Miss Mac

My BCBS Federal was submitted on November 20, 2013. I was supposed to patiently wait for the doctor's office to give me the call-back. But I learned from others on this site to be pro-active. So, on Monday 11/25 I called BCBS and was told my surgery had been approved on 11/22. I called the doctor's office and was told that the certification specialist was out the whole week for Thanksgiving. Lucky for me, On 11/26, I received a letter from BCBS stating that they had approved five days 12/23 - /12/27/2013 for my hospital stay. I faxed this document to the surgeon, and they went ahead and locked in my date for 12/23. I wish everyone could have my surgeon, Dr. Bipan Chand at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. So, I was sleeved on 12/23/2013 and have had NO shoulder gas pain. I am 8 days out now, and starting to get some energy back, and no longer need pain meds. The steri strips fell off today. Count your blessings that you have BCBS Federal. It is the best insurance I have ever had - ever! Good luck to you. I will see you on the other side.....

When mu NUT found out I was using almond milk for my shakes, she advised me to use dairy milk instead for the added protein.

I have been doubling up by using my beverage as part of the Protein. Extreme smoothies have 35 grams per 11 ounce can. The chocolate and vanilla are both pretty good. Also, the Isopure powder has 55 grams per serving. I mix that with Crystal Lite. unjury has a strawberry flavor Protein Powder that mixes well with Crystal Lite lemonade. I have learned already to be creative. I put the unflavored powder with sugar free Jello. I make Sugar Free Chocolate pudding with skim milk and chocolate protein powder, and I mix sugar free vanilla pudding with skim milk and orange protein powder - taste like a Dreamsicle. Just use your imagination and double up. When I can move on to soft foods, I am going to whip up a batch of Peanut Butter balls. I got this idea from the forum. Mix chocolate protein powder with creamy peanut butter then roll into small balls. I refrigerated the ones I made pre-op. They tasted like Reese Peanut Butter Cups. I have even put cheesecake protein powder in Greek yogurt...oh yummmm. Once you start adding these different flavored protein powders into everything, your grams will start to stack up for the day.

I am worried about that too. I am only six days post op. I lost 28 pounds pre-op, and the weight had to have come from my ears and chest......my 53 inch belly did not budge.

First new habit is to become a Nutritarian...that is to deliberately eat clean fresh food, and maximizing my nutrition by only consuming foods that have nutritional value. Exercise more. Exercise has been difficult due to weight and arthritis issues, but as the weight comes off, I should be able to step up my game.

Bariatric Choice has whey Protein barbeque chips, pizza chips, ranch crunch, and sea salt with vinegar. I was pleasantly surprised with the BBQ and Pizza ones I bought online at BariatricChoice.com. I ate all the ones I bought over a period of three months, so when I get to my phase four routine, I will buy some more. They are packed in serving size packets, with 10 grams of protein in each pack. They were worth the asking price $12.95 for 7 packets.

There is a charity truck that comes around here every three months. They use the donated items to stock a resale shop for veterans. So, I have been collecting my stuff for the next pick-up. Other thrift stores are a good resource also. My experience with thrift store shopping is that (just like retail stores) there is very little women's plus size clothing. I am sure that any organization like that would be grateful for your items. Another suggestion is to contact any women's shelters in your area to see if they could use your items to disperse to women in need. A lot of times when a woman escapes from a volatile situation, they escape with the clothes on their backs. I know we all probably hate to throw out good things. Good luck with your new sleeve.

Congratulations on making this life-saving decision. Stay with the forum as long as you can...the folks here have helped me cope with the particulars of this surgery and our recovery. I am 4 days post op, so I can tell you that the best two things I put in my bag were Chapstick and a nail clipper. Please keep in touch with us. It takes a village to get us all started on our journey to Healthy.

I am 4 days post-op now. When I came home, I was 5 pounds heavier. The surgeon suggested that I not look at the scale at least for a week, and then, only once a week. However, I got on the scale this morning, and my hospital weight is starting to come down. Hopefully it will continue in that direction

My discharge was Christmas morning and I will unpack my bag this afternoon. Two things on the take list that I am so glad I took, were the Chapstick and some nail clippers. The doc would not let me use the Gas x strips or the Vitamin C lozenges. The nurse offered Cepacol lozenges which I refused. They are quite nasty. So, I just nibbled on ice chips and put on Chapstick every now and then. The doctor extracted as much CO2 as possible, so I did not have the chest pains that some folks have. I am glad to be home...slept in my lift recliner last night.

Thanks to my surgery date 12/23/2013, I was able to avoid the family Christmas food fest this year. I bought my presents online and had them shipped to people's addresses early. My daughters moved their celebrating to other in-laws. I was discharged Christmas morning, so the house was pretty quite....just me and my gentleman and my full liquids and my meds. Very peaceful.

I was discharged from the hospital today, with my new sleeve, whom I have named Bossy Bess. My surgery was Monday morning 12/23/2013, and I must tell you all.....no problem with C 0 2. My surgeon had said at my final appointment that he tries to remove as much as possible. The hardest part for me was getting off and on that inflated Bariatric mattress. Glad to be home.

To make my vanilla shakes egg-noggy, I have been adding vanilla, a little sweetener and a sprinkle of nutmeg. I did not miss the egg, but the nog is pretty good.

Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies. Written by in collaboration with Chef David Fouts, who is a WLS patient himself. The book is about eating well after WLS. It shows how to plan, shop for, and cook delicious foods at all four stages of the post surgery diet. The book is designed to meet the needs of WLS patients and has plenty of recipes for every level. I bought it used from Amazon.com.

My surgery is in the morning. Upon discharge I can start mostly full liquids and some puree. Week two, I can switch it and have more puree.

Maybe it's just the caffeine. Could you have decaf??????

Well, I have been on this site since my PCP referred me to the Bariatric Clinic at Loyola University in August. My day has FINALLY come. I have to be at surgery intake at 5:30 in the morning 12/23/2013. I am the first surgery of the day. Doctor said I will probably be discharged on Tuesday evening or Christmas morning. My insurance - BCBS Federal generously pre-approved up to five days! Hopefully, I won't need them. So far on the pre-op diet and 7 days of liquid diet, I have lost 27 pounds. I can't wait for this time next year to see how different my health and life will be. Happy holidays to all of you......see you on the other side. So, cover me...I'm going in.

Don't know if it is going to help with the floppity flopperies, but my surgery is 12/23 next Monday, and for the last three months I have been exfoliating every other time in the shower, with exfoliating gloves. The I rub sweet almond oil or a collagen moisturizing lotion all over the place. Only time will tell, but I must say, my skin is softer than it has ever been, and I am 62 years old!

So, I guess I will go into my Frankenstein laboratory and see if I can create a prune juice smoothie:)

I agree with the others on this forum. My sleeve is coming Monday 12/23, and I am well aware now (thanks to all of these posts) that WLS changes relationships as well as bodies, feelings, habits and brains. My guess is that once your friend has her surgery, she will be coming to you for gracious support and feedback since you are on this journey ahead of her. If she is truly a keeper. she will come around.

My surgeon said the same thing. If mine is small enough, they won't bother with it because it won't be necessary. Surgery is 12/23/2013.

Good for you! It wouldn't hurt to get a head start by making one dietary change......to eat 60 + grams of Protein a day......eat protein at every meal......eat your protein item first. I think that is where we all started, even though our other program requirements varied. The time will pass quicker than you think. Just think of where you will be a year from January. "Whatever you can do, or dream you can.....begin it! For boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." Wolfgang Von Goethe

My papers were submitted on 11/21. I called BCBS on the 23rd and was told I had approval. I called the doctor's office that next Monday (before Thanksgiving) and was told that the certification specialist was on vacation all week, and she would be the one to call me to tell me the approval was in. I faxed a copy of a letter I got from BCBS approving up to 5 days for my hospital stay at Loyola. With that info, the surgeon's nurse went ahead and confirmed my date (next Monday 12/23 yeah!). It was still midweek after Thanksgiving and I had not heard from the cert. specialist....so I called. She confirmed that I was approved, but had no explanation for her delay. This is not the first time I have heard of BCBS Federal doing their part, and then you get the delay from a paperwork pusher at the doctor's office. Be proactive. Just a note...BCBS Federal is the best paying insurance I have ever had...ever...and I am retired.

I just had my final surgeon's visit yesterday, with a surgery date of 12/23. He told me to have someone hide the scale when I leave for the hospital and not let me have it for at least a week after I come home. He said I will gain at least ten pounds from IV fluids and to not get on the scale for at least a week, and then to only weigh myself once a week after that. He also said that I should not necessarily expect that dreaded 3rd week stall, and that if I keep my protein to about 80 grams a day, the hair loss should at least be minimized.

Delay is not denial. If you don't get the stones out now, you will have to get them out later with surgery. I had my gallbladder out in 1973 (I was 21 years old) after it burst and set gallstones all through by abdominal cavity. The surgeon said he "had to go fishing" for them. And that was back when they cut you half in two. Sometimes gallbladder surgery follows weight loss surgery anyway. Looks like if it's not now, it will be later. Passing a gallstone is like being stabbed under the shoulder blade with a butcher knife that is being twisted around. All I am saying is that if you can get the stones treated now, under your terms, that is better that suffering worse later. Good luck on your road to healthy. Your sleeve date will come....it will eventually come. When it comes to our health, we have to triage and take care of the most pressing issues first. And as for your hubby, bless him, it's not his body, his pain, or his decision.