a tool. We only have a short amount of time (6-18 months) to learn portion control and what to eat, so that we can maintain our weightloss forever. Best of luck to you!

Thank you! That makes total sense! I really appreciate the plain English explanation.

Target carries Assets, which are Spanx with a cheaper price tag. Made by Sara Blakely too...the maker of Spanx. I have some of both and like them both. I think Assets are a firmer hold which makes them a little more difficult to get into, but they are very close to Spanx in quality IMO.

Over easy and poached eggs are my favvvvvvvvvvv. Nothing better than an egg on a piece of toast. Mmmm. Even better with a little cheese or hollandaise!

This: http://bevcooks.com/2012/12/spaghetti-with-kale-and-lemon/ But with spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti! And obviously skipping the seeds if you can't/shouldn't have them. I would eat the crap out of that!

Yeah that is definetly not true. Even the annual and quarterly data they get from the insurance company is aggregate. It might be broken down by location and diagnosis code...so someone in corporate benefits who analyzes that data will see a higher claim rate at your location and if they drill down they will see what for, but the insurance company does not provide your identifying information to them. And they are usually more interested in reducing the amount of endocrine (diabetes), musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, etc. claims....things they have control over in various ways. Probably why they offer coverage for wls. You probably have wellness plans available to you where you can utilize health coaches and such too? That is also confidential. Sounds like your friend is very misinformed and trying to scare you. I have a self-funded plan, which means the insurance company just handles the administration of the claim but the employer actually pays for claims directly and they have decision on all appeals. So I know if I have to appeal it goes to a committee made up of people from benefits. However they were quick to assure me that everything is totally private and nothing is shared beyond the corporate benefit level and it would come to them with my name redacted.

No, you aren't selfish. His admitting his concerns is a huge step. Would you be open to going to counseling with him? If I had problems going into wls with my spouse, my butt would be in that chair each week building a foundation for our marriage to continue on. Of course, that is assuming you want it to! Individual counseling for both may also be super helpful. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide!

My deductible is $500...I have to pay that up front. My OOP Max is $1500 and that is applied to the 20% coinsurance I owe. But all of this other pre-op testing will eat up a chunk of that, so they will all submit bills and we will see who I end up owing it to (whoever submits first) vs who will be paid 100% by insurance. But my total OOP will be $2000 to somebody at some point.