Miss Mac

I know that Gas X Strips are for gas, but hey do refresh your breath instantly.

Omeprazole has been the best med I have ever been prescribed for reflux. I had taken it a couple of years ago after being prescribed by a gastro-enterologist for other issues. If I take it first thing in the morning about 1/2 hour before eating anything, it works all day.

Fortunately, I am enjoying a textbook recovery too. I had no trapped gas after surgery, and food is staying down. I am 3 weeks in and have my first follow-up with the surgeon on Thursday 1/16. My biggest "problem" is just orchestrating a schedule for meds, Proteins, measuring foods....that stuff. My heart goes out to those who have had difficulty or have to deal with children, work, or unsupportive families. It has definitely been to my advantage that I am retired and able to just recover and rest.

My NUT told me that my insurance papers would be submitted with my original weight/BMI from my first visit. My BMI was 40.1 and was in danger of going below 35. There was no problem getting approval.

Ladies, during the hair loss period, were you able to use mouse, gel, hairspray, curlers, curling iron......any of that?

Congratulations, Mythbuster on making this life changing decision. You can consider January 15, 2014 to be your new birthday. I wish you health and happiness, and hope that you have some good support from your family. Let us know how you do.

Syntrax....they have a variety of flavors. My favorite is grapefruit mixed with Crystal Lite Lemonade - taste like Fresca. Just tried their Lemon Tea this morning - pretty good. Also like Unjury Strawberry with Crystal Lite Lemonade, and Unjury Chocolate Splendor made with milk instead of water. For soup - Unjury Chicken.

I have BCBS Federal Employee. I had an approval in two days, but I had to call my BCBS Case Manager to get the information. She sent me an approval letter which I faxed to my surgeon's office. Their certification specialist was on vacation and would not have responded for two weeks. With the fax, I was able to have my surgery done before she even got back from vacation.

Oh...and another thing......medical service providers rely a lot on Press Gainey reviews and other surveys that their administration subscribes to for patient feedback. If you get one in the mail for Kaiser, fill it out and LET THEM HAVE IT! The surveys are there for you to have a voice to an third party. And don't worry about being anonymous. Someone from Administration should respond to you if you provide your name and address. Also, for anyone having a positive experience...hardworking staff really appreciate it if you actually have something good to say.

I expect to be cleared for strength training when I go in for my three week appointment on Thursday. One thing I have discovered at this point is "tongue hunger". I don't feel like my new tummy needs anything, but I just want to taste something! So, out come the sugar free popsicles and whey protein nibbles. If the increased exercise amps my appetite, I will just have to make sure that there are small protein dense snacks ready to grab.

My gentleman friend of seven years took two weeks off work, and was there every step of the way except for the O.R. A couple of years ago, I gave him Medical Power of Attorney to stop all this "but he's not spouse or family" nonsense every time I needed a procedure. He has been so supportive and loving, I could not imagine it any other way. I had said so many nice things about him that the surgeon wanted to meet him! So, yeah, if your significant other wants to be involved, by all means let them be. I don't think that you will regret having someone there for you when you are medicated and sore.

Does Kaiser have a patient advocate?

Surgery was 12/23/2013 at 7:30 a.m. Could have gone home next evening (Christmas Eve) but doctor decided one more night wouldn't hurt since I had not been up and around much. So, I went home Christmas day. My insurance had approved for five nights.

Please don't wait until your quality of life is so affected that you are housebound with a litany of afflictions that are life threatening. I have been trying to do this on my own since the late 1970's. For most of us in our 50's and 60's, it did not get any better. So, three weeks ago, I was almost as round as I was tall. If you think this surgery would give you a fresh start at living your life rather than just existing from day to day, by all means get informed and do what you have to do to get healthy and happy.

I have two thoughts on your post about scars. 1. Twice I have had other laparoscopic surgery and on both of them you could not tell where it was if I did not point it out. There are no visible scars. Pink disappears to white, and the rest is up to skin tone. 2. Take it from the grannies here on the forum. Sexy is in your head. No scar or comment can take it away from you. If you follow the thread on white jeans, you'll see! You deserve to be loved and cuddled and kanoodled, so go for it!!!!

Same as SandeeD...I have had mine for a while...printed it out online, had it notarized at the bank. It is safe in a lockbox, but I take a copy anytime I go to the hospital. They always ask, even though they have a copy on file. Also, I have made arrangements to have my body donated to medical science, through Science Care. My family has no doubts about my wishes. I also have in my lockbox, info on finances, savings, 401K, passwords, etc. The circle of life goes on whether we are prepared or not.

White jeans are on my naughty list, too. When I met my sweetie seven years ago, I weighed 185 and I gained fifty pounds after that. Well, now since surgery three weeks ago, that number is down to 197 this morning. He has never seen me in a size 8 or 10 of anything. I can't wait!

I hear ya, Indigo....There is about a 20 year period where I cannot be found in any family pictures. I am going to be such a photo bomb from now on.

I have only been doing this since September, but I have lost 37 pounds, and my skin is as soft as a newborn baby. Exfoliating is supposed to shed loose skin cells so that your body can make new ones, and moisturizing is supposed to help it recover some of its elasticity. I can only hope for the best. It's cheap enough, and at least my skin is remarkably soft for my age (62). My sleeve was 12/23/2013, and as soon as the doctor releases me for strength training, which should be Thursday, I will start strength training to avoid muscle loss. Good muscles will help fill out the skin.

Dear Heart, health and happiness are not going to come knocking on your front door with a basket of daisies. You want them.....so you get out there gurl and go after them!!!!! You will be so glad you did. When I was down and out in an abusive marriage years ago, my daughter encouraged me to get away and go back to college, at he age of 54. One thing she said to me would circle around in my head over and over. It's the quote from Wolfgang von Goethe on my signature here. "Whatever you can do, or dream you can........BEGIN IT....for boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." That quote gave me the resolve to escape at 2:00 in the morning, go to a women's shelter, get a restraining order and a divorce, move 250 miles away and go back to school for my Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. So you get up tomorrow and go to your appointment with your head held high. You deserve good health as much as anybody else. Now, about those groceries. You march right in that grocery store and pick up what you need. Let Karma take care of anyone who looks judgemental. Walmart and Sam's sell Protein drinks cheaper than the places on line. It is easier to eat 10 potato chips than 10 boiled eggs. That is why we need to eat our protein first. We get far more nutritional bang for our buck. Good luck with your weight loss journey. There are many of us over 50. This surgery has saved our lives.

I bought exfoliating gloves from Walgreen's. They were less than $5, over by the exfoliating Body Wash products. Then after my shower, I rub in Sweet Almond Oil or something with collagen in it.

Unjury Strawberry is awesome in lemonade.

I had those same requirements for BCBS Federal Employee. I have had the same primary physician for three years, so I just requested a print out of my medical records for the last two years and highlighted my weight for each visit and every mention of recommended weight loss or calorie restriction. Pull together all the info you can get. It is better to have too much than not enough. My insurance approved in two days....had my sleeve 12/23/2013, enjoying a textbook recovery.

So, even though things are staying down, including eggs, my new tummy still sounds like a dinosaur fight.

Only disagreeable food was a couple bites too much of a good thing. Had reflux for a few hours, but it went away.