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Hey luv2plumb -- I'm still pre-op, scheduled for the sleeve on 12/03. Regarding your work question and downtime, at my consult my surgeon recommended taking a week or two off work. I told him I was an at-home homeschooling mom with six children (ages 13, 11, 4, 2, 2, and 5 months), to which he replied, "Well then, you won't get any time off, but you'll be fine." He knows I go 100 miles an hour 100% of the time, and outside of the lifting restriction, I'll be "back to work" from the moment I walk out of the hospital. I imagine I'll be wiped out at the end of each day, but after being on these boards and reading largely of positive experiences, I'm confident I'll be able to do what I need to do post-op to keep my family functional. I will, however, have to be extra diligent to set timers for water/protein intake, and I will have to measure out the required amount each day so I don't lose track and take in too little. I'll have to use tools that others don't just so I don't let the day get away from me.

Here are some online: http://www.steviasmart.com/stpodrmipodr.html You can also find some drinks sweetened with stevia in health food or specialty stores. Zevia is a tasty stevia drink, but it's carbonated, so not really for the sleeve. Check the cooler section of your store. I know I've seen some, I just can't recall names. We shop at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market, and Natural Grocers.

There are a number of paleo diet type books that will give you food/snack ideas that will be compatible with the sleeve long term. Several paleo Ebooks can be found on Amazon, or print books are available for loan from the library. Specifically, paleo Snacks or paleo for kids would have sleeve portion sizes. We had to embrace a mainly primal (paleo + dairy) way of eating for some family dietary issues, so some things we keep on hand: boiled eggs, cheese cubes or sticks, spiral sliced ham that is cooked/chopped/stored in a ziplock and ready for eating, precooked sliced chicken breast, precooked sliced turkey breast, precooked bacon, sliced/chopped veggies and fruit, chicken salad made with avocado instead of mayo, various kinds of nuts and seeds, various kinds of dried fruit, etc. I'm still pre-op, and while I know I'll have to lose the nuts and seeds, I'm hopeful being in the habit of having the rest of these things on hand will be helpful in the long run.

@LipstickLady -- You MUST come back to update this thread post-Thanksgiving to let us know what happened. I'll be on my pre-op diet come Turkey Day, and I'll be thinking of you all reveling in your WL as I'm sipping protein broth or putting protein cheese on my steamed cauliflower.

This is a dream of mine. Even mentioned my desire to do a mud run at my psych eval. Fortunately, even that didn't make me seem too crazy for surgery. Congrats on your super awesome NSV!!

Even though you're crammed into a tiny car, the WL is very noticeable. Congrats!

I've not had a band, but I will echo that my bariatric surgeon is in partnership with the chief of surgery at my large local hospital, and they also refuse to place bands. He said they deal with bands a lot, but only to remove them or revise them into the sleeve or bypass. Also, I have two friends who have bands, and while both have had some success with their bands, neither of them have come close to their goals. Clearly, the choice is yours, but I encourage you to research fully and go into surgery with total peace.

I was worried I would be slightly under as I don't have any of the comorbidities insurance requires. I just happened to have an after-lunch appointment at the surgeon's office, so I ate a big breakfast and a heavy lunch of steak and cheese fries, and I drank gallons of water. I felt absolutely miserable, but I weighed enough on that day to fall into that automatic approval range. As it turned out, I would have weighed enough without that disgusting lunch, but I was terrified to come in at 39.9 and be denied.

One more thing -- if you're weighing between the lapband and sleeve, you might spend a bit of time handing out in the band-to-sleeve revision threads. These are the folks that would have some real insight into your decision.

My pre-op requirements: WLS seminar, visit with surgeon, letter from PCP both recommending me and clearing me for surgery, basic labwork, three-month (four visit) supervised diet with a nutritionist, psych eval, physical therapy (exercise) eval, and EGD. I have a 41 BMI, and my insurance approved on the first attempt within one day of my packet submission.

Changing procedures shouldn't be a problem. Most of the pre-surgical requirements are probably the same. They may have to connect with your insurance to change the procedure code, but if you've been approved for one procedure, you'll likely easily be transferred to another. Keep us updated!

Hi all -- I'm Amanda, 37-year-old homeschooling mama to six kiddos. I weighed 267 at my initial surgical consult. 276 was my highest weight 13 years ago, and I've hovered between 255-270 for the last several years.<p> I've completed the insurance requirements and have been approved by Cigna. I start my pre-op diet on 11/18/13, and my surgery date is scheduled for 12/03/13.

Andrea -- I just got my approval from Cigna. My PCP had to write a letter that he both recommended me and medically cleared me for surgery. He wasn't super excited about writing it because he's a bit more of a naturopathic kind of guy, but he did it. He initially wrote it incorrectly (maybe on purpose -- ha!), but my surgeon's office called me for approval, then called him to give him the specifically required verbiage. Once everything was in, my approval process was pretty quick. Surgery December 3.

Congrats! It's so exciting reading you're halfway to goal at only 3 months out. So encouraging! I hope I have results like you!! Also, love your profile pic!! I went swimming at the Blue Whale a few times as a kid.

Nice. My husband always knows the right thing to say, too. I'm pre-op still, but I know when he says he's really excited for me, he really means he's excited for himself. He's a sweet fella

Popping out of this group. Just got my official surgery date, and Thanksgiving bumped me into very early December. There's a very small chance that someone else's cancellation might move me back into November, but I'm not holding my breath. Best of luck, y'all!

I got the call yesterday that surgery was approved!! I officially started my process on August 5 -- my 13th wedding anniversary -- when I completed my Weight Loss Surgery Seminar online and met for a face-to-face with the surgeon. At 267 at 5'7", my BMI was around 41, so I was an "automatic" approval, even with no weight-related comorbidities. My insurance, Cigna, still required the 3-month monitored diet (along with a few other minor hoops), which is 4 total nutrition visits. I saw the NUT about a week after I saw the surgeon, then about every three to four weeks, so not 30 days apart, but at least once per calendar month (so mid-August, early September, October, and November). Because we were on such a controlled time-frame, and because I (and everyone else on Earth!) was working to get in before the end of the year, the NUT told me in October that she would have the Insurance Coordinator prepare my packet for insurance submission. All of my other appointments had been done and reports were on hand, so all that was missing was the final NUT notes. She would attach those after my visit on 11/05/13 and submit to insurance same day. After that class, she looked at a sticky note on my folder, and told me my packet was submitted to insurance on 10/31, nearly a week before my final NUT class. She said my notes would go over as an attachment. I was super concerned that the submission to insurance before meeting the minimum requirements would cause a denial and delay, particularly after I returned home to a letter from Cigna requesting more information. There was a little back-and-forth with the Insurance Coordinator on 11/06 as she got to the bottom of the letter (standard auto-generated form letter, as it turns out). Then yesterday, she called to tell me I'd been approved, and scheduled surgery for 12/03/13. Hooray!! So, that was one week from early packet submission, or one day from packet completion. Very, very quick either way! My pre-op NUT meeting and nurse visit are 11/14, and I start my pre-op diet 11/19. I know it's not all liquid, but I'm not sure what it is. My doctor's office seems to be big on getting back to real food ASAP post-op, so I imagine pre-op is just some kind of very low carb diet. This process has been shockingly easy. So easy, I can hardly bring myself to believe it's truly happening! I've been looking at bariatric surgery for over 14 years, and the sleeve in particular over two. I am honestly blown away that my day is coming -- that it's an actual date in my planner, and no longer some kind-of far off, abstract idea.

Exactly what I'm afraid of.

I think that's nonsense. Ask if he can open up another surgery date before his vacation and move your surgery up instead of back.

Wow -- what a difference!!

As a follow up, my early submission didn't hurt, but likely helped. The insurance coordinator called yesterday saying Cigna approved! They received my final NUT notes, so the completion of the package, at the end of the day 11/05/13, and I was approved and scheduling surgery before lunchtime on 11/07/13. Surgery date: 12/03/13. Hooray!!

I had my fourth and final NUT visit today. My packet was supposed to be submitted to insurance immediately after, but as it turns out, my packet was submitted on Halloween. The nutrition class notes will go over after as an attachment after the fact. My concern is this: my initial visit withy the surgeon and the beginning of my process was on August 5th. All of my classes and office appointments were clustered a bit closer than 30 days together, but one calendar month apart to satisfy my specific insurance requirements (so another visit early September, early October, and today -- initial surgeon meeting plus three nutrition classes). I'm concerned this early submission will equal an automatic denial since my packet came over before I had completed my minimum requirements. Any thoughts on this? I'm thankful my packet is in, but I'm feeling a bit frustrated that an early submission could lead to a denial and delay. They stressed to me that everything be done under these specific time constraints, but here at the end and on the very last thing they seemed to disregard those same constraints entirely. On a positive note, I've officially jumped through every hoop and am now waiting. Wahoo!! Even with this new little hiccup, it's awesome to be done with my requirements. Fingers crossed -- hoping for good news, and soon!

Look at you! What a cutie. Congrats on your weight loss!

I'm still pre-op, so not an expert, but at my NUT class this week, the nutritionist specifically addresses the Smoothie King Gladiator, saying they're off limits. Super high calorie count for shakes. The goal is minimum 15g Protein (but ideally 25-30g) in no more than 200 calories. Many shake companies will send you samples via their website. I think also getting protein from meat or fish will help you feel that sense of fullness longer, thus reducing the desire to graze. That said, I don't think almonds and snacky things are entirely off limits -- just plan for them, making sure they assist you in reaching your protein goals while not exceeding your calorie goals. Maybe make up a daily food box with an assortment of items, and when that box is empty, stop eating. Also, maybe other snacky, salty things would satisfy, but at a lower caloric intake -- edamame, perhaps?

Not sure if you'd be interested now, but Avenue (the plus size store -- avenue.com) has cute wide calf boots available online, and they're reasonably priced. My calves have always been enormous, and these boots fit just fine.