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all great things to work on! congrats on your new exercise program. I think the rule about not drinking after eating (at least 45 minutes) is really important. I have noticed the longer I go without drinking after, especially, the longer I stay full.

Definitely don't wait! There are so many things that it could be. I have kidney stones (breaking up at this point, thank goodness) and also just got a scan to check for gallstones on Friday. My surgeon also did a complete metabolic panel and an amylase test (can be an indication of biliary system problems). There are so many things that could be causing your symptoms, from GB (which can cause left-sided pain though right is more common), to pancreatitis, to a bunch of other bad stuff--you really shouldn't wait. You don't want to wait until there's some major issue that requires emergency surgery.

I started taking my vitamins in the hospital (the nurse gave them to me) and I continued once I got home.

Not to scare you, but one food that my surgeon really warns you against eating early on is corn. You should def stick to the food plan that your surgeon gives you--it's not just about keeping it down, it's making sure that certain types of foods don't get caught in your staple line, etc. For example, my surgeon won't let you eat nuts or seeds until 120 days. He may be more conservative than some, but his complication rate is really low. I know once I got out of the hospital I definitely didn't want to go back unless it's unavoidable.

Thanks for the info, HockeyMa. My stones are dissolving right now (hence the teeny black pieces in my urine) but I'm paranoid bc my mom had bilateral oxalate stones this summer (I guess they are hereditary) and had to have an emergency lipsotripsy done. They would have tried to let them pass if it had just been one but having two, you can go into renal failure, as I'm sure you know. I'm glad your surgery is behind you and hope you heal well and quickly!

I love the exercise bike for toning the thigh and gluteal muscles. I also do the lower body strength training machines. It's worth a session or two with a trainer to show you all of the machines.

My surgeon said concentrate on fluids first and then protein for the first week--48 oz of fluid minimum. It will get easier and easier...hang in there!

Gemini, I know you will love it! Can't wait to hear some of your fav protein shake combos.

Ordered some Unjury cheese-flavored protein powder. Everyone's tastes are different, but I'm not a fan. Ate it on some steamed cauliflower and used the rest with some cream of broccoli soup. It was better in the soup bc the soup hid the taste a little. My main issue with it is that it is sooo salty--more than 700 mg of sodium in 1 serving. I try to stay under 2000 mg (2 g) of sodium a day bc I know it's healthier (I don't have high BP or anything), so that eats up a lot of my allotment. I'll probably finish what I have and hide it in stuff, but I won't be reordering it. It's also more expensive than the regular protein powder per serving. I give them credit for trying something new but I'm going to have to disagree with the reviews saying that it's so good they could eat it straight with a spoon....

It's awesome for the pureed stage, Annie--you will love it! You can make wonderful smoothies with protein powder, ice and a little soy or almond milk. I like chocolate protein powder with some PB2 (dry, powdered peanut butter). I'm a vegetarian and I love pureed veggie chili (regular would work of course too). You can puree almost any veggie or soup with a little veggie broth. When I was on full liquids, I still strained after pureeing, but once I hit regular puree it was good to eat it all. You could add some kale or spinach to smoothies to get in some fiber. I like making a protein pancake (soft foods) with egg white, ricotta or cottage cheese, flax meal, vanilla, cinnamon, and oats. My VitaMix is the best kitchen appliance I've ever invested in! I've had mine for about 12 years and it's still going strong.

I am drinking a delicious VSG-friendly Saturday afternoon (nonalcoholic) "cocktail"--put a bunch of ice, a little Water, and some SF Hawaiian Punch mix into the Vitamix and blitzed it. Poured into a polka-dot martini glass. Tastes like part strawberry dacquiri, part snowcone. Love drinking stuff out of pretty glasses--elevates the taste somehow. This would be a good treat for the movies if I could find a way to sneak it in. sugar-free Hawaiian Punch slushee" />

Thank you, Sleeve of Steel! Something to look forward to.

Regular Coke or diet? Just curious.

When did you start drinking sparkling waters (how far post op)? I really miss Le Croix and Pellegrino with lime. Used to drink a good amount of diet Coke, too, although I don't miss that at all. Thanks!

You look wonderful! Thanks for sharing and congratulations. Do you mind if I ask how tall you are?

so glad you are feeling better! I have been following your story, as my doctor thinks that I probably have kidney stones. Fortunately, mine seem to be breaking up themselves right now (my main symptom is urine that looks like it has black pepper in it, plus some pain). The PA said they don't think the surgery precipitated this, but I did read that dehydration can precipitate kidney stones. I have been drinking a ton but it never feels like enough (even at 100 oz or more). Did your surgeon say whether they thought your stones were related to your surgery? Still glad I got it, but just curious. The worst is that they think mine are oxalate material so I need to limit beans, greens, soy protein, and black tea, which are a huge part of my diet since I'm vegetarian. The RD said hydration is more important than that though. Sending you continued healing thoughts! Thank you for sharing your story.

If anyone does want to try Ezekiel bread and you don't see it in the fresh food aisle, try your freezer section. It's often sold that way at grocery stores.

No worries, Fyre...nothing wrong with a good discussion to share info with each other.

Yes, and Fed Ex doesn't fall into any of those categories. You need to let your HR person know! Maybe he/she was confused or just didn't present the info very well. I'm sure that corporate HR is in the know but maybe they need to explain better to their team.

the asterisks were the acronym for Health Maintenance Organization -- lol!

At a very basic level, a "Health Plan" is defined as an ***, a PPO, an employer-sponsored health plan (which I believe Fed Ex has? but they aren't one--they contract with one), and soon, Health Insurance Exchanges mandated by PPACA. So that's what that first line refers to.

You're misunderstanding. Fed Ex may have an employer-sponsored health plan as many large companies do, but legally they cannot administer the plan themselves. They contract with a company to do that, and that entity is the one that is subject to HIPAA regulations. I have worked in the medical communications field for 20 years and have been covering these issues for physicians and health plans for over a decade--so this is based on professional experience in this area as well as the clarification from my attorney friend who specializes in this area. I'm not trying to get into an argument about it, I just want people to have the correct information, because if someone did want to submit a complaint, it wouldn't do any good to file a HIPAA complaint against a company that isn't a covered entity. I'm sure there are other ways to let concerns be known, though. I feel badly this happened to the OP.

Fyre, check out this test to see if a company is a covered HIPAA entity. Fed Ex would not qualify. This is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services which helps administer HIPAA: http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/HIPAA-Administrative-Simplification/HIPAAGenInfo/AreYouaCoveredEntity.html Are You a Covered Entity? The Administrative Simplification standards adopted by Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) apply to any entity that is a health care provider that conducts certain transactions in electronic form (called here a "covered health care provider"). a health care clearinghouse. a health plan. An entity that is one or more of these types of entities is referred to as a "covered entity" in the Administrative Simplification regulations.

Fyre, see link above. Your HR rep is misinformed, or did not communicate the info very well. I thought this was the case as well at one time, and I asked an attorney friend about it who specializes in HIPAA and other healthcare regulatory issues. I was actually shocked when he told me--but I trust his expertise, and then I double-checked it on the HHS Web site and it's correct (see link above). There is of course the whole other issue of HR respecting your privacy and being professional, but that's different than a HIPAA violation.

Here's a list of healthcare covered entities that have to comply with HIPAA--basically healthcare providers, insurance companies, and companies that deal with healthcare data. Only specific health information is protected. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/coveredentities/index.html