macman

BCBSIL told me they had 30 days to approve, but it only took 15

I agree with the other comments about protein intake. My guidelines were minimum 45 grams of protein and 48 oz of fluid.The schedule the first 3 weeks was 4 ounces of protein shake on the even hours and 4 ounces of liquid on the odd hours, 8am to 10pm.

I use the weight from my initial weigh-in, 362 pounds. I had a six month program and lost 42 pounds. It only puts me closer to my goal!

My guess is that you won't need the T replacement once you lose enough weight. It does come together rather nicely!

I had a six month managed plan required by insurance however it was different than you are experiencing. BCBS of Illinois required that I go to a Bariatric Center of Excellence. Since there was only one in Central Massachusetts choices were limited, but it was a terrific program. I did have to pay a $300 program fee which supposedly covered materials. It was a hospital run program so any testing was set up for me and was done right in the hospital. I had to get blood testing, a pre surgery physical clearance and an upper GI. All taken care of by insurance since I had met my deductible. I was never asked to buy anything from them. My personal opinion is that was a good idea because they let me make the choices for myself and I think it did not prevent them from recommending a wide variety of brand name products because they weren't selling anything themselves The six months does get long. I was very ready after 4 months for the surgery. I think the time can be used to establish routines you will use after surgery, try different foods and Protein sources, especially all the different kinds of shakes. The NUT put me on a 2000 calorie diet that I reduced myself over time. The exercise physiologist helped me start an exercise program. I lost 42 pounds during the process and felt very ready for surgery.

Charles Sounds like you are making great progress. Most of what I have read suggests cardio exercises 3-4 times a week at increasing intensity. That is pretty much what I have done to this point. I am trying to work more with the elliptical vs the recumbent bike because I get a better workout. I am going to begin working out at a gym with some weights. My son and daughter in law gave me a 3 month membership that will get me started. I think I will start low intensity to build back some of the muscle definition I've lost. One of the suggestions that I have heard repeatedly is that as you increase workouts, increase the calories at the same time. Your body needs Protein to rebuild muscle and carbs for energy. I have been doing less than 50 carbs per day but will increase when I begin strength training. I have steadily increased calories as my diet has progressed and I have been more active. Currently I am at 800-1000 calories a day and have lost 51 pounds in the last 9 weeks since surgery, 42 before for 93 total. Good Luck!

I could not exercise the first 6 weeks due to surgical complications. The last 4 weeks I have been doing cardio in my home. I have a recumbent bike and an elliptical. I started slow but have worked up to 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. I have just advanced my diet to stage 5 and will begin with weights after a short vacation.

Alex, it sounds like a good idea! Based on commentary in this forum there is a wide disparity in what people get for information as part of their program. This forum has been been a valuable source for me personally, but there is a lot of merit in having face to face discussion and conversation. The University of Massachusetts Medical Center runs two programs a month for support. The first one is only open to individuals that have had surgery, It is run by one of the providers on a rotating basis (surgeons, psychologist, NUT's etc). The second one is done by a volunteer. He had RNY surgery a number of years ago and has maintained a 200 lb weight loss.I assume that would be where you are looking. The two sessions are very different but both valuable. The first one is run by individuals qualified to comment of medical, nutritional or psychological issues. The second is more general and based on experiences of the leader or other members on the group. There are specific topics discussed each month, but it is also open to wandering discussion.

Some of the Quest bars can be warmed in the microwave and end up softer. I have done this with Apple Pie and Cinnamon Roll bars.

survivingsleever The program coordinator told me that the initial weight when you registered is the weight that the insurance company uses. That turned out to be true in my case The reason insurance companies want a six month program is to be sure that you get the right education about your surgery and that you can manage it afterwards. After all they don't want you to fail because that is expensive for them. I did not have to loose a specific amount of weight, however I did have to show I could loose weight in the program and commit to a long term plan. I was encouraged to loose weight, since it would help me long term. I lost 42 pounds before surgery. I was approved with a start weight of 362, BMI of 45.24 and at surgery was 320 lbs with a BMI of 39.99.

I like the coconut cashew and the white chocolate raspberry

Unjury Chocolate Splendor, chocolate PB2, 4oz milk, 4 oz water, and ice in a blender is yummy!

Fiddleman and aroundhky- nice explanation of what can be a confusing topic for some. I am 8 weeks out and I am focused on getting in protein (70-80 grams) and keeping carbs below 50. It is working so far, down 50 lbs since surgery.

I started at 4x shirts, 56 waist pants and a 56 suit. As of today, 92 pounds down, I wear 1x shirts, 46 waist pants and just bought 2 suits at 50Long.

I agree with not getting tubs of Protein. My taste buds did not change after surgery but during the liquid phase I used ready to drink Protein shakes from Atkins, Carnation and Premier Protein. I was instructed to drink 4 ounces of Protein shake every two hours and the RTD were very convenient. At eight weeks out I start most days with a homemade shake using

Congratulations! That is a significant milestone in your journey. I hope to join you in a few weeks.

I happen to be a fan of shakes. I do like most of the Atkins products, I mostly used them during my liquid phase. Now I make my own with Protein Powders. My NUT agrees that for me, starting the day with a Protein Shake is a good idea. Most days I am up and out of the house and on the road. Plus I like getting 30plus grams of protein early in the day.

This is a challenge for me. I do use the smaller forks and spoons as well as small plates. The "eating slower " app has been a big help to me!

Unjury Chocolate. Splendor Protein, PB2, skim milk and ice in my Ninja!

I was on 20 mg of Lisiniprol and 10 mg Hydrochlorothiazide for the last two years. With the medication my average BP was 135/90. I lost 42 pounds before surgery. The Surgeon stopped both medications on the day of surgery. I have lost 48 pounds since then and BP averages 125/82 without any medication at all.

I did not receive any special instructions with the Omneprezole. I take it in the morning right before my Protein shake (6 days a week ). I was originally on ranitidine ( prescription Zantac) but the Surgeon changed when I was taking large doses of medication weeks 2-6. I have had no problems with excess acid or acid reflux at all.

There are a lot of people on this forum that begin with walking and advance to doing cardio exercises when cleared to do so. From what I have read there is a good case for doing cardio to maximize weight loss and fat burning. You do have to increase calories somewhat as the intensity increases. My experience so far: I am 8 weeks out. I was not able to exercise the first 4 weeks due to surgical complications, but over the last month have gone from 10 minutes to 30-40 minutes of cardio, 5 days a week. During that time my calories went from 450-600( liquid) to 600-800(soft protein) to 800-1000 ( stage 5, any foods starting today). My weight loss has been steady with no stalls yet. I will be starting strength training in the next couple weeks and will watch how my body responds to the increased activity

Insurance required me to do a six month managed plan. I managed to lose 42 pounds in that time with diet and exercise. I had surgery on 12/23. HW. 362 SW. 320 CW. 272 I am now starting week 9 and have lost an additional 48 for a total of 90 lbs

I am taking Omeprezole, which is prescription Prilosec. I was told I would need to take it for at least 12 months

Hi Jdillon, welcome to the forum! My insurance required a six month managed plan. I began last June and had my sleeve surgery on 12/23. I did not have to prove or log my diet rather I had to show that I could loose weight over a longer timeframe. So the hospital mixed in monthly meetings with the NUT, exercise physiologist and the psych interview. I lost 42 pounds before surgery. There is no doubt that the six months dragged on at times. I was ready in month four! But I learned a lot about my issues with food, committing to a structured diet and understanding what it would take to be successful. I tried many Protein powers in an attempt to find what I liked and established a lot of routines that I use today. Some of the best advice I received from my surgeon was to improve my cardiovascular fitness before surgery. It turned out to be life saving for me and I would highly recommend some exercise while you are getting ready Good luck on your journey! there is lots of great advice on this forum