Jen35

I have Cigna - not sure if it is self-insured though. I had to do the 90 days but it can vary depending on the coverage/contract by employer. I would go by what your insurance tells you on the phone and ask for the specific requirements for bariatric surgery. I did that and the insurance rep told me it was covered, gave me the info while the insurance coordinator at the dr. office told me the insurance said they DIDN'T cover it. I told her what the insurance rep said and she re-verified. You never know - I always take things into my own hands. I did the 90 days and then it took another 90 days for Cigna to approve it. And that was with me calling weekly to the nurse coordinator bugging her. I hope you can get in done by the end of the year. Fingers crossed!

Great job and keep up the good work. Let us know how you are doing

I am constantly freezing. Such a big change from before - I was always hot and could break a sweat just walking up one flight of stairs. Now I'm usually all bundled up even at home. I guess it's because I don't have 70 pounds of insulations anymore!

Full definitely feels different post-sleeve and you have to get used to it. Really listen to your body (I know I never really did that prior). Initially, post-op, full felt like pressure in my chest. Not painful, just slight pressure - only painful if PAST the point of full. Further out, it feels more like full felt before the sleeve, it just comes on much sooner. And if I don't eat slow and chew well, I'm VERY uncomfortable. It feels like I'm full up to my throat (the food doesn't have anywhere else to go) and I feel sick to my stomach, clammy, etc. The key is to eat slow, chew well and stop when you are no longer hungry. It takes a while for your stomach/brain to communicate. If you are eating too fast, you may regret that last bite 10 minutes after the fact when your stomach gets the signal to your brain that you were full.

I knew this was different when I stopped obsessing about food and wasn't constantly hungry. I can eat in moderation now where before I don't think I ever truly knew the meaning of moderation! I listen to my body now - I eat when I'm hungry now not just because it's lunchtime or dinner time or because I'm feeling something I don't want to feel. I still struggle some with the last one, though!

I have a Ninja (the basic one for about $99) and I love it. It chops ice into snow cone type powder. I make "ice cream" in it for me and my kids - they beg me to make it. I take any kind of frozen fruit, a little milk, water or juice (whatever you like), vanilla and sugar or sweetener to taste. You don't need much liquid at all, so it comes out like a sorbet consistancy. You can then freeze it in a container if you like it more firm. But my kids eat it as is. My favorite combination is frozen raspberries and cherries. yum!

My relationships haven't changed too much. I do have one friend that was kind of iffy even before surgery - very competitive and self centered. So I don't really spend much time with her now. She was only a little bit bigger than me prior to surgery. Now I am down 70 pounds so there's a big difference. I've been surprised that she hasn't been that jealous (at least to my face). When I see her, she congratulates me, but at the same time puts herself down about her weight which makes me uncomfortable. I've discussed the surgery openly with her but it's not an option that she wants to pursue. I truly feel that any relationship that is strong and based on mutual love and support will not be negatively impacted by the surgery. But it does bring to light any relationships that are flawed to begin with (jealousy, selfishness, etc.)

I'm 5 months out and started drinking soda recently. Don't do it! It doesn't hurt me to drink small amounts now, but I wish it did. I used to be addicted to soda before surgery and it was stupid of me to even try it. Now I want it all the time - and it's is so bad for us just because of all the chemicals, etc.! I'm stopping NOW!

Sounds familiar. I had issues at 3 weeks out - couldn't drink/eat anything without nausea. Got very dehydrated. Went to the ER and did all the testing and it was my gallbladder. Took it out and my recovery was much better! Hang in there!

I appreciate your knowledge on the subject of addiction. I also think you were very smart to seek help with issues that may have been a tirgger before your surgery. I was one of those people who never thought I had a food addiction. Until I started therapy well before my surgery. . . and then had surgery. What really made it clear to me that I am a food addict was how my body/brain reacted to the pre-op and post-op diets. I felt like what I imagine an alcoholic feels like when they can't have a drink. I craved that food high that made everything "better" and numbed me to any emotion that I didn't want to feel. Even now, the sleeve doesn't allow me to eat the quantity of food to get my high I loved so much. It has been a very tough road, and my therapist has been my saving grace. Now at almost 5 months out I'm feeling more in control and my withdrawals have mostly gone away, but I will always struggle with this. I've learned so much about myself, finding what works for me to manage my addiction. By the way, there is sugar in just about everything OR it breaks down to sugar almost immediately in our body (like simple carbs and alcohol). My therapist said the research shows that sugar is AS ADDICTIVE to our brains as HEROIN. Yep! Heroin addicts who stop using usually turn to sugar because of the similar dopamine response in the brain. Interesting stuff!

I agree - seeing results and feeling better has been a big confidence boost. I'm at a much better place now than I was a few months ago.

I struggled a lot in the beginning (after the initial healing and special diets) because my head/emotions wanted to go back to my old pattern of using food to comfort myself. I didn't feel my emotions before, I ate them until I didn't feel anything. Food was my drug. After the sleeve, I couldn't eat enough to get my "high" anymore - to get to that place where I was numb. It was VERY uncomfortable to actually feel my emotions. After a lot of therapy before the sleeve and after, I'm a little better at letting myself feel without reaching for food to cope. The one thing that people need to know before surgery is the mental work is so much harder than the physical recovery. But if you don't do the work, you will likely end up right back were you started.

It's weird that you say this because I had that. It's like my scalp is tender or something. I also had some dry scalp issues. I'm using a Tea Tree shampoo/conditioner and that has helped. I was attributing the tender scalp to sunburn, maybe? since I was in the sun a lot and my hair is so much thinner. I started losing hair at about 2 1/2 months and I'm coming up on 5 months now. It seems like the hair loss is slowing down. God I hope it's not just wishful thinking! I had a lot of hair to begin with so it's not really noticable to others, but I can really tell that it's not as thick as it used to be. I just got it cut and got bangs which makes it easier to hide. Stylist said she saw lots of "sprouts: lol! So at least I know it's growing back. Looking at the positive!

Speaking of sushi, I just had it for the first time post-op (about 4 months out) and it was yummy! I haven't had many people saying things like this to me. I work virtually, so I'm sure it would be different if I worked in an office. I can completely see some of my past co-workers being complete jerks and driving me crazy. My family has been really good about it and I just got back from a week long work event and all my co-workers were supportive and complementing me. Some of them asked if I could eat this or that, but that was more out of concern for me and deciding were to eat dinner. I think so many people are uneducated about this surgery or my have the wrong information. They really should think before they speak though!

As others have said, it does get better. I remember feeling the same way and now I'm almost 5 months post-op and down 67 pounds - I don't regret the surgery at all. You just had major surgery a few days ago, ANY surgery is going to make you feel like crap at first, so give yourself some time to heal before you start thinking of regrets. What got me through the rough days in the beginning was focusing on the fact that each day would be better than the one before. This isn't an easy process, physically or mentally. Take your pain meds - I took them like clockwork for the first several days, then I was able to just take at bedtime. And I carried a travel neck pillow with me everywhere. It was my best friend. Hold it against your stomach when you cough, sneeze or get up and down out of bed/chair. This may be TMI, but it helps in the bathroom when you have to "go" as well. Stay hydrated - really focus on the Water right now, then Protein. But staying hydrated is most important for now. Also, your emotions are going to be up and down. I ate my emotions so I was a MESS without my food to comfort me (therapy helped with that). Maybe keeping a journal may help with the emotional stuff. Just remember, it DOES get better. So hang in there, keep reading the experiences of others on here and know you are not alone.

Here goes: When I was on my pre-op diet, I swear I thought I would die on liquids. A couple times I chewed up something (cheeseburger, pizza) and spit it out because I needed real food in my mouth. When I was on the pureed stage, hubby and I took the kids to the movies. I was licking the popcorn - didn't eat it - but the butter/salt was soooo good! I started drinking alcohol as soon as I was able (4 weeks according to my dr.). I started slowly but now (5 months out) I can drink more than I should. I don't do it too often but this week at a work event (meaning the drinks were free) I had 2 drinks and 2 tequilla shots over the course of 3 hours. I've tried drinking from a straw and it doesn't bother me as long as I can remember not to drink a lot at a time. I've also tried soda, but the carbonation bothers me. I cannot drink soda from a can or bottle (too bubbly). I can drink a very little if it's a fountain soda and I let it go a bit flat. Good news is my favorite soda - Dr. Pepper - no longer tastes good to me. Same with french fries - I used to adore McD's french fries, but now they really hurt my tummy.

I'm the same way. I never threw up until recently. I really have to focus on slowing down and NOT drinking when I eat. I used to just sip Water if I needed to during a meal. Lately I've been drinking more when eating and I think that is my problem.

I'm sorry you are going through this. What does your surgeon say? Is it a capacity issue (sleeve not big enough, or a stricture) or do you just feel full too quickly? I was sleeved 5/22/13 and I don't have this issue - just trying to understand. For me, eating is fine physically. I could easily see how this surgery could lead to anorexia. I have an eating disorder which has always presented itself as over-eating. I can see how surgery could swing the pendullum the other way to under-eating.

The nurse put the patch behind my ear before surgery. They also put on a wrist electrical pressure point thing for nausea too. I had zero issues with nausea after surgery - that was my biggest fear.

for me at about 3 months. I'm at 4 1/2 now and I hope it stops soon!

That gives me hope:) I'm so upset about my hair loss right now.

I used to be hot when I was young. Of course I didn't appreciate it then. I got a lot of attention, then that tapered off when I started gaining weight in my early 20s. I think the last time I was hit on was when I was 21 (15 years ago). So I really don't know how to handle it anymore. Not to say that I'm hot now - nope, don't think that's gonna happen! But I just got back from Florida on vacation and I was hit on in a bar. It was so odd! I think if I hadn't been drinking quite a bit, I would have stammered and blushed. But I just thanked him for the compliment and told him I'm married. He was really nice about it and didn't go any further. It would annoy me if someone was pushy or touchy - I'm not sure how I would handle that.

Is there any chance you could have a sinus infection or congestion? That could cause the dizziness and ear popping (and maybe nausea if you have drainage). Otherwise, the morning symptoms could be low blood sugar? I'm just guessing. The itching/rash sounds more allergy related. Either a medicine, vitamin or something coming in contact with your skin. I would check with your doctor (because I am definitely not one!)

It will get better. I was miserable for the first several weeks. It turned out that a lot of my issue was my gallbladder which they removed at 3 weeks post op. Things will turn around. You just had major surgery which is hard to recover from. Give it time. I agree that staying hydrated is the focus in the first few weeks. Otherwise you will feel awful and end up in the hospital for fluids. For me, pain management came second and then eating (follow your doctor's orders). I really didn't like any sugar free drinks post-op, so I just stuck to water. I still do even after 4 months. Once you are allowed to have them, crackers aren't necessarily the enemy. I have them occassionally, but if you are only 5 weeks out, they probably aren't on your plan yet.

At 4 weeks I don't see the harm. Just try one and see how it goes. I had to be careful with sugar alcohols at first (like in some SF candy). It had me running to the bathroom.