bakawaka

I sometimes get migraines. Today I visited my doctor to ask about post-op medications that can be ground-up/crushed or taken as a liquid. I usually take Immitrex for migraines. My doctor prescribed Maltax - he stated that Maltax can be mixed with water. So it will be my temporary substitute for Immitrex until my stomach heals enough to tolerate Immitrex. I have never taken Maltax and actually never have heard of it. I'm not a doctor. I have no medical training or pharmaceutical training. But I wanted to pass along this tip in case it is helpful for others who suffer migraines and who need a medication post-op that is not in pill form.

How did your surgery go?

There is a patient advocate. The advocacy did not help. So that means $18,000 out of my pocket but in reality it is around $20,000 with tests. Disappointing but not surprising because instance companies do want to avoid paying.

Well, the stated reason is that there are no gallbladder problems at the moment. Of course, separate gallbladder surgery does generate more income.

I suggest trying cold-brewed decaf coffee.

My surgeon refuses to take out gallbladder with VSG. But a friend of mine had her gallbladder removed at the same time as bypass surgery. Seems like a good idea to me.

I do find that I have the "last meal" situation. I want to start the POSTOP diet PREOP and start getting into good habits. Even PREOP I am much more conscious about what and how much I eat.

One way to tell everyone at work is to tell the most gossipy person in the office. All offices have such persons. These people can make the announcements for you.

I tell everyone.

In the US we really do not have a proper concept of a healthy body weight. When I lost weight in the past, I got comments at work such as "you have lost too much" or "you look sick". It does take time for people to adjust. I am 90 pounds overweight and know that I will face such comments. So I told the most gossipy people in the office that I am having surgery. The gossip network will be useful in managing perceptions.

I perceive that processed food is designed to be addictive. I am convinced that moving away from processed food helps.

I checked again with the surgeon. My surgeon will not make exceptions. No flights for a minimum of four weeks and not to leave town for a minimum of four weeks to verify that the stomach is healing well. I wish I could travel but I do appreciate my surgeon's diligence. This means that my surgery will be delayed until the end of the year.

I go to other countries for medical procedures when they are not covered by insurance in the US. Medical tourism is clearly going to expand due to the increasing costs of healthcare in the US. It is sad that our insurance system works the way it does. We must address it through legislative changes.

I have been able lose weight. But I have never been able to keep it off. That is why I am choosing VSG - the restriction is an important tool for maintenance.

I will also be self-injecting with Lovenox. Did you experience a lot of pain after your surgery? Did you find the self-injections easy? Is there any issues of bringing the syringes through security?

I am sorry about your grandmother. Thank you for sharing your experience with flying.

My surgeon stated that it was to reduce the risk of blood clots. I fly a lot for my work - at least 4-5 times per months - in long flights of 8-10 hours. It is always good practice in a flight to drink a lot of water as well as to walk up and down the aisles.